Rocket City Wings Huntsville, Alabama -- Chapter B, Region A Friends for Fun, Safety & Knowledge July 2009

Georgia on my Mind
  -- From the Chapter Directors

Elizabeth and I finally got to go on a really good motorcycle trip this past month. 

The Georgia rally was a lot of fun.  Largely because Elizabeth and I were being lazy, we got away from Huntsville a bit late.  It turned out to be a blessing because we missed the foul weather and we also got to ride with a couple from Chapter-E.  The theme for the rally was well expressed and enjoyed by all of the attendees.  I didn't even hear anyone complaining when the elevator in the host hotel stopped working.  And what can I say about some of the best riding in the Deep South.  The twisty roads of north Georgia are well worth experiencing.

I have been blessed with the opportunities provided by a new job.  As many others have experienced, work is consuming my time.  I am also working on accumulating enough vacation time so we can tag along on the bigger trips.

Until next time, smile at those you don't know, hug those that you care about, and kiss the one that you said, "I do" to.

John & Elizabeth Griswold

Chapter Tee Shirts

Back Print Design

Thanks to the dedicated work of Kathy Lawyer, we now have the information regarding our new Chapter Tee Shirts.

The shirts will be red, short-sleeve, 50/50 blend.  Sizes adult small through XL will be $13 each and sizes 2XL and larger will be $15.  The print will be on the back.

Individuals' names can be added to the front, left chest for $4 each.

We need around 25 to make the first order.  We would like to have the shirt orders together to send after the August meeting.

Please contact Kathy Lawyer[Cou ntry Store] to order your shirts.  89753-01

Chapter Couple Notes
  -- From the Chapter Couple of the Year

Here we are already half way through the year.  Next thing you know the Christmas decorations will be up and holiday parties will be happening, but till then let's ride.

Chapter T's funday was as entertaining as always.  You will always have a fun time there and never leave disappointed. After we had all the fun we could stand, Richard and I continued down the road to Alabaster's City Fest Day for a little while before heading to Atlanta Saturday night to get ready to enjoy Sunday's Ride for Kids event which was held at Six Flags over Georgia for the first time. What a great event the Ride for Kids event was and Six Flags was a wonderful host. 

A group of 7 Chapter B folks went way out in the country and visited Chapter E this month.  On the way over there was this shout over the CB "it's open...it's open".  To my astonishment Tiger Hut had opened again. Four Chapter B members had never tasted an upside down banana split previously, so before leaving Chapter E, we all agreed to meet the next Thursday at Tiger Hut for a multi chapter Ice Cream run for some special upside down banana splits. There was one in the group that had heard so much about Tiger Hut, but had never seen it open, he though it had been made up. That very same group decided on the way home, they couldn't wait until next Thursday, so we decided to get a "sample" taste of Tiger Hut's great fixins.

Unfortunately we did not have much time to spend at the GA rally but it was great seeing old friends....Bill Gulley bought a new trike and I hear our own Miss Anta and Mr. Avery walked away with $$$$$$ (shhhhhhhh don't tell Roy).  Saturday afternoon we went to Helen the long way. Some continued to ride the hills of north Georgia and some went shopping in Helen. We stopped for éclairs and other stuff for an afternoon snack, the more shopping and on to a German restaurant for dinner. Back at the motel, we all decided to meet in Blairsville at Hole in the Wall restaurant for breakfast Sunday morning. On the way home we had some mechanical troubles, seems our speedometer decided to take a vacation and Steve had a back tire problem, but we all took our time and made it home safely.  Thanks everyone.

The next Thursday Richard's bike was still in a thousand pieces on the garage floor (but part had been ordered), he rode on the back of the trike with me to Tiger Hut. We meet up with the folks of Chapter E and tasted more of Tiger Hut's great ice cream.  Yes, you guessed it we got ribbed a lot but that was great fun and I had a weak moment and decided to let Richard drive the trike home. 

The last thing before everyone started heading for Wing Ding was a Bug Run.  We took the back roads from Gurley to Guntersville where we stopped at Top of the River for dinner. They must have known us because we were put upstairs by ourselves. After dinner we followed Hwy 79 from Guntersville to Scottsboro. We really thought following the river we would get some BIG bugs. Then down the road and over the mountain to the house of Diary Queen in Scottsboro for the judging and what Renee had been waiting all evening for!!!!! DQ Ice Cream. The amount of bugs was really really close between Greg and Jimmy but Jimmy won the $23. Their bugs were so small you could hardly see them and the rest of us had none.

Our Ride Coordinators have come up with some cool rides so put the lawn mower away and come on a ride  Also, something very important is happening this month, there is an ERC and TRC.  It's always a good thing to sharpen your skills, so we hope to see you at that.

With the weather getting warmer please remember to drink plenty of fluids so you won't become dehydrated. If you need to stop just say the word because I bet someone else needs to as well.

If you're riding somewhere, please give us a holler because we'd love to ride with you.

Four wheels move the body.  Two wheels move the soul.

Richard & Sue Chapman

Coming Attractions (Events)

July

Starting the month of July is Wing-Ding.  Chapter B has a pretty good contingent attending.

The second weekend (the 11th & 12th) we will be having back-to-back an Experienced Rider Course and Trike Riders Course.

The next BIIGGGG event is the BIG BURGER Ride on the 25th of the month.  It is a lot of fun and some of the best hamburgers that you have ever tasted.

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

John & Elizabeth Griswold

Parts of Safety
  -- From the Chapter Rider Educators

Part 1 - Group Riding:  Are you comfortable riding in a Group?

At first you may not be comfortable but to help diminish some of your anxiety, it's good to get to the point of departure in time to meet & greet and to get a good understanding how that particular group rides.  Every group in every chapter rides differently.  Starting out, observance is key.  Watch what everyone else is doing; by this you can usually figure out how things work and determine the riding habits of the group you are with.  If you have a CB, listen to the directions and comments.  Now say that you have been group-riding for a long time... are you still comfortable?  Or are you just content in your own little comfort zone assuming it's another ordinary day in an ideal situation.  What if the situation suddenly shifts? Do you feel comfortable enough to speak up if something is wrong? For instance, so many times, you punish your bladder cause you are too shy to speak up and/or don't want to interrupt a good ride. If at any point you become uncomfortable and you don't have all of your energies focus on safe driving, you must speak up.  Advance planning can reduce some things that can cause you to be uncomfortable.  However, anything from the fear of running out of gas or your bladder is screaming, you must speak up.  From that point, a safe decision can made to accommodate any problems.  For co-riders, it is just as important to speak up. Ultimately, in group riding, the important thing is for everyone to have FUN.  Common sense and logic will assist you in determining what is necessary to speak up about.  For instance, just suppose the Grand Ole Opry comes on your XM Channel 11 and you need to stop and adjust your XM because it is located in your rear pocket.  You like country music, but the Grand Ole Opry tends to lullaby you to sleepiness while you are driving a bike.  With this situation, you really can wait till the next logical stop to make these adjustments.  [In the meantime a friend suggests an alternate station.]  Say you come to a red-light and you change the channel to the "suggested" Channel 15 then suddenly the traffic light goes green.  You must take off.  By fourth gear, you discover that you aren't listening to country music but instead you are listening to Folk music.  Your options are:  listen and learn some new lyrics, or cut your audio and wait for the next safe stop to harass your friend and change the station.  Obviously an undesirable radio / XM station is not really a justifiable reason to cause an entire group to stop. 

