The Blue Ridge Breeze - BMW Motorcycles of Asheville

The
Blue Ridge
Breeze
A Publication of the Asheville BMW Riders
May - 2014
BMWMOA Club #353 & BMWRA Club #339
Schedule of Club Events
5/3
Saturday
9am Social Gathering
Asheville - Eurosport Asheville
30 Bryson Street, Asheville, NC 28803
6/7
Saturday
9am Social Gathering
Asheville - Eurosport Asheville
30 Bryson Street, Asheville, NC 28803
5/18
Sunday
9am Social Gathering
South Asheville – Katuah Market
2 Hendersonville, Rd, Asheville, NC 28803
6/15
Sunday
9am Social Gathering
South Asheville – Katuah Market
2 Hendersonville, Rd, Asheville, NC 28803
5/20 Tuesday Club Meeting –
Kent Skoug Presents “GPS 101”
Eurosport Asheville
30 Bryson Street, Asheville, NC 28803
6/17 Tuesday Club Meeting –
Surprise! - TBA
Eurosport Asheville
30 Bryson Street, Asheville, NC 28803
Use this handy device to enhance adventures!
7/5
Saturday
9am Social Gathering
Asheville - Eurosport Asheville
30 Bryson Street, Asheville, NC 28803
7/15 Tuesday Club Meeting –
Eurosport Asheville
30 Bryson Street, Asheville, NC 28803
The Blue Ridge Breeze
May 14 Page | 2
Mark Your Calendars
MAY 2-4, 2014
24th Georgia Mountain Rally
BMW Motorcycle Club of Georgia
Georgia Mountain Fairground,
1311 Music Hall Rd., Hiawassee, GA 30546
http://www.bmwmcoga.org
May 8 - 11, 2014
BUZZARD BOTTOM 7
Enjoy awesome roads and camaraderie at BB7,
presented by Buzzard Brent and Poverty Riders
International (BMWMOA #131; BMWRA #131) at High
Country Motorcycle Camp, Ferguson, NC just 20
miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is a
comfortable gathering for motorcycle riders; not a
constructed rally. HCMC camping rates apply and
meals will be available. Come early and stay
late. Motorcycle only campground is open all
season. http://www.highcountrymotorcyclecamp.com/
May 17th, 2014
Blue Ridge High Pass Boogie
Asheville, NC (Starting and Ending Location)
Save the date and see pages 4, 6, 7, 10 & 11 for
more about this ABMWR event. This is a long
one-day event promoted by our club in
conjunction with Eurosport Asheville, and is a
fundraiser for the Blue Ridge Parkway
Foundation.
more info contact John Koenig at
[email protected]
May 26 - 31, 2014
The Adventure RAid
Birmingham, AL
www.advRAid.com
Take an adventure tour to Barber Motorsports
and ride off-road right onsite at the BMW RA
Rally. An outstanding adventure ride awaits you,
along with a whole slate of activities to keep you
entertained.
May 29-June 1st 2014
BMWRA National Rally
Barber Motorsports
Leeds, Alabama
www.bmwra.org
The 2014 RA Rally will be held at Barber, earlier
this year to avoid the summer heat. BMW RA
board member (our own) Kent Skoug has all the
info, but don’t wait too much longer to make your
plans.
June 13 - 15
22nd Gathering of the Clans
at High Country Motorcycle Camp
Airmarshals of Virginia and North Carolina invite
all Airheads, those who ride airheads and other
members of the motorcycling community to this
gathering. Map readers can try to locate
Ferguson, NC (it’s a very small place) to get
some idea of where they are headed, the
computer savvy may want to look at
www.highcountrymotorcyclecamp.com
July 20 - 26, St. Paul, MN
The GS Giant
Ride through the land with all the lakes and party
like the ground pounder you are. There will be
four separate GS Gypsy Tours to choose from as
you ride to the BMW MOA Rally, along with three
days of activities once there. www.GSGiant.com
July 24-27th 2014
BMWMOA International Rally
Minnesota State Fairgrounds
St Paul, MN
www.bmwmoa.org
This big event is planned in the North-Central
area of the US this year, so it may escape the
heat as well. We’re sure it will again be the
Big Kahuna of BMW shows and rallies in this
country.
