Rocket City Wings Huntsville, Alabama -- Chapter B, Region A Friends for Fun, Safety & Knowledge October 2007

A Lonely Ride
  - From the Chapter Directors

We awoke to an amazing blue sky.  The clouds were dotted about in the nooks and crannies of the valleys below us.  The air was crisp in that unique way that mountains flavor the air with a touch of fall spice.  This was really amazing, the previous days of our stay we had always awoke to a cloud bank that surpassed the London fogs of England.

The morning was split with emotion.  On the one hand God had blessed us with a glorious morning and a day to which we could enjoy our ride home.  On the other hand we were having to leave good friends which were getting to stay and enjoy this day by riding as a group in the mountains.  We ate breakfast with the group, laughed, teased one-another, hugged and shook hands all around and then parted directions.  One group heading north to return to the rally and Elizabeth and I heading south to head for home.

Elizabeth and I rode along through the mountains with some twisty roads and some wide sweepers.  The clouds were puffed up behind the mountain ridges creating a cotton like backdrop with stunning blue above.  The bike leaned through each successive turn.  The full trip home was a very beautiful ride, but in many ways we realized that it was an empty ride.

We didn't have additional friends to share our ride experiences with.  We didn't have the others to joke with as the asphalt ribbon uncurled before us.  When we stopped to rest or eat our spirits were not lifted by the others' smiling faces.  We couldn't look forward hugs and cheerful goodbyes at the end of the ride.

It was a long and lonely ride home and we REALLY missed riding with friends.  We REALLY missed riding with YOU.  It really is about friends.

John & Elizabeth Griswold

Job Well Done

WOW, I have to say it again ... WOW!!

If you have never been to a Ride for Kids event, I would like to relay "my perspective". 

Now, as far as the amounts for 2007, the Chapter had two fundraisers for Ride for Kids this year.  Our big Pancake breakfast and the Country Cruisers Open House earlier in the year.  We raised a total of $1,131 at those events.  But the

All

Job Well Done!!!

John & Elizabeth Griswold

Dateline Lineup
  - From the Chapter Directors

Well, I think the key word for September was BUSY.

We started off the month of September with a trip to Nashville to the Gaylord Opryland Resort to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of GWRRA.  We had a good sized crowd and we enjoyed the company and the trip.  We visited Honda of Coolsprings when we reached the maximum celebration that we could all stand (some pun intended).  We finished our visit in the Nashville area with dinner at P.F.Changs.  We returned home to Huntsville on the back roads.

Thanks so very much to everyone that worked hard to make the pancake breakfast on the 8th a big success.  We raised enough that our donation to Ride for Kids was $851.  That is pretty amazing considering that we really didn't have good lead time this year to properly advertise.

To demonstrate how busy September was on the same day as the pancake breakfast we had a Road Captains course taught by Frank Teasley.  He started out by providing a classroom session in the Fosnight garage and then we finished up with road work where we demonstrated what we learned.  It was very informative and a lot of fun.

Special thanks to Marty and Lisa Knapp for conducting the Standard Meeting on the 11th.  I think that they did an excellent job (definitely better than my first meeting).

The BIG event for the month was Ride for Kids on the weekend of the 16th.  It was a busy and hard couple of days, but very satisfying.

A nice sized group went to Wings over the Smokies in North Carolina.  As is traditional with us we spent way too much.  But we had a wonderful time and a really beautiful part of the country.  We also found a road that rivals the Tail of the Dragon.  I also encountered two black bears or one bear at two different locations.

And on the 29th we have a group that is going to the Helen, GA area.  It should be a great trip.  It is an overnight trip.

Now let's take a look at some highlights in October:

If all goes well we will have a bowling excursion on the 5th to Plamor Lanes at 6:30pm.  The lanes are located on Leeman Ferry Rd.

On the

Our regular monthly meeting will be Tuesday the 9th.

For those attending the Mississippi Rally, it starts on Thursday the 11th.  In our usual fashion we encourage those attending to use the forum to coordinate with others for departure places and times.

