August - Tri-County Wings

ALABAMA DISTRICT GOLDWING ROADRIDERS ASSOCIATION Region A
August, 2009
Friends for Fun, Safety, and Knowledge
ALABAMA DISTRICT OFFICERS
Directors
Roy & Anita Fosnight, Jr.
Recruiting & Retention
Dewey & Alice Cole
Asst. South Directors
Ron & Corky Alexander
Webmasters
John & Elizabeth Griswold
Asst. Central Directors
Robert & Gail Brown
District COY
Steven & Tammy
Hollingsworth
Leadership Training
Division
Frank & Linda Teasley
Safety Educators
Jim & Carol Robinson
Public Relations/ MED
Lyn & Lynn Edwards
Secretary/Treasurer
Sue & Richard Chapman
Motorist Awareness
Directors
Terry & Barbie Cleveland
Membership Enhancement
Coordinators
Dewey & Alice Cole
Vendor Coordinators
Steven & Tammy
Hollingsworth
Newsletter Editors
John & Elizabeth Griswold Rally Coordinators
Mike & Ann Chapman
Ambassadors
Mike & Alice Chapman
Faye Sanders
Betty Werman
Chapter T meets the 3rd Friday of each month
Location: Plaza Restaurant in Bucksville
Date of Next Meeting: August 21, 2009
Dinner: 6:00 P.M.
Meeting: 7:00 P.M.
Directions: Take Exit 100 on
I-59. It is located 1/4 mile
west off Interstate 59.
CHAPTER T OFFICERS
Chapter Directors
Frank & Linda Teasley
205-424-4717
Asst. Chapter Directors
Mel & Susie Travis
Rider Education
Jim Cobern
Secretary / Treasurer
Jimmy & Betty Thomas
COY
Jim & Sharon Herdt
Table of
Contents
Chapter T
Directors
2
AL District
Directors
4
AL Assistant District Directors
5
Region A
Directors
6
Chapter T
Assistant
Directors
8
Phone Tree Cord.
Sue Cole
Welcome Host & Hostess
William Lee & Ann Walker
Rider Education
9
Clothing & Goodie Store
Mick & Debbie Lindley
MED
10
Calendar of Events
11
Flowers
Glenda Lee
Ride Reports
13
Sunshine
Betty Thomas
Featured Couple
17
Chapter Information
&
Prayer Concerns
18
Recognition & Awards
Mel & Susie Travis
Web Master
Ken Gray
Membership Enhancement
David Walker & Jr. Maharrey
Ride Guide Cord.
Mike & Ann Bigham
News Letter Editors
Mel & Susie Travis
Hello all, July has definitely passed us by very quickly. Our trip to Wing Ding took up a large
part of the month for us. We hope all of you enjoyed your Independence Day celebrations and
got to eat lots of b-b-q and ice cream. We have had some really good dinner rides this month. If
you missed them you missed some good times. Thanks to Jimmy and Betty for being our ride
guides for the month and to Ray and Judy for the dinner ride after the monthly gathering. We
had a great time and we hope all of you who attended had a great time also.
We had a really good turnout for our July gathering including several visitors. One of our
special guests was Monty and Sue Scott, chapter directors from Chapter F in Montgomery. They
were there to bring “IT” to chapter T. “IT” is the traveling mascot for the Alabama District this
year. We will take “IT” to another chapter within the following four weeks. If you have not met
“IT” yet let us know and we will arrange for you to meet “IT” before its travels continue. We
were very pleased to see Mike Bigham at the gathering. As most of you know, Mike had a bad
accident recently and it was great to see him out and about and doing so well. He still has a
long way to go to get back up to full speed but as Mike put it, “you really don‟t know how many
friends you have until something like this happens and you don‟t appreciate the power of prayer
until the prayers are for you”. He wanted to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers. We
discussed having a movie night in August and will advise everyone once plans are finalized. We
need a ride guide for August!! If you would like to step up and find some good places to eat for
this month please contact us asap. Ray and Judy always plan the ride on the Sat night after the
gathering so we are only talking about three rides. Someone step up and take us to your favorite places, you don‟t have to lead the ride, only plan it!! The north district picnic is coming up on
Aug 8th at Tannehill. It is from 10AM until 2PM so please make plans to attend. August 30 th .
There will be an ARC taught in Meridianville, Al at the Madison County Airport. This will be
for 1-up and 2-up and the cost is $30 per bike. If you need to renew this will be a great opportunity to do so with GWRRA instructors instead of MSF instructors. Class sizes are limited so
sign up asap. For more info contact us or Jim Robinson, Al District Rider Ed. This will be the
first class in Al with all GWRRA certified instructors. Please check the prayer list included in
this newsletter and remember everyone there. These folks need our thoughts and prayers.
Again, we hope everyone has had a great month and we look forward to the rest of the riding
season. Remember, our door is always open and we appreciate your thoughts and suggestions
concerning the future of Chapter T. This is your chapter, help make it fun. You only get out of a
chapter what you put into it!!!
