BMW Riders of Knoxville

ROK'n Down the Road

The Official Newsletter of the BMW Riders of Knoxville

July Edition

It seems summer has indeed finally arrived here in East Tennesse. Hot, humid days with those sometimes welcome, sometimes scary afternoon and evening thunderstorms are the reality of riding in the southeast during this time of year, so stay hydrated out there and watch out for that lightening. Speaking of storms, as many of you know the July meeting was held at Tim and Brenda Pruitt's home. Things were going pretty well until one of those pesky storms decided to plant itself directly over the neighborhood. A few arriving ROK'ers got wet, one had a small misshap with a slippery road, and the electricity was knocked out at the Pruitt house. Luckily the food was ready and the eating commenced.

After dinner the meeting began. President Phil called things to order and we began. With the power out Phil was on a deadline - get finished before it got too dark to see and before everyone got too hot and stuffy in the non-lighted and non-air conditioned house. We surived and as luck would have it, as soon as we ajourned the electricty came back on. How's that for timing?

 

Treasurer's Report

Cindy gave a Treasurer's report but somehow in the celebration of the electricity coming back on I failed to get a copy. The bottom line however was the club currently has $1020.26 in the bank.

Website/Newsletter

We will continue to add more information and improve the web site. If you have anything to contribute please pass them along to Tim Pruitt.

Monthly Ride

JULY Club Ride

BMW ROK would like to thank Geofrey and Cindy Greene for having in us in their home for breakfast and to Shirlee Grabko and Bill Manning for putting on quite a feed for lunch and offering us there home as a cool respite in the middle of the July ride.

Article by Geoffrey Greene:

Someone indicated there were 22 folks to start the ride and I believe that. I anticipated that about 1/2 of our riders would come to the house and 1/2 meet us at the Citgo station, and that's just about the way it worked out. I thought we had a wonderful gathering for breakfast and I think everyone got enough goodies to start off the day. I was up early frying sausage, nuking bacon, and baking biscuits while my better half, Cindy , organized everything and made it all happen when and where it was supposed to. My neighbors are used to seeing one or two bikes in the driveway, but this is the first time they've seen anything like this. After a brief meeting of the minds, we were off to the 'official' starting point by 8:30 .

The folks at the Citgo station probably thought nothing about it when the folks started trickling in one person at a time, but as another and another showed up, it must have been yee-haa!  Then when a dozen plus riders came rolling in all at one time, they must have wondered if an invasion was taking place.

After another brief meeting to solidify our ride guidelines, we were off at the stroke of 9:00 . Our first stop was 35 miles into the ride at the base of a fire tower on Fox Hunter Road on a ridgetop overlooking downtown Maynardville. While there were no facilities there, it was a beautiful place with an incredible view from atop the fire tower. Several of our riders took the opportunity to climb to the top and were rewarded with an amazing 360 degree view. Alas, we had already lost 3 riders when one rider departed leading to two other riders getting separated from the group. Fortunately, that was the only time all day long there was a problem, and even though we were quite spread out at times, the concept of always waiting for the person behind you worked well.

As we continued into the ride, it became apparent that I was, as is typical, a bit overly optimistic in the amount of ground I expected to cover. We were able to tweak the route on the fly and shortened the route by about 20 miles allowing us to get to Bill & Shirlee's house around 12:45 in time for a fantastic lunch. What a spread! Mild and hot Italian sausages, brats, yummy barbecue, and hamburgers, all complemented by fruit, curry beans, cake and other luscious goodies were prepared by our Sharp's Chapel hosts. Thank you Bill & Shirlee...it was a beautiful setting for friends to meet and share a meal. And the roads in the Sharp's Chapel area were delightful as well. One rider commented that he had no idea there were that many one lanes roads in that area. (giggle giggle) I knew.

A thunderstorm was blowing through just across the lake from the house, and several folks decided to take the short way home and took off. The rest of us headed for one last ridgetop departing from Sharp's Chapel (once it was determined the storm was going a different direction), and then it was off to Luttrell via some deliciously sweet and curvy backroads.

Until the stop in Luttrell (delighting the kids in the pizza parlor next door), we'd managed to stay dry. Shortly after leaving there though, the skies sprung a leak. A light sprinkle continued off and on (mostly on) as we wound our way through a couple of little gaps in the ridges and down little hollows between TN370 and Maynardville as we worked our way back to where we'd started a mere 7 1/2 hours earlier. 10-12 folks stayed together all the way to the end, and I think they had a good time and went some places they hadn't been before.

I try to take everyone on at least one new road (for them) on every ride and I think that goal was met. Richard Webb saw new roads...I'm pretty sure if he saw something new, the goal was achieved with everyone. We had a fun breakfast and a terrific lunch, interesting roads and beautiful scenery, and everyone got back home with nothing more serious than a bent/broken footpeg, and we got to do it all with good friends.

