Stu & Mary Ellen Hartt, Chapter AB-A Directors

Transcription

1 Stu & Mary Ellen Hartt, Chapter AB-A Directors H appy New Year everyone and we hope that the holidays were full of fun and enjoyment for all. We have heard that the AB-A Christmas Party was a resounding success, even with the cooler weather, and everyone had a wonderful time. January is always a time for reflection and renewal, whether it be New Year s resolutions or a commitment to do better this year. Many of you have your Gold Wing s nicely packed away for the winter but the Calgary Motorcycle Show brings riding back into our thoughts. For those members who are volunteering in our booth to promote our mission of Friends for Fun, Safety, and Knowledge, THANK-YOU, and enjoy all the vendors showing their new products. For those members requiring new tires for 2017, please make sure to get your orders into Ron Syroishka as he has negotiated another good deal with the support of Rocky Mountain Powerhouse. Jan 9 Feb 11 Feb 13 Mar 13 Coming Events Jan Monthly Meeting Phoenix Area Seminar Feb Monthly Meeting Mar Monthly Meeting Meetings are at Fox Hollow Golf Club, 9th Street and 32nd Avenue N.E. Dinner at 6:30; Meeting at 7:00 PM. Another reminder is that we want to update our Membership Directory (roster) in April and we will take pictures and update whatever contact information you would like to release for this edition of the roster. Thanks to Harley and Sharon Saunders for their continued work on our roster. With Wing Ding in Grapevine, Texas this year; most of us have to plan ahead as the riding time required is much longer. Hopefully we can get good representation from our Chapter again this year, even with the added distance. Remember the dates of August 29 th to September 2, We also wish to thank Tracy and Elaine Boyda for standing in for us while we are away. We hope we will be able to join in through electronic communication for our monthly meetings until our return. We look forward to another wonderful year of riding and fellowship within our chapter. What s Inside November Meeting Notes... 2 Congratulations... 3 Maybe?-Not!... 3 Region J Report... 4 Upcoming Courses... 4 Rider Education Rules!... 5 Phoenix Area Seminar Poster... 6 News & Notices... 7 Meeting Info... 7 Classifieds & Area Staff... 8 Calgary Area Team... 8 Planning Ahead... 9 Gran Fondo Wing Ding Christmas Party Costen & Associates Toy Storage Offering Pair-a-Dice Trikes... 19

2 Wing Wag January 2017 Page 2 Jeff Webber Received his Level 3 patch Congratulations and Well Done! Barry Shaw Received his Level 3 patch Congratulations and Well Done! Fred Rea Received his Level 4 patch Congratulations and Well Done! Notes: Despite the departure of many of our snowbirds the meeting was quite well attended including a rider education guy from Colorado. Actual number was not announced. Stu showed the brand-new defibrillator that our chapter has purchased. He said that Harvey, as the ride coordinator, will be the custodian as he attends most of the Sunday breakfasts and a fair number of the rides. People leading rides, e.g., on long week-ends, are encouraged to contact Harvey to ensure that they take the defibrillator with them on their ride.

3 Wing Wag January 2017 Page 3 At the Dec 11 breakfast we had a big winner. Dale Gillespie rolled 5 "2 s and walked away with $250 big ones. Congrats to you Dale. Congratulations to Ken and Karen Braun. They celebrated their 40th Anniversary on November 12th, Nope. Didn't make it over the Highwood Pass today. Brian Hooker and Ron Syroishka November 25, 2016.

