TOURING NEWS 1 GWTA National Office: P.O. Box 42403, Indianapolis, IN 46242 - Offi ce Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm EST Toll Free: 800-960-4982 Local: 317-243-6822 Fax: 317-243-6833 [email protected] [email protected] Chapter Listi ngs and additi onal info can be found online at: www.GWTA.org www.gotmotorcycle.org www.goldrushrally.org Executive Director Chairman of the Board Bruce & Linda Keenon Ed & Joanne Davis P.O. Box 348, Hunti ngton, IN 46750 1395 Sanborn Road, Yuba City, CA 95993 [email protected]; 260-358-0851; Fax 260-356-3392 ednjoanne@att .net; 530-673-7451 National Event Coordinator Life Member Board Representative Tony & Diane Manry Tom & Barb Johnson P.O. Box 469, Van Buren, IN 46991 401 Lincoln St., Bartelso, IL 62218 [email protected]; 765-934-4696 ridingcouple@fronti ernet.net; 618-765-2661 Webmaster Region D htt p://geociti es.com/gwtaregiond John Hunrath Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, 9265 Amarone Way, Sacramento, CA 95829 South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia [email protected]; 916-682-0734 Region Director: George & Debbie Deskins Rider Education Director 3330 Edmondson Ct. Murfreesboro, TN 37129 Don & Judy Coons [email protected]; 615-459-4418 P.O. Box 1164, Rogue River, OR 97537 Board Representati ve: Jim & Karen Quinn [email protected]; 541-582-1403 1368 Jason Circle, Ashland City, TN 37915 habatt [email protected]; 615-792-0546 Education and Retention Director Mike & Carol Brush Region E 12516 Poppleton Ave., Omaha, NE 68144 www.gwtaregione.homestead.com [email protected]; 402-397-4663 Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas Helping Hands Director Region Director: Tommy & Aileen Dossey Dennis & Nancy Seery 1339 Cummings Lane, Texarkana, TX 75501 902 Greenfi eld Court, Murfreesboro, TN 37128 [email protected]; 903-831-4686 [email protected]; 615-542-4935 Board Representati ve: Chuck Gibbs 233 Judson St., Longmont, CO 80501 Region A www.gwtaregiona.org Region F Alaska, Alberta, Briti sh Columbia, Idaho, www.gwtaregionf.org Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania Region Director: JR & Lindy Phillips Region Director: Pat & Marie Beaudoin 960 Ebony Pl., Camano Island, WA 98282 39433 Marne Ave., Sterling Heights, MI 48313 [email protected]; 360-387-3523 [email protected]; 586-532-7724 Board Representati ve: Ray & Floramie Phillips Board Representati ve: Ronnie and Kathe Vaughn 14425 59th Ave. South, Tukwila, WA 98168 100 Ohio Street, Somerset, KY 42501 [email protected]; 206-277-0962 [email protected]; 606-872-7228 Region B Region H Arizona, California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah www.regionhgwta.org Region Director: Steve & Ralphine Andrus Connecti cut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusett s, 2108 Lighthouse Dr., Fairfi eld, CA 94534 New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont [email protected]; 707-429-9547 Region Director: Phil & Sue Rueger [email protected] 100 Allyndale Road, Canaan, CT 06018 Board Representati ve: Charles Horner [email protected]; 860-824-0005 P.O. Box 230, Shingletown, CA 96088 Board Representati ve: Dennis & Darlene Farnum [email protected]; 530-474-4291 75 Farnum Lane, Sebago, ME 04029 [email protected]; 207-787-3435 Region C www.gwta-c.com Region J Illinois, Iowa, Manitoba, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, www.gwtaregionj.com South Dakota, Saskatchewan, Wisconsin Newfoundland, Nova Scoti a, Ontario Region Director: Rick & Kandie Hinrichs Region Director: Kevin Welch 12215 Signal Drive, Omaha, NE 68137 169 Holmes Ave., North York, ON M2N 4M7 Canada [email protected]; 402-578-2368 kevw9@sympati co.ca; 416-229-9378 Board Representati ve: Dave Telford Board Representati ve: Garrie & Eleanor Wayne 2114 S. 88th St., Omaha, NE 68124 147 Wellington St. West Apt. 714, Aurora, ON L4G 3M1 Canada [email protected]; 402-699-1964 [email protected]; 905-727-5272 2 SEPTEMBER 2010 In Every Issue

Biker Billy 8-9 Event Calendar 14 GWTA Business Members 5 GWTA Contact Informati on 2 Honda Tech 23 Insurance Talk 22-23 New Member Listi ng 7 2010 RaveNRide 28

Advertiser Listing

Add-On Accessories 5 GWTA Departments AIM 4 Educati on & Retenti on 26 Americade 14 Executi ve Director 6 Big Bike Parts 7 Family of the Year 4 Biker Billy 9 Carti er Marketi ng 25 Chapel Australian Bike Tours 20 CIMA Internati onal 14 Features Diamond Gusset 14 Add On Accessories Product Release 5 Lees-ure Lite 25 Bill & Brenda’s Aussie Adventure 16-20 Markel American Insurance Co. 29 Canada Highlights 10-13 Neosho Fiberglass 9 Crosswinds: How to deal with them 24 RoadRUNNER 10 Life in the Days of a Biker 21 Tour King 25 Motorcycle Riding in North Carolina 27 Overnight Parking 25

Send arti cles, photos & changes to: Touring News Magazine, P.O. Box 42403 Canadian members: Beginning April 1, 2009 an additi onal Indianapolis, IN 46242-0403 payment is required annually in order to receive Touring News Magazine in the mail. This additi onal fee exclusively covers the Email: [email protected] extra postage required to mail Touring News to Canada. Touring News is published online 12 ti mes per year and in print 4 ti mes per year for Gold Wing Touring Associati on (GWTA) in the United States of America. The known offi ce of publicati on is GWTA, 2415 Directors Row, Suite K, Indianapolis, IN 46241. $15 of the annual membership dues go toward a one-year subscripti on to GWTA’s Touring News Magazine; however, the subscripti on cannot be deducted from dues. Postmaster: Send address changes to: GWTA, P.O. Box 42403, Indianapolis, IN 46242-0403. Periodicals postage paid in Indianapolis, Indiana and at additi onal mailing offi ces. TOURING NEWS 3 One of my all-ti me favorite shows was (and sti ll is) the Carol Burnett Show. There’s a gal with real talent, class, and brains. She assembled a once-in-a-lifeti me cast and staff who knew the value of good family humor. Anybody can throw around foul language, but it’s a sign of real creati vity and smarts when you can make people laugh without resorti ng to blatant vulgariti es. Genius! I also enjoyed the way Ms. Burnett ended the show with a pinch of the ear to her grandma and a “comes the ti me we have to say so long.” And now it’s the Sullivan’s turn to take their fi nal bow and hand the reins (or reign) over to your new Nati onal Family of the Year, Bob and Pam Beveridge of Region C, Iowa’s Chapter H. Congratulati ons, you two! Welcome to a whole new level of Desti nati on Friendship. Oh, the places you will go! During the Region C FOY interviews, the committ ee gives each couple a chance to ask the panel any questi ons that they might have. The most common questi on is “What Are We Expected to Do?” My response: Your job, in a nutshell, is to keep on doing what you’re doing... having fun and living Desti nati on Friendship. I would also ask you to remember two simple words: “visible presence”. You are the visible presence of GWTA. That doesn’t mean you have to do everything or att end every event, but I would suggest you keep these two words in mind when you’re trying to decide what to wear, when to show up with your medals, what to write each month, and what you need to do to promote and serve Desti nati on Friendship. And I know Bob and Pam will do a great job of doing just that and more. To those who were unable to att end the Region C Rally Banquet and Family of the Year ceremonies, I would like to share our Family of the Year speech, given during the ceremonies. It addresses not just the Families of the Year but each member of GWTA as well: “The Family of the Year Award is one of the highest honors that GWTA bestows. The selecti on process for this award begins as members of your chapter nominate and select a couple or family to be Chapter Family of the Year. Being selected as Chapter W’s Family of the Year was a huge honor for Doug, the girls, and me because this honor was bestowed by our closest peers... by the people we ride with each week, who see your good side and your bad side, who share your ups and your downs... these are your friends and your family. Members should take this selecti on process very seriously. It’s not about who did it last year or who hasn’t been selected Family of the Year yet. The award IS about parti cipati on and involvement in events at the chapter level and at all other levels of GWTA — state, regional, and nati onal. Does the family live Desti nati on Friendship? And fi nally, are they having FUN?! Members, please support your Family of the Year... not only fi nancially, but also by encouraging and honoring them. Some chapters pay their family’s registrati on for state annual events like Fall Follies. GWTA Nebraska and Region C hold special aucti ons to help their State and Region Families of the Year off set some of the expenses incurred while att ending the regional rally, Gold Rush, and other GWTA events. Many states and regions do a GREAT job of supporti ng, recognizing, and encouraging their Families of the Year, and we must CONTINUE to do so, so that others will follow our lead and maintain the traditi on of this great GWTA honor. Last but not least, all Families of the Year, be PROUD and respect this honor given to you. Wear your medals and sashes with pride! Remember, YOU are representi ng your CHAPTER, your STATE, your REGION, and GWTA. Most of all, cherish every moment and HAVE FUN! I know we have. For the hugs, the smiles, and for letti ng the Sullivan’s be a part of each of your GWTA families, we thank you from the bott om of our hearts.”

Pam and Bob, buckle up! It’s gonna be a great ride!

4 SEPTEMBER 2010 NEW PRODUCT RELEASE

GL1800 ANGEL EYES LED SPEAKER LIGHTS ® This unique LED light has really caught the att enti on of everyone. The clear durable plasti c light rings measure 4 inches in diameter and are ¼” in thickness. Each contain two LED lights that give off enough light to be seen in daylight while not being an over powering light in darkness. The lights are a perfect fi t on the rear speakers of the GL1800. We have also put them on the front speakers of our own bike. Those who love their lights will fi nd this a great additi on to the bike along with the economical price. Sold in pairs, they fi t on top of most 4 or 5 inch speakers. The halo of light is available in Blue, Red or White only. Works as a running light. This is a must have item!