Geoffrey

From Geoffrey:

I've done 'county' rides in  Knox , Loudon, Roane (though I think Phil Daulton was the only person to do that one with me), and now Union County . I'm working on Grainger County now and Claiborne County also looks interesting. This has been a fun project and I'm going to keep at it. And for the record... Grainger County is the only county in Tennessee named in honor of a lady. Mary Grainger was so honored and went on to marry William Blount who later became the first territorial governor of Tennessee .



We also have an October Ride scheduled by Richard Webb. More details as they come.

AND… if you ever get the itch to lead a ride yourself, be all means, step up and let us know.

Beating the Monthly Ride Dead Horse

We are always looking, no, pleading for folks to lead a monthly ride. It's your club, and here's a chance to hang out and do the thing we all love to do – RIDE. Take a chance and step up to lead a ride – show us some of your fun back roads that some of us may not have been on or know about – even the ones that look like driveways.

Rally News

Dave Erny announced that we will have a Kermit Chair to give away as a major door prize this year. We also have another Power Washer coming from Frank Smith to give away. Both of those will be highly sought after and very desirable door prizes.

REMEMBER:

All the club's share of the 50-50 pot goes to buying door prizes for the Rally. So please be sure to buy some 50-50 tickets at each meeting. Ya never know, ya
might win, and it goes to help make for a successful Rally! This time we made $27.00 towards door prizes.

Old Business

We voted several meetings ago to buy a brick in the Daytona Beach Racing Memorial Monument which the Dick Klamfoth family is doing in Daytona Beach, on the boardwalk. I am still working on getting that purchased. Their web site is screwed up so I must contact them by mail.

Treasurer's Report

BMW ROK Monthly Statement as of June 2006 - Summary
Beginning Balance
 
$1067.61
Deposits (see details below)
+
$385.00
Debits (see details below)
-
$458.80
Ending Balance  
$993.76

 

Details - Deposits
Check Number Description Amount
No Details  
$385.00
   
50/50  
$0.00
Misc. Deposit  
   
   
   
Total Deposits  
$75.00
     

 

Details - Debits
Check Number Description Amount
none
none
none
 
 
 
Total
$0.00

 

Feature Story- The Motorcycle Travel Network

One my favorite things about the Honda Hoot is the opportunity to meet and network with old friends and to make new friends. At this year's event I had the pleaseure of meeting Christi and Scott Reynolds of Morgantown, Indiana. Christi and Scott have set off on a new venture in motorcycle touring. While they were in town Christi gave me a few minutes of her time to discuss this new concept of theirs:

Motorcycle Travel Network

Traveling on a budget?  With these days of high gas prices in the good old USA who isn’t?  When you do travel, do you often stay with friends or family along the way?  If you are anything like me you have.  Being able to stay in the homes of relatives or old acquaintances serves two purposes – it saves us money and gives us the opportunity to reminisce about old times or catch up on all the family gossip.  Unfortunately, even as far flung as the American family is today and as far abroad as friends get scattered its unlikely we will we be able to enjoy the hospitality of familiar faces in every town we visit. Well, maybe now you can have more friends than you imagined and just maybe they are located in more of the places you want to ride to. 

Christi and Scott Reynolds have been riding for 25 years and enjoy traveling on their motorcycles, and they have come up with a way to help other motorcycle travelers save money and make new friends while on the road.  Christi retired as a teacher and Scott from his Computer Science position and hit the road last year.  Christi spent 19 years as a teacher and on occasion traveled to education events and training workshops in different parts of the country.  In doing so she became familiar with an Educator’s Hosting Network that offered teachers the opportunity to stay in the homes of fellow teachers as they traveled.  As it turns out there are several such organizations about the country catering to different groups ranging from college students out to see the country to traveling seniors enjoying their golden years.

When the Reynolds decided to retire and hit the road they knew traveling on a budget was going to be very important if they expected to see most of this country.  So it was only natural that Christi thought of using the home traveling networks she had become familiar with when she traveled as a teacher.  However, Christi soon found that when she contacted members of these travel groups, and mentioned she and Scott would be traveling on motorcycles she received some very mixed signals.  Most had absolutely no concept of any special needs traveling motorcyclist require.  Questions, like where can we park, or is there a dealer in town where we can get an oil change, brought blank stares or silence on the other end of the telephone line.  And some just didn’t think they could host the “Bikers” at their house.  After all, what would the neighbors think?

So, Christi and Scott thought about the problem and decided to start the Motorcycle Travel Network.  Members are motorcyclists just like you and me.  They know we need a level, or fairly level spot to park and firm surface to support our machines, they know where the nearest motorcycle service is located, and more importantly, they understand why we ride in the first place.  They also enjoy starting new friendships, talking motorcycles, and swapping stories of the road.  They also recognize a good bargain when they see one.  Here is how it works.

First you become a member of the Motorcycle Travel Network.  Once you have paid your annual fee (Currently $20.00 for 1 year or $30.00 for 2), you receive a list of all other members along with important information about their accommodations, and your name is added to that list.  Yes, as a member you will also be expected to host occasionally.  In a sense a traveler’s way of “Paying it Forward”.  What is the cost you ask?  Well aside from making so many new friends this is the best art, the cost is a $20.00 per night gratuity for 2 people, $15.00 for 1( paid upon arrival at your host’s home).  That price will include a warm bed, bath facilities and a breakfast.  Now, how can you beat that?