Group Riding:  Do I say something or not?

It's a beautiful sunny summer morning... not quite hot & sticky yet, but it's just right if you have your Goldwing in the wind at about 65 mph.  You look to the left and see wild flowers waving sleepily at you.  You look to the right and you see the city in the distance....nearby, a slight fog is drifting mysteriously over the treetops.  Behind you there is a roar of engines.  An 18-wheeler comes barreling by you - so much for the peace and tranquility.  As he passes, wind-whipping you, it causes you to tense up just a bit.  You safely move over to other side of your traveling lane to avoid any potential impact of being too close to an 18-wheeler in the event one of his tires blows out.  As the truck rushes down the highway in eager movements to get to his destination, you start to relax a little. You reach your turn which continues into a peaceful country setting. 

Picture this... you are driving down the back roads admiring the countryside, smelling the soft scents of honeysuckle vines, feeling the fresh air from the swaying trees... then suddenly... your Goldwing comes to life!  It feels like you are hydroplaning!  Huh?  It's not raining!  What do you do?  I had this to happen to me on one of our recent rides.  If you are with a group, get on the CB and tell them that you are nervous and think you might have a problem and then search for a spot that will be safe for you to pull your wing over to.  Does anyone else get involved in this decision?  Yes, the tail-gunner.  This is one of the many functions of a tail-gunner.  The tail-gunner slows down and pulls off with you.  His function is to help aid or assist the bike with the "problem".  First, you both need to evaluate the problem.  If it is a quick fix, you fix it and move on.  If it's not, the tail-gunner will try to contact the leader and remaining members of the group to give them a status whether or not they will be getting back on the road right away.  While this is occurring, the group should NOT stop with the bike(s) to aid them, as this can put folks at risk especially if there is heavy traffic congestion.  The group should slow down a little (not a lot) and continue on.  The speed probably should be reduced slow enough so that maybe they can stay in radio distance to communicate with the "patient" bike and/or tail-gunner.  If the situation appears safe, the group leader can find a good place for the group to stop at and wait for a status on the bikes left behind.  If you were the one that had a problem with your bike, would you speak up and let the group know you have or suspect a problem?  Some folks may not because they feel like they are interrupting a wonderful drive in the peaceful countryside.  That was my way of thinking at first.  I didn't want to interrupt the ride, but I realized I didn't feel safe, therefore, I quit having fun.  I couldn't relax; I couldn't focus as well.  My mind kept drifting to solve the problem in my head as to what was wrong.  I told myself, "Self, you really need to think like a Ride Educator, so what would Steven do?".  What would I tell someone if this happened to them?"  So, I decided, hey, I need to stop and waiting too long could be detrimental.  Communicating over the CB my problem, I informed them that I needed to stop.  Ironically, no one fussed, no one grunted, no one was bothered that I had to pull off.  {hmmm}  That was easy! All that worrying for nothing.

So, fortunately for me, it was just a case of the nerves mixed in with a healthy dose of paranoia.  I knew this could be the case but I had to know for sure.  Pulling off safely accomplished two things:  It kept the group safe because if I was having a flat or something was going wrong, I wouldn't be putting them in jeopardy.  Second, it gave me a peace of mind.  Steven quickly asked me questions (he just happened to be the tail-gunner that day) and I told him what made me nervous.  He realized that he had experienced the same general problem but although he was aware of what was happening, I didn't understand what was happening.  Generally the type of pavement in the countryside can shift from gravel to glassy-top tar within seconds.  The condition of the road changed so that the tires reacted much differently than they were minutes before.  That sudden change in handling alerted me to the fact that my trike had taken on a new feel.  It was the road condition that had changed but I did not know this.  The temperature, the climate, and many things can affect road conditions.  A quick diagnosis and I was on my way again.  The paranoia crept in because Steven has had a bad run of luck with flats in the last few months.  It's amazing what kind of debris that tires can pick up which can ultimately cause a flat.  Naturally, knowing that the road condition was probably the case, he still checked the tire pressure in each tire.  Some may think you don't have to worry about things if you are on a trike but you are very much wrong.  A flat tire can cause even a trike to wreck, flip or kiss a ditch just like a bike.  Point is, I got nervous, I decided to speak up and consequently I was able to proceed on the ride and continue enjoying it rather than dealing with a build up of frazzled nerves.  In retrospect, I was inadvertently causing my situation to become more unsafe because I wasn't focusing on my surroundings and my driving.

Enjoying a ride requires that you focus on all of your surroundings (you never know when a critter might sneak out and get in your line of travel), as well as focusing on how your bike feels or reacts.  It is so important to avoid anything that can reduce your focus to the point that you are becoming an unsafe driver.  Each person must be able to determine and measure when their point of focus is maintained at a safe level; each must find in yourself that gray area where your focus, or rather lack of focus is dangerously close to becoming unsafe.  Recognizing your threshold for focusing, you will be able to better accomplish a steady, safe condition. 

Fortunately for Steven, concerning the previous flats he merely lost air gradually or slowly enough that he was able to make an emergency stop in a safe place.  That may not be the case in some instances.  This is why Ride Educators stress the importance of wearing safety gear.  In some worse case scenarios, protective clothing, helmets, and miscellaneous safety gear can prevent unnecessary skin damage, broken bones, brain damage, or even death.  The real question is how much do you value your body and life? Even more importantly, in group riding, you must consider the value of someone else's life as well. 

Never be afraid to speak up if you feel like your bike is not handling like it normally does.  Lots of times, it will be just false alarms, but there could be just that one time that if you didn't respond, it could cost you your life or cause you to inflict injury on someone else.  Don't hesitate to speak up right away if the handling of your bike changes to the point it makes you uncomfortable.  The longer you wait, the longer it grates on your nerves and the greater the potential for a disaster. 

