Gold Wing Road Riders Assoc - Black Rose Wings PA-V
Transcription
Gold Wing Road Riders Assoc - Black Rose Wings PA-V
Gold Wing Road Riders Assoc. Black Rose Wings, Chapter PA-V 2011 & 2013 PA District Chapter of the Year 2013 Northeast Region B Chapter of the Year Hanover, PA – Web site: WWW.GWRRAPAV.ORG Northeast Region National/Region/District Staff GWRRA Director Ray & Sandy Garris (800)843-9460 Ph: ([email protected]) NE Region Director Tom & Renee Wasluck (570) 474-1014 ([email protected]) Region Trainer Eileen & Tim Guile (518) 877-8481 ([email protected]) Rider Educator Phil & Darlene Pirozzi (412) 800-0395 ([email protected]) PA District Staff Director Dana & Danise Hartle (814) 938-7136 ([email protected]) Ass’t. Directors Rick & Andi Riek, NW PA E, D, I, N, Q, T ([email protected]) Treasurer Bob & Marcy Gabriele (215) 547-3417 ([email protected]) Chapter Directors: Mike & Shirley Prince (717) 495-5400 E-mail: [email protected] Asst. Chapter Directors: Barry & Rhonda Blyler E-mail: [email protected] Chapter Educator: Doug Motter E-mail: [email protected] Asst, Chapter Educator: Bob Baker E-mail: [email protected] Chapter Couple of the Year: Claude & Linda Gladfelter E-mail: [email protected] Treasurer: Linda Gladfelter E-mail: [email protected] MED Coordinator/Advertising: Brenda Milberry E-mail: [email protected] Ride Coordinator: Woody Woodfill E-mail: [email protected] Newsletter Editor: Kathy Brillhart E-mail: [email protected] Couple of the Year Coordinators: Barry & Rhonda Blyler E-mail: [email protected] July 2014 Vol. 18, No. 7 Newsletter Editor Pat & Walt Cole (814) 726-2673 ([email protected]) Trainers Gerry & Bonnie VanArt (570) 759-9304 ([email protected]) Membership Enhancement Coordinator Diane Heffelfinger (814) 943-1392 ([email protected]) Rider Educator Doug Motter (717) 486-8592 ([email protected]) Goodie Coordinators Dave & Cindy Marconi ([email protected]) Couple of the Year Coordinators Barry & Rhonda Blyler ([email protected]) Couple of the Year Denny & Kathy Brillhart ([email protected]) Chapter Visitation Coordinators Clair & Ruth Matter (570) 998-9722 ([email protected]) District Web Master Mike & Darlene Ammerman ([email protected]) District Downloads Page Jim McClintock ([email protected]) Chapter of the Year Coordinator: John Steele E-mail: [email protected] Technical Coordinator: Claude Gladfelter E-mail: [email protected] Sunshine Coordinator: Kit Johnson E-mail: [email protected] Goodies: Bruce & Deb Etter E-mail: [email protected] Historian: Ken Richardson E-mail: [email protected] Webmaster: Mike Prince E-mail: [email protected] Ken Richardson E-mail: [email protected] Ice Cream Coordinator: George & Bonnie E-mail: [email protected] Roll for Dough Coordinator: Barry Blyler E-Mail: [email protected] Events Project Manager: Bruce Etter E-mail: [email protected] Charitable Events Coordinator: Jo Woodfill E-mail: [email protected] Corner of Routes 30 & 94 (717) 624-7778 Breakfast at 8:00 am - Gathering 9:00 am - Ride 10:30 am (Weather Permitting) Mike and Shirley Prince Hello Everyone! The weather has been great for 2 wheels and 4 wheels. The flowers are blooming and the weeds are growing. Mike and I would like to thank everyone for helping to sell the District Raffle tickets. Sales appear to be going well, Dana & Danise are thankful for each & everyone for ticket sold. It looks like it will be a successful fundraising year. Bike Show/Cookout - Brenda found a new place for the Bike Show (Renegade’s in York). What a great success! Thanks, for all the hard work putting this show together. Let’s not forget all the volunteers who came out to help setup Flags, Tables, tents. The bikes looked great. We had a lot of people stop by and made sure we talk to each and every one of them. The Bakers had a cookout after the bike show. We also had a team meeting to go over upcoming events. Thanks for the good food and the hospitality. June 15 - There was ride to Fort Delaware. When Mike & I got to McDonald’s, it was only us & Woody. So we called Mike D. and decided to hookup and ride somewhere else. The day was to beautiful not to ride. We decided to go to the Country Junction, the largest hardware store. So, on our adventure we made a stop at Cabala’s. I asked Mike D. to find a Mom & Pa Restaurant for lunch. Well, he found Maggie’s Kitchen. There were lots of cars, so that’s a good sign. Let’s say there’s a good story behind every Kitchen. Just Ask. June 21 - Harper’s Ferry Ride. Woody, Jo, Larry and us. It started out with rain, so we decided to go have breakfast till it passed. We had a nice ride on a cool day, as always it was