Nov 2010 TN.indd
Transcription
Nov 2010 TN.indd
TOURING NEWS 1 GWTA National Office: P.O. Box 42403, Indianapolis, IN 46242 - Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm EST Toll Free: 800-960-4982 Local: 317-243-6822 Fax: 317-243-6833 [email protected] [email protected] Chapter Listings and additional info can be found online at: www.GWTA.org www.gotmotorcycle.org www.goldrushrally.org Executive Director Chairman of the Board Bruce & Linda Keenon P.O. Box 348, Huntington, IN 46750 [email protected]; 260-358-0851; Fax 260-356-3392 Ed Davis 1395 Sanborn Road, Yuba City, CA 95993 [email protected]; 530-673-7451 National Event Coordinator Life Member Board Representative Tony & Diane Manry P.O. Box 469, Van Buren, IN 46991 [email protected]; 765-934-4696 Webmaster John Hunrath 9265 Amarone Way, Sacramento, CA 95829 [email protected]; 916-682-0734 Rider Education Director Don & Judy Coons P.O. Box 1164, Rogue River, OR 97537 [email protected]; 541-582-1403 Education and Retention Director Mike & Carol Brush 12516 Poppleton Ave., Omaha, NE 68144 [email protected]; 402-397-4663 Helping Hands Director Dennis & Nancy Seery 902 Greenfield Court, Murfreesboro, TN 37128 [email protected]; 615-542-4935 Region A www.gwtaregiona.org Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming Region Director: JR & Lindy Phillips 960 Ebony Pl., Camano Island, WA 98282 [email protected]; 360-387-3523 Board Representative: Ray & Floramie Phillips 14425 59th Ave. South, Tukwila, WA 98168 [email protected]; 206-277-0962 Region B Arizona, California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah Region Director: Steve & Ralphine Andrus 2108 Lighthouse Dr., Fairfield, CA 94534 [email protected]; 707-429-9547 [email protected] Board Representative: Charles Horner P.O. Box 230, Shingletown, CA 96088 [email protected]; 530-474-4291 Region C www.gwta-c.com Illinois, Iowa, Manitoba, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Saskatchewan, Wisconsin Region Director: Rick & Kandie Hinrichs 12215 Signal Drive, Omaha, NE 68137 [email protected]; 402-578-2368 Board Representative: Dave Telford 2114 S. 88th St., Omaha, NE 68124 [email protected]; 402-699-1964 2 Tom & Barb Johnson 401 Lincoln St., Bartelso, IL 62218 [email protected]; 618-765-2661 Region D http://geocities.com/gwtaregiond Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia Region Director: George & Debbie Deskins 3330 Edmondson Ct. Murfreesboro, TN 37129 [email protected]; 615-459-4418 Board Representative: Jim & Karen Quinn 1368 Jason Circle, Ashland City, TN 37915 [email protected]; 615-792-0546 Region E www.gwtaregione.homestead.com Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas Region Director: Tommy & Aileen Dossey 1339 Cummings Lane, Texarkana, TX 75501 [email protected]; 903-831-4686 Board Representative: Chuck Gibbs 233 Judson St., Longmont, CO 80501 Region F www.gwtaregionf.org Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania Region Director: Pat & Marie Beaudoin 39433 Marne Ave., Sterling Heights, MI 48313 [email protected]; 586-532-7724 Board Representative: Ronnie and Kathe Vaughn 100 Ohio Street, Somerset, KY 42501 [email protected]; 606-872-7228 Region H www.regionhgwta.org Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont Region Director: Phil & Sue Rueger 100 Allyndale Road, Canaan, CT 06018 [email protected]; 860-824-0005 Board Representative: Dennis & Darlene Farnum 75 Farnum Lane, Sebago, ME 04029 [email protected]; 207-787-3435 Region J www.gwtaregionj.com Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario Region Director: Kevin Welch 169 Holmes Ave., North York, ON M2N 4M7 Canada [email protected]; 416-229-9378 Board Representative: Garrie & Eleanor Wayne 147 Wellington St. West Apt. 714, Aurora, ON L4G 3M1 Canada [email protected]; 905-727-5272 NOVEMBER 2010 In Every Issue Biker Billy Event Calendar Gold Rush XXIV Registration GWTA Business Members GWTA Contact Information New Member Listing 13-14 5 7 8 2 8 Advertiser Listing GWTA Departments Board of Directors Education & Retention 8 4 Features Add On Accessories Product Release Life in the Days of a Biker Region H Highlights USPS Statement of Ownership Wreaths Across America Yellow is Red or Green Send articles, photos & changes to: Touring News Magazine, P.O. Box 42403 Indianapolis, IN 46242-0403 Email: [email protected] 