Frank and Linda
Wing Ding Report by Frank and Linda Teasley
Greetings fellow riders, July turned out to be a very busy month for us. For the first time in 14
years we took a two week vacation. Our vacations usually consist of several long weekends during the year but this year we decided to make a change. We made an extended trip out to Wing
Ding in Tulsa, Ok. We met Roy and Anita Fosnight in Memphis on June 27th and enjoyed an
evening of great food and good fun on Beale Street. The next day we rode into Arkansas and
rode the “Pig Trail”. This is Arkansas‟s answer to the tail of the dragon. Our next stop was
Eureka Springs where we got to tour the Thorn Crown Chapel. This is a church that is made
entirely of glass. It is set out in a wooded area and is so quiet you can hear yourself think. Afterwards we toured the Christ of the Ozarks and the Great Passion Play area. This is a must
see if you are in the area. The next day we stopped at the Precious Moments Museum and
Chapel in Missouri. For all of you precious moments collectors this is definitely a must see. The
chapel has murals everywhere. All of them were hand painted, even the ceiling. Our next stopwas in Kansas to visit Roy‟s old hometown. The next day we rode Route 66 on into Oklahoma.
We stopped at a “wide place in the road” where you could visit the world‟s largest totem pole”.
That was certainly something you don‟t see every day! The next day we made our way to Tulsa
for the start of Wing Ding. The first two days we worked ticket sales and the poker run. The
first day Region A was responsible for ticket sales and we set a new Wing Ding record for first
day ticket sales! Believe me there we lots of folks there buying tickets! Wing Ding was a fun
event with everything contained in one building. All the vendors, seminars, and even a very
good food court was under one roof. The food court included a booth that sold nothing but ice
cream. You think they did a great business with that many gold wingers in one place? After
Wing Ding we headed for Branson, Mo. Neither of us had ever been there so this side trip was a
must. If you have been there before this is a must if you like live shows and entertainment. We
attended a performance of the “Dixie Stampede”. When you go in you have to declare for
the“north” or the “south”. That determines where you will be seated. You then get to cheer for
the “Yankees” or the good ol boys of the “confederacy”. This is quite a show and we would highly
recommend it to all. We also traveled north to Springfield to visit the home of the Bass Pro
Shops. This is quite a place to see. Next we stopped at Gene‟s Gallery, the local Honda dealer.
Our next stop was just south of Springfield at “Fantasy Caverns”. This is a cave system that is
so large they actually ride you through the cavern on a jeep and a trailer. It is the only one in
the US and one of only three in the world. There is a natural stage area in one of the caverns
that was used during prohibition days as a speak easy. A young Buck Owens performed there
on several occasions. From Branson we traveled south to Hot Springs, Ark. We stayed in one of
Hot Springs oldest hotels called the Arlington. This hotel was built in the 20‟s and 30‟s and is a
great place to stay. It has the old crystal door knobs on the room door, crystal chandlers everywhere, a spa in the hotel, and best of all, when you walk out of the front entrance, you are right
downtown. There are bath houses and spa‟s everywhere. The natural spring mineral waters are
supposed to be good for what ails you. We really enjoyed our time spent there. From Hot
Springs we made our way back to Memphis and since it was still early during the day we decided to make the run back to Bessemer and home. We really enjoyed our little trip and are
looking forward to the next one. We hope you have had as good a month as we have. See you
soon,
Frank and Linda
We started out with Wing Ding and haven‟t slowed down since. We spent 2 nights in Memphis eating
Ribs and desserts. We recommend Blues City Café on Beall Street, the ribs are wonderful but the fried
apple pie with ice cream is divine. We got to see a street show with young men and boys tumbling down
the street, they were really good. On Saturday we went into a store on Beall Street that had a little bit of
everything in it. We spent an hour trying on funny hats. Some were Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, worms, big
40 gallon hat; they even had a Flying Pig Hat. We rode the Pig Trail in Arkansas, went site seeing in
Eureka Springs, Precious Moments Museum in Missouri, the location of the demise of the Dalton‟s in
Coffeyville, Kansas, the Little House on the Prairie outside of Independence, a Diary Queen in Neodesha
and made time to put flowers on my Grandparents graves; Thanks Frank and Linda for the company.
Frank finally got to see some flat land from his bike and Linda kept her sense of humor through it all.
We finally made it to Tulsa coming in from the north riding on Route 66. The first stop was the hotel and
the second was the western shops around the corner. We had Alabama folks that worked ticket sales
Wed thru Sun, we want to thank all of you who worked very much. While working you get to meet a lot
of people, see old friends and make new ones that you will meet down the road.
We made history for Alabama last Saturday, we had 9 members start the Rider‟s Coach Training and I
have put the information in for all to see what is needed to help us finish. If you can afford the time we
could use some Guinea pigs, I mean students. This is the practice-teaching session for Alabama District's
first Rider Coach candidate training. The ARC will be conducted by the Rider Coach candidates but will
be supervised by Mike Stiger, who is the National Rider Education Director, and Ron Lantz, who is Assistant National Rider Education Director. The ARC is GWRRA's version of MSF's Experienced Rider
Course (ERC). All GWRRA Riders and Co-Riders are encouraged to attend.
Advanced Rider Course (ARC) 1-up or 2-up
August 30, 2009 Starts @ 8 a.m. Ends at 5 p.m.
Madison County Executive Airport
358 Bolling Road, Meridianville, AL 35759
Cost: $30 per bike
Riders and Co-Riders who complete the ARC will receive a completion card.
For those who can, the 2nd Annual Alabama & Tennessee BIG BURGER Ride -- Multi-district gathering at
Randy's Restaurant in Trenton, GA. Home of 48oz hamburger sounds like a good time.