On the 12th there will be couple of our members that will be taking the Basic Rider Course.  That will be a three day course.  They don't want us to watch them out on the range, but keep them in your thoughts.  And especially pray for the instructors.

On the

If you want to see some really wonderful old bikes, and see them actually race, then don't miss the trip on the

On the same day as the old folks on old bikes race there will be a group that ride to Bell Buckle, TN for the Craft Festival.  If this is more your speed then you are more than welcome to attend.

On Sunday, 21st we plan to ride to Winchester, TN to visit the Moving Wall memorial.

We would greatly appreciate any and all help for

On Saturday, 27th we plan on riding to the Covered Bridge Festival.

Also on the

As always, the most up to date schedule information can be found on the website – check it often.

John & Elizabeth Griswold

October 2007 District News
  – From the District Director

On August 25^th, our Anniversary, Dian & I rode with 9 other bikes up to Patti's Restaurant at Land between the Lakes in Kentucky to eat the famous 2" thick pork chop.  Should I say it's all you can eat?  We had a great ride and even managed to make it back by noon Sunday for our family reunion.

We attended the Region-A Rally in Perry, Florida Sept. 13-15.  We really enjoyed the ride down and even managed to miss all the rain.  It would have been better if some others from our area had rode down with us. We left Athens about 8:30 AM CST and arrived in Perry about 7:00 PM EST. Some lucky member won a new Escapade trailer.  There was also a pound of gold given away by the local Veterans organization.  Lots of door prizes and other items, including two winners in the 50/25/25 drawings.  Lots of folks took advantage of the free onsite camping.  Closing ceremonies was very sentimental since Larry and Patty ended their tenure as Region-A Directors at the Rally.  We also spent some time with the incoming Region-A Directors, Bob & Nan Shrader, from Tampa, Florida.  Most of the District Staff will remain the same.

Please remind your folks that we

Remember the

Please keep our Military people and our country's leaders in your prayers, as well as those who are sick or recovering and those who have lost loved ones.

Till next time, hug someone you love and don't forget to wave.

Bill & Dian Gulley

October 2007 District News
  – From the Assistant District Director
  / Rally Coordinator

Hi Folks,

You know our District has so many good things going on all year that if anyone is not having a good time shame on them. It seems my time is continuously wrapped up in activities.

The weather is turning cooler and riding time is at a premium. The Region-A rally at times was warm but not anything like it was the previous year where the temperatures were unbearable. It was an excellent rally and while Karen couldn't go I did get to attend with some of our local members and most of the District Staff.

I was able to split my time and ride up to Pelham and the Ride For Kids. Alabama GWRRA had a huge turn out. 

This month we will be attending the Mississippi Rally and hope to attend the Bandit Getaway. I'll also be up in Gadsden to see who captures the Traveling Plaque. It seems that Plaque has bounced around in the Northern part of the state for some time. Chapter-H and -N seem to think they own it.

For those that attend the Mississippi Rally we will once again have the Alabama folks invited to a lunch on Saturday. This is becoming a tradition and normally we have a good turnout. Last year it was a little difficult to find a location but this year we believe we will find a large enough location. If the weather is nice there is a great barbeque place down the interstate that we will attend.

Did you think I was going to forget to talk about the Alabama Rally? Well if you did you are wrong. I am not going into detail of all the things going on but I will encourage you to get your registration in as soon as you can. I also encourage you to sign up for the Swamp Tour if you want to go. I have 18 seats left in the afternoon. If we need, I will try to get a second air boat but I also need time to do that. This is the second year we will be providing an ERC and Trike course at the rally. If you need or want to take either of these courses please sign up. This year we will offer two up as well as one up. The price is $50 for each person and a meal will be provided. This year, for the first time, we will give away a 2008 Gold Wing. This is a major undertaking for Alabama. Our attendance historically has not been large enough to do this. It was only with the help of A&B Cycle and the understanding by the District Staff that we could loose money that we chose to do this for our membership. Only with support from you will we be able to continue giving away a Gold Wing. If you don't need a wing and win it then you can opt to take $10,000 cash on the spot. If you look at what we will be doing this year I think you will agree we have set a great table for you with meals, socials, seminars, vendors, fun and prizes.

