Rocket City Wings Huntsville, Alabama -- Chapter B, Region A Friends for Fun, Safety & Knowledge March 2006

From The Chapter Directors
- Mike & Cindy Janes

There are always reasons to praise the folks that ride with Chapter B.  We are having

We had some Chapter B folks show up this week that some of us had never met.  It is really great to know people are finding something of interest via the Rocket City Wings Web Page.  There is a

The few days of

If we were to predict good riding weather is upon us, we would probably see the worst rain storm in history.  One thing is for sure, the

This upcoming Chapter Meeting is the last meeting prior to the District Rally.  Chapter A has lined up some fun activities for the rally.  They are promising more vendors than ever before, so if you are not signed up, time is running out.  Check the web site for registration and lodging information.  One very good reason to attend the District Rally is to support John and Elizabeth Griswold in the Couple of the Year competition.  They have invested a lot into this already and we know they are going to do very well in the competition.  The COY program does take considerable effort, but the payback is a lot of fun, a sense of accomplishment and useful knowledge.  Come out and support Chapter B and our COY.

We encourage anyone who might be interested in the trip to Americade to keep a close watch on the web site.  We may have to change it up a little bit, so we will post the changes on the web page to keep everyone informed.  Anyone interested in riding with us to Americade, and other points North, is welcome to participate in the Cheeburger, Cheeburger (Providence Main) meeting this Saturday at 1:30 pm.

If this is the first Chapter B Newsletter you have read, or the first in a long period of time, we welcome you and invite you to ride with us.  We are very happy to have people new to Motorcycle riding, or new to Gold Wing Road Riders Association.  Take a good look at our ride and event schedule. 

One last piece of business; we are trying to correct and maintain and accurate address list for our Chapter participants.  If you know a GWRRA member who has

Join us for any of our scheduled events.  You are encouraged to ask questions, we are Friends for Fun Safety and Knowledge. We wish you a safe journey and continued blessings.

Mike and Cindy Janes

GWRRA TRIKE SIG - ALABAMA

RIDE WITH THE EYES OF AN EAGLE 
Trike Tete-a-Tete February 21, 2006

February is Heart Month!  We got the heart of the AL TRIKE SIG off to a strong beat this month.  What better day to begin our Chapter visits than on February 14th!  And on that date, Kay Leonard, Assistant AL GWRRA TRIKE SIG rep, and I arrived at the Neighborhood Sports Grill in Trussville for Chapter Y’s get-together.  It was a bit too cold for us to go on the trikes so we grabbed a couple of friends from CH I and 4-wheeled it using “Rhonda” as a chaperone.  All the folks in Chapter B have given their GPS instruments names and I dare say most all of the men are in love with “her” voice.  So much so, that they never mind hearing her say “you have deviated from your route”!  I suppose it is much better than when we wives say in an agitated voice, “why, WHY, WHY don’t you stop and ask for directions?”.  I am practicing to nag like “Rhonda” ..soothing and sexy but Mickey says I have a long way to go. J

CH Y was the epitome of hospitality.  We were welcomed as if we were old friends.  The guys in the Chapter had decorated the meeting room with Valentine blow-up decorations and each table had a flowered centerpiece.  A round table held the Valentine’s presentation of long stemmed red roses, cake, and heart shaped boxes of candy.  As each lady walked into the room, CD Don Mosely  presented them with one of the roses and a big GWRRA hug which was captured by their photographer.  About the time our meal was over, 4 handsome members of a Barbershop Quartet arrived wearing tuxedos to serenade us with love songs.  Not to be outdone, the manager of the restaurant also presented each of the ladies with a chocolate long stemmed rose.

Don gave me the spotlight to chat about the GWRRA TRIKE SIG.  I was very impressed that their Chapter Trike members are 100% Trike Course certified.  We plan to be at their Hawaiian themed FUNDAY March 4th  where all funds will be donated to their Camp SAM (Smile-a-mile) charity program.  I will be looking forward to meeting many of you there.  Be sure to wear a colorful shirt and grass skirt if you have one J

Besides going to District Rally in Mobile, March is going to be a busy travel month for Kay and I.  We have scheduled a mini road trip to include four Chapters in the mid-Alabama area.  By the time I get to District Rally, I hope to see many familiar faces….do hope you will stop by the GWRRA Trike table at the District Rally to say hello.

As a reminder, be sure to check your trike before riding.  Of importance are the Tires, Controls, Lights, Oil, and Chassis.  Keep a medical emergency sheet in your Trike for both you and your co-rider.  Both of these forms are available on the web site or from your Chapter Ride Educator.  If not, email me and I will be happy to send you a form.

KEEP ON TRIKING BUT TRIKE WITH THE EYES OF AN EAGLE!

