Newsletter

February 2004

Steve Stokes
Assistant Director

If you haven't noticed yet, we did not schedule many rides last month.  But wait--there is a reasons for that.  It is COLD and RAINY!  We kind of expected that so we cut way back on the ride schedule because we really didn't think many people would show up.  Now you always have a few crazy's who will ride regardless of what the weather is like.  Bill Craig, Bobby Somerville, Raymond Gambill and Dick Keller rode up to Uriah, Alabama on January 10th, and the high only got to 37 degrees.  I don't own enough clothes to keep me warm on a day like that.  Bill was just trying to get in as much riding as he could before January 14th as he was to go under the knife again for another knee surgery.  Bobby and Raymond said it took about two days to get their color back and then you have sly ole Dick, with his heated vest.

If you missed the meeting ride to Miles and Linda's house on January 3rd, all I can say is you really missed some fantastic chili.  Again, thank you two for inviting us to your home and allowing us to go into yet another feeding frenzy.  One more thing--Congratulations!  We understand you finally tied the knot on New Year's Day.

February brings in a couple of rides that should be a lot of fun.  First we have the "Sweetheart Ride" to Guisseppies in Niceville.  This has always been a fun ride and since it's Valentine's Day we decided that some lucky sweetheart (lady) will win a $25.00 gift certificate.  The whole idea of this ride is for all the ladies, so PLEASE girls, don't let us down.  The ride will leave K-Mart at 10:00 am on the 14th.

On the 22nd, we are going to Loxley, Alabama for some good ole cherry Cobbler.  I can't wait for this one, especially from what everyone is telling me and due to me being the cobbler freak that I am.  We will start to fill the ride calendar a little more in March as the weather should start to turn toward warmer days.  Boy an I ready for that.  I hate cold weather! 

Have you heard about the new diesel Honda?  Well, it's not out yet, but Ricky Stokes is trying to get a jump on everybody.  He found out the hard way that his bike will not run on diesel fuel.  Back on January 18th he called me and wanted to know if I would ride to Crestview with him and some other friends to look at an enclosed trailer he is interested in. He stopped at the Groovin' Noovins by my house to get a quick splash of gas.  Being in a hurry and not paying attention to what pump he was using, he filled the tank full of diesel.  About two miles later the bike started popping, sputtering and smoking.  It didn't take long for us to realize what had happened.  Eddie and I ran back to his house, got the trailer and returned in just a few moments to rescue Ricky.  We took the bike back to Eddie's, drained the tank and filled it with gas.  It ran find and off to Crestview we went.

You see, Ricky is probably one of the most mechanically minded guys in our club and can fabricate anything with a piece of metal.  If something like this can happen to him, believe me, it can happen to any of us.  I've seen it happen six or eight times and just over a year ago it happened to Ian McKinnon's son on one of our club rides.  So please pay attention when you pump gas.  So much for Ricky's mistake, but when someone like him makes a boner move like this I have to rub it in.  I just hope I don't ever do it, especially in front of him.

Well, I am going to close out for now but before I go I want to remind all the ladies again about the Valentine's Day ride.  Please try to attend because this ride is for you.  And don't forget about the $25.00 gift certificate that some lucky lady will end up with.

Until next time "ole Slim Shady" is out of her.  Slim Shady says:  Dream Big.  There is little power in little plans.

David Stemen
New Granddaughter

Jaden was born November 29, 2004.  She weighed 7 lbs. 5 oz, and was 19" long with pretty red hair and beautiful blue eyes.

Some Biker Bylaws

Midnight Bugs taste best.
Routine maintenance should never be neglected.
Never be afraid to slow down.
Bikes don't leak, they mark their territory.
Never mistake horsepower for staying power.
Never do less than 40 miles before breakfast.
If you don't ride in the rain, you don't ride.
Advice is free...and worth every penny.
Work to ride; ride to work.
Whatever it is, it's better in the wind.
Two lane blacktop isn't a highway; it's an attitude.

If you can read this, thank a teacher.
And since it's in English, thank a soldier.

Important Safety Notice
David Stemen

The following is an editorial on safety, some facts you may not know, and a personal experience that happened three days ago.

Vietnam Veterans are very familiar with the term "perimiter check" as we did them continuously while in country and many, if not most of us, continue to do them even today.  Today's checks consist of checking all the doors and windows at night--sometimes several times during the night--just to make sure our homes (perimeters) are safe for our loved ones.  I have personally done this every night since I returned home from my last tour in 1972.