Taking the proper precautions for Safety can only enhance your riding enjoyment.  Face it - the best rides are the ones you can return from with only a Dairy Queen stain down the front of your shirt.

Knowledge is power.  If you don't know, just ask a Ride Educator. If they don't know, they'll certainly know where to go to find the answer for you.

Be SAFE no matter what you are driving.  We wanna ride with you again.

Part 2: The Dressing Up Game:  Buying a New Goldwing or Just Going for a Ride

How I love thyself... how do you love yourself?

June 20, 2009:  A day that Bill & Cyndi Long (AL-A) will forever remember. 

Before I go into their details, just follow along with this story and put yourself in the driver's seat.  Imagine this:  You are on a very, new Goldwing (only 0.5 miles on the odometer) and you have traveled just about 283 miles off the showroom floor.  Your confidence level is high because you are a fairly experienced rider.  You are beaming with pride cause you just got a new wing, so hence, it being new, you have no worries, right?  Wrong.  On the road, driving down the highway while listening to your favorite tunes, the excitement is high and your thoughts are running rampant.  By 283 miles you are probably a little more relaxed just admiring the countryside, soaking in some sunshine, inhaling some fresh air and then suddenly... your Goldwing comes to life!  It has a mind of it's own...it's almost like the hand of God swiftly jerks the handlebars from your firm but not loose grip.  Within seconds...you realize more trucks are coming up behind you and your bike is maneuvering in a fashion like it's riding on jello.  It darts to the left lane and sprints towards a peaceful median filled with dandelions and wild flowers.  This is happening to you like you are in s-l-o-w motion... no time to think... you start to tumble over and over and bike parts are flying like they are weightless objects in a tornado scene from Wizard of Oz.  Your mind stops working... your only thoughts are something to the tune of "Oh God" or "Oh God, this is gonna hurt" or you think nothing and your body reacts to the adrenaline and the messages your brain starts to signal out.  Your body goes into survival mode.  As the bike completes its cycle of toppling over and over, it stops... brakes are screeching... tires are squalling, and you either go unconscious or numb.  What did the driver do wrong?  Absolutely nothing.  Bill's description of this scenario as it happened to him is that all of a sudden the bike shot to the left, and when he hit the bumpy part of the highway shoulder, the bike and he started flipping.  He ended up in the grass, with the bike about 50 - 100 yards further down the median on its right side.  Bill said it felt squishy all of a sudden, and the he couldn't steer / control it, all he could do was hold on.  He said it was like someone kicked it over.  They aren't sure if the tire blew or what because as it ended up, the bike was just like new, that is - as it is coming out of the box in little pieces to be put together for the showroom floor. 

Can you predict when a tire blows out on an 18-wheeler? No.  Can you predict when a tire blows out on a used or new Goldwing? No.  Then what do you do to be a safe driver and survive this catastrophe? Well, sometimes unfortunately the driver doesn't survive.  In this particular example, the driver does survive and survives quite well.  Miraculously, this driver escapes death and actually has minimal damage compared to what this scene could have ended up as.  As drivers and co-riders of a Goldwing, safety starts way before you turn the key to "on" position. 

If you are passing an 18-wheeler and you are in group staggered formation, it's a good idea to stay in the left track as you pass the big rig.  As I understand it, if a tire blows on one of them big fellas, just the explosion of air can knock a two-wheeler over and maybe even send a three-wheeler into a jerk.  Okay, so you can pass an 18-wheeler.  So what do you do if the tire on your bike / trike blows? Well, there's not much you can do in that moment, but what you do before that moment is critical. You can do your best to steer and guide it to safety but with that big of a machine, it may spring into action before you are even aware of it.  This is what happened to Bill Long.  Bill said it felt squishy all of a sudden, and the he couldn't steer/control it, all he could do was hold on.  He had no clue that June 20th would be a devastating day for him.  For Cyndi, it could have been a dark & dismal day.  Why did this day turn out to be a not-so-bad day? Yeah, it's always terrible to lose your Goldwing, but hey, face it, machines can be replaced but our loved ones cannot.  What did Bill do that was important?  Well, he prepared himself before he drove off.  He wore the appropriate riding gear to include a full face helmet, riding boots, jeans, and a long sleeve shirt.  He had no damage to his head or feet, his jeans cushioned quite a bit of the blow.  His long sleeve shirt didn't hold up under the circumstances.  Ironically, the Redstone Arsenal base only requires you to wear long sleeves; it doesn't matter if it is a shirt, light jacket or Kevlar.  Just because it is not enforced or suggested doesn't mean taking the easy way out is safest.  Bill has stated that had he had a jacket on instead of a long sleeve shirt, he probably would have not had as bad of a case of road rash and damage to his elbow.  We can't stress enough how important it is to dress appropriately for a ride, but Cyndi says that Bill would say the most important thing when buying a new bike would be inspect your own bike.  "Even if you own a Gold Wing and are getting a new one, or a different one, have the salesman go over the bike with you, show you where things are, and don't feel silly for asking questions.  Even if the bike has been serviced, check it out yourself and become familiar with it.  Your life could depend on it."  Ladies & gentlemen, these words come from the Long's.  They are firm believers in this.  It makes sense, doesn't it?  Bill suffered no broken bones, had some nasty road rash and bruises on most parts of his body, but no damage to his head.  The full face helmet did the trick.  Even if you don't like a full face, just wear a helmet.  It's worth the money to protect your brain and eyes and lips and nose and ears.  Many states have helmet laws that allow you to make that choice to wear or not to wear if you are over a certain age limit, but why take that chance.  Had Bill taken that chance, he might not have survived June 20th.  Even so, he may have had somewhat of a mutilated face.  Again, why take that chance.  If you lose an arm or leg, you can live without it, but if you lose your head, well, chances are, you won't survive as long as a chicken running around without their head.  Bill ended up having no broken bones, bad case of road rash & bruises, and now a strong philosophy in dressing safely and bike checks.  Check your tires, etc., because a simple check could prevent a catastrophe. 

