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1 Friends!!! For!!! Fun!!! Safety!! Knowledge Gold Wing Road Riders Association Michigan * Region D * Chapter MI-G * Midnight Riders Chapter G Gathering Cheshire Grill 2162 Plainfield NW Grand Rapids, MI *****Sunday July 15, 2012***** 8:30am Breakfast 9:00am Gathering For more information, or to be added to our phone tree, please contact one of our Chapter Staff. See page 9 for contact information. We hope to see you out there...ride Safely. July 2012 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Cheshire Grill 2 3 Staff 1:00 Ride 2: WING DING 7 WING DING 8 WING DING Shelby Gem Stone Ride Cheshire Grill 9:00 & ride 15 **Gathering BW3 & Paw Paw ride Sam s Joint Lunch 22 Grant Depot breakfast 29 Cheshire Grill & Leadership Ride Buffalo Wild Wings Vietnam Wall Escort Ride Ride/Activity Information 2,3 CD s Articles 4 Rider Ed Info 5 G News 6,7 Birthday s & Anniversaries 8 Chapter G Web Site: Motorcycles for sale 9 Wing Ding 10 Staff Connect 11 Sponsor Advertisements 12, 13, 14 More Chapter G Photos are at: 1

2 July is for Riding IT S SUMMER!!! There s lots to do and lots to think about!!! And lots of places to go!!! After Sunday breakfasts, we plan to ride as the weather permits. July 1:!! 9:00 am:! Breakfast at Cheshire Grill Ride after July 3:!! 1:00 pm! Staff Meeting at Harry & Marcia Emmert's!!!! 482 Hubbard NE Grand Rapids!! 2:00 pm! Meet at Harry & Marcia's!!!!! RIDE Grand River Ave East, Courntryside ride!!!!! Ride through Fallasburg Park Covered Bridge!!!!! Ending at Lowell for (what else?) ICE CREAM July 4!!!! HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY July 6:!!! WING DING!!!! Meet at US-131 & 76 St at the Mobil Gas Station. 9:00 Breakfast,!!!! Leave at 10:00 July 8:! 9:00 am! Breakfast at Cheshire Grill!!!! For those who are not going to Wing Ding!!!! RIDE: Pack a picnic lunch or road kill you find on the ride!!!! TO:! Either Wabasis Lake or High Rollaway!!!! Rex & Shela or Harry and Marcia will be your hosts July 14:! 10:00 am! SHELBY GEMSTONE RIDE **Bag Lunch**!!!! Meet at 7 Mile Road & Alpine NW Meijer Gas Station!!!! Ride to Shelby to see the gem stones being made, and more...!!!! 2

3 July is for Riding July 15:! 8:30 am! ******VERY IMPORTANT MONTHLY GATHERING*****!!!! Breakfast at Cheshire Grill & Show off your ride!!! ***** PLEASE park your PRIDE & JOY in the front of the building for a PHOTO of all the bikes. Captain Teddy Midnight, Jr. will be there to greet you. He missed everyone while he was gone. July 17:! 2:00 pm! BW3 and PAW PAW RIDE!!!! Meet at the Bostic s Residence and Ride to PAW PAW!!!!!! AND for our working friends: 6:00 pm! Meet at Buffalo Wild Wings on Alpine (3050 Alpine NW) for!! wings and things July 21:! 11:00 am! SAM S JOINT IN PLAINWELL LUNCH RIDE!!!! Meet at US-131 & 76 Street Mobil Gas Station July 22:! 8:30 am! CITY OF GRANT, THE DEPOT FOR BREAKFAST!!!! Meet at 7 Mile Road and Alpine NW July 25! 8:00 am! ESCORT THE MOVING VIETNAM WALL!!!! Meet at the Gun Lake Casino to escort the moving wall!!!! To honor our veterans July 29! 9:00 am! BREAKFAST AT CHESHIRE GRILL ** Bag Lunch**!!!! LEADERSHIP RIDE: Share the position of Lead Bike!!!! (This is really fun!!! You never know where this leads)!!!! (aka: let s get lost ride )!!!! 3