12 6 10-11 16 9 15 Add-On Accessories AIM Americade American Motorcycle Accessories Baker Built Big Bike Parts Biker Billy Cartier Marketing Chapel Australian Bike Tours CIMA International Diamond Gusset Electrical Connection Lees-ure Lite Markel American Insurance Co. Neosho Fiberglass RoadRUNNER Ultimate Motorcycling 12 12 5 19 18 14 13 16 5 15 18 18 19 20 19 4 15 Holiday Gift Guide American Motorcycle Accessories, Baker Built, Diamond Gusset, Electrical Connection, Lees-ure Lite, Neosho Fiberglass Canadian members: Beginning April 1, 2009 an additional payment is required annually in order to receive Touring News Magazine in the mail. This additional fee exclusively covers the extra postage required to mail Touring News to Canada. Touring News is published online 12 times per year and in print 4 times per year for Gold Wing Touring Association (GWTA) in the United States of America. The known office of publication is GWTA, 2415 Directors Row, Suite K, Indianapolis, IN 46241. $15 of the annual membership dues go toward a one-year subscription to GWTA’s Touring News Magazine; however, the subscription cannot be deducted from dues. Postmaster: Send address changes to: GWTA, P.O. Box 42403, Indianapolis, IN 46242-0403. Periodicals postage paid in Indianapolis, Indiana and at additional mailing offices. TOURING NEWS 3 As many of you know from having attended any of our education seminars, we like to talk about things that concern our chapters. One thing that we have talked about is the chapter treasury. If anyone has recently gone to a bank to open a checking account, you know that you must present a tax id number. No ifs, ands, or buts – a valid tax id number must be presented, or no checking account. An issue that comes up occasionally is one related to using an EIN – Employer Identification Number – as a tax id number to use on checking accounts. In the past, we have suggested that chapters, or states, or even regions, should protect themselves by registering their chapter (or state or region) with their state as a social chapter of a not-for-profit organization, in order to then apply with the IRS for a tax ID number. The reasoning is that having a tax id number will protect both the chapter as well as the treasurer from any potential problems with tax consequences – rather than running the risk of a treasurer using their personal social security number. After all, if a treasury amasses more than $5,000 in the treasury, it is reported to the IRS – at least that’s what we’ve been told. It is a difficult process to go through, certainly. It takes time, and filling out forms, and then waiting to hear, first back from the state, and then applying with the IRS, and then when you finally receive your tax id number, you can go to the bank to open a checking account. However, there’s a troubling aspect to this that we were unaware of until we sat in on the Q&A session at Goldrush a couple years ago. It turns out that if you register your chapter with the state and with the IRS, you in effect are declaring your independence from GWTA. In that circumstance, the liability insurance that covers the chapter no longer applies. Now – the liability insurance that protects each of us because we are a GWTA member is still in effect, but the liability insurance protecting the chapter is not. Thus, the advice that came out of this session was to open the checking account for your chapter, state or region using the social security number of either the chapter director or the treasurer. Make sure it is a non-interest bearing checking account. Consider a twoparty signature system. Then, every year when the chapter director and/or treasurer changes, close out the checking account, have the records audited to make sure the balances are accurate, and then re-open another checking account with the new treasurer’s or chapter director’s SSN. Repeat this process as needed. While it is somewhat of a hassle to close and re-open the checking account, it might be worth the trouble to ensure your chapter, state or region has the protection of the group liability insurance. However, if you feel the risk higher that the treasury could experience problems with someone’s personal SSN involved (in the case of extremely high balances), then your chapter might want to pursue getting an independent tax id number