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.
We are looking forward to seeing everyone at some of these gatherings or all of them if you can.
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.
Please ride Safe and Often,
Roy and Anita
Well the Region A Travelling Plaque has made its‟ way back to Alabama. On Saturday July 18
members of Alabama Chapter D went to Rome Georgia to capture the plaque. Georgia Chapter
L had captured the plaque from Florida and had it up for capture. Rick Lackey and members
from AL-D made their move. Now, one would think that as much as Florida has had the plaque
they would want to come and take it back. Not so. Chapter D now has it and will offer it up for
capture soon. Congratulations guys!
Check out the District website for all that is going on. August 8 at Tannehill will be the North
District Picnic. Everyone is invited.
Don‟t forget to call the Holiday Inn in Prattville to make your Hotel Reservations for the 2010
Snowball Rally. Special Price will end when the hotel is full or 1st of Dec. whichever comes first.
I would like to encourage all the MEC and Chapter Directors to review their members assigned
to them in the area report. Make contact either by phone or mail. Let them know about chapter
meetings, rides and give them the chapter website and contact information. Just let them know
is checking up on them.
Be safe and ride often.
Robert & Gail Brown
“The more you know the better it gets”
"I'm Late For School"
I got up late for school today,
And nearly missed the bus!
I hurried down the stairs,
Wolfed my toast, and caused a fuss!
I quickly threw books in my bag,
My pens, my lunch and shorts.
Grabbed my coat from out the cupboard,
Took my bat and ball for sports.
I slid across the kitchen floor,
And hopped around the cat!
Then expertly rolled over,
Jumped back up and grabbed my hat!
I belted out of our front door,
Spun round and swung it shut.
Saw the bus was waiting for me,
I felt I had time to strut!
I climbed aboard and then froze
still,
And knew that things weren't
right!
My friends fell down in fits of fun,
And pointed with delight!
My face went red, I couldn't
breathe,
For in my haste I knew!
I'd forgotten to wear trousers,
Jumper, shirt, my socks and
shoes!
We’ve just returned from the Georgia District rally in Hiawassee, GA. It
was a fantastic rally at the Ramada Inn on Lake Chatuge, adjacent to the
Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds. This is some of the most beautiful country in the Southeastern United States. The hotel was wonderful and the
rally was a huge success. They had lots of great food, vendors and other
fun events. The ride up and back was worth it, if nothing else. Great
work on the part of Bill and Betty Livingston and the Georgia staff! We
look forward to returning to this venue next year.
This great rally and excellent site provided the perfect backdrop for
Bill and Betty Livingston’s retirement as Georgia District Director. Bill
and Betty have served superbly for the last 3 years and were ready to
pass the job of District Director on to their well-prepared successors, Carlos and Dee Lozano. Bill and Betty have been the epitome of what an
ideal District Director should be. They always worked hard for the
GWRRA members in Georgia, always striving to keep things fun and keep
their chapters healthy. Bill and Betty have earned our gratitude for their
efforts and accomplishments. GWRRA in the Georgia District has prospered because of the hard work and dedication of Bill and Betty.
Stepping up as the new Georgia District Director is Carlos and Dee
Lozano. Carlos and Dee have served GWRRA in many capacities, including Chapter Director and Assistant District Director. They have a wellestablished track record as volunteer leaders. It was our pleasure to appoint Carlos and Dee as District Director, knowing that they will continue the good work that is already underway in Georgia. Carlos and Dee
also have the distinction of serving as the Georgia District Couple of the
Year. (Continued on next page)
Motorcycle Trivia answers are on last page.
1. Road motorcycles are motorcycles designed for being ridden on paved roads. They feature
smooth tires with a light tread pattern and engines generally in the 125 cc and over range.
What is the speed most of these bikes can reach? A) 75 mph B) 90 mph C) 100 mph plus
We look forward to working with Carlos and Dee as we go forward in Region “A”. We welcome them the ranks of District Directors in Region “A”.
Region “A” has the notable distinction of having the International
Chapter of the Year for 2008 selected from the many submissions across
the country. We are proud to announce that Chapter MS-O (the Cheerios) has been selected for this honor. Chapter MS-O has worked hard
throughout the year to achieve this title. Under the leadership of Patsy
Kuchta, the Chapter Director MS-O has set an example of a healthy and
vibrant GWRRA chapter. We in Region “A” are proud to be the home Region for MS-O and congratulate them on being selected Chapter of the
Year for all of GWRRA.
By the time you read this, Nan and I along with many members of
the Region “A” staff and the Region “A” District staffs will be in Tulsa,
OK attending Wing Ding. We have responsibility for both Ticket Sales
and the Poker Run. If you are attending Wing Ding and would like to assist us for a few hours, come on by. You’ll have a great time and will receive a neat volunteer pin and admittance to the Ice Cream Social after
closing. In addition, our fantastic Region “A” Couple of the Year Bob and
Cathy Singley will be participating in the International Couple of the
Year selection process on Wednesday, July 1st. We’d love to have a big
Region “A” cheering section for Bob and Cathy as they put on what will
be a great performance.
We will have a complete report on Wing Ding 31 in the August edition of this newsletter and we thank in advance all of the volunteer leaders and chapter members who helped us make it a success.