a fun day. As many times that I have been there I saw some Historical sites that I must have missed before. We walked up to Jefferson Rock. Now there’s a sign that says the rock is unstable don’t climb on. But if you look at the pictures, you’ll see Woody and Mike. Woody led us on a nice ride home, GPS, Half Pint Creamery. We have a lot of fun on all are rides, so if you missed one, come and join on the next ride. Lake Tobias Wilderness Safari - Brenda lead us on a fantastic ride to Lake Tobias Wildlife Safari. It’s nice to see you back on your bike, riding with your friends. She had 20 members & family participate. WOW! The Safari ride took us around to see all the different animals. The one that amazed me was the Texas Longhorns. This is a great place to take your kids and grandkids. And a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to Bruce and Deb for putting together the best 4th of July event ever. (AKA Cowboy Cookout) To PAV, We hope you had a safe, healthy, and fun filled Independents Day. Roll for Dough for 2014 - Barry is working on Chapters visitations to start racking up our points. So, that’s getter done and join in on the fun. We always have a good time visiting our friends and family over the colder months. Remember to ride safe and meet new Friends EVERY MEMBER DOES MATTER, WITHOUT MEMBERS, WHERE WOULD WE BE. Bob Baker, Assistant Chapter Educator July already! 3 months of riding weather has already gone by and a little over 4 months left. I get antsy waiting to get the bike back on the road, then the riding begins and it flies by. But, like always, there are good memories in the rides that have been taken and more memories to be made with the rides yet to take. Bev and I went to All Chapters West camping along with Denny, Kathy, Bob and Nancy and had a nice relaxing time. We didn't get a chance to go on the rides they had set up as we haven't figured how to get the bike on top of the pop-up camper we have. There were nice meals prepared for everyone, so we didn't have to cook. And afterwards there was a nice campfire to sit around and chat with everyone. AND we got 3 points for the good time we had and good info on things we can do when we host All Chapters East. Lake Tobias was another great ride led by Brenda. She had us on some nice twisty roads and even ordered the nice weather for the day. Great Job Brenda! On a safety note. We were riding in a nice formation on the highway when a car decided he had to get to the service station on the right and cut in the middle of us. Denny yelled “LOOK OUT” and the car came over in front of me, not missing me by 6 inches, and then put on his brakes to turn. Everyone got stopped behind me okay and I know it had to do with the staggered formation we ride that gave everyone that extra second to react. I had to stop and get my wits together before going on, but it showed me how quick things can happen even if you are in the middle of the group. Thanks Denny for the shout out and thanks Mike for stopping with me until I got my wits about me. WWW.GWRRA.ORG WWW.GWRRAPAV.ORG Question: Has Chapter PA V been on the go? Yes! Where have we been to? Harpers Ferry, Mike & Shirley leaders; All Chapters West with 6 members attending & 3 points were added for Rolling Along; Tobias Lake, Brenda leader; Fourth of July Get Together, Thanks Bruce & Deb for hosting this fun event with plenty of food & fun for all; and Perryville for Piranha Sports, Mike & Shirley leaders. Thanks for making this a fun filled Fund Raiser for PA V! Tobias Lake, if you have not been there before you missed out on a Great Ride! Brenda had a total of 24 people with 11 bikes. The lake has something for everyone from the Safari Ride which you get to feed the different animals as yes they even try to board the bus to ride along. There was a dinner stop on the way home at Perkins in Camp Hill. Rides and Events 24-26 Jul New England Rally 7-10 Aug NY/NJ Rally Hot weather riding Shade- A tree lined country road can be many degrees cooler then a freeway. It also offers more protection from the sun with the added benefit of some great curves and hills. Stop Lights- Routes that include lots of stop lights should be avoided if possible. You get a triple dose of heat- Sun-engine and from the road which is hard on the engine as well as you. Road Repairs- Check if there are any road repairs along the route which can cause traffic jams which can be worse than stop lights. Woody Woodfill Ride Coordinator Coming up there is plenty on the schedule! PA V now has 13 points in the Roll for Dough which has us in the lead. There are several going to New