2004 Jan_Feb
Transcription
2004 Jan_Feb
January/February 2004 Serving Members’ Needs Since 1984 T he Of lica tion of T he Motor cycle Touring Associa tion Offficial Pub Publica lication Motorc Association Page 13 V-Daze 20th Annual 2004 June 21-25 — Estes Park, Colorado See page 17 for registration/event information You know you want it – the excitement, the adventure, the cutting-edge of powersports vehicles and products. Get it all at The Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows® presented by Toyota Trucks, where you can shop, see, and ride to your bike’s content. Leave the grind behind and make tracks this winter. F I N D YO U R N E W 2 0 0 4 R I D E W H Y S TA N D I N L I N E ? B U Y YO U R A D VA N C E T I C K E T S N O W : w w w. m o t o r c y c l e s h o w s . c o m NEW ACTION FEATURE! 800-331-5706 November 7-9, 2003 December 19-21, 2003 February 6-8, 2004 SAN FRANCISCO DENVER CHICAGO November 21-23, 2003 January 2-4, 2004 February 20-22, 2004 DALLAS NEW YORK DETROIT December 5-7, 2003 January 9-11, 2004 March 2-6, 2004 SEATTLE WASHINGTON D.C. DAYTONA December 12-14, 2003 January 16-18, 2004 March 26-28, 2004 LONG BEACH ATLANTA MINNEAPOLIS January 30-February 1, 2004 OHIO Subject to change. ® 2 motorcycle roads Jan/Feb 2004 Jan/Feb 2004 Vol. 21 No. 1 Contents Publisher MTA, Inc. Production Director Susan Kaiser Motorcycle Roads® ISSN #1088-9175 is published bimonthly by MTA, Inc., a nonprofit association located at 11539 Village Place Drive, Houston, TX 77077, (281) 7529406. Copyright © 2004 MTA, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. Single-copy price $1.50, plus S/H. Publication deadline is the 1st of the month, one month preceeding cover date. For advertising information or rates, contact Advertising Dept. at (702) 457-0825. All letters, art, articles, and photographs submitted are subject to editing and alteration. Send material to: MOTORCYCLE ROADS (articles and advertising only) 6290 Apple Orchard Dr. • Las Vegas, NV 89142 (702) 457-0825 • [email protected] MTA OFFICE / MEMBER SERVICES 11539 Village Pl. Dr. • Houston, TX 77077 (281) 752-9406 • fax: 281-752-9507 [email protected] • www.MTAriders.com MTA South Carolina Chapter 1 members pose for a photo along the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway. See their story on page 13. Advertising: (702) 457-0825 Bench Wrench: [email protected] Subscriptions/Member Services Toll Free: 877-833-3687 Periodical Postage: Paid at Houston, TX 77077 and at additional offices. POSTMASTER: For information send request to Motorcycle Roads, 11539 Village Place Dr., Houston, TX 77077. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the MTA, the general membership or its board of directors. Any technical advice is not intended to substitute for the advice of your authorized dealer or professional mechanic, and the MTA accepts no liability for ensuing workmanship. All material available for sale is subject to change without notice and only at the current issue listed prices. MTA Board of Directors Tom Anderson (Interim President) (785) 841-8136 • [email protected] RICK BUTLER (Treasurer) (972) 442-9840 • [email protected] PAT KLIX (Secretary) (734)459-5865 • [email protected] Dave Goulet (705) 792-5508 • [email protected] From the Driver’s Seat by Rick Butler .......................... 4 Showing the Flag for the MTA ............................. 6 Bad Riding Habits by Dave Goulet ........................... 8 Welcome New Members ...................................... 8 Faster than a Speeding Venture by J.R. Michaels .. 10 Curve Cowboy Reunion by Gary & Mary Droege ..... 14 V-Daze 2004 ........................................................ 17 Chapter Roll Call ................................................ 20 Business Support Network ............................... 21 Steve Morris (310)325-6388 • [email protected] Member Classified Ads ...................................... 22 HOWARD RAY (281) 499-4707 • [email protected] MTA Membership Application ........................... 23 DAVE HENDERSON (972) 223-3050 • [email protected] Member Merchandise ......................... Back Cover Publication No. USPS NO. 730-250 Jan/Feb 2004 motorcycle roads 3 From the Driver’s Seat Well my friends, Boy do I have bunch of stuff to talk about this time! And the first item is the “Membership Survey” that was included in the last issue. I would really like everyone in this organization to complete this survey. Since we are a true membership organization, we feel your input is important. And, this survey is meant to measure the importance and satisfaction of what we do for you as a member of this organization. If a majority of you do not feel something we are doing is important, then we shouldn’t continue doing it. Then if you are not satisfied with something we are doing, then we should stop it or concentrate our efforts elsewhere. If you have not completed and sent it in yet, please do so, if nothing more than a favor to me. Even though we asked for it to be returned by the end of January, I would rather have it late than not at all. I would like to publish the results in the March/April issue. International Motorcycle Shows Now I’d like to bring you up to date on our participation in the International Motorcycle Shows. I last told you that we had completed the Seattle and Dallas shows, where we both received very positive results from the show participants. And the same thing was experienced by both Steve Morris and his members of California Chapter 3 in Long Beach and Randy Frank and his folks of Colorado Chapter 3 in Denver. Then for the Atlanta show we did not have a chapter in Georgia, so I had been in touch with Bill Reber and his folks of South Carolina Chapter 1 because I really felt we needed the exposure in the South Eastern part of the US. And Bill was able to get himself and four of his other members to travel over 200 miles to Atlanta to help host the show. But I felt we were still short a few people for the entire three days and was not sure if it would work. Then one of my close friends Sarah Mohrle suggested that why didn’t we just take off Friday and drive to Atlanta to help Bill and his folks with this show (it was only 800 miles). And that’s exactly what we did and Thursday evening after I got off work, we loaded up her SUV, grabbed a bite to eat and jumped on I-20 and drove all night and were in Atlanta by Friday morning to meet with Bill and 4 motorcycle roads Jim Hooper to get set up. We talked to so many people who stopped by the booth that I was loosing my voice by Saturday afternoon. But after this show, we had enough participant interest as well as one eager volunteer who wanted to help us start an Atlanta area chapter. And our last show will be in Detroit, where our friends of Michigan Chapter 2 and Chapter 8 will host a booth. It’s possible that some of the folks from Ontario Chapter 1 might be able to come across the border and help out as well. But regardless, I’d like to again thank all the MTA members and their friends that have helped out hosting a MTA booth at these many motorcycle shows. I just know we will see the returns of this effort in new members and new chapters. And not to overlook all of the interest we have seen in folks wanting to come to Estes Park, Colorado for our annual gathering of friends. I still can’t believe the interest in our “All Brands, All Bikes, All Friends” format. And we are the only organization of our type that has the name to back up this statement! It seems like so many owners clubs lately are touting the tune of “All Brands” but they still have the name that would make you feel uneasy about joining them…..like applying for membership to the GWRRA and riding a BMW K1200LT or Star Touring and riding a new Goldwing. V-Daze Update And speaking of our 20th Annual V-Daze, Randy Frank and his folks are in high gear attending to their various duties. We will again bring back our popular parade where the city of Estes Park is so excited about us having our rally in their beautiful little town. And Randy had firmed up the location for our Monday dinner ride, and I can personally tell you will really enjoy this late afternoon ride (since we were there this past September). Jan/Feb 2004 A new item we have this year to see how it works is a seminar each morning on “Smart Lines” in riding curves from David Hough’s book on Proficient Motorcycling. This will not take too long where we will show examples and talk about this preferred method of riding the curves and then we will take the participants on an organized ride where we can practice what was presented. I DO NOT want any accidents this year, especially anyone running off the road in a curve. If you are still a little uneasy riding mountain curves, this session and following ride will certainly help you out. I first thought I would like to offer a MSF course, but in retrospect I think this type of presentation and then practical execution should work out better. I plan on doing this every morning, so if you miss a session, you can catch it the next day. Then afterward you can feel easy on the poker run or the various self-guided rides. So, you will find the registration form in this issue as well as on the web site in the store, where you can register on-line. And we have also included all of the pre-arranged accommodations, where the prime spot will be the Holiday Inn – Rocky Mountain Park. The next closest lodging is at the Twin Owls Lodge, just across the street to the North. However Estes Park is full of other accommodations from the famous Stanley Hotel, to condos, to B&Bs, to other camping, which you can find on the “and more hotels” link on the V-Daze page on our web site. So let’s get those registrations in early so we will have an early idea of what our participation will be. Dealer Support Memberships In the last issue I mentioned that we were close to finalizing this new membership which is targeted toward the dealership (s) in your area that you think enough of to recommend to a close friend. This application is not intended to ask dealers for discounts, but more to be there in support of our traveling members that may need emergency help while on a long trip. I feel discounts should be offered to customers based upon their own relationship with a dealer, not because we carry some membership card. Now if the dealer wants to offer a discount, especially where we may have a Jan/Feb 2004 large active chapter, then that’s just fine. But this will not be an outward condition of this membership. The other service we ask of this dealership is to promote our organization to their customers who may be looking for a group like ours to ride with. And if possible they could be instrumental in starting a MTA chapter. The annual cost of this membership will only be $75 where they will also receive a bi-monthly copy of Motorcycle Roads (just like any other member) and they will be listed in the Business Support Network page in Motorcycle Roads as well as the annual Fellow Pages. And we will not send this application directly to a dealership. I want you as a member to take this Dealer Membership packet to your dealer and present it to them personally. And the first item in this packet will be a personalized letter from the MTA stating that one of our members (and their customer) is presenting this offer to them. We will have both this letter (in a MS Word format) and the application on the web site to where you can download them. The application will also be in the MTA store to where the dealer can apply on-line for membership. But there will be one thing you will need from the office, and that will be a suitable number of national brochures to leave with the dealership to give to their touring bike customers when they buy a new bike. All you will need to do is call Barb at the office and she will send you a supply of brochures. 