We hope to see you at a GWRRA event somewhere soon,
Bob & Nan
2. One style of Road motorcycles is the Cruiser. These motorcycles mimic the style of American
machines from the 1930s to the early 1960s. What is a feature of this riding style?
A) The riding position always places the feet forward B) The riding position places the feet towards the back, the hands low and the spine inclined forward. C) A more relaxed, more upright
seating position.
3. Chopper-style motorcycles would be categorized as a type of cruiser. True or False
4. Cruisers are often modified to suit the owners ideals, and as such are a source of pride and
accomplishment. What is the modification name? A) Custom B) Ideal C) Special
5. Sport bikes, sometimes called performance bikes are typically much smaller and lighter than
cruisers, and are essentially consumer versions of the motorcycles used in production-based
forms of Motorcycle sport road racing. What are these bikes also known as? A) crotch rockets B)
rice rockers C) motor torpedoes
Greetings to all,
It seems like the first of June was just the other day. Kids out of school, people going on vacation, hot summer days! Well, now July is almost over and August is coming up. It won‟t be long
until we‟re into autumn here in the Heart of Dixie. Chapter T sure knows what “Friends for
Fun, Safety, and Knowledge” is all about. We‟ve had so much fun on our dinner rides and our
dinner meetings. It was encouraging to see 56 people at our July dinner meeting. Susie and I
really enjoy seeing everyone and catching up on what has happened since we last met. We were
out of town for the June meeting, so it had bee a couple of months since we had seen some of
you. It was great to see Mike Bigham at the meeting. I was touched to hear his words of testament and thanks. It just goes to show, tomorrow isn‟t promised to any of us and we should give
thanks for the time we have. It also was nice to see Terri and Bobby Saunderson. We look forward to our next ride and meeting.
We took a good crowd to the Alabama/Tennessee Hamburger Run to Randy‟s Restaurant in
Trenton, GA. I believe we had a total of 17 bikes/trikes and 33 persons. We didn‟t win any certificates for attendance, but I think we had the most fun of anyone there. Lynne Cobern won a
commemorative pin. I guess she‟ll need a vest to put it on! We wouldn‟t be having all of this fun
without the participation and work of a great many people. If you‟re having fun, let someone
know. If you aren‟t, get involved and help us make it better. Thanks for all you do and let‟s keep
up the good work.
Don‟t forget about our Alabama District North Picnic at Tannehill State park on Saturday August 8th. It will be from 10:00 AM till 2:00 PM. We had a lot of fun last year and expect nothing
less this year. The cost will be $5.00 each. Mel & Susie
Facts for the Road
1. The automobile was invented in 1886. The 1st used car lot was invented in 1897.
2. In 1924 a new Ford cost $265.
3. The first Roll-Royce sold for $600, in 1906. Today they sell for more than $200,000.
4. Whale oil was used in automobile transmission fluids as late as 1973.
5. The average car has 15,000 parts.
6. The 1st reported car theft in America took place in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1905.
7. Toughest car ever: a 1957 Mercedes-Benz 180D racked up 1,184,880 miles in 21 yrs.
8. Goodyear once made a tire entirely out of corn.
9. It takes 6 months to build a Rolls-Royce and 13 hours to build a Toyota.
10. When used to make ethyl alcohol, an acre of potatoes will produce enough fuel to fill 25 cars.
11. No matter how cold it gets, gasoline won‟t freeze. When the temperature gets below –180 degrees, it just turns gummy.
RIDER ED ‘GIMME 5’
TOPIC: Warm Weather Worries
Motorcycle riding is an activity that takes all of us outdoors. For many of us, the riding season is comprised of summer with some spring and some fall periods. For others, the best riding times are during the spring and fall seasons due to excessive heat in the summer months. For all of us, we are likely to be riding in hot weather at least
some part of the year. Since too much heat can cause severe medical emergencies, it is important to know how to
avoid becoming a victim of the heat. So how do we avoid heat stress, or more severe conditions like hyperthermia,
to remain safe? Let‟s review some warm weather riding tips.
First, make sure you have gear appropriate for the weather. Consider what you will wear to cover your arms while
riding in direct sunlight during daylight hours (if you are lucky enough to avoid the rain). If you have it, a mesh
jacket provides unparalleled ventilation and abrasion resistance. A denim shirt is another alternative that is fairly
light weight and offers better protection than t-shirt material. Protection is important, but keep in mind that when
you are comfortable, you are able to focus on the act of riding. Denim is a common choice for long pants, but you
might want to think about purchasing motorcycle-specific riding pants for extra protection. Gloves are the other
area where the ambient temperature is usually factored into the decision of what to wear. Perforated leather gloves
will breathe better than solid leather. Another good choice would be mesh gloves which, like the jackets made of
similar material, provide great ventilation coupled with superior abrasion resistance. They are worth considering.
Consider carrying a water absorbing collar that you can soak in water and wear around your neck to help keep you
cool. Or be prepared to soak and wear your shirt or t-shirt at a rest stop in the hottest weather.