On a lighter side, to stress the importance of dressing safely and how it can prevent subtle and minor damages, I would like to take a moment to harass Ms. Lisa Bass (with her permission of course)[like I ever needed permission before!! ha ha].  For instance, Ms. Lisa Bass of AL-B decided one hot, muggy day while we were on a ride to the RC Cola & Moon Pie festival in Bell Buckle, TN that she really, really wanted to get out of her long pants and long sleeves.  She asked the Ride Educator, Steven, if he would get mad at her.  First of all, Ride Educators SHOULD NOT dictate / enforce to you how to dress.  However, they can firmly, highly suggest and broadly insinuate that you should dress appropriately.  A little harmless, innocent harassment goes a long way too.  It's up to you boys & girls how you dress.  How do you love thyself?  Well, how you dress for a ride demonstrates how you feel about yourself.  Ride educators are just here to help learn and provide details as to how you can drive & dress safely as well as become safe Goldwingers.  Sometimes we slack but we sometimes end up paying a price later.  Fortunately for Lisa, the price was minimal.  For Bill, the price would have been much, much more costly, maybe even deadly.  Leaving the RC Cola & Moon Pie festival, Lisa felt confident that changing into less clothes was the ticket to getting cooler.  However, arriving into the Fayetteville, TN area, Ms. Lisa fesses up to Steven that he could say "I told you so".  For that reason, he said it.  She graciously admitted that his persuasion was right and that indeed she felt she would have been cooler had she left longer sleeves and pants on.  Later in the evening, as the sun toasted her freckled skin, she later discovered that the sun-kissed skin only made her sicker later in the day and could have been prevented by wearing long sleeves and long pants.  Some think that being on a trike you can slack a little more, but if a car hits you, and throws you into the ditch, those extra clothes could make your healing process a lot easier, or even save you from having to buy a casket.  If anything, please, always wear a helmet (besides it's the law in 'Bama).  Everything is optional, but the helmet just protects the most vital part of your body so why not put one on.  You can have really cool things airbrushed / painted on it.  You can attach ponytails to it and it has a varied amount of space to express your personality on it.  A bigger plus is you can have a CB and you can help your friends or defend yourself when your friends are harassing you.  See, it's not just for safety, it's a cool way of life.

So whether you are group riding or riding solo, don't hesitate to speak up about anything.  Speak up to the salesman if you aren't sure; speak up to the leader of the group if you are nervous about something; speak up to your friend and suggest that they wear safer clothes.  Just speak up now or forever hold your peace!

Ride Safe and make sound decisions that you can live with!

Steven & Tammy Hollingsworth

Rally & Ride Reports
  -- From the Ride Coordinator

Hey, got a Goldwing? Wanna ride?  Come join us sometime.  Below are some reports of some of our rendezvous'.  That's just a sample of some of the fun we have.  Enjoy.

Rally / Ride Report: Alabama GWRRA Chapter T Fun Day, Brookwood, AL - 6 June

Attendees: Greg & Renee Dempsey (bike); Steven & I (bike & trike); Sue & Richard Chapman (bike); Kevin & Darlene Kennemer (bike); Avery Howard (Trike); Walter Gersch (trike); Jon (on his Harley) & Tracie Chapman (Tahoe); Hiram & Lisa Bass (bike); and Roy & Anita Fosnight 

We arrived at the Brookwood Elementary School Gym just in time to get in on the fun.  It was definitely a blast off.  Well, talking about a "Blast from the Past"...I don't have a clue who half of those folks were unless they were around after 1969.  However, some of them are relative legends such as Patsy Cline.  I just didn't know that her bosom was that large.  Although as she sang, it decreased in size significantly and she kept all sorts of treasures in there.  Not to mention, there were some "trashy" women performing on stage.  I don't know if trashy quite described that act but they were definitely colorful and unique and on the verge of ugly.  Kenny & Dolly sang in harmony the song "Islands in the Stream"... dunno about any streams, but there was a river nearby.  Some of the people from the nearby "Village" came on stage to sing too.  Those village people are definitely rambunctious.  Along with some dueling banjos, drums and the Beach Boys, I would say that Chapter T's fun day was a real hoot.  Rich & Nancy sold some safety chrome to the visitors.  They got lucky and found a real nice tree to sit under just near the door so they could hear all of that sang'n goin' on.  I think once I caught Rich slappin' his knee.  Another time, I think it was Nancy slappin' his noggin!  He almost fell asleep in that comfy chair under the tree I bet.  We got to see a lot of our friends from afar.  Some looked better from afar if you know what I mean!  ;-)

Rally / Ride Report: Georgia District Rally, Hiawassee, GA - 11-13 June

Attendees: Greg & Renee Dempsey (bike); Steven & I (bike & trike); Avery Howard (Trike); Hiram & Lisa Bass (bike); Richard & Sue Chapman (bike); Marty Knapp (bike); John & Elizabeth Griswold (bike); Anita Fosnight (Cowboy Cadillac) with her granddaughter Sierra. 

Heading up through the mountains of Georgia was so nice.  Just before we got into a nice thunderstorm, we managed to slide into a Burger King to grab some lunch and wait out the rain.  Farther down the road, Steven discovers that he picked up something and he was getting a flat on his rear tire.  We safely made it into a gas station and got it plugged.  Arriving at Hiawassee, we found some awesome views and some really wild Cowboys & Indians.  Speaking of wild, I helped some friends Alice Cole & Dianne Harris renew their friendships to only find out that they were already friends.  Those two are shady... better watch them.  Dewey Cole & Butch Harris didn't bother to clue me in on the prank either!  They didn't give Bill Livingston much mercy either.  I think they were much worse on him during the talent show.  Georgia had a phenomenal talent show.  It was a lot of acts but they were awesome.  As usual, the Alabama Chapter B showed their wild side as well.  Steven convinced Hiram that he really looked sharp in a camo-pink hair hat and persuaded him to wear it all day one day.  There were some folks at Shoney's that thought we all were a little over the top but I'd say we were just unforgettable.  Jake Jacob (1/2 of the 2007 - 2008 International Couple of the Year) ate breakfast with us one morning and we definitely had a few laughs.  Jake never runs out of jokes.  We couldn't resist a little run over to Helen, GA one day to check out the local bakery and motorcycle shops.  Those éclairs get us everytime!  Georgia had some really odd games set up for everyone to play.  If you've never milked a cow, you missed your chance if you didn't go to the Georgia rally.  It wasn't necessarily a real cow but that had a wooden cow set up to a good job.  I don't know what they did with the "milk'; I thought the ice cream around there tasted fishy.  If you missed Georgia's rally this year, no fear, it'll be back at Hiawassee next year.  There's some great riding up in 'dar hills.  Better sign up soon!