2004 Open Board Positions This year we have two (2) Board of Director positions that will expire and are open for nomination. The current incumbents are Tom Anderson and Dave Henderson and if they choose to run for another term, they will have to be voted in just like any other nominee. The Board of Directors has general management oversight responsibilities for the MTA. They also have responsibility for long-term goals and strategic planning. If this sounds like something you are good at and you are interested in working with a successful team, then a Board position might be right for you. The best Board members should have a broad range of skills but there is little need of individuals with a single item agenda. And do not make the mistake of thinking these positions are honorary or the result of a popularity contest. If it is recognition you want, there are easier ways to get that in the MTA. So, if you see where your skills could fit into the future of the MTA, please consider running for one of these Board positions. In doing so, please send me your name, personal qualifications and a short statement of where you see the MTA as a motorcycle association in the next five years. Rick Butler 1304 Taos Road Wylie, TX 75098 [email protected] This can be done via e-mail or US mail and should be motorcycle roads See Driver’s Seat, continued on page 6 5 Showing the flag for the MTA “Just Do It” I f any MTA chapters are debat ing whether or not to participate in their local motorcycle shows, Calgary Chapter II encourages them to “Do it!” “In Calgary, the annual motorcycle show comes at the beginning of January when we’re starting to get desperate,” said Chapter Rep Warren Schick. “The show helps us get through the rest of the winter; but more importantly it’s a great boost for our club, in terms of participation and in recruiting new members.” MTA members, from left, Karl Nordin, Cliff Lomenda and Ralph Adams talk to visitors at the MTA booth on the second day of the Calgary show. Driver’s Seat, continued from page 5 received by April 1st. We will appoint a nomination committee to review the qualifications and the selected nominees will be listed in the May/June issue of Motorcycle Roads along with a printed ballot. If you are coming to V-Daze, please bring your ballot with you for yourself and associate. If you are not coming to V-Daze you may mail your signed ballot (s) to the office by May 30th or send it with a fellow member to be placed in a ballot box at the rally. The ballots will be counted at the rally and the results announced during the General Membership meeting Wednes- 6 The Calgary show is a three day event which mixes manufacturer displays, after market and accessory dealers, vendors, custom shops, club displays, event ride promotions, information booths, vintage and custom displays, motocross jump exhibitions, even a bike apparel fashion show. Fifteen thousand people visited the show this year. “It’s like going to bike Disneyland,” Former chapter reps Karl Nordin, left, said former Chapter Rep Cliff and Cliff Lomenda and Cliff’s wife Pat staffed the MTA booth for a number of Lomenda, one of the 15 club members shifts at the Calgary Motorcycle Show. who volunteers for a shift in the MTA booth and whose Yamaha The efforts apparently paid off. At the Roadstar on display in the Calgary Chapter’s regular monthly meeting booth attracted a lot of atthe following week, extra chairs had to be tention. “It’s a long time in Calgary from the end of brought out as eight potential new members one riding season to the bebrought the total meeting attendance to 34. ginning of the next, so the show comes at just the right time.” the Calgary Chapter’s regular monthly “For the club, the show is very im- meeting the following week, extra chairs port,” Warren added. “It’s an opportu- had to be brought out as eight potential nity for us to talk to the riding public, new members brought the total meettell them what the club is about, show ing attendance to 34. them photos of past rides and events, “That was gratifying to see,” Wartell them about the MTA and encour- ren said. “Not only did people drop by age them to join.” the booth, but they followed up on it by The efforts apparently paid off. At See Flag, continued on next page day evening. This is one change from the past, where we will no longer accept nominations from the floor during the meeting. Therefore if you want to get involved on the Board, please don’t wait until this meeting, because it will be too late. If we do not get at least two nominees, the vacant positions will remain open and the current Board will decide what to do with them. And lastly before I close, I’d like to give you a short heads up that your Board of Directors is putting organizational changes in place to create a business operational group, headed up by the President to take care of the day-tomotorcycle roads day business of running the MTA. This group will allow us to be more responsive to the needs of the organization in the areas of marketing, advertising, recruiting, chapter coordination, rallies or gatherings and any other area that needs attention either on a short or long term basis. The rational behind this change is to run this organization like a business and will probably require the formation of several committees. We don’t have everything finalized at this time but I will provide all of the details of these changes in the next issue. Until next time, take care, Rick Jan/Feb 2004 Flag, continued from previous page coming out to the meeting. I think that says something about the attraction that the MTA has. We had a sign-up sheet at the booth and anyone who gave us their contact information will be phoned and invited to meetings and to the rides.” “One thing we did do,” Cliff said, “was to add the slogan ‘All Bikes, All Brands, All Friends’ to the banner at the booth. That is one thing about the MTA that appeals to just about everybody we talk to. It’s not just a Yamaha club or a Kawasaki club. Everyone can ride and everyone is welcome.” The Calgary Chapter has a busy ride and event season planned starting with its annual party in February which signals either the end of the last riding season or the start of the next one. The club plans day rides or overnight and weekend camping trips for almost every weekend of the riding season. A contingent is making plans to attend V-Daze MTA Chapter member Rob McCaghren recruits a new member for the MTA. Rob organized the volunteer schedule at the MTA booth, getting 15 members to commit to shifts at the three-day show. in Colorado as well. The ride schedule will be posted on the club’s website at http://www.vtscalgary.50megs.com/ index.html which also has club news, photos and links to motorcycle related activities. C Chapter Rep Warren Schick, left, and member Grant Plett in front of the Calgary Chapter 2 booth. “Between our rides, our annual events like the Pig Roast and rides with other clubs, we’re looking forward to a very busy riding season,” Warren said. ONGRATULATIONS!! 20-YEAR MEMBERS 21-YEAR MEMBERS Alan E. Duncan, LaPorte, TX Richard F. Torrey, Bennington, VT Hugh B. Paull, Merritt Island, FL Vincent & Shelia Kapczynski, Hockley, TX Alan L. Miller of Carrollton, OH Michael A. Schefter, Portland, OR Roger N. Heinke, Junction City, OR Robert E. Donahue, Wisc. Rapids, WI Rick & Linda Butler of Wylie, TX James A. Stiffey of Mosier, OR Bob & Iris Grindell of Kenton, OH William J. Brown of Hudson, FL A S P E N Spread the Word… More than 15,000 people visited the Calgary Motorcycle Show in early January. Here Cliff Lomenda talks to a couple of potential new MTA members. Styling, options & performance, …the quality you expect from the world’s COMPACT leader. Many models to choose from— SHIPPED DIRECT. “While others make claims, Aspen simply does it right”! Trailers since 1965 National Sales since ‘74 800-398-9090 www.Trailmasterinc.com Jan/Feb 2004 motorcycle roads 7 Bad “Slow Speed” Riding Habits By Dave Goulet T here are three riding practices that I would like to address. First, the practice of putting both feet down when coming to a stop. Second, using only the front brake while riding at slow speed. Thirdly, rider dragging their feet while travelling at slow speed. I noticed these practices at both V-Daze and Wing Ding this year. The reasons for these practices are unknown to me. As a Chief Instructor for the Canada Safety Council Motorcycle Training Course, I would like to say a few words on each of these practices. Let me start with putting both feet down as the bike comes to a stop. By putting both feet down as you come to a stop you loose approximately 30 percent of your braking power (Even with integrated brakes). With a fully loaded bike the rider is giving up a lot of braking power. There should only need to be three times that you need put your right foot on the ground. First when you come to a stop, get off balance and the bike leans to the right, you need your right foot on the ground to keep the bike from falling over. Second, after you come to a stop and you are not in first gear, you need your right foot on the ground so that you can put the bike back in first gear. And last but not least, when a passenger gets on the bike you need both feet on the ground and both See Habits, continued on next page —W elcome N ning Member Welcome Neew/R w/Reetur turning Memberss — WELCOME NEW MEMBERS: Graham Atkinson, Blairmore, AB — [email protected] ....................................................... 403-563-3696 Howard C. Bishop, Calgary, AB ..................................................................................................... 403-235-4159 Craig A. Brooks, Evergreen, CO — [email protected] ..................................................... 303-883-7838 Dennis J. & Christine T. Burger, Huntington Beach, CA — [email protected] ..................... 