hog tracks newsletter · 2013. 8. 24. · 3 hog tracks newsletter well folks, summer has come on...
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HOG Tracks Newsletter
July / Aug 2013
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HOG Tracks Newsletter
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HOG Tracks Newsletter
Well folks, summer has come on early and strong this year. We’ve already seen temperatures above 100 in Kingman, and well above 110 in both Bullhead City and Lake Havasu for several days.
Below are some things to think about prior to each ride to help keep you safe and comfortable on your ride.
Where are you going and how long will you be riding?
What time of day are you leaving and returning?
What are the temperature and wind conditions forecast to be during your ride times?
Will you be riding into the early morning or afternoon sun?
Do you have any medical conditions for which the sun or heat may cause a problem?
Are you taking hats and other cover up clothing to keep you safe from the sun?
Have you lotioned up with sunscreen, and have enough with you for the trip? A number 30 or higher is usually recommended, and should be re-applied during the day.
And extremely important………..do you have enough water and/or Gatorade type beverages with you to keep you hydrated
between stops, and in case you break down?
In our dry heat climate, hydration is a top priority both on and off rides when outside. Take more than you think you’ll need and replenish it on stops. Also, drink regularly even if you aren’t thirsty. Heat exhaustion can sneak up on us and progress to an emer-gency condition.
You may also have other items on your personal list for hot weather riding. Let’s stay cool, ride safe, and make the most of our summer riding weather and destinations.
Joe
Hello fellow members, it is amazing how fast the last couple months have
passed, along with the change in the weather. Please take the time to read the
Safety Article, written by Joe. They could make a potently bad ride a good
one.
The 2nd Half Ride Schedule is now available so look it over and come join the
rest of us on these great rides. With the weather as warm as it is, rides to the
North come with joy.
Our next ride “Twinkies Forever” is on July 7th followed by our Chapter Meeting the following Saturday. The Ladies of
Harley have postponed there bake sale for the next couple of months due to the heat, too bad, the items are fantastic.
Make sure you check out Bunnie’s article for a briefing on the Ladies of Harley’s sponsored ride “Cheeks on the
Peaks” and all the other info she has to share.
We have two Officer Positions open that I would like to get filled. They are Photographer and Safety Officer. If you are
interested in one of the positions please e mail me @ [email protected] or drop a note in the chapter box at MRHD.
I look forward to seeing all of you at the meetings and on the rides…..
RIDE SAFE (IT’S NOT THE DESTINATION, IT’S THE RIDE)
Dan Weaver
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Ladies of Harley meets the same day as the chapter meeting and barbe-
que. We have our meeting right after the general meeting in the break
room at Mother Road Harley Davidson. If you don’t know where their
break room is, just ask any employee, and they can show you the way.
Our LOH bake sale has been a success these last three months, and I would like to thank everyone who helped
with this project. We will start this back up in September when the heat calms down.
We have our LOH sponsored “Cheeks on the Peaks” ride scheduled for August 17th and 18th in Flagstaff. There is
a block of rooms reserved for us at Motel 6 on Butler Ave. Rate is $55.79 + tax. Room reservation is under M.R. Chapter.928-774-1801
We have a lot of great sightseeing to do, so please join us. Our day will start off riding to the snow bowl, and take the chair lift up to
the top of the mountain. If I can get at least 10 people that want to do the chair lift, the rate is 50% off, if I give them a 48 hour notice
that we are coming, so RSVP me ASAP, Thanks (only $7.50 a ticket instead of $15.00) After that , lunch, then possibly a stop at the
Museum Of Northern Arizona. We will then check into our rooms, and go to Walnut Canyon to see some neat Indian ruins, then back
to town for dinner, and star gazing through a massive telescope at Lowell Observatory. Flagstaff is my home town, so I am excited to
show her off to you all. Please call or email me with any questions. Remember this is a CHAPTER RIDE, not just the ladies doing this.
We have FINALLY collected enough shirts to make the quilt, thank you to EVERYONE who donated these shirts, it will be quite fun to
make, and should have it completed by the July meeting. TICKETS WILL GO ON SALE THEN.
The patriot flag tour is fast approaching. July 21st is when the flag will be in Kingman. We will host a barbeque at Frank Musemeci’s
house. 3967 Dakota Road. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share. RSVP me by July 15th, to what you can bring. Frank says bring your
swimsuit, and cool off in the pool! J
I know Christmas is a LONG way off, but when you’re planning our party, it is creeping up on us quickly. I am looking for donations for
our auction. Anything can be donated, and my goal is to get every member to donate 1 item. If that can be accomplished, we will have A
LOT of items to raffle, and if you were at the auction last year, you know how much fun we had! We are already getting some really neat
stuff for the auction already. Thank you!!
I am always looking for ideas, so please contact me, and lets talk!
Have fun and ride safe!
Bunnie
WIN - A gift card to Mother Road if you can come
up with the funniest caption for this picture.
All entries must be in by the first Friday in Aug 2013.
Send entries to Sean Martin at
Joe Melichar was last months winner of the $25
gift card.
