Winter Time on the Roads
With winter all over the roads, riders must use their 4 wheelers quite often. The RT has its cover on and the battery charger is plugged in. Taking the truck sucks! But, gotta be mobile. I try not to be especially in the winter. I'm running a cabin temperature… and on the weekends I've got a fever. The snow can be so pretty to wake up to and make for such dangerous driving conditions.
Most motorcyclists make very good drivers. We're keenly aware of hazards and scan far ahead up the road. Driving a car is so much easier than riding a bike, but it's ten times more boring. Oh sure you got your radio, cd player with remote, cell phone, heater, roof, and four wheels, but driving the truck in the twisties is as painful as it is a delight on my bike.
Driving in the snow is challenging and thankfully, the roads are treated in most populated areas. Use your good riding habits when you drive. Leave plenty of distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. Signal well in advance of your turn. Change you decision response time; you are not on your bike. Slow down and don't take chances, especially on questionable surfaces. I'm know I'm guilty of becoming more lax behind the wheel and it can affect your judgment and decision making. I always wear my seatbelt, but many times I'm putting it on after I have started driving. It's so much easier and safer to buckle the thing before you take off. If we must spend more time behind the wheel, let's use our road skills and apply them to our driving. Winter time on the roads is dangerous stuff. Be safe.
New Twist - Brunch ride
This month we are going to try something different. All us sleepy heads may just get up for an 11:00 am brunch at Bassanno's on Route 28 in Milford. And perhaps the weather gods will bless us with a Sunday just like last weekend. So get the bikes filled up, charged up, and check your tire pressures and oil levels. We'll ride at noon… A Bill Berry ride… nuff said!
Newsletter leap frog
The January GCBMWC newsletter didn't get lost in the mail. Take a look at the publications you are getting right now. Are any of them January's issue? It's the end of January and everything is February. The timing is right to call this issue the February issue… It'll be February in a few days. If it were the January issue, it would seem like it's old news, and I'm afraid it might become fire-staring material. I like to send the newsletter out after our meeting, and no later than five days prior to our first Sunday breakfast/brunch ride of the month. It's usually the 24th or 25th when I'm wrapping it up, so it just makes sense to me deliver a newsletter that is pertinent to the given month. Hueston Woods
January Gathering
Our traditional Junuary meeting at Hueston Woods was another success. The weather called for possible rain or snow on Sunday morning, so the weatherman made a bad call and we all probably thought driving home, that we coulda, shoulda, woulda rode. None of us did. Maybe it was that poem in the last newsletter… yes December's issue. The dinner and breakfast I thought were very good for a state park. I had the walleye and it was pretty good. The meeting was fast and probably not as productive as it could have been as 30 or so gathered in the corner of the lobby to conduct business. We made do and a few new ideas were brought up. Mike Crum may even organize another poker run. I want revenge. 2nd place doesn't get it on poker runs. Brunch Rides? Mary Pierce's suggestion to make the Hueston Woods gathering the Christmas party is very interesting. If you have more ideas, bring them up at the next meeting or even post an email to the eGroup to get the discussions going. It is time to make plans
The Prez Sez
Is this really winter, or am I having a very good/bad dream? Last week our e-group was peppered with stories of who rode where and when, and who went home "sick" for an afternoon. To those of you who took the opportunity to ride, just don't forget what the residual salt on the roads can do to your favorite ride! It's great at creeping behind body panels and doing its worst. If this is what winter is becoming, what will spring and summer be like?
The latest thing to change in our "way of doing things" is our First Sunday gathering time. Our Sunday breakfast will be pushed back a couple of hours for the next month or so. Our hope is that mid-day temperatures will be more conducive to riding. This change is being initiated for February, so if you show up at 9 next Sunday at Pearl's you might not see too many other members! Brunch is at Bassanno's at 11:00 am
We had a good turnout at Hueston Woods for dinner and the January meeting. We were unable to commandeer our usual spot at the downstairs fireplace and ended up upstairs by the front door. It was difficult for many folks to hear what was going on, so next year, assuming we return to the lodge, we should probably consider renting a meeting room. This brings up an interesting idea from Mary Pierce. She suggested we reschedule our holiday party for January and then look into what options the lodge might offer for a catered affair. Something tells me there will be a lot of discussion on this topic over the next few months.
If you're going to ride this time of year, please be careful!
Bob
Anyone going to Daytona? I have received info from the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum regarding their Daytona breakfast. March 9, 2002 @ 8 AM, at the Holiday Inn in DeLand, FL, cost $15 per person. Featured guest will be Jim Pomeroy, 1999 Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee and 2002 AMA Vintage Days Grand Marshall. Reservation and payment to the museum no later than 3/1. I have the reservation form. If you are serious about attending, let me know ASAP.
