Alamo City Wings. Chapter H Officers

Transcription

1 March August Alamo City Wings Volume 32 Friends for Fun, Safety, and Knowledge! Issue 03 Chapter H Officers Chapter Director Bruce MacMaster BAMac45@aol.com Assistant Chapter Director Vacant Chapter Educator Vacant Secretary/Treasurer Charles Fleming txgoldwing00@att.net Membership Coordinator Phyllis Ellis Pcelde@swbell.net Chapter H Staff Web Master Dean Davis dean@jeanniesherbs.com Newsletter Editor Kathy Vallejo kvall@att.net Technical Advisor Len Ellis Pcelde@swbell.net Chapter Photographer Dean Davis dean@jeanniesherbs.com Activity / Ride Coordinator Charles Fleming txgoldwing00@att.net * From the Chapter Director * The weather is improving all the time and we are seeing some of the best riding weather in south Texas. It looks like we might get an early spring so take advantage of the mild days and come riding with us. We had ten people on our last lunch ride to Cooper s BBQ and subsequent ride to see the eagles. Both parents and youngsters were visible. See our new website for pictures. Speaking of the new website, Dean put a lot of work on our site so it can be viewed on many different platforms, from mobile phones to pads to old desk computers. Take a look and let us know what you think. Thank you Dean for a job well done. There are eight of us that are off to Key West a few days after our meeting. We will also be going to Daytona Bike Week for a day. Anyone who wants to join us is welcome. Our meeting will be March 6 th, the first Wednesday of the month. Join us at Logan s Roadhouse about 6:30 for dinner with the meeting starting at 7:30PM. April starts the rally/convention season with the Texas District Officer s & Staff District Directors... David & Christina Vidrine Asst. District Directors.... Mike & Robin Thacker District Educators... Ricky & Karen Frazier District Treasurer... Diane Shults Membership Enhancement Coordinator... Steve & Billie Fleming Asst. Membership Enhancement Coord.... Jim & Alvalin Woodul Entertainment Coordinator.... Kenny Shults District Couple of the Year.Mike & Robin Thacker COY Coordinators..Jean & Dave Simmons District Trainer... Open... Vendor Coordinators... Kenny Schults Webmaster... Tom Sprague Newsletter Editor Christina Vidrine

2 Volume 32 Page 2 of 13 Issue 03 Region H rally starting on April 4 th in Marshall, Texas. Chapter O s rally will be on April 13 th. We have a ride scheduled up to Fredericksburg to support them and to see the bluebonnets. The Louisiana District rally will begin on April 18. The Texas District rally will be in May. Let everyone know if you are going to any of these rallies so a group can go together. As they say, the more the merrier. Since we have not been getting many articles for the newsletter lately, I am recycling one I wrote about the first time I went to Daytona Bike Week. You can find it somewhere in the newsletter. Ride Safe and Often Bruce A. MacMaster, Chapter Director Rider Education CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN By Robert Vaughan When Harry Hurt at the University of Southern California (USC) did his famous study of motorcycle accidents, he found that though clothes may not make the man they certainly help protect him. Covering yourself with leather or another thick material such as Kevlar or Cordura can offer a very high level of protection. Cycle magazine tested materials for their abrasion resistance. The two types of tests Cycle did gave similar results. If you weigh 75 pounds and have a body like a milk crate then your wardrobe would fall into three classes: Denim and lightweight leather for a minimum protection, Cordura Nylon and Kevlar for five times the protection, and competition weight leather for twenty times the protection. If, on the other hand, you have a tendency to sit on grinding wheels, you can stay seated twice as long wearing Cordura Nylon or Kevlar as you can wearing Denim or thirteen times as long wearing competition weight leather. Road rash isn t the most serious injury motorcyclists face, but it s certainly one of the most painful. While you may not look like a milk crate or sit on grinding wheels, you should know that the better materials do give you something for your money besides a flatter billfold. As a rule, riders buy nonspecialized clothing such as denim and then wear it for a very

