Gold Wing Road Riders Association Region N Virginia District Chapter C Newsletter From the Assistant’s View August 2014 Volume 31, Issue 8 Susan Berry, Assistant Chapter Director Chapter meeting the 2nd Sunday of each month at Angelo’s Steak and Pancake House, 755 J. Clyde Morris Blvd, Newport News, VA. Eat at 6 PM; meet at 7 PM, everyone welcome. 1 From the Assistant’s View 2 From the Director’s Chair 3 Important Dates 3 Motorcycle Safety 4 Fall Sprawl 5 District News 6 Notes From Your MEPC 7 9 … Can’t Afford to Sit Back … A Few Notes From Wing Ding 36 Chapter Couples Picnic 10 We’re Coming West 11 Chapter Officers & Staff 12 Upcoming Rides and Events Flyers 8 14 The Tidewater Wings GWRRA VAC P.O. Box 1266 Yorktown, VA 23692 The weather has been hot, hot, hot, but not too hot for riding to work at least. The bad thing is with all the hot weather we get these crazy thunderstorms, luckily I have not been caught by one yet! There have been a lot of motorcycle accidents in the Hampton Roads area lately so please be careful out there and be aware of your surroundings. You never know what those crazy four wheelers are going to do. Don’t forget to check out the Rally in the Valley, it would be nice to have a group go and have a good time together. Of course since we won’t be camping the fun will have to be limited to the hotel. The staff has been busy preparing for the Fall Sprawl; just a reminder that each Chapter member who is attending is being asked to bring dessert of some kind. A few new ideas are being tossed around for the event, more news on that later. If anyone would like to volunteer to help with anything please let me know, we can always use extra help. We’d love to have more people stay the entire weekend and trust me if you have never stayed you are really missing out, a great time is had by all! We need to keep Cheryl Jones, the Chapter Couple from Chapter O, in our thoughts and prayers, she is still recovering from surgery, she and her husband Earl often visit our Chapter meetings and they always seem to have a good time. Hope to see lots of smiling faces at the ice cream rides! If you need anything or have any questions please feel free to call me. Susan C. Berry 757-810-8915 ♠ GWRRA VA-C Tidewater Wings/ August 2014 Page 1 Gold Wing Road Riders Association Region N Virginia District Chapter C Newsletter From the Director’s Chair John Newbauer, Chapter Director Article reprinted from the August 2003 C Note Just about a month ago we were hearing: “when will this damn rain quit and the weather warm up?” Now the lament seems to be: “this heat and humidity are about to do me in – and everything is so dry.” Just as sure as snow will come to the North in the winter, heat and humidity will find its way to our Region in the summer. These changes seem to be an annual event that can generally be counted on. My old friend Oly was an expert at using these naturally occurring events to his advantage – I can probably count on one hand the number of times he complained about the weather – yet Oly hated being outside in cold weather and profanely despised the sweltering temperatures of our humid South. I can remember him telling me, time and again, “When it’s too cold out to be enjoyable then get yer a_ _ inside and have a beer. Heat – that damn heat will do you in boy, it’s a killer; if it’s too hot out to be enjoyable then get yer a _ _ inside and have a beer.” It should be noted that even though Oly found the most enjoyable temperature to be between 70 & 76 degrees Fahrenheit, he preferred to spend his winters in Montana and summers in the South – go figure. “So, what has all this got to do with us?” you may be rightfully asking. Well, as motorcyclists we tend to spend a fair amount of time in the great outdoors (unless you have a very large house, a very understanding wife [I don’t know guys but, can that be an oxymoron?] and a fetish for short rides) and, as we already know, the great outdoors offers up various extremes in temperature not to mention wind and precipitation. When these extremes become too much for you or your co-rider and the ride ceases to be enjoyable, it may be time to stop and: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Relax, get something to drink (no, not beer) Take a nap under a shade tree Get inside and cool down/warm up Find a room for the night Any or all of the above Oly was right about one thing (actually, I seemed to agree with him more often than not – he was my mentor after all) heat and cold can be killers. Hyperthermia and hypothermia can sneak up on you and unless recognized early, can have fatal