4 CD s Corner June is almost over and July is coming up fast. The weather has been nice, so we took a ride to the Dragon & Blue Ridge. We missed all of you. We enjoyed the scenery. We have many pictures. W e will try to make a CD for all to see them on a computer. We also took a ride and got back our teddy bear. Our teddy bear has ridden more than we have this year. We have a photo album of all his adventures. In July we are going to Wing Ding on Friday, July 6. We are meeting at the 76th Street and US-131 Mobil Gas Station. Please read the newsletter and it will tell you what rides we have scheduled for the month. July looks to be a good month to ride. We will have a ride also for those who are not going to Wing Ding. I do hope to see everybody at July 15 gathering!!! We are supposed to park in the front of Cheshire Grill. He wants to take a picture of our bikes. Since they ride Harleys. they want to take a picture of all the different bikes that we ride. That is my article for this month. Your CD Ezra Well, there we are. We just finished Deal s Gap (THe Tail of the Dragon)!!! This was the greatest trip!!! We went through 10 states in one week, had a downpour on the Blue Ridge Parkway, saw deer, someone we talked with saw a bear with cubs, and lots of breath taking mountain views. God must have been with us, because, when the rain poured on us, and drivers could hardly see, we found shelter with bathrooms and a drinking fountain!!! But the rain did go through our rain gear!!! We were soaked clear through!!! The other buildings were closed except for this one. At one point, a full size deer ran between Howard s and our bike!!! Having a camera always at the ready, all I could think about was, get a photo, get a photo!!! Well, I caught it going into the woods!!! Then I worried about crashing. Thank God that we didn t hit it!!! Marcia tells more of the story in her article.!!!! Breaking News!!!! We have some great news: We have new members: Bob and Jane Unger have joined GWRRA Chapter MI-G!!! Please give them a huge welcome to our MI-G Family!!!! Steve and Sue Ayers, and Jack and Peggy Kline are planning to join our Family as well. And, Dennis Arms came to our house to talk about joining GWRRA MI-G. Hopefully, more will join our Family of Friends and enjoy the thing we like most RIDING!!! Marilynn 4

5 Rider Ed TOPIC: Trip Planning? Plan the Gear, too! RIDER ED GIMME 5 So what have you been thinking about this winter? Have you been thinking about the gray skies, the rain, sleet or snow of the season? And how about the freezing temperatures? These are not very cheerful thoughts for those of us who are not winter sports enthusiasts. Some riders brighten their outlook at this time of year by planning for the coming riding season. A few of us are deciding which motorcycling events to attend this spring and summer. Will it be the Americade rally in upstate New York? Maybe this year you are planning to attend Wing Ding? How about a vacation trip to an area with great roads to ride or interesting geological attractions to see? Whatever your destination, planning the route to take is an important part of trip planning. However, don t overlook the need to plan the gear you will need to take with you on each of your trips. Having the proper gear for the ride is an essential element of a successful trip. So why not start with your most important safety gear? Inspect your helmet for wear and tear. How long has it been since you bought your helmet? Does the outer shell have chips or cracks? Has it sustained an impact while you were wearing it? Has it been repeatedly dropped from your motorcycle seat? Realize that helmets are only designed to survive one impact while being worn. Also look at the chin strap. Is it frayed from many years of wear? These signs of damage indicate that it may be time to replace your helmet. Experts advise changing your helmet every 3 to 5 years for maximum protection. Time, wear and ultraviolet rays will cause your helmet s materials to degrade resulting in reduced protection. ( Are you planning a southern tour this summer? Have you thought to check the weather for the area you plan to visit? Be sure you know what the average high and low temperatures are for the month of your visit. If you expect to encounter hot weather, this may be the time for you to start shopping for a mesh jacket if you don t already own one. These jackets give you the best abrasion protection (if needed) along with maximum ventilation. Good ventilation reduces your discomfort in hot weather and can help prevent heat exhaustion. Even though they have long sleeves, when you wear a mesh jacket the air flows around you almost as if you are wearing nothing. And the synthetic materials provide excellent abrasion resistance. With elbow, shoulder and back pads included, you get great protection for your corners and your back in case you go down. Wise riders always wear long pants while riding. Most riders wear denim jeans. This is probably because they are already part of everyone s wardrobe to begin with, and they are comfortable when you are not on the bike. They do provide some resistance to abrasion, but not anywhere near the protection of leather or the synthetic gear. Did you know there are also riding pants made from breathable mesh materials, too? They bring all the benefits of being designed specifically for motorcycling with extra protection at the knees, hips, and legs in case of a spill at speed. The mesh material can also help keep you from getting uncomfortably hot. And there are gloves manufactured with the same mesh materials to protect your hands as well. They provide you with a good grip on the controls while keeping your hands fully covered for maximum protection. They are durable and worth checking out for your comfort and protection. Can you rely on your current rain gear? Does your rain gear have leaky seams or rips? Do you need to put a new jacket or rain pants on the shopping list? Having good, comfortable gear that fits you properly for all riding conditions will allow you to fix your attention on the ride and not on your physical discomforts. This will also help ensure that you will have a great trip. And knowing that you and your co-rider have the protection you may need will give you peace of mind every time you saddle up. Now, which route do we want to take? Ride Smart & Be Safe! Bruce & Melissa Thayer Former MI Asst. District Rider Educators brucethayer1@comcast.net 5