714-968-0774 David & Cynthia Chamberlain, Irmo, SC — [email protected] ........................ 803-606-9659 Mark A. & Kay Chovan, Frisco, TX — [email protected] ...................................................... 972-335-3867 Don B. Curren, Carstairs, AB ......................................................................................................... 403-337-2925 Duane Eakes, Bremerton, WA — [email protected] ............................................................. 360-405-1377 Lyle C. Exelby, Calgary, AB — [email protected]..................................................................... 403-273-6152 Scott & Sylvia Fabro, Temple, TX — [email protected] ................................................................ 254-778-7025 Ramey E. Fair, Seattle, WA — [email protected] ................................................... 206-721-0142 Gary W. Foster , Lake Louise, AB — [email protected] ....................................................... 403-762-0936 Stephen Garcia, Bremerton, WA —[email protected] ....................................... 360-710-6944 Dave Kisser, Calgary, AB — [email protected] ...................................................................... 403-590-5353 George B. Martin, Clifton Park, NY — [email protected] ......................................................... 518-371-4241 Dorothy E. Moore, Calgary, AB — [email protected] ............................................................. 519-642-4901 Don Morberg, Calgary, AB — [email protected] ............................................................................... 403-253-2935 Bo E. Nordin, Calgary, AB — [email protected] ................................................................. 403-569-0522 E. Patrick O’Hara, Upland, CA — [email protected] .............................................................. 909-949-4241 BJ & Jo Ondo, Colorado Springs, CA — [email protected] ..................................................... 719-632-8317 Darryl A. Peterson, High River, AB — [email protected] ......................................................... 403-652-4288 Grant H. Plett, Langdon, AB ........................................................................................................... 403-936-5247 Scott A. Power, Calgary, AB — [email protected] ................................................................... 403-272-0551 Edward C. Reid, Calgary, AB — [email protected] ................................................................ 403-278-9593 Michael Robinson, McKinney, TX — [email protected] ............................................................. 972-897-3216 Bill Shivers, Lexington, SC — [email protected]................................................................. 803-359-9918 Rod E. Venables, Airdrie, AB .......................................................................................................... 403-948-7806 Paul A. Weber, Haxtun, CO — [email protected] ................................................................... 970-774-6729 WELCOME BACK: Allan E. & Gloria A. Bain , Medway, MA — [email protected] ................................................ 508-533-5800 Dave Brittain, Friendswood, TX — [email protected] ................................................................. 281-996-1287 Darrell & Sharon L. Burns, Indepnedence, MO............................................................................. 816-461-1519 Al Greenough, Chestermere, AB — [email protected] ......................................................... 403-248-4915 Craig McAninch, McKinney, TX — [email protected] ......................................................... 215-457-3432 Rick Wilson, Calgary, AB ................................................................................................................ 403-818-4305 8 motorcycle roads Jan/Feb 2004 Habits, continued from previous page hands on the handle bar to compensate for when the passenger steps up and over to get into the passenger’s seat. In all cases once the situation has been taken care of the proper position for your right foot is on the foot peg with the rear brake applied to ensure the brake light is on. So the proper way to come to a stop is only your left foot should come down to balance the motorcycle At a stop the brake light should be on all the time. The easiest way to do that is keep you right foot on the brake. The use of only front brake at slow speed is a dangerous habit. At walking pace speeds, the motorcyclist should only use only the rear brake. Because the front brake on most motorcycles are a disc MTA Texas Chapter 1 All Fool’s Day Rally April 2 - 4, 2004 Coushatte Rec Ranch, Bellville, TX RAFFLE brake they are very powerful. If the brake lever is grabbed or squeezed too hard and to quick you can cause the front wheel to quit rotating. If the wheel is turned you may upset the motorcycle. Then there is the question of integrated brakes. I can’t speak for all bikes with integrated brakes, but the Goldwing uses only one piston on each of the front discs with the use of the rear brake therefore it will exert less pressure even under sudden braking. Dragging feet while driving slowly. At slow speeds you need to keep both feet on the foot pegs. The right foot operate the rear brake. You can maintain your balance better at slow speeds if you sit up straight, keep you knees close into the tank, and look where you are going and operate the clutch around the friction point (the point where the power from the engine starts to be transferred to the rear wheel) or sometimes referred to as slipping the clutch and dabbing on the rear brake. Driving a motorcycle at slow speeds is a learned skill. It is a skill that needs to be practiced all the time to become proficient. If you were to change these 3 driving habits it will make you a more confident and skilled rider. Missouri Chapter I Ride to the Moon MarbleCompany By Gary Droege MTA # 00348 Mike Yelton, Gary and Mary Droege, Jim and Janet Hayner, Charlie and Judy Stephens (plus grandson Dallas), Jerry and Mary White, Frank and Barbara Morgan, Terry Edwards, and Chris Cline enjoyed an October breakfast meeting at the Kansas City, Kansas, Cracker Barrel. After a lengthy wait, which allowed lots of conversation, the food arrived and we all ate our fill. Afterward most headed for a very interesting tour of the world renowned Moon Marble Company to watch marbles being made by hand as well as by machine. Everyone enjoyed the demonstration and opportunity to see this form of “glass art.” The ride home was probably damp for most as light showers moved through the area. (to benefit St. Jude’s) AUCTIONS DOOR PRIZES BIKE SHOW BIKE GAMES SCAVENGER HUNT LIGHT SHOW CMA SERVICES (Sunday) VENDORS (Hang 9, Food, Pelton Custom Paint/Pinstripping) Pre-Registration, $12.00 pp (Post marked by March 20) After the 20th, $15.00 pp Tent Camping: $7.00/night RV: $12.00/night For more info, contact:: Lori Hadsell Home: 281-991-4205 Email: [email protected] or visit: www.mtatx1.org Jan/Feb 2004 Motorcycle Touring Association’s May 7, 8 and 9, 2004 Pre-registration, $30 per person; after April 15th, $35 50 rooms for MTA are reserved at per person. Registration includes souvenir pin, souvenir patch, Friday ice cream social, Saturday evening banquet and after Inn of the Ozarks dinner speaker (Christian Neuhauser, Publisher of (800-552-3785) RoadRunner Magazine). Guided tours Friday and Saturday. Confirm w/CC by Morning rides and all day rides will be scheduled as well as April 27, 2004 guided tours of local attractions in and around Eureka Springs. (Only $54) Driver’s Name_______________________ Passenger’s Name_______________________ Address _________________________City_____________State _______Zip__________ Phone________________E-mail______________________MTA#_______AMA#_______ Motorcycle Make____________________Model______________________ I would like to register for ___ people x $30 (no preregistration after April 15th) = $_______ I would like ____ souvenir t-shirts (circle type of shirt, circle size and fill in number) short sleeve M L XL qty ____ x $12 = $_______ short sleeve XXL XXXL qty ____ x $15 = $_______ long sleeve M L XL qty ____ x $15 = $_______ long sleeve XXL XXXL qty ____ x $18 = $_______ Total Enclosed = $_______ Mail form, with check payable to MTA to: For more information, MTA, 713 Colonial Dr., Garland, TX 75043 Call 214-457-9060 motorcycle roads 9 Faster than a… S By J.R. Michaels I peeding enture V t is 4:00 in the morning, May 10, 2003, and I’m sitting in the Harley Davidson dealership in Allen, Texas. No, I wasn’t drunk and lost, I was supposed to be there, and no, I didn’t have to sleep in the parking lot underneath my bike to get there at that time. I was there to ride in the Iron Butt run to raise money for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and the Collin County Children’s Advocacy Center, so I was sacrificing my sleep for a good cause. I was going to do the 1,000 mile run from Allan, Texas to Brownsville, Tennessee and back with MTA Texas Chapter 6’s infamous Rex “Greyhound” Adams, and since they expected more than 100 motorcycles to be involved, I got there early to try and save us a starting spot up at the front. We were supposed to depart at 5:00 a.m., but there were already a handful of bikes there when I arrived and by 4:30 the parking lot was nearly full. At the start, ready to go This Iron Butt run requires that you ride at least 1,000 miles in a 24 hour period, so if we left at 5:00 a.m. Saturday morning, we had until 5:00 a.m. Sunday morning to be back. 10 I had filled up with gas and checked everything one more time, so all that was left was to put on my helmet (full face), padded gloves and of course my Joe Rocket riding jacket with body armor. I don’t wear the armored jacket to feel safe or anything like that, I wear it because BJ and Suzanne Melin wear them, and everyone knows that if BJ and Suzanne do it, then it is automatically JUST PLAIN COOL! I have ridden with Rex a lot of places and I know that he doesn’t really like to push his Venture that much, so when we were about to start and he told me again that he planned on being back in Allen by 9:00 p.m. that night, I knew something was up. He still denies it to this day, but I have a feeling that he must have bet a lot of people a lot of money that we could do it. As he was telling me how we could ride 1,000 miles in 16 hours, with 12 mandatory stops, he was shaking like Elvis in Vegas, so he was either excited about it or had had way too much coffee. But there was no more time to talk, the clock had started and we were off. We were about the 20th bikes to leave, heading up I-75 to McKinney, then Hwy. 380 east to Greenville where we would get on I-30 and head east. By the time we got to McKinney, we were only about 3 or 4 bikes back from being in the lead. All the way to I-30 we would pass them and they would pass us. As we got