consequences. Know their signs and heed their warning. Maybe time for a break? See ya on the road John ♠ GWRRA VA-C Tidewater Wings/ August 2014 Page 2 Gold Wing Road Riders Association Region N Virginia District Chapter C Newsletter August Birthdays Anniversaries GWRRA Anniversaries Larry Parks 8/1 Sandy Renner 8/7 Jimmy White 8/10 Rebecca Pitts 8/12 Susan Berry 8/25 Daniel Pitts 8/30 John & Lynn Floyd 8/23 NONE Motorcycle Safety Dave Huey, Chapter Educator Folks last month I was glad that summer had arrived and now I’m not so sure. We have had some heavy rain but still have had chances to ride. Don’t let the good weather go by without getting out and enjoying our sport of motorcycling. With the heat indexes as high as 104 to 107 locally it has been hot to get out and ride. If you do get out and ride, make sure to drink plenty of fluids, stop and take some breaks in the shade; just be smart out there when it is this hot. Donna and I were able to combine a trip to see friends and Wing Ding. It was a hot one but as always a great time riding. You’ll probably get tired of hearing me say this but be sure to stay hydrated on these hot days. The Wing Ding site was great. We only spent a few hours at Wing Ding since it was our 27th visit. The facility in Madison is great and would go again if it were held there again. Next year back to Huntsville, Alabama for the 2nd time. We just completed a ride to Chapter U’s poker run and even with a little rain on the way home it was a good ride. Several things coming up over the next 3 months so come on out and join us and enjoy. Finally we must be ready by pre ride preparation for all things that could go wrong on our ride. Don’t think of it as preparing for a crash but preparing for a fun and enjoyable ride. As always be careful out there we want to see you at the next ride and / or chapter meeting. ♠ GWRRA VA-C Tidewater Wings/ August 2014 Page 3 Gold Wing Road Riders Association Region N Virginia District Chapter C Newsletter Fall Sprawl Jackie Wall, E-Mail Coordinator/Web Master Chapter C is having their annual Fall Sprawl on the 6th of September, and we hope you can join us in a fun filled weekend! The event is officially on Saturday, September 6, but the fun starts on Friday night. We are planning on having a Hot Dog Weenie Roast on Friday evening; many of you bring your own bratwurst to throw on the grill and that's fine too. We also usually get up a game of trash or something fun. Steaks on the grill Saturday the event starts at 9am and we will have lots of games to play; there is usually a paddle boat to use if you want. After lunch there will be a Friday lunch “Pie in the Face” contest where the three top vote getters will receive a pie in the face. For lunch we are serving up a big New York Strip Steak, baked potatoes, salad and desserts. If you want to stick around Saturday night, we bring back out the leftover food (and whatever we can get) and have a Saturday night feast; we all gather around the campsite and eat and share in the fun. Game prizes all in a row Just kicking back Everyone is welcome to spend Friday and/or Saturday night on the farm; just bring your own tent, trailer, RV or whatever you want to sleep in … there are no Subsidized housing hook-ups, but the ground is free! Sunday morning there will be a pancake and sausage breakfast. Keith and Carol whip up some of the best pancakes and Bob and Sandy provide the sausages. Everyone else is asked to bring something to share. So, where else can you get all of this for only $15 pre-registered? NOWHERE!! GWRRA VA-C Tidewater Wings/ August 2014 Page 4 Gold Wing Road Riders Association Region N Virginia District Chapter C Newsletter So, go to our website at www.gwrravac.com and download the flyer. The cost for pre-registration is still only $15. If you wait to register on site the day of the event, the cost will be $20 per person. The event is held rain or shine. Everyone that pre-registers will be put in a drawing for $50, so what are you waiting on? Send in those registrations! We hope to see you soon! At the registration table Ride Safe, ♠ “If there is no pipeline, there is no future,” said Denny Hogan, the commander of VFW Post 481 3. “End of conversation.” Dennis and Kristen Weston, Virginia District Directors Article taken from the July 2014 Virginia District newsletter No, Mr. Hogan isn’t talking about GWRRA, he is referring to the Keystone XL pipe line but his words can be applied to organizations like ours. He recognizes that if new life isn't pumped into his City, it will perish. Replace the word City with GWRRA, and you can equate