6 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY RIDE On May 26, we met at Arnies on 54 th St and US131 at 6:30 AM. Arnies is closed on Sat. until 8:30 AM. Surprise! We started our SOUTHERN trip by going NORTH to Mr. Burger on 44 th St. for breakfast. It is trying to rain already. After breakfast we got on US 131 headed south in light rain which cleared by K zoo. Our first G turn is in Indiana as we headed for Ft. Wayne. South of Ft. Wayne on US 27 we hit a detour several miles long and therefore we missed one of the signs and had our second G turn. Progress has seemed slow, but we are well down into Indiana. Finally we skirt Cincinnati and come to US75. Our ride today ends at Lexington, Kentucky at a Knights Inn. Hurrah! There is a Waffle House next door and a Shell station. Sunday, May 27, we start out about 9:00 and stopped for lunch north of Knoxville. Howard asked the waitress in Wendy s What town is this? She said Pall He didn t understand and asked again. Later we asked him What did she say? Howard replied Darned if I know. I didn t want to ask again. It turned out that it was Powell, Tn. After lunch, we bypassed around Knoxville and picked up US129, headed for Marysville and THE DRAGON. We stopped at the 129 Pit Stop and bought our souvenirs before we rode the Dragon! We had to wait for about one half an hour there, because the people at the Pit Stop said there was an accident on the Dragon with an ambulance and a tow truck coming down. Sure enough, shortly after we got on the road, we met a tow truck with a motorcycle in a sling--looks like a crotch rocket. We stop at a turn out and talk with other bikers. The traffic is pretty heavy but is all tourists, since it is Memorial Day week end--no truckers. We also stopped at the crossroad at Deal s Gap, but it is so crowded we can t get into the parking lot! We continue on the Cherohala Highway 28 toward Bryson City. This is almost a curvey as the Dragon. When we arrive at US74 and find Alarka Rd. to Hidden View Cabins, we are truly hot and tired. The cabins are in the mountains, five more miles of curvey, rough road, but beautiful scenery. Finally, up a steep driveway to the gate. We dig out the paper with the code to open the gate and ride up hill to the turnoff for the cabins. WHOA!!! Steep downhill grade with gravel--pavement ends! Ezra walked down and said the cabins are nice and open for us. We have no food, so decide to go to town for supper and to rejuvenate. After a difficult turn around on the narrow hilly driveway we head back toward town. On the way to Bryson City we lag behind and when we get to US74 and Alarka Rd. we don t know which way Howard and Ez and Mar went. That is when we found out that CB s and cell phones don t work well in the mountains. So, we hopped on 74 and actually got to Bryson City before our friends. We went to a Shell station for gas and they contacted us by cell phone a few minutes later. Ezra contacted the manager of the cabins and he promised to meet us later at the cabins and truck our luggage down the hill. Also, he recommended a restaurant which we found after some confusion and another G turn involving a stretch on the highway. We had a nice steak supper. Back at the cabins, there was no manager on the site, so Howard and Harry and I rode out bikes down the gravel--only skidded once each. By the time we are unloading the truck came. It is twilight now and the hot tub was really relaxing. The next morning I walked up with Mar and Ez, while Howard and Harry brought their bikes up. They said it was easier coming up than going down. Today, we went to Cherokee and Maggie Valley. We visited the Wheels Through Time Museum. The guys really liked that. We bought some souvenirs and rode a piece of the Blue Ridge back to Cherokee where we had lunch and shopped some more. Before going back to the cabins, we bought supper and breakfast groceries. This time we spent about one half hour jockeying the bikes around to get parked at the top of the gravel drive without blocking the driveway for others, who we never saw! In the morning we hauled all of our luggage up by hand. I think Ezra made three or four trips! We are in high spirits as we begin our day. We stopped at a Honda Dealer to try to fix the audio on Marilynn s helmet --no help there. And it magically works again anyway, for only a short time. We got on the Blue Ridge and begin our exciting day. Lunch is north of Ashville, NC. And rain from the hurricane is threatened. We drove into the clouds which give the Smokies their name a few times. It was beautiful! We had stopped to put on rain gear before the first downpour came. It was so heavy that we could not see and there was no place to pull over. I took off my glasses and leaned out to watch the edge of the road. I pushed on Harry s elbows to help stay on the road as he could not see any thing ahead. You can do that on a trike. It cleared a little once and we saw Bostics ahead and their Wing was making a wake! We finally got to an overlook and commiserated with other travelers. It cleared as quick as it came, but every one is soaked through the rain suits. Our fluffy sheep skin seat squished! A very interesting sensation, when the cold rain reached the seat and your nether regions! 6

