Club Meeting Wednesday, November 8th. Saturday Morning Breakfast Rides

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1 November 2017 In The Wind BMW Motorcycle Club of Colorado MOA #66 AMA #2772 RA #327 Club Meeting Wednesday, November 8th.... Club Meeting Speaker Craig Levens GM, Foothills Motorcycles Happy Thanksgiving! See Page 9 to RSVP. In This Issue President s Letter...2 Cathy Catrell Says Goodbye...3 Ozark Adventure...4 Poker Run Recap...6 Annual Picnic Photos...7 November Social...8 December Holiday Party...9 Suzanne Weston s Memorial...10 Flantlanders Festival...11 Club Store Officers & Board...14 Saturday Morning Breakfast Rides Red Rocks Grill & TNT Country Kitchen Downtown Morrison Every Saturday at 8:00 a.m. (rain, shine, or snow), members meet for breakfast in Morrison. If weather permits, we ride afterwards. Most rides are spontaneous, with destinations determined that morning. Come with ride suggestions! 2nd Wednesday Monthly Meetings Wrigley s Chicago Bar & Grill W. Colfax Ave. Golden, Colorado :00 Dinner & Socializing 6:30 Meeting 7:00 Speaker Club meetings are held monthly on the 2nd Wednesday. Come join us for dinner, socializing, and to hear the monthly speaker. BMWMCC.org In the Wind 1

2 P resident s LETTER Hello friends and Club members. Welcome to our new members. It was good to meet you and see some familiar faces at the October annual Club picnic. Many thanks to Maureen and the crew of volunteers for helping us have a good time. These social events give us the opportunity to share riding news and enjoy each other. The annual holiday party is coming up on Wednesday, December 13th, and you can register for this special dinner event on the Club s website. When registering, be sure to choose your dinner selection. The cost is only $26 per person. The location has been changed to Clancy s Irish Pub, 7000 W. 38th Ave., Wheat Ridge. We will gather at 6 PM, with dinner served at 7 PM. Entertainment is being provided this year with an Irish band! There will be a gift exchange, so bring a gift if you would like to participate in the exchange valued at $20. The October ride, the annual Graveyard Run, was led by Greg Cocks. Many thanks Greg for your leadership in picking the spooky route and making sure the group has the opportunity for photo opportunities and a stop for pie. There is still time to let our ride coordinator, John Murakami, know your suggestions for the 2018 Club ride selections. Please share your uncharted favorite routes with us. Ride leaders are needed for next year, so join us in leading the pack to a favorite destination. John can be contacted at minialoha@yahoo.com. The social dinner scheduled for Wednesday, November 15th will be at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, 7520 E. Progress Place, Greenwood Village. Please RSVP to Maureen at social@bmwmcc.org or Also, our last monthly Club meeting of the year will be Wednesday, November 8th held at Wrigley s Bar and Grill. Our guest speaker will be Craig Levens, GM from Foothills Motorcycles. He will be sharing the latest BMW news, and special shop information. Please remember the Club activities are provided by the generous time and skills given by many volunteers. If you have not already signed up to offer some volunteer time we encourage you to do so. It is a great way to meet new friends and be part of the heritage and future of the Club. If I can answer any questions about Club activities and or the volunteer positions that are coming available, please let me know. Keep smiling and ride safe, Michael Kilgore President NORTHERN COLORADO EURO MOTORCYCLES 1303 SW FRONTAGE RD. FORT COLLINS, CO BMWMCC.org In the Wind 2

3 Look at The Time...I Gotta Go. Dear BMWMMC Club Members, I hope you have enjoyed and appreciated the eight years of service I have provided to the Club as a Board Member and Volunteer as the In The Wind Newsletter Editor, weekly ride & events announcer, Ride Book designer for years 2010, 11, 12, & 13 (with much help from Keren Kilgore!!), Ride Book Advertiser Coordinator, and Co-Chair for the 100,000 Foot Ride (with Carl Thomte), 5-years running. It has been a pleasure to serve over the years, while getting to know each of you personally, but the time has come for me to resign my Board position(s) and volunteer responsibilities to the Club. So with that being said, December 1st will be my last In The Wind Newsletter. So sorry to say it s so. Please if you have any comments you d like to share with me or would like to stay in contact, please do so by ing me at cathy@poppromotions.com. Gratitude, Cathy Catrell.. Thank you Peak Honda for your presentation in October!! BMWMCC.org In the Wind 3

