Gold Wing Road Riders Association Gold Wing Road Riders Association Gold Wing Road Riders Association Gold Wing Road Riders Association Chapter K2 Kountry Wings Chapter K2 Kountry Wings Chapter K2 Kountry Wings Chapter K2 Kountry Wings Big Rapids, Michigan Big Rapids, Michigan Big Rapids, Michigan Big Rapids, Michigan

Great Lakes Region D Great Lakes Region D Great Lakes Region D Great Lakes Region D May 2013

MI District Director Kim and Sandy Bargeron

989-689-5443

Region “D” Director Roger and Penny Hurley

(937) 698-4443

Assistant MI District Directors Farmer and Terri Rodgers

mrandmrsfarmer@yahoo.com

MI K2 OFFICERS & STAFF SENIOR CHAPTER DIRECTORS

COY Coordinators Don & Cyndi Reed

231-796-3716 reedcy14@yahoo.com

RED/MED Bill Diffin

810-397-1813

TREASURER Anne Lehman

H 989-382-8879 W 989-382-5581

Newsletter Editor Cyndi Reed

231-796-3716

Goodies & Patches Cyndi Reed

231-796-3716

Sunshine Lady Cyndi Reed

231-796-3716

50/50 Sales Richard Reed

Road Captains Don Reed

K2’s Monthly Gathering/Meeting

Chapter K2 meets monthly at Sharon’s Country Restaurant (see ad on back page), located at 10431 Northland Dr., Big Rapids, MI 49307, Ph. 231-796-3960. Gatherings are held on the second Tuesday of the month at 6 PM for dinner with the meeting to follow at 7 PM.

Couples of the Year

2013-2014 MI District COY Bill & Linda Diffin Chapter F2

2012-2013 Region D COY Mike & Penny Kadinger

Indiana

2012-2013 International COY Greg & Renee Dempsey--Region A

K2 KOUNTRY KORNERK2 KOUNTRY KORNERK2 KOUNTRY KORNERK2 KOUNTRY KORNER May 2013May 2013May 2013May 2013

To all Wing riders:

It looks like riding season has finally arrived!!

April 26th looked like a nice day to ride, so I loaded the trunk with Midnight Ride flyers and

set out to go to Fremont to the Harley and Honda dealers. Then on up to the Peacock dealer,

north of Baldwin and as long as I was that close, I decided to go to Club 37, delivering flyers

all along the way. Well, that was close enough to Dublin to warrant a detour for some good

jerky and a Coke. I sat outside at the picnic table, soaking up the wonderful sunshine and en-

joying some cracked black pepper venison jerky. Mmmm! Mmmm! Good!

On Saturday, April 27th, Cyndi and I went to Scottville on the bike to see new officers get

swore at (installed) by Asst. District Directors Farmer and Terri Rodgers and District Treas-

urer Ron Linn. Boy, it was sure fun to see old friends and meet some new ones. On the way

home we stayed mostly on back roads. It was a great ride, with the miles for the 2 days: Fri.

180 miles and Sat. 130 miles. Hope you all are getting out there and having riding “FUN”!

Don’t forget Mother’s Day, May 12th.

The Blessing of the Bikes in Baldwin is on May 19th. Anyone wanting to go with us, meet at

Don & Cyndi’s at 10:00 am. After the blessing we’re going to Club 37 for dinner and proba-

bly back to Jones’ for ice cream!

Chapter K2 is selling raffle tickets at Houseman’s in Baldwin the Friday & Saturday before

the blessing (17th & 18th), from 10:00 am till 2:00 pm both days. It is very exciting this year,

because we are raffling $10,000 cash!! This means less expenses involved, so we can give

more to our charity, Rainbow Connection! We are also planning to sell tickets at the Big Rap-

ids Walmart on Friday May 24th & Saturday May 25th

from 10 am till 2 pm and we hope that we are sold out

by then. Thank you to our members who work for this

good cause.

See ya’ out there, Wolfman and CJ Don and Cyndi

Senior CD’s K2

Ten Things All Car & Truck Drivers Should Know About Motorcycles

From the Motorcycle Safety Foundation 1. Over half of all fatal motorcycle crashes involve another vehicle. Most of the time, the motorist, not the motorcyclist, is at fault. There are a lot more cars and trucks than motorcycles on the road, and some drivers don't "recognize" a motorcycle - they ignore it (usually unintentionally). 2. Because of its small size, a motorcycle can be easily hidden in a car's blind spot (door/roof pil-lars) or masked by objects or backgrounds outside a car (bushes, fences, bridges, etc.). Take an extra moment to look for motorcycles, whether you're changing lanes or turning at intersections. 3. Because of its small size, a motorcycle may look farther away than it is. It may also be difficult to judge a motorcycle's speed. When checking traffic to turn at an intersection or into (or out of) a driveway, predict a motorcycle is closer than it looks. 4. Motorcyclists often slow by downshifting or merely rolling off the throttle, thus not activating the brake light. Allow more following distance, say 3 or 4 seconds. At intersections, predict a motorcyclist may slow down without visual warning. 5. Motorcyclists often adjust position within a lane to be seen more easily and to minimize the ef-

fects of road debris, passing vehicles, and wind. Understand that motorcyclists adjust lane posi-tion for a purpose, not to be reckless or show off or to allow you to share the lane with them. 6. Turn signals on a motorcycle usually are not self-cancelling, thus some riders (especially be-ginners) sometimes forget to turn them off after a turn or lane change. Make sure a motorcycle's signal is for real. 7. Maneuverability is one of the motorcycle's better characteristics, especially at slower speeds and with good road conditions, but don't expect a motorcyclist to dodge out of the way. 8. Stopping distance for motorcycles is nearly the same as for cars, but slippery pavement makes stopping quickly difficult. Allow more following distance behind a motorcycle because it can't always stop "on a dime." 9. When a motorcycle is in motion, see more than the motorcycle - see the person under the hel-met, who could be your friend, neighbor or relative. 10. If a driver crashes into a motorcyclist, bicyclist, or pedestrian and causes serious injury, the driver would likely never forgive himself/herself.

