GOLD WING ROAD RIDERS ASSOCIATION TREASURE COAST WINGS FL2-O

Transcription

1 1 GOLD WING ROAD RIDERS ASSOCIATION TREASURE COAST WINGS FL2-O Volume 32 Issue 8 August 2015 Chapter Director David Morris dwmorris@netzero.net Monthly Gathering Every 2 nd Weds at Southern Pig & Cattle Restaurant 2583 SE Federal Highway Stuart, FL Contents CD Message 1 Member rides 2,3 ADD Message 4 Gathering 5 Wing Ding 6 GWRRA Events 8 Raffle Tickets 9 Rider Ed 10 FL2-O Ride List 11 ACD Message 12 MONTHLY UPDATE FROM DAVE Our August gathering was filled with surprises.the big surprise was Doug and Donna telling everyone that they were given an opportunity in the Keys.yup, a change in employment meant that they are going to relocate. It was not so long ago that they had, with great enthusiasm, taken on the roles of Chapter Rider Educator and Motor Awareness coordinator. During the time that they were officers in the chapter we saw how they worked as a team at the challenges of organizing Rider Education activities. One example was the Road Captain class that was well attended, and everyone benefited from the course. Then there is the background work that they were working on bringing everyone up to Level 1 rider, updating our individual records, etc. Their leadership was outstanding, and their enthusiasm for our Chapter was contagious. They will be sorely missed.!!! We had two great presentations at the Gathering.first Herb gave an extensive tech talk on tire pressure as it applies to the different model Gold Wings. His presentation was followed by Tammy and Larry s vacation. Tammy shared the great riding experiences that they had during June and July. Her conversation included interesting tidbits, like the 34 degree day, visiting numerous parks, and the fact they had put on 7000 miles. Some of the travel had the Wing in a trailer. Nonetheless, 6 or more weeks on the road is a survival exercise for relationships.yup, they sure did survive and had a great time. Even though it has been a very warm summer we have had fun kick tire nights and a few morning rides I am sure we are all ready for fall riding season Dave 2016 FLORIDA RALLY- - - MARCH 17-19, 2016 INTERNATIONAL PALMS RESORT, INTERNATIONAL DRIVE, ORLANDO BOOK NOW!!!!!! Room rate = $89 and includes breakfast for two! Chapter Website Bookmark in your favorites

2 2 JOHN BETTENCOURT On August 4, I took off for a summer road trip with a group of friends from the Palm Beach Scooter Club. The four of us left the Treasure Coast and rode to Sanford, FL where we boarded the Amtrak Auto Train for the overnight train ride to Lorton, VA. The Auto Train is a fun way to travel. When you arrive at the station in Sanford, you ride your bike onto a sled designed for motorcycles, and once tied down, the bikes are loaded into rail cars with all of the automobiles making the trip. Our train had 26 auto carriers and about 10 cars for passengers (this includes sleeping cars, diners, lounge cars, etc.). Once in Lorton, there was a short wait for our bikes to be unloaded and we were off to Front Royal where we started heading south on the Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park. Over the next several days, we wound our way homeward along the Blue Ridge Parkway enjoying a couple days of cool temperatures in the mountains and spectacular views. We also endured a day of rain and fog so thick that often you could not see the rider in front of you. One of our overnight stops was in Roanoke, VA where we met up with John DuBose for some dinner and a tour of Roanoke that included a trip up to the Roanoke Star. The trip came to an end after a week s worth of great riding and lots of laughs. By the time we got back into south Florida, we were all missing the cool mountain air, and looking forward to Florida winter riding. FRIENDS FOR FUN SAFETY AND KNOWLEDGE