4 Ozark Odyssey by Carl Thomte.. For years I had heard how great the riding was in Arkansas, and although I had ridden through the state in my past, I had never taken the time to explore the area in any depth or detail. How could it be I thought, after all it was part of the Midwest - isn t it? Doesn t that group it with states like Kansas (ugh) or Nebraska, (ack) Oklahoma or North Dakota? (gag) Having ridden in all fifty states, I rarely venture East of I-25 these days, cuz the west is where the action is - right? But I kept hearing the siren song of finely engineered, cambered, and hilly asphalt in copious quantities, warm weather, and friendly people. OK I said to my potential riding partners, but what about that 800 mi. of wasteland, an area I refer to as the forbidden zone, between my driveway and the first curve that one can see on a map? Don t worry they said, it will be fun, we have a plan they said, yeah like where have I heard that before? But I m curious, and I prefer a rapid pace on curvy roads over any other type of riding and neither was I ready to call it a year yet, so I bit. The plan would be to trailer our four bikes across the forbidden zone, to a town north of Tulsa, and continue from there. I can count the times in my life I ve trailered a bike on one hand, but considering the time of year, and riding through Kansas (ugh), and my back giving me fits, it sounded cool, and we would use about the same amount of gas as all four bikes combined. We wouldn t have to fight the brutal crosswinds in Kansas, and wouldn t pull 1,600 miles off our tires. The guy pulling the trailer, Bill, likes to ride fast and was running sportbike tires that most likely wouldn t have made the trip anyway. I was tasked with routing the ride once we got there, as I seem to have a knack for that, and was handed some booklets and a Butler map. I usually look for good roads, scenery, National Parks, historical stuff etc., when I plan a route, but after perusing the info and reading online, I had come to the conclusion that the only way to route this was to find the best roads (yellow on Butler maps), and just link those with the red or orange roads, as there are literally hundreds of them! The map looks like varicose veins! After an uneventful 730 mile commute, the last 200 in the dark, we unloaded the bikes, packed our gear for tomorrow, tossed our sleeping bags on the trailer floor and turned in for the night. Sunday broke calm, clear, and warm, and we headed East early with the rising sun impairing our vision. We got our first taste of curves on OK-10 heading South towards Ft. Smith and eventually the Talimena Parkway, where we would spend the night someplace. During a full day of hooning on excellent roads, I seem to have gotten separated from the other three and spent the night off a dirt road in the woods next to a small waterfall. I had noticed that there were few bugs or wildlife anywhere to my amazement and had no problems tossing my bag on some pine straw and settling in for the night. When cell service was available, I was able to receive texts from the crew and it was agreed they would catch me in Hot Springs, some 75 mile distant. Hot Springs is a National Park and Historic District and of course I had to see it. Being alone still and waiting for the crew, I had ample time to tour Bath House Row and hump the stairs to the top of the 216 ft. Hot Springs Mountain Tower. After a couple of hours and a snack with no sign of the crew, I headed North on 7 towards Magazine Mt. After 100 miles of more great roads and a.80 mile hike, I had reached the highest point in Arkansas at a whopping 2,753 ft., where upon my descent my crew texted and said they were waiting at my bike. As it was about noon we headed north on the best roads available to Devils Den Campground, where we would spend the next two nights waiting out the rain. Continued on Page 5 BMWMCC.org In In the the Wind 4

