Gold Wing Road Riders Association Friendship, Fun, Safety and Knowledge! Tri-Mountain Wings Chapter PA - X Clarks Summit, PA March April 2018 FROM THE DISTRICT DIRECTORS April is a wonderful time of the year. The days are longer, the sun is beginning to shine more, flowers start to pop up and we realize that winter is slipping away. Yes, yard work begins but compared to the winter we have had it is a welcome change. And we know that we can get out riding. Congratulations to PA-K for being selected as the 2017 Pennsylvania Chapter of the Year. And thank you to the other chapters that sent in their paperwork and were in the selection process. Don t forget the Officer Conference Saturday, April14 th at Trinity UMC, 121 S Second St., Clearfield, PA. Reservations were due on March 31 st. The PA District Rally is May 17-19 th at the Park Inn in Uniontown, PA. Reservations are due on or before May 4 th 2018. The rally is packed with events for you to participate in. We plan on letting you know more details about the rally this month. All Days: Seminars - Vendors (Indoor & Outdoor) - Rides (Guided & Unguided) - Hospitality Room - Games - Bingo - Karaoke - 50/25/25 Drawings Thursday: Road Captains Course (Full) - Masters Dinner (additional fee) - Bike Show - Opening Ceremonies - Elvis Tribute Artist - Light Show Friday: ARC Class (Full) - Couple of the Year (COY) Selection - Ice Cream Social - Talent Show CHAPTER TEAM Chapter Directors Nina & Brian Schillinger brschillinger@comcast.net Assistant Chapter Directors Kim & Randy Schweiss sredhawk480@aol.com Chapter Couple of the Year Mary Jane & Bill Williams tekodomingo@frontier.com Chapter Treasurer Jim DeStefano gacama@horizon.net Newsletter Editor Sue Bonick bonickslimo@gmail.com Chapter Ride Coordinator (Open) UPCOMING EVENTS April 18 Gathering
Saturday: TRC Class (Full) - PA-E Gathering - Bike Blessing - Banquet and Awards If you have made your hotel reservations, don t forget to send in your rally registration form. Don t miss out on the FUN! The flyer is attached to this newsletter or you can find it on the District website at www.gwrrapadist.org. Hope to see you there! Hopefully you are aware, the District has a couple of camping events planned this summer. You do not need to have a camper to attend, everyone one is welcome! All Chapters West June 15-17 th Host Chapter is PA-P Discounted Registration due by May 1, 2018 Bear Run Campgrounds is taking reservations for the event. Any questions contact Larry Meyer at gl1832@msn.com. All Chapters East July 27-29 th Host Chapter is PA-B Discounted Registration due by June 16, 2018 Old Mill Stream Campground is taking reservations for the event. Any questions contact Jim Burr at payellowtrike@gmail.com. Please take time to look at the events page on the PA District website or at the front of the District Newsletter to see the other events that the PA Chapters have planned. Try to take time out of your busy schedule and attend one of the events and have some FUN! If you are going out riding this month, remember it is spring and the roads have not been swept and there will be hazards. Plus, many areas have begun road work. Remember to always ride safe! Harold and Diane Jackson Your PA District Directors FROM THE CHAPTER DIRECTORS March seems to have started like a lion with a snow storm causing a lot highway accidents, trees down and power outages. Even though I am getting around pretty well six weeks after my hip replacement, it still was a struggle manhandling the snow blower and shoveling the walks. I will not miss this part of winter when the warm weather finally gets here. In the silver lining department, the days are getting longer and with Daylight Savings Time soon upon us, we will begin to realize that Spring is not far away. One of the requirements of GWRRA to maintain our non-profit status, is to send out a monthly newsletter that contains an education or safety article. Previously, I had scoured the internet to find an interesting article that fit the bill. With the changes in the GWRRA April 22 PA-A Bowling Challenge Downingtown, PA RSVP by April 14 May 6 Hobo Stew Williamsport, PA May 12 PA-B Spring Fling Lancaster, PA May 17-19 District Rally Uniontown, PA June 15-17 All Chapters West Pottersville, PA June 24 PA-H Dice Run Bloomsburg, PA July 27-29 All Chapters East Lancaster, PA August 28 September 1 Wing Ding 2018 Knoxville TN September 20-22 NY District Rally Watertown NY Web Links: gwrra.org gwrrapadist.org BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES Happy Birthday to: Nina Schillinger