on I-30 looking around there was next to no traffic, except for the small group of bikes that we couldn’t seem to shake. With the open freeway ahead of us, we are casually maintaining a speed of about 95 to 100 mph as the miles begin to fall behind us. The other group of bikes had just grown from 3 or 4, to 9 or 10, which is when we found out why we couldn’t shake them at these speeds. They weren’t trying to keep up, they were holding back waiting for the rest of their friends to catch up, and when they did, they sped up even more and just pulled away of into the night. We were required to stop about every 110 to 120 miles, which at the speed we were running was just about as far as a tank of gas would take us. The stops were fast and furi- motorcycle roads Jan/Feb 2004 ous, paying for gas at the pump, eating my PowerBars and having some water while still sitting on the bike, the whole time Rex is telling me over the CB that we gotta go, we gotta go. We had decided that as part of the plan, we would let those Goldwing riders that were running faster than we were, stay ahead of us so that any police that may be out there would choose to make friends with them first. Hey, it sounds good. We did the first half with little or no problems. We had made it past the slow traffic, through the construction zones and around Memphis with no problems or even stopping at Graceland. They had told us very explicitly that you can’t speed in Tennessee as even 1 mph over the speed limit would get you a fat speeding ticket. We took their advice and didn’t’ go over 55 mph, well for all of about two minutes, then Rex went past me at a very accelerated pace and the race was on again. Maybe the cops didn’t see us, maybe they thought we were low flying planes, or maybe they just couldn’t catch us, either way they left us alone. It’s now 1:00 p.m. and we have just pulled into the Harley dealer in Memphis for a required stop and a break for lunch. That small group of riders was already there, but we didn’t ask them if they had gotten any tickets, we didn’t want them to catch on to our plan. Lunch at the Harley dealer in Memphis. When we arrived a lot of nice people came over to greet us and officially check us in. They said that we had averaged 86 mph so far, that there was free food and water, and that we could rest for a while, eat and talk about the ride with the others as they showed up. I guess they didn’t know about Rex’s bet and that 16 hour thing. We had spent about 20 minutes eating and, well, standing up, when Speedy Gun Rex decided it was time to hit the road. We got back on the Interstate, kicked it back up to about 95 mph and settled back for the ride home. I was leading when I thought for sure that our luck had just changed. We came over a small rise and there was a cop coming from the other direction. He seemed to speed up as he passed us and I kept calling to Rex to see if he had turned around to come after us. Just as we decided that he wasn’t coming, we got back up to a good speed and here came another cop toward us with his lights already on. Maybe the first one couldn’t catch us and had called for help. But as Jan/Feb 2004 the second one passed us, he had his window open and was pointing for us to take it down, but he just kept one going. I guess they both had another, more important call they were already on, or my cop car karma was still good for a little longer, or they thought that I was BJ and decided that they just better not mess with me (Another reason to dress like he does when I ride). The traffic going back was a lot heavier, which required a bit more darting and scooting type riding, and we only ran into one driver that was a total _ss and wouldn’t let us by. I thought we could hang back for a couple minutes and wait for a space to pass him, but then Rex looked at his watch and there for a second I was sure that he was going for his gun. Just then a space the size of a football opened and Rex squeezed through and took off, so being the ultra conservative rider that I am, I decided that if he can do it, I can do it, dropped it to 4th and left a vapor trail as I caught back up with Rex. It’s now dark, we have just pulled of the Interstate and are about to go through the small towns along Hwy. 380, it’s 60 miles back to the finishing point in Allen and 45 minutes until 9:00 p.m., piece of cake. It’s Saturday night and all of the young bucks are speeding toward the wine, women and song that awaits them. As we pass them at near light speed, I wonder how embarrassed they would be if they knew that two old folks on ‘geezer’ bikes had just gone by them so fast it looked like they were standing still? As we are exiting I-75 to the finishing point, I know that this is going to be really close, I am just about to accomplish so many things and that one all important thought keeps reverberating through my head, MY GOD MY BUTT IS SORE! We park the bikes and hurry to check in, our finish time is officially 8:56 p.m., or 15 hours and 56 minutes. We did it!! I did the ride safely and without getting a ticket, I raised money for a good charity, I became a member of the “Toughest riders in the world,” but most important I did it in the 16 hours so that Rex could collect the bazillion dollars in bets he had on this. I do think that we should consider changing Rex’s nickname from “Sheepdog” to “Greyhound,” because when you put a really nice prize at the end of the run, that boy runs FAST! This is my story and I’m sticking to it. motorcycle roads 11 Mike’s Wonderful (and unintended) Adventure By Ric Zittenfield, Webfoot Wanderers of Oregon The forecasted high for the day was to be 92 degrees and the only sensible direction to go for the after meeting ride would be toward the coast. That was our road captain’s thinking when Mike Schefter planned a ride that would take us to McMinnville and a gander at the Spruce Goose, then to Highway 22 to Hebo and up 101 to Tillamook, then back to Portland via the Wilson River Highway. That sounded great to Gil Soyster, John Opp and me, so after the September 28th meeting, the four of us took off for the cooler coast. Only, we didn’t suspect how cool it was going to be. The Evergreen Aviation Museum was our first stop, but only to use the rest rooms and check out all that one can see for free at the front of the display area. The Hughes Flying Boat’s huge port wing towers impressively above the lobby area and you can see most of the plane from there. Mike, who has seen the entire display area, tells us it is well worth the price of admission, which is $11 with $1 discounted for seniors and vets. Highway 22 is always a delightful ride and it took us to 101 and north to our brown bag luncheon at a rest stop a few miles south of Tillamook. Just up the road is the Tillamook Air Museum housed in the one remaining World War II blimp hangar and I had a homework assignment there: to find if there was a landing strip and taxi way that leads to the museum. Not being able to determine that from the highway, we rode to the museum where I dismounted the bike to go inside to inquire and was informed that there was such a strip and taxi way. Got back on my bike and rejoined the others who were at the east end of the huge hangar talking with a fellow who owns the 1942 Stinson Reliant at rest behind him. Mike tells me the plane’s owner is a friend of Gil’s and he offered to take us on an excursion flight for only $100 for the four of us. No arm twisting was needed. We thoroughly enjoyed the flight which took us up the coast to Tillamook and Garibaldi. We had views of the Tillamook Head Lighthouse, schools of fish, sea lions, pelicans, horseback riders, an elk herd, dozens of small fishing boats at the Life Saving Ride By Ron “Road Runner” Sheppard As a member of the SC-1 and a se- her tongue from her airway. Thank goodnior paramedic of 13 years, I was return- ness she started breathing and I didn’t ing from Sumter this past Tuesday, head- have to do mouth-to-mouth breathing. The ing for Columbia, SC. About half way driver was transported to the hospital by back on Hwy. 378, I witnessed a black ambulance, and his girlfriend was airFord Ranger pickup truck heading toward lifted to Richland Trauma Center in Come lose control. It began rolling on its lumbia. In the process, I ended up leavside like a black bowling ball coming ing a good pair of bloody leather gloves down the road. It ended up in the ditch in the ditch. Lesson: Always carry an emergency upside down. I turned around and was on the scene before the dust settled. There kit. It seems to me I got mine at Wal-Mart was a young male who was climbing out or Sam’s but all the Mass Merchandisers the driver side. He had some broken ribs have these travel type kits. Sometimes on his left side and a broken leg. His girl- they are in the Automotive area and somefriend had been ejected and was lying in times in the Health & Beauty area. Findthe ditch on her back. She was semi-con- ing one in a soft zipper-case may be scious and was not breathing. Her tongue harder. Check out Walgreens and the like. was blocking her airway along with a Bigger is better as longs as it can be safely mouth full of blood. I managed to roll her stored. The name on my kit is (no kidon her side and use my finger to move ding) GET-SMART EMERGENCY KIT. 12 motorcycle roads mouth of a jetty and of course, the big blimp hangar with our tiny motorcycles parked nearby. The landing on grass was a perfect ten. The Reliant is large, has a high wing, a nine cylinder radial engine and a tail wheel. The instrument panel is so tall, the pilot can not see over it and must zig zag while taxiing to see if there is anything in his path. But, once it is airborne, it is extremely steady and confident. We celebrated our unexpected flight with an ice cream cone at the Tillamook Cheese Factory and headed toward Portland on the Wilson River Highway. The four of us had a great day, one we’ll not soon forget. Weekend Ride to Florida By Ron Sheppard This is a story about a 1,283 mile solo ride I made from Gaston SC to Florida. For some reason, bad things seem to happen to me on long trips. I got finished my night shift on a Friday morning with three days off. With only about two hours sleep, I got up, packed a few overnight items on my bike and hit the road. I headed in a southernly direction with no destination in mind. I left Gaston, SC, and headed toward Augusta, GA, on I-20. After passing through Augusta I peeled off of the interstate and headed southwest on numerous back roads toward Columbus, GA. After getting close to the Alabama border I changed directions and headed southeast. Just before dark I was on Hwy. 41 south running parallel to I-75. I pulled into a town called Tifton for an overnight stay at the Super 8 motel. There was a Red Lobster Restaurant across the street. After being seated inside I heard some complaints from a tourist a