Second, plan to maintain your hydration level. Every time you stop for gas or a rest break in hot weather, take
time to drink enough fluids to replace what you lose through perspiration. This should be at least eight ounces per
hour during the heat of the day. You may think that your clothes are not holding an entire cup of sweat that you
could wring out of them. And that is probably true. While you are riding, some of your perspiration is soaked up by
your clothes and is carried away by the air flowing around you. And some moisture evaporates directly from your
skin. It must all be replaced to keep your system hydrated. A simple way to determine if you are getting enough
fluids is to monitor your output at rest stops. In short, if you are drinking frequently but don‟t have to go at each
rest stop, then you probably are not drinking enough. Modify this as necessary for your own situation. Carry a bottle of water to drink from whenever you need it. Be sure to refill it at rest stops.
Third, remain aware of your own physical condition. Exposure to too much heat for too long can result in hyperthermia. This is the condition where your body cannot properly regulate your internal temperature and your temperature rises uncontrollably. If allowed to reach this state, it is a medical emergency requiring immediate medical
attention. The key is to prevent your body from reaching this condition. Watch for symptoms like the absence of
sweat in hot weather. This could mean your body has lost too much water and cannot produce any more sweat, the
principal means of temperature regulation. Without the ability to sweat, the core temperature of the body will rise
quickly. Other early warning symptoms include confusion, headache, dizziness, redness of the skin, often most noticeable on the face. If you notice any of these symptoms in yourself or those riding with you, find the nearest place
to sit down, drink lots of water, and relax in the shade or an air conditioned space. Remove gear and loosen clothing to allow the body to cool itself. Increase the frequency of breaks during the hottest part of the day. And definitely get out the water absorbing collar or soak your shirt at this time. It will help bring your body temperature
back down.
With the right gear and travel plans that include frequent breaks with plenty of water, you can enjoy riding safely
even in the hottest weather.
Ride Smart & Be Safe!
Bruce & Melissa Thayer
Have you wondered what these letters stand for???
CD – Chapter Director
o ACD – Assistant Chapter Director
o RE/RED – Rider Educator/Rider Education Division
o MEC/MED – Membership Enhancement Coordinator/Membership Enhancement Division
o PRC – Public Relations Coordinator
o R & R – Recruiting and Retention Coordinator
o LTD – Leadership Training Division
o DD – District Director
o ADD – Assistant District Director
o RD – Region Director
o ARD – Assistant Region Director
o SIG – Special Interest Group
Some helpful websites:
o GWRRA
http://gwrra.org
o Membership Enhancement Division
http://med.gwrra.org
o Leadership Training Division
http://www.gwrra.org/regional/Training/Training.htm
o Rider Education Division
http://www.gwrra.org/regional/ridered/index.html
MEMBERSHIP ENHANCEMENT DIVISION The following article is a reprinted from the June 2009 Kentucky Chapter Y Newsletter.
“Every Member Matters!” by: Jim Reising Kentucky Y MEC
Have you ever belonged to an organization where you felt like you were just a number, basically invisible to
the rest of the members? That is not a good feeling, and you get no fulfillment out of being a member of that organization.
When you join an organization like ours it is not because you have to, it is because you want to. Perhaps
you are looking for other people with similar interest, motorcycle riding, or for the social outings, or some other reason.
Regardless of the reason, you are important, and you matter to our organization. You bring something unique
to the organization. You are a different person with different ideas and methods of doing things. The important
thing is for you to share those ideas.
When there is a discussion concerning whatever topic, do not be afraid to share your thoughts. It is up to
the leaders of our organization to keep an open mind and to accept new ideas. Nothing makes a member, old or
new feel more important and accepted than when they have a chance to contribute. Without input from the members,
we can get into a rut and keep doing the same things over and over again. The first couple of times they were
fun to do; now it is old hat and becomes boring. Boring leads to complacency and the next thing, you know we are
no longer having fun. People stop participating and things will fall apart. In order to continue to have fun we must
continue to participate, because “EVERY MEMBER MATTERS”.
Jim Reising
Kentucky Chapter Y
Membership Enhancement Coordinator
Region A
Rally; Dothan,
AL
Sept. 10-12,
Snowball Run and District Couple Selection; Jan. 9, 2010
9:00 A.M.– 1:00 P.M.
Doster Center– Prattville. AL
Host Hotel– Holiday Inn
AL District Rally; April 1-3, 2010
Huntsville, AL
Host Hotel– Huntsville Marriott
4th Annual Ryan Davidson Memorial Bike
Ride
Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009
Benefitting Alabama Head Injury Foundation
Calvary Baptist Church in Concord, AL 35023
For more information, contact Cindy McCormick
At 744-7785 or by email at [email protected] or
[email protected]
Did you know Bay Minette wasn’t always the county seat of Baldwin County? That
honor used to be held by Daphne, on Mobile Bay, 30 miles to the southwest. When the legislature voted in 1901 to move the county seat to Bay Minette, so the story goes, the folks in
Daphne ignored the order. About 20 Bay Minette folks finally got tired of waiting. On the night
of Oct. 1, 1901, they made up a story about a fugitive murderer that was good enough to get the
Daphne sheriff out of town on a “snipe hunt” or wild-goose chase. When the sheriff was gone,
the Bay Minette folks broke into the Daphne courthouse by night, packed up the judge‟s desk,
as well as all the county records and the county‟s one prisoner, and trundled them all back to
Bay Minetter in buggies and wagons. When the sun rose, Bay Minette was the new county seat,
and so it has been to this day. This episode is commemorated in the Bay Minette post office by a
mural with the title Removal of the County Seat from Daphne to Bay Minetter. It was painted
for the old post office in 1939 by Hilton Leech, a well-known Sarasota, Florida artist commissioned by the Roosevelt administration. The post office is at 601 McMeans Ave. (Hwy. 59).