Part Number Suggested Dealer Distributor 45-1849L (Blue) 29.95 18.97 14.99 45-1849R (Red) 29.95 18.97 14.99 45-1849W (White) 29.95 18.97 14.99

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NOVIBE GRIPS

Add On Accessories www.addonaccessories.net AIM www.ON-A-BIKE.com Americade www.tourexpo.com Baker Built Air Wings www.bakerbuilt.com Big Bike Parts www.bigbikeparts.com Chapel Australian Bike Tours www.chapelaustralianbiketours.com Everett Powersports www.everett powersports.com Markel American Insurance Co. www.GWTAInsurance.com Neosho Fiberglass www.neoshotrailers.com ® Road Runner Magazine www.RoadRUNNER.travel Stop & Go www.stopngo.com TOURING NEWS 5 The Perfect Fit

Wow, Gold Rush is behind our associati on and we have, or at least in my area, a few more rallies and some wonderful fall color rides to look forward to. Att endance of Gold Rush was down a bit but everyone that att ended had a wonderful ti me. We did something unusual this year in that we had a “ride day”. For the most part folks got out and really enjoyed the area just riding with friends. Linda and I were fortunate enough to have had this ti me to ride with several members and family. What an awesome ti me to ride Chief Joseph Highway and Beartooth Pass. These scenic highways are in my memories for life. What I found interesti ng is this year, even though I have visited the area several ti mes, was the fi rst ti me I have had the opportunity to ride these great highways. At GR this year in the regional meeti ngs and several meeti ngs during GR the topic of Where are we going and how are we doing came up. It is on most members’ thoughts. We as an organizati on are very mindful as to the changes of the world and how it does aff ect us as an organizati on, fi nancially, structurally, socially and all of us members. GWTA has a long term plan and we are on the path to make sure we keep our future bright and most of all keep our members making memories they will have for the rest of their lives. To be blunt yes I care about the loss of some of the changes in our organizati on. Like TN being on the web and only printi ng it four ti mes a year. But with that said our world becomes more electronic every passing day. Do I like it? In a word NO! But it is going to change no matt er how much I object. I think we, as members, have become complacent looking for reasons not to expand our friendship circle. In every member’s heart if they look we are all here for the friendship and the opportuniti es to make lifeti me memories with those friends. All of the other tangible benefi ts are nice but cannot take the place of me seeing, riding and enjoying the fun and friendship of other members. You know we have many unique opportuniti es that other motorcycle organizati ons do not have and we someti mes miss these because we need to push ourselves into a comfort zone we do not care for. As an example I have the hardest ti me using the social internet sites to accomplish the communicati on between myself, family and friends. But I struggle reluctantly through these opportuniti es. My thoughts are it is sti ll the best opportunity to communicate to quote a good friend is “belly to belly” communicati on. Have you ever thought of how many “companies” are selling friendship and companionship? We have it all and it is free with membership including the memories. If you look at what other organizati ons off er and really look at GWTA across all other organizati ons we are the perfect fi t for everyone that is interested, whether they ride or cannot ride anymore. We are a family.

Congratulati ons to the 2010 Bike Ticket raffl e winner: River City Wings – Northern California Chapter F.

For Sale: 2006 1800 Gold Wing. White, Only 23,000 miles, package II: heated seats/grips & audio system upgrade, upgraded Traxxion suspension front/rear, Garman Zumo 550 GPS (Bluetooth/XM/ IPOD) on handle bar mount, front fork brace, rear luggage trunk Art Eichelberger rack & spoiler, big foot side stand, handle bar helmet holder, trunk inner light, CB radio kit &passenger audio controller, carpet kit, complete running light kit & fog lights, deluxe verti cal trailer hitch, maintenance schedule has been maintained religiously and is garaged. This is my son’s treasured motorcycle but he must sell it as he is sti ll acti ve duty and deployed and would rather see his machine go to a good home as he cannot ride it due to his constant deployments. Upon his reti rement in a couple of years, he hopes to get another motorcycle. Asking $14,000 or best off er. Contact Steve Andrus, Region B Director, at 707-479-0849.

6 SEPTEMBER 2010 State City Last Name First Name State City Last Name First Name CA San Jose Thompson Charlie PA Pott stown Jackson Andrew & Lynn CA Morgan Hill Kyles Robert PA Allentown Christman Charles F. & Hope N. IL Elmhurst Tuszynski Steve PA Wyndmoor Rubenstein Jeff & Cindy IN Knox Lewis John & Anna PA Lansdale Olitsky Allan & Gwen ME Portland Gresik Bob & Marie PA Limeri ck Dehaven John & Michele MI Big Rapids Wood Winthrop & Patricia PA Norristown Wilds Byron & Baerbel MI Batt le Creek Hillman Ken & Mary PA Quakertown Stoltzfus Randy & Jane MI Evart Feikema Neal PA Trevose Drueding James MI Troy Benns Daniel & Linda PA Gilbertsville Famous Craig & Eileen MI Batt le Creek Leche Kenneth & Joanne PA Spring Church Long Melvin & Marlene NE Papillion Riley James & Jenny Conrath PA Philadelphia Miller Jordan NE Waverly Brown Nathan & Kelly PA Quakertown Spray David L. & Mindy S. NV Eureka Ausman David PA Wyncote Lowe George & Linda OH Springfi eld Geesaman Clinton & Wanda PA Harleysville Clemens Alan & Lee OK Sand Springs Dillman Danny PA Hunti ngton ValleyWarner Gary & Christi ana Specht ON Mississauga Kett Paul & Anna PA Quakertown Becker Robert J. & Jeanett e S. ON Sudbury Moland Tom & Susan PA Jenkintown Sklar Bart ON Peterborough Sharman Jack PA Schwenksville Kratz Ronald & Peggy OR Aloha Gore Kent & Patricia PA Sellerville Reisinger Daniel & Joan Cope PA Telford Cox Bruce & Anne PA Pennsburg Knebl Bill & Dolly PA Horsham Buchert Dave VA Arlington Roe Scott PA Souderton Landis Jeff & Nancy WA Puyallup Ispass Adele & Dave Murphy PA Bethlehem Horninger Thomas WA Kenmore Lilya Gayle & Bonnie PA Pennsburg Zimmerman William & Nancy WA Olympia Ecklund Jason PA North Hills Williams Robert & Elaine WA Spokane Logan William & Suzanne PA Lederach Kratz Jeff ery & Pamela WA Spokane Logan Brice & Megen PA Slati ngton Schmitt Peter & Susan WA Camano Island LeBar Rob & Cheryl PA Bally Johnson Mark & Charleen

TOURING NEWS 7 Two for the Road

On many occasions I have expressed the opinion that one bike is never enough. One must own at least two motorcycles. “Why,” you ask? Simple, motorcycles are prone to mechanical failure and a resultant need for repair. Repair means downti me, and downti me means, with only one bike, you can’t ride. Truly, that is unacceptable. With a second bike, though, you have a spare while the other is in the shop.

Additi onally, since one motorcycle can’t be good at all forms of riding, having two bikes allows you more variety, and as the saying goes, variety is the spice of life. As you all know, I like spice and riding.

So my stable has two motorcycles, just enough but not too many. One is my trusty Evo Road King police bike and the other is a Buell ST3—I can cruise on the fi rst, go sport riding on the second, and I have toured on both. For me it is the perfect combo. Also, because both are air-cooled V-twin engines from the same manufacturer, service and maintenance is simplifi ed. Yet they are like night and day when it comes to riding them.

A while ago my belief in the two-bike theory proved itself. I developed a slow leak in the Road King’s rear ti re—slow enough to infl ate it properly, go for a short ride, and sti ll return with a “safe” pressure. While doable, though, that is not really safe. With only two ti res between you and the road, riding with one of them compromised is not a great idea. So I rode the Buell. With my frequent travels and the oft en hecti c ti me at home between trips, I wasn’t able to get the Road King into the shop. It seemed there was always something that foiled my att empts to have that ti re replaced. Of course, I did fi nd enough ti me and good weather to ride the Buell. Face it: It only takes a litt le ti me in dry weather to get in a sati sfying ride on the great roads of western North Carolina. This situati on went on for several months, proving how well the two-bike theory works.

Recently, with the peak summer riding season in full swing, my sweet wife Mary reminded me that, while I was getti ng my riding needs fulfi lled, she was not. The Buell is a great fi t for me, but its cramped passenger accommodati ons are not very kind to co-riders. Since I take great pleasure in riding with Mary, it was high ti me to get the other bike fi xed. Plus, I was violati ng the fi rst two rules of the two-bike theory: 1) Both bikes must be properly maintained at all ti mes; 2) When one bike has a failure, it must be serviced promptly. Failure to observe those rules will—as Murphy’s Law demands—result in a state of double bike failure. Which means you will not only have lost the benefi t of the two-bike theory, you will also suff er twice the repair bills!

Well, it sti ll took two weeks of concerted eff ort to align the correct ti re, my ti me, the shop’s ti me, and Mary’s ti me to shutt le me to and from the shop. Not to menti on the new compressor I had to buy to infl ate the leaky ti re (Mr. Murphy got me anyway). With a new ti re installed and scuff ed in properly, Mary and I got in some short rides and a nice day trip. During this ti me, except for scuffi ng in the new ti re, I only rode two-up on the Road King or solo on the Buell. Finally, I decided that I wanted to get a litt le solo ti me in with my trusty Road King. Besides, the King’s Tourpak allowed me more carrying capacity for my errands than the Buell. Aft erwards, I enjoyed a nice ride, reminding me why I love that Road King so much.

Thus reconnected with the Road King, I started to choose it for my short rides instead of the Buell. There’s a loop I like run—great roads with fi ne scenery—where I know I can get my riding fi x fi lled in a short amount of ti me. For some reason, though, the rides were not sati sfying; I always seemed to be off kilter. At fi rst I thought I was having an off day, but it happened three days in a row. Yesterday I fi nally realized what it was. I was riding the cruiser, yet my mind, lines, and ti mings were expecti ng the Buell’s performance. I was breaking the third rule of the two-bike theory: 3) Remember which bike you are riding and adjust accordingly. (It’s why wise riders don’t lend or borrow bikes.) Perhaps the rule could be expressed this way: Diff erent bikes require diff erent riders . . . even if all those riders are you.

8 SEPTEMBER 2010 Jeanne’s Beef Barley Soup Doyle’s Pub & Eatery, Richmond, Illinois

1/2 gallon good beef stock 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped carrots 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 bay leaf 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 cup medium barley 1/2 cup diced tomatoes 1 cup good diced beef (I use prime rib or sirloin) 1/4 cup good red wine 1/2 lemon

Place the beef stock in a large pot over a high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaf, oregano, basil, black pepper, barley, tomatoes, and beef. Cook for at least 2 hours, sti rring occasionally, unti l barley is cooked and tender.

Add 1/4 cup good red wine to soup (my rule of thumb is if you can’t drink it, don’t cook with it!). Squeeze the lemon juice into the soup and drop lemon half into the soup. Let soup set for half hour longer over a low heat. If too thick, add water.