established. Under no circumstances should GWTA’s EIN number be used for your chapter, state or region. You must take steps to acquire your own EIN number. Again, this is not a practice we would encourage. As everyone in GWTA should know, the chapters are not governed by anything other than the by-laws of the association, and can make their own decisions regarding their treasury. We just wanted to make sure that it was an informed decision. Yours in friendship, Carol and Mike Brush 12516 Poppleton Ave Omaha, NE 68144 [email protected] 4 NOVEMBER 2010 Plan Your Motorcycle Vacation in 2011 at REGION A Chehalis Veterans Memorial Museum 3rd Annual Poker Run. Chehalis, WA. June 4, 2011. $20 entry fee for poker hand drawing. 50/50 split. Doorprizes, free water, coffee and cookies. Rest rooms and gift shop available. Check in 9-11 a.m., return no later than 4 p.m. Door prize drawings start at 4 p.m. Contact MCPO Pete Slempa at [email protected] for more info. REGION B Toy & Poker Run. Les Schwab Tire Center, Woodland, CA. November 7, 2010. Sponsored by Chapter V, Woodland Roadrunners. Contact John Hunrath at [email protected] or 916-692-0734 for more info. Veterans Day Parade. Marysville, CA. November 11, 2010. Sponsored by Chapter T, Tri-County Travelers. Contact Dennis Rogers at [email protected] or 530-682-0529. Chapter L Support Our Troops Run. Southern California. November 14, 2010. Arizona F Troop Annual Breakfast Fundraiser. Queen Creek, AZ. November 20, 2010. Biscuits & gravy, eggs, sausage, pancakes and drinks. $5 for breakfast and silent auction bidding number. Games, Silent Auction, Door Prizes, 50/50 drawing. Proceeds benefit Arizona Blankets 4 Kids. Event begins at 8am at the Stout residence, 20402 E. Ryan Rd, Queen Creek, AZ 85242. Chapter B Parade of Toys. Santa Rosa to Sonoma, CA. November 21, 2010. Contact Tom Garske at [email protected] or 707933-9799 for more info. World’s Largest Touring Rally June 7-11 Lake George, NY www.americade.com 518-798-7888 On the Cover... Here is a picture I took at Gold Rush along the Chief Joseph Hwy in Wyoming. I went on the Friendship Ride with the folks from Beartooth Harley. The group went part way up the Beartooth Hwy, stopped for a break and headed back for Billings. I decided to continue on by myself and do the entire Beartooth loop which is when this photo opportunity occurred. Hope you like it. Joe Leon Auburn Valley Wings Auburn, Washington TOURING NEWS 5 A Life in the Days of a Biker by Dave Norton, Secretary/Treasurer, GWTA Region A Chapter M, Mountain Valley Riders Part 5: Benly Rocks! In 1963 the devastation of a badly broken heart led me to overcook a creek crossing on the Trail 50, sliding into a tree and crumpling the sheet metal forks. The repaired bike went to brother Dan and it was time to move up to a real motorcycle, the Honda 150 Benly Touring. What a beauty, 16.5 hp at 10,500 rpm, all shiny sweepy black bodywork, chrome accents and whitewall tires. Definitely a Meet-the-Nicest-People-on-a-Honda sort of bike. While Russ was back at school, Buddy Jim Hill had worn out his 125 Bridgestone by then and bought a matching one. Photo: Jim Hill Photo: Dave Norton The overriding mental picture of our rides then featured Bell shorty helmets with snap-on bubble shields, with the bottom stuffed full of scarves and rags to keep out the winter cold. I have no idea how I managed to see at all as the early morning fog made my glasses all but opaque. This won’t do. My Dad’s Harley had a nice windshield, so I added one to the Benly. In those days windshields were mounted to the handlebars rather than the frame. They don’t do that now. We’re about to learn why. On the first test ride all went well up to 60 mph when the dreaded gollywobble set in. A divergent oscilation, the amplitude increasing with each cycle. I did manage to horse it back down, and went back and found a series rubber skidmarks on the street caused by the front wheel skidding first right then left, for 50 feet or so. A slight adjustment of the angle fixed it, but fear of a recurrence had it benched for the duration. On an early ride home from the Times Grand Prix at Riverside I was pacing friend Larry’s new MGB. We left a light together and in the middle of third gear I realized we were racing. I wound it tight to 10-5 and bang-shifted it up into…SECOND to the sound of a