England Rally as well as NY/NJ Rally. So Yes, more points on the way. NY/NJ Rally is where Denny & Kathy are in the NE Region Selection. Come along and bring your noise makers to cheer them on! Many noticed that Rosie has been out & running as she attended rides, was spotted at Bruce & Deb's enjoying Corn on the Cob setting beside Barry, etc. Wonder where Blackie has been? Do we need to start have a search party? Ride Safe, Barry & Rhonda Chris and Deb Neiman – July 27 Gene and Linda Woods – August 8 Barry and Rhonda request that you keep Barry’s father in your thoughts and prayers. He is currently in York Hospital. Don’t forget to make sure you let Kit know of any concerns or congratulations. Her email is [email protected] Shelley Green MD-I Dawn Small Don’t forget to submit a photo to me with the name of your pet(s) for our August newsletter. I want to make a picture page (or 2) of member’s pets. They are after all our family too. And if you’re looking for a new member to join your family, please visit your local animal shelter first. They have plenty of great pets looking for their forever home. We bid farewell to George and Bonnie as they make their move to Texas to be closer to Bonnie’s family. We will miss you guys. George is one of our original Charter members and our Ice Cream Ride Coordinator. Our monthly gatherings just won’t be the same without George’s morning greeting when he arrives! Adios Amigos until we meet again! (And PS – Congratulations!) George Marrero – July 23 Erika Sprenkle – July 27 Chapter Pride Brenda Milberry A big THANK YOU to all who helped with this year’s Bike Show at Renegade Classic in York. Thank you to Michael Burk for opening up his store to us for our show this year. Everyone enjoyed the location and I’m hoping to see some new members in our near future from this show. So thank you everyone! 50/50 Phyllis Richardson Bill Sprenkle Sue Rogers Don’t forget if you renew your GWRRA membership please let me know your new exp. date so I can keep my records updated. Know of any businesses who may like to advertise in our newsletter? Let me know so I can get our advertising information to them as we are always looking for more advertisers. June we welcomed a new advertiser – Sew What. Please be sure to visit her if you have any sewing that needs to be done. She does sew patches onto vests too! If you don’t want your old Wing World magazines you can keep them in your car or bike to pass on to others who you run into who may show an interest in GWRRA along with an application and one of our new tri-fold flyers which will soon be available! Stay cool, ride safe. GWRRA PA-V July 2014 Exp. April 2015 There is no doubt that the summer riding season is here. Ninety degrees, showers and thunder storms are in every weekly weather forecast. Linda and I haven’t had much time for riding with cleaning up last winter’s storm/tree damage at our camp and trying to get my old Chevy truck repaired. We have managed to get a few rides in when we can. We would like to thank Bob and Bev Baker and the Special Olympics for a very enjoyable evening at the York Revolution game. We also want to thank Bruce and Deb Etter for the th Cowboy Cook out on the 5 at their home. I think everyone had a great time and if you left hungry it was your own fault. Along with all of the scheduled games and fireworks, we had the John Steele pit crew challenge aka, how many Wingers does it take to install the spare on an Escalade (if all else fails get out the owner’s manual). Piranha Sports Perryville is our next big event on July 12th. These events are our fund raisers and we need everyone’s help. Without the money we earn by doing these events, we could not afford to keep the chapter operating. Lastly our prayers go out to Barry and Rhonda and their family as they battle Barry’s father’s health issues. We pray for a speedy recovery. Until next month, ride safe and often. Claude & Linda Gladfelter (Okay that may be a little over the top but we are going to have a great time). We are asking everyone to please submit your registration forms to us as soon as possible for the rally. It takes a lot of planning to put one of these together. The key to preparation is knowing your target audience and how large it's going to be. To that end you can help by getting your registrations to us now. We appreciate your consideration of this request. All Chapter's West was a great time. Thank you PA‐I for using your talents to provide your fellow GoldWing family a fun filled party. There were over 100 campers and 130 meal prepared for Saturday night’s dinner. 