2015 2nd Issue Hog Wild Newsletter 6pg

M u s i c C i t y
C h a p t e r
# 4 9 3 8
DIRECTOR’S
Hello Music City Chapter (MCC)!!!
There’s nothing like a rally to regenerate
your enthusiasm for riding.
The Tennessee Hog Rally has just wrapped
up, and boy was it ever an action packed
week! Over 2,500 Harley-Davidson
enthusiasts gathered in Cookeville for what
has become one of the premier rallies in the
country.
From the opening ceremonies, which
included “hog calling,” to the rockin’
closing concert by Three Dog Night, this
rally had something for everyone.
Tennessee, and Middle Tennessee in
particular, arguably has the best motorcycle
roads in the US.
INSIDE
THIS
ISSUE
A Look at the Past
2
Not Just Riding in
50n States
3
Summer
Motorcycle Safety
5
MCC Family
6
Riders experienced a $10,000 Poker Run,
rides to the Hard Times & Falls, the famous
Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg, the
Historic Westside Street Party (BTW, our
own Rachel Carlisle won the loud pipes
competition), dirt drag racing and the AMA
sanctioned Pro Hill Climb at Mid TN
Dragway and Bubba and Betsy’s Adrenalin
and She Rides. But the rides were not the
only highlights of this rally. Top notch, first
class entertainment was the order of the day.
The Kentucky Headhunters lead off the
week on Tuesday night and the quality
music continued with the ConSoulers on
Wednesday, Nashville’s own Vinyl Radio
on Thursday, the Charlie Daniel’s Band on
Friday, and was wrapped up by Three Dog
Night on Saturday. All kinds of music for
all kinds of taste, and we were not
disappointed.
A HUGH “thank you” to our own Gary
Bagwell and his entire rally committee for
the planning and execution of a most
successful Tennessee HOG Rally!
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2015
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The reason for all this rally talk is to remind
you that with the Music City Chapter you can
get a little piece the rally every month.
In the month of June we are headed to an
overnight trip to the Barber’s Motorsports
Museum in Birmingham, Alabama.
July will feature our annual trip to Maggie
Valley for riding, duck races, and the best
cookout of the year. And, the end of the
month will lead to the Third Annual
Boswell’s HOG Rendezvous in Monteagle.
Perhaps the best part of attending these
events is the lifelong friendships that are
created. Sitting on the porch or around the
campfire at Maggie Valley really brings back
very pleasant memories of rides and the
people that I’ve grown to call family. Hope to
see you soon.
Let’s Ride and Have Fun!
Billy Anderson
2015 Director
Music City Chapter
Harley Owners Group
M u s i c C i t y
C h a p t e r
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A LOOK AT THE PAST
Did ya’ know...IMAFOG?
What if I were to tell you that our very
own Music City Chapter is filled with
"stars?" Don't believe me? Well if you
were at this year's state rally in
Cookeville, you saw them shining bright
and making our chapter proud!
Heading up that all-star lineup is a man
that by now, must be considered a legend
in Tennessee HOG History. He is a 7-time
TN. State HOG Rally Coordinator
(Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt are tied
with the most NASCAR Championships
at 7 a piece, and just like them,) he has
worked year-round to make this one event
come together seamlessly. He is a 3-time
MCC Director, a man so beloved by his
friends in this chapter that, (unbeknownst
to him) they made a patch in his honor.
When he inquired as to what IMAFOG
means, he was told; "I'm a friend of
Gary." Of course by now you know I'm
referring to our very own Gary Bagwell. I
recently had the pleasure of asking Gary
some questions, fresh on the heels of
wrapping up the TN. State HOG Rally.
Here's what he had to say...
So Gary, How long have you been
involved with HOG and in particular the
MCC?
(GB) “We purchased a 1992 Ultra Classic
in 1996 from Jerry Crain. Jerry led us to
MCC and HOG. The Evolution was the
motor back then, no better name for the
motor and the times. The riding culture
was evolving as well.”
How did you come to be the state rally
coordinator for the first time?
(GB) “Bubba asked me if I would have
lunch one day.”
You are a 7 time Tennessee State HOG
Rally Coordinator, can you name the city
and year of each rally?
(GB) “In 2002, 2005, 2007, we were in
Nashville. In 2006 we were in Johnson
City and in 2012, 1014, 2015, we were in
Cookeville.”
Looking back, can you share some of your
fondest memories with us of past rallies?