Rally / Ride Report: RC Cola & Moon Pie Festival, Bell Buckle, TN -- 20 June

Attendees:  Steve & Tammy Hollingsworth (bike / trike); Hiram & Lisa Bass (bike); Roger & Peggy Allen (trike); Dennis Greer (bike); Mike & Alice Chapman (trike); and Tracie Chapman (Tahoe)

We departed for Tennessee with RC Colas & Moon Pies on our mind.  This little town is so small but it felt like it had a million people in it that day.  Elbow to elbow we walked and visited the vendors.  We had a moon pie, but I don't recall anyone having an RC cola.  The parade was very, very, very short and shade trees were scarce.  We grab a little bite to eat and piddle-paddled around till we just had enough.  Heat & crowds don't go together.  We made our way out of town and headed back to Huntsville.  Apparently the heat got to Lisa Bass and she asked timidly if Steven would get upset if she stripped down to shorts and short sleeve T-shirt.  Since Steven, the Ride Educator, was around, she wanted to make sure that she didn't get in trouble.  Like Steven said, he just suggests certain habits of dressing but he doesn't enforce them.  However, we made it back to Fayetteville and Lisa confessed that he could say "I told you so" because she realized how hot is was getting and the longer sleeves and pants actually did keep her cooler.  After rubbing it in for awhile, I think Lisa got the point.  Ironically Lisa is the one that gets cold most often and she was tearing it all off because of the heat & humidity which was probably about 110%.  Dripping with sweat beads, we called it a day.  There was a reason RC colas faded into history.  Now we know.  It's too darn hot to drink an RC & eat Moon Pies.  Ice cream is definitely the best way to go!!

Rally / Ride Report: RC Cola & Moon Pie Festival, Bell Buckle, TN -- 20 June

Attendees:  Steve & Tammy Hollingsworth (bike / trike); Hiram & Lisa Bass (bike); Roger & Peggy Allen (trike); Dennis & Anne Greer (bike); Walter Gersch (trike); Avery Howard (trike); Roy & Anita Fosnight (purple fantasy bike); Mike & Alice Chapman with three grandkids, Abby, Shane & Alec (trike & RV); and Jon & Tracie Chapman (Tahoe)

Zebra/Tiger Bike

Greg is in so much trouble; it won't be long, Renee is going to be a new Goldwing owner!  Roy drooled and drooled over chrome wheels till Anita gave in to let him buy some.  They look really nice and those lights just glisten in that chrome!  Avery's gone wild.  His bike is 200 lbs heavier now.  He just keeps adding safety lights and chrome.  We didn't see him much. I think the vendors had him cornered a few times.  Walter was covert in his actions.  We just didn't see him much.  Every once in a while you'd smell a nice cigar and there he was!  We ran into some good friends, Chase & Frieda Estes along with Russ & Brenda, Jan & Carl Breeding, Alice & Dewey Cole along with Butch & Dianne, Ron & Corky Alexander, lots of friends from Russellville, AL (AL-S), and many others.  We ate at a friend of a friend's restaurant.  Her name was Cindy, her dad's name was Tim and her mom's name was Linda.  She had way too many kids for me to remember and honestly I don't even remember the restaurants name but she owned it and ensured that the cooking was good.  And, I will tell you this - it was goooooooood.  That's one successful business!  We picked up a couple and Wing Ding and had them along with us too.  Bruce & Anja Elder were from Kentucky.  They were happy to have some new friends to hang out with for awhile.  Lisa got Ribbie Bass a name tag.  Ribbie is a good-looking red frog that hangs out on the back of their bike.  She got a little harassment because she didn't give Ribbie a proper name which was Bass.  She left him as an orphan till Roy & Steven & Greg shamed her into getting him a new name tag made at the Engraver's booth.  The rest of us just mosey'd around and visited vendors and played games and checked out seminars.  The weather was pretty good till the day we decided to leave and then naturally, it had to rain some.  It wasn't bad but it put a damper on our spirits.  Fourth of July night we slid sideways into the Holiday Inn Express in Memphis to rest up for the night to head home the next day, which just happened to be Steven's birthday.  Birthday boy got some new chrome and accessories for his bike.  (yes, he's still a boy of 41 years of age) Avery hung around with the Breedings till the rally closing.  Walter did too but afterwards he was heading out to Colorado and San Diego and many places in between.  Frank & Linda headed North for some more touring.  I thought they got enough in with Roy & Anita but guess not.  Mike & Alice with their grandkids headed out to the Grand Canyon and other adventures.  As far as I know, we all made it home with no mishaps or flat tires.  Yeah!  Boys & Girls, that is what I call a successful Wing Ding!  See ya next year at Wing Ding in Des Moines, Iowa!

Steven & Tammy Hollingsworth

Recognizing a stroke

This might be a lifesaver if we can remember the three questions!  It was put on the internet by a nurse, whose husband is a medical doctor.  I had never heard this advice before and hadn't a clue.  Perhaps you hadn't either and would like to file it away in the back of your head.

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say any bystander can recognize a stroke asking three simple questions.

• ask the individual to smile.
• ask him or her to raise both arms.
• ask the person to speak a simple sentence.

If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call 9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.  After discovering that a group of nonmedical volunteers could identify facial weakness, arm weakness and speech problems, researchers urged the general public to learn the three questions. They presented their conclusions at the American Stroke Association's annual meeting. 

PASS THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS......

Thank you Tom Newby for providing this.

Reprinted from July 2004 Newsletter

Remembering Elvis

For those folks that read my [forum] blog on Elvis the Goose down at The Pond, here are a few pictures of our beloved.  This is just proof that I'm not crazy.  These geese DO EXIST... well, not anymore, Aliens got them, but they DID EXIST before 6-4-09.  These photos were taken at the Secret Pond.

UPDATE:  Elvis is back and doing well.  Alien intruders were extracted back to another galaxy.  Thanks to Redstone Arsenal for protecting us!

No cats allowed at The Pond.
See where the geese put kitty cats... in a bird cage!!

Introducing: Elvis & Priscilla Elvis is on the right!

Elvis offers Priscilla some bread...

The Other Family Members...

Lester & Lu Lu and their three children, Jin Li, Chanta, and Adewole (Addy)

Who says Geese don't have a sense of humor? This is Gertrude sticking her tongue out at me.

It was quite a warm day... just ask Gomer... his tongue was almost dragging the ground.

Tammy Hollingsworth

Parents' / Grandparents' Bragging Room

• Greg & Renee visited their granddaughter's first dance recital. 300371

• Samantha Menikheim (Granddaughter of John & Elizabeth Griswold)
  - three years old, July 3rd.

As a reminder, the "Grandparents' Bragging Room" is a section of the newsletter where we want to hear about your family. You know all of those times that you have felt guilty because you wanted to share some really neat thing that your grandchild did.  Well, now you can, and you don't have to feel guilty!

Health Watch
Prayer Concerns
   

• George Glenn Passes Away - Recently Dorothy, George Glenn's wife, passed away with a heart attack. On Monday morning (6/29) George was found to have passed away by the health nurse.
  Please keep their families in your thoughts and prayers.

