2016 AZ District Best Newsletter AZ District Chapter of the Year. Tempus Ludendi. 32st Year, Issue 368 April 2018

Transcription

1 32st Year, Issue 368 April AZ District Best Newsletter 2016 AZ District Chapter of the Year Tempus Ludendi Gold Wing Road Rider s Association (GWRRA) Arizona Chapter E's Monthly Get-Together is the 1st Saturday of each month. The Get- Together is held at the Golden Corral Restaurant located at S. Hwy 92 in Sierra Vista, AZ. Breakfast starts around 8:30 AM and the FUN begins at 9:30 AM. The Gold Wing Road Riders Association (GWRRA) is the world's largest single-marque social organization for owners and riders of Honda Gold Wing/ Valkyrie motorcycles and other makes/models -- and some would say, the world's largest family. Dedicated to our motto, Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge, GWRRA members enjoy the freedom of belonging to a not-for-profit, nonreligious and non-political organization. Chapter Directors for the Chapter E Cochise Wingers are Wayne and Wendy Stark. They can be reached at phone or cochisewinger1@cox.net

2 From Your Membership Enhancement Coordinator (AKA Fun Director) Gale Howard March MEC Report On March 7 th 8 bikes 11 persons rode to Rio Rico for lunch at Nickels Diner. We went over on Hwy 90 to Hwy 82 to River Rd to I 19 to Ruby Rd to Rio Rico Rd to the Diner. We returned home on I 19 to Pima Mine Rd to Old Nogales Rd to Sahuarita Rd to Hwy 83 to Hwy 82 to Hwy 90. Our weekly dinner was in Benson at Pablo's where 12 members had a great meal. On the 10 th was the Celebration of Life for Bill's friend, Angie. Several of our members were there to support Bill. Our monthly DQ ride was on the 11 th to Bisbee where 8 bikes with 4 two- up went down Hwy 92 to Old Bisbee Rd to have our ice cream fix. There we met 3 more riders. We went back thru the tunnel on Hwy 80 to Hwy 90. Our monthly social was in Tombstone at the Longhorn Cafe on the 12 th. We had 13 members in attendance for a great dinner. Our impromptu ride on the 14 th was a long ride into Lordsburg, New Mexico at Kranberries for lunch. 5 members rode over on Hwy 92 to Hwy 80 to I 10 to the restaurant, where 1 more member met the group. The return ride was on I 10 to Hwy 90. That night we ate at the Fortune Cookie restaurant where 10 members enjoyed Chinese food. On the 17 th 10 riders met 2 more at the Chapter A fundraiser where they had their first Taco Run. It was a great time and several of us won door prizes. The 21 st of March was a fun ride to Mt Lemmon. 8 bikes, including Frank, with 11 people rode up Hwy 90 to Hwy 82 to Hwy 83 to Sahuarita Rd to Houghton Rd to Catalina Hwy up t he mountain. Frank rode as far as Benson and went back. The return trip was on Catalina Hwy to I 10 to Hwy 90. That night we went to Country House for a nice meal. They still do not have Pepsi. On the 25 th 8 of our members went to Yuma for the Celebration of Life for Howard Cart. He and his wife, Evelyn, were the Chapter Directors in Yuma. The 28 th was our last impromptu ride of the month. It was another long ride to Safford to eat at the Casa Manana. 6 bikes with 8 riders rode over on Hwy 90 to I 10 to Hwy 191 to the restaurant. We had a great lunch before heading back on Hwy 191 to Hwy 266 out onto I 10 to Hwy 90. Our meal that night was Mexican food again at La Casita. 14 members showed up including Gladys and her daughter for their last meal with the Chapter before heading back home for the summer. The last day of the month was a TRC course in Tucson. 4 of our members were there for a refresher. Gene did a great job planning our weekly rides for March. We will need a new volunteer for the month of April. (Editor s Note: Jack Wagner has stepped up to plan the April Wednesday Rides) Stay Safe, Have Fun Gale Smoke Signals 2 April 2018