5 Wednesday was dry and we headed east towards our next base, at Jasper where the roads went from curvy to stupid curvy. The next two days were a blur of chicanes, whoops, and tight sweepers. We could only ride about 200 to 300 miles a day as the concentration level at what was like riding on a roller coaster proved to be quite taxing. While we were seeking a campground, Bo picked up a needle nose pliers in his rear tire that left a hole large enough to be unseal-able and we sent Dave and Bill to Harrison 20 miles north to pick up a replacement. The pliers scratched his swingarm and damaged the fender as it rotated! Jasper turned out to be a good spot to base from, as the campground was cheap and owned by a former Coloradan, the grocery store was walking distance and not much further were restaurants and a small motorcycle shop that had a tire changer. After changing the tire on Bo s bike we headed out for another day of blasting curves, we arrived back in Jasper for the night, as my tires were getting ever more sketchy, I pulled my bike on to the center stand for inspection and as luck would have it, my rear rubber was showing cord and I sprained my back in the process. Unhappy me, I had a tire at home and only needed another 400 miles to finish what we were doing and get back to the trailer, and my back hurt. We packed our tents to relocate and headed North to Harrison. I picked up a new Dunlop at Godfathers Powersports and they had the bike finished in an hour. The guys at Godfathers treated us very well and I would highly recommend them if one has motorcycle needs in the area. After another hundred miles of curves, we arrived at Peel s Ferry for a short ride across Bull Shoals Lake. Peel s Ferry is the last public ferry in the state, and of course we just had to ride it. After we exited the ferry, two of the crew headed northeast in to Missouri to see friends and explore roads around Ellington and Bill and I and my bad back headed towards the trailer, via the roads around Branson and Eureka Springs. We spent the night in Eureka Springs after hundreds of miles of, you guessed it, curvy roads! Eureka Springs is a very unique Victorian town built of stone and is one of two county seats (odd). The streets curve around the hills and rise and fall with the topography and none intersect at a 90 degree angle, and there are no traffic lights. The whole of the town is a National Historic District. After a good nights sleep in a motel for a change we headed towards Owassa and the trailer, staying in the curves as long as possible, we only had to ride straight roads for 70 miles. We loaded the trailer on arrival with two bikes and headed north. We had made arrangement to meet Dave and Bo north of Wichita on Hwy. 35 We had only to wait an hour before they showed, tired and wet from the driving rain that we had fortunately missed. After loading the remaining bikes we headed towards home, the trailer blowing sideways in the strong crosswinds of Kansas. All together I had over 1,500 miles on the clock from five days of riding, about 1,200 of those on curves - was it fun? Oh yeah! Will I go back? Hopefully, and for longer. And although it will never be my favorite state to ride in (the 800 mile commute kills it), I would recommend the Ozarks to anyone that likes challenging curvy roads, no traffic, great asphalt, few animals, good camping and friendly people. Another great tour. Leaning and learning. BMWMCC.org In In the the Wind 5

6 BMWMCC Poker Run for Motorcycle Relief Project Great weather, awesome riders, bunch of great prizes and a great cause. What does all of this add up to? BMWMCC Poker Run for Motorcycle Relief Project! 17 participants rode to five locations to receive five cards to make the best poker hand for a chance to win the grand prize, all to support the Motorcycle Relief Project (MRP). The winning hand was held by a veteran himself, Chief Mike Bobbitt. He won a two-day off-road training course worth $395, sponsored by West 38 Moto. and the incredible toll it was taking on veterans of the US military. Although not a veteran, Tom had been through treatment for trauma in his own life. Tom was struck by how mild his own trauma had been relative to what combat trauma would be like, and yet he understood how disabling his own trauma was for him at times. Aware of how therapeutic it was to get on his motorcycle and ride when he needed to relax and blow off some steam, Tom couldn t help but think that taking veterans with PTSD and other injuries on motorcycle adventure trips could be a great way of helping them decompress, learn some tools for managing stress, and connect with other veterans with whom they may have something in common. John Hidetaka Murakami minialoha@yahoo.com Second place winning had was held by, 15-year old, Jake Excell. He won a nice duffel bag package worth $275, from Mosko Moto! Thanks to these wonderful participants, we raised $515 for MRP. Also, many thanks go out to all of our wonderful sponsors, Foothills Triumph/BMW, BMW of Denver, Performance Cycle of Colorado, Woody s Wheel Works, West 38 Moto and Mosko Moto. With so many door prizes, everyone went home with a prize! If you missed out this year, come out next year! Motorcycle Relief Project (MRP) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Evergreen, Colorado. The vision for Motorcycle Relief Project was born when founder, Tom Larson, began learning about PTSD BMWMCC.org In the Wind 6

7 Annual Club Picnic Our annual Club picnic was once again a great success. Good friends and food to share on a beautiful day in the park! Thanks to everyone for making this possible! BMWMCC.org In the Wind 7

8 S2017 ocials rsvp: Maureen de Jongh Social Director Member Social Dinner Wednesday, November 15th Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen 7520 Progress Place, Greenwood Village 6:30 PM RSVP Maureen de Jongh BMWMCC.org In the Wind 8