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(GB) “Well you know, there are so many,
in 2002 we were so green, we didn't know
what we didn't know, so we'd try anything
that seemed to make sense. We had 27
bands on three stages. Dickey Betts
pulled in on his bus, grabbed his guitar
and walked on stage with Lee Roy
Parnell, un-announced. He stayed for the
rest of Lee Roy's set. The place was
packed, they killed it and everybody loved
it…Fun times.
In 2006 we were have a Farmhouse
breakfast ride Johnson City to Erwin, TN.
It was a warm hazy morning and just
about the time breakfast was to be served
the bottom fell out. It rained so hard it
flooded but the bikes kept coming in
droves. The driveway was getting
washed out but they kept coming. A good
breakfast with a bluegrass band, in the
east TN hills and the sun came back out.
Bikers are durable, we had not one
complaint. In fact we all made the best of
a good situation.
In 2012 I had a hard time spitting the
words out when I wanted to ask Chief
Terry of the Cookeville Police Dept if
they’d participate in a Meet 'n Greet with
us at Ralph's Do-nuts. I'll never forget his
laugh as he agreed that they would be
there. Stories with friends like Bob Terry
are my favorite memories.”
Many people have said "this year's rally
was the best ever," do you agree?
(GB) “I've had a great time at every one
we attended. And they keep getting
better. So yes, I hope this year's was the
best, If for no other reason than it was the
most recent. The variety of events over
five days was off the charts, especially for
$45. And I could go on. We are blessed
in TN with great resources, roads,
destinations, and HOG members who
care.”
2015
2nd Issue
a great meal to the sound of the Ron
Rigsby Bluegrass Band in Lynchburg.
The Motor Patrol demonstration at the
street party was quite impressive.
Watching new racers catching on to drag
racing is fun for me. And, to host the
AMA Hill climb on Saturday was a 10
year dream come true for me, literally.
Watching the HOG and Motor Patrol
riders on the skills course is just freaking
incredible. Then of course I enjoyed
Charlie Daniels and Three Dog Night.”
I know Upper Cumberland won with the
most attendance again this year, but more
than 3/4s of the rally committee are MCC
members. How do you explain the "stars"
we have in this chapter?
(GB) “MCC and Boswell's HOG has been
around and fostering leaders for a long
time. We've are fortunate that many of
the Chapter leaders stick around and want
to remain involved. The Rally is one way
to do that, produce something beneficial
and enjoy our friendships. For certain we
have an experienced, dedicated group, of
"stars" on the team. I believe everyone
sincerely enjoys and excels in their role:
Debbie Moore Secretary, Carl Moore
Registration Coordinator, Tony Cantrell
Site Coordinator, Rick Osgood Treasurer,
and Gary Bagwell Rally Coordinator.”
Thanks for sharing your experiences and
leadership with the Music City HOG!
What were some of the highlights of this
year's rally, in your opinion?
(GB) “The hosts at each of the Poker Run
Stops on Tuesday just nailed it with
hospitality. On Wednesday we fed 1000
people at Hard Times USA and witnessed
a hillbilly wedding. On Thursday we had
Robert Kearns
2015 Historian
Music City Chapter
Harley Owners Group
WE ARE ON THE WEB!!! WWW.MUSICCITYHOG.COM
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/MCCHOG
M u s i c C i t y
C h a p t e r
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Not Just Riding in 50 States
50 States in 50 Days on a Harley
Proof of a superior machine is 12,572
miles without issue or complaint.
Proof of love of riding is when you do
it 50 consecutive days in a row.
Proof age is a number and the young
at heart can do anything they put their
mind to is 'going for it' and taking a
trip of a lifetime.
Last summer was proof that what I
thought would be an epic ride across
the U.S. would be one of the best
adventures of my life. We rode 50
states in 50 days the year I turned 50.
How'd you get to Hawaii? This is the
#1 question that comes up.
Also, What was your favorite part?
Did you see anything? Did you do
interstate or back roads?
I love that people are curious,
appreciate that some are skeptical, and
understand that this is not something
that 2 women on 2 Harleys do on a
regular basis.
Sparkle filled our thermoses with hot
coffee. Rob and Mike checked and
approved of our equipment and the
balance of our load.
Kenny, Justin and Jake gave the 2012
Trike and 2014 Ultra one last look
over, all systems were go. Kickstands
up and we headed to Ashville via
Gatlinburg and the Great Smokey
Mountains State park. A 'soft launch'
if you will. A chance to make sure
everything was as expected before we
ventured into the unknown.