• Bill Long Accident - Chapter-A Director, had a serious accident on his brand new GL1800.  He was very fortunate in that all he ended up with was some very bad road rash.  Please keep Bill in your prayers as he recovers.

If you know of other individuals please inform Lisa Bass[Hos pita lity]

Serving for Freedom

Atticus "Daniel" Fisher

• SPC Fisher, Atticus Daniel
• TF Eagle Assault
• HHC 5-101 AVN
• APO, AE 09355
  
  
• Serving in Kandahar, Afghanistan
  
  
• Tammy Hollingsworth's brother

Richard L. Follett II

• Air Force
• Chief Master Sergeant
• Pentagon, Washington, DC
  
  
• Rich & Nancy Follett's son

Heather Knapp

• Air Force
• Ramstien Airbase in Germany
  
  
• Marty & Lisa Knapp's daughter

Randall Southerland

• Army
• We will get you details about his assignment as soon as we can
  

Second Annual BIG Hamburger Run

Region-A Rally 2009

Click for More Info ...

2010 Alabama Disctrict Rally Pin Contest
  - Due November 15, 2009

Requirements for the Rally Pin Design:

• GWRRA or Gold Wing Road Riders Association
• 2010 Alabama District Rally
• Huntsville, AL
• April 1-3

Remember the Theme for the 2010 Alabama District Rally is "2010: A Wing Odyssey".

You may submit as many entries as you like and as often as you like.  We will accept designs until November 15th, 2009.

Please send entries to Roy Fosnight (Dir ecto r*Al abam a-gw rra:org)

Alabama District Rally 2010

Click for More Info ...

District News
  -- District Director

Welcome to summer in Alabama, it is here with a vengeance. I guess I am getting paid back for all the times I said I was tired of riding in Cold Weather gear. It is time for early morning and late evening rides. Instead of dinner rides we can do breakfast rides and of course the evening ride will have to be before Dairy Queen closes.

Since the last Article we went to a Poker Run with Chapter N, great ride along the Tennessee River and through the Guntersville State Park. The weather was nice and we got to see some old friends. Afterward we all went to the Dairy Queen, I know that is hard to believe, but we did.

Chapter T did it again, what a great Fun Day. They had several Chapters that showed up and they came from the Gulf to the Tennessee line. They had lots of door prizes and the entertainment was what is now expected at Chapter T, Fun and surprising, they even had people that came back from the dead. We had so much stress from the fun and anticipation of the Fun Day; we had to stop at Sonic (we could not find a Dairy Queen) for ice cream and milk shakes to settle us down.

Anita and Sierra (our youngest granddaughter) went to another great Rally orchestrated by Bill and Betty (Betsy) Livingston and the Georgia Staff. Alabama came home with Largest District, three out of four of the money give a ways, several plaques for first and second places in Best Costume, dressed, bike shows to include lighted, and memories they won't forget. Great job Georgia.

All please help the Membership Enhancement Coordinator's in the Chapter to see if you can help them with calling old and new members to welcome them into GWRRA and help them stay in touch with the old members. If you do not have a MEC please help the Chapter Director talk with members. There is a report due in to Dewey and Alice on the 10th of each month and we need to make sure it gets turned in even if it is a "we have nothing to report" so we know who has looked at their lists.

The flyer for the 2010 Rally is almost complete and we will ask John to put it on the web site http://rally.alabama-gwrra.org/ as soon as Tammy gets finished finishing it, she had too much fun with this and when you see it I think you will agree. She does really good work when I don't help.

I am ready to pack for Wing Ding but Anita won't let me, she says we have plenty of time and I am ready to go today. Hope to see all of you that show up. Please stop by the ticket sales table and say HI, even if you cannot or do not want to work. We have ticket sales all day on Thursday.

Please don't forget the picnic at Tannehill State Park on the 8th of August from 10:00 until 2:00 and it will be $5.00 per person. We will provide all the food except desserts, if you have some, please bring them with you. CDs, please bring some door prizes with you. We had a great turn out in the south and are looking for a bunch at Tannehill.

Please remember that Freedom isn't Free and remember our folks who are in Harm's Way, be they Military, Law Enforcement, EMTs or Firemen.

The next time you think about riding, call a friend, they are probably thinking the same thing.

Roy & Anita Fosnight Please Ride Safe and Often Dir ecto r*Al abam a-gw rra:org

District News
  -- Assistant District Director - Central

If you don't like the weather in Alabama just wait a few days it will change. Well it did. The days went from mild to wild and now just plain HOT. If any of you get out to ride please do so with the weather in mind. Take rain gear and plenty of drinking water. Ride in the morning and stop in the early afternoon. Take frequent breaks and cool down. Use cool vests if you have them or use cooling mist sprayers. If riding in a group or with just another person or couple watch out for each other. Heat related problems can happen before we realize it.

We attended the Georgia District Rally and had a wonderful time. Weather was good and got to ride some really good roads. Gail and I attended several seminars and helped judge some of the competitions. Great Rally.

The Alabama District did well at closing ceremonies. Members from Chapters B and W took home money as well as the better half of the Alabama District Director. Congratulations to all.  There was also a change in District Directors for Georgia. Bill and Betty Livingston, who were the District Directors, are ready to just "JAM".  Carlos and Dee Lozano are the new Directors for Georgia. We want to congratulate them and their new staff as they take over the Georgia District.

The 4^th of July is just around the corner. Be safe as you travel and enjoy the holiday.

Robert & Gail Brown The more you know the better it gets Ass tDir ecto r-Ce ntra l*Al abam a-gw rra:org

HOT???
  -- Assistant District Director - South

Don't know about you guys, but I'm ready for a little cooler weather, already!!!

As are many of you, Corky, and I are getting ready for our trip to Tulsa, OK to attend the Wing Ding.  One of the things we are doing is staying out in the heat for extended periods getting acclimated.  Temperatures in our area have been in the triple digits for the past week now with no relief in sight.   

We road to Chapter T's Fun Day, and that's exactly what it was --- FUN.  Their agenda was so full that the four hours we were there seemed to be over in just one!  That Chapter is so large and so talented.  They conduct the Fun Day in a school gym and have MUCH room for everything they do, and they need it too.  You hear this all the time, but I assure you that it is true, this time.  "If you have never been to Chapter T's Fun Day, you must put it on your ride calendar.  IT'S AN ABSOLUTE GREAT TIME.  Great job Chapter T, -- Chapter G has your next Fun Day on the calendar already. 

