Reeses Ramblings Hey O! Hasn t it been a great summer so far? It waited until August to hit 100 0, and that s not bad. I ve heard from several of our members who have been vacationing, and it sounds like they were having a ball. Kathy and I have also been very busy with her work schedule, traveling almost every week the past two months. We have been able to get in a little riding, but not enough! The next few months offer many activities and opportunities to do what all of us joined Chapter O to do, and that s ride! Check the calendar in this newsletter for upcoming events. Several chapters are having their rallies the next few months, and I encourage you to try to participate whenever possible. It gives us an opportunity to meet new friends and see how they are having fun. Also, note that Chapter O has at least one riding opportunity every month in addition to our gathering. The August ride will take us to Killeen to visit the Planetarium. October includes a progressive dinner ride. We have Chapter M visiting us in November. Plenty to keep us busy and riding! Keep Gene and Gayle Thomas in your thoughts as he continues to recover from his recent surgery. I visited with him this week and he is in good spirits. We ll be glad to have them back soon. We had a good group ride to Wing Ding this year. Look for the story elsewhere in this newsletter. Hope to see you on the road this month! Ride safely and ride often! Randy and Kathy Texas, Chapter O Directors Chapter O s September Gathering......will not be on Tuesday, September 21st at IHOP. Instead, the gathering will be held on Saturday, Sept. 25th. We will meet at 10:00 am for a chapter ride and gathering. We will meet at the HEB at IH35 and FM 1825 (exit 247 in Pflugerville). From there, we will take several back roads to Salado where we will meet and eat at Johnny s Steaks and BBQ. They have a good meeting room and great food. AND, the chapter will pick up the tab! So mark your calendars and plan to join us. NOTE: This change is only for the September gathering.
Membership Enhancement J C & Millie Fazzino August 2010 Edition On Tuesday, July 20th, Chapter O met at IHOP for the monthly gathering. Thirty seven members and two guests were present. Maria Collins & Chet Roby, TX District Educators, were in attendance to present Level IV certificates and patches to Doug Konz and Charlie & Julie Diggs. Charlie Diggs also received his 30,000 Safe Miles pin. Though not present, Tom Sprague received his Parking Lot Practice Certification. We might add that Tom & Dawn were not present for this meeting as they were touring the northern part of the U.S.A. We did miss them and look forward to seeing them at the August gathering. Dexter conducted an impromptu quiz game and for those who were the first to answer correctly (Richard Seay, Ken Burnett and Lynn Heene) they received a 3-pack of Light Sticks. Dexter also presented Richard Seay with a new first-aid kit for having ridden the highest number of safe miles for the past quarter. Door Prizes Winners: Jerry Carr and Dave Getz 50/50 Drawing Winners: John Coniff won $36.00 Jim Tidwell won $24.00 Tom Sprague (in absentia) won the coveted Wing- Nut Award for July. Keep in mind that we will be selecting a new recipient at each chapter gathering. With a full agenda, Randy had quite a bit to talk about. There are a lot of things going on this summer so watch the ride schedule for those events. Everyone, have a great summer! And, if you ride ride safe. Want to experience Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge first hand? If so, you are welcome to visit us at our Chapter gatherings. Please see page 9 for our gathering location, dates and time, in addition to our Calendar of Events. You are also welcome to contact any of our staff members listed below or visit any of the following websites:. Chapter O: www.goldwingaustin.org/ Texas District: www.gwrra-tx.org/ South Central Region: http://www.region-h.org/ GWRRA: http://www.gwrra.org/ TX District Officers District Director Fred & Mandy Mew 817-707-3568 TexasDD@gwrra-tx.org Assistant District Director Mark & Lynn Heene 512-288-4152 TexasADD@gwrra-tx.org District Educator Chet Roby & Maria