Bob
Planning for the riding season
As new dates for upcoming events become known, planning for excursions becomes harder and harder. It's like you're at a restaurant that has a six-page menu of everything you like and you haven't eaten since breakfast. Do you go to the same rallies you know are great or try something new. Small rallies can be a lot of fun and so can the big ones. Rally location can influence you too. Getting there is half the fun. Some like to camp and some like a comfortable bed for accommodations. If you like hotel ling it, your planning should begin now as you may already be too late for some events. If you are connected to the Internet or have access to the net, information is more readily available. Check the Calendar of Events page on our site as well as the links to keep apprised. Use the Travel and Touring section of the links page to make reservations and map out routes. I will keep a list of upcoming events at the end of our newsletters to keep us all informed. If you know of an event that I don't, let me know and I will include it. Me, I like a healthy mix of all kinds of events… just like foods.
MOA Dues Through the Club
With MOA dues on the increase, now is the time to lock in your renewal for another year at $24. After March, dues will increase to $32. And, you won't lose any of your membership time. Here's an excerpt from the MOA site. Each member of a chartered club is entitled to a $1.00 discount on their annual BMW MOA membership dues. (the discount applies to MOA full members only, not family members.) To receive the discount, MOA membership renewal must be done through your local club. Once each year, at a time of your choosing, you may send a list of names of members of your club that would like to renew their BMW MOA memberships, along with the corresponding amount of discounted dues, to the BMW MOA office. The membership of each person on the list will be extended one year from the renewal date of that person. Regardless of the time of renewal via your club, no MOA membership time is lost by this process, and the annual dues cost is a dollar less. Many clubs have a combined renewal process that includes the local club dues and an MOA option for those wishing to take advantage of the discount.
GCBMWC Dues are Due GCBMWC dues remain at $15 for a single membership and $18 for an associate membership. Your deadline for GCBMWC dues is March 9th, 2002.
Pictures Wanted
If you have pictures of GCBMWC past events, first bike pictures, rally pictures, or anything you think would be of interest and would like to share with the club, please get them to me. I will scan them and get them back to you. If you have a scanner or digital camera, you can upload yourself. The idea is to build an electronic scrapbook as well as have prints made for a real scrapbook and it shouldn't cost the club anything. How can it be? There is an Internet service from Kodak called Ofoto. I have created an account called "GCBMWC Members". (password=gcbmwc)There is a link to the Ofoto site on the Photo Gallery page on our site. Currently, there are 2 albums with 13 photos. The more people come to resister for free, visit and add photos, the more free pictures we can add to our scrapbook. We already have 15 free pictures just for setting it up. Those of you with Internet access should be receiving an email inviting you to check out the online pictures with a link to the ofoto site. Please participate and feel free to add your own images or get your pictures to me so that I can post them. Mike LaBar 6293 Branch Hill Guinea Pike Loveland, OH 45140
Album Address: http://www.ofoto.com/AlbumMenu.jsp?UV=872971809305_94786880303&US=0
Motorcycle Safety Tidbits
On Commuting to Work Copy and pasted with permission from the author, Steve Brooks. I came across this posting on the Beeg List - IBMWR
Commuting by bike DOES have its advantages: cheaper, faster, and (most times) you arrive at work with a smile on your face. YMMV, but here's what this particular commuter thinks important:
1) Visibility that works for me: white helmet, 80W-plus low-beam, amber
PIAA1200s, K-Tail Enhancement.
2) Side clearance: I'd suggest losing the saddlebags unless they're city cases.
Even though they may be narrower than the mirrors, there are some instances
where you'll want your rear end (that you can't see) to squeeze through a tight
space.
3) Move around in the lane to keep visible, but more time spent near the
centerline so your lights are in the side view mirror of the driver in front of
you.
4) Watch what's behind you, especially when coming upon slow or stopped traffic.
Keep a car-length space in front of you when stopped, bike straight, and near
the center-line in case you have to get out of the way fast. Keep it in gear,
eyes on the mirrors and listen for screeching tires.
5) Practice panic stops.
6) Watch for red-light runners in the city.
7) Notice what's going on 2 lanes over, it's not just what's happening in the
next lane that can force a car into your path.
8) Try not to be in the right-hand lane when passing an off-ramp to the right.
Last-minute swerves are common here.
9) If you're like me, you'll be nervous as a cat for a couple weeks, which will
subside as you gain confidence and intuition about the stupid moves of the
cagers. But sometimes they're so fast and unthinking that nothing can prepare
you for them. Those are the times to be scared of.
10) If you haven't already, get "Proficient Motorcycling" by David
Hough. Great book.
11) Debris. Avoid following buses, trucks and vans that you can't see around.
They may suddenly expose a car bumper (or worse) that you won't have enough time
to avoid.
12) Watch for traffic 6-10 vehicles ahead. Are brake lights coming on? Is there
sudden swerving? Are cars changing lanes? Ideally, you'll be following 3 or 4
short cars that'll let you see way up there.
Ride safe, Steve Brooks Lafayette, CA 1986 K100RS
Internet Notes as of 1/24/02
GCBMWC.org hit stats 2706
Egroup messages 451
Egroup members 45