7 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY RIDE continued Just outside of Boone, NC. We came upon another storm with no vision. Fortunately, we were close to an Art, Craft, and Museum Place. It was closed but there was a porch, an open bathroom, and water fountain. Marilynn and I were so wet that we had trouble getting our clothes off in the bathroom. Then we could hardly get them back on! Now my boots are squishing! The rain is still dumping down and running down the mountain in rivers.. Two hikers came in and they were soaked too. They had a smart phone and could bring up the weather radar. There was a gap in the storm headed our way and they gave us directions to Boone. As soon as the storm let up, we got back on the wet bikes and went to town. We did drive back into the storm but the Holliday Inn took our money even though we were drowned rats! There was a washer and dryer and a Peddlers Steak House across the street. We had a nice libation with supper, as we were off the road for the day. We had some competition for the washer and dryer when some more motorcycles came in. They had been to Rolling Thunder in Washington and were on their way home to Florida. On Wed. the day was glorious and the views beautiful, even when the deer tried to hitch a ride on Bostic s bike! But that is their story. We got to Bedford, Va. that day and ordered Chinese for supper at our motel. On Thurs., we had lunch at Fancy Gap, Va. and got to the Shenandoah Skyway Drive by early afternoon. Now we are in gentle curves and rolling hills, although we can see the mountains across the valley. Shenandoah is beautiful like the song. The pavement is smooth and we leave the skyway and go towards Hagerstown Md. by late afternoon. Then we headed back on US68 toward home. We know there will be more rain tomorrow and want to get as far back west as possible. We stop at Hancock Md., at a Super 8 and have supper at a local restaurant called Weavers, very good. No one was thrilled with this motel so we started out early in the AM to get as far as possible before the rain. We had a brunch in Morgantown, W Va. and tried to push on. US 79 is clogged with an accident and we tried to take 19 as a detour. It was closed because of bridge construction. This G turn we feel is not our fault and we get back on 79. The wreck was quite spectacular when we passed it. Most of the front of one truck was destroyed. Finally, the rain came but we made it to Washington, Pa. and a Comfort Inn with an Italian restaurant across the street. Harry took a nap (Smart Man) and when the rain cleared, the rest of us walked down a steep hill about one half mile and found Steeler Heaven at the mall. I had leg cramps and shin splints for two days after walking back up the hill. This is where the rock hopped into Bostic s bike. On our last day we covered three states in about one half hour. A strip of West Va. comes up between Pennsylvania and Ohio on the map. It was so windy that our mileage was down. Someplace in Ohio, we saw a pontoon boat upside down on the ground beside it s empty trailer. We took US30 across Ohio, to 69 in Indiana, to 94 in Michigan. At last, we are one US131 going toward Grand Rapids.. There is a black rain cloud to the north! Howard promised there would be no rain. He was so positive that he bet us coffee that it would not rain before we got home. He still owes us! We got rain between Martin and Grand Rapids. We had a wonderful time and we are all still friends. Harry and I had to make more frequent gas stops because of a smaller tank and less mileage with the trike but nobody complained. Once they even tried to see if they could stop once to our twice. Some things will stay on the trip forever, (I hope!) But I will say, one of our guys looks really sexy in shorts and motorcycle boots! Harry & Marcia Emmert 7