Collins 254-718-3977 TxED@gwrra-tx.org Chapter Directors Randy & Kathy Reese, 512-251-2017 director@goldwingaustin.org Assistant Chapter Directors Tom & Dawn Sprague, 512-301-3092 director2@goldwingaustin.org Chapter Educator Dexter Poullard, 512-447-8714 educator@goldwingaustin.org Secretary/Treasurer Gail Carr, 512-260-0880 treasurer@goldwingaustin.org Membership Enhancement JC & Millie Fazzino, 979-279-5449 enhancement@goldwingaustin.org Chapter O Team Directory Ride Coordinator Richard Seay, 512-894-3139 ridesshort@goldwingaustin.org Couple of the Year 2010 Tricia & Robby Winfield, 512-259-7482 coupleofyear@goldwingaustin.org Webmaster Tom Sprague, 512-301-3092 webman@goldwingaustin.org Newsletter Editor Linda Poullard, 512-447-8714 newsletter@goldwingaustin.org Ways and Means John & Wanda Osborn, 512-528-8105 waysmeans@goldwingaustin.org Merchandise Coordinators Enrique & Yolanda Garcia, 512-259-4011 merchandise@goldwingaustin.org Scrapbook Coordinator Tami Uptain, 512-833-6903 scrapbook@goldwingaustin.org Chapter Photographer Tricia Winfield, 512-259-7482 photo@goldwingaustin.org Camping Coordinator Billy Laue, 512-773-2602 camping@goldwingaustin.org Chapter Seamstress Gayle Thomas, 512-832-9559 seamstress@goldwingaustin.org 2
Educator s Desktop Dexter Poullard Have You Ever Dropped Your Bike? No? Well, just keep on living, it s going to happen eventually. Hopefully when it does happen, you won t be alone and it s more of a laid down and not a drop. If you are alone, will you be able to pick up the bike by yourself? I m sure all of you have seen the various videos on the proper technique for righting our 800 pound gorillas but, if you haven t ever dropped your bike, have you at least practiced picking it up - just in case? Dropping your bike can be a traumatic (and sometimes embarrassing) experience. Your adrenaline kicks in and your first instinct is to grab both grips and muscle it up. The first thing you should do is turn off the bike, using the cut-off or ignition switch, and turn off the gas if necessary. Step back from the bike and take the time to calm down and assess the entire situation. Are you injured? Do you have a pre-existing health problem that prohibits you from attempting to lift the bike? What condition is the bike in (is it spilling fluids/gasoline)? What is the oncoming traffic situation? Do you have a solid surface to lift from (is there gravel, wet pavement, are you right next to a ditch)? August 2010 Edition If the motorcycle is lying on its left side: The process is the same if the bike is on its left except you won t be able to put the bike in gear or put the side stand down before you begin. And, of course, your hands are reversed - your right will be on the grip and your left hand will be grabbing something under the seat. Once the bike is up, put the side stand down and lower the bike. If you can't get the side stand down carefully turn, grab both grips, and then put the bike on the side stand. If you haven t viewed one lately, check out the numerous videos available on the internet that demonstrate this technique. And, if you haven t had to use the technique in awhile, think about practicing it once or twice so it s the first thing you think of - just in case. Remember, Education Weekend is October 16th & 17th, right down the road in Killeen. Our Texas District Educators, Chet and Maria, will post the schedule of classes as soon as it is finalized on the Texas District website. Unfortunately, due to a prior commitment, Linda and I will not be able to attend this year, but I do hope that as many of you as possible are able to attend and have fun as you sharpen your skills. The answers to all of these questions will help you determine if you should lift your bike or call a friend or someone else for assistance. If you decide to lift your bike, please remember (and practice) the following steps. If the motorcycle is lying on its right side: Texas District Educators, Chet Roby & Maria Collins, presented Level IV patches at the July gathering. Put the side stand down and put the bike in first gear. Get around on the top side of the bike, crouch down facing away from it, and place your back and hips right up against the saddle. 