3 BUD AND BARB PARISH Each year we like to spend 3 a few days riding around the Tri State area where Tennessee/Virginia/North Carolina come together. In our opinion this area has some of the greatest roads. Additionally, we can combine fun rides with camaraderie because our long-time Gold Wing friends from Ohio and John DuBose from Roanoke usually meet us here for a few days. We travelled north via the Blue Ridge Parkway and spent a couple days enjoying a stay at Big Lynn Lodge cabins in Little Switzerland with a spectacular view of the mountains. We rode 226A out of Little Switzerland which is known as The Diamondback. After we arrived in Abingdon, VA and hooked up with our friends, we enjoyed several great scenic, curvy roads including: a scenic ride on Route 58 through Damascus, Virginia and around the Creeper Trail with a stop at Mount Rogers, Virginia s highest peak at 5,729 ft. The next day we rode to Boone, NC with a stop at the Mast General Store for some nostalgia. We had lunch in Boone before heading down the mountain on U.S. 421 known as the SNAKE miles 489 curves 3 mountains and 1 valley. We ended up in Mountain City, where we took a break in the rocking chairs on the front porch of the welcome center. Tuesday s ride was up to Marion, VA where we picked up VA 16 Back of the Dragon 32.5 miles and 260 curves from Marion to Tazewell. The curves became even tighter as Bud led the group down East 80 which was a road with curves that never seemed to end until we got back into Abingdon. John DuBose said Bud really challenged us all on that ride. He has really been leading us on some outstanding roads to make sure we don t repeat the scenery as we travel up and down the mountains. We are really glad our friends could join us for some fantastic riding, good food and lots of laughs! Ask Bud about his new friend! Ask John about the award he received from Bud s crazy friends John DuBose Red Hill Patrick Henry National Memorial VA-K John led a short ride out to Red Hill where we a tour guide at the visitor s center told us about the vault room with Patrick Henry s artifacts. Then an informative film introduces the life and times of the great patriot. In addition to being a patriot, he was a lawyer and good businessman. Red Hill was his last home. The plantation has many buildings and we enjoyed a great ride and a good history lesson. Then we headed home with an ice-cream stop in Rocky Mount.

4 4 ASSISTANT DISTRICT DIRECTOR TRAVEL LOG: ALASKA TRIP A lot has happened in a month! After Anchorage we drove down to Homer, Alaska. We went to an area at the end of Alaska called the Spit. From here we took a fishing charter and went halibut fishing. Cheryl and I each caught our limit of two fish! In fact there were 19 people fishing and everyone got their limit! Of course we had them processed and frozen and now they sit nicely in the RV s freezer. We will be going fishing again next month in North Dakota for walleye and hope to finish filling the freezer. I ll let you know how we do. After Homer we drove back north to Kenai Alaska and camped at the mouth of the Kenai River overlooking Cook Inlet. The Alaska residents were starting their fish netting season and they had huge nets to catch salmon to sustain them for the winter. Tens of thousands will pack the mouth of the Kenai River to catch fish. Amazing sight! The RV tour ended here in Kenai and the owner/wagon master, Spike, gave us maps of the shortest way back to the lower 48 states or we could spend as much more time in Alaska as we wanted. We chose to spend 2 more days in the Kenai and then off to the Alaska Highway and head southeast. Heading back we stayed at some of the same campgrounds we stayed in on the way up with the caravan. They offered the same discounts and hospitality that we received before. We, along with our friends Glen and Patty, stayed one night at each place, Palmer Alaska, Tok Alaska, Destruction Bay Yukon and Teslin Lake Yukon. The Yukon has gorgeous landscape and scenery. We stopped at Dawson Creek British Columbia and took pictures of the gateway sign to the start/finish of the Alaska Highway. We then continued onto Edmonton B.C. for a 3 night stay. Got to do laundry sometime and get the oil changed in the truck. From there we went south to Fort Macleod B.C. for one night and the next day we stayed in Great Falls Montana. Yeah, back in the lower 48! On to Hardin Montana for one night, just SE of Billings where a BMW bike rally was starting. From there we went to a KOA campground at the base of Devil s Tower Wyoming! What a sight and America s First National Monument! One night there and we made it to the Black Hills of South Dakota just south of Rapid City. I say we made it because I had to change a right front tire on the truck because it broke some cords inside and ruptured. Our first day in Rapid City we were driving to town for groceries, etc. and the truck died. Just quit going uphill in a construction zone. We were blessed to have Glen and Patty with us and the workers were still there. Glen, a retired officer from Delray Beach PD (like me) got out and directed traffic around us, Cheryl, Patty and I were making phone calls to the police, AAA and Ford. A construction worker backed up his truck to mine and hooked up with tow chains and brought us up the hill to a Ruby Tuesday parking lot. By the time we got the truck to Ford the service department was closed. The next day, Friday, they got it into the shop in the afternoon. Besides needing a new tire the high pressure oil pump shorted out internally and has to be replaced. Today is Saturday and they will start on it Monday and hopefully it will be done on Tuesday. To get to the pump they have to separate the truck cab from the chassis. So, Glen and Patty have been chauffeuring us around and will continue until we get our truck back. The Black Hills are great and so far we went to Sturgis (the rally is already getting wound up to start August 3 rd ), the Buffalo Chip and Full Throttle. Today we went to Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial. We have a lot more places to see and do before we leave this area. We are here until July 31 st when we go to Devil s Lake North Dakota to get some of those walleye with the help of Bill and Judy Tolman, some good GWRRA friends. Hope to see you at Wing Ding! Bill and Cheryl Smith Florida Assistant Directors FL2-A, FL2-E, FL2-O, FL2-R