Christi and Scott were like most of us you and normally met (and will continue to do so) local motorcyclists more in passing on the road.  A casual “Hi’ at a rest stop or gas station or a brief exchange of some basic information, such as the nearest restaurant or next bathroom stop, is usually the best we do.  By staying with a local host Christi knew they would have a ready source of detailed local information.  As fellow motorcyclists hosts will know where the bikes shops are located if you need repairs or parts, they are likely to know the best riding roads in the area, and what local attractions we may be interested in.  What Christi and Scott are putting together is a National network of motorcyclists helping motorcyclists – new friends becoming old friends.

Christi admits this isn’t for everyone.  Some people are hesitant to have “strangers” in their home (aren’t we as motorcyclists all a little strange to begin with?).  Some others aren’t sure they want to stay in a stranger’s home.  There seems to be little gray area here.

Christi says, “So far the people we have talked to either seem to think it’s a good idea, or simply don’t think they would like it at all – there doesn’t seem to be any middle ground.”  But, as Christi and Scott spread the news of their organization the ranks of participants is growing.  Motorcycling may be somewhat of a solitary endeavor, but when the day is done most motorcyclists like nothing better than to hang out with other motorcyclists, and its those folks that are going to find this Travel Network right down their ally.

Christi says on their web site, "Each experience, either as host or guest, has it’s own unique rewards. If you are a person that enjoys meeting other motorcyclists, sharing your knowledge of your local community, or would like to add a new dimension to your motorcycle travels, then Motorcycle Travel Network is for you!"

Christi and Scott have set off down a new road both literally and figuratively here.  They have created something new and motorcycle friendly and are on the road telling people about it.  They are starting to get enough members now to see some real growth.  They have members in 36 states and the United Kingdom (UK).  If you think you are interested give them a look at www.motorcycle-network.net and see what you think.  Call up Christi or Scott some day if you are traveling through their town and remember, they just might call you when they pass through yours.

Up-Coming Events :

Rumble for the Cure - August 19, 2006
Benefiting the Susan G. Komen Foundation
Starting at Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson 1820 W. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Ride Fee - $20.00 per bike and includes one t-shirt
Pre-registration - $30.00 and includes one t-shirt and one concert ticket
At the gate concert ticket - $15.00
Headlining Entertainment the "Kentucky Headhunters" take the stage at 8:00 pm
Shirts, bandannas, and commemerative pins will also be on sale. For more information got to www.dragonhog.com
All proceeeds will benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation

CCS Racing at Barber Motorsports Park - August 11-13
Nate Kern (MOA # 11314) is continuing as the front runner in the Mid-Atlantic Champion Cup Series and the American Sportbike Racing Association. Nate is sponsored by Mainline BMW of Devon, PA. For this weekend, additional support will be provided by BMW of Atlanta.
Click Race Schedule and select “Weekend Schedule.”
For more information about Nate, visit http://www.natekern.com

 

And: Other News and Rumors of Interest

We ran into Julie Corl at the Honda Hoot and learned that Dave is now working for Milton at Destination. The rumor mill says Ed Nabors is as well. Let's all go by and wish them well, perhaps even buy something from them. I know Milton would appreciate that.

Virginia Promotes Motorcycle Tourism:
Kudos to the Commonwealth of Virginia for actively promoting Motorcycling Tourism. Virginia Governer ever proclaimed May as Motorcycle Awareness month in his state.
Here is an excerpt from their website:

Motorcycle Virginia! For many of us, these two words sum up two of our great passions. The joy of riding is understood by every motorcyclist, whether they ride a cruiser, sport bike, trail bike, standard or chopper. And the beauty of Virginia, from mountains to ocean, is cherished by those who have the privilege of living here and recognized by those who visit.

 

For more info and touring Virginia ideas visit:

http://www.motorcycleva.com/




There was no 50/50 drawing for July

August Meeting

So Remember August 7, 2006. Dinner at 6:00 and Meeting at 7:00.
We are back at Puleo's at Strawberry Plains for the August meeting. We hope to see you there.

Newsletter Reminder

The ROK'n Down the Road Newsletter can always use more content and don't forget we now have WORLD WIDE WEB exposure for those items you no longer need and want to sell (Classifieds). Also, be sure to pay a visit to the Meetings and Events pages. There you will find meeting dates, club ride schedules and other club activities.

The BMW Riders of Knoxville web page is taking shape. Photos from the 2005 Christmas party should be here, and a few of Novemeber's club ride before that. I am still working on the the History of the BMW ROK and it should soon be found in these pages. Also, the October Newsletter can be found in the Archive section. There is more on the way so stay tuned and visit often for any changes or important BMW ROK news!

This Page last updated: October 11, 2006

 

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