1. With your left hand, grab the right hand grip and pull it as close to the tank as possible. 2. With your right hand, find something sturdy to grab hold of (something under the seat). It s best if you keep this hand close to your body. You should now have a solid grip on the bike with both hands. 3. Keeping your back straight and your head up, plant your feet firmly and slowly start taking small backwards steps, all the while pushing back and up against the seat. Let your legs do all of the work to avoid back injuries. 4. Ease the bike onto the side stand. Doug Konz Charlie & Julie Diggs BE ALERT! School Starts the Week of August 23rd. 3
Chapter O extends its heartfelt congratulations to Fred & Mandy. The Mews were chosen as the 2010 International Couple of the Year (COY) at Wing Ding 32! 2010 International COY 2009 - Region H - COY 2007 - Chapter R - COY 2008 - TX District - COY 4
Chapter O Fun T-Shirt Design Contest! All Chapter O participants are invited to submit their designs for a Chapter T-Shirt. Designs don t have to have the GWRRA, Region, Texas District or Chapter O logos. Designs should be colorful and fun. A clear, sharp image of your design should be sent to Linda Poullard by Monday, August 16th. All entries will be judged (by an unknown committee of four participants) after our gathering on August 17th. Any questions, please contact Randy, Kathy or Linda. Good luck to all! On Monday night, July 19th, 16 Chapter "O" participants gathered at Dell Diamond to watch a triple "A" baseball game between the Round Rock Express and The New Orleans Zephers. We made all the noise we could to cheer the Express to a win, but it just wasn't quite enough. Maybe next year we will have more of Chapter "O" cheering for the local team. In true Goldwinger fashion, we had lots of $1.00 Hot Dogs and $1.00 cokes. August Anniversaries Mark & Lynn Heene Aug 4 Don Bonner & Sondra Threepersons Aug 8 Chuck & Kay Marling Aug 16 Bruce & Martha Wade Aug 20 Russ Miller Aug 3 Randy Reese Aug 6 Yolanda Garcia Aug 12 Pha Andrews Aug 17 Phil Chastain Aug 22 Alan Reese Aug 22 Mary Seay Aug 22 Julie Diggs Aug 23 Gene Thomas Aug 23 Deborah Latheam Aug 27 Lyle Altes Aug 29 We are continuing the tradition of including a participant s GWRRA number hidden somewhere in this newsletter. If it is yours, it s good for $10 toward your meal at the next meeting. Remember that you have one month to claim your prize! Terri Burnett Aug 29 Ken Burnett Aug 30 Sondra Threepersons Aug 30 5
To Iron Butt Ride or Not.. That Is The Question Submitted by Richard Seay I had recently been thinking about doing an Iron Butt Association Saddlesore 1000 ride. If you don t know what this is, you are required to ride 1000 miles in less than 24 hours and provide certain documentation to the Iron Butt Association to prove you actually rode the route. I had never ridden more than 850 miles in one day and that was really tough on my old body. Well, a friend that is one year older than I am did a Saddlesore 1000 last month so I decided to do one. After all, I get older every day and time might be running out to get this item off my bucket list. Since I was riding alone to the Wing Ding #32 in Des Moines, Iowa, I decided this would be the time to check off one more item on that bucket list. I would leave Monday June 28, at 5:00 a.m. and ride I-35 to Des Moines arriving in about 16 hours (averaging 62.5 mph). That sounded simple enough. I was ready to do it! First problem: No service stations are open in Dripping Springs at that time of the morning so I could not get the required witness (store clerk) or time/date stamped gasoline receipt. My solution: I found an all-night station near Oak Hill and the night clerk was agreeable to being my witness. Second problem: It was only 927 miles from Oak Hill to Des Moines, IA. My solution: Devise a route that had a detour in it to add miles and ride on through Des Moines to Ames, IA (about 40 miles north of Des Moines). This would give me a route of about 1060 miles that would satisfy the distance requirements with a cushion of safety. Third problem: Mary would worry herself sick about this ride. My solution: Don t tell