Serve with a nice glass of wine and garlic bread.

Makes about 11/2 gallons.

Column copyright Bill Hufnagle 2010. Recipe reprinted with permission from “Biker Billy’s Roadhouse Cookbook”, published by The Globe Pequot Press, P.O. Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437 Copyright © 2009 by Bill Hufnagle

TOURING NEWS 9 Greetings from Region J

We are now into our third quarter of the year, and looking forward to the colour rides as the summer winds down, the days shorten and the temperatures slide downward. It has been a very exciti ng ti me in the Region and hopefully the weather will stay warm enough to enjoy the long rides to cott age country to view the foliage colour changes. As we did not have a Friendship Rally this year, we had four Unity Rides of the Region, one each month, starti ng with a Ride in Brunch to Penetanguishene in mid May to a Ride in Lunch in Brampton in August hosted by Chapters H, Z, K, and M. Other various Charity Rides and multi Chapter coff ee nights fi lled out the calendars. Our Riding Season started early in April with warm dry days and minimal rain to dampen the spirits. During the Summer, we had a few get-away weekends organized by Chapters who have favourite places to spend the long weekends. Many chapter members led rides to a variety of desti nati ons and diff erent roads to get there. Some rides were planned well in advance, or on the spur of the moment. Of course, ice cream was oft en the end treat. Chapter K’s 12th Annual Charity Poker Run for Mothers Against Drunk Driving was a huge success this year. This was our biggest event ever with att endance of several other Riding Clubs! Thanks to Marvin Haggith’s directi on and the Chapter members’ help. Americade is an annual favourite trip to Lake George, NY, for new “toys”. A few att ended Gold Rush in Billings Montana. Some had trips to the Mariti me Provinces of eastern Canada. And we cannot exclude the “Guys Weekend” trip to Pembroke, west of Canada’s Capital, Ott awa. We always hope to have some of our Friends from South of the Border join us at any of our rides aft er checking out our ride ([SHULHQFH5RDG5811(5·V calendars in the GWTA Region J Website should they be in the area on vacati on. Contact anyone here and we will arrange to meet and %HVW86WRXUV would love to see you, just as we enjoy your company at Friendship 1RZDYDLODEOHLQRQHDPD]LQJQHZERRN Rally. Perhaps we’ll see you next year. The Honda Powerhouses in Ontario, and Honda Canada conti nue to give GWTA their support for our many fundraisers and events. Thanks to Honda and their affi liates. It has been at ti mes a hecti c summer, but, such is the way in Region J….always riding when the weather cooperates from early Order spring to late autumn and occasionally (for the brave) in the winter. now! Come ride with us. Yours in Friendship $27.95 Dianne Hood S&H $7 Chapter K, Newmarket ON

Bonus Feature

'RZQORDG*36ÀOHV DQGSULQWDEOHWDQNEDJPDSV IRUHDFKWRXUIURPRXUZHEVLWH 7RRUGHUFDOO  RUJRWR ZZZURDGUXQQHUWUDYHOVKRS 10 SEPTEMBER 2010 GWTA Region J Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island

To our GWTA friends to the south we wish to welcome you to Region J to ride and explore our region. Then thinking about it, our Region is actually one third the size of all 50 US states in square miles, so to explore Region J, weeks of riding or multi ple trips would be needed to see and explore this great land. So let us take you on a mysti cal ride to describe this great land that encompasses the eastern half of Canada with multi ple cultures and just as many required styles of riding for all to enjoy. In Canada, we have snow covered roads from mid December to mid March and so our riding season is from May to October and the GWTA family is a great social club that keeps us going for the whole year. We plan our summer group rides in the off season so once summer comes we are ready to ride and discover Region J. The best ti me to ride here is from mid May to mid Sept. Let’s start our mysti cal ride in the east, just east of Maine in New Brunswick, in the heart of the Mariti mes with their warm hospitality you will feel at home as you ride the roads that are oft en only two lanes wide and follow the shores of the ocean. Once in St John, take the ferry over to Digby, Nova Scoti a then go for an enjoyable ride around the coastline unti l a must stop at Peggy’s cove, just west of Halifax to see the colourfully painted houses and round boulder rocks washed up on the shore and then a nights stay in Halifax. Conti nue east for a day’s ride to Baddock for the next day will involve a day’s ride on the Cabot Trail. Once on the Cabot Trial ride it counter clockwise so the ocean view lookouts are on the right, with an uphill switchback to be enjoyed and many restaurants to fi ll any craving for a plate full of mussels or other Mariti me delectable’s. Another day’s ride will take you back west to Picton to board a short ferry ride to Prince Edward Island. Please be sure to enjoy easy riding on level roads over red soil and visit the Anne of Green Gables homestead, windmills, and a lighthouse where with advance reservati ons, you can stay overnight. Exit the Island across the Confederati on Bridge, one of Canada’s great engineering marvels. Back in New Brunswick, head straight for Bay of Fundy, home to 40 foot ti dal rise and rivers that reverse their fl ow. Enjoy a day of riding as you head on a leisurely ride as you head west and north to Edmunston with a must side ride to Heartland Covered Bridge the longest in the world. One of the most desired rides is around the Gaspe Peninsula, a must do if ti me permits. Following the south shore of the St Lawrence River head west to Quebec City to enjoy our French culture, be sure to fi rst take in a whale watching cruise. Once in old Quebec City, a walking tour of the old historical town will build up an appeti te for pouti ne, a french fry, gravy and cheese mainstay on any Quebec menu. Now ride upstream along the St Lawrence on either the north shore with an expressway or the south to enjoy small towns as you head for Montreal. With proper ti ming you can enjoy the Jazz festi val or Comedy Fest in Montreal along with the many other att racti ons of any great metropolitan city. From Montreal a three hour ride takes you to Lake George, home of Americade, a weeklong motorcycle rally of 50,000 motorcycles. The other way to ride is west to Ott awa, the capital of Canada, with a multi tude of museums. When it’s ti me to leave Ott awa, stay away from the 417/401 expressway and enjoy 8 hours of riding curvy, hilly, forested two lane highways through the Kawarthas via Renfrew and Bancroft then down to Peterbourgh to view the lift locks another engineering marvel. From there head to Toronto, Canada’s largest city and home to GWTA chapter T Toronto wings. Enjoy a tour up the CN Tower the world’s tallest free standing structure. To the west is Mississauga home of Chapter M, Mississauga Wings as you can travel 3 hours past Hamilton, down through our wine country to Niagara Falls, one of the great wonders of the world. If you enjoy seeing waterfalls Google Waterfalls of Niagara Escarpment for info on 30 waterfalls in our rejoin that follow a line between Niagara Falls/Buff alo to Hamilton and north to Tobermory/ Manitoulin Island. Alternately, from Toronto going north, there is the GWTA Chapter K York Simcoe riders and a 2 hour ride north would bring a rider into our lake district called the Muskokas, with some of the most enjoyable rides that curve around large lakes and into small cott age country towns. Be sure to take in a boat cruise out of Gravenhurst, enjoying millionaire’s row, a showing of grandiose cott ages, some owned by Hollywood Movie Stars. North of Muskokas the roads travel through less populated wilderness as you ride for 2 hours to Sudbury. Travelling west to Sault Ste Marie gives one a great starti ng point for couple of 3 day rides going around two of the Great Lakes, either Lake Michigan through the US or west around Lake Superior (circle tour 1300 miles), one of the most scenic rides that has been enjoyed by many of the riders in the Great Lake district (for a great read on a circle tour of Lake Superior, read Road Runner Motorcycle Touring magazine June & August 2010 editi ons). So we hope to see you here, on either one or up to four diff erent rides, being Eastern Canada, Montreal or Eastern Ontario down to Toronto and Niagara Falls, Central Ontario up to Sault Ste Marie and the last being northern Ontario/ Lake Superior. All of us of Rejoin J hope to see you here soon, so please contact us.

Reg Boon Region J Chapter H TOURING NEWS 11 Members of Mention In Region J

This organizati on is truly a membership driven associati on. Oft en almost everything that happens in GWTA is because of a dedicated volunteer. Events, rides, rallies, newslett ers don’t just happen, our membership work to make this associati on more enjoyable for all. It seems in every successful Chapter there is always a few volunteers that really shine. They truly put a dedicated eff ort into everything they do and make a real diff erence that is felt by so many of their fellow members. Here are four members of Region J that stood out as proud members of GWTA.

David & Susan Minifi e from Chapter “T” Toronto Wings Rose Moore from Chapter “H” Huronia Wings

Massey Dyne from Chapter “W” Kitchener – Waterloo Wings

Bud Whitmell from Chapter “NO” Nipissing Riders

John LeMaitre from Chapter “K” York Simcoe Riders

Unfortunately, John LeMaitre was taken from us all too soon aft er suff ering an aneurysm last year. He is missed by everyone he touched with his wit and wisdom. John was always there to lend a kind hand whenever needed.