3 Volume 32 Page 3 of 13 Issue 03 specialized purpose. The best material for abrasion-resistance should combine a smooth texture in a thick layer to promote sliding, some rigidity to discourage adhesion, a flexible internal structure to stretch under abrasion, and enough thickness to withstand sustained abrasion. A deficiency in even one element can spell injury. However, even the best materials won t prevent injury if the garment is not well made and properly fitted. And, even if those criteria are met, if the garment isn t fastened, it can t do its job of keeping the rider unharmed. It s worthwhile to put as much money into the clothes we wear as we do into the accessories we put on our bikes. LETTER FROM THE EDITOR This is March and on March 10 th we change back over to Daylight Savings Time and on March 31 st we celebrate Easter this year. Isn t it amazing that we are already into Easter? Hopefully, I will get an article and some pictures from someone who is going on the Florida trip for the next newsletter. Should be a great trip! If anyone has pictures that they want to share I ll be happy to do a section with pictures. Be Safe and Have Fun! Kathy Vallejo FOR SALE 2008 Honda 1800 Goldwing with 2011 Factory Installed Hannigan Trike Conversion Kit 26,586 miles Excellent Condition Extended Warranty thru May 2015 Service Policy thru May 2014 Navigation System Stereo MP3 Audio Auxiliary Electrical Outlets ABS Brakes Heated Grips Heated Corbin Seat w/backrest Air Wings Highway Pegs Two Windshields (oversized and standard) LED Running Lights LED Head Light Rider Footboards with Heal & Toe Shifter Passenger Footboards New Battery 2011 Hannigan Sierra Trailer w/custom carpet & Interior Lighting Titanium color both Trike & Trailer. Trike & Trailer asking $28,900(firm) Contact Stan Worley at dutchsw@satx.rr.com See Picture Below (All maintenance records, contracts, and receipts available, total investment $49,500 +)

4 Volume 32 Page 4 of 13 Issue 03 getting any warmer the farther south I travel? I asked myself. THE RIDE SOUTH A DIFFERENT VIEW, PART II OR, I RODE MY BIKE TO TRAILER WEEK By Bruce A. MacMaster I had never been to Bike Week, so I decided to leave rainy, cold Norfolk, and head to sunny, warm Daytona. I should have known the weather would not go as I had planned when I had to postpone my departure date because of rain along the East Coast. No big deal one day; Bike Week is a whole 10 days. The bike was packed with a light load, since I was staying with friends and relatives. No tent, sleeping bag, etc., was required. A little leftover rain cleared as I reached I-95. I usually don t travel on interstate highways, but since this was winter and I was going to Florida, I took the quicker route. Why is it not My first clue that this would be a different type of rally came before I reached I-95. I saw a car pulling a trailer carrying a bike. It s a small bike, I figured, so it would be a difficult trip that far for the two people in the car. But once I was on I-95, more and more bikes were going south on trailers, up to six on one trailer. They were even in pickup trucks. The first ones I saw were Harley-Davidsons. Okay, the only way they could ensure their arrival at Bike Week was to truck the bike down. But bike sizes ran the whole gamut from small dirt bikes to full dressers. I was feeling really smug about how we Gold Wingers ride our vehicles, while Harleys ride in their owner s vehicles. Then the unthinkable happened I passed a Gold Wing being trailered. I excused that owner, since he was in a RV and could not drive both vehicles. I hoped his wife was not along, or surely one of them would have driven the RV and the other