Mary about my plan. Avoid any discussion about where I would spend the first night on the road. I managed to pull this off. I hit the road on time at 5:00 a.m. I found myself pressing the ride and getting stressed because I was worrying about being on schedule, etc. By the time I reached Waco I realized I was not going to make it if I did not relax. I settled down and fell into a relaxed riding groove. I rode 180 200 miles between gasoline stops and stopped once to grab a hamburger in Oklahoma. The weather was good and it did not get over 90 degrees until after lunch. Later it clouded-up and kept the temperature bearable. When I reached Kansas City it was 5 o clock rush hour traffic, it was 100 degrees, and I was hot being surrounded by hot autos and trucks. I decided to stop at Mary s sister & brother-in-law s house in KC and cool off. I drank iced tea and visited for an hour-and-a-half. When I hit the road again the temperature had dropped to 81 degrees, the traffic had vanished and I was refreshed. An hour or so down the road it got dark and I hit road construction with only one lane open on I-35 going north. I started to get worried again because this reduced my speed. When I passed the Quality Inn in Des Moines, where I had reservations for the next night, I was really tempted to pull in and abort this @$%&? Iron Butt Ride but I pressed on. I was a little tired physically but mentally I was going brain-dead. August 2010 Edition I got to Ames at 11:15 p.m. and got gasoline as the station was closing. The manager had already locked up the building but had not turned off the pumps yet. He would not agree to unlock and sign as my finishwitness. There was a Comfort Inn next door so I went there, got a room, told the night clerk of my day s adventure and he was more than happy to be my finish-witness. 6 I had done it! I safely rode 1068 actual miles (not GL1800 odometer miles). The 1068 miles was from my Garmin GPS. The Goldwing odometer was showing 1,110 miles. All I had left to do was organize my gasoline receipts, witness sheets, travel log form and save them until I got home in about ten days so I could submit them to the Iron Butt Association. Observations (1) Carefully plan your ride and have good witnesses that are willing to be contacted if necessary. (2) Get all the receipts and don t lose any. (3) Pray for good weather and good road conditions. (4) Have excellent luck. (5) Your brain gets tired much faster than your body and that sneaks up on you. I was so mentally fatigued I lost the last gas receipt between the station and the motel and could not remember what I had done with it and could not find it. I finally found it in my jacket pocket It will be two or three months before I learn if my ride has been accepted. Mary asked what I get for this achievement and when I told her it was an Iron Butt Association license plate frame and a certificate, she asked what I got from the Dumb Ass Association. Oh well, it s off my bucket list. As if this was not enough distance riding, when I left Wing Ding I headed East to New England (only a 1000 miles). I rode in the last of the seven continental states and the District of Columbia that I had not ridden a Goldwing in and headed home another bucket list item checked-off. I got a day behind schedule on this trip because I stopped at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in Ohio and at Orange County Choppers in Newburg, NY. I had planned to be home by Friday July 9 but was not going to make it. I pulled out of Atlanta at 8:00 a.m. Friday morning planning to make it to 115115 Shreveport for the night. I was making good time, but then it rained on me across Louisiana on I-20. I took the rain suit off in Shreveport but it was a little early to stop for the night and it looked for sure like it would rain again. I decided I would stop for the night wherever I was when it rained again. Darn it it never rained again! I kept riding and before I knew it I was home at 12:05 a.m. Saturday after a 1061 mile ride in 16 hrs 5 minutes. I had done another @$%&? Saddlesore 1000, but it was not documented with witnesses so it did not count! I m thru with IronButt Riding for a while.