4 Wing Wag January 2017 Page 4 Gary & Susan Premech, Region J Director Hello everyone, W ell we hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Years and are ready for another year. We are sure that everyone is hoping that the winter doesn t last too long so we can get back on our bikes and trikes. It even makes it worse when we attend the bike shows in our areas. It s always nice to see the faces of people as they sit on the new bikes dreaming about getting out on the open road, then looking at their spouse for approval. Who knows they might become one of our new members. We look forward to seeing many of you at the Region J Rally as this is one of the times that we get to reunite with friends. More information on the Rally will follow shortly. Also this will be our first year to attend Wing Ding as Region Directors and we are looking forward to it. For those that are going to Wing Ding you can register today and not wait until it s too late. Grapevine Texas August 29 th to September 2 nd, we hope to see you there. Until next month, Gary and Susan Premech Region J Directors Rider Education Levels Seminar all-day seminar session being held in Phoenix, Arizona metro area on February 11th. I bet you are asking what prompted us to hold this seminar session and tailor it for winter guests. Well, last year our district had received a request from a northern district to provide seminars to help their members that winter in Arizona. Since we had no clue which members they were, where in Arizona they wintered, and frankly not much time before they returned to the north, we decided that we would regroup for 2017 and hold a seminar day. That way we could cover the seminars required for the levels program, have lunch, socialize a bit and have a couple of other seminars. Arizona Chapter S has graciously agreed to host this event and will be providing lunch to all who attend. We simply request that members contact me to reserve their spot. My contact information is below. That way we know how many lunches to provide. Currently we have room for members, but we can enlarge our space if needed. Thank you for your help, and have a Safe and Happy If you have questions, please let me know Connie Jo Richtmyre Arizona District Trainer AZ-S Chapter Educator cell

5 Wing Wag January 2017 Page 5 Roger Matas, Chapter AB-A Rider Education Coordinator A recent ride brought home to me the concept of how a small decision could have big consequences. It s a good example of why it s important to keep the big picture in view as you re enjoying a ride. I was the tailgunner with a group on a four lane highway. We were doing about 70 miles per hour; passing some vehicles and having some pass us. As we were going down the highway, the group pulls to the left lane to pass a semi. He s not going much slower than we are so it takes the group a little while to get past. In the distance I see the blue and red lights of Highway Patrol on the right shoulder. The semi we re passing puts on his left turn signal, indicating he wants to move left to give the officer a clear lane. Full points to the driver for trying to get over to make the officer s job safe. I saw the police car and I also saw the semi s desire to move left. However, the bike in front of me decided to hit the throttle and race up the length of the semi to keep up with the rest of the group. I hung back, indicated to the semi he was safe to pull over, and waited until he went back into the right lane before I caught the group. The bike in front of me made a very dangerous move. The semi pulled partially into the left lane. He squeezed the bike over to the median. By not allowing the truck to pull into the left lane, the rider jeopardized his safety as well as the safety of the police officer. I m not sure why he made the bad decision, but it showed how a small lapse in judgement or not having a clear view of everything going on around you can have far-reaching consequences. Some members of our chapter will have had an from me in the past few weeks advising of their lapsed status in the GWRRA levels program. The courses you require to reach the different levels expire every two years. If you want to keep your status in the levels program you need to take the courses again. For most this is the Advanced Riders Course (ARC) and the Medic First Aid course. For some it s the Co-Rider course. This is a way to make sure your skills stay current. We plan to hold courses in the spring. Watch your and the newsletter for details. If you aren t in the levels program, you should consider enrolling. There is no cost and it s a great way to make sure you are learning new things and staying up to date. For those of you somewhere warm where you can be on two wheels, I wish you safe riding. For those of you with Parked Motorcycle Syndrome, I hope you stay warm and think about safety until you can get back out on the bike. All the best in the New Year.

