Gold Wing Road Riders Association

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Brittney King
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Participants included: Shirley & Colin O'Brien Alex Middleton Dale Gillespie Fred & Judy Rea Ron & Carol Myers Harley & Sharon Sanders The Instructor was Randy Westby from Innisfail.

CO-RIDER COURSE A Co-Rider course was offered on March 1st at the offices of Platinum Air and instructed by Terry Burrill. www.goldwingcalgary.

1 Gold Wing Road Riders Association Chapter AB-A A (Calgary) Newsletter March, 2007 Wing Wag Highway 1 West Words from our Chapter Director FIRST AID / CPR COURSE A First Aid / CPR course was held on February 24th. Harley and Sharon arranged for a room for the course at Willow Park Center. Participants included: Shirley & Colin O'Brien Alex Middleton Dale Gillespie Fred & Judy Rea Ron & Carol Myers Harley & Sharon Sanders The Instructor was Randy Westby from Innisfail. A second course will be held at 9:00 am on March 10, 2007 at the Bankview Community Centre located at 23rd Avenue and 17th Street SW. Wes Braden will have the details. CO-RIDER COURSE A Co-Rider course was offered on March 1st at the offices of Platinum Air and instructed by Terry Burrill. Participants included: Shirley O'Brien Judy Rae Lisa Miller Susan Premech Shelly Burrill Darlene Edwards Gleness Batten Holly Braden Sharon Sanders And several husbands hung around to observe. There had been 22 names on the course sign-up sheet but only 9 members were able to attended on March 1st. Terry has received several phone calls from members who didn t make it to the course but are still interested in taking the course. If there is enough interest Terry has indicated that an additional Co-Rider Course could be scheduled. If you are interested please contact Terry Burrill or Wes Braden. Coming Events What s Inside Mar 10 Mar 12 Apr 14 First Aid / CPR Monthly Meeting Bunko Pot Luck Sixteen Days on A Gold Wing...2 Wings In The Sunny South...3 Motorcycle Ride For Dad...3 Victoria Day Fun Run...6 Favorite Things...7 Bunko Night Pot Luck...8 News & Notices...9 Classifieds...10 Calgary Area Staff Listing...11

Wing Wag March, 2007 Page 2 Continued from the February Edition.

The fog appeared to be thickening nearer the ocean but we were headed inland initially and hoped the fog would lift as the day wore on.

The lighthouse itself is situated lower on the cliff as the higher elevation area is usually blanketed in a thick fog, particularly in the summer, and that proved to be true for us.

8 kilometers from the parking lot up to the residence area and then had to descend the equivalent of a 30 story building to DID IT! Although my legs felt like rubber!

I had some trouble walking back but had an even tougher time climbing back onto the bike.

2 Wing Wag March, 2007 Page 2 Continued from the February Edition. Day 8, With an atmospheric ocean fog in the area and a temperature of 14 0 C we left our room at the Bodega Bay Lodge with mixed emotions after a delicious breakfast of Eggs Benedict. The fog appeared to be thickening nearer the ocean but we were headed inland initially and hoped the fog would lift as the day wore on. We got to Point Ryes National Sea Shore and drove up to see the lighthouse which is accessed from the top of a high cliff above the ocean. The lighthouse itself is situated lower on the cliff as the higher elevation area is usually blanketed in a thick fog, particularly in the summer, and that proved to be true for us. You could see through the fog a little but it gave a very ominous appearance. We walked the 0.8 kilometers from the parking lot up to the residence area and then had to descend the equivalent of a 30 story building to DID IT! Although my legs felt like rubber! Once we got back to the top we then had to walk back the 0.8 kilometers (some of it UP) to get back to the parking lot. I had some trouble walking back but had an even tougher time climbing back onto the bike. The roads in this park are in very bad condition and by the time we got out of the park we both felt like we had taken a beating. We needed a break and stopped for a snack at the Busy I could have faced any more UP today if I had wanted to). The wind was howling as we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge but it had surprisingly little effect on the bike as exposed as we were. We got to our hotel in San Francisco at about 6:16 having logged just kilometers in 7 hours, slightly better than yesterday, and having reached a high of 22 0 C. Day 9, This has been a great day but I am still suffering from all of the UP yesterday, sore knees, ankles, and calves. We only traveled 82.1 kilometers today but we were out and about for 8 hours. We went to the get to the lighthouse itself, something the lighthouse keeper would have had to do daily before the site was modernized in The fog cleared while we where there and we had some nice views both ways along the shore below. Having gone down 30 stories meant we then had to climb back up 30 stories and any one who knows me knows how much I hate UP! But I Bee Bakery--yummy! The roads seem to be getting worse the farther south we go and the twisty bits are a lot less fun when you have to watch for potholes all the time. We stopped at Muir Woods National Park which is another grove of giant redwoods but this one is mostly wheelchair accessible so it is also Lisa friendly as it is paved and there is virtually no UP (I don't think Marin Headlands and took pictures from above the Golden Gate Bridge, it is a view you often see in (Continued on page 4)