Kevin Welch Region J Director

12 SEPTEMBER 2010 Great Things Are Happening In Region J!

Here in Region J we have always had an annual “Friendship Rally”. It’s oft en the highlight of the year for most of us. However this year we decided to go a diff erent route. We took a lot of acti viti es that are common at the rally and divided them up into four separate events, in four separate months. For those that could not att end a four day rally, most could parti cipate in some if not all of the one day events. So for May, June, July and August we had a one day Regional event each month. Region J has had a good relati onship with Honda Canada for many of years. This year to coincide with these four events, Honda donated four gift certi fi cates of $ 250.00 each, good at any Honda Powerhouse dealer. These gift certi fi cates were good for jackets, and other gear or for service on your bike. The fi rst event was the annual Ride in Brunch hosted by Chapter “H” (Huronia Riders). It seems we always eat well at these events, and this was no excepti on. The banquet hall was fi lled to near capacity of 200 people. A lot of socializing, a great meal and some prizes and awards were on the menu. The dedicated members that really make this associati on shine were recognized, including our Chapter Directors. Sharon Edwards won the 50/50 draw and it was a sizable amount. I’m sure she did some shopping aft erwards. Several door prizes were handed out including a grand prize of a Sony digital camera to Jack Angolini. The $250.00 gift certi fi cate was won by Gavin Wilcox. I guess he will have something new for the bike this summer. The next couple of events we called “Region J Unity Rides”, a diff erent locati on and venue for each. In June, Barrie Wingz (Chapter Z) hosted a barbeque and a tour of the Collingwood area. Once again, a very well att ended event, lots of food with a lot of great friends. A nice tour of some of the back roads was enjoyed by all. Several door prizes were handed out, plus a 50/50 draw won by Rose Moore. We also had the Honda gift certi fi cate as an additi onal raffl e. Peter Robinson now has $250.00 to spend at a Honda dealership. This all added to such a fun day with our friends here in Region J. The July event was hosted by York Simcoe Riders (Chapter K) and involved off bike games. This always brings everyone together for some fun. But fi rst we sampled the local fare. Being held at Haugens, a very well known chicken and ribs establishment located in a rural area near Port Perry, everyone dined for lunch. Excellent meal with a parking lot full of bikes, good friends, some fun games, what more could we ask for? Once again some of our members did not go home empty handed. A 50/50 draw plus the Honda gift certi fi cate went to some lucky winners. Marvin Haggith also arranged for a pair of motorcycle ti res to be entered into a silent aucti on. The last event was scheduled in August and hosted by Mississauga Wings (Chapter M). This was our Ride in Lunch. Lunch in Brampton plus door prizes, a 50/50, a Honda gift certi fi cate is a recipe for another great day. Looking ahead we always have something happening here in Region J. Aft er our Chapter Directors meeti ng in October, we start into the bike shows during the winter. The fi rst is the December show where Toronto Wings have always had booth to represent GWTA. This show is quite large, about 40,000 people att end every year. In January, another show takes place with a diff erent venue. A litt le larger and a lot more clubs and associati ons are present. Last year we had almost fi ft y GWTA volunteers from six Chapters working the show. What a team eff ort! We have so much to look forward to here in Region J, things are happening all year round. Many Chapters organize not only day rides, but also weekend trips throughout the year. Yes, as I have heard several ti mes this year “Great Things Are Happening in Region J”!

Kevin Welch Region J Director

TOURING NEWS 13 Plan Your Motorcycle Vacation in 2011 at GWTA NATIONAL EVENTS Gold Rush XXIV July 25-28, 2011 - Join us at Boyne Mt. in Boyne Falls, MI for Gold Rush XXIV! See the registrati on fl yer in this issue for registrati on rates, hotel and camping informati on. World’s Largest Touring Rally REGION A Wing Washington 2010. Sponsored by Chapter E, Washington June 7-11 Lake George, NY State. Wing Washington is a photographic tour within the state of Washington. All bikes and club affi liati ons are welcome. Wing www.americade.com 518-798-7888 Washington gives you a chance to get out on your motorcycle and fi nd the photo sites and to see some unusual sites and citi es. It is a way to GET INVOLVED. A banquet is held in October. For more info email [email protected]. Oregon State Rally / Region A Rally, September 2-6, 2010. Grant County Fairgrounds in John Day, OR. Wingward-Ho. Visit www. oregongwta.org/Oregon-State-Rally.htm for registrati on form, fl yers and schedule of events. REGION B State Picnic. Tehachapi, CA. September 16-18, 2010. Chapter W Poker Run. Southern California. October 24, 2010. Chapter L Support Our Troops Run. Southern California. November 14, 2010. REGION E Colorama 2010. October 8-10, 2010. Shady Oaks Campground and The Hub Motel in Harrison, AR. REGION F Region F Das Essenhaus Gathering, September 11, 2010. Middlebury, IN. Apple Harvest Festi val, October 2, 2010. Peru, IN. REGION J Fun Run Weekend, September 17-19, 2010. North Bay, ON. All Motorcycles Welcome! You experience the north and the south shore of Lake Nipissing. Saturday morning poker runs, a ride, aft ernoon horseshoes, evening aucti on, and a dinner. Saturday evening join a secret ceremony on the beach and a bonfi re. Become part of more fun with the Secret League of the Loon. An evening you will not soon forget! htt p:\\nipissingriders.com.

ATTENTION: Chapters, States, Regions

Let everyone know what’s going on in your area!

Email your upcoming event info to [email protected]

14 SEPTEMBER 2010 Gold RRGold ush XXIVXXIVush : July 25-28, 2011 Boyne Mt. Boyne Falls, MI Boyne Mountain Resort Room Type Room Rates Area Campgrounds Edelweiss $ 69.00 Clock Tower & Mountain Bedroom $ 89.00 Chandler Hill Campground 231-549-7878 Mountain Villa-One Bedroom $ 126.00 Whiting Park 231-582-7040 Mountain Grand Lodge-Queen $ 131.00 Young State Park 1-800-447-2757 Moutain Grand Lodge-Parlor $ 131.00 East Jordan Campground 231-536-2561 Disciples Ridge-Two Bedroom w/Loft $ 222.00 Creekside-Four Bedroom w/Hot Tube $ 330.00 *A reservation form can be obtained at www.gwta.org. You must mail or fax your hotel reservation to the information listed on the form.

Circle appropriate codes after name: A=Adult, C=Under 16, R=Rider, P=Passenger. Use name wanted on ID Name ( A C R P )______Name ( A C R P ) ______Name ( A C R P )______Name ( A C R P ) ______Address______City______State/Province_____ Zip/Postal______GWTA Chapter/St./Pr.______Membership #______Other Affiliation______E-mail______Will you use: Motel Campground Other

GWTA MEMBER Registration before 3/1/2011 $50x = $ T-shirt Pre-order $60 x = $ Non Member Registration and registration after 7/1/2011 Qty Size Add Welcome Dinner ; Sunday, July 24th $15 GR SM XXIV Children under 16 free (not eligible for drawing) free x = $ MD Gold Rush XXIV T-Shirts $12 x = $ LG Pre Welcome Dinner will be Sunday July 24th, at the XL Total $ Order 2XL Boyne Mt. Resort (Host Hotel). Time TBA T-shirts 3XL 4XL

Visa/Mastercard/Amex #______Expiration Date______Billing Address______Billing Zip Code ______CVV2 Code______Cardholder Signature______Make checks and money orders, US funds, payable to: GWTA Refunds must be received in writing before July 1, 2011. No refunds will be issued without written notice. Confirmation postcards will be mailed for all registrations received at the Of- fice. If you have not received a confirmation postcard contact the office before the next cut off date!! Please Note: Confirmation emails from online orders are not sent from the office and do not confirm that your registration was received and processed. TOURING NEWS 15 1-800-960-GWTA (4982) www.gwta.org Bill & Brenda’s Aussie Adventure

Day 1. Our Aussie Bike Adventure Begins Bill and I are excited about doing the 6 day motorcycle tour around New South Wales on a Goldwing! Mick and Marg McHenry from Chapel Australian Bike Tours pick us up by car at 8:00 am from our hotel in downtown Sydney. We drive 2 ½ hrs south to their home to start the tour on the bikes. On the car trip south, Mick informed Bill about some of the road rules here in Australia. “Road signs are diff erent, we have roundabouts, speed signs are in kilometers per hour instead of miles etc. But the main diff erence is driving on the left side of the road!” Mick wants to be on the bikes by 2:00pm heading further south. Upon arriving at Sanctuary Point, we choose what gear we needed for the tour and store our suitcases in our room at their home. Everything was ready to go. Bikes, suntan loti on, rainsuits, water bott les, fi rst aid kits, maps, and even a mobile phone to use on the tour. We were fi tt ed with helmets and gloves, also given a bandana each to wet and put around our necks when it got really hot on the road. These became very valuable items on the trip. Next we check out the bikes. Mick has 6 motorcycles in the garage; each christened with a name. “Brian” the 1995 GL1500 was chosen for Bill and I while Mick took “Bronte” the 1981 GL1100. Much to my surprise, all our gear (or as Bill will say, “Most of my gear) fi ts into the side and trunk compartments on “Brian” and Mick packed his camping gear on “Bronte”. Bill and I will spend the nights in Pubs, a farm and cabin while Mick will camp in the local caravan parks. Bill took a short shakedown ride on “Brian” with Mick to familiarize himself with the bike (bike bonding as Mick called it). The adventure began as we head out of the Jervis Bay area and on to local highway heading south. We went through our fi rst of many “roundabouts” and it was very strange going clockwise around it on the left side of the road. Our fi rst break was at Mollymook Beach, for a coff ee overlooking the surf. Pictures are taken on the beauti ful beach and the turquoise colored surf is just magnifi cent! Travelling farther south, the Eucalyptus forests were plenti ful along the route. Aussies call them “Gum” trees and they are green all year round. Gum trees are very unique – they shed their bark. We were able to see many trees in various levels of shedding and re-growing their covering. The road to Bateman’s Bay had litt le traffi c as we go thru the quaint town of Milton and the fi shing village of Ulladulla. The harbor at Ulladulla was full of fi shing boats returning with their catches. Bill said it is really strange riding on the “left side” of the road but he was getti ng use to it as well as the roundabouts. Mick explained the road rules earlier on the way from Sydney, but unti l you actually are driving on the left side…..well it is just very diff erent. From Bateman’s Bay, Mick took the back way along the coast to the next town of Moruya. Here, unfortunately, we are witness to a bicycle/car accident in the main street! The cyclist was being treated on the road as we passed, but it didn’t look good. Aft er leaving Moruya, we went thru the small town of Tilba Tilba (no not a typing error). This village was built on the side of lush green hills and the old buildings have all been restored. It is now a thriving tourist desti nati on. The scenery has change from “gum” forests to green rolling hills full of dairy catt le. We are nearing the end of the fi rst day of riding in this strange land of Australia. What a day of changes for us. Upon arriving at our fi rst nights desti nati on, Mick checked us into the Pub at Bermagui. The room has a balcony and a great view of the ocean and Mick camped up the hill at the local caravan park. The seafood platt er with barramundi fi sh we had for dinner was excellent and we washed it down with local wine and beer. Aft er dinner we socialized with the “locals” on the front porch of the Pub. Bill and I are having trouble understanding Aussies when they speak. They speak very quickly and use many slang words. Mick will have to translate many ti mes for us on this trip... What an exciti ng fi rst day in the Land of OZ…

Day 2. From the Coast to the Mountains Morning coff ee was on the balcony watching the coming up of the sun over the ocean. The palm trees outside in the park and the call of the birds, really lets us know we are on vacati on and we are defi nitely not in Michigan anymore... Mick has gott en up earlier, went to local bakery and brought us back croissants to have with our coff ee. Having a guide does have its advantages. Soon we are packed up, gassed up (it is called petrol over here and we get it from a petrol stati on). We are now on the road to Tathra where we will have breakfast (“brekkie”, in OZ lingo) We cross over several beauti ful wooden bridges, see giganti c termite mounds, and lovely beaches as the sun conti nues to rise in the East over the water. Water birds also abound along the coast. Pelicans, black swans and long necked egrets are seen in the many waterways and mangroves. In the next few days we will come to believe we are actually