6 Wing Wag January 2017 Page 6

7 Wing Wag January 2017 Page 7 Greeting Cards: If you know of any member, their spouse, or immediate family who would appreciate receiving a greeting card from our Chapter please contact Judy Istvan, address nucleus.com. Judy will arrange to send the appropriate card on behalf of the Calgary Chapter. Veterans Food Bank: Please remember the men and women who committed themselves to ensure the freedoms that all Canadians enjoy every day of our lives. Bring your non-perishable food items or monetary contributions to the Monthly Chapter Meetings and help support the Veteran's Food Bank. Thank you to all who choose to support this worthwhile cause. High Mileage Challenge 2016: It is that time of year again when we prepare our wings for winter storage. If you submitted your odometer reading before you started riding in 2016 please remember to record your ending odometer reading before you put your bike away for the winter. If you are one of those hardy souls who ride all year when the weather is fine remember to send you final odometer reading as of December 31, Please send all 2016 final odometer readings to telus.net and include "Odometer Reading" in the subject line. Deadline for submissions is January 31, Winter Storage for Toys : Our chapter member, Barry Lammle, is offering secure, heated, indoor, winter storage for motorcycles and cars at one of his warehouses, and GWRRA members get a discount. See page 17 for details. DAY/DATE MEETING SCHEDULE January 9... Monthly Meeting February Monthly Meeting March Monthly Meeting Friends for Fun, Safety, and Knowledge Come ride with us...everyone Welcome! For the latest updates on what we are doing and where we re going, check out our website: Monthly Meetings Monthly meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of each month. This is a time to share information and to meet old and new friends who like to ride together for FUN, Safety and Knowledge. See you at the next meeting at the Fox Hollow Golf Club, 9th Street and 32nd Avenue N.E. Dinner at 6:30 PM; Meeting at 7:00 PM. Rain, snow, or shine, we meet for breakfast every Sunday morning about 9 AM (Fox Hollow opens at 8:00). This is a great year round way to stay in touch with your GWRRA friends. So, if you have missed the opportunity to join us for breakfast recently, why don t you come on over to: Fox Hollow Golf Club 9th Street and 32nd Avenue N.E.

8 Wing Wag January 2017 Page 8 Classified Ads The Classified ads are free to all members and associates of the GWRRA. While advertised items do not have to be Gold Wing related, we do insist that all ads pertain to motorcycling. Ads will appear on a space available basis for one month. Should you wish to continue to run your ad for a second or succeeding month, you must resubmit or renew your ad. Deadline for submission is the first Monday of each month. To post an ad or if the item is sold or the offer withdrawn, please contact Lisa Miller at: goldwing calgary.com CALGARY AREA STAFF Chapter Directors Stu & Mary Ellen Hartt chapter goldwing calgary.com Assistant Chapter Directors Tracy & Elaine Boyda assistant chapter goldwing calgary.com Membership Enhancement Coordinator Lance & Kim Medcalf and goldwing calgary.com Quartermaster Ken Braun goldwing calgary.com Newsletter Editor Lisa Miller goldwing calgary.com Treasurer Eric Roberts goldwing calgary.com Ride Coordinator Harvey Matthews ride goldwing calgary.com Rider Educator Roger Matas rider goldwing calgary.com Rider Course Instructor Terry Burrill goldwing calgary.com Special Events Coordinator Ron Syroishka goldwing calgary.com Webmaster Roger Matas goldwing calgary.com NOTE: addresses in this publication are displayed in a manner that will deter automatic address harvesting programs. This step is taken to reduce unsolicited to any addresses we post. We regret any inconvenience caused for our legitimate visitors. REMOVE ALL THE SPACES IN THE ADDRESS TO MAKE IT WORK. GWRRA NATIONAL LEADERS GWRRA TOLL FREE NUMBER (CANADA & US) Executive Directors Ray & Sandi Garris gwrra.org Region J Directors Gary & Susan Premech Region J Assistant Directors Patrick & Lorraine Frampton Region J Rider Educator Alex Middleton

9 Wing Wag January 2017 Page 9 Planning and information by Gord and Brenda Stevenson H i everyone, Happy New Year! A new year? Wait, that must mean it's time to plan a trip or two. This one is nearly a repeat of the BC Loop trip from last year with a few updates. For those who plan to participate: 1) Book your rooms. BC hotels book up solid, especially those around Vernon. Today would be a good time to book. You can always cancel. 2) Let me know: Name(s) If you have a partner who will bring/ride his/her own bike (for group planning) Contact information (cell number preferred; addresses in addition to the one you send the note from) If you have any objection to your contact information being shared with other participants (default is no, you are not in the witness protection program) Please contact Gord and Brenda Stevenson at (403) or by at gordstevenson.com for further details including the ride overview (ppt and pdf), Microsoft Streets and Trips, and GPX (for GPS) files. H ere are the plans for a second trip. This one is the US Loop. The first night will be in Creston; second night in Coeur d'alene (we will swing through Yaak and Libby); and third night in Kalispell (via Murray). Hotels are a bit painful for this trip. Sorry about that! In Creston, the Ramada was full online. I phoned and got a room, but clearly they were pretty full. We may have to spread out to other hotels in the area, and since there must be events going on I strongly suggest booking something soon. Please let me know if you will join the ride so I can create a distribution list for future communications related to this ride. As always, let me know if you want your contact information hidden from other participants. Please contact Gord and Brenda Stevenson at (403) or by at gordstevenson.com for further details including the ride overview (ppt and pdf), Microsoft Streets and Trips, and GPX (for GPS) files. Let's ride! Let's ride!

