May 2021 Chapter #3877 Lakeland, FL Welcome May! IN THIS ISSUE: Director’s Message……………..page 2-4 Assistant Director……………….page 5 Treasurer………………………...page 6 Secretary…..……………….……page 7-11 Letter from the Editor…….……..page 12 Sunshine Lady...…………….…..page 13 Ride Wise by Wayne Wiley…….page 14 A Word From Brad Souders……page 15-18 The month in review: PIG TALES…………………..….page 19 The HOG PEN…………………..page 20 What Have We Been Up To……page 21-22 Upcoming Events…………….….page 23 Articles of Interest……………….page 24-37 Member information………...…..page 38-41 Advertisements……………...…..page 42-43 Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. ... Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Randy W Stanton Director May, 2021 With several overnight trips approaching, I thought it would be a good time to share some good information in making those trips safe and successful. I hope you are able to find some useful tips. Tami & I are not world travelers & some of you may have tons more experience than we do. We appreciate your input from experienced riders as we always like to learn what has worked for other people as well. I’ve traveled in a truck all over the USA & found that trying to drive 500 miles straight through can be accomplished but walking afterwards can the difficult part. Thanks Randy Stanton Tips for Long-Distance Motorcycle Trips A long-distance motorcycle trip will put your skills and endurance to the test. Distance riding requires a great deal of knowledge and preparation. Check out these tips to help your ride go smoothly. Prepare Your Bike. Completely inspect your motorcycle and give it a thorough tune-up. Change the oil and filter Check the air and fuel filters Check all fluid levels Adjust throttle and brake cables Adjust and lube the drive chain (if applicable) Check tire pressure and tread Check all gauges, lights, horn and signals Visually inspect the entire bike for any broken or worn parts Remember Your Tool Kit. Make sure you have what you need to make quick adjustments or repairs on the road. Bring a flat repair kit too. Do Testing. Test all new accessories and gear before your trip, not during. Pack Light and Bring Only What You Need. Distribute the weight evenly. Keep heavy items low to ensure the motorcycle maintains a low center of gravity. Plan for a way to secure your belongings at stops. Bring your cell phone too. Dress Safely. You and your passenger need to wear proper safety gear: helmet; eye protection; a protective jacket; long, thick pants; boots and gloves. Help other motorists see you by wearing brightly colored outer layers and helmet. Prepare for Weather Conditions. Bring along extra clothing layers or an electric vest for warmth. Remember your rain gear and put it on before it starts raining. Know Your Limits. Stop often to get off of your bike and stretch. Plan for an adequate number of stops, especially if you don't have much experience with long rides. Take it Easy. As much as possible, try to stay off of the brakes and avoid any extremes with the throttle. This allows for a less-tiring, more relaxed ride. Stop if You Feel Tired. Don't rely on caffeine to keep you awake. Operating a motorcycle when your senses are less than sharp is extremely hazardous. And of course, never drink and ride. Eat Right. Eat well and often enough to keep up your energy. Be sure to bring water and energy bars or trail mix. Eat and drink before you feel hungry or thirsty. Get Gas Before You Need It. In rural areas, you may travel several hundred miles without passing a gas station. Don't wait until you run low to fill up. Plan Ahead. Each night, go over your plans for the next day. Get a feel for the route, how long you think you'll ride and places where you might want to stop. Keep it Fun. Enjoy the scenery, welcome meeting new people and experience the freedom of the road! Tips for Long-Distance Motorcycle Trips (aarpforemost.com Recommended items to make sure you have. Snacks, energy bars, protein bars, jerky, -- anything high in energy food, low to no carb loading that will make you sleepy & avoid caffeine & high sugar content. Spare Key / know your PIN number & how to enter it to start your bike in case you lose your key fob or fob battery dies. Tool kit – Mac is driving a truck/trailer, there will be a tool kit available on the ride up but when we get there what’s on the bikes is what we will have to work with. Fully charged “jump start”. Hydration – hydration- hydration- hydration. Tami & I typically stop approx. every 150 miles for gas, potty break, leg stretches & grab a snack & go. Rain Gear – having the right gear of jacket, gloves, sunscreen, rain gear, helmet, sunglasses/goggles are all important make sure you have on what you’re comfortable with. As one of the articles I read – starting out in gear that’s mildly uncomfortable will be HELL at the end of the day. The wrong gear can make an enjoyable ride into an awful day. Personal ID – We used “Road ID” bracelets that have our contacts & emergency contact information engraved upon it. If you have allergies or special medical needs, might be something you want to have on your person in case there is a need. Better to be safe than sorry. Motorcycle Cover – make sure to pack your favorite bike cover. Prepare for various weather conditions. HOT sticky & sunny to WET soggy & sticky. Hotel Time – get plenty of rest, Tami & I will freeze water bottles at night & let them thaw during the ride. Mac will have a cooler with ice & water with us as well. Eating smart so that the next day of processing all that PIZZA you downed the night before doesn’t leave you with frequent needs to stop. You can check out this map. My plan is to stay off the interstate & onto backroads. The trips that Tami & I have taken have been great to see little towns & roads. This is not a race to the finish line for us. It’s about enjoying the ride & taking in new places. We have a destination in mind now letting google give me a route sure takes all the guess work out of it so I can relax. Some additional sites for helpful tips are listed below: Love's Travel Stop to Rapid City, SD - Google Maps https://goo.gl/maps/FAsA2u2f9U5ovkH5A More links to long distance riding tips. Long Distance Motorcycle Riding: The Ultimate Guide (cardosystems.com) This was another good website link, you can find many of them & I encourage even the most experienced riders to take a look at them & you might even have suggestions these do not list. We welcome those suggestions. How to Prepare for Your Long Distance Motorcycle Ride (motorcyclelegalfoundation.com Be Safe my friends! Thank you! Randy Wayne “Hop” Barkman, Assistant Director Amazing Rides! This past month we’ve had some great rides enjoying the back roads of Florida. Thank-you to our Road Captains for putting in the time to plan and share these routes. Also, thank-you to our Chapter Members for riding along and participating In this great sport of motorcycling. It’s also fantastic to see a few new riders joining our rides. Ride 365! Here’s Our Chapter’s current standings; National Total: Rank 18th with 103,907 miles National Average: Rank 8th with 2,664 miles Southeast Total: Rank 10th with 103,907 miles We currently have 31 members contributing to this contest which is about 30% of our chapter. We would like to see this get to at least 50%, some members had registered their mileage at the beginning of the year but have not reported an up-to-date reading. You can give your reading to me or CJ at the dealership. A photo of your odometer is preferred. For members with multiple Harleys please be sure to identify which bike the photo is for. I’d like to thank CJ Hunter for providing the attached information from HOG on “What Is Ride 365” (see flyer included in the Articles of Interest section.) Also, remember providing your mileage readings is needed to earn Our Chapter Easy Rider, Rough Rider, & Extreme Rider patches for this year. Thank-you & Ride Safe, Hop / Wayne Barkman 863-670-5283 [email protected] Mark Miley, Treasurer Bringing Up the Rear Christmas In July Hello again, everyone. It’s “Triker Mark.” After the events of the past year, I’m certain everyone is as tired of this word as I am, but our July meeting is going to feature an “unprecedented” event – our first “Christmas In July Rudolph Round-Up” toy drive. The next time you are at the dealership, you will see a toy drive box by the reception desk. Another box has been placed in the “HOG Pen” where we hold our meetings. We are asking any member who wishes to participate to bring a new, unwrapped toy to our July meeting. The Heartland Council will also take monetary donations for those folks who can’t find time to shop. We’re looking forward to a great ride after the meeting to the drop-off in Bartow. For as long as I have been in Polk HOG, our chapter has supported the Heartland Council for Children's annual Rudolph Round Up toy drive.