June 29th through July 3rd were the dates for the 32 nd Wing Ding which was held in Des Moines, Iowa. The rally was attended by 8000+ attendees and 17 of those were from Chapter O. Those who attended from our chapter were - Tom & Dawn Sprague; Billy & Tim Laue; Randy & Kathy Reese; John & Wanda Osborn; Mark & Lynn Heene; Jerry & Gail Carr; Harry & Polly Bowers; Richard Seay and J C & Millie Fazzino. Almost every one started during the day Tuesday and picked up pre-registration packets for the first night s events. One didn t have to pay to get in but you did have to have an arm band. There was a horse race followed by an ice cream social and a band playing 50 s & 60 s music. This was enjoyed by all who attended. There were indoor and outdoor vendors making offers one had a hard time turning down. There were education classes and I believe Dawn should get the award for her class attendance. Dawn attended 17 classes through out the rally! Of course there were people selling tickets for just about anything you could have wanted. The trick to the ticket buying you had to be present to win so you had to attend the closing ceremonies on Saturday. I know Lynn was glad she stayed since she had the winning $10,000 Grand Prize ticket! Hey Lynn, will you buy my tickets next year??? There were other winners from Chapter O as well. J.C. won an MP3 player during the J & M dinner and entertainment. There may have been some more but I am remiss on that at this time. The Honda crotch rocket rider was traveling at approximately 85 mph. The VW driver was talking on a cell phone when she pulled out from a side street, apparently not seeing the motorcycle. The riders reaction time was not sufficient enough to avoid this accident. The car had two passengers and the bike rider was found INSIDE the car with them. The Volkswagen actually flipped over from the force of impact and landed 20 feet from where the collision took place. All three involved (two in the car and the bike rider) were killed instantly. This graphic demonstration was placed at the Motorcycle Fair by the Police and Road Safety Department. Please, be careful out there! Also, congratulations to Mark who received his Leadership Training Senior Instructor s certificate. A good time was had by all, enjoying the visiting and of course the food was good. If you haven t already heard, Wing Ding 33 will be held in Knoxville, TN, July 6-9, 2011 - start making your reservations! Millie Fazzino 7
ready for the road. Dawn and I took the first trip in our new (to us) motor home. We left Austin on Thursday noon (June 24) to head to Waxahachie, TX to see my sister and bro-in-law. After working on the motor home for three weeks straight it was ready for the first test run. While I was searching on the internet for a 18 to 20 ft travel trailer, I came across a 36 ft National Dolphin motor home. The price was half of what they were listing for, and I could not believe what a deal it was. I called and found it was what was left of an estate, and the son was in possession of the RV. I went to take a look and decided it wasn t in too bad of condition. It did need some work but I was just the person for the job. In the process of removing the carpet, I realized the passenger side had sustained water damage from a leak around the window, and need to be replaced (on the inside). This was the biggest of the jobs I had to do. I was able to finally get the side replaced (although I am still looking for matching wall covering). I then replaced the carpet with laminate flooring. I am not sure why RV companies decide to put carpet (that holds tracked in dirt) in RV s. While fixing it up I was able to check out the RV systems (water, heater, air-conditioning, etc). I found out the water heater had an electrical and gas system for heating. The electrical worked but the gas would not start. I was able to trace the gas problem and know how to fix it (some cut wires). I will get around to that some time in the future. I went to the RV Shop for some additional engine work, they were able to determine the AC (powered by the engine) just needed charging. That was a relief. After three weeks of work I was ready to take the RV for an inspection. It seems Hays county cannot inspect vehicles registered in Travis County. I had to drive to a station on Hwy 290 for the inspection and it passed and Now, back to heading to Wing Ding. Dawn and I made it to Waxahachie with out a problem and we headed to our next destination (Tulsa OK). We wanted to visit Dawn s Mom and our son for a couple of days. On Monday (June 28 th ) we headed for Des Moines. We figured we would spend a night on the road and decided to camp at the Wally World in Ottawa KS. Our first night in the RV. Of course it was not a big deal - we just pulled in and found an area where Tractor Trailers were parked and did the same. The next