3 From Your Chapter Directors Wayne & Wendy Stark H ey Cochise Wingers, Now that we had riding great weather in March, a lot of you took advantage of the great rides. Kudos to Gene in making our Wednesday rides longer, scenic, and memorable. Some in the chapter rode also to Yuma, too, in celebrating the life of a GWRRA friend and chapter director, Howard Cart. And yet some of you also rode to Tucson for their fund raiser and, surprisingly, came back with our mascot, Elvis, who was absconded by the Pioneer Chapter back in January. A few Cochise Wingers rode to Benson for dinner with a GWRRA Oklahoma chapter couple, Ken & Gretchen Diedrich, who were passing through the area in their RV and looked up Chapter E. We also say Happy Trails to our snowbirds, Gladys and Dave R. as they head north. They say they ll be back in the late fall/early winter. We also say So Long to Tom, who headed north to Yellowstone National Park where he works during the warmer months. We look forward to his photos and stories while he s away. Tom also returns in the fall. Looking ahead, we have our annual Motorist Awareness Event at the Sierra Vista Mall on the last Saturday of April (28th). It should be fun. A day earlier (April 27th), we have a couple of events where Bobbie and Jack will host a bike wash to help get our bikes purdy for the MA event and Bel will sing & strum at the Landmark Café shortly after. Don t miss the fun! Lastly, we have our annual fund raiser on the first Saturday of May (5th), where we re going to need ALL of YOUR help. This event helps keep our chapter going as it pays for our November Picnic, Christmas Party and other events/prizes. It s more fun than work, and there will be a lot of your GWRRA friends from all over Arizona to see. Ride Miles For Smiles, Wayne & Wendy Smoke Signals 3 April 2018

4 HE IS A COCHISE WINGER. BUT DO YOU KNOW HIS NAME? SEND WAYNE A CHILDHOOD PIC SO WE CAN CONTINUE THIS FEATURE - - JUST SNAP A PHOTO WITH YOUR PHONE AND IT! Smoke Signals 4 April 2018

5 From Your Ride Coordinator Larry Howard ello Fellow Wingers, H First let's thank Mr. Gene Goethe for the scenic, fun, long rides he sent us on in March. If I am not mistaken the shortest of the first four rides was 198 miles round trip. We encountered some wind on a couple of rides, but overall the weather could not have been better. I hope that some of you that were unable to make the rides last month will be able to join us in April. I do not know what the rides will be, but I know the only ride you wont enjoy is the one you miss. On March 17 th several of us headed out for AZ-A's annual fundraiser at Udall Park in Tucson. We all had a good time and many of us walked away with a door prize or two. It was a fun day, and the Tacos and fixings were good too. And as always, it's good to get together with old friends. There were six of us that hopped on our mighty machines on Saturday March 24 th and headed out for Yuma. Then in Tucson we met up with two more brave souls and headed on our merry way. After Tucson we ran into some heavy winds, and when we got to Eloy we decided enough is enough. So we figured we would stop at the Iron Skillet for some lunch and hope that the wind would die down somewhat. Well we were nor disappointed as the wind did slow down which made for a more comfortable trip. We arrived in Yuma, checked into the hotel and settled in our rooms then went out for eats. We walked over to the Pizza Hut next door and showed our young waitress just how much fun old folks can have. The next day, Sunday, we had a little time to kill, so we went out to catch a couple Touring Arizona stops, then decided to take a little side trip. We headed west on I-8 to check out the sand dunes. Of course the winds kicked up and there was construction for the next 20 miles and no place to turn around and everyone was getting low on fuel. Finally a break and a place to change our direction and head back to Yuma. By the time we reached a filling station all our fuel lights were burning bright. So now it was time to fill the bikes and our belly s with fuel. Next it was time to head to the Seventh Day Adventist Church where the celebration of life for Howard Cart (The Chapter U Director) was being held. It was a very nice ceremony with several chapters from around the state represented. Evelyn (Howard's Wife) greeted everyone at the door and was very happy to see all the GWRRA members that came to remember Howard. The TRC training that was held on March 31 had four members form AZ-E in attendance. Ken and Jean Taylor, Gene Goethe and myself, Larry Howard, showed up bright and early for the days workout. This was my first time to take a trike course and it was quite a workout. But as with the ARC, it was well worth the time. I would recommend that anyone take one of these classes no matter how long you have been riding. I guarantee that no matter how good a rider you are, you will pick up on something you have forgotten, learn something new or both. So Until Next Time: Ride Safe, Ride Often Larry Howard Ride Coordinator Smoke Signals 5 April 2018