Ride Report for June 27 by Susie Travis
Since it has been so hot, Movie Night was cancelled. Frank knew the building
itself would be hot. So we scheduled a ride to Costa‟s Mediterranean Restaurant on Lorna Road in Hoover. We left the BP station at Exit 1 at 6:30 P.M. We
hoped by that hour of the day it would be cooler for riding. It wasn‟t too bad at
all. Thirteen members met at the restaurant. We tried to tell everyone how big
the portions were. I don‟t think they believed us. You should
have seen their eyes each time an order was placed in front of someone! After
eating and boxing up the leftovers, we did ride down to Dairy Queen in Pelham.
We still had some room left for ice cream. The ride back home was pleasant
and cooler for sure.
July 11 Dinner Ride Report by Susie Travis
Ride Guides, Betty and Jimmy took us to Jean‟s on the River.
It is located off Hwy 78 going toward Jasper on the Warrior
River. We had 8 motors and 1 vehicle ride up. We met Bobby
and Terry and some of their friends/family at the restaurant.
We left the Texaco station in Bessemer across from Walmart at 5:00 P.M. We
took the back roads up to Jasper. Frank and Donna gave us the tour guide information as we passed through their old stomping grounds. Twenty people in all ate at the restaurant. For dessert, we rode back to Meagan‟s for ice cream. We followed Hwy 269 back to
Hueytown going the back roads again. It was a nice ride, not too hot! Thanks, Betty and Jimmy
for a nice evening.
Place to See and Things to do in Alabama during August
Alabama Veterans Museum, Athens, AL
August 1; Dog Daze Festival; Trussville, AL
145th Anniversary of the Battle of Mobile and Siege of Ft. Morgan; Gulf Shores, AL
DeKalb County Fiddlers Convention; Aug. 1-2
Take a Wild Cave Tour; Ft. Payne, AL
Aug. 6- Founder’s Day Celebration; Bellingrath Gardens, Mobile, AL
Sundown Cinemas in the Park in Helena every Friday night
W.C. Handy Music Festival, Florence, AL
World’s Longest Yard Sale; Ft. Payne; Aug. 6-9
Taste of the Eastern Shore; Daphne, AL; Aug. 14
Franklin County Watermelon Festival; Russelville, AL; Aug. 14-15
Living History Days at Horseshoe Bend; Dadeville, AL; 4th Sat. of the month
Stokin’ the Fire BBQ and Music Festival; Sloss Furnace; Bham, AL; Aug. 21-22
Annual Okra Festival; Burkville, Al; Aug. 29
St. William Seafood Festival; Guntersville, AL; Aug. 29
July 17 Chapter Dinner Meeting
Frank welcomed the large crowd of 58 to the meeting. He asked for prayer requests and asked Mel to pray. Frank welcomed and introduced the guests in attendance.
Susie announced the birthdays and anniversaries for the month.
Betty Thomas had a ton of Secret Pal gifts to give out. She announced that Secret Pal s would be revealed Aug. 6. The group will meet
and eat at the Olive Garden in Tuscaloosa.
Stacey Ashbey from Chapter X talked about the Ride for Kids coming up Sept. 13. This ride benefits Pediatric Brain Cancer patients.
This will be an escorted ride to Barbers Track in Leeds.
Frank gave a Wing Ding report
Mel talked about being properly prepared to ride in hot weather. It is very important to drink plenty of liquids. Mel announced that
Jim Cobern would be the new Rider Educator. Jim asked for suggestions of possible topics people are interested in learning more
about.
Ray Perkins announced the Saturday dinner ride. Everyone was to meet at the Petro station to leave at 5:00 P.M.
Frank announced the upcoming events. The Hamburger Run to Randy‟s Restaurant in Trenton, GA is Saturday, July 25. We are leaving at 8:00 A.M. from the Texaco station in Bessemer. The North District Picnic will be held Saturday, August 8 beginning at 10:00
A.M. at Tannehill State Park.
The Region A Rally is Sept. 10-12 in Dothan, AL .We will have another movie night in August at the Union Hall. Date and time is to be
determined.
Monte and Sue Scott from Chapter F in Montgomery brought us IT along with all of his clothing, photo album,
etc. Monte and Sue are the chapter directors. They encouraged us to have fun with IT.
Curt and Vi Veil introduced their granddaughter, Angel. She is visiting them for a couple of
weeks.
Russ and Brenda from Chapter Y attended the meeting. Lamar and Cheryl Megginson from
Chapter X also attended our meeting Chapter N‟s Rider Educator; Jim Zabler was present at
the meeting.
Two year old, Caden brought his parents Brian and Renae to the meeting.
We were glad to see Dan Green come back to visit us. Burr and Pat Penefield also came by
for a visit.
Betty Thomas has some information on a condo available for rent in Panama City for anyone
interested. It is located at Wyndham Resorts. It is available Sept. 24- 27 during Thunder on the Beach. It is a 2
bedroom condo that sleeps 6-8 overlooking the beach. It rents for $200. a night. Call Jimmy or Betty at 491-6413
for more information.
Sammy Hosmer is selling his motorcycle and trailer. If you are interested, give him a call.
Fun Day DVD‟s are available for $5.00
We need Ride Guides for August.