morning we were on our way by 0730 and arrived in Des Moines just in time to view the International Couple of the Year selection. Congratulations to the Mew s on their winning. Just after the Mew s had their time on stage Dawn and I left to get our registration package, and head to the Iowa State Fair Camping area. The state fair camping area was really nice. It was basically an open area with water and electrical (where we camped). They did have sewer connections but you had to register early to get them. The bath houses were really nice and had great shower facilities. The next 3 days at Wing Ding were really great and we are looking forward to next year in Knoxville, TN. Dawn took 17 seminars during the convention. This was the maximum anyone could take. I guess I will have to consult with her in the future. She definitely has more seminars under her belt than me. After Wing Ding we headed back to Tulsa to meet up with my sister and bro-in-law to head out on our camping road trip. I am composing this headed down the road some where in South Dakota. We will stop in Custer State Park to visit with Al and Claire and then head to Yellowstone, and then on to Glacier NP. We hope to be back in Texas by the end of July or first of August. Of course not that we have a house on wheels we may not spend August in Texas. It would be good to maybe escape to Colorado for the month of August. Tom Sprague A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken. -- James Dent 8
Kickstands Up! Date Chapter August 7 O Chapter Ride Event Location Contact/Email Phone Mayborn Planetarium Killeen, Texas Gail Carr treasurer@goldwingaustin.org 512-260-0880 Aug 13-14 I Chapter I Rally Marshall Civic Center Marshall, TX Ruby and Jim Seale rubyseale@suddenlink.net 903-856-5153 903-767-1022 Aug 14 Burke Youth Center Rally Aug 17 O Monthly Gathering August 21 August 28 (rain date) M Chapter M Moonlight Fun Run Aug 27-28 H Kansas District Rally Sept 11 R Chapter R Rally Cats Rally & Trivia Ride Camp Ben McCullough Driftwood Texas IHOP Restaurant 11654 Research Blvd, Austin Lowes Parking Lot I-35 S @ Alsbury Blvd Burleson, TX El Dorado Civic Center El Dorado, Kansas Knights of Columbus Hall 1907 Whitley Rd Keller, TX Sept 15-19 Golden Aspen Rally Ruidoso, New Mexico Saturday Sept 25 O Monthly Gathering See page 1 for details Oct 2 T T-Fest Killeen, TX Oct 7-9 H Oklahoma District Rally Hallo-Wing IV Muskogee Civic Center Oct 9 U Hallo-Wings Rally Schertz, TX http://www.burkerally.com - - - Kathy & Randy Reese director@goldwingaustin.org Ken and Karen Olson kdo18@hotmail.com Gary and Susan Drake minuteofglory@yahoo.com Brian Neal www.dfwrallycats.org http:// www.motorcyclerally.com Kathy & Randy Reese director@goldwingaustin.org Jim & Alvin Woodul jimwoodul@aol.com Rick and Robin Greninger rkg92859@aol.com Steve & Susan Ochs txdakota@hotmail.com 512-251-2017 817-297-3232 785-828-4801 - - - - - - 512-251-2017 254-634-4658 918-272-9055 361-571-2909 Oct 14-16 Mississippi Rally Tupelo, MS - - - Oct 16 Angels on Wheels Ride Oct 16-17 Education Weekend Dell Children s Hospital Texas Civic Center Killeen Texas www.childrensaustin.org/ cmcf/ angels-on-wheels Chet Roby & Maria Collins TxED@gwrra-tx.org - - - 254-718-3977 Chapter O s participants gather the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. The location is at the IHOP Restaurant, 11654 Research Blvd (Hwy 183) at Duval Road in Austin, TX. In case you get lost, the phone number is 512-345-7124. For more information, we encourage you to contact any of our staff members (see page 2). 9
Thanks, Chapter O......for winging your way our way! We ve noticed that more and more of y all head for our place in Killeen when it s time for service, accessories and parts, as well as new and pre-owned Gold Wings. We sure appreciate it and we will always strive to make it worth the trip. YOUR FUN IS OUR BUSINESS SALES, SERVICE, PARTS, ACCESSORIES, GIFTS, APPAREL, RIDER TRAINING 3701 E. Central Texas Expressway, next to Texas Roadhouse Killeen, TX 76543; 254-634-2224 Open Tues-Fri 9-6, Sat 9-5 www.killeenpowersports.com A double winner in Ride Texas magazine s 2010 Best in Texas Readers Choice Awards Voted Best Motorcycle Dealer by Killeen Daily Herald readers Winner in Dealernews Top 100 competition again 10 honda.com ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, AND NEVER USE THE STREET AS A RACE- TRACK. OBEY THE LAW, AND READ YOUR OWNER'S MANUAL THOROUGHLY. For rider training information or to locate a rider-training course near you, call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227.
15% Discount on select items only when this ad is presented. Please see store for details. 11
Gold Wing Road Riders Ass n Texas Chapter O GWRRA Motto Fun, Safety, Knowledge Ride Safe in 2010 Randy & Kathy Reese GWRRA TX-O Chapter Directors 1007 Parkcrest Ct. Pflugerville, TX 78660 12