9 Holiday Dinner Date: Wednesday, December 13th Time: 6 PM Social Dinner 7 PM Place: Clancy s Irish Pub Address: 7000 W. 38th Ave, Wheat Ridge Parking: No cost RSVP: By Sunday, December 10th RSVP Here Music: Low Heat Iris Band 7 PM Meal Options: All $26 per-person Selection required when making reservation 3-Course Meal: Dinner Salad, Main Dish & Dessert Main Dish Selection 1. Prime Rib 2. Salmon 3. Stuffed Portabella Mushroom (Vegan) 4. Shepherds Pie Desert Selection Cheesecake or Fruit Bowl BMWMCC.org In the Wind BMWMCC.org In the Wind 9

10 We say goodbye to long-time Club member Suzanne Weston... Steve & Suzanne Weston On Thursday, October 12th, Steve Weston, Suzanne Weston, and another couple were in the midst of an afternoon ride northbound on U.S. 85, waiting at a red signal to turn left into Sedalia. They were in the left turn lane with Steve leading and Suzanne in the last position. The lights for northbound traffic are red. Steve recalls hearing (a pop?), a helmet bouncing across the southbound side of the road as he was looking slightly left, and then saw Suzanne s helmet moving away. He turned to the right and saw Suzanne on the east side of the road. He does not remember seeing the hit & run vehicle that hit Suzanne and ran the light. Three nurses were close by and were the first to assist Suzanne. Someone notified 911, deputies and patrol responded quickly, and later the paramedics. Witnesses in separate cars, leaving O Brien s Cafe while calling 911. A deputy intercepted the run vehicle within minutes and made the arrest. Officers are sure the driver was drunk. It is likely Suzanne never knew what happened. Memorial services were held October 20th. If you would like to reach out to Steve, his mailing address is, Steve Weston, Thrush Drive, Parker CO Airheads Gathering A Saturday show of fancy new fangled bikes! BMWMCC.org In the Wind 10

11 Flatlanders Festival by Nancy & Siggi The Flatlanders Festival in Goodland, Kansas was well attended again this year. We encourage you to join us in the future. The festival is for all makes and models bikes and cars (including antiques) and for cars, both vintage and new. Fifteen members and family of the club attended this year. Some on BMW s and others in cars. Showing, if for some reason, you cannot ride, it is still great to attend and enjoy the festivities with fellow club members. For our club, the event started out with all of us meeting up for dinner on Friday night, then on to the VFW to meet up with old and new friends from past Flatlander Festivals. On Saturday we met up again for breakfast and then on to the VFW again, to register our bikes and pay entrance fees for the bike show. This year, a few of the members actually drove their vintage cars (and a brand new sports car), and registered them in the car show. After the judging was completed, some of us watched the motorcycle games. Brandy Newman and Pete Phleben represented our club in the games. We then went to dinner, provided in our entrance fees (which was yummy and plentiful), then watched the awards. Three of our member s bikes won awards for best of class. The Sunday morning Poker Run was rained out, so they had a walking Poker Run in the VFW hall. Additional photos on Page 12 All in all, it was a great weekend and we missed seeing you there. Come join us next year! BMWMCC.org In the Wind 11

12 Flatlander Festival BMWMCC.org In the Wind 12

13 Store Club Shirts Long Sleeve $20 Short Sleeve 15 2x & 3x add $3 Club Store To place an order contact Chris & Jan BMWMCC.org In the Wind 13

14 Board ELECTED OFFICERS BOARD MEMBERS Membership Cyndi Szabo Webmaster Keren Kilgore ITW Editor Cathy Catrell Ride Book Editor Keren Kilgore Club Store Chris Hughes & Janet Orr Ride Coordinator John Murakami Social Director Maureen de Jongh Advertising Cathy Catrell TOR Rally Chair Matt Baroody TOR Rally Co-Chair Carl Thomte 100K Foot Ride Michael Kilgore Mike Szabo Janet Orr David Kosak President: Michael Kilgore Vice President: Mike Szabo Treasurer: David Kosak Secretary: Janet Orr Carl Thomte & Cathy Catrell PassBagger Chair Randy Bishop Board Trustee Siggi Pflumm Board Trustee Carl Thomte 2017 Board Trustee Jeff Burns Monthly Board Meeting Wednesday November 1st 6:30 P.M. Red Rocks Grill Morrison, CO Constitution & ByLaws All are welcome! Post news, photos or other items of interest to fellow riders. BMWMCC.org In the Wind 14