few tables down. The man was upset with the waitress because he always orders a Strawberry Daquiry with his meals. The waitress was trying to explain to him that this is a dry county and you can’t buy alcoholic drinks anywhere in the county. The next morning was warm and overcast with no rain in the forecast. I headed south again on Hwy. 319 and passed through Tallahassee, FL, to the Gulf coast. I followed Hwy. 98 west through a Jan/Feb 2004 series of beach owns. Around 3:00pm I stopped at a restaurant called SHARKY’S in Panama City Beach. I was seated at a table on the outdoor patio with a great view of the water. There was a young and very attractive waitress who took my order. She seemed to take an interest in me and we seemed to hit it off pretty good. I told her that I was from Gaston, SC, and I had the weekend off, so I got on my bike and ended up here. She thought that was so cool, to be able to get on your bike and ride anywhere you wanted to. I was thinking to myself that if this dialog keeps going this well, I will have her quitting her job and riding the back seat of my Venture back to South Carolina. Well, I soon found out that I was day dreaming. All she was doing was just hitting me up for a big tip. While I was waiting for her to bring my check, I noticed a flock of pigeons (sorry, I meant sea gulls) perched on the outside railing with all of them looking very hungry toward the tables. So being the nice guy that I am, I took some left over french-fries and tossed some toward the sea gulls. In just an instance, the whole flock of those birds seeing which direction those two french-fries came from, started swarming around the tables dropping feathers and pigeon poop everywhere. This activity was soon followed by the manager paying a visit to my table and requesting that I DO NOT feed the birds. Feeling very unpopular, I paid my bill and got the hell out of town. I continued heading west on Hwy 98 along the coast. Along the way toward the west-end of Panama City Beach, there was a bicycle race in progress heading west on Hwy 98. The traffic was slow as cars creeped by the cyclists. At one point I got behind a group of riders that was coming up to a water stop. There were some volunteers who were holding paper cups of water out for the riders to grab as they rode by. This was just too good to pass up. I was pretending that I was in the race and as I approached the group of cup holders, I held my hand out with a big grin on my face. There’s a clown in every crowd—one of them threw a cup of water at me. Well, I got my revenge— I ended up wining that bike race. Continuing west, It was just after dark when I pulled into Pensacola, FL. This town was a stopping point on my return Jan/Feb 2004 trip from California back in May (you can read that story on MTA SC-1). While navigating the streets of the town going from stoplight to stoplight, I avoided a terrible accident in the making. While approaching a stoplight, I down shifted and depressed the clutch as I was coasting to a stop. As I was removing my feet from the footrest my left foot was hung up. For an instant, I had a flash back thinking I was on my bicycle with the clip-on foot pedals. In order to release your foot off of the bicycle pedal, you had to lift your heal up and turn your heal outward while raising your foot at the same time. I found myself going through this motion a couple of times before I realized that was not on a damn bicycle. Looking down I saw my tennis shoe lace was looped over the gearshift lever. I managed to calmly remove it before com- ing to a stop. Mark this down as another good reason NOT to wear tennis shoes riding motorcycles. I was getting tired so I wasted no time in finding a motel for the night at Days Inn. After cleaning my bike with the motel towels, leaving one clean towel to shower with, I hit the bed for the night. At some point during the night around 3:00am, I had to turn the room AC off and turn on the heat. The next morning it was not warm as usual. The cold front had reached Florida. I was not exactly prepared for a cold ride home. I did have my Deal’s Gap riding jacket without the liner along with my blue jeans and tennis shoes. It was a fast, high speed run home on I-10, to I-95 and onto I-26 back home. Add one more reason not to wear tennis shoes while riding motorcycles. Tennis shoes SUCK in cold weather. South Carolina Chapter 1’s Blue Ridge Mountain Run On August 23, eight members and one guest met at the Waffle House at I-26/ US 176 in Columbia, SC, for breakfast and ride discussions. Two of the riders showed up on brand new rides: Jim Hooper of Florida on his new 2003 bright yellow Goldwing and Marion Gaskins on his new 2004 illusion silver-gray Goldwing, bringing the count to three for new Goldwings within the last month for our group. As the group gathered for departure, there were two Kawasaki Voyagers, one Yamaha Venture, one Honda ST1300, one Honda GL1200 Goldwing and three new Honda GL1800 Goldwings. Those in attendance were MTA SC1 members Leon Stallings, Jon Miller, Bill Reber, Steve Lanford, Marion Gaskins, Ron Sheppard and Jim Hooper, and guest Jimmy Norton. We departed the Waffle House at 7:30am and headed up I-26 to the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville. We had our first rest/gas stop about 130 miles into the trip, just prior to getting on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Asheville, NC. It was around 9:30am when we got on the Parkway heading north. The weather was great with temperatures in the high 70’s, dropping to the low 60’s in the higher elevations of the Parkway. After around 50 miles of Parkway surfing and peg dragging, we stopped motorcycle roads at an overlook for a group picture. It was decided to let Steve Lanford on his “sport-tourer” lead the group at this point due to his ability to get through the turns a little faster on the ST1300. Of course, some of us on full touring models tried to keep up with him and actually did catch him (once he got behind a truck doing about 30 mph). After a spirited run of around 60 more miles, the group enjoyed the buffet at the Golden Corral restaurant in Boone, NC. After lunch, most of the group (5 members) took highway 321 South toward Columbia, SC. Three of the members, Jim Hooper, Ron Sheppard and Bill Reber spent the night in Boone. The five riders who headed toward home had a spirited ride down 321 to Columbia and arrived around 7:00pm after about a 500mile day of riding and camaraderie with friends. The three members, who spend the night in Boone, got up early on Sunday morning and headed south on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Asheville. They ate lunch in Lake Lure/Chimney Rock, NC and then headed toward Columbia. SC on I-26 arriving in the late afternoon on Sunday. Jim Hooper spent the night in Columbia with Bill Reber and headed back to Florida on Monday morning. It was a great weekend of riding with friends. 13 Curve Cowboy Reunion by Gary & Mary Droege I t had been many years since our last V-daze when we toured the area in and around Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The recent fourth-annual BMW event gave us the opportunity to travel back to the land of the Tail Of The Dragon and Deal’s Gap. At first we were concerned that the traffic and tourist activities might choke the roads and make riding a task rather than a joy. But, we trusted in the CCR (Curve Cowboy Reunion) Board of Directors who plan these events and headed off for adventure on three wheels (we pulled our little Unigo one-wheel trailer, nicknamed “The Shadow”). Our goal was to take our time and ride as much away from the interstate highways as possible, although we found many of the state and secondary roads ended up with a significant amount of four lane highway with much less truck traffic. We started angling down across Missouri leaving Kansas City, MO, via Hwy. 50 until we reached Jefferson City where we changed to Hwy. 63 south and followed it to Cabool. We then headed east on Hwy 60. If you haven’t traveled Hwy 60 lately, it is almost all four lanes and a nice road. Our first evening stop was at Poplar Bluff where we spent the evening enjoying a free room at the Comfort Inn, using up some of our travel points we earned on our Canadian trip last year. An interesting coincidence when we entered our room, there was a small plaque stating that Charlton Heston had once used the room in 1998. No big deal to us, but we guess it must be important to the owners. We never did ask the desk clerk what 14 had brought Charlton to town. That night we had a great steak dinner at a nearby steak house within walking distance of the motel. The next morning after breakfast, we headed east on Hwy. 60 to cross the Mississippi River at Cairo, enjoying the bayou scenery, and on to Paducah where we picked up a brief ride on I-24. We quickly left the interstate on Hwy. 68 for a beautiful side trip through what is known as The Land Between The Lakes. The scenery on this route was exciting as we felt like it was starting to get us closer to our destination through some interesting wetlands. We again jumped on I-24 at Montgomery, KY, for a few miles before taking a side trip on US Hwy. 79 in a feeble attempt to bypass the big city traffic of Nashville. Little did we know how spread out this city has become, and we drove through suburb after suburb snaking our way across town. We finally ended the day at Cookeville and were glad to get off the bike after too many stop lights and traffic jams due to road construction and an over abundance of the “burbs.” We looked forward to a good night’s sleep before heading the next day into prime motorcycle riding country – the Smokey Mountains. Leaving Cookeville we followed Hwy. 136 south before heading east on Hwy. 30 where the scenery started to tease us with some breathtaking turnouts and wonderful twisty roads. We basically followed Hwy 30 until we made a dogleg turn on US Hwy. 441, and then east on Hwy. 310 and into the serious curves of Hwy. 165. Make sure your tires are warmed up because here is where you can use the edges as well as the center to even out the wear pattern. From here we zigzagged back and forth until we entered motorcycle roads the Great Smokey Mountain National Park and the big “slow down” as speed and traffic limits your travel through the park. Only one time during our stay on an early morning ride did we get to test our abilities on the great curves and challenging twisty roads where we were warned speed is closely monitored by park police. We entered Gatlinburg from the south edge and after a quick check to find out we weren’t lost, we were within a mile of our hotel and final destination, the Park Vista. We had been forewarned about the steep entrance to the hotel, which sets on one of the highest viewpoints in the city. The planning committee had even posted a sign warning us