Chapter T Shirts are available for $10. See Linda Teasley.
Jim Cobern was the winner of the Dinner Drawing. Linda Teasley and Burr Penefield won $46.00 each in the 50/25/25 Drawing. Sue
Cole won $95.00 in the Dinner Ride Drawing.
You know Murphy’s Law: “If something can go wrong, it will.” Here are a few more
laws of the universe to consider.
1. There are 2 things on Earth that are universal; hydrogen and stupidity.
2. Success always occurs in private and failure in full public view.
3. As soon as you mention something.. if it‟s good, it goes away. If it‟s bad, it happens.
4. Anything is possible if you don‟t know what you‟re talking about.
5. The longer you wait in line, the greater the likelihood that you are standing in the wrong
line.
6. If you miss one issue of any magazine, it will be the issue that contained the article, story, or
installment you were most anxious to read.
7. A shortcut is the longest distance between 2 points.
July 18 Ride Report from Susie Travis
Mel & Susie and Terry & Donna took a day trip to Montezuma, GA. You may be wondering
what in the world is in Montezuma. Yoder‟s Deitsch Hauss Restaurant is located there. They
serve good food, especially meats and vegetables. Their desserts are homemade also.
We left at 5:30 A.M. stopping for a biscuit on Hwy. 280. It was cool enough to wear out jackets.
We were meeting the others for lunch at 11:30 A.M. We met about 8 other GoldWing riders at
the restaurant. About ½ of the riders were from Georgia and the other half from Alabama. Jim
Jackson from Chapter M in Phenix City was there. He is
also the Assistant Director of Region A. It was good to
visit with him. You do need to be in line by 11:30 because
the line gets much longer around noon. So we timed it just
right. After eating, we walked through their gift shop and
bakery. Then we sat in their swings and watched some people feed the billy goat. It was time
to head back. We certainly didn‟t need our jackets going back home. We made it back home
about 6:00 P.M. It was a long day but a good ride!
Yoder‟s Deitsch Hauss is located at 5252 Hwy. 26 N. Montezuma, GA 31063
Here is a link to one webpage that reviews restaurants. This page is a review of Yoders.
http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=1769
July 18 Dinner Ride Report from Linda Teasley
The Chapter left the Petro Station at 5:00 P.M. Ten bikes and 17 people made the ride down
Hwy 69 North to Manascos Steak House in Berry , AL. If you are looking for a great steak, you
need to make the trip! IT also made the trip. He/She enjoyed its meal! Here is a link that reviews restaurants. Manasco‟s seems to get good reviews. http://www.restaurantica.com/
restaurants/115872/
Do you remember Jessica McClure, an 18 month-old infant in Midland, TX? In 1987
McClure fell 22 ft. down a well while playing in the backyard of her aunt‟s house. It was only 8
in. in diameter and rescuers feared the well would collapse if they widened it. So they decided
to dig another hole nearby and tunnel through solid rock to where Jessica was trapped. After 58
hrs., rescuers reached “Baby Jessica” and brought her to the surface. She had a severe cut on
her forehead and gangrene on one foot that cost her her right little toe, but she was in remarkably good condition. The entire country watched the rescue unfold on TV. At the time, it was the
4th most-watched news story in TV history. The McClure family was flooded with donations
during and after the crises. They used some of the money to buy a new house, then put the
rest– an estimated $700,000 to $1 million– in a trust fund for Jessica to collect when she turns
25. In 2008, Jessica was 22 years old. She emerged from the experience relatively unscathed.
She is a married college student now. She doesn‟t remember the incident that made her a star.
Mike went to the river to have himself a ball.
With no idea about a tree that possibly could fall
The tree fell on you Mikey and luckily missed your head.
It broke you and it bent you, it put you in the bed.
The doctor looked at Mike with Ann standing by his side.
He said between the Lord and us, we will fix you up to ride.
Now Mike is getting better.
His bones are on the mend.
It won‟t be long before he and Ann will be riding once again.
Now Mike is home and better
His healing is going great.
It‟s all because of the Lord above and Ann his perfect mate
Mike, you came to the last meeting.
You brought your private chair.
It sure was good to see you in the corner there.
You thanked us for our thoughts and prayers after you arrived.
To you Mike Bigham from Chapter T, we are so glad that you‟re alive
Anonymous
July 25 2nd Annual Multi—AL/TN Chapter Hamburger Run to Trenton, GA (Report by
Susie Travis)
Chapter T members and friends met at the Texaco Station in Bessemer. We had about 33 people and 17 bike/trikes leave at 8:00 A.M. We took Hwy. 75 from Pinson up to Rainsville. We took
a slight detour to Hwy. 35 to view Lake Guntersville. We then continued back to Hwy. 75 in
Henagar, AL. From Henagar, we traveled on to Trenton, GA. There were about 140 people at
the restaurant. The lines were long waiting to get their meal. After eating, the group met outside to listen to some announcements. Chapter B in Alabama had the most members attend the
event. They also announced the TN chapter with the most members attending. Pins were available to purchase. Group pictures were made and will be available on the district web site. We
gassed up and headed back by way of Hwy 11. We then turned onto Hwy. 411 to come back
home. During the trip we saw farmland, mountains, barns, lakes, crops, forests, small towns
with town squares, etc. It was a nice ride in spite of some of the smells we passed along the way
(road kill, etc.) We didn‟t get any rain to speak of.