We had a great breakfast at the
Bowell’s grill.
The satellite navigation system on my
2014 Ultra was really useful for
finding diners and gas stops along the
way, but there is nothing like pulling
out a paper map to find the treasures,
sites and best roads as you go.
July 1st, 2014, at 4am, our journey
began. We were doing the Harley
A.B.C. Contest, so with Ashville H.D.
in the can and a stop at the North
Carolina State line in the dark, we
were on our way.
It was like I imagine in the days of the
wild west, going from stage coach
stop to stage coach stop. We rode
from Harley shop to Harley shop,
picking up poker chips, pulling out
maps and chatting with locals.
Back roads found in the H.O.G. 2014
Touring Handbook took us through
our first day of South Carolina,
Georgia, and corner of Alabama into
our first night in Panama City Beach,
Florida. 506 miles, was a longest
mileage day of the entire 50 day trip,
but the adrenalin and excitement kept
us going until we hit beach and water.
Free coffee, free Wi-Fi, a place to sit
in our dusty or sweaty biker gear
where we were welcomed. At each
H.D. people talked to us about local
sites we shouldn’t miss, traffic and
construction we should miss, trips
they'd taken on their own bikes and
warm, be well wishes and waves as
we throttled away to the next stop.
We had no advance hotel bookings for
the trip, no required stops, just a few
'bucket list' items and the flight from
Las Vegas to Hawaii and Alaska
(below)
Riding the gulf states with +100
degree sun baking my skin, being
wind blown down route 66,
So let me tell you a little story, we met
a group of friends up at Boswell's
who'd gathered to 'ride us out of
town'. It wasn’t the official start of the
trip. It was a soggy, drizzly Saturday
morning the end of June.
We intended to 'end' at Boswell's the
final day of our 50 day Tour, but the
start would be in North Carolina, State
number 1 so that the end would be in
Tennessee, State number 50.
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for those two rented 'legs' of the trip to
guide our route and timing.
We knew we had to get the bikes
serviced along the way. The 'express
lane' service from Harley we didn’t
worry any stops would take too long.
Complete the 2015 Director’s Challenge Entry Form
and submit to one of the Officer’s to get started.
pulling out to watch the lightning
storm from a mountain top in New
Mexico, tasting grit, salt, and sand as I
drank water from the fountain at the
Four Corners monument, and layering
up in chaps and leather as we climbed
altitude for the north rim of the Grand
Canyon. Weather was a constant
companion and mother nature was
kind for our trip.
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C h a p t e r
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Not Just Riding in 50 States (cont.)
The fires of Washington were to the
west of our ride, but we smelled smoke
in the air as the haze followed us into
Idaho.
No state signs for us in Illinois - that
toll road is NOT for stopping. Not for
riding if the truth be known. But
that's another story.
Our route through Ontario afforded us
a bucket list view of the Horseshoe
falls at Niagara.
Ferry rides and bridges took us over
lake after lake after lake until we
reached Maine. Lobster rolls, crab and
more lobster at every meal.
Gravel 'highways' in Montana tested
our riding skills and we made it to
Sturgis two days before it started, there
our parking skills were tested. The
Badlands was “a blink and they're
gone” experience. I loved what I saw,
but it was over before I took a single
picture.
I'd gotten greedy for miles and couldn’t
wait to get to the H.D. Museum in
Milwaukee. We were there as they
opened and gone before the café was
serving, so had lunch in Chicago and
dinner in Michigan City.
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We Light-housed and Witch Trialed
through the sights of New England
before we turning inward and west
again. Taking time to tour
Presidential estates and historical
venues, the best of the north east were
the well maintained roads before,
during, and after the Blue Ridge
Parkway.
West Virginia back roads were an
unexpected joy, the best of the trip
and a winding metaphor for the
winding down of our journey. We
followed the Ohio River, then traveled
down through Kentucky's Red River
Gorge before a last stop at Mammoth
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Cave to video our contribution to the
Ice Bucket Challenge.
Crossing into Tennessee we'd done
it, 50 states! When we arrived at
Boswells on August 19th, we'd done
it, it was day 50!
The familiar
front parking
at Boswell's,
the smell of
the grill, the
smiles and
hugs of
friends and
family, all
were there
waiting for us, there to welcome us
back. Proof there is no place like
home.