structure, the District Educator is including a column in the District newsletter. Rather than rekey what he is sending out, I will be forwarding the District newsletter to our Chapter. There may be some duplication of articles, but I think it better to have too much information than to have too little, so watch for the District newsletter to appear in your email box. We will continue to put out our own Chapter newsletter to focus on our little corner of the world. Speaking of that, I would encourage all of you to contribute to our monthly newsletter. If you have taken a trip recently, found a new restaurant or some other place of interest, please write about where you went, what you did, and what you found interesting. By all means, include some pictures of your adventure. As an example, Nina and I are heading to Tucson, Arizona to visit her brother. We will be taking our new toy hauler (minus the toy as I am not yet strong enough to tempt fate by bringing the Goldwing) and as this will be a long shake-down cruise, it should have some memorable moments. We expect to be back by the end of the month and I will write a bit about our travels. And here's a note to Bill and MJ: Feel free to send a note with pictures of the snow bird life in Florida. You can make us all feel jealous. Send whatever you can to Sue Bonick, our intrepid newsletter editor or to me and I will get it to Sue for publication. Don't be bashful. March 7 Kim Edward April 6 Last week I sent all the flyers for upcoming events. Please go through them and sign up for events you would like to participate in. Most of these fill up fast, especially where camping is involved, so try not to let the deadlines creep up on you. As I mentioned at our last Gathering, Randy and Kim will be filling in for Nina and I as we will be in sunny Arizona for a while. Until we see you all again, be safe and enjoy life. Brian and Nina Schillinger, Chapter Directors DISTRICT EDUCATOR Hello everyone. Let s talk about the GWRRA s Rider Education Program. There s a lot of information to share, so we are going to break the conversation into two parts. This month, we ll cover the purpose of the program as well as Level I and Level II. In April, we ll chat about moving up to Level III and Level IV of the REP. The following information is taken from the GWRRA website. Purpose
The GWRRA Rider Education Program (REP) is intended to make the motorcycle environment safer by reducing injuries and fatalities and increasing motorcyclist skills and awareness. The REP does not propose to have all the answers. However, our close working relationship with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF), as well as additional GWRRA programs and studies, has provided a wealth of information for use in establishing a comprehensive Rider Education Program. Through Commitment, Education and Application, we can reduce our accident rate significantly. Listed below are several benefits of a fully implemented GWRRA Rider Education Program at the Chapter level: Increased rider knowledge Increased rider safety skills Prevention of accidents Reduced injuries Reduced fatalities Improved general public image of motorcyclists Enhanced enjoyment of motorcycle riding The motorcycle community is already realizing many positive benefits from the GWRRA Rider Education Program. Through the efforts of the Rider Education Officers and participation of the membership and others, we will reach our goal of establishing the safest motorcycle environment possible. Level I: Safety by Commitment - The first big step to success Level I of the Rider Education Program is also referred to as Safe Miles. It represents the commitment of the Rider and/or the Co-Rider to practice safe motorcycle operation whenever they operate their motorcycle. Safety is a state of mind which can only be attained through total commitment. Every successful accomplishment begins with a commitment to reach the intended objective. This is true of the Rider Education Program and includes a promise to learn for the sake of Rider, Co-Rider, friends and family, and others on the road. Though there is no mileage requirement to enter Level I, the commitment to safe riding is tracked by the number of accident free miles since joining GWRRA. Accident free miles are accumulated in 5,000 mile increments and may be updated at yearly intervals. Requirement: Verbal commitment to ride safely at all times. No cost to sign up. Patches available at $6.00 per participant. Receive: "Safe Miles" patch, Rider (or Co-rider) Rocker, and mileage pin. Level II: Safety by Education
Level II of the REP is also referred to as Tour Rider. It represents the commitment of the Rider and/or Co-Rider to be safer motorcycle riders by taking approved motorcycle riding courses at regular intervals. GWRRA has chosen several educational training programs for the Riders and Co-Riders such as the MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) programs, the United Sidecar Association course, the CSC (Canadian Safety Council) programs, and the GWRRA's Advanced Riding courses. Completing these courses provides the foundation and skills for your quest to be a safe motorcycle rider. All recognized programs are taught by qualified and nationally-certified instructors. For the Co-Rider, we have provided an excellent seminar and "Two Up" programs to assist in their role in the safety aspect of motorcycle riding. Motorcycle education goes "hand in hand" with commitment. The "on bike" education by MSF, USCA, CSC, and GWRRA