6 Cochise Wingers rode to Tucson for Chapter A s Fund Raiser. For more pics and a summary, click here: Smoke Signals 6 April 2018

7 Click here for the ride recap and more pics: Smoke Signals 7 April 2018

8 Click here for the ride recap and more pics: Smoke Signals 8 April 2018

9 Click here for the ride recap and more pics: Smoke Signals 9 April 2018

10 Tearing up tombstone: for a recap, more pics and captions, click on this link: (Hat tip to Kaylee for the fun photos) Smoke Signals 10 April 2018

11 Smoke Signals 11 April 2018

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13 In case you didn t know Cochise Wingers have three ways to get chapter information: s, Chapter website, and Facebook. s: Ride Chief Larry sends out a weekly blast announcing details of the next Wednesday Impromptu Ride. Chief Wayne sends out a weekly blast for all other events coming up. Chapter E website has: Photos of all of our events, usually posted within a couple of days The Chapter Calendar, which has upcoming events. The Ride Schedule, Classifieds Newsletters Chapter E Facebook page: Has links to the latest new website content as they happen. Upcoming events. Smoke Signals 13 April 2018

14 RIDER EDUCATION PROGRAM LEVELS The GWRRA Rider Education Program (REP) is intended to make the motorcycle environment safer by reducing injuries and fatalities and increasing motorcyclist skills and awareness. Through Commitment, Education and Application, we can reduce our accident rate significantly. Benefits of a fully implemented GWRRA Rider Education Program at the Chapter level are increased rider knowledge, increased safety skills, and prevention of accidents. CHAPTER E MEMBERS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN RIDER EDUCATION: LEVEL IV Master Tour Riders Life & Grand Master Tour Riders (10+ Years) Ed Saffold (#1048) *** Bobbie Wagner (#1618) *** Jack Wagner (#1619) *** JoAnne Sturgeon (#2007) Rich Sturgeon (#2008) Gene Goethe (#3013) Judy Goethe (#3012) Senior Master Tour Rider (5 to 9 Years) Master Tour Riders (0 to 5 Years) Jim Edmundson (#3870) *** Gale Howard (#9274) Larry Howard (#8749) Thomas Jensen (#8754) *** Judy Winborn (#9504) *** Frank Winborn (#9283) *** Wayne Stark (#10174) Wendy Stark (#10173) LEVEL III Certified Tour Riders Michelle Herzog Steven Lewellen Georgia Mastin Bobette Doherty Ken Buzzard Wilma Buzzard Kaylee Nix Ed Wozniak Bill Little LEVEL II Safety by Education Dwight Arnold Daniel Gilbert LEVEL I Safety by Commitment Dave Mastin Robert Perry, Jr John White Ken Taylor Jeanie Taylor *** indicates not current Smoke Signals 14 April 2018

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16 Hint: it s not this Elvis Where s Elvis, the Cochise Wingers beloved mascot? Have fun looking for him in this newsletter! The first one to find him will win a $5 DQ Gift Card. Rules: Contact Wayne Stark (phone or cochisewinger1@cox.net) as soon as you can to qualify for a possible prize! You must: Identify the page number and general area In the previous newsletter, Elvis, who was hiding on page 12 in the GWRRA shield just under the ride o clock, was found in 45 minutes by Ed Saffold. Good Luck this month! Level IV: Master Tour Rider/Co-Rider The US Army has a saying, "Be All You Can Be." If GWRRA encouraged its membership to "Be All You Can Be," it could mean several things. It could mean to volunteer to help your Chapter or District in any way you can. But it could also mean to be the best rider and co-rider you can be. GWRRA has a way to recognize this group of riders who want to "Be All They Can Be" through its Rider Education Program. In this program, the pinnacle goal is to reach and stay current as a Level 4 Master Tour Rider. By becoming and staying current as a Master Tour Rider, you: Have reached the highest commitment for safe riding and preparedness. Demonstrated a long history of safe miles. Have current certification status in both First Aid, CPR, and road course training. So how does this benefit a Chapter? By having members that are: Trained in providing immediate assistance in life threatening emergencies during rides. Experienced in safe motorcycle operation and preparedness, which is always essential in a group ride (co-riders learn valuable lessons, too, just ask Jeanie Taylor). If you want more information, ask any Master Tour Rider listed on page 14. Smoke Signals 16 April 2018