8 July Birthdays 18 Ron Rowe 23 Len Snyder Have something to sell? Contact: Advertising Department Rex Derksen Please remember to let him know when you would like to have the ad removed, especially if the item has been sold. Thank you. I have two mens GX Air Mesh riding jackets (by Tour Master) for sale. Both are blue with silver and gray trim and includes all soft armor (no liners). One is size XL / 46 and the other is an XXL / 48. They are heavy-duty mesh jackets. Condition: good to excellent $60.00 each or both for $ Call and leave message or us at mrandmrsfarmer@yahoo.com Thanks a bunch. See you soon. Farmer 8

9 For Sale My Aspencade needs a new home. I ride this bike to work in the summer to save gas. 40 mpg. Good mechanical shape, Has Stereo, CB, all electronic items work as they should. See photos and send an if you're interested. Modular helmet with J&M electronics included. $3500. I'm moving and don't have room for this bike at the new home. Thanks. Len Snyder <lennnie55@gmail.com> 1981 GOLDWING for sale. Asking $ New starter and battery in spring of New speedometer cable, tachometer cable and choke cable. Runs great. 107K mi. Contact Buss Metzger at: bowlingbuzz@hotmail.com 9

10 WingDing 34 July 4-7, 2012 Fort Wayne IN J&M Evening Entertainment Act Announced! It's official! The J&M Evening Entertainment event will be headlined by Vocal Trash! This Texas based group has been engaging audiences with their unique and exciting brand of entertainment for over a decade from New York to Seattle, Las Vegas to Puerto Rico. Whether it be Madison Square Garden or The Venetian Hotel and Casino, Vocal Trash continues to energize all ages with their first class singing, industrial style drumming, comedy antics and award winning break-dancing. This is "Glee" with a kick. Hosted and sponsored by J&M Corporation, this is a great opportunity for Wing Ding delegates to enjoy a FUN and FREE evening while having the chance to help those in need. All this, plus a chance to take home some of the best motorcycle audio products available, courtesy of J&M Corporation! During a fun-filled evening of entertainment by Vocal Trash, J&M Corporation will be giving away some great prizes to benefit the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation Ride for Kids. Priority Seating! The J&M Evening Event is free to all registered attendees. However, you can get priority seating simply by registering for the Italian Dinner immediately prior to this event! For just $18/ person, you can enjoy the local flavor of Ft. Wayne featuring caesar style salad, baked ziti, mini meatballs, steamed green beans, garlic toast, dessert bar, tea or lemonade, plus have priority seating for the show! Seating and availability is limited and we do expect to sell-out so be sure to register today! Already registered for Wing Ding? Simply call GWRRA Member Services at and add the dinner onto your registration today! The new year brings a new look! The monthly Wing Ding e-newsletters have been simplified and made more user-friendly to eliminate excessive reading and scrolling. Simply click on the topic or item of interest below! 10