Carrie and Manda
Music City Chapter
Harley Owners Group
Boswell’s Harley Davidson - Your Dealer of Choice!!
Music City Chapter Sponsoring dealership
M u s i c C i t y
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Summer Motorcycle Safety Tips
Sizzlin’ Summer Safety
No matter how tough you are, no
matter how experienced you are as a
rider, no matter how good your
physical condition, if you don’t
respect the heat, it will take you down.
Here are some tips for surviving
motorcycling during the summer heat:
1) Watch very carefully for signs of
Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke.
Your body will send you signals that
it’s having trouble with the heat,
which can include cramps, nausea,
headaches, extreme fatigue, flushed or
pale skin, dizziness, and heavy
sweating. Left unchecked, you can
develop Heat Exhaustion, which is a
form of mild shock. If you are
beginning to feel any of these
symptoms, it’s time to pull over,
rehydrate, rest, cool off, and recover
for as long as it takes. Don’t be in a
rush to get back on the bike –
sometimes a rider doesn’t want to
inconvenience their friends by holding
things up. How long do you think a
trip to the hospital will hold up the
ride?
You will find more tips on avoiding
and recognizing Heat Exhaustion and
Heat Stroke on the American Red
Cross website.
2) Bring more water than you think
you’ll need. It’s HUGELY important
to stay hydrated. That means drinking
plenty of water hours before you get
on the bike, and consuming 1 liter of
water every hour while riding,
especially in extreme temperatures.
Water that includes electrolytes (like
SmartWater) helps replenish vital
minerals that are lost when you sweat
profusely. When you get dehydrated,
your body just won’t work properly,
things will start to shut down, and
you’ll physically crash. The worst
thing is that by the time you start
feeling bad, you’re already in trouble.
3) Include stops on your route
where you can cool off. One of the
best ways to rejuvenate yourself is by
getting out of the heat, into a cooler
environment. A quick stop can enable
you to ride another 45 minutes even in
the worst heat. When planning a trip,
choose routes that will allow more
frequent stops in extreme heat.
4) Dress properly and keep your
skin covered. It's amazing how many
people don’t follow this simple
advice. Any areas of skin that are
exposed will be much harder to cool,
as the sweat will evaporate. This
means you’ll dehydrate faster. Dress
in layers. When you stop, remove
layers as needed. Stay cool with one
moisture-wicking layer, as the cover
will retain moisture and help your
body cool itself.
Mesh ventilated riding jackets and
light-weight long-sleeved shirts are
two options to stay covered, yet cool,
since they allow airflow while
protecting your skin from the sun.
Leather boots as opposed to sandal
style shoes are preferable. The boots
will protect your feet from the heat of
the bike as well as the heat rising from
the asphalt. A cooling vest may be a
good investment if you're riding in
extreme heat.. The vest is filled with
tiny beads that retain water.
Above are tips to keep yourself cool
on your motorcycle, but if your bike
overheats on those hot days you
won’t be able to ride.
Proper motorcycle maintenance
and a few add-ons can help ensure
that you keep your knees in the
breeze and the bike running cool.
Cooling System-If you have a liquid
cooled bike, make sure that you check
your coolant levels. Also check to see
that the radiator cap is on correctly.
Plan now to participate in the 2015 Charity
fund raising events. You’ll be glad you did!
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Most motorcycle manufacturers
recommend that the coolant be
changed every two years to prevent
coolant breakdown which can cause
your bike to overheat.
Engine Oil-Make sure the oil level is
where it should be for the best results.
Proper lubrication of the engine
reduces the amount of friction, which
in turn creates heat. The type of oil
that you use is important for hot
weather riding too.
When riding in the hot weather, it’s
usually a good idea to choose an oil
with a higher weight. A lower weight
oil will become too thin at these high
temps to properly lube the engine.
Synthetic oil is an even safer choice
because they can endure much hotter
temps without breaking down.
For air-cooled engines, it’s that much
more important to pay close attention
to your oil. Since your engine only
has the air to remove the heat, you
need to have the right oil in it to limit
the amount of heat that is produced in
the first place.
Check with your mechanic regarding
add-ons such (ex: oil cooler kit,
reusable oil filter, cylinder heat
cooler) to help prevent overheating.
Tim Clem
2015 Charities Officer
Music City Chapter
Harley Owners Group
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M u s i c C i t y
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Music City HOG Family
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Watch the Music City HOG Chapter Calendar. It’s packed with
all kinds of rides and events waiting for you to plug into.