We have been on our bikes a lot this past month, but haven't really been anywhere, ya know?  However, we did attend Chapter FL-1O's Kick -- off on 20 June in De Funiak Springs, Fl.  Wes and Jill Davis, the Chapter Directors, and the chapter members set a very high standard for all chapters to obtain.  They had a wonderful facility right on the lake, with a two-story building and ample paved parking.  Thanks for a wonderful time.

We were primed for riding at having had so much fun at the Kick-off, that a few of us from Chapter G loaded up and road to Panama City, just for the heck of it!!  Even though the temps were hovering around 102, we still had much fun.  By the time we arrived in PC, the temps had dropped to about 90.  I never thought I'd ever say that 90 degrees felt great!!!  But it did.  We went there just to eat at a place called, "Dirty Dicks Seafood Restaurant".  It's a little pricy, but well worth it.  Turned out to be some of the best seafood we have had in quite a while. 

As I mentioned earlier, we are on our way to Tulsa the last weekend of June, but I failed to mention that we are also going on to California, Oregon and back for a three week, 8,000-mile trip!  Startin' to get a little anxious.  Ready to get going, ya know? 

I might add here that Region A is responsible for the Wing Ding Ticket Sales Booth again this year.  Many of us attending the Wing Ding might be asked to assist in that responsibility.  PLEASE put your names in the hat as volunteers.  We will need your help, once again, K???

That's it for now, take care and be careful, and remember:

"Keep the rubber down, it works best that way"

Ron & Corky Alexander Ass tDir ecto r-So uth* Alab ama- gwrra:org

District News
  -- District Rider Educator

Hot weather is obviously here.  Be smart when you're out riding -- drink water all day.  You really should start hydrating when you get up and continue to drink water all day whether you're outside or not.

Also remember your tires when it's really hot like this.  As we discuss all the time, keep your tires inflated to the correct pressure so they don't build up excessive, and dangerous, pressure.  Remember to check and adjust the pressure first thing in the morning before you start riding.  While you're down there checking the pressure, remember to check the tread condition all the way around both tires.

Had a good time at the Georgia District Rally.  Went riding in the twisties while up there.  Had to remember how to negotiate the curves.  Didn't take long to remember the Outside-Inside-Outside cornering technique.  Remember to look as far through the corners as you can see and enter the corner on the outer edge, move to the apex, and exit where you're looking -- at the outside of the curve.  Not hard to do but it does take some practice to get it right.  Try it -- it's the safe and efficient thing to do.

I noticed several times this month that I was in a bad position to be seen by motorists.  Once I was in the left track of the lane when I saw a car that was going to pull into my lane because the driver couldn't see me.  I dropped back further behind the car I was following and moved into the right track so the driver could see me if he looked.  I covered the brakes just in case he did come out.  Another time I was too close behind a car and a car was about to turn left across my path because the driver couldn't see me.  Again I dropped back and moved to the left track, turned on the brights and covered the brakes.  Both times I was lucky but I was also prepared if the worst had happened.

Hope to see lots of you at Wing Ding.  Please take advantage of the seminars and riding courses.  It's about eleven hours to Tulsa from Guntersville and I'm thinking about riding some of it during the night to avoid the worst of the heat.  I'll be drinking water the whole way and taking it easy on the tires.

Til next time, remember to ride like you're invisible because they're not looking for you!

Jim & Carol Robinson Rid erEd ucat or*A laba ma-g wrra:org

District News
  -- Motorist Awareness Division District Coordinators

Hello Everyone

We have just returned from the Georgia Rally where we had a wonderful time! Bill & Betty Livingston and the rest of the Georgia staff did a great job in putting this rally on. The talent show on Friday night was awesome! We are amazed at how much talent is in this organization. We don't where these people come up with the ideas for the skits that they put on, but we are glad they find them somewhere cause they are very entertaining. Thank you Bill & Betty and the Georgia staff for a fun weekend. Next up on the calender is Wing Ding in Tulsa Ok. We are not going to be able to make it this year, so everyone have some fun for us while you are there. Also please be safe on the trip out there and back. Hopefully next year we will be able to attend. After you return home it will be time for the TN/AL BIG HAMBURGER RUN. There are details on the AL web site or you may contact us.

Hope everyone has a safe Fourth of July holiday and remember to Share The Road.

Ride Aware

Terry & Barbie Cleveland Mot oris tAwa rene ss*A laba ma-g wrra:org

Chapter Retention
  -- District Recruiting & Retention Coordinators

A Chapter's retention efforts should be firmly focused on the new and inactive Member instead of the expired Member.

The Chapter Director and the Chapter staff are the most important part of a Member's decision to stay with GWRRA or to leave.  The Chapter Director who encourages fun and friendliness and also participation will help his Chapter grow. 

Make sure as many Members as possible enjoy a great GWRRA experience which will increase our overall retention.

EVERY MEMBER MATTERS!

Nothing makes a Member, old or new feel more important and accepted than when they have a chance to contribute their ideas.  Make all Members feel welcome.  Participation is the answer to having FUN.  Get everyone involved.  Our motto is Fun for Friends, Safety & Knowledge.

EVERY MEMBER MATTERS,

Dewey & Alice Cole Mem bers hipE nhan ceme nt*A laba ma-g wrra:org

District News
  -- MED / PR Coordinators

Wing Ding is just about here.

Lyn & I along with Bill & Trina Barden (Chapter Y CD) will be leaving Thursday June 18th for the wild, wild west. We will stop in St. Louis & Sioux City, Iowa on our way to the Bad Lands, Mt Rushmore, the Buffaloes of Custer State Park & needles highway. From there we will cross the Big Horne Mts. and stay in Red Lodge Mt. The next day we will traverse the famous Beartooth pass, which Charles Kuralt termed as the most scenic road in America. We will stay the next two nights in Yellowstone and Jackson Hole WY. Continuing on the trip we will head down highway 191 to Flaming gorge and stay in Vernal Utah. From Vernal we will head west on highway 40 to Granby Colorado, the west entrance to Rocky Mt. National Park. After leaving the park the next day we will ride the peak to peak scenic byway (highway 7) and stay around Breckenridge Co. From there we will head back west on highway 50 (the loneliest road in America) to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. We will continue on from there down highway 550 (The San Juan Scenic Byway) to stay in Durango Colorado. We will leave Durango and stop at Verde Mesa National Park and continue to four corners so we can sprawl on the ground and be in 4 states at once. We will leave there and do a loop north to Mexican Water, Utah and take highway 163 through Monument Valley into Kayenta Arizona for the night. From there we will ride through the Painted Desert on our way to the north rim of The Grand Canyon and stay at Jacobs Inn in Jacobs Lake AZ. The next morning we will explore Zion National Park and then start heading back east through Northern Arizona and New Mexico. We hope to be at Wing Ding on Friday, but if we don't make it, I think you'll understand the reason.