for the Rider and Co-Rider and the "off bike" education designed specifically for the Co-Rider, provide a very effective approach to motorcycle safety. This is when a REP participant truly begins to understand what the Level I commitment means and sees the value in the program. Requirement: Rider - a Certified Rider Course with 5,000 safe miles. Co-Rider - certified Co-rider Seminar or 2-up Rider Course. No cost to sign up. Patches available at $5.00 per participant Receive: "Red Triangle" patch for either Rider or Co-rider signifying Level II participant. Hello everyone! Last month, we started talking about GWRRA s Rider Education Program (REP). If you missed it, look up the March newsletter to read about the purpose of the program. To refresh your memory, Level I is all about commitment, and Level II is Education. As they say on many TV commercials, But wait there s more! There are two more levels to REP. Do you have what it takes to up your game in motorcycle safety? The following information is taken from the GWRRA website. Level III: Safety by Preparedness Level III of the REP is also referred to as Certified Tour Rider/Co-Rider. It represents the commitment of the Rider and/or Co-Rider to be prepared in the event of an accident to give aid and possibly save lives. This is done by being knowledgeable in First Aid or CPR and carrying a first aid kit on their motorcycle at all times. It would be wonderful if we could achieve the coveted goal of zero accidents, however, we know realistically, accidents will happen. Because of this, it is important to be fully prepared to lend aid to unfortunate accident victims. It is important to always be prepared to save a life. Level III of the Rider Education Program was developed to deal with such circumstances by recognizing and encouraging proper First Aid or CPR training. CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation), has been used to save many lives. Being trained to render CPR or First Aid is a tremendous asset to those the REP participant will come in contact with daily. Requirement: Current in Level ll and have taken either First Aid or CPR training. No cost to sign up. Patches available at $4.00 per participant. Receive: "Certified Tour Rider" or "Certified Co-Rider" patch. Level IV: Safety By Enhanced Commitment and Preparedness
Level IV is the most prestigious of the REP levels and is referred to as Master Tour Rider/Co-Rider. It represents the highest commitment of the Rider and/or Co-Rider to safe riding and preparedness. This commitment is shown by a demonstrated history of safe miles and current certification in both First Aid and CPR. These Master Tour Riders/Co-Riders are the finest example to everyone of the highest commitment to safe motorcycle operation and preparedness. Level IV of the REP, the Master Tour Rider, was designed for those special caring individuals who desire to "be all they can be" with regards to motorcycle safety. The requirements are more stringent than Level III and require a greater commitment. These individuals are caring, trained and prepared with the experience to back them up. It is realized Level IV is not for everyone, but for those who desire to be of greater service to their fellow man, it is the correct prescription. Why desire to be a Level IV Master Tour Rider? It's a worthy goal. Being prepared to save a life is a high calling indeed! These individuals are shining examples to the rest of the GWRRA membership. Others aspire to practice the same commitment as displayed by those who have attained Level IV. For that reason, because these individuals are ambassadors to the members at all levels, GWRRA provides a special gathering to celebrate the Master Tour Rider commitment each year at the District Rally, Region D Rally and Wing Ding. Requirement: Current in Level lll for one year and have taken both First Aid and CPR training. Have 25,000 Safe Miles and must be committed to the suggested riding with "Proper Riding Gear" at all times. Cost: $35.00 for each participant (Black and Gold patch is available for another $8.00) Receive: "Special Triangular" patch with dark blue border and your individual Master number embroidered on it. Note: all Level Program Patches are also available in "Black and Gold" at a charge of $1 extra per level for levels I, II, and III. So there you have the program structure: Level I Safety by Commitment Level II Safety by Education Level III Safety by Preparedness Level IV Safety by Enhanced Commitment and Preparedness The GWRRA is proud to present the Rider Education Program. We encourage you to think seriously about motorcycle safety and be a participant in the GWRRA Rider Education Program. You should also remember the old cliché, "an ounce of prevention IS worth a pound of cure." Always wear protective riding apparel! If you are ready to sign up for the program, or if you have questions, please contact me at prosemi2017@gmail.com. I will be more than happy to help you. Remember to be seen, and have FUN getting there! Doug Motter PA District Educator