13 chapters were represented so a ton of Roll for the Dough points were accumulated. We had great weather and lots of fun. Mark your calendar for the third week in June for next year as PA‐D will be hosting All Chapter's West in the Butler area. Danise and I wish to encourage you to ride safe and ride often. We are planning on doing the same and hope to see many of you on our travels. As the old TV ad goes "you meet the nicest people on a Honda". I would add that the “cream of the crop” are wearing a GWRRA patch! Dana and Danise Hartle PA District Directors CHAPTER EVENTS: AUGUST 9- Chapter D Bike Show & Blessing – 11 am to 2 pm - St. Thomas Church in the Fields – Gibsonia, PA SEPTEMBER 13 –Chapter D Annual Pig Roast – 4:00pm – Cranberry Park – Rotary Shelter – Cranberry Township, PA 14th – Chapter M Toys for Tots Dice Run, Memorial Park, Williamsport, PA There were a lot of chapter events that took place in the month of June. Take the time to check out what is going on this month using the events calendar on the district website and/or read the other chapters newsletters and see what they have going on that you may wish to be part of. Anyone who says there's no place to go, and nothing to do in GWRRA, just isn't looking in the right places. If there is nothing going on at a Pennsylvania chapter, consider looking at the states surrounding Pennsylvania to see what those chapters are doing. Remember, as a member of GWRRA you belong to all chapters and have the right to attend all of their functions. (And be part of all of their fun!) Danise and I want to thank everyone who is selling the district raffle tickets. Sales appear to be going well and we are thankful for each and every ticket sold. We are crossing our fingers that each chapter will be able to sell all of the tickets that we gave them. If that was to happen, it will be a very successful fundraising year. Please work to get all of your tickets to us by the early part of July. I need to have all sold and unsold tickets in my hands by July 27. There is no rush to get unsold tickets to me as there are still lots of time to move them. Registrations for the district rally continue to outpace last year's rally. We want to encourage everyone to come to Erie, Pennsylvania and enjoy the Beach Party Wingo extravaganza. Hello Everyone, for those GWRRA members wishing to register on line with the Holiday Inn Mount Olive, NJ for the 2014 NY / NJ Bi-State Rally. When prompted type in code "GWR" that will get you into the Holiday Inn, Mount Olive registration. If you do not use "GWR", it will come up that the Hotel is full that weekend. The hotel is not full; they have booked the entire hotel for GWRRA. They do not want outsiders making reservations at this time. You can either register on line or by phone. By phone tell them "GWRRA". Either way we look forward to seeing you at the 2014 NY / NJ Bi-State Rally. District Directors please fwd this to your members. Dan & RuthAnn Camire GWRRA N.J. District Directors make them feel like the hard work was worth it by showing up and have a great time. We started this article before making the journey to Madison, Wisconsin for Wing Ding. We can’t wait to get on the road for this vacation. We have not had much time to ride so far this year because of other commitments. This will be a welcome change to our daily routine. Since we will be busy with our duties as Region Directors during Wing Ding, we will not get many chances to ride. There are various meetings, seminars, and parades that are the Region Directors’ responsibility, but we look forward to seeing all of you. We’re sure to have plenty to write about in next month’s article with all of the activities that we and the members of Region B will partake in during Wing Ding in Madison, Wisconsin. It really seems like the summer is flying by… Be safe in your travels! We attended the Trike Training that was held in New Jersey on May 31st. Ken and Lois Ingram traveled from Delaware to instruct this course. Dan Camire also assisted as an instructor. We are very appreciative of these members who give up their personal time to do what needs to be done for the membership. I traveled to Americade on Friday, June 6th, to work the GWRRA recruitment booth on Saturday. Saturday morning began with the sendoff breakfast sponsored by New York Chapter N. The event was held at the Elk’s Lodge in Queensbury, New York. Located only five minutes from Lake George, the Lodge was the perfect location! There have been times (but not many) that I can say that breakfast was “good.” However, the cooks for the Elk’s Lodge made some of the best scrambled eggs that I have