16 SEPTEMBER 2010 riding thru a large open Zoo... called Australia. Road signs that warn of kangaroos and wombats (an animal that resembles our Ground Hog) are numerous along every mile of road. A visit to the Cheese Factory in the town of Bega is a good ti me to stop. Aft er a short tour and cheese tasti ng, Mick bought Marg her favorite cheese to take back to her. Beauti ful dairy farms, rolling hills, and herds of catt le fi ling out of the milking sheds are what we have ridden through this morning. We leave the coast, heading west to The Great Dividing Range for the town of Tumut about 250 miles away. Mick has booked Bill a ride in an ultra light aircraft in the aft ernoon. He will fl y over part of the country that we will ride through on the bikes today. Tumut is in the Alpine region of the mountains and is covered in snow in the winter. We enter the ranges at Pemboka, stopping at Pipers Lookout for a short stretch of the legs through a gum forest with luscious green ferns and a good view of the coast. There have been a lot of road works (Australian for constructi on) in which causes us delays but gives us a chance to really look at the trees and the vegetati on. When we stop, the chirping of birds in the trees is a pleasant sound to hear. A few miles up the range and we stop at the very small town of Nimmitabel for “morning tea”. Mick introduces us to our fi rst “meat

pies”. These are pastries fi lled with meat, mushrooms, bacon, and cheese, to name a few ingredients. They are an Australian icon and I suspect millions are consumed every day in the land “down under”. Yummy…. Then it is off to Cooma, we are now heading into winter ski country. The gum forests have disappeared and are replaced by barren rolling hills. It is starti ng to get warm. At Cooma, we take about an hour and a half break which gives me a chance to do some shopping in a country town in Australia. It is not too diff erent from a small town in the States. It even has a Target store… Aft er shopping and a few ice creams, we conti nued further up into the mountains to Tumut along gently curving roads with orange painted center and edging lines. This is for when the snow falls in the winter. Winter here is during June, July and August. The seasons are the opposite from ours in the States. Upon arriving at Tumut, we went straight to the Tumut Aerial Club and met up with Doug, the pilot, who was to take Bill on his Ultra- light plane ride. Bill thoroughly enjoyed his half hour fl ight, where the air is cooler, savoring the sights below as they cruised above the landscape surrounding the Blowering Reservoir and dam on the Tumut River. He was able to see mobs of kangaroo’s as they move (or hop) through the countryside as well as waving to the people boati ng and swimming in the Reservoir. Absolutely breathtaking! Mick booked us into the Commercial Hotel in downtown Tumut, a lovely hotel that has been renovated but sti ll has the old country

feel. Tumut is a ti mber town with tree plantati ons all around. The streets are wide, lined with beauti ful fl owers, plane trees (they resemble our Sycamore trees) and again majesti c 2 story stone buildings abound. Aft er having a huge meat fi lled dinner at the Hotel, Mick takes us on what he calls a “Pub Crawl” of the town. The RSL (Returned Serviceman’s League) Club was our fi rst port of call. RSL Clubs are like our American Legion Clubs, except gambling is legal in Australia. Everywhere... You can bet on horse races, dog races, sporti ng events etc and slot machines (Pokie Machines) are in abundance. Aft er visiti ng all but one of the 6 pubs in Tumut, it is getti ng late and ti me to head back to our Hotel. Mick is staying at the campsite down by the river and says if we need anything; the mobile phone has his number in it. Mick and Marg have seemed to cover all the small details that make you feel safe in this strange land. TOURING NEWS 17 Before Mick heads to his tent, he informs us we have to be on the road at 7am… It is predicted to be 38º C (100º F) tomorrow when we head further south and then west into the open farmlands.

Day 3. Heading to Farm Stay at Boorowa. Very early start to the day, we have ‘brekkie’ about a half hour down the road at the ‘4 Bears Café’ in the town of Tumbarumba. The beauti ful white Cockatoos are swarming in the trees above us as we ride down the road. This is apple and cherry countryside with the orchards on the hillsides and fruit stands at the front gate to properti es. The air is sweet and the day is warming up. The stop at the Southern Cross Lookout is magnifi cent. We can see snow in the distance on the Australian Alps as we head down through the hills to cross the Murray River into the State of Victoria. The Murray River is the Mississippi River to the Australians but not near as large. This stretch of road is one of the most scenic we have been on so far. “Brian” is running great, the sun is at our backs, and the trip down to the river is… well, it just doesn’t get any bett er than this on a bike. We stop at Walwa for coff ee, where we met a couple on a BMW from Perth in Western Australia. They are members of the Ulysses Motorcycle Club (this is the largest Motorcycle Club in Australia) Even Mick and Marg are members. They had travelled across Australia (about 2500 miles) and were now heading north to Brisbane. We liked the unique Ulysses Club shirts that they were wearing. Their club mott o “Growing Old Disgracefully” is plainly visible. We liked the shirts so much; we visited their website and ordered a couple when we returned back to Sanctuary Point. Sti ll, not much traffi c. We are following the Murray River west unti l crossing back into New South Wales at the Hume Dam. It is getti ng hot, it is only 10:00 a.m. and the temperature has hit about 90º F. The cool breeze blowing across the water as we cross the bridge is very refreshing. At a “petrol” stop at Albury, we drench our bandanas and we stopped every half hour to rewet them and drink more water. Mick knows Bill and I are not used to this kind of heat being from Michigan, he is taking it slow and easy for the rest of the day. Leaving Albury we are now on a 4 lane freeway for the fi rst ti me on the trip. A short distance down the main highway between Sydney and Melbourne, we stop at the Ett amogah Pub, a tourist desti nati on for lemon squashes (lemonade) and a look around. Bill took a picture of me locked in the jailhouse which was a hollowed out gumtree!!! Aft er this break, we stay on the Freeway for another 10 minutes before taking a side road for the rest of the aft ernoon. We are heading for the small town of Boorowa where we are spending the night at a Farm Stay. It is really starti ng to warm up and frequent stops are the name of the day. One of these stops is for lunch at the Uranquinty Pub. The Publican (Pub owner) chats with us about our part of the States and our bike trip. We tried the “sausage rolls” and found we prefer the “meat pies”. Before leaving, the Publican handed us a couple of bott les of cold water ‘on the house’ for the aft ernoon ride. The temperature is now over 100º F! We then ride through the farming towns of Cootamundra and Harden-Murrumburrah. Then came upon a common road hazard in the Australian countryside, a fl ock of sheep! A local farmer was moving about 100 head from one fi eld down the road to another fi eld. As we followed Mick through, it seemed as we were herding the sheep with our GoldWings. These bikes are very versati le… I got one of the best videos of the trip “herding the sheep”. We reach the small town of Boorowa a few minutes later. The farm stay is a short distance out on the other side of town, Mick says. As we turned down a dirt lane, Mick stopped and said “oops, it’s the next lane down the road”. Even the tour guide can make a mistake… Arriving at the Farm Stay we were made most welcomed as the owners Pete & Lydia Sheridan greeted us like old friends. To make us feel more at home they had invited their daughters, son in laws and grandchildren to dinner. Their home is a lovely old farm house, with beauti ful gardens, lots of trees, with the shearing shed out the back. We sat out on their verandah watching the evening fade, enjoying the cool breeze as Pete pointed out the stars ‘the Southern Cross,’ ‘Big Dipper’ and the Milky Way. Lydia had a delicious meal prepared and the daughters were very entertaining, asking about the States and our adventures. Before heading to bed, Pete asked ‘wanna go paddock bashin’ in the Ute before brekkie?’ Not having a clue what Pete just said, Mick translated ‘Go for a drive in the pickup truck to see the kangaroos in their natural habitat, before breakfast’. How early!! 6am!!

Day 4. Mudgee Wine Tour We are woken by the sounds of the Kookaburras in the trees, it sounds like they are laughing at us. What a start to the day, out in the paddock (fi eld) by 6am and into the Ute (truck) with Pete. I learned that taking a video while bouncing around in a truck is not an easy thing to do. We followed 3 “roos” up and down the small hills unti l it was ti me for breakfast. What memories we have of that ride in the Ute with Pete. Arriving back at the farmhouse, Lydia & Mick had a huge breakfast prepared for us. We said our goodbyes and headed up the lane to the main road for another day of adventure. About half a mile down the lane, Pete catches up to us in his car. Mick had forgott en Marg’s favorite cheese which he had put in their fridge overnight. We know we are in for another hot day and are prepared for the days ride. Knowing we will be stopping for frequent breaks and drinking lots of water. Turning north now, we are on the Lachlan Valley Highway which is really just 2 lanes of sealed road. Rolling hills, punctuated with wheat paddocks and tons of sheep; as we follow Mick to the town of Cowra. Here we stop for coff ee at McDonalds. Our desti nati on today is the wine growing area of Mudgee, where Mick has organized ‘A Wine Tour with Jan’. She will pick us up from the caravan park for a 3 hour, Winery Tour. But we sti ll have a ways to go. Lunch at Molong, and I sti ll am amazed at how wide the streets are in these country towns. Mick says it is a carry over from the horse and buggy days, when they needed a large turn around area for the horses and wagons. Again, not much traffi c, but sti ll more road works (constructi on). We arrive at Mudgee with just enough ti me to check in, take showers and change into t-shirt and shorts. Tonight we are staying at the Mudgee Caravan Park in one of their cabins. Jan arrives in the bus as 18 SEPTEMBER 2010 arranged at 2.30pm. What an aft ernoon! Jan explained about the grapes, the diff erent wineries, and why they grow the diff erent types in the Mudgee region. We visited 4 wineries, did a lot of tasti ng and driving around the back roads where all you could see were miles of groomed vineyards. On one of the roads, Jan had to stop the bus because there were cows in the middle of the road. Remember earlier when I said Australia was like riding through a Zoo..? Jan picked up her mobile and called the owner. “John, your catt le are out on the road again!!” Earlier, we had told Jan that we had not seen any “roos” along the roads yet and were hoping to see them in their habitat. Mick explained that kangaroos usually sleep during the day and mostly come out in the cool of the night. That is why we don’t travel before dawn and get off the roads by dusk. It is nearing 5:30 pm and we are heading back to town. Jan drove to the outskirts of Mudgee and sure enough we see plenty of kangaroos “hopping” around in people’s front yards!! We didn’t believe our eyes... In the midst of a new subdivision, roos by the dozens eati ng the new grass! This as they say, was a Kodak moment….. Jan returns us to the town center, so we could have a walk around this old country town, which is full of charm. The local Mudgee Soldiers Club was our fi rst stop for a drink and the wonderful air conditi oning. Leaving the club, we noti ce a pickup truck with a huge, huge front bumper. The owner was just getti ng out of the truck so we asked him about the bumper. “They are called Roo Bars over here, love. Here in the country we have to travel at night and we see many roos on the roads. The bars protect the engine from major damage”. That evening Mick takes us to a pub where we were able to cook our own steaks over a BBQ grill. The meat over here has been very tender and delicious. Aft er dinner we reti red to the lounge where Australian football was playing on the TV. Mick tried to explain the rules and basic logic of the game. The players wear shorts, use very litt le padding and the tackling seemed just as rough as NFL. I’m afraid we didn’t catch on – we are ti red from a good day of riding and wine! Another great end to a perfect day…