to make sure and use first gear on the steep grade leading up a short hill to the hotel parking lot. They weren’t wrong, as right in the middle of what seemed to be a 40% incline was a sharp switch back turn! Thankfully, all were prepared for this induction to the road challenges that lay ahead. We found a few early arrivals had beaten us and had already checked into the hotel. It is a great place to stay if you are ever in the area. Our group almost took the whole hotel, for which the owners and staff were very grateful, as this is normally one of their slowest weeks prior to the Labor Day weekend. There were a few cars in the parking lot but the bikes started to dominate the four wheelers before long. The next morning is when most of the fun really started. We volunteered to assist our friend Dick Largen with the welcome and check-in table and to also get the t-shirts, hats and other clothing ready for pick up by those who had pre-ordered their reunion merchandise. Later in the afternoon after things had slowed down, we couldn’t resist and headed out for our first experience with the Dragon. For anyone who hasn’t been down to this part of the country, one of the most favored motorcycle roads (Hwy. 129) which is advertised as the “Most Exciting Ride” in See Curve, continued on page 16 Jan/Feb 2004 Jan/Feb 2004 motorcycle roads 15 Curve, continued from page 14 the Smokies with 318 curves in 11 miles! We found the traffic gone due to the heat of the day and had the entire road to ourselves. What a blast! We stopped at Deals Gap for a souvenir shirt and water break before heading back to Gatlinburg on another great road, Hwy. 28 that had some fantastic high-speed sweepers and great views overlooking the valleys below. Then it was back through the slow park traffic again to the hotel to rest up for our first evening of food and entertainment at Ripley’s Aquarium. If you need an excuse to visit Gatlinburg, Ripley’s Aquarium would be a prime reason to make the trip. Once again due to our numbers, we had the whole place to ourselves. After a brief sit down where we sampled various imported and domestic cheeses and fruits, plus Swedish meatballs and chicken tenderloin with plum sauce, we entered the aquarium rooms, all of which offered spectacular foods such as Veranda Salad, Caesar Salad, Hearts of Romaine with Fruit, Chicken Marsala, Chicken Bennedict, Grilled Chicken Breast Supreme, Chicken Florentine, Sliced Pork Loin, Sliced Baked Ham, Prime Rib, Beef Stroganoff, Pepper Steak, Shrimp & Scallop Pasta, Poached Salmon…anyway, you get the idea this turned out to be about a 5-10 pounder if you sampled all the cuisine plus desserts served in each display room. Then the aquatic displays were “out of this world.” You could leisurely enjoy a walk through a Tropical Rain Forest, observe a Coral Reef with all sorts of sea creatures alive and thriving in a pristine undersea environment, enjoy a safe view of the Shark Lagoon from a moving sidewalk through a wrap-around aquarium, be amazed at a Gallery of the Seas where you see unusual sea life, and finally, observe and actually touch a ray at the Touch-A-Ray Bay. If you like sea life, and great food, make a trip and don’t miss this place! The next day gave attendees the choice of attending different technical seminars all done by volunteers about service and maintenance of our bike, the BMW K1200LT, and covered such sub- 16 jects as Removing the Tupperware, Fluids/Filters, Valve Adjustment, Canisterectomy, Brake Pads, and Brake Bleeding, or you could enjoy some more of the Smokies by riding. As we had done the tech sessions last year, I chose to ride while Mary and some of the other wives decided to go shopping downtown. They provided a $.25 shuttle service to and from the hotel so they didn’t have to walk up and down that big hill! There were also some tours that you could sign up for including Gatlinburg Attractions, A Walk In The Woods, Dollywood Theme Park, Heritage Festival - Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community and Winery, National Park / Harrah’s Casino, or you could ride to and take a tour of the Bushtec Factory. That night we all gathered together in a group (350 bikes) and rode with a police escort to the Dixie Stampede in Pigeon Forge. There we enjoyed a pre-show musical entertainment before a full meal while enjoying a horse and rider display. The first location opened in Pigeon Forge, just outside the entrance to Dolly’s own theme park, Dollywood. Dixie Stampede began as a dream for Dolly Parton. Today, it is one of the most spectacular dinner shows in Branson, MO; Myrtle Beach, SC; Pigeon Forge, TN, and coming soon to Orlando, FL. With 32 horses, dozens of cast members and seating for 1,000 around a 35,000 square-foot arena at each facility, Dixie Stampede is Dolly Parton’s own creation. “I wanted to recreate the family fun of my childhood, when we’d gather for a friendly competition and enjoy a more-than-filling meal,” says Dolly Parton. “With the grand entertainment of our horses and performers, along with a delicious meal, Dixie Stampede is the Most Fun Place to eat anywhere.” You get to eat a great meal, but with your fingers, so wear something casual. They do take volunteers from the audience from time to time during the show, so make sure you wear appropriate shoes just in case. It was a fun time and a chance to show off our bikes for the community. After another day of riding or rest, depending on your situation, the Reunion ended with our formal (so to speak) banmotorcycle roads quet where those brave enough dressed in a hillbilly motif. Some of the costumes deserved merit, although we weren’t creative enough to don our overhauls and straw hats and flower sack dresses. Jethrow and Ellie Maye would have been proud! Prior to the banquet, we hold a charity auction of donated merchandise from members and vendors, the proceeds of which all go to a local charity. Even the traditional 50-50 pots netted some extra funds as two of the three winners rejected their winnings and donated the proceeds to their favorite charities. I think the grand total was almost $8,500, which went to the local Boys’ and Girls’ Club activities for the Gatlinburg area. It’s our way to give back to the community that allows us to enjoy their town for the week. That ended our CCRIV for 2003. The trip back home included another stop at Poplar Bluff before heading for Springfield where we met some fellow Missouri Chapter 1 members enjoying the National Motorcycle Drill Team competition. After the finals, we headed back to Kansas City and were greeted with a 6-12 inch rainstorm just as we arrived close to the metro area. It was a great trip, and we look forward to next year’s reunion (CCRV), which will be held in Breckenridge, Colorado. Come join the fun. Anyone can attend regardless of what you ride. For complete information, visit their Web site at http://www.curvecowboyreunion.com/ Jan/Feb 2004 V-Daze 2004 20th Annual ALL Motorcyclists Welcome! June 21-25 — Estes Park, Colorado BASIC REGISTRATION. Register today on-line @ www.mtariders.com/vdaze or complete and return this form. Price is $45 for members and $50 for non-members. Come ride the best of Rocky Mountain National Park and the surrounding areas, where you can visit with your old friends and make new ones. Basic registration includes admission to the event, pin, patch, Thursday night dinner and entertainment, grand prize ticket and much more. Rider’s Name____________________________________ MTA # ____________ AMA # _____________ Passenger’s Name ________________________________ MTA # ____________ AMA # _____________ Children (15 & under) 1. ___________________ 2. ___________________ 3. ___________________ (Entrance for children 15 & under is free, but must purchase meal ticket.) Rider: Age ____ Birthdate _________ Sex M F Passenger: Age ____ Birthdate _________ Sex M F Address ____________________________________________________ Phone (______) ________________ City _________________________________________ State/Prov _________ Zip/Post. Code ____________ MTA Chapter Affiliation ___________ Entering Bike Show? ____ Light Show? ____ Field Events? ____ For Trophy Competition, Please check all categories applying for: Youngest Driver: Longest Distance: Male Male Female Age _____ Most Mature Driver: Male Female Age _____ Female Two-up Largest Registered/Present Chapter: ___________ Direct Miles from home to Estes Park ________ Longest Distance Chapter (6+ members) ____________ (Bike must be ridden to the rally, not hauled) Please read the following waiver of liability carefully: IN CONSIDERATION for being permitted to participate in V-Daze 2004, THE UNDERSIGNED: 1. HEREBY RELEASES, WAIVES, DISCHARGES AND COVENANTS NOT TO SUE the Motorcycle Touring Association, its officers, directors, management, officials, and/or volunteers assisting in the event, the sanctioning organization or any subdivision thereof, grounds operators, grounds owner, officials, promoters, sponsors, advertisers; owners and lessors of premises used to conduct the event and each of them, their officers and employees, all for the purpose herein referred as “releases,” from all liability to the undersigned, his personal representatives, assigns, heirs, and next of kin for any and all loss or damage, and any claim or demands therefore on account of injury to the person or property or resulting in death of the undersigned, whether caused by the negligence of the releases or otherwise while the undersigned is participating in this event: 2. THE UNDERSIGNED RIDER agrees that in order to participate in the event, he or she must posses a valid operators license and proof of personal injury and property damage liability insurance coverage. THE UNDERSIGNED FURTHER agrees that while participating in the events, he or she will not ride while under the influence of alcohol or any substance which affects the ability to operate or control his or her vehicle. 3. THE UNDERSIGNED AGREES that he or she will not use or operate any vehicle in violation or contravention of any City, County, State, Province, or Federal laws, statutes, ordinances or regulations and shall be personally liable for all fines and penalties for traffic law violations. 4. EACH OF THE UNDERSIGNED expressly acknowledges and agrees that the activities of the event can be dangerous and involve the risk of serious injury and/or property damage. THE UNDERSIGNED further expressly agrees that the foregoing release, waiver, and indemnity agreement is intended to be as broad and inclusive as is permitted by the law of the State/Province in which the event is operated in and that if any portion thereof is held invalid, it is agreed that the balance shall, notwithstanding, continue in full legal force and effect. 