OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF GWRRA Region E Illinois District IL-Z2 Chicagoland Wings Chapter Directors: Tony & Sharon Sundt antaknee@aol.com 708-287-5613 Asst Chapter Directors: Robert & Char Ullrich ullrichr@sbcglobal.net Bob & Bobbie Siebert rnbobbie22@gmail.com Ron & Nancy Morrison rmorrison715@comcast.net Treasurer: Steve Willuweit 630-484-4138 Chapter Educator: Ron Walldren rwalldren@hotmail.com 847-698-4247 Secretary: Danni Schwieger wingn2gether@gmail.com Ride Coordinator: John Meyers acri83@aol.com Asst. Ride Coordinator: Don Schwieger swiger2@sbcglobal.net Historians: Butch & Mary Thielenhouse Thouse912@att.net Events Coordinator: Doug Koglin citymtd@yahoo.com Special Evens Coordinator Bill Bijou wjb1948@sbcglobal.net Ambassadors: Earl & Pat Hobbs earlrh@sbcglobal.net Emporium: Ken &Debbie Stoffregen kstoffregen@sbcglobal.net Newsletter Editor: Melanie Doyle mrsdoyle1982@gmail.com Visit us on the web at www.ilz2.com: Volume 15 Issue 10 News from the CD Greetings. The leaves have turned and they are beautiful. What a great time of year we are in. There still is some great riding to be had now. Our Color Ride has been scheduled for the first weekend in October for several years now and it looks like we will be blessed with the full colors of fall for the ride. I would like to thank Earl and Pat Hobbs for hosting the September BBQ Pot luck. It was a really nice night. The neighborhood squirrels were well fed and so were all that were in attendance. Other September events brought a few of us to take a ride up to Holy Hill in Hubertus, Wisconsin. It was a really nice ride that took us thought the suburbs, the In this issue News from CD Pg. 1 Chapter Educator Pg. 4 Sponsors Pg. 6 country, and some city streets. Later in the month, a few of us had also gone to Midway Village and the Machine Shed in Rockford for dinner. We had great weather and a great day to take a step back in time. Thanks go out to Tony Melendy who led the ride. We have planned a ride to participate in the Sycamore Pumpkin Parade Sunday October 28 th. It has been a few years since we have participated in this as a group. I am looking forward to joining in the parade this year. With the Fall Color Ride and the District Planning Meeting scheduled for the following weekend I will be busy. We will need to sit down as a group and plan out our next year s Birthdays Pg. 7 Region, Dist. Info Pg. 7 Ride articles Pg. 8-10 Bag a Bug Pg. 12 October 2012 Chapter Directors Tony and Sharon Sundt events and rides. We had so many fun events that many of us had participated in and I am looking forward to many new events and opportunities to ride and gather together for some fun. I would like to schedule our planning meeting after our November Chapter meeting. Please think of rides, destinations, restaurants, and if you would be willing to host a pot luck or another social event at your home. I am looking forward to having another great year of fun in 2013. -Tony & Sharon Ride Schedule Pg. 12 Meeting Notes Pg. 13 Wint. Wrm-Up Reg. Pg. 14
Page 2 October 2012 Chapter IL-Z2 News Pictures from the Holy Hill Ride Pictures from Earl and Pat s BBQ Pot Luck
Volume 15 Issue 10 Pictures from Midway Village Page 3 Pictures from the Fall Color Ride More Fall Color Ride Photos on page 10
Volume 15 Issue 10 Page 4 Chapter Educator Ron Walldren Well last month the big interest was our upcoming trip to the Ozarks that subsequently was cancelled due to a few of us (participants) with illnesses, in addition, we did not take the plan B After Breakfast Ride on one of the most beautiful days to ride cause it looked like it might rain. Are we afraid of a few raindrops??? Maybe it s because I m retired and don t have that much to do, but: I ride because I want to! And because I can! It's the closest thing we have (other than walking) to traveling the way that pioneers traveled hundreds of years ago. Every trip is an adventure, even commutes to work. You see things that you would never see in a car. You feel every bump in the road. You work for every turn that you make. Your senses become acute and you take that with you all day. It's America People and we can do what we want to, within the law that is. It's the only way to see this great land and not only see it but taste it, smell it, feel it, appreciate it. Being a rider makes you hyper-aware of everything around you and overall a better driver. The feeling