17 April 2018 For more details, go to: Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Impromptu Ride Staff Meeting at Stark s place 6 7 Gathering at G.C Impromptu Ride Impromptu Run Ride Impromptu 40 To Phoenix Bike Wagner s Aho Ride 28 MA SV Mall Ride Bel Landmark Cafe Smoke Signals 17 April 2018

18 May 2018 For more details, go to: Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Impromptu Ride Staff Meeting at Stark s place 4 5 HUG A BUG Impromptu Ride Mount Graham Run Impromptu Run Ride Impromptu Ride Impromptu Hoot in the Ute Zermatt Ride Smoke Signals 18 April 2018

19 Editors Note I am always looking for new ideas and referrals for advertising, so please send me any leads that you may have. Business Card: $5/Month or $50/year Quarter Page $5.50/Month or $55/year 1/2 Page $10/Month or $110/year Full Page $20/Month or $220/year Web site link: free with full or 1/2 page add Active Members: if you have an article and/ or pictures that you would like to share in the newsletter, please them to me. Newsletter Editor Wayne Stark, Sr Phone: (520) cochisewinger1@cox.net Smoke Signals Publication Information The Chapter E Smoke Signals is published and ed monthly. The publisher is, Gold Wing Road Riders Association, Arizona Chapter E, Cochise Wingers, Cochise County, Arizona. Material submitted for publication is subject to editing and must be received no later than the last Wednesday of the month. Material can be submitted electronically or via the Chapter E mailbox (P.O. Box 234, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635). Articles or information can be in hardcopy or and MS Office compatible word processor up to Office Graphics can be in *PDF, *BMP, *JPG, *PNG or *TIF file, *MPEG, or a scannable hard-copy. Material herein may be reprinted without prior permission provided credit is given to the GWRRA, Arizona Chapter E, or any other credit noted in the newsletter. Please stop by and visit our web site: Chapter E Monthly Get-Together Gold Wing Road Rider s Association (GWRRA) Arizona Chapter E's Monthly Get-Together is held on the 1 st Saturday of each month. The Get-Together is held at the Golden Corral Restaurant located at S. Hwy 92 in Sierra Vista, AZ. Breakfast starts around 8:30 AM and the FUN starts at 9:30 AM. For information about GWRRA, Arizona District, and Chapter E, please visit the Chapter E website at h t t p : / / www. g wr r a a z. o r g / a ze/ Chapter E Get-Togethers are open to any interested person( s). GWRRA membership is not a requirement to attend. Any and all o orcyclis s who are in family type fun and e oy safely invited to join o o GWRRA members who participate by attending a minimum of seven monthly Get-Togethers during each calendar year will earn a Chapter Attendance Award. When you choose to participate in the 50/50 drawing and you have brought a plain wrapped (under $5 value) door prize, you will receive double the 50/50 tickets that you purchase. Chapter participants are reminded that, in order to receive Smoke Signals via U.S. Mail, you must attend periodic Chapter Get-togethers and/or Chapter events. After three (3) consecutive months of non-participation in Chapter E Get-Togethers and/or event s, you will be dropped from the mailing list unless prior arrangements have been made with the Chapter Director. Smoke Signals 19 April 2018