10 Wing Wag January 2017 Page 10 Ron Syroishka, Chapter AB-A Special Events Coordinator M embers of your GWRRA Chapter Upon arrival in Banff, we fuel up at the local AB-A have been providing moto Shell station before staging our bikes at the (Gold Wing) escorts to the Banff start line. We meet with the organizing Gran Fondo bicycle race for 4 committee members at 6:00 a.m. for a briefing during which the route is verified and we years now. This year's event will go down as the best ever. Our riders were very well received by the Banff Gran Fondo organizing ing the race (i.e. bears, wildlife, etc.) are advised of what we might encounter dur- committee, and the folks from RBC who have been and continue to be the major The race begins at 7:00 a.m. sharp and goes sponsor of this event. It has been my pleasure and honor to have initiated this activity and be its Chapter sponsor for the past 4 years. I am very proud of each and every volunteer rider who has continued from day one to participate in this event, also of those who participated for the very first time this year. Commitment, dedication, and contribution are very admirable characteristics in people. Well, I am here to say to you readers that each volunteer rider meets and exceeds these attributes. The commitment by the riders is no small feat. First of all, we meet at the McDonalds across from Canada Olympic Park at 3:45 a.m. Saturday morning and are wheels rolling at 4:00 a.m. sharp. This is often a chilly time of day and it has been as low as minus 3 degrees Celsius and wet. until the last cyclist is off the course. Generally, it is a 152 km race. There are many who would say it is not a race--and that may be so--but many of the cyclists would tell you different. All you have to do is watch the lead pack of riders and it's like the Tour de France and that is a RACE! Most of us return to our homes in time for supper, which makes it a very long day. We enjoyed the best weather ever for this year's race, it was a gorgeous day. A small indication of how committed and dedicated to this event all the riders are is displayed by the fact that the gas allowance that has always been offered to the riders has without exception been turned back to your Chapter. If you haven t met everyone on this year's moto team, please take a moment and introduce yourself to them and thank them for (Continued on page 11)

11 Wing Wag January 2017 Page 11 (Continued from page 10) their efforts. The names of this year's team in alphabetic order are: Art Armstrong Tracy Boyda Terry Burrill Kim Coubrough Phil Doody Richard Hart Stu Hartt Brian Hooker Warran Lench Harvey Matthews Mark Murray Ron Myers Gary Premech Fred Rea Ron Syroishka James Tremblay Justin Tremblay Going forward we will be working with the Gran Fondo organizing committee and RBC directly. Both parties were very appreciative of our contribution to this year's Gran Fondo. So much so, that the Operations Director of Gran Fondo Canada dubbed our team the Dream Team and thanked us for rallying this amazing team to their event and supporting them. We are looking forward to the 2017 Banff Gran Fondo and possibly providing moto escorts for other events in British Columbia. Text and Photos by Gilles Fournier When we made the reservations, it seemed that Wing Ding 38 in Billings, Montana, was so far into the future. And now it is already passed. This was our second Wing Ding, the first having also been in Billings in Just like the latter, this year s event attracted a very large number of members from Chapter AB-A, a larger crowd than any of the monthly meetings I remember. Though the same can be said from all chapters in Alberta and several Canadian ones, the same was not true overall. Many of us remarked that the total attendance seemed to be way down from the one in We were told that the total attendance this year was only 6,800 members. But that did not dampen the enthusiasm of all participants. We were told that this was the 4 th Wing Ding in Billings and the city and its Chamber of Commerce put on a great welcome party downtown the evening before the official start of Wing Ding. Streets were closed off, banners were put up everywhere, free food (including pulled pork sliders, coleslaw, fruit salads, tea/coffee/juice/ water) was served to all who attended, free ice cream was also served, free shows were provided (including some amazing native dancers who were real crowd-pleasers) and free parking was available for everyone. It was a great kick-off that created an opportunity to meet Chamber of Commerce officials, other GWRRA members and some old (Continued on page 12)