you get mid-way through the turn when you accelerate to feel the gravitational pull, well that is definitely a bonus. Sure there are risks to riding, but nothing comes close to that mind state of being on a motorcycle. Nothing and everything goes through your mind when you re flowing those corners together, or opening up that throttle which is directly linked to a power station. Rain or shine, cold or hot, I m on my bike. My favorite saying: This is a motorcycle. You ride on it not in it! Sun, wind, heat, cold, noise, bugs, dirt, and rain are all part of this program. In past years, my daughter and I did a lot of cross country traveling on two wheels and we met so many people along the way who we probably would not have met if we were not on a motorcycle. People seem to be drawn to a motorcycle rider and want to talk and it usually starts out with, "You rode that all the way here?" or "I used to own one of those back in the days." And you can see it in their eyes that they wish they still did. Motorcycle riding has brought us life-long friendships and provided us with a means to meet fellow enthusiasts around the world. Without motorcycling I don't think we would have had that opportunity. I m getting older now and the days of riding are limited but our memories are not. However, I have a new co-rider (my recent inherited Chihuahua Missy) who loves to ride with me all day long. I m still planning some awesome trips though. As they say, if you have to explain it you wouldn't understand. Most of life in modern life is so programmed. Riding is one of the few things I and our fellow chapter members look forward to that allows us to step outside the boundaries a little bit. There's a relationship you develop with your motorcycle. The sound, the way it handles, that occasional wide open acceleration when you see the safe chance. It reminds me that I'm alive. I ve been riding over 55 years and still every time that bike starts, I think, "something good s gonna happen now!" And not to forget another very important RIGHT we have as Americans, "Freedom"- Motorcyclists are the modern day cowboys. Being on a motorcycle is similar to jumping on the saddle of a horse and grabbing the reigns, yelling "Yee Hawhhh", leaning into the wind and feeling the exhilarating adrenaline rush
Volume 15 Issue 10 Page 5 of speed and scenery flashing by all around you and below you. Like cowboys, who might ride with a group of friends side by side with their horses, motorcyclists do the same. We can ride up next to each other, talk to each other at stop lights, and laugh as we all try to be the first one to get to the speed limit from a red light, and point out wonders of nature as we roll along the winding country roads. When you ride a motorcycle, unlike in a car, you don't really care where you are going most of the time. You just ride. In a car, you drive because you have a destination you are trying to get to. Yeah, going for a car ride can be fun, but it does not compare to going for a motorcycle ride. And with our CB communications and even a set of blue tooth headsets-it s even better! When I returned from Vietnam, I found myself alone in the world and unfettered by conventional restraints. Somehow, I found my purposeless life back to the motorcycle, the begotten horse of America's past. Among fellow motorcyclists, I met strangers, who would embrace me, note my Vietnam Veteran's patch, and say, "Welcome home, Brother." I became engaged with others who neither asked about my past nor judged me. At last, I was free from the restraints of those who dishonored my brothers who fought in an unpopular war. The bonds of ambition and advancement were rendered distant. Expectations from those who looked at me skeptically were rendered impotent and unimportant, and I was able to tear away from the conventional social expectations and merge into the open road. FREEDOM, at last. Risk, yes. Worth it? Oh, hell yeah! Remember me, I am away! Motorcycling is always an adventure so get out there and experience yours. Remember folks, be careful out there, and if you can't ride it safely, park it and walk! And as usual, drive safe, be safe, watch out for those crazy cagers and politicians, and avoid those nasty Illinois potholes... On behalf of the Chapter Z2, I would like to give a most appreciative Thank You to John, the Service Manager, at Des Plaines Honda, and of course the owners; Jeff & Harry, for