20 Chapter E March Gathering For a whole lot more pics, click here (hat tip to Kaylee for the Fun Photos): Chapter E Monthly Get-Together Gold Wing Road Rider s Association (GWRRA) Arizona Chapter E's Monthly Get-Together is h e l d o n the 1 st Saturday of each month. The Get-Together is held at the Golden Corral Restaurant located at S. Hwy 92 in Sierra Vista, AZ. NOTE: New times: Breakfast starts around 8:30 AM and the FUN begins at 9:30 AM. For information about GWRRA, Arizona District, and Chapter E, please visit the Chapter E website at h t t p : / / w w w. g w r r a a z. o r g / a z e / Chapter E Get-Togethers are open to any interested person ( s). GWRRA membership is not a requirement to attend. Any and all o orcyclis s who are in family type fun and e oy safely invited to join o o GWRRA members who participate by attending a minimum of seven monthly Get-Togethers during each calendar year will earn a Chapter Attendance Award. When you choose to participate in the 50/50 drawing and you have brought a plain wrapped (under $5 value) door prize, you will receive nine 50/50 tickets with your purchase. Chapter participants are reminded that, in order to receive Smoke Signals via U.S. Mail, you must attend periodic Chapter Get-togethers and/or Chapter events. After three (3) consecutive months of non-participation in Chapter E Get-Togethers and/or event s, you will be dropped from the mailing list unless prior arrangements have been mad e with the Chapter Director. Smoke Signals 20 April 2018

21 Impromptu Ride Schedule Ride Coordinator Larry Howard Our Wednesday Impromptu rides meet at Cochise Motorsports in the A.M. & kickstands up 30 MIN after arrival time. If an earlier ride is scheduled and Cochise Motorsports is not open, we will meet at the Circle K across the street. If hours change you will be told by prior to that ride. April 2018 Impromptu Rides, every Wednesday, of the week, weather permitting. DQ Runs once a month on a Sunday, too! 1st Saturday of each Month Chapter Meeting at Golden Corral, 0830 for Breakfast, then FUN at We re now riding on the weekends, so check out the chapter website, s or our facebook page for the latest. Gene is our March Duck Award Winner! April Birthdays!!! GWRRA April Anniversaries!!! April Anniversaries!!! Larry Howard Bobbie Wagner STEVEN LEWELLEN MICHELLE HERZOG DAVID MASTIN GEORGIA MASTIN EDWARD A. WOZNIAK KAYLEE NIX None this month Smoke Signals 21 April 2018

22 NOTE: the following is the latest schedule; subject to change The latest Chapter E Ride and Events Schedule can be found here: Smoke Signals 22 April 2018

23 NOTE: the following is the latest schedule; subject to change The latest Chapter E Ride and Events Schedule can be found here: Smoke Signals 23 April 2018

24 Every month our wise and venerable Cochise tackles the tough questions coming from the Chapter E membership. D ear Cochise, What ever happened to TJ, Spyder-Man and our Song Bird? It seemed they were here for only a short time, but now they are nowhere to be seen! Signed, Miss N. Dem D ear Miss N. Dem, Tom Jensen (TJ) has traveled up to Yellowstone to work at the national park during the warmer months - - he annually does this - - so we can look forward to his reports and pics in the coming months. This Spyder-Man you speak of is Dave Reentz - - he was here in Cochise County with his wife Elaine riding his Can Am Spyder this winter to get out from the Iowa winter cold. The Song Bird you mention is Gladys Dickey. Gladys was here (Sunsites AZ) for the winter to avoid the Indiana winter cold, too. While we will miss them during our warmer months, rest assured they all hope to return in the fall season. Signed, Cochise Sunset at Sunsites, AZ. Photo taken by Gladys. Smoke Signals 24 April 2018

25 The next District Training Event will be June 22nd & 23rd in Show Low Make your reservations at the Hampton Inn & Suites Show Low, call (928) , Ask for the GWA room block. Rooms are $144 per night, including breakfast. Each room as a balcony or patio. The discount room block will be lifted May 24th, so make your reservations now! We will have a Medic First Aid/CPR class spread out over Friday & Saturday so members can still participate in the classes, rides and BBQ. The MFA/CPR class is $25.00 per person Friday June 22nd activities will include: Event Packet Pickup 1st half of MFA/CPR class A BBQ at Bikes Trikes & More Self-Guided and Guided scenic rides Outdoor Games Ice Cream Social & Game Night drawing. Saturday June 23rd activities include: 2nd half of MFA/CPR class University Training Classes Lunch provided by District University Training Classes Dinner out (location TBD) drawing Sunday Morning Bike Blessing, Safe Travels Home An Event flyer will be posted to the district website soon. Contact Conniejo42@msn.com The Summer District Training Event will be in August in Prescott. We are still working on the dates, details and activities. The Final District Training Event will be in Yuma November 9th & 10th. Mark your Calendars. Other Training There is a list of wonderful University Training Classes, both Rider Education seminars and various training modules to meet your chapter training needs. If your chapter has training needs, please contact Connie Jo: Conniejo42@msn.com, or Smoke Signals 25 April 2018