Please don't put off registering and purchasing your tickets.

We'll see you soon.

Jim & Karen Lee

October 2007 District News
  – From the Assistant District Director
  / District Trainers

We have had a great time in September. On the first of September a group got together to go to the 30th Anniversary Party in Nashville at the Opryland Hotel. We went up US 31 to the Cracker Barrel in Columbia (it is exit 46 on I 65) and had a great meal. We rode the rest of the way in on I 65 and with the construction finished on 440 and it being Saturday morning we rode straight in. As we got close I was told we had rode right by the Bass Pro Shop, I was very considerate and did not tell Randy we would ride by it twice. When we got into the parking lot we ran into Bill and Dian along with several others. When we got inside Alabama had a good presence (we left some Rally Flyers). Folks from Chapters Y, N, H, E, and K were at the door to the vendors. We had a great time with everyone and decided to go to Cool Springs to look around. Rich (Gold Wing Department) and the others at Cool Springs Honda were really nice, my left saddle bag release broke and they fixed it on the spot. We left there and went to PF Chang's for a wonderful supper. When we left we rode US 31 to the Diary Queen in Ardmore. What a perfect ending to a great day.

We attended a Pancake Breakfast that Chapter B did for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and had a good time with all. They had people from Chapters H, K, T, X and Bill Gulley (thanks for coming) as well as friends, family and people off the street. We had a good time and got to spend some time with friends.

We had a Road Captain's course on the same day and the turnout was a nice surprise. Frank and Linda Teasley (AL Staff MED and Certified Trainer) from Chapter T came and taught the class. We had 25 participants for the course. We did not do any U turns in the class and no one got lost, I cannot say that for the Road portion. Everyone had a good time and learned some things that will help them in the future. 

Next we attended a meeting of Chapter E in Anderson. Had a nice meal, talked to some nice folks and had a dry ride home. During the week we had a chrome party and put on some safety chrome, lights and a color matched dash.

We left Friday the 14th and I rode the bike to Alabaster and put it in the show room of Bill Smith's shop so I would have it for the Ride for Kids Sunday. We went on to Perry, FL for the Region A Rally. We had a nice time and got to spend a little time with folks and make some new friends. We left Perry and headed back to Pelham to meet up with everyone and get ready for the ride on Sunday. We went out for a nice meal and were joined by friends and folks from Chapters A, B, X and the AL staff. The Ride went really great. We raised $91,000 for the kids. We had 16 Chapters represented, thank you all, it sure means a lot to see you all ride in.

The next time you think about going for a ride, call a friend; they are probably thinking the same thing.

Roy & Anita Fosnight Please Ride Safe and Often

MAD about Fall
  – Motorist Awareness Division District Coordinators

I really am mad about fall, but crazy in love mad about fall. This is my time of year, time for warm days and cool nights, time for light jackets and coats, time for football (Roll Tide) and leaves. Time for darkness to begin earlier too, so we as riders must become more vigilant when we ride this time of year as there are a number of things that help us be unseen. The sun is one of those! The sun this time of year is lower in the sky and has began it's southward trek to the equator thus making it appear in places we haven't noticed before. You must be careful especially on East/West roads as this will cause the sun to be directly in your eyes as well as the eyes of other drivers making you almost invisible. You can do some things to help combat this problem, choose different routes or routes that do not place the sun at your back, for remember it is left turning vehicles that create the biggest hazards at intersections. You can also choose to ride later or earlier so that you are not on the road during times when the sun is in everyone's eyes including yours. Take a break at a scenic spot or have an extra ice cream cone or cup of coffee.