5. THE UNDERSIGNED HAS READ AND VOLUNTARILY SIGNS THE RELEASE AND WAIVER OF LIABILITY AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT, and further agrees that no oral representations, statements or inducements apart from the foregoing written agreement have been made. Rider _____________________________ Passenger _______________________________ Participants under 21 years of age: parent or legal guardian must sign: Date _________ Parent/Legal Guardian _________________________________________________________ Date _________ THIS FORM NOT VALID UNLESS SIGNED AND DATED; BOTH SIDES MUST BE COMPLETED. MAIL TO: V-Daze, 11539 Village Pl. Dr., Houston, TX 77077; Or FAX: 281-752-9507 All Preregistrations must be postmarked by June 1, 2004. After that date, please bring form with you to register on site. Jan/Feb 2004 motorcycle roads 17 READ CAREFULLY: Registration changes, cancellations, refunds: Accepted in writing only, no phone calls please. Cancellations: If postmarked before May 15, 2004, a $10 handling fee will be deducted and a refund check will be mailed 2 weeks after event. If postmarked between May 15 and June 1, no refund but full credit minus $10 toward the 2005 event. After June 1, no refunds will be given; however; you can send a friend in your name. Registration and Optional Fees Schedule Of Events Monday, June 21 12PM - 4PM 6PM - 9PM Registration Dinner Ride (All fees in US Dollars) Basic Registration ($50 non-member) Poker Run Extra Grand Prize Tickets (6 tickets per book) 50/50 Cash Draw (6 tickets per book) $45.00 $10.00 $15.00 $ 5.00 x x x x _____ _____ _____ _____ $ $ $ $ ________ ________ ________ ________ $12.00 $ 6.00 x _____ $ ________ x _____ $ ________ (3 winners - 25%/15%/10%) Monday Evening Dinner Ride Child Dinner Ride TOTAL $ ________ EVENT MERCHANDISE— (Below order form must also be completed) ORDER EARLY! QUANTITIES WILL BE LIMITED. Short Sleeve Pocket T-Shirts, $15.00 x _____ $ ________ (natural or khaki, S-XL; Size 2XL, add $1; size 3XL, add $3) Long Sleeve T-Shirts $17.00 x _____ $ ________ (Natural or khaki, S-XL; Size 2XL, add $1; size 3XL, add $3) V-Daze Cap $13.00 x _____ $ ________ TOTAL $ ________ GRAND TOTAL $ ________ Check/M.O. Enclosed VISA MC Discover If sending check, please make payable to Motorcycle Touring Association. CC# _______________________________________ Exp. ___________ Tuesday, June 22 8AM 9AM - 5PM 9AM ALL DAY 9AM - 5PM 7 - 9PM Wednesday, June 23 8AM 9AM - 5PM 9AM 9AM ALL DAY 9AM - 5PM 10AM 1PM - 3PM 6PM - 7PM 7PM AFTER DARK Cardholder Signature __________________________________________ CONFIRMATIONS WILL NOT BE SENT. Your registration packet will be available for you to pick up at the registration area. If you have a concern, please feel free to call the home office at 877-833-3687. Official Event Merchandise Order Information (All Items While Quantities Last. Pick up at V-Daze Registration.) Please use the following codes below: Sizes—S, M, L, XL, 2X, 3X Short Sleeve T-Shirts: Size_____ Qty_____ Size_____ Qty_____ Long Sleeve T-Shirts: Size_____ Qty_____ Size_____ Qty_____ V-Daze Cap: CMA Services Registration Poker Run Self-Guided Tours Vendor Show Opening Ceremonies CMA Services Registration Riding Seminar followed by Guided Tour Poker Run Self-guided Tours Vendor Show Field Events Bike Show Bingo Playoff MTA Business Meeting Bike Light Show Thursday, June 24 8AM 9AM - 5PM 9AM 9AM ALL DAY 9AM - 5PM 5PM - 9PM CMA Services Registration Riding Seminar followed by Guided Tour Poker Run Self-guided Tours Vendor Show Catered Dinner Friday June 25 Qty________ 9AM Grand Awards & Farewells ORDER EARLY! Quantities will be limited and no orders will be taken at the Rally. 18 motorcycle roads Jan/Feb 2004 V-Daze Accommodations Holiday Inn (Headquarters) Saddle and Surrey Motel ( 1 mile) 101 S. Saint Vrain Ave. Host Hotel – Attached to the Conference Center E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.rockymountainparkinn.com Bus: 970-586-2332; 800-803-7837 Rooms with two queen beds or one king bed, $99.00 plus tax.. Rooms will be held under the name “MTA, V-Daze” at this rate until May 21, 2004, after which any remaining rooms will be released. 1341 S. Saint Vrain Ave. E-mail : [email protected] Web: www.saddleandsurrey.com Bus: 970-586-3326; 800-204-6226; Fax: 970-577-9584 Rooms with one queen bed,$70.00 plus tax. Rooms with one king bed, $75.00 plus tax. Rooms with two double beds, $75.00 plus tax. Rooms with two queen beds, $89.00 plus tax. Rooms with two queen beds and kitchen, $115.00 plus tax. Rooms will be held under the name “MTA, V-Daze” at these rates until May 7, 2004, after which any remaining rooms will be released. The Inn at Estes Park (1 mile) 1701 N. Lake Ave. / Hwy 34 E-mail : [email protected]; Web: www.innatestespark.com Bus: 970-586-5363; 800-458-1182 Standard rooms with two queen beds, $69.99 plus tax. Standard rooms with one king bed, $69.99 plus tax. Premium rooms with two queen beds, $81.00 plus tax. Premium rooms with one king bed, $81.00 plus tax. Rooms will be held under the name “MTA, V-Daze” at these rates until May 25, 2004, fter which any remaining rooms will be released. Bighorn Mountain Lodge (1 mile) 1340 Big Thompson Ave. E-mail : info@ BigHornMtnLodge.com Web: www.BigHornMtnLodge.com Bus: 970-586-4376; 800-530-8822 Rooms with two queen beds, $69.00 plus tax. Rooms with one king bed, $65.00 plus tax. Upgraded room rate is $75.00 plus tax. All are non-smoking and include continental breakfast. Rooms will be held under the name “MTA, VDaze” at these rates until May 31, 2004. After which any remaining rooms will be released. Camping and Camping Cabins (1-1//2 miles) Estes Park KOA 2051 Big Thompson Ave. E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.koa.com/where/co/06113.htm Bus: 970-586-2888; 800-KOA (562)-1887 Fax: 970-577-9584 Call for rates. No discounts other than the “KOA Value Kard.” Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park (5-1/2 miles) 5495 US Highway 36 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.jellystoneofestes.com Bus: 970-586-4230 800-970-YOGI(9644) Call for rates. Twin Owls Motor Lodge Inc. (1 block) 700 Saint Vrain Ave. E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.RMNP.com/twinowls Bus: 970-586-4471; Fax: 970-586-4810 Rooms with two double beds or two queen beds, $83.00 plus tax. Rooms will be held under the name “MTA, V-Daze” at this rate until May 15, 2004, after which any remaining rooms will be released. Jan/Feb 2004 motorcycle roads When making reservations, be sure to indicate you are with the V-Daze Rally. When making camping reservations, please double check that they allow motorcycles on the premises. MAKE RESERVATIONS EARLY! ( ) = Miles from the conference center 19 Ride With Peace of Mind That You Won't Find Yourself Stranded Chapter Roll Call The following list includes all active MTA Chapters. If there are any chapters not listed that you feel should be, please call the home office at 877-8333687 (toll-free). If there is not a chapter in your area and you are interested in starting one, or at least seeing if there is an interest, please let us know—we can provide you with a current list of members in your area by area code, city, state, etc. PLEASE NOTE: Due to several recent changes in these listings, please verify information for your chapter and call the MTA office if there are any errors. If your chapter has been removed but you are still active, your annual dues may still be outstanding. ALBERTA Emergency Road Service • Any Day • • Any Where • • Any Time • 24 Hours - 365 Days Only $23/year Jack Westgeest 519-651-1264 jwwestgeest@hotmail MO-1 Shawnee, KS ALB-2 Calgary Cliff Lomenda 403-235-1230 cplomenda#shaw.ca OH-7 Litchfield BRITISH COLUMBIA BC-2 Gordon Fairclough Coquitlam 604-939-6304 [email protected] CALIFORNIA CA-3 Torrance Steve Morris 310-325-6388 CA-7 Rocklin Bill Hoffman 916-624-3793 [email protected] COLORADO CO-3 Loveland Randy Frank 970-667-2162 [email protected] (different number than below number) Tour Routing Service Included Multiple Motorcycle Coverage Available in Cont.U.S. & Canada Certain restrictions apply. Road Service is dispatched and administered by Motorcycle Towing Service, Las Vegas, NV. PLEASE NOTE: Year, make, model, and license plate number of motorcycle(s) are necessary to process your application. Fee subject to change. 20 OHIO Larry Wolf 330-723-1487 ONT-1 Darrell Steuer London 519-457-6613 [email protected] OREGON OR-1 Portland Ric Zittenfield 503-771-0525 [email protected] SOUTH CAROLINA SC-1 Bill Reber Columbia 803-749-3339 [email protected] TEXAS TX-1 Houston KANSAS KS-1 Anover For Information or to Join, CALL TOLL FREE: 877-833-3687 Mike Yelton 913-268-0650 ONTARIO For Active Members Toll-Free Telephone Number MISSOURI ALB-1 Edmonton Mike Abercrombie 361-733-4108 [email protected] MICHIGAN MI-2 South Lyon MI-8 Monroe Roger T. Henderson 248-437-5894 [email protected] John Bert 723-241-1298 [email protected] TX-6 Dallas/Ft. Worth Rex Adams 972-414-4690 [email protected] WASHINGTON WA-1 Brenda Ackerman Federal Way 253-946-4433 [email protected] WISCONSIN WI-4 Stevens Point motorcycle roads Dave Brittain 281-996-1287 [email protected] David Ksionsk 715-341-0379 Jan/Feb 2004 Business Support Network A Gold Priority Dealer is a motorcycle dealership, or other motorcycle repair facility, that has pledged to help the members of the MTA obtain firstclass service on a timely basis, and has made a business contribution to help us achieve our goals. If you do not have one listed in your area, consult your Fellow Pages® directory, or contact MTA. ALABAMA ALLSPORT, INC. 2602 Beltline Rd. SW Decatur, AL 35601 (256) 350-9191 CALIFORNIA JIM'S & JIM'S YAMAHA-SUZUKI 910 Santa Rosa Ave. Santa Rosa, CA 95404 (707) 528-1114 GEORGIA CYCLE SPECIALTY, INC. 104 Kenwood Road Fayetteville, GA 30214 (770) 461-3541 or (770) 461-5871 Rt. 3, Box 463 Waynesboro, VA 22980 (540) 943-1111 MONTANA WASHINGTON HI-TECH MOTOR SPORTS 6540 S. Frontage Road Billings, MT 59101 (406) 652-0090 R & J HONDA-YAMAHA 510 Couch St. Vallejo, CA 94590 (707) 643-2548 CAPITOL YAMAHA 4622 Auburn Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95841 (916) 485-9200 OHIO JOE'S CYCLE SHOP 3315 N. Dixie Drive Dayton, OH 45414 (513)278-8081 PENNSYLVANIA THE RIDER'S EDGE RANCHO YAMAHA 9760 Foothill Blvd. Cucamonga, CA 91730 (909) 987-2411 COLORADO FORT COLLINS MOTORSPORTS 1800 S.E. Frontage Rd. Ft. Collins, CO 80525 (970) 498-8858 DELAWARE DIAMOND MOTOR SPORTS, INC. 4395 S. DuPont Hwy. Dover, DE 19901 (302) 697-3222 www.ridems.com FLORIDA 2490 Emmitsburg Road Gettysburg, PA 17325 (717)334-2518 ACTION MOTORSPORTS 1881 Whiteford Rd. York, PA 17402 (717)757-2688 TEXAS MOTION CYCLE SPORTS 9938 Plano Road Dallas, TX 75238 (214) 503-6262 972-276-5026 www.motioncycle.com TEXAS YAMAHA INC. 305 Spencer Highway S. Houston, TX 77587 (713)941-1991 CAHILLS OF N. TAMPA Best Western 800-780-7234 • bestwestern.com Choice Hotels Includes Clarion, Quality (Inns & Suites), Comfort (Inns & Suites), Sleep Inn, MainStay Suites, Econo