We were glad to have Joel Burch, Pat Desantis, and Jim Traweek ride with us.
It was good to also have C.A. and Virginia and Lamar & Cheryl come along. Brian, Renae, and
Barkley also rode with us. Glad to have everyone!
We are Terry and Donna Vaughan. We live in Pleasant Grove, Alabama. We have 6 children and 7 grandchildren.
I have 2 daughters and 1son who is with his Father In Heaven. Donna has two sons and one daughter. We have
been married for almost 3 years.
I worked as a Lieutenant/firefighter/paramedic for the City of Mountain Brook, Alabama fire department. I
retired after 33 years on January 01, 2006. Before that I was a tool and die maker and served a short stint in the
US Navy. I graduated from Hueytown High School and attended Bessemer State Tech. I was raised in Midfield,
Alabama and attended Wilkes Baptist Church.
Donna is currently employed at Regions Bank Corporate office on Lakeshore Drive. She works in Transaction Processing. She has been with Regions for 6 years. Before that she was employed by Sears Service Department for 17
years.
She graduated from Minor High School in Adamsville, Alabama. She was raised in Graysville, Alabama
and attended First Baptist Church of Graysville.
Donna and I met in 1990 and became friends while we were still married to our first spouses and involved
with our children in Pleasant Grove High School Band as band boosters. I was divorced in 1999. In 2003 Donna
and I met again and I discovered she was recently divorced. We started dating and a year and half later on Christmas Eve we became engaged. We were married May 21, 2005.
We are active in building a brand new church that serves primarily the Ross Bridge and Lake Cyrus area
of Hoover, Alabama, but we welcome anyone who is looking for a life with Christ and enjoy being a part of a family
oriented church. Our church (The Church at Ross Station) is so new, we have no building to meet in yet. We began
with our pastor, Randy Norris, who was called by God to leave his position at Union Hill Baptist and start a brand
new church in the Hoover area. Randy had no idea (other than his wife Susan‟s salary as a high school teacher)
how his family would fare. But he was absolute on what God had called him to do! In 1 ½ years we have grown
from 12 or 13 couples to somewhere around 130-140 members. Our services are held at Bumpus Middle School in
Lake Cyrus each Sunday. To learn more go to: http://rossstation.org/ .
Our history with GWRRA began a few months after the tragic loss of my son Tyler (Dec. 5th 1985 to June
25th 2006). I was becoming so depressed and beginning to feel as if life was leaving me. I talked to Donna expressing my concern for the way I was feeling. With the grace of God I knew I had to go on. But I still needed something
to occupy some of my time and thoughts. It finally came to me. I had always wanted a Goldwing. We talked again
and I told her what I had in mind . I knew that if I was riding a bike, I would have to keep my mind on what I was
doing or hurt myself or someone else. We agreed that it would be beneficial, so we took the plunge and bought our
first bike. We both had ridden some earlier in life. I call my Goldwing “therapy”.
Not only has riding helped me cope with my loss, it has drawn Donna and me closer and closer. Since we
began riding, we have met and made friends of some of the nicest people imaginable and have seen nature in an
entirely new way.
We can‟t remember who told us about Chapter T but we know we wanted to find good people to ride with. I located the website, found out when and where the chapter meetings were held and just popped in. We were greeted
and welcomed as though everyone knew us already (Thank you Chapter T!). We then discovered we knew some of
the members. I knew Mel and Susie Travis, Donna knew Frank and Linda Teasley. We„re still pretty new but we
are beginning to put names and faces together.
We are looking forward to many years riding and socializing with the members of GWRRA and Alabama
Chapter T!!!
Visit us at www. alchaptertgwrra.org
Chapter Meeting: 3rd
Friday of the month
6:00 P.M. Dinner
7:00 P.M. Meeting
Prayer Concerns
Riders For The King
Lisa Beavers
Next Ride: August 2, 2009
Mike Bigham
This is a monthly ride on the
Sue Cole
1st Sunday of every month.
Milton Ethridge
Adger Church of God is the
location.
George Glenn– Chapter D died
Location of Meeting:
June
29
8:30
A.M.–
Bible Study and
The Plaza Restaurant
Refreshments
Jamie Lee, William & Glenda‟s
Exit 100 on I-59
son is in Iraq.
9:30 A.M.– Ride
1/4 Mile West off I-59
Usually the group will also
Ruth Lemox
Bucksville, AL
stop for lunch.
Janet Miller
For additional information
Billy Owens & Family
and directions, call Ken &
Bobby Saunderson
Don‟t forget your secret
Renae Clark at 205-516-1030
Terry Saunderson
pal gifts!
or
Randall Southerland– Chapter B
205-965-5713
is in the Middle East
Ride Guides
All
riders
and types of bikes
Terry
&
Donna
Vaughan
&
family
Augustare welcome.
Sheryl Wilson
September– Ken Gray
OctoberMotorcycle Trivia Answers
1.)100 mph plus 2.) The riding position always places the feet forward 3.) True 4.) Custom
5.) crotch rockets
Did you know that Ulysses S. Grant began each day with a breakfast of cucumber soaked
in vinegar? Chester A. Arthur owned over 80 pairs of pants and changed his clothes several
times a day. Abraham Lincoln often stored important papers inside his stovepipe hat.