Wing Wag March, 2007 Page 3 Wings In The Sunny South will be held from June 29 to July 1, 2007.

3 Wing Wag March, 2007 Page 3 Wings In The Sunny South will be held from June 29 to July 1, This is a great date and location for anyone traveling to Wing Ding in Billings, Montana to fit in another rally and help support this new chapter. Speaking of helping the new chapter they will most likely be looking for volunteers to help keep things on track during the event, so if you have the time and inclination please don t hesitate to offer up your services to our friends a little farther south. There are accommodations for everyone, camping, hotels, and dormitory style lodging are all available. Detailed information about all aspects of the rally and contact information is available at the Chapter AB-L web site: Rick Brown, the Calgary representative for the Ride For Dad attended our February meeting to invite GWRRA members to participate in the ride on June 2, The Motorcycle Ride For Dad ( raises money to fight Prostate Cancer through Research and Education in your community. What is raised here, stays here. The ride is organized through the cooperation of local and national police associations, cancer organizations, and sponsors. Contact Rick Brown at OR shaw.ca

Wing Wag March, 2007 Page 4 (Continued from page 2) movies and television shows. Then we spent the rest of the day at Pier 39 and around Fisherman's Wharf.

We tried to go to Alcatraz but the tickets were sold out for the rest of today and they only had two late tickets for tomorrow so we booked for Sunday at 1:45 pm.

Also tried to get some laundry done but there is only one washer and one dryer and someone beat us to them so I haven't figured out what we will wear tomorrow, could be interesting.

We drove the Coast Highway and ran into fog about a quarter of the way there and it stayed with us for a bit more than half of the remaining distance.

You can see as you approach but there is no predicting what is around the corner, it is sort of neat but I think it would be frustrating to live with.

4 Wing Wag March, 2007 Page 4 (Continued from page 2) movies and television shows. Then we spent the rest of the day at Pier 39 and around Fisherman's Wharf. The weather has been very nice all day about 24 0 C. We tried to go to Alcatraz but the tickets were sold out for the rest of today and they only had two late tickets for tomorrow so we booked for Sunday at 1:45 pm. I never would have believed it would have been so busy so late in the season but there you go. Also tried to get some laundry done but there is only one washer and one dryer and someone beat us to them so I haven't figured out what we will wear tomorrow, could be interesting. Day 10, Yesterday we went to Santa Cruz for the day. We drove the Coast Highway and ran into fog about a quarter of the way there and it stayed with us for a bit more than half of the remaining distance. This is an even stranger environment than Calgary for weather. Within a couple of miles you can literally go from blue skies and warm temperatures to fog and cold. You can see as you approach but there is no predicting what is around the corner, it is sort of neat but I think it would be frustrating to live with. We looked around the Wharf in Santa Cruz and viewed the Boardwalk from a distance but it is really just a year long carnival and that doesn't do a lot for me, too many people (and kids). We had lunch, bought some fudge, and drove home running into more and thicker fog as we approached San Francisco, so we decided to turn inland and the fog disappeared within a couple of miles but it was sweeping into San Francisco as we approached. We logged kilometers in 8 hours and ranged in temperature from 16 0 C to 22 0 C. Day 11 Today we went to Alcatraz and spent about 2.5 hours from the time we loaded on the boat to our return to the same dock. We did the audio tour of the Cell block that was narrated by guards and prisoners who had actually been there during its operation as a federal penitentiary. It really added something listening to voices that had lived the experience for both sides. There is surprisingly little to the island but the history is quite long all the way back to the American Civil War. Afterwards we used the Navigation system on the motorcycle to get to the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park and landed up taking a very scenic drive through many different communities of San Francisco. While it was a very interesting drive, it took us about twice as long to get to our destination as it should have as there were street closures for a festival, heavy traffic, and for some reason none of the traffic lights in this city are synchronized, something we have noticed every time we drive around as you get to stop at every light. We would really like to know why Navi took us on the route she did, as there was a much more direct and less trafficked route from where we were, but we saw parts of the city we never would have seen otherwise. Colin and I had tried to go to the Tea Garden in 1984 but it was closed, this time it was open and we actually had tea in the Japanese tea house then walked around the gardens for a while. I love Japanese Gardens and this one is no exception and it is one of the few where you can have tea in the tea house. We logged 59.7 kilometers in 8.5 hours and had temps from 18 0 C to 22 0 C. Day 12, Today we went to the California Railroad Museum in Sacramento, CA what a nice museum and great displays. There were even a few rail cars that you could walk through, with interpreters on hand to explain what you were seeing, it was very interesting. When we finished in the museum we wandered around the rest of Old Town Sacramento until we found an interesting (Continued on page 5)