that to our organization. If we don't invest in the pipeline, there is no future. We can relate Mr. Hogan’s description of the disappearance of excitement and growth in his City, to our own decline. While no one wants to see the elephant in the room, it needs to be discussed. Our numbers are getting smaller. Our meetings, rallies and rides are getting smaller. Our Chapters sizes are getting smaller. Our staff volunteers are getting smaller. Chapters used to be so large; members waited their turn to take up the next available position at the Chapter or District level. All proud to be part of an organization so strong in its content and founding principle that we all wanted to be a part of passing the word along; of educating each other and the public on motorcycle safety and who we are. Now, we are all pulling out our hair trying to figure out how to get everyone enthused again. GWRRA proudly emphasizes our family environment. We all love family. But like families, we need to prosper, help each other out, and most importantly, carry on. We need to bring in our next generation. Otherwise, as we have all heard it said: our family line will die out. As District Director, I have been stressing the importance of bringing in new members. While a few Chapters have been successful in recruiting, there are still those struggling with member loss, and sadly, Chapter closings. We lost Chapter VA-Y, Leesburg, this month. Part of the struggle the Director faced was people GWRRA VA-C Tidewater Wings/ August 2014 Page 5 Gold Wing Road Riders Association Region N Virginia District Chapter C Newsletter unwilling to help fulfill positions and a lack of membership. With two more Chapters on the verge of closing we must figure out what the answer is to not only keeping our Chapters strong, but growing and caring enough to fill the much needed positions. I don't have all the answers, I struggle to make sense of it myself, but if we don't start working together as a team, there won't be a need to figure it out. There won't be a District Convention to attend or Chapter events to support. If we don't work together to get our pipeline up and running, there won't be a need for one. As Mr. Hogan said, "End of conversation." Dennis & Kristen Weston, Virginia District Directors ♠ Notes from your MEPC Sharyn Sullinger, Chapter MEPC This month’s topic continues with the Membership Cycle. The last two stages of the cycle deal with experiences and retention. The cycle continues with your experiences in the chapter. Your job is to HAVE FUN! This is your job, not the Chapter Teams. Join in on planned activities and rides or suggest activities and rides that interest you. We are all equal members of the chapter and your interest and special talents are important. Your help is needed and always wanted. Don’t sit back and wait to be asked. The more you get involved, the more FUN we will have. The third part of the cycle kicks in with “retention”. From prior MEPCs: “In a perfect world, all new Members are always 100% satisfied with their GWRRA experience. They never fail to renew their memberships and there is no need for a membership retention focus. But, this is the real world. Of course, natural attrition within the Chapter will occur due to health problems, economics, broken friendships, job transfers, etc. Hopefully, your incentive to renew and remain active in your Chapter will be the positive experience you have as a GWRRA Member. If you have any reasons for dissention, please let me (or another officer) know to give me a chance to fix the problem. I have mentioned many times, that is anyone wants to help in any way, I could use all the help I can get. That being said, I asked a member with some help with recruiting and working with me, (actually I begged) and Jeff has graciously offered to assist me. Together, we can make our Chapter a healthy and happy family. Our last outings, ice cream run and Chap O’s event, were fun times. The auction at the Casino picnic for a beautiful helmet was one of the most exciting ones I have ever experienced there, thanks to Zack (Yep) on providing some great entertaining with his bidding tactics. Keep the rubber to the road and your seat in the saddle! Sharyn Sullinger ♠ GWRRA VA-C Tidewater Wings/ August 2014 Page 6 Gold Wing Road Riders Association Region N Virginia District Chapter C Newsletter Why Motorcyclists Can’t Afford to Just Sit Back and Enjoy the Ride Matt Danielson From e-mail received June 14, 2014 There are many different things that draw people to motorcycling. For some it is the sense of freedom. For others it is a source