After leaving the Army I became a fighter, had a great career and retired a few years ago.  In 1980 I was selected to take the Fire Investigator course at the National Fire Academy and then spent several years as a fire investigator.  We are the folks that go in and try to determine where, how, and why fires start adn things burn.  So, I'm not writing this as a concerned citizen, but as a trained and experienced professional with over 24 years in the fire service.

Now for some facts...you can verify them on the internet on several sites or, if you like, just read the little pamphlet they put in the box of every small appliance they sell.

1.  Small appliances are the second leading cause of fires in the kitchen and the leading cause of fires in the home bathroom.

2.  Small appliances cause more than 30 percent of all kitchen fires in this country every year.

3.  Most small appliances such as coffee makers, tea pots, etc., are made from plastic and aluminum--plastic is a by-product of petroleum.

4.  In the past 30 years (and I can tell you why, but not print it for legal reasons), hundreds of thousands of fires have caused damage, injuries, and deaths in home fires where small appliances were the ignition source.

5.  Even turned off small appliances like coffee makers can cause a fire because of the cheap materials and shoddy workmanship making them.  Have you ever read the pamphlet with the small appliance and see it say "unplug after use"?

Because I have a sleep disorder I never know what time of the morning I'm going to wake up for the day.  Fortunately for me Tuesday morning I got up at 3:15 a.m.  As I stumbled into the kitchen to start my coffee, I noticed a real problem.  Monday evening I started myself a cup of coffee but fell asleep on the couch before it was done.   I awoke to a bad smell and found that the coffee had burned out of the pot during the night and that the pot was so hot that I had to use oven mitts to throw all of it into the sink.  The radiant heat from the coffee pot had anchored the underside of the cabinet above the coffee pot.  At best guess I was less than an hour from a kitchen fire.

Folks, I've always done my perimeter and safety checks for more than 30 years now  I missed on due to fatigue Monday night, so please take this from someone who almost had a disaster.  Always unplug your small appliances immediately after use.

Thanks and be safe,

David

Definition of a firefighter:  we're the fools who run into buildings that everyone else is running out of

February Birthdays

The Navigators

I'd like to start a segment in the newsletter called "The Navigators".   These are the significant others who ride on the backs of the bikes and tell the riders where to go.  Being on the back seat gives the ride a different perspective as you get to often see things that others don't.  Besides, you have a different slant on the sport of riding.  I know you have some great stores to tell, just email them to me.

Female Biking

Along the same line as the above idea, I'd like to hear from our growing number of females who ride their own bikes with the club, by themselves, and other ladies.  Put your thoughts, views, ideas, etc. in an email to me and we'll publish what y'all got to say.

From David Stemen
Newsletter Editor

Since I took over doing the newsletter several things have come to view. You don'thave to have any talent, training, etc., to write.   What I'm saying is this is your newsletter and you can submit poems, experiences, tall tales, anything.  I know there are a lot of budding writers and photographers out there just waiting to jump at this chance, and you don't have to include your name.  Just write and enjoy the experience of expressing yourself.

The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference

Symbolically, as motorcyclists, we are on the road less taken and literally, as motorcyclists, we seem to look for the road, the route, that is less traveled.  If you have been on most any of our rides in the last month you know what I mean.  We have been on roads that were most definitely "less taken."  This is one of the many things I enjoy about riding my motorcycle.  I enjoy exploring.

I enjoy taking that road I have never taken.  Going down that lonely, narrow road simply to find out where it goes.  I think most, if not al, motorcyclists enjoy the idea of wandering.  If you know of a road "less taken" let us know and then we too can take "the one less traveled by."

Ride carefully,
Raymond

Southern Signs

What's your "Southern Sign"?  Some of us, especially Southerners, are pretty skeptical of horoscopes, and it has become obvious that what we need are "Southern" symbols:

CHITLIN (Jan.21 - Feb.19) Chitlins come from humble backgrounds.  A chitlin, however, can make something of himself if he's motivated and has lots of seasoning.  In dealing with Chitlins, be careful, they can erupt like Vesuvius.  chitlins are best with Catfish and Okra.

Everybody Wins

If you notice in the upcoming events, there are a lot of charity rides coming up sponsored by other clubs in the local area.  All of us that can, and as often as we can as a club, need to participat.  We are looking at events of our own in the near future and if we wupport them, they will support us.  Everybody wins!

All views and opinions expressed by the author of articles in this newsletter are purely their own, and do not necessarily represent Retreads International, Emerald Coast Riders, Members or Officers, or Webmaster of this site.