So what happens after the sun goes down? Well if you're wife is like mine you darn well better have a jacket stashed or she'll make a coat out of your skin after she gives you a tongue lashing for not having hers on the bike. I only ask that you make sure that you have something that lights up with retro-reflective tape or piping so that your seen by the same folks you just avoided at sun rise/ sun set. Watch your lane position and ride so you can be seen and too be seen, making sure you don't hide from view. Keep those headlights working properly and we'll see you when the snow begins to fall this winter.

Until Next Month... Ride Safe, Straight and Aware!

Freddy & Doris Wheeler

10 Steps to Staying Safe

1. Assume Drivers Can't See You: Ride assuming that you and your motorcycle are totally invisible to motorists. That means you must never assume that drivers can see you. The odds are, they can't so believe it yourself and always have an "out" for dangerous traffic situations. Motorcycle Safety depends on you.
2. Maintain Safe Spacing: Leave plenty of space in front and back and to the sides from all other vehicles. Be an island. Stay away from traffic as much as possible. This gives you more visibility and more time to react to situations.
3. Anticipate Trouble: Anticipate trouble situations and know what to do when you see them. Analyze what vehicles are doing and try to predict the outcome. Then make sure you're ready to avoid a bad traffic situation.
4. Beware of Oncoming Left Turners: Beware of oncoming motorists turning left in front of you at intersections. This is the leading cause of death of motorcycle riders. I'm deadly serious here. I have personally lost many friends to this accident. If you only remember one tip here, let it be this one. Slow down before you enter an intersection. Have an escape route planned. Stay visible. Don't travel too close to cars in front of you. Position your bike so it can be seen by the left turner. Eye contact is not enough.
5. Ride Your Own Ride: Don't try to keep up with your friends who may be more experienced. Know your personal limits. Ride your own ride.
6. Watch Out for Curves: Beware of taking curves that you can't see around. A parked truck or a patch of sand may be awaiting you.
7. Don't Give In to Road Rage: Do not give in to road rage and try to "get even" with another rider or motorist. If you follow these tips, most likely you won't fall victim to road rage. It's better to calm down, slow down, and collect your thoughts first. Then continue on and enjoy the ride. That's what we're all out there for in the first place.
8. Don't allow Tailgating: If someone is tailgating you, either speed up to open more space or pull over and let them pass. Life is too short. Remember that a bike can stop faster than a car so you don't want a truck on your tail when you find yourself trying to brake to avoid an accident. Also, don't tailgate the vehicle in front of you. Oncoming drivers can't see you.
9. Don't Be Blinded by Sun glare: Beware of riding your motorcycle into sun glare. All it takes is turning a corner and finding the sun either directly in your face or passing straight through your windshield. Some helmets have shields to block the sun. Face shields help somewhat. But sometimes you just find yourself blinded by the light. Slow down, pull over, shield your eyes and look for a way to change direction.
10. Avoid Riding at Night: Avoid riding at night, especially late Saturday night and early Sunday when drunken drivers may be on the road. It goes without saying that you shouldn't drink and ride. Going bar hopping? Leave the bike at home and find a designated driver. Remember, Safety is everyone's responsibility.

Ride Safe,
Ron & Pam Lantz
Region A Educators

A Stunning Senior Moment

A very self-important college freshman attending a recent football game, took it upon himself to explain to a senior citizen sitting next to him why it was impossible for the older generation to understand his generation.

"You grew up in a different world, actually an almost primitive one," the student said, loud enough for many of those nearby to hear. "The young people of today grew up with television, jet planes, space travel, man walking on the moon, our spaceships have visited Mars. We have nuclear energy, electric and hydrogen cars, computers with light-speed processing .... and," pausing to take another drink of beer.

The Senior took advantage of the break in the student's litany and said, "You're right, son.  We didn't have those things when we were young ... so we invented them. Now, you arrogant little nincompoop, what are you doing for the next generation?"

The applause was resounding...

October 2007 -  AL-B Ride Schedule

• 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 (unless noted otherwise by the ride leader).

• We need your ride suggestions!!
• We need any and all of your ideas!!
• You can be part of the Ride Committee!!
• If you want to help...
  Please e-mail us at Rid eCoo rdin ator

October - 2007

November - 2007