The Blue Ridge Breeze May 14
Page |3
President’s Message
By Jim McMains
May 2014
Hello Fellow ABMWR’rs!
What a great meeting
and huge turnout we had
in April with the Pizza
Night and Introduction of
new bikes by Eurosport.
Our hats off and thanks
to Justin and Denise for
their opener on some
new riding gear and the talks on the bikes with Justin,
John and Thomas and Co. Between the meeting
business and the actual start of the presentation, I
took note of how much fun everyone was having
socializing and telling stories. It made me happy to
see that there was no one standing alone or sitting in
a corner by themselves. We are really becoming a
family in this club, and that is what it is all about. I
everyone has more enjoyment by being able to just
hang around and shoot the breeze, as well as get
some top rate information from our monthly meetings.
That has been our goal and we will continue to
provide!
I will leave any further information for our Blue Ridge
Parkway Foundation fund raiser to John, as I am sure
he will have a nice write up for this newsletter. I want
to take this space to say thank you again to all of you
in this club. From volunteering when needed to just
participating by building your new friend base from
within our ranks. The simple act of putting out a
Facebook, Yahoo or Website request to ride or inform
others of events allows all of us the opportunity to
experience something together if our schedule allows.
With summer just around the corner, I hope to see a
lot of activity on our social media which leads to all of
these spontaneous rides. Our bi-monthly gatherings
are a good place to start for those who need a
structured calendar to plan anything, but the “called
for” riding can open up a new world of socializing. Just
this past month we had pushes for a ride to Nashville,
The Georgie Mountain Rally, a Continental Divide off
roader, and a Vintage Bike show among others. We
appreciate those who take the time to want to join with
others by putting out a message. Just having our club
facilitates this kind of good stuff among the members.
From old members to new members, give it a try
sometime: put out a request to meet up with some of
your club members or answer a request from others.
The only thing we will ask as a club is that you try not
to conflict with our planned Bi-Monthly gatherings if at
all possible. If you were thinking of doing something
special on a weekend and our gathering is taking
place that same weekend, why not mention that as
a suggestion for the day? You will probably wind up
with a lot more joining you, plus we are always looking
for suggestions for where to go after the gatherings. It
would be a win-win for everyone.
The bottom line is we all want to ride, sometimes
alone, but we typically enjoy the company of others
especially when stopping for gas and food. Nothing is
better than talking about the experience of the roads
we have just ridden together and the sights we
have seen. We join things for a reason, and hopefully
you all will have the opportunity to attend something
with a fellow member. I believe that is why you joined
this great club. At over 200 strong, the opportunities
should be endless. A nice start might be our
Fundraising event this month :-)
Enjoy this nice warmer weather and I’ll see you down
the road.
Jim
The ABMWR
Members of our club share many things
in common, including a love of riding,
being outdoors, a fondness for BMW
motorcycles regardless of type or age,
and the camaraderie of our sport. We
are a social club, focused on riding, and
take full advantage of our area’s
beautiful roads and scenery. Although
our club is based in North Carolina,
membership and participation from all
surrounding areas are encouraged.
For membership information, view our
website at www.abmwr.org or drop us a
line at ABMWR
PO Box 5103
Asheville, NC 28813
The Blue Ridge Breeze
Club News
May 14 Page | 4
High Pass Boogie Update
By John Koenig
This is the month folks! It’s finally time to Boogie.
After 6 months of work and energy, May 17th is
almost upon us and the stage is set. Our club is
ready to host its first regional event, and its first
charity fund-raiser.
Thank You
From Our Club Secretary Kent Skoug.
Back in January I was telling the chapters that I
work with that I was running for the Board of
Directors for the BMW RA. I have gotten so much
out of motorcycling for so long that for the last few
years that I’ve been trying to give something
back.