5 5 FL2-O August Gathering Our August Gathering started out with the surprise news that Doug and Donna Goethel are leaving the Stuart area and relocating to the Keys due to a great employment opportunity. We are happy for their opportunity, but we will really miss them. They were enthusiastic chapter members with lots of ideas and they were also great Rider Ed and Motorist Awareness officers. Good Luck! Be sure to visit whenever you are in the area. Tammy Pounds entertained us with info about their 6 week, 7000 mile trip to Western states (travel log and pics coming soon!). Herb gave us informative details about tire pressure. Ray Vega hopes to have a new training facility soon that would be much closer to Stuart- - Yea!! Door prizes were won by Sandy Pisano and Joe Trotta. 50/50 won by Jack from FL2-A and Jenks. So far we have sold 500 Raffle tickets. There were 32 attendees at this Gathering, including 7 from FL2-A. OPEN POSITIONS Our chapter is ready to have more fun than ever in the coming year. Please consider volunteering to help the chapter grow and have fun. There are several open positions. Some are one-time projects and some are committees or could be shared by two people. Please let Dave know if you are interested. Rider Ed Motorist Awareness Historian Liaison to Honda shops in Ft Pierce and Stuart. Provide packets for shop to give new owners. Banner- - -our chapter banner needs to be updated (one-time project) Christmas Party Committee Kick Tires- select locations Assistant Ride Leader- - help John DuBose plan locations, routes, reservations etc Fundraisers- 1 or 2 folks to chair - -develop ideas, select committee to help with project

6 6 WING DING- - TIPS TO ENJOY WING DING 37 Several in our chapter are attending Wing Ding. Some have been many times/others are newbies. Here are some tips that should be helpful no matter how many times you ve been there. Joe and Sandy Pisano recommend: Joe and I can only suggest that participants enjoy as many activities as possible. Reading the daily schedule is helpful when planning your day. Poker runs provide routes and scenic drives that can be off the beaten path. Of course the vendors offer plenty of opportunities to browse and shop. There are usually trams that run from the hotels. These can take you to different sights around town without the issue of finding a place to park. Remember that there is lots of walking so be sure you bring along comfortable shoes. It is a great event and there is a lot to see and do. Stay calm, plan your day, and most importantly HAVE FUN. John DuBose says here s how to have fun at WING DING 37 Service wing before you leave. T-CLOCS Plan route, but leave yourself an out. (Weather, construction) The general rules for travelers take half the clothes you think you ll need and twice the money. Have a backup credit card and separate stash of cash. Medical information, medications and first aid kit Finally, open your mind to mid-trip detours remember the explorer that got you on the wing. John DuBose and John Bettencourt are planning a group ride in Huntsville. Stay tuned for more info about date and time. PACKING TIPS: Bike or Car- from Barb Parish Pack toiletries in zip lock bags. Contents can be seen easily. Use several bags instead of one large bag so that you can slip into empty corners Pack socks, underwear etc inside shoes. Sometimes my shoes fit inside Bud s shoes. Don t waste that space Make or buy travel sizes of toiletries Just in case- - take extra zip lock bags, safety pins, clothes pin to hold window curtain shut. Roll clothes tightly. Choose items that don t wrinkle (and don t show stains) Join hotel guest programs but don t carry all those cards. Lighten your wallet by making a list of the numbers and passwords- then laminate. Or use an app on your phone to list numbers