GWRRA  ALABAMA TRIKE SIG
Julianna Polka,
District Representative 
Harvest  AL  35749-7455
jul ipol ka*c hart er:net

District News
FROM the
District Director

So far the New Year is going full speed ahead.  January 27 & 28 we conducted a Horizon Seminar in Montgomery.  We planned to assist the Region A Trainer with the presentations.  This turned out to be far from what occurred.  On Thursday evening before the Seminar was to begin on Saturday morning, I received a call from Joe Windsor, Region A Trainer.  Joe said he was sick with the flu and would be unable to make the Seminar.  This is where your District Trainers, Dave & Ellen Hamilton came through with flying colors.  Joe had sent me the one unit that Dian & I were to do.  There were 5 units to the program and we were to do # 5.  Dian & I traveled down to Dave & Ellen’s home on Friday and spent a couple of hours reviewing the material.  We decided we had no choice but to go ahead with the program, even though this would be the first program that either of us had would present.  The class was held at the F.O.P. Lodge in Montgomery, thanks to Danny Daniels.  A special Thank You, to Danny & Marcia Daniels for your assistance in obtaining this facility, and for your assistance during the Seminar. We had 32 people in attendance at the Horizon Seminar, including the new Mississippi District Trainers, David and Susie Schutz.  On started out Saturday morning with lots of donuts, buns, etc., coffee and cold drinks for all.  Arrangements were made to have Bar-B-Que, beans and chips brought in for lunch.  We finished about noon Sunday and everyone headed back home. You all were excellent students and a tremendous help to us.  Your patience and understanding was greatly appreciated!  Thank you for attending and making things easy for us!  Dave & Ellen did a tremendous job with organizing and presenting the major part of the program.  Hats off to you both!!  Everyone seemed to have enjoyed the fellowship and new friendships that were made as a result of this experience.  Due to circumstances, I think we had a very successful Seminar.

Arrangements are complete for the 2nd annual District Picnic.  It will be on May 13th at Tannehill Park just west of Birmingham.  Like last year you only need to bring your appetite and enjoy the day with your friends.  The District will furnish the meal and do the cooking and serving.  You may bring some kind of dessert if you would like.  I will provide further details and directions soon.  I will need to an estimate of how many of you plan to attend so I can have enough food available.  I learned there will be a British car show there the same day.  They have a pioneer village and numerous other attractions in the park if you are interested.

Dian & I are heading to Mobile tomorrow (Monday 20th) to check on final details for Mardi Gras 2006.  From there we are going on to Kissimmee, FL for the Florida Rally.  Sure hope you have sent in your registration for our Rally already.  If not, you still have a few days to get pre-registered and be eligible for the pre-registration drawing for $250.00!  You don’t want tot miss the things we have scheduled at the Rally this year.  Remember the Rally pin design contest for the 2007 Rally is due by March 20th of this year.  25th Anniversary, Alabama District Rally, Mobile, AL, March 29-31, 2007.  The winner will be announced at the Rally.  The winner will receive $100.00 plus Rally registration for 2 at the 2007 Rally.  Get your entries to me ASAP.  Don’t miss the boat!  Speaking of the boat, as an added attraction, we chartered a boat for a dinner cruise after closing ceremonies this year. I hope you were able to get tickets if you were interested.  There were 100 tickets available and I am told they were all gone within a week.  Next year we plan to have at least 2 cruises, one Friday and one Saturday.  So start making plans.

Lots of Chapter activities will be coming up soon, so make plans to attend as many as you can.  The more you participate, the more fun you have.  The first one on the schedule is the bike show sponsored by Chapter J in Tuscaloosa.  It’s February 25th at McFarland Mall in Tuscaloosa.  Ride on over and visit with them and put your bike in the show.

Till next month, hug someone you love and don’t forget to wave!

Bill & Dian

District News
FROM the Assistant District Director, 
Jim and Karen Lee, Mobile

Hi Folks, It’s here! That’s right, it’s rally time. All year I have encouraged you to register and plan on attending. I have discussed the events that will take place, our planning for the rally, and now it is here.

I have heard people say “why go to the Alabama Rally? Why go to any rally? Aren’t they all the same? If you’ve been to one you have been to them all.” You know there is some truth to these comments. Many rallies are similar. There is much that goes on all rallies that are the same. All rallies have games, door prizes, seminars and vendors. To some degree they are all the same. We have looked at the other rallies and tried to pull out the things that people appreciate from them to make ours better.