Wing Wag March, 2007 Page 5 (Continued from page 4) of 35 0 C in Rancho Cordova, very uncomfortable and our low for the day was 15 0 C driving through the mountains to Lake Tahoe. We only logged 342.

place for lunch, it was once a fire station. The station had a courtyard that is now used for al fresco dining and we had pork tenderloin, yum!

We met a couple other people who where there looking for things for their bikes and were invited by one of the wingers to stay a his home which we declined as we had reservations in Lake Tahoe, also

We were also invited to join the same fellow and a couple other riders for dinner in a nearby restaurant but since we had just eaten and were already burning up the daylight we also declined and it

5 Wing Wag March, 2007 Page 5 (Continued from page 4) of 35 0 C in Rancho Cordova, very uncomfortable and our low for the day was 15 0 C driving through the mountains to Lake Tahoe. We only logged kilometers in the 9 hours we were out and about. about 20 minutes after sunset again and got upgraded to a room with a Jacuzzi tub a real bonus after 8.5 hours on the bike and kilometers. Our daily high was 28 0 C and the low 16 0 C. place for lunch, it was once a fire station. The station had a courtyard that is now used for al fresco dining and we had pork tenderloin, yum! After lunch we got back on the bike and drove to Rancho Cordova where we went to a Gold Wing accessories shop called Wing Worx. We met a couple other people who where there looking for things for their bikes and were invited by one of the wingers to stay a his home which we declined as we had reservations in Lake Tahoe, also I think that both Colin and I are a little uncomfortable about staying with people we don t know regardless of how nice the seem to be. We were also invited to join the same fellow and a couple other riders for dinner in a nearby restaurant but since we had just eaten and were already burning up the daylight we also declined and it was probably a good thing as we arrived in Lake Tahoe at 7:15 and the sun had officially set. I don t like the idea of being on the road at dusk with all the animals around. Gold Wings don t much care for gravel or sand but I suspect they dislike hitting wild life even more. Our day started at 20 0 C and we hit a high Day 13, After a very slow start to the day to allow the overnight low of -5 0 C to improve and the frost to burn off the roads we set out to drive around the lake at about 11:15 with a temperature of 16 0 C and got back to the hotel at 2:15. We logged kilometers in 3 hours. Then we went to casino hop for the rest of the afternoon and into the evening. We had lunch in the 24-Hr Café at the Harvey s Casino and then threw our money at various evil machines including Rich Little Pigs, Jade Monkey, and other 1 cent slots. After deciding that there were no big payouts waiting for us we went to Applebees for supper and then back to the hotel to do a load of laundry to keep us stocked for the trip home. Day 14, Just a driving day with lots of construction, I think the entire state of California is under road construction as we encountered it a lot and had to wait for pilot cars at most locations. Most of the time the pilot cars seemed like a make work project and a huge waste of time and money. We skipped lunch in favor of an ice cream treat while filling with gas and the stopped for an early supper in Lake View, OR. We got to Burns at 7:10 Day 15, We started the day with a big breakfast at a place called the Apple Peddler and started out on another driving day, 9 hours and kilometers on the bike. We hit several very nice twisty bits driving through Oregon, and are there ever a lot of horses in that state. Our high was 31 0 C and the low was 21 0 C. We got to Spokane Valley at 6:30 and went to TGI Fridays again for Jack Daniel s Ribs for Colin and a Jack Daniel s Flat Iron Steak for me--yummy! We both love TGI Friday and wish the franchise had a restaurant in Calgary even though it would be detrimental to both our waist lines and pocket book. Day 16, It has been a very uneventful and rather boring day just trying to get home as quickly as possible. The weather has been kind to us and after kilometers in 8.5 hours we are finally home and ready for a rest. Our total kilometers for this trip are 5,797 over 16 days. We are both still alive and friends. What s more I understand my role as co-rider and windshield cleaner so when is the next bike trip? Lisa Miller