Day 5. Blue Mountains-Southern Highlands and Back to the Coast We take our ti me this morning and start with brekkie at a local café in Mudgee. Today we will head east, towards the Blue Mountains and the scenic town of Katoomba. Upon getti ng to the base of the Blue Mountains, we hit our fi rst spot of rain and stopped to put on rain suits. At the top of the Blue Mountains is Katoomba where we head into very dense fog. We are on our way to see the famous “Three Sisters” at Echo Point. Unfortunately, the fog was so thick we were unable to see anything from the beauti ful lookout. Mick wanted to wait unti l the fog lift ed a bit before we headed out of Katoomba and down the other side of the Blue Mountains. Aft er a couple of coff ees, the fog had dissipated but there was sti ll a misty rain as we headed out of town. At the base of the Mountains we hit sunshine and travel through the towns of Penrith, Wallacia and stopping at Picton for lunch. We are now on our way to the Southern Highlands where we will cross the Great Dividing Range and head down to the coast and back to Sanctuary Point. The Southern Highlands contain the towns of Mitt agong, Bundanoon, Moss Vale and Bowral. The early sett lers were reminded of their homes in Ireland and Scotland and so sett led in the area. It is cold in the winter but now it is just green and beauti ful. Rolling hills abound, many with hedge fences, some that are ten feet in height. If this is what Scotland looks like, then Bill and I have to go there someday. While stopping for a break, Mick tells us of the road ahead. The road goes over one mountain, then down into Kangaroo Valley, then up another mountain and then down to the coast. It is only 30 miles of road but it is full of ti ght, blind curves, large trucks, steep slopes and slow cars. Down we went to Kangaroo Valley and Mick was right about the road. Beauti ful scenery of the escarpments, lovely farms but we had to take it very slow. Glad the rain had stopped. We reach the coast at Nowra and are only 15 miles from Chapel base at Sanctuary Point. It seems Bill is going slower as we approach Mick’s home. Like me, we wish we could ride for at least a few more days on the tour but we just don’t have the ti me. We arrive about 4:00 pm, and Marg informs us that we are att ending a neighborhood BBQ at 6:00 pm. We unpack our bags, shower and then take a walkabout with Mick to the local golf course. It is full of kangaroos!!! 3 “mobs” of roos make their home on the course. We walked among them and took lots of pictures. The dominant males in the mob are absolutely huge! When they stand erect they are over 6 feet tall. The golfers have to play around them. That must be fun or nerve-wracking or both! That night the BBQ was wonderful! Bill and I are sti ll wound up from the tour and the neighbors are so friendly making us feel right at home. It sure was a nice way to celebrate the end of the tour. We do not want the night to end because we know that tomorrow we head back to Sydney to the airport and back home to Michigan. Day 6. To Sydney and Back to Michigan Aft er breakfast on the front porch, Mick and Marg, their dogs, and we pile into the car for a visit to the local beach. Hyams Beach is 5 minutes from the Chapel (Homestead name) and is noted to have the world’s whitest sand. We can see why. The sand, rock formati ons TOURING NEWS 19 and the blue surf is stunning! The beach as well as the enti re tour compels us to come back in the near future. Australia is beauti ful! Returning to the Chapel, we load up our gear into the car. Mick downloads all the pictures and videos we’ve taken to prepare a complimentary DVD of our trip. Off to Sydney we head. Mick took the coastal route and the terrifi c scenery just keeps on coming. We drive past beauti ful surf beaches, through rainforests in The Royal Nati onal Park and to the Lookout at Stanwell Tops. As we look out east over the sea we realize that home is in that directi on. What a wonderful, adventure fi lled 6 day tour! Folks, this is the only way to see Australia! Mick & Marg McHenry – owners of Chapel Australian Bike Tours truly do see to every detail when you book a tour with them. Making accommodati ons, planning the ride, and seeing to every detail prior to your arrival are so much simpler than having to make the arrangements ourselves. We highly recommend it! If anyone is interested in doing a group tour (up to fi ve couples) with Chapel, please let us know – we would love to go back and tour another part of Australia! Bill & Brenda Neubeck [email protected] [email protected] htt p://www.chapelaustralianbiketours.com

20 SEPTEMBER 2010 A Life in the Days of a Biker by Dave Norton, Secretary/Treasurer, GWTA Region A Chapter M, Mountain Valley Riders

Part 3: The Racer’s Edge

Buddy Russ and I were hooked on the new Honda trail bikes, we each had to have one. Long Beach Honda provided them, $200 each, and they even swapped motors so we got the 4-speed tranny from the 50 Sport C110 version, at no charge (they happened to have a lady customer who really wanted the automati c tranny in her C110, it was a simpler world then). I recall vividly the fi rst trip Russ and I took on the bikes together, up Highway 39 out of Garden Grove to the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California. Cruising side-by-side through Buena Park we could hear the beat frequency of the two exhausts thrumming against each other, what a feeling of raw power!

Photos: Dave Norton It helps to have some grasp of the state of exhaust system technology in those early years: no muffl ers. At all. The enti re exhaust system consisted of a 1” diameter chromed steel pipe running down and back, with a rounded bull-head cap closing the end. The outlets were a set of narrow verti cal slots in the completely hollow pipe. We thought the exhaust note had a crisp bark to it then. The same sound now would send dogs yelping away and cops waiti ng on your driveway before you ever got the garage door up. This was the beginning of a high-frequency hearing loss we both share. WHAT? I SAID THIS WAS THE BEGGINING OF…oh, never mind.

At about this ti me, buddy Blake invited us to join his family for their annual trek to the Santa Barbara Road Races, an event that was to shape both our lives (in avocati on and vocati on, to varying degrees). As we approached the circuit (the Goleta municipal airport), we could hear the high whine of the Grand Prix bikes knifi ng up through the gears, the scream echoing off the rows of hangars and buildings in an eerie wail. I sti ll feel that same ti ngle and my heart drops a gear and punches it each ti me I approach any racing venue and hear that siren song. Honda was all-powerful then, winning all three Grand Prix motorcycle classes across the board.

Images, audio and visual, persist through the years: Ken Miles in a ti ny silver giant-killer RS-60…Billy Krause in the bruti shly beauti ful Tipo 61 Birdcage Maserati …Jim Parkinson’s ill-handling but blindingly fast Campbell Special…the Long Beach MG Club’s Morris Minor fl atbed truck following the thundering herd of A-Producti on Corvett es off the grid into turn One, the guys bailing out to fetch the various Fiberglas evidence of confl ict…and one scene in parti cular: Russ and I on the fence, watching the Sedan fi eld come off the back straight under braking for the last turn, as a Volvo 444 and 850 Mini batt le furiously for next-to-last place. It was at that point that we reached that most dangerous and expensive of realizati ons: Hell, WE could do bett er than that!

With those bikes, Russ and I taught ourselves the elements of road racing at the 5 hp level, on dirt fi re roads. Of most value were the coasti ng races: starti ng at the top of Black Star Canyon Road and coasti ng the two or so miles down, we learned the value of conserving momentum, minimizing braking and maximizing exit speed. Trail braking (no pun intended), delayed apex, and treading the very edge of the fricti on circle brought immediate benefi ts. Smoothness and fl uidity were all. A locked brake on the dirt surface under these conditi ons would oft en have meant a trip over the edge and into the pucker-bushes.

Our trusty Honda Trail 50s did yeoman service for us through the following summer, unti l our sophomore year at college beckoned.

To be conti nued… Next installment: SoCal to Oregon on 50cc a day!

TOURING NEWS 21 Protecti on for Your Bike Last month, we reviewed the coverages that help pay for the injuries you may sustain in the event of an accident and help you with the costs associated with those injuries. If you’re like many riders, you may have thought, “That’s great, but my injuries will heal. What am I going to do about my bike?!?” This month, we’re going to take a look at the elements of your motorcycle insurance policy that provide protecti on for your motorcycle and help get your prized possession back on the road in the event of an accident. We’ll also give some ti ps about selecti ng the right coverage for your situati on.

Motorcycle Insurance Coverages There are three primary types of coverage that protect your bike in the event of an accident – each applied in diff erent situati ons. These are collision, comprehensive and uninsured / underinsured motorist property damage coverage. Let’s break each of these down into a litt le more detail. Collision coverage: This coverage may seem fairly obvious given the name. Collision coverage is there to help cover the damages to your bike in an accident involving collision or upset of your motorcycle, regardless of fault and regardless if the other party has insurance. There are a few situati ons that may seem like they should be covered by collision coverage but are not. For example, if you strike a deer with your motorcycle, that will not be covered by collision coverage but, conveniently, by our next coverage. Comprehensive coverage: Comprehensive coverage is there to help in situati ons involving losses that aren’t associated with a collision. Some examples of these losses are theft , fl ood, fi re, vandalism and (as we already saw) hitti ng a deer. This coverage is useful in those situati ons over which you have no control. You can be the safest rider in the world, have no collision-related losses and sti ll have to fi le a signifi cant claim if some jerk comes along and steals your bike. Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist coverage: In my last arti cle, I reviewed uninsured / underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage which helps pay your injury costs when the other party either has no coverage or insuffi cient coverage. There is a similar coverage for your bike, so if you are in an accident with someone without suffi cient coverage to pay for the damages to your bike, this coverage will help make up the diff erence. Of the three coverages discussed, this coverage varies the most from state to state. Check with your insurance company to see if an uninsured and/or underinsured motorist property damage coverage is available in your state. Many states do not allow this coverage if you have also purchased collision coverage because collision provides the same benefi t. So, if you are only concerned about damage caused by others, this may be an alternati ve.