sponsoring the Motorcycle Service Clinic this past September 19th, 2012 from 6-7 pm. This clinic was as always exceptionally first-rate; besides receiving a great education with full and informative explanations on all questions with full explanations. The next Motorcycle Service Clinic is October 17th, 2012 from 6-7 pm. It will cover Winter Storage and maintenance of your Motorcycle (and the Pizza is excellent), if interested, call and R.S.V.P. Service Dept. 847-699-9600 -Chapter Educator Ron Walldren OMG, The Fall colors have come out, and they are spectacular and so appreciated, everyone should take a ride through a forest preserve or wooded area, with this great weather we re having it will make you feel wonderful! Remember though, those beautiful fallen leaves if wet or damp, will be like grease under your wheels. (and Missy)
Volume 15 Issue 10 Page 6 Melanie Doyle Mount Prospect, IL mrsdoyle1982@gmail.com www.melanie.foreveryhome.net START THINKING ABOUT THE HOL- IDAYS! Host a party and earn some great free products of YOUR choice! FEH has just unveiled their unique NEW Soy- Plus Coconut wax blend, which burns even longer and more fragrant than before! Wicks or without wicks, there is something for everyone at For Every Home. Paul Ullrich Residential, Rental, Commercial & Fundraising www.viridian.com/pruenergy Cell 847-347-5720 Why are you paying more for your Electricity? Now you can Go GREEN & Save GREEN Independent Viridian Associate #19598 PRICES ARE NEGOTIABLE LEATHER VESTS FOR SALE!! All state leather Himalaya motor bike wear If interested please contact member JoAnn Hallerud at sgervasia@aol.com or newsletter editor Melanie Doyle at mrsdoyle1982@gmail.com WANTED: GL 1800s for our rental program. Call Adam at The Zone Honda at 773-767-7280. Support our Sponsors! Tell them: I saw your message in the Chicagoland Wings Newsletter!
Volume 15 Issue 10 Page 7 Chapter meeting location GWRRA Chapter IL-Z2 Meets at the Denny s restaurant in Oakbrook Terrace, IL on the second Sunday of every month. Breakfast at 7:30am,meeting at 8:30am. We ride after the meeting!! (weather permitting) The Denny s Restaurant (630) 932-1888 is conveniently located at 17 W 660 22nd Street in Oakbrook Terrace. It is just west of Route 83. For additional updated information, go to our NEWLY UPDATED WEBSITE at www.ilz2.com Happy October Birthday!!! Bill Naughton 10/7 Alice Willuweit 10/14 Earl Hobbs 10/15 Doug Baker 10/18 Maggie Baker 10/22 Ron Walldren 10/29 If your birthday is this month and it is not listed here, please contact Melanie Doyle at mrsdoyle1982@gmail.com and let us know!!! Region E America s Heartland Directors Bruce & Barbara Beeman bbbeeman@charter.net Region Website www.gwrra-regione.com Chapter IL-Z2 website-www.ilz2.com District Website www.gwrra-ildistrict.org Your District Officers & Staff Illinois District Directors Dan & Martha Ribbing DD logos95@sbcglobal.net Assistant District Directors Tony & Donna Gaitros - Southeast IL Jack & Hazel Burton - Central IL Redell & Kimberly Morgan - North IL District Educator/MAD Dan & Linda Davis Asst Rider Educator/Seminars Dan Rasmussen District MFA Coordinators Mike & Jan Buzick District Treasurers Walter & Jean Potwora District MED Coordinator Lynn Rasmussen Leadership Training Division Cindy & Don Janas LTD Instructors George & Ketra Wanamaker Don & Cindy Janas Dave & Sherre Leavans Jim & Jean Stout Ron & Cheryl Deckard Mike & Jan Buzick Steve & Sandy Schlager Walter & Jean Potwora Dan & Martha Ribbing Kimberly Morgan Ed Haggerty Dist. COY Coordinators Steven & Diane Gottschalk Join the Breakfast Club that meets every Wednesday at 9am at the Sunmist Restaurant located at 501 E. Lake Street in Addison IL-Z2 monitors CB Channel 2 GWRRA National Website www.gwrra.org Wing World Magazinewww.wingworldmag.com Des Plaines Hondawww.dshonda.com Zone Hondawww.motorcyclezone.net District Couple of the Year Mitchell & Susan Bence District Patch Coordinator Lori & Ron Heffelfinger District Newsletter Editor Mary Adams District Webmaster Tom & Beth Weltzer