26 Gold Wing Road Riders GWRRA President Anita Alkire Arizona, Chapter E Chapter E Directors Assistant Directors Treasurer Wayne & Wendy Stark OPEN Bel Saffold (520) Newsletter Editor Wayne Stark (520) Ride Coordinator Assistant Ride Coordinator Larry Howard Ed Saffold (520) Chapter Store Tom Jensen / Ken Taylor (520) Sunshine Lady Judy Goethe Coordinator Gene Goethe (520) Impromptu Run Coordinator Historian All Chapter Members Bobette Doherty Couple of the Year Larry & Gale Howard (520) Individual of the Year Bobette Doherty Membership Enhancement Gale Howard (520) Photographer Kaylee Nix Webmaster Wayne Stark (520) Smoke Signals 26 April 2018

27 Gold Wing Road Riders Arizona Chapters ARIZONA CHAPTERS: MEETING DATES / PLACES / CONTACT INFO (6/4/17) CHAPT AREA MEETING DAY MEETING LOCATION CHAPTER DIRECTOR AZ-A TUCSON 3rd Saturday, 8:15 AM Golden Corral 4380 E 22nd St, Tucson Randy Wasser/ & Judy Schneider, (520) randywasser@msn.com AZ-D MESA (East Valley) 2nd Saturday, 8:00 AM Old Country Buffet 6625 E Southern Ave., Mesa Mark Norris/Patty Trapp, directorazd@cox.net AZ-E SIERRA VISTA 1st Saturday, 9:00 AM AZ-G GREEN VALLEY 2nd Saturday, 8:00 AM AZ-O OATMAN 1st Saturday 8:00 AM AZ-P PRESCOTT 4th Saturday, 8:00 AM Golden Corral 798 South Highway 92, Sierra Vista Coyote Grill at the San Ignacio Golf Course, 4201 S Camino Sol, GV, AZ Perkins Restaurant 2250 Highway 95 # 26 Bullhead City Golden Corral 1901 E Hwy 69, Prescott Wayne & Wendy Stark, cochisewinger1@cox.net Chuck Liberty, charles_liberty@msn.com Greg Brown, gregory-brown@sbcglobal.net Sandy Gaston, sandybcg@q.com AZ-R PHOENIX (West Valley) 3rd Saturday, 8:00 AM Old Country Buffet, N.79th Ave., Glendale Bill Trask wwtrask@gmail.com AZ-S SCOTTSDALE 1st Saturday, 8:00 AM AZ-U YUMA 3rd Saturday, 8:00 AM Deer Valley Airport 702 West Deer Valley Road, Phoenix Foothills Eatery & Spirits S. Frontage Road Yuma AZ John Read, john.read79@gmail.com Howard Cart, Evelyn Kuida, hcart52@roadrunner.com kuidael49@yahoo.com Smoke Signals 27 April 2018

28 From Your District Ride Coordinators Ed Wozniak & Kaylee Nix Right in Chapter E s own backyard... Out and About This Haunting Road Trip Through Cochise County Is One You Won t Forget. If there s any state that could be considered the ghost town capital of the country, Arizona could easily win that argument. With more than 275 abandoned settlements of American origin, many of these places were frontier boom towns iconic of Arizona s Wild West heritage. Today, many still exist in various stages of decay and each year, a little bit fades away into the land. If you ve been meaning to take some time to explore these long-forgotten areas, you ll definitely want to take a trip on this special ghost town road trip in southeastern Arizona! On this trip, we ll be exploring 7 places often designated as ghost towns and some of the history behind each one. Refer to this custom Google map for this road trip for directions and a few facts about each town. Smoke Signals 28 April 2018