Sett lement Types There are other choices you need to make when it comes to the Collision and Comprehensive porti ons of motorcycle insurance coverage – sett lement type. This will generally dictate the amount of the payment that follows your accident. There are three main sett lement types available for your motorcycle. In most cases, your opti ons for sett lement type will be dictated by the age or other factors related to your motorcycle. Should you fi nd yourself in a situati on in which you have a choice between multi ple sett lement types, be sure to discuss the best fi t with your insurance provider. Actual Cash Value sett lement: The most common sett lement type. In simple terms, this coverage will take into account the market value of your bike at the ti me of the loss and factor in depreciati on when determining what your payment will be following a claim. Replacement Cost sett lement: This sett lement type is for newer bikes, usually up to three model years old. With this sett lement type, in the event of a total loss, your bike will be replaced (hence replacement cost sett lement!) with a comparable bike – with no deducti on for depreciati on. Agreed Value sett lement: This sett lement type is usually used for collector, classic, custom or highly accessorized motorcycles. With agreed value sett lement, you and your insurance company agree on the value of your motorcycle at the beginning of the policy term. Then, should you have a total loss, your payment will be for that agreed value.

Deducti bles One of the criti cal decisions to consider when insuring your motorcycle is the deducti ble. The deducti ble is the amount you pay out of pocket in the event of an accident. Oft en ti mes, diff erent coverages will have their own deducti bles, so there are multi ple decisions to make. Comprehensive and Collision coverages are subject to a deducti ble; the uninsured and/or underinsured property damage coverage may or may not be, depending on your state’s requirements. The best way to decide what your deducti ble should be is to look at your level of comfort with risk. Are you comfortable paying

22 SEPTEMBER 2010 conti nued.... more in the event of an accident in order to keep your premium payments lower? Do you prefer to invest a litt le bit more in your yearly premium in order to pay as litt le as possible when you have an accident? These are choices only you can make, but be sure to talk to your insurance provider to decide which opti on is best for your unique situati on. Another important thing to consider is whether your insurance company off ers something called a Diminishing Deducti ble. This is a great benefi t that rewards your loyalty. Essenti ally, if your insurer off ers this benefi t, each year you stay with them and are loss free, your deducti ble will decrease by a certain amount – oft en down to $0! Then, if you have an accident you will pay far less than you would if you didn’t have that benefi t included with your policy. Be sure to fi nd out if your motorcycle insurance policy includes this benefi t or if it’s an opti on with your current insurer. Hopefully this overview helps make the choices you have to make when insuring your motorcycle a litt le bit easier. Like I’ve said in the past, your best bet is to contact a specialist at your insurance company to have your specifi c questi ons answered to make sure that you get the right coverage for your situati on. Or, ask your questi ons in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer them as soon as possible!

HONDA TECH COLUMNIST What is the Dual Clutch Transmission? Randy Rundle 415 Court Street Honda developed the Dual Clutch Transmission with automated Clay Center, KS 67435 clutch and shift operati on to deliver the same riding enjoyment as (785) 632-3450 a manual transmission with the convenience of an automati c, for Fax: (785) 632-6154 enhanced comfort and sporty performance. This transmission is fi ft [email protected] available as an opti on on the newly introduced VFR 1200F. Rumor has it that a variati on of the VFR,that will feature hard bags and slightly diff erent motor tuning, will replace the ST1300 in the near future. Meanwhile I would also guess that this transmission could appear on the Gold Wing in the not too distant future. Here are a few more details. (Courtesy of American Honda)

The two clutches—one for start-up and 1st, 3rd, and 5th gears, and the other for 2nd, 4th, and 6th gears—are electronically controlled to achieve seamless shift ing. Use of this technology in a motorcycle is a world fi rst.

What the Dual Clutch Transmission Achieves

With the Dual Clutch Transmission, we have successfully combined the manual transmission’s direct, intuiti ve transmission of engine output to the rear wheel with the enhanced appeal of uninterrupted power at all ti mes and the ability to control accelerati on and decelerati on with the thrott le and brake alone, even during sporty riding.

Three operati ng modes of the Dual Clutch Transmission

The Dual Clutch Transmission is equipped with two main operati ng modes: AT mode, which changes gears automati cally; and MT mode, which allows the rider to change gears manually using paddle shift ers. AT mode off ers a selecti on of two automati c shift modes: D mode, for city and highway riding; and S mode, for high-revving, sporty riding. Choose MT mode to select gears on your own. The Dual Clutch Transmission delivers a wide range of riding enjoyment, from leisurely to sporty. Designed on the concept of a manual transmission with automati c clutch and shift operati on, the Dual Clutch Transmission is a Honda original that delivers the riding pleasure characteristi c of a manual transmission, combined with enhanced ease of operati on that will help bring this pleasure to more riders. In a regular manual transmission, the rider changes gears with his or her left foot. In the Dual Clutch Transmission, this operati on is accomplished using a shift control motor. Just as in a conventi onal transmission, the shift control motor rotates the shift drum, which uses shift forks to slide the gears into positi on.

Ride Safe

TOURING NEWS 23 Crosswinds How to deal with them

By: James R. Davis

Sooner or later you are going to wonder about how to handle severe crosswinds - probably while fi ghti ng them. Surprise, surprise - you don’t have to do anything and the motorcycle will handle most crosswinds just fi ne - with only normal responses from you. There are a couple of things that you can do to make the experience less stressful, however. For example, you can quit white-knuckling your grips. When you hold on ti ght you also tend to sti ff arm your controls. That, as we’ve talked about before, merely allows front-end instability to propagate into the rest of the motorcycle. Relax your grips and droop your elbows. Allow your bike to be a bit unstable. Drive in the CENTER OF YOUR LANE. Lean forward and down to reduce your profi le, and snug up your jacket. What about tracti on? You neither gain nor lose any signifi cant tracti on when the wind blows from your side unless you are in a curve. While you are leaned into the wind all of the weight of the bike remains on your ti res (fancy that) and there is very litt le lateral force scrubbing that tracti on away. How much lean do you need? Whatever the bike dials in for you. Should you anti cipate those gusts? Should you just respond quickly to a gust in order to remain in control and traveling in a straight line? No, and no. Your bike will NOT travel in a straight line. That is, as long as you allow it to do its thing, your bike will be modestly blown off course with a gust and the result of that movement is EXACTLY the same as any other minor course change - you will need modest counter-steer input to correct it - the CG of your bike will then be on the side the wind came from and the result is that it will lean towards the wind. [Anti cipati ng wind-sheer IS important under a couple of scenarios: the approach of an oncoming large vehicle suggests that severe buff eti ng will occur when you pass it, and entering or exiti ng stretches protected from the wind such as tunnels or bridges with relati vely high retaining walls. In these cases you will certainly want to positi on the bike away from the source of the wind-sheer and insure you maintain a fi rm grip.] Is a heavier bike less likely to be blown around than a lighter bike? Not necessarily. What is primarily determinant of how great the eff ect of a crosswind is on your bike is its profi le. A garage door (GoldWing) will typically be more harshly aff ected by crosswinds than a lighter low profi le bike. Can you miti gate some of that instability in any way? Yes. There are cowling additi ons that can be designed (some are available off the shelf - called ‘belly pans’) that streamline the airfl ow under your bike and help (modestly) to reduce crosswind handling problems. Your side profi le area is what determines how your motorcycle reacts to crosswinds. Just as there is a Center of Gravity, there is also a Center of wind resistance. If that center of wind resistance is in front of your Center of Gravity then crosswinds will tend to push you off course while if it is behind your Center of Gravity the motorcycle will try to steer INTO the wind. Thus, mounti ng a high profi le LIGHT object (a stuff ed animal, for example) onto your trunk lid or your pillion can have a dramati cally correcti ve eff ect rather than worsen the bike’s steering reacti on to those crosswinds. Crosswinds can be murder if you are leaned way over in a curve. Don’t, if you can avoid it. As a result of a crosswind your bike will move off course and normal modest counter-steer will lean it into the wind. A strong gust will blow you out of track. So, correct your steering, gently, and keep going. I admit that someti mes a gust can be ferocious! I was on the Golden gate bridge once when a crosswind blew me into the adjacent lane! But the bike was in no danger of falling down and it was easy to get back in lane. Had the gust been a sustained blast I would have been leaned over nearly 45 degrees. It was not, thankfully. Note ... there are TWO ti mes when a gusty crosswind changes your bike’s directi on of travel: when it hits, and when it stops. Both require that you allow the bike to respond and use normal modest counter-steering. (When it quits you will be leaned over and, as a result, your bike will move towards where the wind WAS coming from unti l you straighten it up. If crosswinds involve huge short gusts, go park the bike. If the crosswinds are more sustained, pucker up and keep going.

Copyright © 1992 - 2010 by The Master Strategy Group, all rights reserved. htt p://www.msgroup.org (James R. Davis is a recognized expert witness in the fi elds of Motorcycle Safety/Dynamics.)

24 SEPTEMBER 2010 Overnight Parking Side-stand or center-stand? Cover it or not?

By: James R. Davis

You are out on an overnighter and are parking the bike for the evening. The winds are up. Do you use a cover or not? Put it up on the center stand or leave it on the side stand?

Let me deal with the second questi on fi rst - it is the easiest. Rule- of-thumb: Unless you are parked inside a garage on concrete, use your side stand!

Your side stand provides a WIDE tripod as compared to your center stand. As such, it provides far more stable parking for your motorcycle. The sole excepti on to this is if you are unable to park such that the bike leans fi rmly on the side stand. For example, if your shocks or ti re pressure are low, your luggage weight is high, or the ground slopes to the right. If the bike is not leaning fi rmly on your side stand it can rather easily be pushed over to the right side.

Though high winds and bike covers do not go well together, I always use mine when I’m out on an overnighter. This, to tend to minimize the risks of theft and curiosity seekers taking liberti es (even good natured parents have taken the liberty of placing one of their children in a bike’s saddle they were walking by without getti ng the bike owner’s permission.) Further, I’d rather the cover get damaged from windblown sand and other debris than the fi nish on my bike.

Remember to use some form of fastener to cinch together the bott om edges of your cover under the bike to keep it from fl ying off (and to further deter someone who might even think about stealing the bike.)

Copyright © 1992 - 2010 by The Master Strategy Group, all rights reserved. htt p://www.msgroup.org (James R. Davis is a recognized expert witness in the fi elds of Motorcycle Safety/Dynamics.) Lees-ure Lite Popup Tent Trailers Now selling motorcycle accessories & hitches! Sleep anywhere, in comfort! Set up in 6 seconds - optional add a room - screen room - rear storage - awnings air conditioning kit and more!