zillion revs and a skidding rear tire! It turns out Honda had changed the shift pattern between the 50 and later bikes, a fact that eluded me in the heat of battle! No harm done, amazingly. Tough little motor! They say God watches over fools and children, and sure enough when a front tire burst on Jim’s Benly at 70 on a long downhill he somehow managed to rein it in safely. On another ride we were caught south of Mojave CA in a terrible sandstorm, with a wicked cross-wind forcing us slower and slower. At about 25 a gust pushed both bikes off the road and into the bushes, ending the ride for that day. The closest thing to shelter was a ravine into which we pushed our bikes and tied a tarp between them. We curled up in our sleeping bags and spent a miserable night in the howling wind and sand. In the morning we literally poured sand out of our ears, packed up and continued on. Three of us shared an apartment in the small town of Belmont Shore, CA, right next to a tidal flat where dirt bikers would gather for impromptu races. It was run-what-ya-brung racing every Saturday. No rules, no classes, with a course a mix of flat-track and TT. Now a 150 Benly is definitely NOT a dirt bike: more weight than torque, lots of expensive bodywork, peaky motor, and a good honest 1-3/4” of suspension travel unimpeded by any significant damping, But, it was fun putzing around the track. Well, as time went on, I began “improving” the Benly: Dunlop Trials Universal tires, pitch the front fender, lose the high-rise handlebars in favor of a set of longhorns, dump the whisper-pipes for those sexy cross-over scrambler pipes, with Snuff-or Nots to let the neighbors sleep. Oh what a mellow thrumming note they produced! But the stopwatch showed the open scrambler pipes made the bike slower, no top end. So, I found that Pep Boys VW exhaust tips would hose-clamp right on to the Honda down-pipes where the stock mufflers attached. Great top end, but no torque. Hmmm, perhaps those Japanese engineers weren’t so dumb. The high point in my Benly racing career came after out running a real 250 Scrambler on the track by sheer force of youthful ignorance. The defeated rider came over after and said “Kid, you got some hair!” That remains one of the most sincere and favorite compliments before or since. Dirt-tracking the Benly ended shortly after when I got off on the high side, the rubber foot peg got torn off and the ½” steel rod whanged my thigh right to the bone, filling my riding boot with blood. In the clinic the young doctor did his best to dissuade me from similar silliness by scrubbing the wound with lye soap (I swear!) and a bristle brush, and punctuating his lecture with an extra tug on the suture: Young man don’t you EVER do such a DUMB trick like THAT again… To be continued… Next installment: Santa Rides a Honda! 6 NOVEMBER 2010 Gold Rush XXIV: July 25-28, 2011 Boyne Mt. Boyne Falls, MI Boyne Mountain Resort Room Type Room Rates Area Campgrounds Edelweiss $ 69.00 Chandler Hill Campground 231-549-7878 Clock Tower & Mountain Bedroom $ 89.00 Whiting Park 231-582-7040 Mountain Villa-One Bedroom $ 126.00 Young State Park 1-800-447-2757 Mountain Grand Lodge-Queen $ 131.00 East Jordan Campground 231-536-2561 Moutain Grand Lodge-Parlor $ 131.00 Disciples Ridge-Two Bedroom w/Loft $ 222.00 Creekside-Four Bedroom w/Hot Tube $ 330.00 *A hotel reservation form can be obtained at www.gwta.org.. You must mail or fax your hotel reservation to the information listed on the form. Circle appropriate codes after name: A=Adult, C=Under 16, R=Rider, P=Passenger. Use name wanted on ID Name ( A C R P )__________________________Name ( A C R P ) __________________________ Name ( A C R P )__________________________Name ( A C R P ) __________________________ Address_______________________City_____________State/Province_____ Zip/Postal_________ GWTA Chapter/St./Pr._______________ Membership #__________ Other AffiliaE-mail_________________________Will you use: Motel Campground Other GWTA MEMBER Registration before 3/1/2011 Non Member Registration and registration after 7/1/2011 Add Welcome Dinner ; Sunday, July 24th $50 $60 $15 x x x $12 x = $ x = $ Total $ Children under 16 free (not eligible for drawing) Gold Rush XXIV T-Shirts Welcome Dinner will be Sunday July 24th, at the Boyne Mt. Resort (Host Hotel). Time TBA = $ = $ = $ T-shirt