The elections were held in February and I was
elected. For those that voted for me I wanted to
say, “Thank you.” For those that didn’t, I wanted
to at least thank you for your consideration.
If there is anything I can assist you with,
concerning the RA, or any issues you would like
brought to the attention of the RA, please let me
know.
Again, I thank you.
Kent Skoug
(Editor’s Note: Please be sure to congratulate
Kent about his new position.)
The route’s a fine one, the mountains are starting
to green up, and I think our guests will be
pleased. So far, the registration roster for the
event shows a 50-50 mix of locals and out-of-area
guests.
We’ll optionally be “grouping” riders at sign-in on
the morning of the 17th. I encourage you ABMWR
folks to pick up a few “outside” riders if the
opportunity presents itself. And any chance you
get, make these folks feel welcome.
We’ve ridden and re-ridden the route. Details
have been fine-tuned by Kent, and I guarantee
you’ll be impressed! Sometimes we become
calloused by living here full time, and take the
beauty for granted. To tie such a string of great
motorcycle roads together for a one day ride
really drives the fact home that we are so
fortunate to live and ride here.
The Boogie promises to be the event of the year
for our club. Consider being a part of this event in
some way. Attend the evening mixer on the 16th
at The Cantina, or attend the ride on the 17th. No
time? No worry. Sponsor someone else to ride, or
just donate to the Foundation through our club. It
all works, and it’s truly all good.
This of course, will be the last month that I will
shamelessly promote the wonderful 2014
Blue Ridge High Pass Boogie via this newsletter.
Get involved, y’all. And thanks to everyone that’s
already signed up.
For more info contact John Koenig at
[email protected]
The Blue Ridge Breeze May 14
Featured Member
Hi all, Elwood Miles
here. I've lived in
Asheville all my life and
retired in 2006 after 34
years as the third
generation to manage
the Miles Building
overlooking Pritchard
Park downtown. I live
on a labor intensive two
acres in Beaverdam
Valley, North Asheville.
I became interested in motorcycling while a
student at Clemson in 1964 (yeah, at 72 I'm
getting, well, slightly past prime). A buddy there
had a Cushman scooter and used to scare me to
death on the back seat buzzing around campus,
leaning hard in the turns. But I borrowed it from
him one weekend to (attempt to) ride the 90 miles
home. Didn't know I shouldn't keep it at its 45
mph top speed. Ten miles up the road it holed a
piston. We towed it back and he patched it up
and sold it. But I was hooked for life in that ten
miles! I bought an Allstate branded Vespa 175 for
$10 from a student that was worn out. But I got
600 miles out of it before upgrading to an Allstate
Puch “twin single” two stroke for $175, also from
a student. At least that was a real motorcycle
even if its rear piston did seize up if I held it at its
top 65 too long. But it used to “nickel and dime
me to death.” Someone told me that BMWs
“didn't give much trouble” and I replied “That's
what I need.” So upon my return from Vietnam in
1967 (was just a parts clerk; signed up for an
extra year to ensure that…) I bought a '59 R50
– for $375 (that needed a lot of work). I kept it
eight years, rode it 50K miles, including what is
still my longest trip ever, 16,000 miles and nearly
three months, going to Key West, FL and then to
Circle, Alaska with an Army buddy in 1970. And
we did that on $400 each! Camped in the woods,
stayed in $3 camp grounds, ate from grocery
stores, gas was 29.9¢/gal. Sold it for $850 in
1974 when I picked up a damaged/repaired '74
R90/6 with only 800 miles on it. (at a good price see a trend here?) It had 107,000 on it when I
Page |5
swapped for a '76 R90/6 (which I still have) in
1982. I've put 114,000 on that one towing a trailer
much of the time (It’s named by rally-goers “Taj
Mahal” as it's a 10'x10' cabin tent when opened
out over the fold-top trailer. Sadly, I wrecked the
Taj a few years back in Wyoming while being
towed by my first K1200LT – replaced by another
'99 LT which I later sold for my present '05
R12000RT.) In between I've had an '83 R80RT
(painted in 'Motosport' colors with tri-color striping
and orange around the headlight) that I also still
own; keep it in the lanai at my Florida trailer. And
I had to junk an '85 K100RT after it started using
oil. All in all I've racked up just over 300,000 miles
since '67 and have ridden in all states except
North Dakota and Hawaii, and most of the
Canadian Provinces.