5 Volume 32 Page 5 of 13 Issue 03 the Gold Wing. Unfortunately, this was not the only Gold Wing being trailered, and not all of them were behind RV s. I even saw trikes being hauled. Maybe they are coming from snow country and are not riding for safety reasons, I hoped. I was halfway through North Carolina before I saw another motorcycle being ridden. I worried that I somehow missed the instructions on how to get your bike to Bike Week. Once I was in Florida (especially the closer I got to Daytona), more and more bikes were being ridden rather than trailered. Also, more and more groups of bikes were parked on the side of the road with owners over them with tools in hand. I won t mention any particular brand, but do the initials HD ring any bells? THE DAYTONA 500,000 Like other motorcycle rallies, the police were out in force to maintain order. However, unlike rallies we have all heard about, they were not hassling the bikers. In fact, I saw them stop more fourwheelers than two-wheelers, even though there were more bikes than cars on many of the roads. On Sunday, Main Street in Daytona Beach was closed to all but bikes. On Tuesday, I walked the six-block area of Main Street where the activities were concentrated. Parked bikes filled the sidewalk the entire way, one foot apart. These must have been the bikes that were trailered, since they surely did not look like they were ever ridden. Or possibly they were cleaned by the bike wash businesses that were set up along Route A1A. From the looks of the women running the bike washes, a clean bike would not have been the only incentive. How these women, dressed in bikinis, managed to wash bikes in temperatures that did not go above 64 degrees was a mystery to me. THE GOLD WING RALLY The Gold Wing rally was held at a local mall that seemed void of permanent tenants. This worked just fine for the vendors, because it gave them indoor room to display their wares and to install all their goodies. The local GWRRA group manned a registration booth and a secure parking area for the bikes. They also provided self-guided

6 Volume 32 Page 6 of 13 Issue 03 tours of the area. I rode the one to Kennedy Space Center. Instead of going all the way down US 1, Gold Wingers were detoured through a wildlife refuge. That was the best part of the ride-very few vehicles and lots of wildlife. Due to all the rain Florida had recently, there was standing water on the sides of most roads. The one I traveled was no exception; therefore, most of the wildlife was waterfowl. Along, a straight stretch I saw a log in the oncoming lane. There were no cars coming, so I did not worry that one would swerve into my lane to miss the log. As I approached the log, it miraculously turned into a four-foot long alligator. I don t know which one of us was more startled, but we passed each other without incident. When I stopped and turned around to take a picture, the gator was gone. I looked in the water on both sides of the road (from the safety of my Gold Wing), but could not find it. Since I knew how fast it disappeared, I was not getting off the bike for a closer look. As I said before, bikers have to be wary of different animals in different parts of the country. My nose found the orange groves scent before my eyes saw it. This was the first time I smelled orange blossoms on this trip. I lived in Tampa many years ago and always loved the season of orange blossoms. I resisted the urge to pick from a tree, but I did buy some oranges at a stand. There is nothing like the sweet taste of a tree-ripened orange. THE OTHER BIKE RALLY This was the first rally I have attended where the predominant bike was a Harley Davidson and most of the activities were directed toward the stereotypical Harley owner. Events were held at bars with free beer, loud music, lots of food and beauty contests. I could see why some people do not want bike rallies in their town. The noise these machines make is something quite different from the quiet humming Gold Wing. Riding behind a group of Harleys is a deafening experience. A normal takeoff from a stop is like a trip to the racetrack. Now I know why the parties were so loud-everyone has to yell because no one has hearing.

7 Volume 32 Page 7 of 13 Issue 03 I also noticed a difference in the vendor items for Harley owners: they were more for the owners (clothes, pins, badges, etc.) than for the bikes. Vendors that did provide accessories for bikes also carried more repair parts than do the Gold Wing vendors. Don t get the wrong impression-no one hassled me. I saw no fights. I know the newer Harleys are more reliable, and I know some nice people who own Harleys. It s just that a Harley owner is different from a Gold Wing owner, which is not to say that s bad. This would be a pretty dull world if we were all alike. FINAL THOUGHTS I left before Bike Week was over because severe thunderstorms were predicted for the closing weekend and I did not want to travel with all those trailers in bad weather. Also, I had seen all I wanted. I missed most of the rain, but there were many trailers sharing the road. Oh, well. Overall, I enjoyed the experience, but I don t know if I would go again. If you ve never been, by all means go. You cannot get the flavor of Bike Week by reading about it. Also one person s dislike is another s like. When you read about how many bikes attended Daytona Bike Week, remember that they are not all in Daytona. Activities are up and down the Florida coast, so not all areas are stop-and-go solid bikes. Besides, getting your bike washed might be worth the trip. MR. GORSKY On July 20, 1969, as commander of the Apollo 11lunar module, Neil Armstrong was the first person to set foot on the moon. His first words after stepping on the moon, that s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind, were televised to earth and heard by millions. But just before he re-entered the Lander, he made the enigmatic remark Good Luck, Mr. Gorsky. Many people at NASA thought it was a casual remark concerning some rival soviet cosmonaut. However, upon checking, there was no Gorsky in either the Russian or American space programs. Over the years, many people questioned Armstrong as to what the Good Luck, Mr. Gorsky statement