When you are out and about with friends and family be sure and talk about being aware of motorcycles and sharing the road. The more we talk about it the more the public will pay attention to smaller vehicles on the highways and byways.

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month Rider Education Program

Common Sense Motorcycle Safety Tips Based on 2009 American Motorcycle Association reports, motorcycle fatalities have dropped by at least 10%. This, of course, is a good thing. However, it is obvi-ous that the driver of a motorcycle is much more at risk of injury or death than the driver of an automobile. An accident that is merely a fender bender for a car or truck can mean death or disability for a motorcyclist. Here are a few tips that can increase your chances of avoiding accidents and/or injuries.

Tip #1 - Buckle on that Helmet There is often disagreement between those who believe in wearing a motorcycle helmet and those who don’t. Common sense would say it is hard to isolate one single argument from the no-helmet brigade that makes any sense. Research statistics further substantiate the case for wearing helmets, showing that huge numbers of motorcyclists escape death by wearing them. This includes my wife and me in our one and, hopefully, only serious accident.

Tip #2 - Wear Brightly Colored, Protective Clothing Motorcyclists should ALWAYS wear appropriate gear for protection and be clearly visible to other motorists. A motorcyclist ejected from a motorcycle can skid along the pavement and, without protective clothes and boots, can forcibly embed rocks, glass and other objects in their flesh. This can have disastrous consequences in pain and suffering.

Tip #3 - Keep Awake and Stay Sober Drowsiness and fatigue can seriously impair a motorcyclist’s reflexes and ability to react. Motorcyclists should avoid riding when tired. If you must ride, take regular short breaks. Alcohol and other drugs also seriously affect judgment and should be avoided when riding. GWRRA always recommends not to drink and ride/drive, which is another reason why our Association’s safety record is excellent.

Tip #4 - Abide by Traffic Laws Motorcyclists should ensure that their license is current, and they should refresh their memories on the rules of the road and local traffic laws. Remember the old adage…speed kills. Don’t speed!

Tip #5 - Continuous Learning and Improvement A large percentage of motorcyclists involved in accidents have had no driver training. Enrolling in a motorcycle training course is a good way of developing basic riding skills. Once the basic techniques are acquired, motorcyclists can sharpen their street riding and accident avoidance skills by taking a defensive driving course or advanced program. Hopefully, the above mentioned tips make as much sense for you as they do to me. Remember to stay safe and have fun. Joe Mazza International Assistant Director, Rider Education Rider Education Program

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SticksSticksSticksSticks----NNNN----Stones Etc.Stones Etc.Stones Etc.Stones Etc. Home & Garden Décor Store & Full Service Garden Center

(friendly helpful Master Gardener on staff)

Annuals, Perennials, Hanging Baskets, Roses, Potted Bushes & Trees with a variety of

fertilizers, weed & insect killers for all your gardening needs, also bulk mulch & top soil.

SANDWICH SHOPPE & HUDSONVILLE ICE CREAM

Voted 2012 BEST BURGER & LUNCH PLATE Free on your Birthday - Burger & Ice Cream up to $10 value Now with indoor or outdoor seating. Public restroom. LOCATED at US 131 exit 114 (Pierson), just west on Cannonsville Rd. Open 7 days till 10 in summer 21723 W. Cannonsville Rd. Pierson, MI 616-636-8677 LOOK for the BIG CHAIR!! www.sns-etc.com

ANDANDANDAND

Pierson Outdoor MarketPierson Outdoor MarketPierson Outdoor MarketPierson Outdoor Market 4-13

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MAY 2013 Schedule of Fun

Wednesday night dinners at 6:00 pm

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Apr 28 Apr 29 Apr 30 May 1 May 2 May 3 May 4

May 5 May 6 May 7 May 8 May 9 May 10 May 11

May 12 May 13 May 14 May 15 May 16 May 17 May 18

May 19 May 20 May 21 May 22 May 23 May 24 May 25

May 26 May 27 May 28 May 29 May 30 May 31 Jun 1

Jun 2 Jun 3 Jun 4 Jun 5 Jun 6 Jun 7 Jun 8

JT Z'z Family

Restauranton M46 Eastof US 131

Autumn'sChippewa Lake

Happy

Mother's Day

K2 Gathering

Sharon'sRogers HeightD@6pm

M@7pm

NO DINNER Sell t ickets at

Houseman'sBaldwin

Sell t icket s at

Houseman'sBaldwin

Blessing o f theBikesBaldwin

Bill Diffin 'sBirthday

St icks-n-StonesP ierson

Sell t ickets atWalmartBig Rapids

Sell t icket s atWalmartBig Rapids

Memorial Day Don Reed'sBirthday

T he GateBig Rapids

Cronk 'sNewaygo

Please call Don Reed 231-796-3716 by Tuesday to reserve your spot at Wednesday night

dinner.

Don and Cyndi Reed Chapter MI-K2 Senior Directors 21421—19 Mile Road Big Rapids. MI 49307

Business Hours

Sun.-Thurs. 6am - 9pm Fri.-Sat. 6am - Midnight