Lodge, and Rodeway Inn 877-424-6423 • comfortinn.com Days Inn 800-329-7466 • daysinn.com Embassy Suites LYNNWOOD YAMAHA 20420 Hwy. 99 Lynwood, WA 98036 (425) 774-0505 POWERSPORTS NORTHWEST 300 S. Tower Avenue Centralia, WA 98531 (206)736-0166 WISCONSIN MONROE HONDA 502 10th St. Monroe, WI 53566 (608) 325-3071 800-362-2779 • embassysuites.com Extended StayAmerica 800-398-7829 • extendedstay.com Hampton Inn & Suites 800-426-7866 • hamptoninn.com Hilton Hotels 800-445-8667 • hilton.com Holiday Inn 800-465-4329 sixcontinentshotels.com Howard Johnson 800-446-4656 • hojo.com Hyatt Regency EAU CLAIRE CYCLE MIKE'S BIKES Hwy. 90 & 100 A East Lake City, FL 32024 (386) 758-4778 VIRGINIA WAYNE CYCLES SHOP HOTEL / MOTEL INFORMATION 3620 Mall Drive Eau Claire, WI 54701 (715) 835-1442 (sales) (715) 832-6058 (service) DONAHUE'S SUPER SPORTS 6821 Hwy. 54 East Wixconsin Rapids, WI 54494 (715)424-1762 WYOMING MOUNTAIN VALLEY ENGINE SVC. 422 Yellowstone Ave. Cody, WY 82414 (307)587-6218 888-591-1234 • hyatt.com La Quinta Inn / Inns & Suites 800-531-5900 • lq.com Marriott Hotels Includes Renaissance, Courtyard, Residence Inn, and Fairfield Inn. 888-236-2427 • marriott.com Motel 6 800-466-8356 • motel6.com Super 8 800-800-8000 • super8.com Travelodge 800-578-7878 • travelodge.com BROADWAY YAMAHA-SUZUKI 400 S. Broadway Tyler, TX 75702 (903)595-6288 8920 N. Armenia Ave. Tampa, FL 33604 (813) 932-2788 www.cahills.com Jan/Feb 2004 motorcycle roads 21 High Mileage C lub The HMC is open to all members and their associates; however this is a benefit from when the club was the Venture Touring Society, and the initial pins from which the mileage bars hang reflect that name. When you reach your first 25,000 miles, fill out the form below and send it in with $2.50 to receive your high mileage pin and first 25K bar. Each additional 25K bar for reaching 50,000 and 75,000 miles traveled are $1.50 each. When you reach 100,000 miles, and have already purchased your pin and first three 25K bars, we will send you a 100K bar free. Also, notify us when you reach 200,000, 300,000, etc. These miles do not need to be on one bike, but should be miles traveled while a member of the MTA/VTS. MEMBERS OUTSIDE U.S.: Please convert your kilometers to miles. Initial Pin and 25K Bar - $2.50 Additional 25K Bars - $1.50 each Additioanl 100K Bars - $1.50 each FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW AND SEND WITH CHECK OR M.O. TO: MTA High Mileage Club 11539 Village Pl. Dr. Houston, TX 77077 MTA High Mileage Club _____________________________________ Member # Mileage _____________________________________ Name _____________________________________ Address _____________________________________ City/State/Zip Presently Member of HMC (Y or N) _______ 22 MEMBER ADS Member ads are available at no cost to active members of the Motorcycle Touring Association. Ads must be motorcycle related and will run for one issue only unless you request otherwise. If running “until further notice,” please notify us to cancel immediately once the item has sold. To place an ad, call 877-833-3687 or e-mail to [email protected]. FOR SALE: 1971 Harley FLH. Very good condition w/ 6386 original miles. Stored and maintained for last 24 years. $16,000 or best offer. Call Robert at 906-248-5914 Brimley, MI or 705-2543204 in Ontario. e-mail: [email protected] FOR SALE: 1987 Venture Royale, 1300 cc, cream and brown, AM/FM/ Cass/CB cruise, wind wings, highway boards, lower reflector light kit, mud flap and wired for trailer w/trailer hitch. Travelcade seat w/backrest ad rain covers. Full cover for bike. 41 K miles. Ready to take you anywhere you wish. Health prevents my riding. $4,000 firm. Call Ed, 360-876-9425 or e-mail: [email protected]. WA FOR SALE: Parts for 86-93 Yamaha Venture and Venture Royale. Call Lloyd or Sonya, 405-634-3822. OK Motorcyle Roads Submission of Articles and Photographs ARTICLES can be mailed or emailed as an attached file. Electronic files should be in MS Word (2002 or lower), Word Perfect (vs. 9 or lower), or MS Works. PHOTOGRAPHS should be mailed or sent electronically as a med. to high-res TIFF or JPEG. (150 to 300 dpi). For mailed photos, please include a SASE if you would like to have them returned. NEWSLETTER EDITORS: If you have photos, please send them along with your newsletters! WANTED: 86-93 Venture & V. Royale motorcycles: wrecked or not running. Also interested in parts or access. for same. Must be reasonably priced. Call Lloyd or Sonya, 405-6343822. OK WANTED: Cycle Comm parts. Looking for an extension cable to connect the remote CB unit to the control head. A 5- to 6-foot extension was offered some years back. It has 16 pin (4 rows of 4) connectors on each end. Call Jim, 262-325-0961. WI NOW AVAILABLE: New OEM replacement carb diaphragms for all models, Venture and V-Max. With new formulation gasoline, diaphragm will develop holes and tears which hurts performance and mileage. Yamaha sugg. list, $90—my price is $65 each and includes US postage. Also Now available: Brake Rebuild Kits for all 83-85 Ventures, front and rear @ $25.95. Includes seals, dust ring, valve cover; Brake Master Cylinder Rebuild Kit for 83-85 @$25.95; and Clutch Rebuild Kit for all 1st generation Ventures @ $29.95. Contact Steve Morris by telephone 310325-6388; fax: 310-539-4630; or email: [email protected]. CA Motorcycle Roads (c/o Sue Kaiser) 6290 Apple Orchard Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89142 [email protected] motorcycle roads Jan/Feb 2004 MTA Membership Application Member # (Please Print Clearly) (for renewals only) Member Name ______________________________________________________________ ___________ FIRST INITIAL LAST AGE Associate Member Name ______________________________________________________________ ___________ FIRST INITIAL LAST AGE Mailing Address: Street or P.O. Box _______________________________________ Phone (_________) ________________ City ____________________________ State/Prov. ___________ Zip ___________ Country ____________ (If other than U.S.) E-Mail Address (Will only be published if indicated below.) _________________________________________________ Where did you hear about the MTA? Magazine ___________________________ Dealership _______________________________ Will you be joining a chapter? Motorcycle #1 _____________________________ Year Make/Model Plate # Motorcycle #2 _____________________________ Year Make/Model Plate # Full Membership: Other _________________________ __________________________ Optional Emergency Road Service Program — Just $23/Year* Fellow Riders Not at this time Information to the left is necessary for the Emergency Road Service Program. You may register as many bikes as you own (none older than 1980), but YOU MUST be the driver to be covered. Coverage expires on the expiration or anniversary date of your membership, and can only be renewed for one year at a time. If joining MTA for 2 or 3 years, an ERS renewal notice will be sent. If an associate member drives their own bike and would like ERS coverage, they must also pay the $23 fee. *Coverage is limited to the first $100 of each tow. Certain Restrictions Apply. $ 1 yr. / $35 Includes Pin, Embroidered Patch, Membership Card, Decal, 12-months of Motorcycle Roads, Annual Tour Directory, $1,000 AD&D*, Touring Rebates, Courtesy Cards, and numerous discount opportunities. (*Member reply card must be returned.) Associate Membership: $ $5 / yr. Must be sponsored by a Full Member. Includes all of the above, except decal and magazine. Emergency Road Service (Only with Membership) $23/yr. $ Total Amount Enclosed (Outside U.S.A. — Add $8.00 per year to cover extra mailing costs.) $__________ Referred by (for recruiter credit) ________________________ MTA # (if known) __________ Method of Payment: Check or M.O. VISA MC Discover Card # ______________________________________ Exp. ________________ Signature ____________________________________ Date ________________ Annual Tour Directory — MTA Fellow Pages Please Include My Name and Telephone Number/E-mail (optional) Please Do Not List (Note: e-mail address above if you would also like it listed) Additional Services I can provide to fellow members are: Pick-Up Truck/Bike Trailer Tent Space Lodging Tech 'N Tools Office Use Only RX ____________ LG ____________ CU _____________ PK _____________ ERS: Begin ________ End _________ Mail application to: MTA, 11539 Village Pl. Dr., Houston, TX 77077 If paying by credit card, call toll-free, 877-833-3687; or apply or renew Online at www.mtariders.com Jan/Feb 2004 motorcycle roads 23 NEW! MTA Merchandise MTA Logo T-Shirts Hat/Lapel Pin Made of heavy, preshrunk cotton. In black with the MTA wheel logo in bright colors on the back and the MTA wheel logo on the left chest. In natural or heather with the Riding with Friends logo on the back and the MTA wheel logo on the left chest. Long sleeve ...................... $ 12.00 Short Sleeve ..................... $ 10.00 2X .............................. add $ 1.00 3X .............................. add $ 2.00 (Included with membership) Pin .................. $ 4.00 CHAPTER Shirts & Caps Embroidered Patch Colorful 8” patch looks great on jacket or vest back ...... $10.00 4” Patch (incl. w/membership) also available .............. $ 4.00 No extra charge to have your chapter designation included on front and back of shirts and embroidered on caps. Min. order of 12. VTS / Venture Merchandise CLEARANCE SALE! Brass Belt Buckle (orig. $18.50) ....................... $ Black Leather Hats (orig. $30) ............................. $ Venture Suspenders (orig. $14) ............................. $ Embroidered Venture Cap (orig. $10) ............... $ 1st Generation Tech Tip Book ..................... $ V-Eagel and V-Rose Pins (each) .......................... $ 13.00 25.00 10.00 8.00 20.00 2.00 Caps not exactly as shown above. Caps, heavy black with gold embroidered wheel logo ......$ 10.00 To place a credit card order, call toll-free: 877-833-3687 or order online at http://www.mtariders.com/acatalog/ NEW! Now you can place your order online! QTY Or, mail this form along with a check, money order or credit card info. to: MTA, 11539 Village Pl. Dr., Houston, TX 77077 DESCRIPTION U.S. Shipping Charges: up to $9.99 ............... $4.00 $10 - $24.99 ............. $5.95 $25 - $49.99 ............. $8.95 $50 - $99.99 ........... $10.95 $100 & over ........... $14.95 Next day, 2nd day or 3rd day air available for additional cost. Call for quote on out-of-country shipping. Texas residents add 8.25% sales tax. COLOR SIZE AMOUNT Name _________________________________ Member # _______________________ Address _______________________________ Phone _______________________ City __________________________________ State ________ Zip ____________ Check/M.O. ____ MC ____ VISA ____ Disc ____ CC# ______________________________ Exp. ___________ Signature __________________________ Date ___________