Many things stand out as being different this year and we hope are received well. There will be entertainment and food in the vendor area. Please take part in this and enjoy. Slow riding games will be held inside. The lighted bike show will return to inside like last year. We are having a charity poker run on Saturday where a portion of the proceeds will go to the Alabama Sheriffs Boy’s Ranch. All the door prize money collected in the poker run area will be put directly to the charity while the registration money will be split. A portion will go to the charity while the rest will cover vendor gate admission and prize money. $150 first prize money and $75 second prize will be awarded.  We will have a Mardi Gras parade prior to closing ceremonies. This is shaping up to be extremely impressive.  We will provide transportation to and from the Civic Center to the Host Hotel. There will be tours of the Katrina damaged areas in Mobile county and Mississippi. Walking tours will be laid out for those that want to walk around the area. The Mummy will be at the IMAX in Mobile a block from the hotel. A large boat show will take place at the Convention Center the weekend we are in town. An information desk will be available to help you determine what and where things are but more importantly help you know where to go to eat and give you information on the area. We have a dinner cruise after the closing ceremonies on Saturday night. An ice cream social, moon pie eating contest, Mardi Gras costume contest, and tires that will be given away on Thursday night. Friday night another set of tires will be given away after the talent contest and lighted bike show. There will be an auction, bingo, find the flag and more. We will have CPR and first aid classes, a CD’s round table, and we hope to have some rider ed classes such as the road captains course. This should be a good indication of what you will get to enjoy when you attend. If you haven’t registered it’s not too late to decide to come. Pre-registration ends March 15th and hey you can always come and pay full registration. Many people do.

All the activities are fun, enjoyable and will provide a time to remember. We hope you leave with a sense that you have had a great weekend and have the desire to come back. For me, I truly enjoy participating in many of the events I have mentioned when I go to  rallies but what I get out of them more than the activities is the opportunity to make new friends, associate with those I don’t get to see as often as I’d like and basically fellowship. 

See you in Mobile

Jim & Karen Lee

March 2006 - AL-B RIDE SCHEDULE

Information About Our Group Rides

• Unless otherwise indicated, all rides will leave from the ride meeting place at scheduled time.
• As a courtesy to all members, it is important to be ready to leave at the departure time.
• All bikes should be fueled and bladders emptied ahead of time.
• We plan a variety of rides.  Time and money might make it hard to make all events.  We hope this variety will give you an opportunity to pick and choose, and at least enjoy some of them.
• If the weather is bad---come in your car.
• If you have a CB, you will find us on Channel 1.
• We will meet at Mullins for our Sunday morning breakfast at 8:30 am, most of the time.  However, there are some rides to breakfast at other locations.  CHECK THE RIDE SCHEDULE.

NOTE: Weekend rides throughout the winter will not be scheduled unless it is something special that is not weather dependent.  We will have breakfast scheduled every Saturday and Sunday, then go for a ride after breakfast or later in the day, depending on the weather, forecast, etc.

March

April

Summary:  86.0 miles (2 hours, 10 minutes)

SUMMARY
Driving distance:  86.0 miles
Trip duration:  2 hours, 10 minutes
Driving time:  2 hours, 10 minutes
Cost:  $4.37

FOR SALE

Two bedroom deluxe condo July 4th week during Wing Ding at the Fairfield Nashville Resort.  $1200.00
Check in Saturday, July 1, 2006 after 4 PM.  Check out Saturday, July 8, 2006 before 10 AM.
Contact Paul Zutter @ 864-2442
The Fairfield Nashville resort puts you into a 2 Bedroom Deluxe condo at a RCI Gold Crown Resort that is convenient to many of Nashville's most visited areas. The famous Opryland® Hotel, Music Valley complex, Antique Toy Museum, "Sidewalk of the Stars," Opry Mills and a great selection of restaurants are all "just up the road a piece."  Downtown Nashville and the surround communities offer countless activities, restaurants, shopping, history and night life.
See the resort listing at:  http://www.efairfield.com/inside/resorts/0019.asp

About the Condo:

This is a fully furnished two bedroom deluxe condo with maximum occupancy of 8.  There is a fully furnished kitchen, dining area and living room with queen sofa sleeper, TV, VCR, stereo, and balcony.  The master bedroom features a King bed, dressing area with sink and Jacuzzi tub, large shower and commode.  The second bedroom has two double beds.  The second bath with access from the second bedroom and living room has a sink, tub/shower and commode.  All lines are supplied in the condo.  A washer and dryer are also in the condo.

About the Resort:

Located at 2415 McGavock Pike, Nashville, TN 37214, 615-871-4666, the Resort is within walking distance of the Opryland Hotel.  The resort amenities include:  Club house with indoor heated pool, exercise equipment, sauna, game area, video rentals, local attractions service desk.  The resort also offers daily activities on and off the resort property.  There are two outdoor pools with separate kiddy pools, outdoor Jacuzzi tub, tennis court, children’s play ground, picnic tables, benches and charcoal grills throughout the resort.