A friend had me join BMW RA in 1973 (I'm
#1517) and he knew some of its officers. Through
him I ended up being first a “State Director” then
“District Governor.” And then VP for four years,
then President for four years, all in the late 70s to
early 80s period. For twenty years after that I
'relaxed' before serving a couple terms as
Trustee. This friend, now deceased and I started
and ran the Cass, WV rally for twelve years
before others took it over.
Most of my riding has been in going to rallies and
vacation trips. Not too much around here (which
is a shame considering the beauty of our area
and its twisties) as “I'm always busy”. Remember
what I said about the two acres? A big vegetable
garden occupies part of it... And I have other
hobbies such as amateur radio, photography,
boating/fishing.
I was immediately attracted to formation of the
Asheville BMW Riders as I'd long had the thought
that there should be a local club – but never
acted on it myself. And I'm impressed with the
professionalism shown in its organization. I am a
bit embarrassed that I don't attend events as
much as many members do, but do recall those
mentions of “labor intensive” and “other hobbies,”
so please have mercy. And, in retirement I'm also
now able to spend time away. Like at that Florida
trailer. I will make a greater effort in the future to
show up at more of the rides!!
The Blue Ridge Breeze
May 14 Page | 6
Boogie Has Been Upgraded
By John Koenig
To sweeten the pot, the BRHPB has been upgraded! Due to popular request, our planning
committee has decided to serve 12-Bones’ famous ribs as part of the evening dinner and
celebration on Saturday, May 17th. This $8.00 upgrade will be included as part of the Boogie
registration. Also as requested, 12-Bones will have a cash-bar set up. Regular soft drinks and teas
will be part of the registration package, but attendees can additionally buy a liberal array of
Asheville’s finest craft beers that evening directly from 12-Bones; the choice will be yours. And this
might be the kicker: even Lyle Lovett and Harrison Ford are considering registration (under John
Does, of course). And rumor has it that “Barry the Bomber” Obama has been considering a run at
the Boogie. After all, it’ll be the only way he can score some 12-Bones ribs and Green Man ESB on
a Saturday Night in Asheville!
See Page 10 for information and Page 11 or Registration
The Blue Ridge Breeze May 14
Page |7
VP Report
involved, and challenge you to participate in as
many of these five events as you can.
By John Koenig
As your meeting program planner, I’ve lined up
Kent Skoug for the May meeting program. Kent
will explain the usage of GPS on a motorcycle.
After a short “GPS 101” course on basic usage,
he’ll demystify the idiosyncrasies that baffle some
of us technologically challenged folks. He will also
offer tips and techniques for beginners and
veterans alike. I’m sure everyone will leave the
meeting with a few valuable nuggets, no matter
what their level of expertise. Be there. The extra
knowledge will be invaluable for summer travel
and exploration!
Hi Folks,
Life is good.
Weather’s
straightening out,
the days keep
getting longer, and
riding a motorcycle
just feels natural again. It’s time for evening rides
after work, longer club rides on the weekends,
and maybe a few long weekend road trips. For
some of us fortunate enough to be retired or have As always, be safe, and enjoy.
a flexible work schedule, there’s even the magical John
weekday ride up to Pisgah Inn for breakfast or
lunch. The bikes are off their “life support” tenders
Upcoming ABMWR Meeting
by now, and we’re hopefully all purring like
Presentations
content bikes and riders. Wow! It’s finally Spring
By John Koenig
for sure.