had in a long time. Of course, after I filled myself up, I found out that they would have made me an omelet anyway I wanted it. I’ll remember that for next year. If you’re at Americade, you would not want to miss out on this great breakfast. I left Americade and travelled to Rutland, Vermont to visit with Chapter A. Brian and Dee Thomas; Chapter Directors, had a great ride planned that finished up at their gathering site and dinner. Several members attended. Some of the members were volunteering at Americade; others were attending the event for the day. At the gathering, 18 to 20 and I heard about a weekend ride to Maine that the Chapter has planned in September and it sound like a good time. As soon as I got home, I told Renee about the ride and she liked the idea so much that we booked rooms for the ride. We are looking forward to riding with Vermont Chapter A and getting the chance to know the members a little better. After Wing Ding, we will be on the road again with the New England and Bi-State Conventions coming up very soon. We are really looking forward to heading to the 2014 New England Districts’ Rally (July 24-26) in Sturbridge, Massachusetts at the Sturbridge Host Hotel The Bi-State Convention (August 7-10) in Mount Olive, New Jersey will have something for everyone! With the combined efforts of New York and New Jersey, we are sure there will be lots to do and that it will be a FUN time. After the Bi-State Rally, there is a short break of a few weeks during August. Then it’s off to Erie for the Pennsylvania District Rally (September 4-6). Remember to get out and support your District Rallies - and all of the rallies in Region B. If you travel to support another District’s Rally, the members there are more likely to support your event. Keep in mind that it is a lot of hard work by your volunteer District Teams to put on an event like a rally. Let’s Tom & Renee Wasluck Northeast Region Directors All that being said, as I write this piece for Wingin' It this month, I am excited to say that our commitment to the West never wavered, and our search for support of these efforts never took a back seat to other activities. Which is why I'm so excited to let each and every one of you know that GWRRA is coming West! That's right, in June 2015, GWRRA will bring a new national event to Reno, NV, which we have titled the Reno Rendezvous. The Reno Rendezvous will be held at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino convention center, and we could not have been more fortunate to find this location. With all of our other events, it has been difficult to find locations that will create an all-in-one environment, but the Grand Sierra does just that. With enough hotel rooms to host all of our attendees, trade show space to host the countless vendors and exhibitors GWRRA continuously brings to its shows, a 50-lane bowling alley, large entertainment theater/venue, this location will redefine the term "stay and play" for all the attendees that join us at the Reno Rendezvous. The city of Reno is a great destination for entertainment, riding and a true GWRRA event experience. I hope all of our Members will mark their calendars and join us as we kick off what I know will be one of the greatest events we've ever put together. Abel Gallardo President of GWRRA Greetings! Happy 4th of July everyone and we wish you a safe, healthy and fun-filled Independence Day. We also wish our Canadian friends a very Happy Birthday on their special day, Canada Day, July 1st. For those of you who are traveling from all over the world and all over the country to meet us in Madison, WI for Wing Ding 36, we can't wait to meet you or see you again. It is going to be a great show with many new events and special times. I can't wait to see old and new friends, so make sure you look me up when you get there. We're Coming West Serving the membership of GWRRA is a true passion shared by each and every one of us here in Phoenix. There is no better reward than reading the countless letters and emails regarding how much this Association has done for each and every one of its Members; about the friendships that have been made that are sure to last a lifetime; and about the lasting memories made traveling around this great country, experiencing everything their travels and GWRRA has offered. In recent years, a common theme of these communications has also been a lack of attention to the western part of the United States. A great number of you have expressed that GWRRA has focused much of its attention and activities toward the eastern part of the United States. And as much as that perception