Volume 15 Issue 10 Page 8 October 2012 Chapter IL-Z2 Page News 8 Al & Joan s Arkansas Adventure Sept. 17-24 Al & Joan Nurczyk have provided us with a good description of their ride to Arkansas, and the daily rides we had planned. I spoke with a neighbor about the trip to Harrison, AR and he said that he was born in Arkansas. He advised that when we get to Rolla, MO to head south on hwy 63 because it is a much nicer ride. When you get to hwy 9 take that to 65 into Harrison instead of the fast boring route 44 to Springfield and then south to Harrison. We left a little later than planned and missed a lot of rain but were ahead of more rain coming in from the west. It was cloudy all day and a bit cool. Our plan was to stay in Rolla, MO for the first night. Rolla, MO is 389 miles from our house. We are used to traveling 500 to 600 miles a day but now that we are older it is too much, but 400 miles is okay for us. We left our house with 3/4 of a tank of gas knowing the prices were lower out of town, almost $.30/gal. Our first gas stop was in Pontiac and then we continued to Litchfield where we had lunch and gassed up again. Some nasty dark rain clouds were really moving in but it seemed that each time we thought we needed rain gear the road changed direction and we were spared the chore of putting it on. Once we got to the St. Louis area we had no choice. A really dark cloud was going to be over us in a few minutes. Just after crossing the Mississippi it started to rain and then poured for a while. Traffic was moving at 65 and 70 mph so we kept up with them. Shortly after leaving St. Louis we were clear of anymore rain however, we left our rain gear on until we arrived at the Holiday Inn Express in Rolla. (HIE has been our favorite hotel for years.) The trip from Rolla to Harrison was a bit longer but well worth going the extra miles. We followed my neighbor's advice and were glad we did. It wasn't as fast but it sure was pretty and saw lots of motorcycles coming from the opposite direction but not too many cars and trucks. Once we started west on Route 9 from Thayer it got to be more fun. Lots of twisties. When we got to the HIE in Harrison there were already quite a few motorcycles there. A group of 6 young guys who work at UPS in Addison, IL parked next to us under the portico. There are a lot of places to eat close by so for 2 nights we walked 400 ft or so to a nice place called the Western Sizzlin Steak House. Great choice of different foods, all you can eat salad bar and desserts. You won't walk away hungry. Tuesday we took the Moonshine ride. It was fantastic. We were in awe with the way the country looked and enjoyed the roads. One road had two large yellow warning signs that the road ahead is "VERY CROOKED AND STEEP NEXT 4 MILES. TRUCKS 15 MPH." We thought that was not too much to worry about until the next sign said "14% grade downhill, use low gear." The most I have ever seen anywhere around this country was 9% grade. They weren't kidding. I used 2nd gear all the way through the turns. Everything was fine along this route and then we came to some switchback where the sign said 10 mph and they weren't kidding. I had to shift to first gear to make the turns. From there on we went through only a few very small towns and stopped for lunch at a local cafe in Deer. The people were
Page 9 October 2012 Chapter IL-Z2 News pleasant and the menu had a good number of choices. All of the time we were on this trip we saw only 4 vehicles going our way and waved them around. Most of the time we went less than the speed limit to enjoy the views. Traffic coming toward was minimal. We learned from others and from personal experience on this trip that a group should spread out from one another so you can enjoy the scenery without worrying about the rider in front of you. A 100 ft distance between bikes Joan and I feel that the best ride we did was the Moonshine route. Then the Peels Ferry ride, then the Mountain View ride and then the Eureka ride. The Eureka ride was rather boring and the highlight was actually stopping in Eureka. They have parking meters that need to be fed 7 days a week. Several bikes can park in the same space. I noticed that on most of the routes when there is a multiple curve warning sign with a "suggested" speed on it doesn't mean the first curve but it mostly applies to the second and subsequent parts of the curves. Also, those suggested speeds seem to be about 10 to 15 mph on the conservative side. Use your best judgment. Because of the following we weren't able to do more of the planned rides. Some of the rest of rides are duplicated with those we already rode. But, that's not a bad thing. We plan on returning when the group schedules another trip to Arkansas. We had a nice ride on Friday to the Blanchard Springs Cavern in Ozark National