The April ABMWR membership meeting was a
good one. There was certainly reminiscing and
discussion of the tough winter past, but I heard a
lot of talk of the future. Folks are looking at new
bikes, or planning to fix up or embellish their
present bikes. They talk of trips, plans, and shiny
metal or sticky tires. The Eurosport bunch hosted
us with liquid refreshments and introduced us to
their new line of bikes. Our club hosted its
members with free pizza, one of the many
benefits of membership. But the most profound
thing I noticed at the April meeting was member
Interaction. There were no single people off in
a corner. Instead, the room was abuzz with
interaction, whether it was groups of 2, 3, 4,
or however many. Old friends and new
acquaintances alike... all discussing “things”
while enjoying pizza. Prez Jimmy and I marveled
at it all. “Now that’s what this club stuff is all
about!” !
And now on to May! With great weather ahead,
the club has a busy month on tap: Two
Gatherings, two Boogie Events, and a club
Membership Meeting. I encourage everyone to be
May 2014
“GPS 101”, by Kent Skoug, will be our May
presentation. Kent will lead us through the basics of
using GPS on a motorcycle. Almost all of you can use
your GPS units to navigate to an address or seek out
a Starbucks, but many of us don’t know much more
than that. Join us in May to expand your knowledge.
The Blue Ridge Breeze
May 14 Page | 8
Editor’s Ramblings
By Gary Cox
FROM THE ROAD
On the road again and
without my motorcycle, as
I sit here in Kansas City
(Missouri) typing on my
laptop and not my normal
24 inch monitor trying to
put the News Letter
together. I am on a
business trip this week
(last week of April), hence
the reason for a shorter than typical News Letter and
missing some of the normal content. Being on the
road for work makes me realize how good life is and I
find that I really miss what I have at home. Some of
the things that I miss are riding, a larger monitor (the
older I get the hard it is to see the screens on these
laptops), and I miss my lovely wife very much (who
the true editor of the News Letter). (Aah Hah!)
Even though the News Letter is a little shorter, by no
means does it mean that April wasn’t a good month
for the club. At the first Saturday social gathering
several us took off for a ride that started out going
over Town Mountain Road and then up and over 197
to Burnsville. It was a great ride and we hand fun at
lunch sharing stories and telling lies. Then the Board
of Directors met to finish ironing out some of the
details for the High Pass Boogie. The Tuesday Club
Meeting followed where the good people of Eurosport
Asheville tempted us with new bike models and gear.
The Sunday social gathering was canceled but a few
people met up anyway, via the yahoo blast, and
chased some white rabbits. All the while I was setting
at home putting the finishing touches on blowing my
New Year’s resolution by eating the ears off of a
chocolate bunny ;( Okay, I did squeeze in a short ride
on Easter, but mostly sat around eating some really
good food. (Who’s responsible?)
The rest of the spring and early summer is looking
busy and good for the club, and I for one am looking
forward to Kent’s presentation on GPS units. While I
can use them in a car, I have no real idea of what I
need to look for for a bike, and even less for
generating routes etc. So I will certainly benefit from
learning a little more about GPS uses on a
motorcycle. I know that I am certainly thankful that the
GPS on my phone was able to get me from the airport
to my hotel in the middle of an in-land Typhoon. Not a
lot of fun to drive in and even less fun to be in a plane
flying over the nasty weather.
While I would rather set here and ramble on, I had
better start getting ready for an early start tomorrow
and brush up on some of the training material that I
am supposed to be presenting.
Be Safe and I look forward to more riding as the year
goes on,
Gary
Welcome New Members
Doug Alderman - Fairview, NC
Donald L. Crissey - Palmetto Bay, FL
Lloyd Curry - Hayesville, NC
Donald Nichols - Gilbert, SC
Richard W. Ridlehuber – Spartanburg,
SC
Joe Russell - Duluth, MN
Lucas Schaper - Candler, NC
Jerry Lee Wood - Fletcher, NC
The Blue Ridge Breeze May 14
Page |9
The Blue Ridge Breeze
M a y 1 4 P a g e | 10
2014 Blue Ridge High Pass Boogie
Promoted By: Asheville BMW Riders
In Conjunction With: Eurosport Asheville
To Benefit: Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
May 17th, 2014
General Information:
The Asheville BMW Riders and Eurosport Asheville proudly
present their inaugural running of an all-day Appalachian Mountain Challenge by motorcycle.