8 Volume 32 Page 8 of 13 Issue 03 meant, but Armstrong always just smiled. EASTER On July 5, 1995, in Tampa Bay, Florida, while answering questions following a speech, a reporter brought up the 26-year-old question about Mr. Gorsky to Armstrong. This time he finally responded because Mr. Gorsky had died, so Neil Armstrong felt he could now answer the question. Here is the answer to who was Mr. Gorsky. In 1938, when he was a kid in a small mid-western town, he was playing baseball with a friend in the backyard. His friend hit the ball, which landed in his neighbor s yard by their bedroom window. His neighbors were Mr. and Mrs. Gorsky. As he leaned down to pick up the ball, young Armstrong heard Mrs. Gorsky shouting at Mr. Gorsky, SEX! You want SEX?! You ll get sex when the kid next door walks on the moon! It broke the place up. Neil Armstrong s family confirmed this is a true story.

9 Volume 32 Page 9 of 13 Issue 03 Alamo Cycle Plex I.H. 10 West Complete Bike Financing Sales and Service r WDC Trike Conversions, Inc * MTC Voyager Trike Conversions * Champion Sidecar-Trikes, Sidecars, Colorado Trailers & Patriot hard bags. * California Sidecar-Trikes, Escapade Trailers & Sidecars * Cyclone Alarm Systems * Klicktronic-Electric Shifter * LED Lighting * Rivco Accessories Wayne: 2wingnuts2@earthlink.net Daniel: 2wingnuts@earthlink.net Colby: 2wingnuts3@earthlink.net EASTER Easter always falls between March 22 nd and April 25 th. MARCH BIRTHDAYS Ida Flores Mar 9 Bill Stein.Mar 20 Jim Kenney.Mar 22 Dean Davis.Mar 24 Right from ancient times, the egg has been regarded as a symbol of rebirth in most cultures.

10 Volume 32 Page 10 of 13 Issue 03 Ride & Activity Schedule Date Start End Event Description 03/02/13 08:30 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go 03/06/13 18:30 20:30 dinner, meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. 03/10/13 08:30 14:00 Ride to Utopia for breakfast at Lost Maples Café Utopia, TX and then ride in the area 03/16/13 08:30 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go LUNCH RIDE DESTINATION TO BE DETERMINED===We will meet at 10:00am and go for 03/24/13 10:00 15:00 a ride in the hill country and make our way for lunch around 1 to 2pm. 03/30/13 08:30 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go 04/03/13 18:30 20:30 dinner, meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. 04/04/13- REGION H Convention Marshall TX- April 4 to April 7- see Region website for more 04/06/13 information Meet at Mimi s at La Cantera and IH-10 West for breakfast. Meet at 8:00am for 04/07/13 08:00 14:00 breakfast, or show up at 9:00am just to ride. Chapter O Austins-Bluebonnet Convention in Fredricksburg, TX Annual Bluebonnet 04/13/13 08:00 17:00 Ride 04/18/13-04/20/13 Louisiana District Convention April 18 to 20 Check their website for more information 04/21/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go 04/27/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go 05/01/13 18:30 20:30 dinner, meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. 05/05/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go 05/11/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go TEXAS DISTRICT CONVENTION-MAY 16 th thru May 18 th -Check 5/16/13 web site for details TEXAS DISTRICT CONVENTION-MAY 16 th thru May 18 th -Check 05/17/13 web site for details TEXAS DISTRICT CONVENTION-MAY 16 th thru May 18 th -Check 05/18/13 web site for details Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go For those who did not go to TEXAS DISTRICT 05/19/13 08:00 14:00 Convention ARKANSAS DISTRICT CONVENTION-May 23 rd thru MAY 25 th Check the 05/23/13 web site for details ARKANSAS DISTRICT CONVENTION-May 23 rd thru MAY 25 th Check the 05/24/13 web site for details ARKANSAS DISTRICT CONVENTION-May 23 rd thru MAY 25 th Check the 05/25/13 web site for details Meet at Bandera Café (Bandera Road) for breakfast. Meet at 8:00am for breakfast, or 05/25/13 08:00 14:00 show up at 9:00am just to ride. 05/27/13 MEMORIAL DAY 06/02/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go