12 Wing Wag January 2017 Page 12 (Continued from page 11) friends (Bonnie and Larry from the Lethbridge chapter, Shaun, Alex, and Eric from AB-A). Wing Ding took over the entire Metra Park at the east end of the city, just like in There were many food trucks that provided a lot of choices for the hungry participants, including a Baskin & Robins ice cream truck that did brisk business due to the fondness for ice cream by GWRRA members from all over and the hot temperatures during the whole event (35 to 38 Celsius everyday!). There were vendors offering a wide variety of products or services from bling for people, bling for bikes, to clothing and all sorts of accessories for the bikes. We came back (Continued on page 13)

13 Wing Wag January 2017 Page 13 (Continued from page 12) with two bright green GWRRA 3-in-1 jackets, 2 flag poles and one flag (imagine going all the way to Billings, Montana, to get a Newfoundland flag! Some stunned!). As usual, one could get his/her bike s minor glitches fixed on the spot or many accessories added (picture opposite bottom left shows a service person adding undercarriage lights to a trike). Other vendors showed off trailers, and trike conversions. Picture below shows the Tiltit front wheel conversion kit on a Gold Wing. The company that makes it claims that it provides the increased stability of three wheels without losing the normal handling of a two-wheeler (the front wheels are articulated so that you lean the bike in curves just as if there was only one wheel in the front). It is a concept similar to the Piaggio MP3 scooters that are very popular in Europe and I see are now available here in Canada (in Calgary, Blackfoot Motosports shows them on its web site). Though one could not test drive the Tiltit, it was possible to test drive several types of trikes and other Honda products. This time, a test drive really meant a test drive, i.e minutes in a guided convoy on the streets of Billings, instead of just going around the parking lot like in Eric and I decided to test drive the Hannigan front-wheel Honda Roadster Sport. We had a better impression of that trike and its performance than the others we had tested back in It is also the nicest-looking of all front-wheel trikes in terms of design, in our opinion. Of course, there were all sorts of other things that caught the attention at Wing Ding. Bike mascots were everywhere it (Continued on page 14)

14 Wing Wag January 2017 Page 14 (Continued from page 13) seems, and there were a number of unusual contraptions below is just one example; and many non Gold Wing machines, most numerous among them I think were Can-Am Spyders. Wing Ding is always a good time to make new friends. In the picture above are Didier and Caroline from Lille, France where they run a motorcycle business. They first met members of our chapter while doing the Beartooth Pass on the way to Wing Ding and then, of course, they met many of us and they kind of adopted us and we adopted them. So they joined us for the Canadian dinner at the Montana Club on Friday night (pictures bottom of page 15). A group of us who had not come through the Beartooth Pass on the way to Wing Ding decided to go for it early in the day on Friday. We reached the summit at 10,947 feet of elevation in a mixture of sunshine and clouds. If you are wondering why everyone has jackets and helmets on, it is because the temperature had gone from a balmy 32 Celsius in Red Lodge, in the valley east of the pass, to 13 Celsius the last time we checked the bike thermometer at the top (it might have been even lower where we stopped). This was our third time at the Beartooth Pass on the bike since our first time in 2007 and it never ceases to take our breath away in terms of the diversity of its ruggedness at different times of the year, its amazing views and the strong attraction it has with motorcyclists (I estimate that on that day, 75% of the vehicles on that road were motorcycles!). Of course Wing Ding is also the occasion for some official gatherings. Beside the opening ceremonies, there was the Masters luncheon on Saturday at the Billings Hotel (Continued on page 15)