Forest near Fifty Six, Arkansas. There's a gorgeous cave/cavern there and it's was well worth the stop if you are interested. Joan and I have been on many cave tours across the country and this one was the most interesting and colorful. The tour takes about an hour and it costs $10. While entering the park, we spotted a little brown dog with some white spots running loose on the road toward us as though he was chasing a car. As we were turning into the park from a main road there was a car leaving so we thought it was their dog. As we got close to the dog it turned around and was running away from us. I sped up and when we were even with the dog, he was still in the oncoming lane near the edge of the roadway, he stopped running. So, we stopped and he came right to us and stood on his hind legs trying to get up into my lap. I got off the bike and put him on Joan's lap and we rode to the visitor's center slowly so he wouldn't be scared and try to jump off. We noticed that the puppy didn't have a collar or tags. The park staff said that he was probably abandoned/dumped out of a vehicle and that they get a lot of that around there. They suggested we let him go in the forest and let the coyotes take care of him, i.e. coyote food. We said, "NO WAY!" I asked for some and got some rope to tie him to a tree while we were on the tour and they said that they would keep an eye on him. Later we learned they never did. Afterwards, we rode thru the park campground to see if the owner was there or if anyone recognized him. Nope. Then we went to a small town about a mile away from the entrance to the park. We spoke to some people and a National Forest Ranger. No one recognized the dog and all said it was probably a drop off. Then we drive about 12 miles to the next town and checked around. We learned that there is a veterinarian outside of town who has cages outside for people to drop off unwanted pets when the place was closed. But, we couldn't leave him, he was too nice and friendly. We bought some food and containers for the food and water at the local Wal-Mart. While in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart we noticed that he was trying to eat flies, butterflies and other bugs so we knew he was starving by the thin body and
Page 10 Page 10 that his ribs were showing more than should have been normal. So after he ate he rode 90 miles on Joan's lap back to Harrison and was as good as gold. The hotel was a pet friendly on so we didn't worry about bringing him in. He walked in our room, hopped on the bed and went to sleep. Saturday morning we took him to a vet to see if he had a microchip, which he didn't. The vet said that he's about 3 months old by looking at his teeth. We had him examined and tested. He had some fleas but not a lot, some kind of mange, intestinal worms and is underweight. He's a mix of probably Golden Retriever or Lab, and Beagle or another hound. He has the Beagle's face, ears and white tipped tail. He was given some shots and de-worming medication and also had medicine for the mange and fleas applied as well as an antibiotic to help with the deworming. So, we have ourselves a puppy. We named him Harrison because that's where we were staying for a week. We had no idea how we're going to get him home but figured that we may stop every 75 miles to let him do his duty and gas up. Since he got de-worming medicine the vet advised that he was going to have several BM's during the day. Oh great. That could be messy if he wasn't house broken. We planned that Joan would drive a rented car home if necessary. We'll as it turned out we all rode home on the motorcycle. So obviously we didn't ride at all on Saturday except to go to the vet and take care of the puppy and let him get to know us. The desk clerk at the hotel (Holiday Inn Express) October 2012 Chapter IL-Z2 News watched him while we went to lunch. She had a ball taking care of him while we were gone. He seems to be housebroken and is super friendly to everyone. She walked him around the hotel while we were gone and even took him outside for a stroll incase he need to do his business. A lot of the guests at the hotel stopped to pet him told us what a nice dog we have. The desk clerks called Harrison the hotel mascot. We have nicknamed him Harry. We've had several offers to adopt him if we didn't want him after we told the story of finding Harrison. Notice the long legs and big paws. We are hoping the legs are Lab or Golden and the paws Beagle. If that is the way it is then he won't be a very large dog. If we are wrong (50/50 chance) Thank you Al and Joan for keeping us informed of your adventure. Your writing gave us a feeling of being right there with you. We are very pleased to hear you will be joining us when we take the ride next year. Your experience and advise will be very helpful in making the ride a once in a lifetime trip. Your writings have given us something to look forward to. Harry looks like a great addition to your family, we look forward to meeting him and introducing him to Ron Walldren s Missy.. John Meyers Ride Coordinator Z2