29 Cochise, Arizona (A) This town was founded in the 1880s as a railroad stop and at one point had a thriving population of 3,000. It is best known for the Cochise Hotel, where Doc Holliday's lady friend, Big Nose Kate, worked after his death. Although labeled by most sources as a ghost town, the town had a population of about 1,500 in 2000 and some accounts claim that has dwindled to just 50 today. Expect to spend about 20 to 30 minutes here driving through town and looking at some of the old buildings that are in need of renovation. The Cochise Hotel, located at the southern corner of Cochise Stronghold Road and Rath Avenue, is one place that is actually getting some love. Phillip Gessert, the new owner of the deteriorating hotel, stated on a website dedicated to the historic building that it is currently being restored. Also, if you re looking for something fun try the Cochise Hotel Gala scheduled for 24 & 25 February. You ll also want to check out the Cochise Country Store just across the street and the little Cochise Church on Bowie Avenue. 2. Pearce (B) Found 16 miles southeast of Cochise is Pearce, another old mining ghost town that has become absorbed by the larger Sunsites. The town was founded shortly after gold was spotted in 1894 and the development of the nearby Commonwealth Mine. Once a thriving community, the town slowly began to decline in the 1930s and nearly died when the mine closed for good a decade later. These days the town s population is pretty low but you ll still find some folks living here. When counted with the nearby Sunsites and a couple of other nearby communities, the area overall has a population of 2,100. Pearce is a small place but it does have some interesting areas to photograph and explore. One spot you definitely want to stop for a visit is the Pearce General Store, which dates to 1896 and now serves as a museum and tourist shop. The store is locate at the southwest corner of Ghost Town Trail and Pearce Road. Other nearby sights include the Pearce jails, abandoned buildings, and the Prickly Pear Emporium. Smoke Signals 29 April 2018

30 3. Courtland (C) Courtland is a true ghost town that sits 9 miles directly south of Pearce and is a mere 15 minute drive away. In terms of age, this town is relatively young; it was founded in 1909 during copper s mining heyday and evidently was a lively town with a more friendly atmosphere than plenty of other boomtowns in Arizona. In fact, only one murder was documented in Courtland, which happened in 1913 when a waitress shot her boyfriend during an argument about another woman. The good times didn t last though. One decade after its founding, the mines yielded far less copper than was profitable to mine and the town s population slowly dwindled until the post office officially closed in Completely abandoned, there s not much to see in Courtland these days. Only vague remains sit within the town s old boundaries but the town jail is one spot that has managed to survive the ravages of time. The two-cell jail was built in 1909 and cost a mere $1,000 to build. 4. Gleeson (D) The next stop on our road trip takes us down the Ghost Town Trail to Gleeson, a former mining camp settled at the base of the Dragoon Mountains, about 5 miles from Courtland. The town was briefly known as Turquoise in the 1870s for the semi-precious stone found in the area. The town was then abandoned in the 1890s for gold mining nearby. In 1900, the town came to life again when miner John Gleeson opened the Copper Belle Mine. This lasted for about 30 years when the mines were closed and people slowly moved out of town. These days Gleeson is a ghost town despite the fact that a few people still live in the area among the ruins. Some of the sights to see here include the Gleeson jail (which was recently renovated), a hospital, a saloon (pictured above), and plenty of other remaining structures. Just remember to be respectful to the remaining residents! Smoke Signals 30 April 2018

31 5. Tombstone (E) The final stop for the day is 16 miles west, the infamous Tombstone. Founded in 1879 for nearby silver mining, it was the largest boom town in the area with a population total hitting 14,000 at its height. However, the good times only lasted until the turn of the century, when the water table (which previously was being pumped out) began to flood the mines. This led to mines being shut down, a hefty population decline, and a ghost town destiny. Although some people consider Tombstone to be a ghost town, it s small but steady population prevented that designation, making it the town too tough to die. However, its historic status and popularity led to good preservation so that today we can experience what many of the other ghost towns on our list looked like in their heyday. This is the last stop of the day for good reason: there s so much to do and see around here! A few suggestions include the Cochise County Courthouse, Boot Hill Cemetery, as well as the saloons and other businesses found along Allen Street. We recommend getting dinner and spending the night here; you ll have plenty of options to choose from, including guest ranches, bed and breakfast inns, and inexpensive motels. Rest up because tomorrow will be an active one. 6. Charleston (F) Charleston is located almost 9 miles southwest of Tombstone along the twolane Charleston Road. It was founded the same year as Tombstone (1879) as a settlement for silver ore processors in the nearby Millville along the San Pedro River. Charleston grew to a small population of about 400 with a good number of businesses and was a surprisingly quiet place despite East Coast newspaper attempts to (Continued on page 32) Smoke Signals 31 April 2018