7 7 OFFICERS Director of GWRRA Ray & Sandi Garris Florida District Director Bill & Gina Berry Assistant District Director Bill & Cheryl Smith FL2-0 Chapter Director Dave Morris Assistant Chapter Director & Membership Enhancement Bob Feehrer Road Captain John DuBose Chapter Educator Doug Goethel Motorist Awareness Donna Goethel Chapter Treasurer Kathy Lucas Chapter Webmaster Barry Covard Newsletter Editor Barb Parish Tech Herb Metalflake Jebb 50/50 Bud Parish Joe Pisano wrote this article that was published a while back in the American Motorcyclist and he thought it might be helpful to our travelers. Uneven Lanes First thing, I hate them. The fact that they are created by grinding, repaving or rebuilding one lane of a multi-lane highway where traffic can move in the same direction in more than one lane is a necessary evil. The process can cause a difference of a couple of inches between the surfaces of two lanes. Under the best of conditions they can be unnerving, slippery and dangerous when changing lanes. A few years ago while riding the TCH (Trans-Canada Highway) they seemed to be a constant problem with the road being repaired in many sections. I was riding two up pulling a trailer in what seemed to be nonstop rain for a week and many of the road section repairs were replacing base rock so I was riding over wet sand and packed rock. Although my speed was reduced being road surface conscious, I knew changing lanes to pavement could be disastrous and often thought, should I? Then it finally hit me, most turnpikes or interstates have overpasses or bridges somewhere, just wait for one of them because the road construction usually stops on one side and continues on the other so on top of the overpass a lane change is easy because they are level. Joe Pisano OUR MEMBERS SOUND OFF~~~ Jim Rich submitted this letter to Road Runner October 15 I thoroughly enjoyed Bud Miller s Zen Motorcyclist: Four Legs, Two Wheels, and a Grateful Heart. I m not sure about Bud, but Spud sure is one good looking dog. Sure glad the nerve pain has subsided, and you have found the two best therapies available: a dog and a motorcycle ride. I agree that when dogs communicate there is very little chance of misunderstanding. Our 11-year-old Scottish border collie, Ace, rolls over on his back with his feet in the air and says, Now would be a really good time for a nice belly rub. RoadRUNNER continues to be the best motorcycle touring magazine on the market; keep up the good work. Jim Rich Tequesta, FL

8 8 7/12 August Marilyn 23 Willard Rich Hackett 7/21 September George 27 Scholes Bob Cheshire 7/22 September Dick Maneage 30 Kathy Lucas 7/23 October Jean 1 Maneage Donna Goethel 7/28 October Tammy 5 John Pounds DuBose October 21 Sondra Cuff October 27 Bob Feehrer September 8 Tammy & Larry Pounds August 23 Richard & Jean Maneage 2015 FLORIDA GWRRA EVENTS Sept. 3-6 Wing Ding Huntsville, AL Oct. 10 FL1-D Green Frog Getaway Pensacola Oct. 17 FL2-G Pancake Breakfast Ft Myer Oct Region A Rally/Convention Eufaula, AL 2016 FLORIDA GWRRA EVENTS Jan. 1 First Ride of the Year Shrimp R Us Welaka Jan. 23 FL2-L Chapter Rally Lakeland Mar Florida District Rally Kissimmee April 2 FL1-K Chapter Palm Coast April 9 FL1-A Poker Run Seffner Need the chapter Calendar? Need the list of officers? Want to read the District Newsletter? Click here for a link to the TCWings website where you ll find all this and more! BOOKMARK FOR EASY ACCESS