may be hard to argue with, I can tell you that it has not been done intentionally and our desire to spread ourselves all over the country is as strong as ever. The more the sentiment kept growing, the more committed my team and I were to look for opportunities to bring events and activities that our western Members would attend and enjoy. Month after month and year after year, we would get close, but for one reason or another, the necessary support could not be found. Member Benefits of the Month Liberty Mutual Auto & Home Insurance: Your member benefits include a special discounted rate on Auto Insurance and Home Insurance from Liberty Mutual. We're proud to provide our members with a great benefit from a Fortune 100 company that protects millions of people across America. Find out more about Liberty Mutual Home & Auto Insurance at www.libertymutual.com/gwrra or call 1-800-524-9400 and mention client #117743. Here is a like new GL1800 for anyone looking for great bike. I am never sure who may be looking but this one may interest to someone in your chapter. 2012 Honda Goldwing-Level 1, Mileage as of today is 2,585 - $17,500 Factory CB, Factory rear spoiler with light. many extras, Driver backrest, Passenger transformer boards and risers, passenger armrest (Kuryakin) driver highway pegs, ISO grips to name a few. ALSO, have a Garmin 2730 hooked into the audio of the bike, I WILL leave this go with the bike. Live in Central Pennsylvania off interstate 80, (Dubois, Pa.) call, text or email [email protected], cell 814-591-7877 A redneck family from the hills were visiting the city and they went to a mall for the first time in their lives. The father and son were strolling around while the wife shopped. They were amazed by almost everything they saw, but especially by two shiny, silver walls that could move apart and then slide back together again. The boy asked, "Paw, what's at?" The father (never having seen an elevator) responded, "Son, I dunno. I ain't never seen anything like that in my whole life. I ain't got no idea'r what it is. While the boy and his father were watching with amazement, a fat old lady in a wheel chair rolled up to the moving walls and pressed a button. The walls opened and the lady rolled between them into a small room. The walls closed and the boy and his father watched the small circular number above the walls light up sequentially. They continued to watch until it reached the last number and then the numbers began to light in the reverse order. Then the walls opened up again and a gorgeous, voluptuous 24 year-old blonde woman stepped out. The father, not taking his eyes off the young woman, said quietly to his son, "Boy..................go gitcha Momma." At 7 am on a perfect Saturday morning, 14 members of MDI headed to Shrewsbury, PA for the first part of our ride. Joining us for breakfast were 7 members of PA-V and 3 friends from the York area. After filling our bellies at Cracker Barrel, we followed Ray Bond on back roads to our destination, the Turkey Hill Experience & Taste Lab. We were 23 adults invading an ice cream factory! It was a great time! Not only can you sample several of their ice cream flavors (unlimited by the way…scary thing when Gold Wingers are involved) but you also get unlimited samples of their teas and lemonades. On the computers, we created our perfect flavors of ice cream, named them, designed packing for them and even made a commercial advertising them! Once this was complete it was time to go into the Taste Lab. Here we were given a pint of soft serve vanilla and unlimited fixings to create (and eat) out perfect flavor. We added our base flavoring and were then set loose on their wall of “inclusions” which had everything from walnuts to peanut butter cups! After that we added the flavor swirl. Fudge, peanut butter, strawberry, cherry, frosting…just about anything you could think of, they had. Once we were full of ice cream and ready to head back out, 4 members of MDI and a few from PAV left us and Mike & Shirley Prince took over as lead. They took us on an amazing ride through small town back roads and several covered bridges. We took a break in Strasburg at the rail road station. Ray marked this spot on our GPS, we were about the only ones who’d never been there but we plan to go back when we can stay longer. From Strasburg, we hit the road again towards our dinner spot, Miller’s Smorgasbord! After a fantastic afternoon of riding, we were at our final right turn a mere 3 miles from dinner and right on time for our reservation. Unfortunately, our bike had other ideas. We were drag and as we made the