This wonderful benefit ride will provide opportunities for participants to enjoy scenic mountain
vistas, Appalachian high country, open meadows, mountain valleys, beautiful streams, and
generally all of the great riding our Blue Ridge Mountains are famous for. You’ll enjoy paved
mountain by-way riding at its best, while cresting or skirting some of the highest passes in four
states on this 480 mile loop. Shortcuts will be available to allow more leisurely-paced riders to
select a route that reduces mileage and ride time. This ride will follow a loose rally format,
although riders will receive directions for the entire route (including short-cut options) up front at
check-in. Riders will then depart at their own pace and ride with others (if desired) in small
groups according to their riding style or personal preference. The all-paved-road loop will take
about 10 hours if running at posted speed limits. Allowing for stops along the way, riders should
have plenty of time to re-collect for a catered dinner back at 12-Bones Barbecue in South
Asheville. Participation includes a commemorative ride t-shirt, bike sticker, continental breakfast,
catered dinner, and many door prizes during dinner. Fuel, food, and rest facilities are readily
available along the route. Lunch will be on your own.
Eligibility:
All riders and brands of motorcycles are welcome to participate in this
benefit event.
Benefit Info:
All proceeds from this event, minus basic expenses, will be donated to
the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. We couldn’t have found a more appropriate
beneficiary for our ride!
Date: Saturday, May 17, 2014, Rain or shine.
Registration and Cost:
Riders must pre-register for this event by sending their
name, address, and email address, with the registration fee, or use the Pay Pal feature
on our website (www.abmwr.org). Registration form appears below and is also
available at Eurosport Asheville or our website. Registration is limited to 150
participants, and will be on a first-come, first-signed basis. IMPORTANT: The closing
date for registration will be April 16th, 2014. Late registration after that date will only be
available if space permits, and will not guarantee an event t-shirt. The registration fee is
$85 per person, applies to all participants (i.e., 2-up requires two fees) and is nonrefundable.
The Blue Ridge Breeze May 14
P a g e | 11
Releases: Each rider and passenger must sign a release relieving Eurosport Asheville
and the Asheville BMW Riders of any and all liability resulting from any accident, loss, or
damage, in connection with this event.
Check-In: Check-in begins at 6:30 am at Eurosport Asheville, 30 Bryson Street,
Asheville, NC 28803. Eurosport will also have their parts and service departments open
for last minute pre-ride needs. Registration closes at 8:00 am sharp.
Optional Additional Event: There will be an Optional Reception Mixer at 7:00pm on
Friday May 16th at The Cantina in Biltmore Village. This will also be a Blue Ridge
Parkway Fundraiser, and will be a great opportunity to meet and greet the organizers,
promoters, other riders, and area patrons for the next day’s ride. Limited space will cap
this reception at 50 people. The $55.00 fee will include a “dinner” buffet and bar
selections.
Individual Entry Form
Blue Ridge High Pass Boogie
May 17, 2014
Name___________________________________________________________
Address___________________________________________________________
Email Address _____________________________________________________
Phone (cell)___________________________________________________________
Pilot or Co-Pilot (Circle One)
T-Shirt Size (Circle One) SMLXLXXL
Optional Friday Evening Reception $55 additional (Circle)YesNo
Send Completed Form, with Check for Saturday Ride = $85 per person
or (add additional $55 if opting for Friday Evening Reception)
Check total for both Friday Reception and Saturday Ride = $140 per person.
Each Participant must fill out their own form (i.e. 2-up requires 2 fees & 2 forms)
Make checks payable to ABMWR and Mail with completed forms to:
ABMWR, PO Box 5103, Asheville, NC 28813
Sign-up and payment may also be completed using PayPal on our website, at
www.ABMWR.org
The Blue Ridge Breeze
M a y 1 4 P a g e | 12