Volume 15 Issue 10 Pictures from the Fall Color Ride (contd.) Page 11
Blue Ridge Pkwy, Virginia WHERE HAS IT ALL GONE We meet at 9:00am at the Sunmist Restaurant on Lake Street ¼ mile west of route 83. We are considering having a few rides this coming year which we will call Adventure Rides. These will be rides based on scenic roads, historical significance and biker accommodations. They may require high mileage riding and several days to complete. The rescheduled Ozark ride will be part of this program as well as a Blue Ridge Pkwy/ Skyline Drive in combination with Wing-Ding and a La- Crosse Wisconsin trip. More specifics are forthcoming. If you have an interest in participating in the planning or riding, contact the Z2 Ride Coordinator. It seems like it was just a short time ago I was bringing the bike out of storage and getting it ready for the rides ahead. There was an air of excitement then, as I thought of once again riding with old and new friends, experiencing new roads and new locations, and to the fun and laughs that our Wednesday morning meetings bring. And now as I look out my window and see the leaves turning and beginning to fall, I ask myself, where has it all gone. As a wrap up to the riding season we are hoping to have a Frost Your Buns ride in early November. We will be working with the Events Coordinator to work out details. You will be informed via Email. Our Wednesday Breakfast rides will continue until the weather no longer permits. But whether we ride or not, you can always count on great topics and a lot of fun at our meetings. Remember all are welcome to join us. CAUTION WHAT FOLLOWS MAY BE DIS- TURBING TO SOME I am sorry to report that the BAG-A-BUG BUG contest had to be retired, due to our stickers being too sticky. Once on they had refused to come off, thereby causing great hardship and As you may know, a number of circumstances stress to many. However we are not giving up, required us to postpone our Arkansas Adven- the search will go forward to find the perfect ture. It was a great disappointment, as we sticker, so hang in there, bagging those Bugs looked forward to this ride for the past several will return. months. We we are rescheduling the ride for Until next time, ride well, ride safe next fall. John G Meyers Our newer members, Al & Joan Nurczyk decided to continue with the ride to Arkansas. They Z2 Ride Coordinator have shared with us their unexpected Arkie experiences elsewhere in this Newsletter. THE 2013 RIDE SCHEDULE THE SCHEDULE WILL BE PUBLISHED AFTER 3:11 AM, 12-21 21-2012 2012
Z2 Meeting Notes August 2012 Submitted by Danni Schwieger Upcoming Events (ck PDF Calendar on web site for details) 9/15 Earl & Pat s BBQ Pot Luck, 3:00 9/22 Ride to Rockford for WWII Days, dinner at Machine Shed after (ride by Tony M.) 10/5-7 Fall Color Ride to Kettle Moraine, WI (see Tony for hotel details) 10/14 Monthly meeting at Denny s, Oak Brook Terrace Tony Sundt, Chapter Director: Thanks to Don S. for two great rides he put together and led last month Pontiac to Rt.66 Museum, Car Museum and War Museum with lunch at That 50 s Place and Kankakee River State Park the next day. Thanks, also, to Robert & Char s movie night to watch WAR HORSE and to Earl H. for putting together the ride done yesterday to Holy Hill in Hubertus, WI. We did about 270 miles total with only about 27 highway miles; that was a great ride, too! Please let me know by next meeting (10/14) if you would be interested in going to the Safe House Restaurant in Milwaukee so plans can be made. Halloween Party for 10/27 has been cancelled. OTHER: Ken & Debbie Stoffregen., Emporium: new shirts are ready to be ordered; L/S, S/S in polo style. Contact us if interested. Progressive Member #: roll-over 50/50: Debbie S., MaryAnn A., Liam D.