of relaxation. It can also be a source of exhilaration. If you are like me, it is to some degree all of the above. That being said, it is the ride that we crave regardless of what each of us gets from it. This time of year the roads are packed with motorcyclists who are sitting back (or forward) and just enjoying the ride. That begs the question; can we as avid motorcyclists afford to do that? I had the privilege this month of riding to Frisco Colorado to attend the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) Best of the West Conference. For those who have been to Colorado you know that it is some of the prettiest riding country you will ever encounter. Yet on a gorgeous Saturday in June, I found myself not on my bike riding the Rockies, but in a room with motorcyclists from around the country discussing issues riders are facing all around the United States. The following is a list of some of the issues that were being addressed by the participants: Working to prevent motorcyclists from being excluded from public parking lots, roads, and parking garages. Working to eliminate roadside checkpoints aimed only at motorcyclists. Working to address the ever growing problem of distracted driving. Working to prohibit the use of higher ethanol blends at the pump until the effects on motorcycle engines can be further studied. Working for legislation allowing motorcyclists to safely and reasonably proceed when they are stuck at a traffic light that will not recognize them. Working to prevent legislation which arbitrarily sets age restrictions for passengers on motorcycles. Working with state and local governments to promote sensible motorcycle awareness campaigns. All of these are real issues being faced by real riders. As I took in everything being discussed I thought to myself, what would riding be like if there were no one addressing these issues on behalf of motorcyclists? The answer was chilling. It is easy to sit back, enjoy the ride, and count on everything being all right. But can we afford to do that? If we all did, we may soon find no ride left to sit back and enjoy. So what can you do to protect yourself and the activity that we all love and cherish? Take some simple steps to become involved in protecting the rights of fellow motorcyclists. I am not suggesting that everyone start riding all over the country attending seminars (although it is a great excuse to ride all over the country). You can get involved locally. Start paying attention to the positions that your local, state and federal legislators take regarding issues affecting motorcyclists. Share your thoughts in letters and emails. Write letters to the editor of your local paper. Go to City Council or County Board meetings. Join a motorcycle rights organization and attend their lobby day, where motorcyclists go the State Capitol to discuss issues important to us with elected officials. I would also encourage you to join the MRF. This is an organization dedicated solely to protecting the rights of American motorcyclists. You can learn more and join at mrf.org. ♠ GWRRA VA-C Tidewater Wings/ August 2014 Page 7 Gold Wing Road Riders Association Region N Virginia District Chapter C Newsletter Just a few notes from Wing Ding 36—Madison Wisconsin Taken from the July 2014 Region N Newsletter 1. Gary Hamilton (Tennessee District Director) was selected “Educator of the Year”. 2. Region N was well represented in the International Couple of the Year Selection by Boyd and Dianne Hixson. A big “Thank You” to them for doing such an awesome job! 3. Barb and John Pons from Region F (Colorado) was selected the 2014-2015 ICOY. Congratulations go out to Barb and John. 4. Tommy and Gayle Wilson, 2013-2014 ICOY, did a fantastic job coordinating and overseeing the COY program at Wing Ding. 5. Region N Trainers taught quite a few seminars. Thanks, Trainers. 6. Even with the long traveling distance, Region N had a good representation at the rally. 7. We (Region N) handled On-Site Registration with very little outside help. We were only a little short-staffed the first part of the week. Special thanks go to Angie Mitchell (VA) and Glenda Keough (TN) for all their assistance; and many, many kudos to all those who “worked” our post. You all rock!!! 8. Joe Price (Arizona) was introduced as the new International Leadership Training Program Director 9. Attendance at WD36 was just under 9000 folks. 