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TOURING NEWS 25 We had a great ti me in Billings, Montana at Goldrush this year. How amazing to be in the audience when the winning raffl e ti cket was pulled, and one of our own chapters in California was the winner. It was quite a moment. Our start to Goldrush was a litt le rocky, but certainly highlights the whole reason we have conti nued to belong to this organizati on for over 20 years now. We left Omaha immediately aft er work on Friday the 16th. Mike was on his Harley ultra classic, and I was on my GL1200, pulling the cargo trailer. We got as far as Wagner, SD where we spent the night. Saturday morning, we were on the road toward Montana by 8:00am, and it was already 85 degrees. We knew we were dealing with a scorcher, but were prepared with water, cool riding gear, and our horse collars (towels we can fi ll with ice and hang around our necks). As many folks know that have ridden with us, my 1200’s CB is temperamental. It usually takes an hour or two to warm up, but once it starts working, it usually works the rest of the day. This morning, though, the CB started to sound worse and worse. About 9:00am, we were coming into Winner, South Dakota. Mike called out on the CB that we were heading into a speed zone, and I acknowledged. At the same ti me that I pulled in the clutch to shift down, Mike said on the CB that it was getti ng hard to understand me. When I pulled in the clutch, the enti re electrical on my dash went blank and the bike died. “Oh, that’s not good,” I thought. When I released the clutch, the bike started again, but the CB wouldn’t transmit. I knew I was in trouble. About this ti me, we were in town, and since I couldn’t tell Mike what the problem was, I pulled ahead of him, cut across three lanes of traffi c, and turned into a gas stati on. When I pulled in the clutch again, the bike once again died – this ti me for real. I coasted up to a gas pump, and Mike pulled up beside me. Aft er a quick check, he said that the batt ery had three dry cells. He said that it could be a batt ery problem, but more likely it was the stator. I knew about stator problems on the 1200’s, and knew that we were likely looking at a bike that couldn’t be fi xed in a small town of roughly 3,000 people. Sti ll, we hoped. We walked into the store, and asked the clerk, “Have you got a motorcycle shop in this town?” Miracle number one! “Why, yes, and here’s their number.” We called B&J Cycle, and asked, “Do you work on Hondas?” “No,” came the reply. Hmmm. “Well, do you have motorcycle batt eries?” “A few.” Miracle number two. They had one batt ery in the size we needed. While Mike went down to the shop, I called a Honda dealer, and asked what we should look for if the stator was the problem. He told me that if we put in a new batt ery, and it didn’t get up to 14 amps, it was the stator. Well, Mike showed up, and a young man from the shop also arrived with the batt ery and a voltmeter. We popped the new batt ery in, started up the bike and hooked up the voltmeter. Only 12.5 – it was the stator. Now what do we do? Here we were a litt le over 300 miles from home, and 200 miles from Rapid City. There’s no way that the two- hour batt ery life of the new batt ery was going to get us anywhere but two hours down the road, and once again dead in the water. How the heck were we going to get it home? Well, I thought of some GWTA friends back home that weren’t planning on going to Goldrush. Maybe they could help. I called Dan and Joyce Dolan, former Nati onal Family of the Year. “Hey, what are you doing,” I asked Dan. “Oh, we’re just now leaving to go to a wedding. Why?” “Well,” I said, “I’m sitti ng next to a dead motorcycle in Winner, South Dakota.” Dan said, “Really! The wedding is only 50 miles from there!” Miracle number three. So I said, “Well you get yourself over to our house, and I’ll call my daughter to meet you there, and the keys to the truck are on the stove, and you jump in our truck, and go to your wedding, and when you’re done, go over to Winner and load up my bike and bring it home, okay?” “Sure thing,” was the immediate response. I LOVE the people in GWTA! Now we had to deal with the cargo trailer. Mike has a receiver on his bike, but we hadn’t yet gott en around to wiring it, yet. So, he didn’t bother to put on the hitch. We absolutely needed to bring the stuff in the trailer to Goldrush, because we had dirty bingo prizes, craft supplies, costumes, Batt le of the Region game supplies, not to menti on our clothes, coats, bike covers, and other paraphernalia. There was no way on God’s green earth we could possibly get all of that loaded on the Harley. Mike turns to the young man from the motorcycle shop and says, “Do you have a machine shop or welding shop in town?” Miracle number four. “Why, yes. It’s about two blocks from our shop.” Mike drives down to Winner Welding & Machine, and asked if they could make a hitch for his receiver. Aft er looking at the receiver, the owner, Brad Assman, says, “Sure.” Mike went to the local Alco store, and picked up the only 1-7/8 inch ball and shank they had on the shelf, plus some assorted nuts and bolts, and Brad had a hitch made in less than half an hour. When Mike came back to the gas stati on, he told me that Brad would only accept $5.00 for that hitch. He told Mike that he hoped if he were ever stranded like us, that someone would help him. What a fabulous small town. If you are ever in Winner, South Dakota, please be sure to stop in to B&J Cycle and Winner Welding to tell them you read our story about them! This is the kind of story we will tell when we are recruiti ng potenti al members to GWTA. Oft en, we get asked, “What benefi ts does GWTA off er that we can tell prospecti ve members about?” This organizati on is more than what you can put your hands on. It’s a social organizati on built around motorcycling. It’s about the friends you meet that will go out of their way to help another member. It’s Desti nati on Friendship. Tell this kind of story – and we all have either heard them or experienced them – and members will multi ply. I LOVE the people in GWTA! Yours in friendship, Carol and Mike Brush, Nati onal Educati on and Retenti on Directors

26 SEPTEMBER 2010 Motorcycle Riding in North Carolina

North Carolina is home to what is in all likelihood, the most famous motorcycle road in the world. It goes by many diff erent names like “Deals Gap” … or is it “Deal’s Gap?” The “Tail of the Dragon” … or as some refer to it as simply – “The Dragon.” Or do you call it by its Uncle Sam given name of US Hwy 129? To add to the confusion, the road is actually in Tennessee. However, many riders sti ll associate Deal’s Gap with North Carolina because of the famous Deal’s Gap resort (that is nearly an obligatory stop) that is located on the other side of the state line in North Carolina. So, we have a very famous road that is believed to reside in multi ple states and is referred to by many diff erent names. Yet, the one aspect of this road that there is no confusion on, is that this road off ers riders a truly incredible collecti on of twists, turns, and elevati on changes! In fact, any rider with just a litt le bit of Deal’s Gap knowledge knows by heart the road’s famous moniker of - “318 curves in 11 miles!” These wonderful curves are carved into some wonderful Appalachian Mountain scenery that many riders don’t even really noti ce for fear of taking their eyes off the road. And, this road doesn’t just put the rider on a great curvy road, but it also puts them into the middle of what seems to have become a sort of a “cult classic” of motorcycle riding experiences. As a result, the road has become a Mecca of sorts, att racti ng many thousands of motorcycle riding pilgrims annually to its curves and providing a very large notch in any rider’s belt to be able to say they have “ridden the Dragon!”

The Hellbender 28 lies in the northeast corner of North Carolina and is a favorite Blue Ridge mountain motorcycle road … favored for not only the spectacular scenery but for the fact that it places motorcycle riders at the doorstep of the world famous motorcycle road - Deal’s Gap. The Hellbender 28 is a fantasti c 22 mile stretch surrounded by water and dense, forested mountains and off ers multi ple motorcycle friendly establishments as well as other tourist popular ameniti es along its path. Rider comments on the Hellbender included “This road on this bike was like a slow dance with a soft woman that lets me lead. That was Aug. ’09, I can’t wait for this years dance. Ride with care and a smile everyone!” (from Billy) and “Excellent warm-up leading to The Dragon. In some respects its bett er than Hwy129 due to the widely diff ering types of turns along this road. It has a mix of ti ght uphills/downhills, blind hairpins, and graceful turns” (from Wolfi e). For motorcycle ride maps for these and other popular North Carolina motorcycle roads and trips, as well as pictures, videos, and informati ve updates from other riders, just go to MotorcycleRoads.com and click on ‘North Carolina.’

TOURING NEWS 27 Once again, everyone is invited to take part in RaveNRide 2010! Region A has arranged two tours. Please contact the Region A direc- tors to request a tour card. Parti cipants have from January 1, 2010 through October 31, 2010 to visit each business or chapter listed on the card. A sti cker will be placed at each locati on visited and once the card is completed, turn it in to the Nati onal Offi ce for a chance to win a $1,000 prize which will be awarded in December 2010! More informati on on each locati on is available at www.gwta.org or Region A Tour #1 Region A Tour #2 Chet’s Honda Everett Powersports 17 H St. SW 215 SW Everett Mall Way Quincy, WA 98848 Everett , WA 98204 509-787-3617 425-347-4545 www.chetshondapolaris.com www.everett powersports.com

Cycle Barn Gerry Andal’s Either Locati on 27021 - 102nd Ave. NW Smokey Point or Lynnwood Stanwood, WA 98292 360-530-7800 360-629-6569 www.cyclebarn.com www.gerryandal.com

GWTA WA Chapter N GWTA WA Chapter C North Cascade Riders meet at Eagle Crest Evergreen Wings meet at Everett Eagles 21102-67th Ave NE, Arlington, WA 98223 1216 Broadway, Everett , WA 98201 www.northcascaderiders.org 253-538-4915 www.evergreenwings.org GWTA WA Chapter V GWTA WA Chapter S Auburn Valley Wings Skagit Valley Wings meet at Puyallup Eagles meet at Cranberry Tree Restaurant 202 5th St. NW, Puyallup, WA 98371 2030 Freeway Dr., Mt. Vernon, WA 253-208-9867 360-630-1780 www.auburnvalleywings.org www.skagitvalleywings.netf irms.com Hinshaw’s Motorcycle Store Sheri’s Sweet Shop 1611 West Valley Hwy So. 207 Riverside Ave. Auburn, WA 98001 Winthrop, WA 98862 253-939-7164 509-996-3834 www.hinshawsmotorcyclestore.com

Onthree Trike Conversions Timber Creek Grill Buff et 1725 - 268th Ave. N.E. 9211 E. Montgomery Ave. Redmond, WA 98053 Spokane Valley, WA 99206 425-836-0373 509-892-6390 www.onthreetrikes.com

Renton Motorcycle Mall Westside Motorsports 3701 East Valley Rd. 4201 S. Grove Road Renton, WA 98057 Spokane, WA 99224 425-226-4320 509-747-1862 www.rentonmotorcycles.com www.westsideracing.com GWTA WA State Wingman Enterprises 22865 Bridgewater Rd. 5663 - A N.E. 105th Ave. Sedro Woolley, WA 98284 Portland, OR 97220 Come see us at the State Rally! 503-257-4141 360-856-5815; www.gwta-wa.org www.wingman.com 28 SEPTEMBER 2010 TOURING NEWS 29