9 9 SAVE the DATE CHRISTMAS PARTY GWRRA ANNIVERSARIES December 16, 2015 Holiday Inn, St Lucie We are looking for volunteers To serve on committees October Bud Parish RAFFLE TICKET INFORMATION SELL SELL SELL WE RECEIVED 400 FLORIDA DISTRICT GOLDWING RAFFLE TICKETS ON JULY 12 TH AND THEY ARE SELLING LIKE HOTCAKES. THEY COME IN BOOKS OF TEN AND ARE $1.00 EACH BUT MOST ARE SELLING THEM AS A $10.00 BOOK. I JUST ORDERED ANOTHER 600 SO GET READY TO TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND SELL SELL SELL! IF WE SELL 1000 TICKETS, OUR $ DUES WILL BE PAID. THERE WILL BE A PRIZE TO THE MEMBER WHO SELLS THE MOST TICKETS!! I WILL HAVE THE EXTRA 600 TICKETS SHORTLY. THE DRAWINGS ARE ON SATURDAY MARCH 19 TH, 2016 AT THE FLORIDA DISTRICT CONVENTION. NEED NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN. 1 ST DRAWING IS A NEW GOLDWING OR $10, ND DRAWING IS $ CASH 3 RD DRAWING IS $ CASH Ride Safe AND SELL SELL SELL!

10 10 RIDER EDUCATION - Doug Goethel MOTORIST AWARENESS Donna Goethel August 19~~~ Going Away Party for Doug and Donna Goethel at Shrimpers in Port Salerno. Thank you for serving as Rider Ed and Motorist Awareness. We will miss your enthusiasm and participation. Please join our Gathering whenever you are in Stuart!

11 11 So long to Linda Long Linda Long is leaving Florida to reside in New Zealand. Sandy Pisano provided interesting trivia about New Zealand so we know a little more about Linda s new country. Linda and Ken Long were our chapter directors for several years. FL2-O SCHEDULE August 19 Shrimpers Grill & Raw Bar: 4903 SE Dixie Hwy, Stuart, FL August 26 Uncle Giuseppe Bit a Brooklyn: 751 NW Federal Hwy, Stuart, FL (North end of Roosevelt Bridge) September 2 NO KICK TIRES DUE TO WING DING September 9 Gathering September 16 Fresh Catch 1411 SE Indian St, Stuart, FL September 23 Bonefish Mac s 662 SE Becker Road, PSL September 30 Ruby Tuesday s Jensen Beach at Treasure Coast Mall Note: Please wear your chapter shirts

12 12 MESSAGE FROM ACD BOB FEEHRER MESSAGE FROM ASSISTANT CHAPTER DIRECTOR Hi Gang Well, here we are almost two weeks from the start of Wingding 37. Hopefully, everyone thinking about making this trip should be ready. Alice & I have spent the last three weekends servicing and polishing the paint and chrome to make our Trike look good for the trip. Our Trailer has been checked for wheel bearing problems, cleaned, polished and measured for the luggage that will be packed into it. Alice has been making a list of what to bring and what not to bring so it all fits in the Trailer. We have not had an opportunity to plan a motorcycle road trip to attend a Wingding since Wingding 30 in So to say that we are excited about making this trip is an understatement. Alice is in Key West with her brother and sister on their annual lobster hunt. She says hi to everyone and advises that the lobster harvest is very slim this year, most likely because of all the people that he come down to Key West with catching Lobsters on their mind. Keep your eyes on the horizon and the rubber side down. Bob and Alice Feehrer Assistant Chapter Directors & Membership Enhancement