Pre-order GR XXIV Pre Order T-shirts Qty Size SM MD LG XL 2XL 3XL 4XL Visa/Mastercard/Amex #_________________________________________Expiration Date_______ Billing Address____________________________Billing Zip Code __________CVV2 Code_______ Cardholder Signature______________________________________________________________ Make checks and money orders, US funds, payable to: GWTA Refunds must be received in writing before July 1, 2011. No refunds will be issued without written notice. Confirmation postcards will be mailed for all registrations received at the Office. If you have not received a confirmation postcard contact the office before the next cut off date!! Please Note: Confirmation emails from online orders are not sent from the office and do not confirm that your registration was received and processed. TOURING NEWS 1-800-960-GWTA (4982) www.gwta.org 7 State City CO IA IA KS MI MI MI MI NE NJ OH ON ON ON ON PA PA PA WA WI Longmont Harlan W. Des Moines Basehor Rochester Hills Boyne City Oak Park Rochester Bellevue Garwood Dayton Pickering Scarborough Waterloo Midland Slatington Wescosville Slatington Woodinville Freedom Last Name Nelson Vogt Osburn Skinner, Sr. Delaney Russold Green Johnson Kennedy Adamson Bowersock Burke Lloyd Lemieux Bissette Holland Everett Christman Degel McKenna First Name Grant Melvin & Linda Terry & Bernadette Charles & Debra Paul & Carol Tracy & Wolfgang Larry & Arlene Jeff & Jo Robert & Barb Wright Ronald & Melissa Stephen & Angela Jeramy James Pat Dave Warren & Carol Achey Ken & Mary Dennis & Susanne Dave & Katherine Henry & Julie Add On Accessories www.addonaccessories.net AIM www.ON-A-BIKE.com Americade www.tourexpo.com Baker Built Air Wings www.bakerbuilt.com Big Bike Parts www.bigbikeparts.com Chapel Australian Bike Tours www.chapelaustralianbiketours.com Everett Powersports www.everettpowersports.com Markel American Insurance Co. www.GWTAInsurance.com Neosho Fiberglass www.neoshotrailers.com Road Runner Magazine www.RoadRUNNER.travel Stop & Go www.stopngo.com The position of Life Member Representative on the Board of Directors (BOD) will be vacant when Barb Johnson fills the position of Chairman of the Board (COB) on January 1, 2011. The BOD will meet via telephone conference at the start of the new year, 2011, to discuss the appointment of a Life Member to finish out the remainder of Barb’s term. If you have an interest in assisting the association by volunteering your time and talents as a board member please submit your name by December 1st to Barb Johnson, COB-elect, at [email protected]. Please include a brief summary of your time with GWTA and a statement of what motivated you to apply for a position on the board. Your information will be forwarded to the current board members prior to the phone conference. They have been asked to respect your privacy and refrain from forwarding the information. The board will review and discuss all applications before appointing someone to complete Barb’s term. This term will end on December 31, 2011. This process is in accordance with Article V, 5.11 VACANCIES; If the term of the vacated seat is less than one year, that vacancy shall be filled by Board appointment. 8 NOVEMBER 2010 TOURING NEWS 9 Maine - The Way Life If you are looking or are in need of a refreshing R & R, then come on up to Maine and enjoy the Spectacular Scenery, Delicious Food and Friendly People. You will be heading in the right direction. Here you will find yourself surrounded by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and beautiful Mount Katahdin (5268 ft – highest pt in Maine) located in Baxter State Park. Just head North and keep on going up Interstate 295 to 95 – Unfortunately they don’t allow motorcycles in the park because of the terrain and wild life but there are motels and camping grounds surrounding the area- definitely worth your while and who knows you will most definitely see a moose and or a bear taking a daily bath in Chimney Pond because , of course, this is their home and you are their guests!! About four hours from Portland heading East of Bangor is Arcadia National Park tucked around Mount Dessert Island and Schoodic Point and of course the famous Bar Harbor. This is truly where the sea meets the land and with music to fill your heart and soul. SO VERY quiet yet so powerful that you leave with a quiet