10. Wing Ding 37 will be in Huntsville Alabama September 3—6, 2015 ♠ “The average adult's attention span has dropped from 12 minutes to a staggering short 5 minutes Alan and Carolyn Little, GWRRA Region N Director Article taken from the July 2014 Region N Newsletter Hello Wingers, I've been accused of selecting off the wall topics for my articles, and in keeping consistent with that notion, I'm going to broach a question that I've been pondering and researching for awhile, namely: "The attention span for adults". I recently heard about a report entitled "How Social Media is Ruining Our Minds". It reveals a recent study showing that over the course of the last ten years, the average adult's attention span has dropped from 12 minutes to GWRRA VA-C Tidewater Wings/ August 2014 a Page 8 Gold Wing Road Riders Association Region N Virginia District Chapter C Newsletter staggering short 5 minutes. I thought the idea that the 12 minute window was amazingly short. But 5 minutes? WOW! I expanded my re-search, and other sources state that at the very best, the top attention span for adults was found to be no more than 20 minutes. If you spend any time on Facebook, Twitter, texting or just emailing, you know it's probably true. I seldom take time to read a really long article (unless it catches my attention!). I just don't feel like I have the time. It may seem like a ridiculous notion that our GWRRA members would even care about attention spans, but I've heard “time constraints” as the reason to why rallies are offering fewer training seminars or none at all. The average seminar, either LTP, MEC or RE, will consume one hour, figuring that it takes 10-15 minutes for the preliminaries, and 40-45 minutes of presentation time. I can see how a few seminars could quickly eat up a morning at a week-end rally. As a MUT, I've been involved in the presentation of seminars for years, and it's a bit unsettling that we can't seem to find time for this valuable training. So, I began to think what we might be able to do to better fit these seminars into our cramped weekend rallies. That's when I began to look at the average attention span for adults. Most of my GWRRA friends and I are chronologically adults, although most of us don't really act like it. If our attention span is really somewhere between 5 - 20 minutes, why then do we have seminars that last 40+ minutes? This leads to the real questions: Are we more interested in exposing our members to the information, or educating them? Can we find a way to do both? Now, I don't actually think we're going to make a radical change to what we're currently doing, but it would be interesting to see if our class attendance would be affected if we did. And, what would be the reaction of church members if the pastor reduced the message down to 20 minutes and they made it to the steak houses before noon next Sunday? Might want to spend the next 12 minutes pondering that one. Don't go bonkers on me... just food for thought, and perhaps a smile. Take time for a ride, Alan and Carolyn Little, GWRRA Region N Director ♠ Chapter Couples Picnic John & Lynn Floyd, Chapter C COY On July 19th John and I attended the Chapter Couples Picnic at Twin Lakes State Park, a nice two hour ride from home. The Park is a beautiful place with lake swimming, paddle boats, fishing and a wonderful setting for fellowship and a lunch of BBQ, hot dogs, hamburgers, salads and great desserts. Let’s ride together ♠ GWRRA VA-C Tidewater Wings/ August 2014 Page 9 Gold Wing Road Riders Association Region N Virginia District Chapter C Newsletter We're Coming West Abel Gallardo, President of GWRRA Taken from the GWRRA National E-Newsletter for July 2014 Serving the membership of GWRRA is a true passion shared by each and every one of us here in Phoenix. There is no better reward than reading the countless letters and emails regarding how much this Association has done for each and every one of its Members; about the friendships that have been made that are sure to last a lifetime; and about the lasting memories made traveling around this great country, experiencing everything their travels and GWRRA has offered. In recent years, a common theme of these communications has also been a lack of attention to the western part of the United States. A great number of you have expressed that GWRRA has focused much of its attention and activities toward the eastern part of the United States. And as much as that perception may be hard to argue with, I can tell you that it has not been done intentionally and our desire to spread ourselves all over the country is as strong as ever. The more the sentiment kept growing, the more committed my team and I were to look for opportunities to bring events and activities that our western Members would attend and enjoy. Month after month and