32 (Continued from page 31) paint it as a violent, debaucherous town. The settlements didn t last long. After Tombstone s mines began flooding in 1886, the mills closed and residents began moving elsewhere until it was completely abandoned. These days you ll still find some remnants of Charleston but it requires some amount of hiking to get to the ruins. In Charleston, you ll find some adobe and stone foundation ruins, as well as evidence of the old mills in the nearby Millville. You could easily spend a couple of hours here walking along the banks of the San Pedro River and exploring the area. Drive 8.3 miles from Tombstone, then make a right onto a little dirt road that leads to the Sky Islands Traverse trail. The area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management, which has made efforts to maintain the ruins and trails leading to them. Fun fact: The Sky Islands Traverse will take you on a path to our next stop, Fairbank, but it is an 8-mile journey by foot. Unless you really want to hike 16 miles, you might want to just drive to Fairbank. 7. Fairbank (G) After exploring Charleston, Millville, and the San Pedro River, you ll head back 18 miles to Tombstone and then west to Fairbank, another ghost town and our last stop. The town was settled in 1881 as the nearest railroad stop to Tombstone. Because of this, Fairbank became an important commerce depot and stage coach station for travelers. As with Charleston, that economic boom only lasted a few years until Tombstone s mines flooded but it was given a second chance when the railroad connected to Bisbee. Over time, however, the town s population declined and it was finally abandoned in the 1970s, a life much longer than many of the surrounding towns. Today, you ll find quite a few buildings still standing in Fairbank and some have even been restored, thanks to the Bureau of Land Management. This includes the old schoolhouse, which underwent restoration in Other building to check out include the remnants of the Montezuma Hotel, houses, a commercial building, and an abandoned railroad bridge. The BLM has a map with information about some of the buildings on their website. Expect to spend an hour or so on a self-guided tour of the area. Smoke Signals 32 April 2018

33 ARIZONA DISTRICT STAFF District Directors Frank Nemeth Assistant District Directors-N Tony & Jean Ondof Assistant District Directors-S Dennis & Debbie Ammons Rider Educator JD Ladner & Heather Richards Assistant Rider Educator (North) Bill Rodgers Assistant Rider Educator (South) Dave Gormley University Coordinator Connie Jo Richtmyre Motorist Awareness Ron & Madelyn Carroll Sunshine Person Dee Gormley Medic First Aid Dennis & Debbie Ammons Treasurer Dennie & Karen Long Ride Coordinator Ed Wozniak & Kaylee Nix Newsletter Editor Susan Rodgers Webmaster Chuck Ainsworth Newsletter Editor Comments Hey Cochise Wingers, We re looking for someone who is interested in becoming the next newsletter editor. If interested, please contact Wayne ( ). As always, we d like your stories, pictures, baby pictures, cartoons, recipes, etc., so please send them to cochisewinger1@cox.net and we ll share them in the next Smoke Signals Newsletter. Assistant Webmaster Dennie Long Membership Enhancement Cindy & Ken Kelly District Store Gay & David Redline COY/IOY Coordinator Ray & Sandi Garris Rally Coordinators Bob & Gail Johnson District COY Randy Wasser & Judy Schneider District IOY Connie Jo Richtmyre Ken Buzzard, Dennis Lambert, Steve Lewellen and Bobette Doherty are members of the Cochise Wingers Yellow Sock Gang so far in 2018! We hope there are no more Yellow Sock folks going forward! Smoke Signals 33 April 2018

34 Life is not about waiting for storms to pass. It s about learning to ride in the rain. - unknown Please tell our Sponsors that you saw their ad in the Chapter E Newsletter Smoke Signals 34 April 2018

35 Please tell our Sponsors that you saw their ad in the Chapter E Newsletter Smoke Signals 35 April 2018

36 GWRRA. Arizona Chapter E Wayne & Wendy Stark Chapter Directors 2206 Calle Patina Sierra Vista, AZ Sent To: Gold Wing Road Riders Association