calm and awesome wonder of what God has created. There are really no words to explain the fullness and peace one gets when there is nothing between you and the wide open sky and the winding road ahead on your bike feeling sense of freedom and awe!! What about the beautiful ride up through Route 1 winding around the coast line through fishing villages like Boothbay Harbor home of The Lobsterman’s Co-OP where you can get a huge Fisherman’s Platter with all the fixings including a baked potato with sour cream, corn on the cob, a lobster of your choice surrounded by clams &scallops & haddock and mounded w/ those crisp onions rings and Maine Shrimp on the sides of your plate- almost requiring sideboards surrounding the platter!! Don’t forget that volcano of a homemade strawberry short cake with freshly picked field strawberries and mounded with whip cream of course!! Or, do you choose freshly picked blueberries instead of strawberries. Too many decisions to make!! Of course while you are in Maine calories don’t count because everything is natural. A stop in Maine is just not complete without a side trip to Freeport, of course, the home of the famous LL Bean. The only indoor ground trout pond that is allowed in the world, as we understand this to be true, but may stand corrected on this statement. LL Bean just speaks for itself always expanding and encouraging Maine quality products and integrity. Just a great place to shop and get lost for the day not only @ Bean’s but other surrounding shops as well. Only a short distance from Bean’s is a place called Wolf’s Neck Farm where they are famous for their organic produce and raise cattle & beef-a-lo- not to mention, the surrounding Casco Bay Islands, where you can do as much or as little as one wishes. If the sea shore and fishing villages get boring just ride up Route 302, over to the neighboring mountains of New Hampshire where Mount Washington ( 6288 FT- highest point in NH) reports the coldest and harshest conditions on the East Coast and rim ice grow several feet thick. But, the ride up to the summit in the SPRING is so well worth the wait as is the awesome FALL season. The forever magnificent color changes in the foliage, not to mention the winding roads where at times your pedal will definitely hit the pavement and you can come around the corner and say “Howdy Neighbor” nothing like the NEW ENGLAND AIR. YES THE WAY LIFE IS IN NEW ENGLAND See YA ROUND the Corner! Dennis & Darlene Farnum Region H - BOD- MAINE 10 NOVEMBER 2010 2010 Region H Rally Pics TOURING NEWS 11 Product Release - XTREME LED FOG LIGHTS These driving fog lights take LED lights to the extreme. Each light contains 8 one watt LEDs, the largest LED fog light on the market making it four times brighter than regular LEDs. The lights are waterproof and adding extra road lighting for safety. Measures 6 3/16” W x 1 ¾” D x ¾” H. The lights are bright enough to be used as daytime running lights and have low power consumption with optimal light output. The light has a universal adjustable mounting bracket to allow a variety of options for installing. Sold in pairs and includes wiring, instructions and light switch. www.addonaccessories.net 12 NOVEMBER 2010 Shifting Gears Unless you have an automatic, a rare bird in motorcycling, shifting gears is a constant part of riding. Shift up, shift down, row those gears and keep the motor in the power band—then you are always ready to respond to changes in traffic. Being prepared to respond to changing conditions is part of both the challenge and excitement of riding a motorcycle, and it is in the ability to effectively respond to change that our greatest advantage is found. As any experienced rider knows, traffic is only one of many shifting challenges that we must contend with—there’s also road surfaces, speed zones, unexpected debris, contours of the land, and fickle weather. Then there are the changes that occur on a longer cyclical basis; while these are more predictable than, say, finding a retread carcass in your path, they can still surprise you if you let them. Seasons come and seasons go, and each has its own unique requirements in terms of riding gear. If you ride beyond the peak warm season, you will probably need to make changes of gear during the course of any long day’s ride. While it is true that summer (or, for that