Wing Wag March, 2007 The Victoria Days Fun Run is in Ephrata Washington on the May long weekend. The current plan looks like this. The ride will leave in the afternoon on May 17th.

We will leave after the closing ceremonies on Sunday and ride to Sandington and the phone numpoint, Idaho and return ber is 509-754-7111. This home on the Monday.

6 Wing Wag March, 2007 The Victoria Days Fun Run is in Ephrata Washington on the May long weekend. The current plan looks like this. The ride will leave in the afternoon on May 17th. We will travel to Cranbrook, British Columbia on the Thursday, arrive in Ephrata, Washington on Friday. We will leave after the closing ceremonies on Sunday and ride to Sandington and the phone numpoint, Idaho and return ber is This home on the Monday. year attendees will be required to book their own The host hotel is the Best rooms. When booking a Western in Ephrata, Wash- room, people must let the Page 6 hotel know that they are participating in the GWRRA weekend event and would like to book one of the rooms set aside for Ronnie Lopez. When Bob Van Nes reserved a room, 18 of the 39 rooms are already spoken for. Contact Bob Van Nes for more information or for registration forms.

I know that many riders think of shiny chrome goodies as safety related, but that's not what I am talking about. It is my belief that any item that gives the rider comfort provides a degree of safety.

7 Wing Wag March, 2007 Page 7 What Are Your Favorite Things? Here is another reply to my question that was missed in the Dec/Jan newsletter. When I think about the things that I have added to my last three goldwings I find that most of the items are safety related. I know that many riders think of shiny chrome goodies as safety related, but that's not what I am talking about. It is my belief that any item that gives the rider comfort provides a degree of safety. I guess if the co-rider is comfortable the rider is also safe from physical and verbal abuse. However, if the rider is distracted by the fact that he/she is not comfortable then the rider is not paying complete attention to the control of the motorcycle. Therefore, I consider such items as backrests, custom seats, airwings, heated grips, aftermarket windshields, highway pegs and floor boards as great safety add-ons due to the increase in comfort they give the rider. Other add-ons that also provide safety are lighted brake spoilers, running lights or any type of lighting accessories that will catch the eye of a motorist. Lastly, the CB radio can help the rider stay safe when riding in a group. Fellow riders can then advise others of obstacles on the road or potential problems with passing motorists or animals. Enjoy your add-ons and ride safe. Bob Van Nes

Wing Wag March, 2007 Page 8 ince these early months of the year are usually not very bike worthy, we are trying to arrange an alternate event to get the group together to allow us to have some of the

Currently we have 28 participants with 4 per table. Costs will be determined according to the numbers that show up. This will be a non-liquor evening. We will be at the meeting on Mar.

8 Wing Wag March, 2007 Page 8 ince these early months of the year are usually not very bike worthy, we are trying to arrange an alternate event to get the group together to allow us to have some of the fun and friendship that is so much a part of the club. We have booked the Glenmore Community Centre located at Avenue SW on April 14th at 5:30 pm. Currently we have 28 participants with 4 per table. Costs will be determined according to the numbers that show up. This will be a non-liquor evening. We will be at the meeting on Mar. 12th and finalize the plans at that time. Sharon Sanders and Rose Perrin Writers Wanted 1020 Meridian Rd. N.E. Calgary, AB T2A 2N8 If you have a story about your recent motorcycle adventures we would love to share it with the other GWRRA members by publishing your story in the Wing Wag. Please your stories to Lisa Miller at goldwing calgary.com

Wing Wag March, 2007 Page 9 1. A second First Aid / CPR Course will be held at 9:00 am on March 10, 2007 at the Bankview Community Centre located at 23rd Avenue and 17th Street SW.