11 Volume 32 Page 11 of 13 Issue 03 06/05/13 18:30 20:30 dinner, meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. 06/08/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go Meet at Mimi s at La Cantera and IH-10 West for breakfast. Meet at 8:00am for 06/16/13 08:00 14:00 breakfast, or show up at 9:00am just to ride. 06/22/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go 06/30/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go WING DING in Greenville, South Carolina July 3 rd thru July 6 th Check 07/03/13 web site for details WING DING in Greenville, South Carolina July 3 rd thru July 6 th Check 07/04/13 web site for details WING DING in Greenville, South Carolina July 3 rd thru July 6 th Check 07/05/13 web site for details WING DING in Greenville, South Carolina July 3 rd thru July 6 th Check 07/06/13 web site for details 07/06/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go Chapter Meeting/Gathering at Logan s Road House on IH 10, Meet around 12:00pm for 07/13/13 12:00 14:00 lunch, meeting starts at 1:00pm. 07/14/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go 07/20/13 08:00 14:00 Ride to Utopia for breakfast at Lost Maples Café Utopia, TX and then ride in the area 07/28/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go 08/03/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go 08/07/13 18:30 20:30 dinner, meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. 08/11/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go 08/17/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go 08/25/13 08:00 14:00 Meet at El Chapparel Helotes at 8:00am for breakfast, or at 9:00am just to ride. 08/31/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go 09/02/13 LABOR DAY 09/04/13 18:30 20:30 dinner, meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. 09/08/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go KANSAS DISTRICT CONVENTION Abilene,KS Sept 13 th thru Sept 15 th Check their web 09/13/13 site for details KANSAS DISTRICT CONVENTION Abilene,KS Sept 13 th thru Sept 15 th Check their web 09/14/13 site for details KANSAS DISTRICT CONVENTION Abilene,KS Sept 13 th thru Sept 15 th Check their web site for details 09/15/13 09/14/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go LUNCH RIDE DESTINATION TO BE DETERMINED===We will meet at 10:00am and go for a ride in the hill country and make our way for lunch around 1 to 2pm. 09/22/13 10:00 15:00 09/28/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go dinner, meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. 10/02/13 18:30 20:30 10/06/13 08:00 14:00 Going to Brick s in Bandera, TX for breakfast, then ride afterwards. 10/12/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go 10/20/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go 10/26/13 08:00 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go

12 Volume 32 Page 12 of 13 Issue 03 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ENDS AT 2:00 AM- MOVE YOUR CLOCKS BACK going back to 8:30 am departure 11/03/13 08:30 14:00 11/03/13 08:30 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go dinner, meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. 11/06/13 18:30 120:30 11/09/13 08:30 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go LUNCH RIDE DESTINATION TO BE DETERMINED===We will meet at 10:00am and go for a ride in the hill country and make our way for lunch around 1 to 2pm. 11/17/13 10:00 15:00 11/21/13 THANKSGIVING DAY-TURKEY DAY 11/23/13 08:30 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go 12/01/13 08:30 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go dinner, meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. 12/04/13 18:30 20:30 12/07/13 08:30 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go 12/15/13 08:30 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go 12/21/13 08:30 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go 12/25/13 CHRISTMAS DAY 12/29/13 08:30 14:00 Breakfast Ride - pick a place and go 01/01/14 10:00 15:00 HAPPY NEW YEAR.POLAR BEAR RIDE- Meet at 10:00am, and take a ride for Lunch in the Hill Country Note: Unless otherwise indicated all Chapter "H" rides start at the parking lot behind the Exxon and Whataburger located at Bandera Rd. & 1604 (Northwest San Antonio.) Rides are subject to change. Changes will be communicated via the website, Newsletter, and/or .

13 Chapter Director 6419 Red Jacket Dr. San Antonio, TX 78238