matter, winter) rides can call for changes of gear, fall and spring days are truly the gear-shifting seasons. Turn that day ride into a weekend excursion, and the potential changes of gear can become dramatic. Over the past few weeks this has become very apparent to me again. One would think that with a few decades of riding under my saddle, I would have made the shift automatically. No such luck. Years ago, living in the snow belt of New Jersey, it always seemed that the cooler weather came on like throwing a light switch. One day you walked outside and—ouch—it was markedly cooler and you got the very clear message that things had changed. However, where I live in the southern Appalachian Mountains, the shifting seasons are much more subtle, more like a constant-velocity transmission than a standard shift. While it may feel just fine to walk the dog in shorts and a t-shirt, enjoying the sunshine and gentle mountain breezes, it is another thing entirely to go riding. Last week my three-season perforated-leather jacket was still hot riding all day in it; the other day it felt great when I started, but by the time I got home it was feeling a little too air-conditioned. (OK, it was actually cold.) Along the way I stopped to add a layer, only to find that my cool-weather gear was not in the saddlebags. Standing at a scenic mountaintop pullout, I remembered removing all that stuff a few weekends ago for some early Christmas shopping at some of our favorite little touristy shops. What had been good planning for a late-summer ride through the mountains, with lunch and shopping as a destination, had shifted into poor planning for an early-fall ride into higher elevations. Luckily, a refolded map placed between the jacket perforations and me cut the cold breeze enough to get home—old-fashioned paper maps can’t give you turn-byturn directions or instantly reroute you if you miss a street the way GPS units do, but they cover a lot more frozen biker than a three-inch LCD screen will. That day it seemed as if the seasons had short-shifted on me, but then the next day was 80 degrees and shorts weather again. Well, that is nature after all: she is a fickle woman and you are wise to not fool with her. Now the bike is repacked with the correct gear to handle any seasonal shift in the weather. Of course, this means I couldn’t bring home much of anything from the store if I wanted to. TOURING NEWS 13 There is maybe just enough room for a container of broccoli in spicy garlic sauce, but I will tell you another time why I will never put that in my saddlebags again. As 2010 slowly shifts from prime riding season into fall foliage, then downshifts again into winter, I am ready to respond to the changes in temperature. Gear-wise at least. But I also have to shift my riding technique and my hazard alertness. The ranks of lumbering RVs and spandex-clad bicyclists are thinning, but wet leaves and the dreaded black ice will soon replace them. And somewhere in between that shift will be the leaf lookers, driving around with their eyes, and minds, in the trees. So as the seasons and the hazards shift, keep your eyes on the road and traffic and your bike in the power band. Deal’s Gap Slayer Corn Bread 1 stick butter 2 boxes Jiffy brand corn bread mix 2 large eggs 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream 1 (8-ounce) can creamed corn Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the butter in a 9x9x2-inch nonstick baking dish (I prefer my 10-inch cast-iron skillet) and put it in the oven to melt. While the butter is melting, combine the corn bread mix, eggs, sour cream, and creamed corn in a large mixing bowl. Mix together until well blended. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and pour the mixture on top of the melted butter. Return it to the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until brown on top. To test for doneness, insert a fork in the middle; if it comes out clean, the corn bread is done. Serve immediately—it is best if eaten warm. Makes about 12 servings. Column copyright Bill Hufnagle 2010. Recipe reprinted with permission from “Biker Billy’s Roadhouse Cookbook”, published by The Globe Pequot Press, P.O. Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437 Copyright © 2009 by Bill Hufnagle 14 NOVEMBER 2010 Yellow Is Red Or Green (I’d Rather Be Red Than Dead) By: James R. Davis City traffic lights, you would think, are pretty simple devices. They are, after all, only three different colored lights with some switches and timers. And while red and green are obvious, you’d think that the meaning of the yellow light wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out. I could be wrong, of course. (Most intersection accidents seem to happen in relation to that light.) I intend to help humanity with this rather simple article. I would like to take any confusion regarding the yellow light away with a concept so obvious that it probably is already known to all: · Yellow is either Red or Green In other words, the yellow light either means stop or go. Now all we have to figure out is when it means stop and when it means go. (grin) When you notice that a light is yellow and if you are able to stop before entering the intersection, yellow means ‘stop’. At all other times yellow means ‘go, but use caution’. Please note that a yellow light NEVER means ‘speed up’. Please also note that a green light ALSO means ‘go, but use caution’!!! So now YOU know the rules, but you should assume that nobody else does. In other words, when you are waiting for a light to turn green, after it does you should assume that someone is going to be in the intersection trying to stretch out the yellow as it turns red. A head check is absolutely critical before entering an intersection when your light turns green. Copyright © 1992 - 2010 by The Master Strategy Group, all rights reserved. http://www.msgroup.org (James R. Davis is a recognized expert witness in the fields of Motorcycle Safety/Dynamics.) TOURING NEWS 15 16 NOVEMBER 2010 Knoxville, Tennessee. (October 12, 2010) - Electrical Connection announced the release of a 10 watt LED auxiliary light kit for the Honda GL1800. The plug and play kit features machined aluminum housings, a genuine Honda switch, and laser cut stainless steel mounts. The LED lights draw less than one amp total and feature a 5000k color rendering. Suggested retail price is $229.95. Available through Electrical Connection dealers worldwide. Barton Bright, a GL1800 owner that did beta testing had this to say of the kit: “The more I use them, the more I like them.” “If you’re thinking about upgrading or installing some cowl mounted lights, I would seriously consider these. With their low power draw, light output and top-notch design, these lights would be a good investment.” Electrical Connection is a manufacturer of lighting, electrical, audio and specialty products to meet the demands of today’s motorcycle rider. Safety, functionality, and ease of installation have been the driving force behind the company since 1994. 18 NOVEMBER 2010 Lees-ure Lite tent trailers have been designed for touring motorcycles. Three things customers look for are “Ease of setup”,“Quality workmanship & customer service” & “Affordable pricing” and we have them all. Many options & upgrades are available and can be added after the original purchase. For more info call toll free 1-800-660-0933 or check our web site at www.tent-trailer.com My wife and I are extremely pleased with both the product and our dealings with Lees-ure Lite. I have never purchased anything this expensive sight unseen before and it was reassuring to be able to talk with people that actually cared about our satisfaction.... Dave, Yorkton, SK I absolutely LOVE my new Excel trailer....Helen, Calgary, AB The camper was all we expected plus more and trailer pulled just as you said and was a breeze to set up....Tom, Surprise, AZ The trailer and I have been in 40 MPH wind and rain and even snow and it keeps me high and dry. I love it....Bob, Barstow, CA TOURING NEWS 19 >/(;/(=, @6<.6; ;636:,& @V\JV\SKILSVZPUNTVUL`^P[O[OL^YVUNWVSPJ` ;OPUNZTH`OH]LJOHUNLKZPUJL`V\SHZ[NV[HX\V[L4H`IL`V\»]LTV]LK[HRLU HZHML[`JV\YZLVYILLUHJJPKLU[MYLL¶HSS[OPUNZ[OH[JHUHMMLJ[`V\YYH[LZ -VYV]LY`LHYZ4HYRLSOHZWYV]PKLKJV]LYHNLVW[PVUZHUKKPZJV\U[Z[VZH]L `V\TVUL`6\YJ\Z[VTPaLKTV[VYJ`JSLPUZ\YHUJLVMMLYZYVHKZPKLHZZPZ[HUJL^P[O [YPWPU[LYY\W[PVUYLPTI\YZLTLU[HUKJV]LYHNLMVY[YPRLZHUK[V^ILOPUK[YHPSLYZ 7S\Z^LSV^LY`V\YKLK\J[PISLLHJO`LHY`V\»YLHJJPKLU[MYLLIYPUNPUNP[KV^U [VHM[LYMV\Y`LHYZ-PUKV\[PM`V\JV\SKILZH]PUN\W[V >LRUV^OV^[VOLSW`V\ZH]LTVUL`HUKNL[NYLH[JV]LYHNL -VYH-9,,X\V[LJHSS VY]PZP[.>;(PUZ\YHUJLJVT 20 4HYRLSPZLUKVYZLKI`[OL.>;( NOVEMBER 2010