9 Wing Wag March, 2007 Page 9 1. A second First Aid / CPR Course will be held at 9:00 am on March 10, 2007 at the Bankview Community Centre located at 23rd Avenue and 17th Street SW. Please contact Wes Braden at or by at goldwing calgary.com for more information if you are interested in participating. 2. The Calgary Ride for Dad will be held on June 2nd. Interested individuals can get information at or by calling Rick Brown at Cell: or him at shaw.ca. While this event is not sponsored by our chapter we want to keep members informed of other riding opportunities. 3. The Ride for Sight will be held from June 8th to 10th. Interested individuals can get information at or by calling While this event is not sponsored by our chapter we want to keep members informed of other riding opportunities.

10 Wing Wag March, 2007 Page 10 Classified Ads The Classified ads are free to all members and associates of the GWRRA. While advertised items do not have to be Gold Wing related, we do insist that all ads pertain to motorcycling. Ads will appear on a space available basis for one month. Should you wish to continue to run your ad for a second or succeeding month, you must resubmit or renew your ad. Deadline for submission is the 25th of the month preceding publication. To post an ad or if the item is sold or the offer withdrawn, please contact Lisa Miller at: goldwing Calgary.com 50/50 Winner CALGARY AREA STAFF Chapter Directors Jim & Dorothy Baker chapter goldwing calgary.com Quartermaster Brian Perrin goldwing calgary.com Newsletter Editor Lisa Miller goldwing calgary.com Treasurer Joy Somers goldwing calgary.com Ride Coordinator Rod Banman ride goldwing calgary.com Rider Training Don Martin rider goldwing calgary.com Rider Education Wes Braden rider goldwing calgary.com Rider Course Terry Burrill Instructor goldwing calgary.com Social Coordinators Rose Perrin social goldwing calgary.com & Sharon Sanders social goldwing calgary.com & Joanne Quinlan social goldwing calgary.com Social Coordinator & Vi Banman Membership social goldwing calgary.com Enhancement Assistant Membership Darryl Minsky Enhancement goldwing calgary.com Coordinator & Webmaster GWRRA TOLL FREE NUMBER (CANADA & US) NATIONAL LEADERS Wes Braden Executive Director Melissa Nordeoff (623) Intentional Dir of Ops TBA Natl Dirs for Cdn Ops Ron & Carol Hodgson (403) Natl Rider Ed Director Gordon Murphy (709) Region J Directors Phil & Margaret Craven (250) District Directors Ross & Audrey Woolsey (780) NOTE: addresses in this publication are displayed in a manner that will deter automatic address harvesting programs. This step is taken to reduce unsolicited to any addresses we post. We regret any inconvenience caused for our legitimate visitors. Remove all the spaces in the address to make it work.

For the latest updates on what we are doing and where we re going, check out our website: Monthly Meetings Monthly meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of each month.

11 Wing Wag March, 2007 Page 11 February 2007 EVENT SCHEDULE DAY/DATE EVENT AB-A SPONSOR Mar. 12, 2007 Mar. 10, 2007 Mar. 31 or Apr. 14, 2007 Monthly Meeting First Aid / CPR Course Bunko and Pot Luck Night Friends for Fun, Safety, and Knowledge Come ride with us...everyone Welcome! For the latest updates on what we are doing and where we re going, check out our website: Monthly Meetings Monthly meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of each month. This is a time to share information and to meet old and new friends who like to ride together for FUN, Safety and Knowledge. See you at the next meeting at the Fox Hollow Golf Club, 9th Street and 32nd Avenue N.E. 6:30; Meeting at 7:00 PM. Rain, snow or shine, we meet for breakfast every Sunday morning about 9 AM. This is a great year round way to stay in touch with your GWRRA friends. So, if you have missed the opportunity to join us for breakfast recently, why don t you come on over to the Fox Hollow Golf Club, 9th Street and 32nd Avenue N.E. Michael Oram Agent/Advisor Cell: (403) 990-HOME {4663}

12 Wing Wag March, 2007 Page 12

Gold Wing Road Riders Association

Gold Wing Road Riders Association Chapter AB-A A (Calgary) Newsletter February, 2008 Wing Wag SWISS GUIDES COTTAGE AT LAKE LOUISE www.goldwingcalgary.com Text and Photos by Bob Van nes Each year I look