HOG Tracks Newsletter
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This month's "Bike of the Month" features Doyle Straus' 2006 Ultra Classic. Mo-
torcycles were always an important part of Doyle's life and he owned several met-
ric bikes before purchasing the new 2006 Ultra Classic at Mother Road Harley
Davidson. The 06 has remained basically stock as it's primary use is for touring.
Doyle only added a set of Vance & Hines slip on mufflers. Doyle mentioned to me
that one of his best rides is when he rode the 06 to Sturgis and back with us in
2008. It was a blast!
You can always spot the 06 from other bikes, as Doyle keeps a teddy bear tied on
top of the tour pack, in front of the flags. Yep, Doyle claims it acts as a "Chick
Magnet!" Not sure if this works for everyone...but I've seen a couple of fine ladies
riding with Doyle 2-up over the last few years.
Doyle figures he's put about 15,000 miles on the odometer riding with our HOG Chapter 1061 since he joined in 2006. The
rest of the miles on the 06 are a result of touring and riding with the Moose Riders Club. We have five members of our
Chapter that belong to the Bullhead City Moose Lodge. Doyle says our Chapter 1061 is always invited to support and par-
ticipate in the Moose Riders charity events. They include, Mooseheart, and other local charities in the tri-state area.
There are no future plans to replace the 06 as it is a "great ride," thanks to the guys in the Service Department at Mother
Road Harley Davidson.
Look for that "teddy bear" on our next ride!
HOG Tracks Newsletter
Motoring the Mother Road
Mother Road Harley-Davidson is happy to welcome Roy back to our team after his re-covery from his stunt riding last May. He almost walks normal but his great attitude is back in full swing. If you haven’t had the chance, stop in our service department and welcome him back, we missed him while he was out (but don’t tell him I said that, it’ll go to his head).
As I write these words, the Weather Channel tells me it is 109 outside and seems just darn hot for riding motorcycles…but we still do! If you’re brave enough to be venturing out on two wheels this time of year, make sure you stop in and see our selection of hydration vests and caps that will keep you cool when the mercury rises. These special material garments soak up and retain water, acting like an evaporative cooler for your body as you ride. When you stop, recharge them with some cold aqua and hit the road again. Dixie and Tony and their crews can keep you comfy, stop in and let them show you how.
New models should be out at the end of August and we only have a few of the Road Glide and Road King Classics left in stock so hurry in today because when they are gone…they’re gone for good.
Ride early and stay hydrated,
Tony Campbell and the Mother Road H-D crew
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Dan Weaver
Director & Road Captain
928-303-0177
Dale Webb
Asst. Director / Activities & Road Cap-tain
928-757-9634
Patrick Lilly
Head Road Captain
509-899-1603
Zola Dixon
Secretary
928-718-1227
Terry Kelly
Treasurer / Webmaster
928-715-0566
Safety Officer
Rudy Blum
Photographer
928-542-1634
Sean Martin
Editor
928-279-9352
Bunnie Weaver
Ladies of Harley
928-303-0121
Frank Musumeci
Historian
928-753-1750
Charles Shores
Membership
928-303-1012
HOG Tracks Newsletter
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Kingman
Name Home Cell
Patrick Lilly 509-899-1603
Rudy Blum 928-718-0976 928-542-1634
Dale Webb 928-757-9634 557-287-2025
Charles Shores 928-303-1012
Rick Patton 928-692-0256
Dan Weaver 928-303-0177
Gretchen Graber 928-376-5448
Kenny Imthurn 928-530-7044
Chuck Leslie 928-279-9539
Lake Havasu
Bullhead City / Laughlin
Joe Melichar 702-298-1799 702-373-2900
Terry Kelly 928-715-0566
Pam Kelly 928-715-6471
Bob Goble 303-517-9680
Golden Valley
Mike Celsi 928-530-7779
HOG Tracks Newsletter
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HOG Tracks Newsletter
PATRIOTISM IS ALIVE AND WELL IN THE USA
I think that an extraordinary sea change has occurred in American culture over the past several decades. Remember when the motor-cyclist’s image was that of Marlon Brando and Lee Marvin, surrounded by an assortment of weirdoes and two wheeled gangsters, sacking the northern California town of Hollister, in The Wild One. Today the image of the biker is very different. Much of the change in thinking undoubt-edly can be traced to the “Baby Boomer” generation. The “Toys For Tots” runs during the Christmas season and other children’s causes, and various other charitable events, have certainly improved our image. But in my opinion the greatest single image changer for the biking commu-nity has come about because of the exposure to the American people of military veterans who ride and participate in patriotic biker activities.
Since 9/11 we have seen some astonishing periods of collective patriotism expressed by the American people. This era’s support for our men and women in uniform during the war on terror has been surpassed only by the “all out” effort put forth by the “Greatest Generation” during WWII. Much of this support has been generated by America’s Vietnam veterans, who have emphatically stated that they will not let an-other generation of veterans be forgotten as they were. The mission of the Patriot Guard Riders, originally designed to off-set the repugnant actions of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, has evolved into a military support group mostly made up of bike enthusiasts who welcome home vets, send vets off to war zones, and participate in many patriotic events. Last month in Washington, D.C., one of the all-time greatest shows of national pride and support for military personnel, past and present, occurred over the Memorial Day weekend.