This is why we ride. To experience and see things we have only dreamed of or seen in the movies, and to see these from the special view and perspective only presented from the seat of your Gold Wing. This is a fantastic country to see. If you have never been on this type of ride, plan to do it soon. I hope our itinerary will prompt others to explore the possibilities and to go. If you see us or Bill & Trina at Wing Ding ask to see some pictures, we might just have one or two to show.

We will continue the Couple of the Year introductions next month.

Ride safe and we'll see ya soon,

Lynn & Lyn Edwards MED *Ala bama -gwr ra:org

District News
  -- District Couple of the Year

Hellooooooooooooo, Alabama.  Just thought we'd drop in to say hello.  We've had a blast this year.  We've been doing a lot of visiting.  Thus far, we've visited:  South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, and Tulsa along with some chapters around the region.

With Georgia still on our minds, we head out to Tulsa, OK.  We make a pit-stop in Memphis to enjoy some world-famous ribs and walk the streets of Memphis, namely Beale Street.  The excitement was happening.  They had some kids that were doing some gymnastics in the street.  I started to wonder if they had brakes on those bodies.  They tumbled and tumbled to the end of the street.  Oh, the flexibility they have.  I'd give my eye tooth to be able to move like that.  Instead, I gave a generous donation of Steven's money to the Shriner's to win a really cool looking Boss Hoss.  Hey, it had three wheels and I ain't prejudiced.  I hope I win; I might even let Steven ride it.  I'll even let my friends sit on it for a picture! Ha ha  After some good eating and entertainment, we perused through some local stores and checked out tons of Elvis memorabilia.  The next day, Steven and I left early to head out to Duncan, Oklahoma to visit his sisters and our niece & nephews.  Arriving at a later time, to cover our babysitting duties were Frank & Linda Teasley.  Frank & Linda were able to keep up with the Fosnight's and do lots of touring on their touring bikes.  Before leaving Memphis, someone, God love them, was able to get Roy to put on a flying pig hat.  He loves ribs, but his favorites are where the pigs fly.  After seeing the pictures, I'd have to say Roy just likes flying pigs...period.  Well, he looked awfully cute in those other hats too.  I think Frank & Linda were a little partial to the hot dog & hamburger hats.  I hate that I missed the hat shop.  We'll have to put another trip together to head over to Memphis for a couple of days. 

Arriving in Tulsa, it was hot.  We enjoyed it (some of us more than others) and we managed to get in a little poker run playing and vendor viewing.  Next stops are Hamburger Run, visiting Region A & N rallies, and North Carolina and if we have any money left, whatever there is left to go visit.  Steven & I are still debating on going to the Region A rally.  For some reason, folks keep telling us that we really, really need to go to that one.  Hmmmmm...wonder why.  Oh well, we'll find out soon enough.  Time really does fly when you are having fun.  These rallies are so much fun.  You really ought to go to them if you have a chance.  I guarantee you'll have some fun.  We've made more new friends along the way.  We picked up a couple in the vendor area and took them to dinner with us.  Bruce & Anja Elder from Kentucky got to hang out with some Alabamians.  We showed them what a good time it was to hang out with some down home friends.  Funny thing, we didn't see them anymore after that.  Maybe cause they ate too much.  I just know it wasn't because we are funny & zany.  It's was nice hooking up with old friends too.  It was bitter sweet watching last year's International Couple Of the Year (Ken & Rita Moffitt) hand down their role to this year's new International Couple Of the Year, Alan & Carolyn Little, our new 2009 - 2010 International Couple of the Year from the great Appalachian Region N.  I'll have you know that Region A rocked!  Bob & Cathy Singley did a totally excellent job up there on the stage. I was so proud of them as was the rest of Region A.  All of the couples did great and would have been great ambassadors for GWRRA.  I sure would have hated to be the judges to judge that selection process.  They had their work cut out for them.  Alan & Carolyn will do a wonderful job.  All of the couples are inspirations! 

As we visit these rallies and witness these Couple Of the Year selections, Steven and I know we have really big shoes to fill if we are selected as Region Couple in September.  We love this job so much.....the job of going to rallies, visitations, and promoting GWRRA to anyone that will listen.  We feel that our enthusiasm will be contagious and we can make a difference.  We really hope you can join us and support us at the Region A rally in September. 

Till next time... come for a ride with us.  Goldwingers rule!

Steven & Tammy Hollingsworth COY *Ala bama -gwr ra:org

District News
  -- Rally Vendor Coordinators

Vendors, vendors, vendors... come see your vendors!

What's your first stop when you arrive at a rally?  Hotel, ice cream shoppe / stand, registrations, etc.?  Well, usually I'd prefer my first stop to be at the vendors.  It's a huge part of why rallies are successful.  Everyone likes to shop, even the guys!  Sure, fun and games and seminars are really cool at the rallies, but vendors make the special effort to come to these rallies.  It's their way of life, so we need to support them if we want them to continue coming.  Lots of times, these vendors become good friends.  Some have open arms for me when I round the corner....partly because I like to shop but mostly (I'd like to think) because I acknowledge them and have fun with them.  Remember, they can't get out and about to play games and go to seminars and so forth because they have to hang around their stations.  I know from experience that if you visit them enough, you will usually end up making a great friend.  If you send your friends or bring them with you, they will sometimes give you a little discount on their prices because they know you will continue coming to see them and support them.  But mostly, they value our friendships too.  There are some super-duper, really nice vendors out there.  We hope to have them lined up for our rally in April 2010.  If anything, just come visit your new friends, and who knows, I bet they'll have some new stuff and / or a piece of safety chrome that you just can't live without!  Mark your calendars for Alabama District Rally here in the great city of Huntsville, Alabama (1-3 April).  Goldwing Odyssey, 2010 that's our gimmick.  It's a rally you don't wanna miss.  Mainly because you will get to see US!!!  Hey, that's the best excuse ever! 

Sooooooo, start saving your money, book your hotel, get your registration in to Ms. Sue Chapman, and make some room in your garage / house for some goodies.  If you get your registration in to us, we'll be able to plan how much food we'll need to feed ya!  First few lucky ones will get a free rally pin. Sign up early and sport around your new pin to all your friends who wait till the last minute to sign up.  I don't know about you but last year's pin was super cool.  Maybe I'm just a little partial.  Till next time, ride safe and have loads of fun!

Steven & Tammy Hollingsworth Ven dorC oord inat or*A laba ma-g wrra:org

July 2009 -  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

July - 2009

August - 2009