turn we both realized something wasn’t quite right. I asked Ray if he “felt” that just about the same time he was keying up to Mike that we needed to pull over. We had a flat rear tire, blown tire actually. So, for the first time in 16 years we were the ones on the side of the road. Thankfully, we were only 3 miles from the restaurant so we limped to a gas station while everyone else went on ahead (except Ray & Evelyn) to drop off their co-riders. Mike Prince and our friend who lives in York, Steve Milwicz came back for us. I knew Steve would come back…he rides a Harley and was the first to volunteer to pick me up! While Ray called Tow Busters to try to figure out what we could do, Mike went into action calling his friend and fellow PAV member Claude Gladfelter, herein known as hero. Hero had just returned home and was going to have dinner and cut his grass. However, because he formerly owned a trike shop he had a back tire on a rim. He abandoned his duties (after eating of course) and swung into action driving 45 minutes to bring the tire to us! Hero picked Ray up and along with Mike they returned to our crippled ride. A mere 20 minutes later (and after dance lessons in the parking lot…you guessed it, Stan Greene was with us) they returned triumphant! We then left and headed back to York for much needed sleep. Sunday morning we all attended PAV’s gathering then headed home. Aside from the tire issue, which could have been much worse when you consider some of the roads we had been on, it was a perfect weekend ride…complete with ice cream. MDI members in attendance were, Ray & Cheryl Hartman, Gerry Yager, Dan & Laura Watts, John & Adrienne Marshall, Walt & Vona Fulton, Steve Norbrey, Ray & Evelyn Bond, Stan & Shelley Greene. PAV members were, Mike & Shirley Prince, John Steele & Kit Johnson, Dennis & Kathy Brillhart, Barry Blyler and our friends from York Steve & Dana Milwicz. Lesson learned? Pay it forward. Ray is in the process of obtaining a mounted back tire to keep “just in case”. Cheryl Hartman Kathy Brillhart Over the weekend of June 20-22, Bob and Nancy Beard, Bob & Bev Baker and Denny and I spent a very enjoyable time at All Chapters West. Chapter I did a really great job putting this event together. They had several rides to choose from (which we heard favorable remarks on these rides). None of us had our motorcycles since we were camping, so we didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy the rides. Friday night we took a ride for ice cream Ask Bob Beard about almost hitting a cow in the parking lot. LOL! You should have seen the size of the ice cream cones! Even I wished I would have only gotten one scoop. There were about 100 people camping and over 130 GWRRA members who attended the Saturday evening meal. The campground did a good job of serving up the food. Afterwards, they had Magic Mike perform. We not sure if he was supposed to be a magician or a comedian. But it sure was a fun time. On both Friday and Saturday nights they had a huge bonfire. There were at least 50 people sitting around the fire both nights. See the size of the campfire. GWRRA PA-V July 2014 Exp. Apr. 2015 Dave Sorrick had an accident on his way to work this morning, June 15, around 5 am. Just down from our home a big buck decided to challenge the BMW. Sadly both lost the battle. DAVE IS OK! The deer isn't and the BMW was totaled. Dave has a sore shoulder and a few scratches but nothing broke! He will be getting some new gear but it saved him. The laces were ripped loose in his riding boots, his jacket was scratched and gouged up but the pads did their job and saved his hide. His new helmet will be replaced again! The face shield got scratched up but his glasses didn't. This is not your typical rider education article! It’s Vicki’s observations as a co-rider. Let me paint you a picture from the recent past… It’s Americade week in Lake George, New York. Hundreds of motorcycles of all types and variations are evident. And talk about people-watching opportunities! It doesn’t get much better than this! The roads are full of motorcycles! It’s a good time to check out attire and riding skills. God Bless Gold Wing training! He was in FULL GEAR! Full face shield helmet, full finger gloves, actual riding jacket, l and riding boots.......and he is walking away and talking - all in one piece. The young, pretty girls are perched like birds on the tiny back seats, dressed in halters, short shorts, and flip flops. Seriously? Stones, bugs, road rash, impact. Encounter any of these, and they won’t be pretty for long, will they? All the gear, please! “Protect anything you