11 STAFF CONTACTS Region D Directors Treasurer Roger and Penny Hurley Marcia Emmert RHURLEY3@woh.rr.com emmert.sr@comcast.net Rider Ed Harry Emmert emmert.sr@comcast.net Michigan District Directors Kim and Sandy Bargeron kimtbar@aol.com Assistant District Directors Farmer and Teri Rodgers mrandmrsfarmer@yahoo.com Michigan District Educators Bruce & Melissa Thayer Michigan District Trainers Vicki and Ed Philo Chapter G Directors Ezra and Marilynn Bostic bosticez1@sbcglobal.net Chapter G Assistant Directors Rex and Shela Derksen randsderksen@yahoo.com Chapter G 2012 Couple of the Year Steve and Mary Cooper SCCooper@meridianautosystems.com Web Guru C.J. Shroll cjshroll@aol.com Greeters & Attendance John & Sharon Smith Phone Tree Coordinators Lyle and Sherrell Wright Advertising Department Rex Derksen randsderksen@yahoo.com Newsletter Editor Howard Stob mr.wingman@me.com Midnight Ride Vendors Howard Stob mr.wingman@me.com 11 Chapter Photographer Steve Cooper District Couple of the Year 2012 Rick & Esther Keeling were selected at Wingless Weekend 2012 Region D Couple of the Year 2012 Joe and Paula Swift were selected at the Region D Rally Chapter G Website GWRRA National Website Region D Website Michigan District Website

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13 Injured in a motorcycle accident? You need Michigan s Top-Rated Lawyers Don t get run over by the insurance company! Why you should choose Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. for your Michigan motorcycle accident case: Highest possible rating for skill and integrity Top track record for settlements Published authors on motorcycle accidents NO WIN, NO FEE Lawyers Members of ABATE Attorney Dondi Vesprini Board of Directors of ABATE of Michigan In my opinion, they are the best motorcycle accident lawyers in Michigan. - Michael J Smith, former client and U.S. Army Ranger after receiving his $1, settlement. Call (800) Attorney Daniel Buckfire Author of The Ultimate Michigan Motorcycle Accident Handbook Ultimate Michigan Motorcycle Accident Handbook WARNING: READ THIS BOOK BEFORE YOU SPEAK TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY! Our FREE BOOK written by top-rated Michigan motorcycle accident lawyer Daniel Buckfire explains the Michigan motorcycle Laws in easy to understand language. You will eliminate hours of stress, confusion, and uncertainty by reading this book. This 65 Page Book reveals: Why you need a Lawyer When Dealing With the Insurance Company Are You Entitled to Michigan No-Fault Insurance benefits How to Get The Best Money Settlement for Your Injuries How to find The Best Lawyer For Your Case How Much Pay For Motorcycle Damage Claims Our book sells for $14.95 but we will send it to! GWRRA members for FREE Request Your FREE COPY at or call us at

14 For specials and our ride schedule check our web page: foxpowersports.com We would like to make everyone aware of the brake recall Honda has issued on GL1800. We at Shawmut Hills would like you to know we are here to inspect your brakes on a while you wait service. We would like to take care of all your scheduled maintenance at the same time and to thank you for your business a FREE OIL CHANGE will be given to anyone having their scheduled maintenance done at this time. GWRRA MI-G Ezra and Marilynn Bostic 1492 Kinney NW Walker MI Address