I had the privilege to ride in this year’s parade of motorcycles through the streets of our nation’s capital. The Rolling Thunder First Amendment Demonstration Run is an annual ride and gathering that began in 1988. Riders from around the nation rally in the Pentagon parking lots and begin the run through the streets of Washington, D.C. at noon. The mission has also included legislative efforts. Rolling Thunder strives to affect national policy in a way that will assist POW/MIA’s. The organization’s leadership wrote, found sponsors, and helped to get passed the Missing Service Personnel Act of 1993.
In 1987, Ray Manzo (Corporal USMC 1967-69) visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and stopped at a booth to talk with fellow veterans. His greatest concern was that American servicemen had been abandoned in Southeast Asia at the end of the Vietnam War. This idea was counter to his Marine Corps training of “Leave No Man Behind” and he became consumed with the idea that he must do something to bring attention to this issue and “make right a terrible wrong.” Manzo attended a POW/MIA vigil sponsored by the Vietnam Veter-ans Motorcycle Club when the idea came to him: He would host a motorcycle rally in the nation’s capital to show the country and the world that our Prisoner’s Of War and Missing In Action still mattered to their fellow servicemen and the country for which they sacrificed their freedom. He drafted a letter for a call to action and began mailing it to Biker publications. He then enlisted fellow veterans from the D.C. area to help him “cut through the red-tape” of requirements set forth by the District of Columbia.
Sgt. Major John Holland, very experienced in D.C. legislation, joined up and enlisted 1st Sgt. Walt Sides. SSgt. Ted Sampley, an ever-present activist in D.C., jumped on board as well. Manzo and these three other veterans became the founding fathers of Rolling Thunder. But it was Ted Sampley’s colleague, Bob Schmitt, who coined the phrase. He was staring at the Memorial Bridge and envisioning Manzo’s dream and simply blurted out, “…It will be like the sound of rolling thunder coming across the bridge,” a sound not unlike the 1965 bombing campaign against North Vietnam named Operation Rolling Thunder. The four decided there could be no better date than Memorial Day to sponsor this run. Holland, Sides, and Sampley, got busy securing permits and meeting with the Mayor’s task force. Another D.C. activist, Ted Shpak, perfect-ed the Constitution and By-Laws required for incorporation. Manzo worked on bringing in the bikes. His friend Larry Darkow would be instru-mental in “rounding up” the bikers who would come from as far as the West Coast.
They came from dusty hollows and bustling cities. Some came alone, others in convoys. Many joined up as they met on the long road to Washington, D.C. In May of 1988, Ray Manzo’s dream turned into a reality when thousand of bikes poured onto the streets of D.C. for Rolling Thunder I. Although Ray’s dream was for a one-time demonstration to bring national attention to the POW/MIA issue, Rolling Thunder had struck a chord in the hearts of veterans everywhere and from all walks of life. Veterans who could not attend Rolling Thunder I vowed to return the next year. And so it continued to grow and this year we celebrated the Twenty-Sixth Anniversary. Rolling Thunder has grown into the world’s largest single-day motorcycle event, with riders from around the nation, and even around the world. Manzo and his fellow co-founders achieved their initial mission of greater POW/MIA awareness, and the event continues to support veterans from all wars. POW/MIA numbers from wars following the Vietnam War have greatly diminished and the treatment of returning veterans has greatly improved. This year the Fed-eral government issued a proclamation to officially “welcome home” Vietnam Veterans to compensate them, in some way, for the poor treat-ment they received when they first returned.
Since I have been riding, about five years, participating in Rolling Thunder had been on my “Bucket List.” The ride cross-country had
also been something that I had hoped to accomplish, so I guess I killed two birds with one rock. Now that I have accomplished those tasks I will
bank the memories that were formed in May of 2013 and move on to the next ride. At the ripe old age of 65, I do not anticipate any more “long”
trips. But to have been a participant in Rolling Thunder XXVI, along with over 500,000 other like-minded riders, it was brought home to me how
the American people can come together when they are motivated to do so. Not motivated by some spurious politician or Hollywood phony, but by
every day Joes, by the thousands of Americans who were waving flags and hoping to pat on the back strangers riding through the streets of D.C.
on their motorcycles.
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Aug 2013
SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Hog meeting
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Cheeks in
the Peaks Ride
18 Cheeks in
the Peaks
Ride
19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Jackass
Breakfast Run
HOG Tracks Newsletter
July 2013
SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 Twinkies For-
ever Ride
8 9 10 11 12 13 Hog Meeting
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 Patriot Flag
Run (NOT HOG
Sponsored)
22 Patriot Flag
Run (NOT HOG
Sponsored)
23 24 25 26 27 Tipping the
Scales at Lilo’s
28 29 30 31