year after year, we would get close, but for one reason or another, the necessary support could not be found. All that being said, as I write this piece for Wingin' It this month, I am excited to say that our commitment to the West never wavered, and our search for support of these efforts never took a back seat to other activities. Which is why I'm so excited to let each and every one of you know that GWRRA is coming West! That's right, in June 2015, GWRRA will bring a new national event to Reno, NV, which we have titled the Reno Rendezvous. The Reno Rendezvous will be held at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino convention center, and we could not have been more fortunate to find this location. With all of our other events, it has been difficult to find locations that will create an all-in-one environment, but the Grand Sierra does just that. With enough hotel rooms to host all of our attendees, trade show space to host the countless vendors and exhibitors GWRRA continuously brings to its shows, a 50-lane bowling alley, large entertainment theater/venue, this location will redefine the term "stay and play" for all the attendees that join us at the Reno Rendezvous. The city of Reno is a great destination for entertainment, riding and a true GWRRA event experience. I hope all of our Members will mark their calendars and join us as we kick off what I know will be one of the greatest events we've ever put together. Abel Gallardo, President of GWRRA ♠ GWRRA VA-C Tidewater Wings/ August 2014 Page 10 Gold Wing Road Riders Association Region N Virginia District Chapter C Newsletter Chapter C Officers and Staff Chapter Director John Newbauer 757-827-0834 grdnman1@verizon.net Ride Coordinator Randy Morris 804-824-9186 Rdmorris32@cox.net Asst. Chapter Director Susan Berry 757-874-5249 govtbkrldy@verizon.net Social Coordinator Julie Smith 757-898-0735 steelesmithj@yahoo.com Chapter Educator Dave & Donna Huey 757-325-8838 Dhuey1800@cox.net Charity/Community Relations Sydney Newbauer 757-827-0834 grizzmom@verizon.net Treasurer Bruce Barnes bwbarnes@cox.net Web Master/E-Mail Coordinator Jackie Wall 757-766-3391 walljackie@hotmail.com Membership Enhancement Coordinator Sharyn Sullinger 757-874-5249 tuckerue@verizon.net Newsletter Editor John Newbauer 757-827-0834 grdnman1@verizon.net Chapter Couple of the Year John & Lynn Floyd 757-838-0607 John: crayonjohnfloyd@gmail.com Lynn: Ways & Means Coordinator mylucktmnm@yahoo.com Open Activities & Fun Coordinator Sandy Renner 757-867-6940 bsrnr@verizon.net Jackie Wall 757-766-3391 walljackie@hotmail.com Motorcycle Awareness Coordinator GWRRA VA-C Tidewater Wings/ August 2014 Open Page 11 Gold Wing Road Riders Association Region N Virginia District Chapter C Newsletter 2014 Chapter C Rides and Events August 9 Yes VAC Chapter picnic/pool party @ Randy & Debbie’s Moved to the 24th 10 Yes VAC Monthly Chapter Meeting Eat at 6pm, meet at 7pm 12 Yes VAC Ice Cream Ride – Dairy Queen McD N 6:30pm 16-17 Yes VAC Blue Ridge Mountain Ride McD N 7am 23 Yes VAC All Chapter’s Picnic McD N 24 Yes VAC Chapter picnic/pool party @ Randy & Debbie’s NcD N 10:30am 26 Yes VAC Ice Cream Ride – High’s Ice Cream McD S 6:30pm 30 Yes VAC Fall Sprawl Cleanup TBD if needed 5-7 Yes VAC Fall Sprawl Meet @ Site 9 Yes VAC Ice Cream Ride – Handel’s Ice Cream & Yogurt McD N 6:30 pm 14 Yes VAC Monthly Chapter Meeting Eat at 6pm, meet at 7pm September GWRRA VA-C Tidewater Wings/ August 2014 Page 12 Gold Wing Road Riders Association Region N Virginia District Chapter C Newsletter 23 Yes VAC Ice Cream Ride – Dairy Queen McD S 6:30 pm 27-28 Yes VAC Ferry Boat Ride TBD 4-5 Yes VAC Culpepper Farm Tour 12 Yes VAC Monthly Chapter Meeting Eat at 6pm, meet at 7pm 18 Yes VAC Bike Clinic @ Dave & Donna’s 9 am 19 Yes VAC Yorktown Day Parade TBD 25 Yes VAC Potluck/Bunco – John & Lynn’s Home Eat @ 5 pm Yes VAC Monthly Chapter Meeting Eat at 6pm, meet at 7pm Yes VAC Chapter Christmas Party @ 5 pm October November 9 December 6 Chapter Meetings Departure Locations – McDonald’s Angelo's Steak & Pancake House McSouth (McD S)- Mercury Blvd & Jefferson Avenue, 755 J Clyde Morris Blvd. Newport News, VA Chapter Website www.gwrravac.com McNorth – (McD N) - Ft. Eustis Blvd & Rt. 17 Facebook GoldWing VA Chapter C Note: This schedule is subject to change. GWRRA VA-C Tidewater Wings/ August 2014 Page 13 Gold Wing Road Riders Association Region N Virginia District Chapter C Newsletter GWRRA VA-C Tidewater Wings/ August 2014 Page 14 Gold Wing Road Riders Association Region N Virginia District Chapter C Newsletter GWRRA VA-C Tidewater Wings/ August 2014 Page 15