15 Wing Wag January 2017 Page 15 (Continued from page 14) Though there were lots of fabulous prizes to win, including an actual Gold Wing, only one member of our chapter (as far as I know) won something. and Convention Centre, and the closing ceremonies which followed an excellent dinner of pulled pork and beef brisket with all the trimmings and what appeared to be an inexhaustible supply of various desserts. Nevertheless, it seems that everyone had a good time. Let s put it this way, we did not meet anyone who was not happy with attending Wing Ding, and we did meet a lot of people. So after all that hot and sunny weather during Wing Ding, it was the return to Calgary in temperatures that started 30 Celsius lower than the highest one and lots of rain. Talk about a shock to the system! But, as we all know, we have to be prepared for anything when it comes to weather and temperatures in the West, especially when riding on motorcycles. I think that we all made back safely (again, as far as I know). Canadian dinner at The Montana Club

16 Wing Wag January 2017 Page 16 Submitted by: Ron Syroishka, Chapter AB-A Special Events Coordinator Photos by: Allan Orr B y the time, you read this article all the Holiday Season celebrations will be just memories. Except for our GWRRA "snowbird" friends, the rest of us now have to prepare for winter. It is also a time for reflection, cuddling around a warm fire place with a hot chocolate, or maybe even something with a little more kick to it. Enjoying the company of loved ones and enjoying what a beautiful Alberta winter brings with it. Life is indeed for living, so regardless of your situation, love what you are doing and love those who are sharing it with you. When we look back on 2016, there has been quality time for both adventure and camaraderie that has been enjoyed by many. Our Chapter has seen several changes, with new Chapter Directors Stu and Mary-Ellen Hartt; new Assistant Chapter Directors Tracy and Elaine Boyda; and several other changes to our Chapter staff and family. And, of course, a change of venue for our annual Christmas party. The folks at Lynnwood Ranch were very welcoming and the hospitality was second to none. We had the largest turn out for over a decade. The evening was filled with games and an excellent meal with all the trimmings. Dale Gillespie was our designated group representative in the Minute to Win It activities sponsored by the Lynnwood Ranch. There were 3 events, and might I say the competition was fierce. Although Dale didn t take first place, his performance was outstanding and he did our club proud. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who donated door prizes to this year's party; they include, Rocky Mountain Honda Powerhouse, Lammle s Western Wear and Tack, Tracy and Elaine Boyda, and a couple of anonymous donators. There is one little story that came out of the evening events that I would like to share with you. Some may call it luck or a coincidence, or I like to think of it as fate. One of the door prizes was a book Give PLEASE a Chance written for children from 3 to 6 years of age. Coauthored by Bill O Reilly and James Patterson, this is a wonderful picture book that teaches "Please" really is a magic word with a multitude of uses. Knowing that several of our GWRRA family members have grandchildren of their own, I was thinking how wonderful it would be if someone who has grandchildren or knows of a family that might fit that bill would have their name drawn. Well, I believe it was fate because Fred Rae (wife Judy) were picked as the winners. And you know what? They have both a 2-year-old grandchild and a 4-year-old grandchild--what a perfect fit! So, just to wrap this up, the only hiccup of this entire evening was that Lynnwood Ranch had to cancel the hay rides because it was simply too cold to expose the horses to getting all heated up and subject them to illness. Maybe it wasn t so bad after all the good news was we were all able to stay warm and enjoy our evening in comfort.

17 Wing Wag January 2017 Page 17 Hookers, Marie, Maria, Deb H Boydas & Premechs Ron & Til Ron & Dan Lemke Dale Gillespie competes for our group in Minute to Win It. Watching Dale as he represented our group in Minute to Win It.

18 Wing Wag January 2017 Page 18

19 Wing Wag January 2017 Page 19 NEED A PLACE TO STORE YOUR TOYS! We have a fully heated warehouse, indoor heated, available for indoor winter storage. You won t be required to winterize your vehicles and your automobile OR motorcycle will be in a very safe and secure facility, that is alarmed to offer 24/7 security and is equipped with surveillance cameras. We are located in a prime location on 44 Street S.E. close to the Deerfoot Inn and Casino, with easy access from Deerfoot Trail, Stoney Trail, and Barlow Trail. Regular price $50.00/month, GWRRA special price $40.00/month