want to use again.” This includes brains, eyes, and fingers! He told me he slid about 100' on the side of the road, from the bike hitting the deer and the guardrail and sliding....on the other side of that guard rail is a drop of almost 60' of rugged steep decline into a ravine. The riders are all dressed up and looking good. Bikes line up in front of every bar along the strip and spend a good amount of time there. They drive from bar to bar-getting faster and more daring as they do so. Does this change how I feel about riding? Does this make me change my mind about riding myself? Yes; but only in a positive way. Every morning before he leaves the house to go to work (if I am up) I give him a kiss good-bye and the last thing I tell him are to be careful and watch out for the deer. We live in a remote country area and they are up here. It is a fact of life we live with. I know he was watching for them and therefore was able to control his encounter with that deer and walk away from it by the good training the GWRRA has in its classes. According to Fred Stores, Motorcycle Consumer News, 38% of motorcycle fatalities involve blood alcohol levels of 0.08% and above. This is why it is SO important to stay up to date in your riding classes. Be PREPARED! When the unexpected happens it is too late to practice, you are just reacting. Knowing how accidents occur and the proper methods to use to help minimize injuries and damages to help you walk away from accidents is the reason GWRRA offer such great classes. To them, I say "THANK YOU" from the bottom of my heart. My husband is coming home in 1 piece. Maybe he won't mow the grass today or toss around the Frisbee in the swimming pool but he can relax and watch the kids do that! I will have a Happy Father's Day with my family, knowing that GWRRA training worked to keep my husband safe and alive. And "YES", we will be right back out there riding, on our trike, until he can find another 2 wheeler for himself. See you on the roads.....and please, BE SAFE! Watch for the deer and give your spouse a special kiss before they leave home each and every time. Okay, most of us enjoy an adult beverage from time to time, but please don‘t do it while on your bike! This means co-riders too! We have a very important job back there. Take it seriously, please. Helmet hair is, by far, the biggest challenge I face. Do I like it? No. Can I change it? No. What can I do? Put on the helmet anyway and buy hats. Helmets protect our brains, eyes, ears, pretty faces, and necks. Don‘t worry about saving money when buying a helmet! It needs to be DOT approved. It’s not just a sticker you put on the back. Helmets are outdated five years following the manufacture date...not from the purchase date. There is a tag somewhere in the helmet that has the manufacture date. It may be on the strap or somewhere near the lining. Remember folks, the medical experts haven’t figured out how to do brain transplants...so treat yours well. The last point I want to make is about riding skills. I have lots of time to observe this. We travel a lot by both two and four wheels. Anybody can drive fast down a straight road. Slow speed maneuvers and proper cornering take skill. Once you have the skill, you need to practice. Remember parallel parking from your teen years? Bike skills are similar. Practice. Practice. Practice. Brush up on your skills every chance you get. UPDATE: Since I wrote this, Dave went back to the doctor because his shoulder is still sore. He will continue to be off work until we leave on Monday for Jamaica, for our daughter’s wedding, and he can rest there! Such a hardship for him to bear. He will get an MRI today and see an orthopedic surgeon tomorrow, just to insure he didn't injure the inside of the shoulder muscles or tendons. Turn your head, for Heaven’s sake! Be aware of what’s around you. We see so much sloppy riding on the road. Take the free courses we offer. So what if it is a trip 50 miles or so from home? Enjoy the ride and company of the other riders! So many times we hear comments about how much the riders learned or how they ride away feeling much more confident in their skills. Every instructor has a slightly different slant on the same information. Learn from them all. Your life may depend on it! If you learn just one little thing, our team has done its job! He met with the insurance adjuster and he is getting a GREAT settlement. He is already all over the internet looking for another replacement BMW....so I will still get to have the trike Al and Vicki Stahl Region Educators for myself As I said: bad but good news too. Debbie Sorrick