April 2002

Trails End.......

I want to welcome all the prospective members to the first monthly meeting of the Memphis Tour Riders.  I would acknowledge the visitors but as of now we are all visitors. As we are still in the process of getting organized and actual membership is pending. This is an information meeting with the primary purpose, being to bring you up to date on our organization progress. The prospective members in attendance were Larry Cole and granddaughter Katie Yewell, Floyd Nunnelee and grandson Rusty Higgins, Danny Parker, David Elston, Fran Salveson, Terry and Ronda Glissen and daughters Casey and Courtney, BJ and Hildia Max, Terry and Mary Carole Scott, James Taylor, Don Oller both from Chapter F, Jackson, TN, Hubert Gross, Charlie and Darnell Gibson and yours truly, Stan Viets. Great turnout with several more couples calling to advise they we not able to make it tonight but are going to be members and support the Memphis Tour Riders.

I outlined briefly our committee meeting on February 28^th and among the many items discussed was renaming the newsletter, Happy Trails, how about the new name for our newsletter? Thanks to BJ and Hildia for the new look. The newsletter also had the minutes of the organization meeting and hopefully everyone review it, again thanks for the generous donation of the startup money. We can’t say enough about the new web site, everyone was impressed and complementary, Eddie really did a wonderful job also he and Bonnie donated the web site domain, registration, etc to the club. Thanks to you both.

Unfinished Business:

I passed out the proposed Constitution, bylaws and a preliminary membership application, with a note marked PENDING. This is the paperwork given to the attorney working on the legal aspects.  He is working on the Charter of Incorporation for nonprofit with the State of Tennessee however some of the language you have will probably have to be revised to meet the most recent nonprofit Corporation legal requirements.  We briefly discussed and went through the material so everyone will have an idea of what our first order of business will be after we receive our charter from the state. We will start by getting the membership applications completed and processed. We need members before we can elect the new officers. It is important that we have the completed membership applications on file before can officially be an organization. I will hold the dues checks/cash I have already received until we get the form finalized.  The final application form will be posted on the web site when approved, just print, sign and mail, along with the dues.

It’s harder to share the saddle than it is to share the bed.

We will also post the Constitution and bylaws for you to read. Our first election will be held in a timely manor and with that in mind I am listing the officers and their duties now so everybody including those that were not able to be at the meeting will know what is involved and be in position to nominate or be nominated for the MTR Officers. Think about it.

The duties of the President shall be:

3.1 To preside at all meetings of the club.

3.2 To have general supervision of the affairs of the club.

3.3 To appoint any person or committee not otherwise ordered by  the club.

3.4 To personally represent the club on proper occasions and in       business contacts.        

3.5 To assist all other officers of the club in their records, correspondence and other duties.

3.6 To promote interest on the part of each member in the club life and activities.

3.7 To vote only when necessary to break a tie.

The duties of the Vice President shall be:

4.1 To perform the duties of the president in his absence.

4.2 To perform other duties as assigned by the President.

4.3 To be chairperson of a three-member Charity committee.

4.4 To succeed to the Presidency if the President is unable to perform his /her duties.

The duties of the Secretary shall be:

5.1 To keep a record of the meetings of the club.

5.2 To send out notices of regular or special meetings.

5.3 To handle all club correspondence.

5.4 To perform such other duties as generally fall to that office.

The duties of the Treasurer shall be:

6.1 To collect dues from all members.

6.2 To collect other money due the club.

6.3 To maintain a list of all active members.

6.4 To maintain club financial records and deliver reports on a timely basis.

The duties of the Road Commander shall be:

7.1 To plan all club tours, runs, events or activities, etc.

7.2 To lead the club in formation riding or parades.

7.3 To stimulate interest in activities.

7.4 To assist in handling club socials, parties and other functions.

7.5 To enforce all rules of club riding.

7.6 To appoint assistants deemed necessary.

Our AMA charter has been approved; our Memphis Tour Riders Charter number is 2136.  We will receive our charter certificate soon.

The following is the basic procedure of how future meetings will be conducted. Roberts Rules of Order govern the parliamentary proceeding of this Club unless otherwise provided by these Bylaws. The order of business shall be:

                                                            Continued on Page 2

PAGE 2

Trails End………Continued From Page One

1.       Members/visitors sign in and attendance book

2.       Reading of minutes of previous meeting

3.       Report of Officers

4.       Unfinished business

5.       New business

New Business:

BJ and David Elston have a virtual dinner ride planed for Friday March 29^th at the Cozymel’s Mexican Restaurant at 6450 Poplar meet there at 7:00 PM.

We handed out the flyers on the ride to Columbia, TN for the annual Mule day Celebration, Saturday April 6^th.

Plans to ride to the Hillbilly Reunion, May 3^rd at Branson, Mo.  See David Elston, also we will be going to the Worlds Largest Fish Fry, Saturday April 27^th in Paris... Tennessee that is.

Don Oller discussed the Freedom Wings picnic at Mousetail S.P. June 1^st.

Please check our web site often. www.mtrmc.com All this information and much, much more is posted along with other events, organizations and motorcycle links. You can’t go wrong because it’s free.

Larry and Juanita Cole          lcole002@midsouth.rr.com

David Elston  mudflap299@msn.com

Terry and Linda Taylor   bigbirdtaylor@aol.com

Quotation of the month:

"a single person can make a difference, and every person should try."……………….. John F. Kennedy 

Stan and Jean, MTR Committee Chairman

50/50

                          Jackpot Winner: Floyd Nunnelee $47.00

       Meeting #1 was officially adjourned at 7:50PM

HAPPY TRAILS

PAGE 3

THUNDER ROAD

A few facts about Deal’s Gap

The Honda Hoot is coming up in June and Hildia and I are going. It will be our third Hoot and we manage to enjoy ourselves everytime…Even if its just the vendor show and riding all the great roads in the Smokies…This year, we will also be traveling to Bristol Motor Speedway for lunch and some photo op's inside the speedway..

   Another of our favorite attractions while in  the Knoxville area is the world famous motorcycling road known as Deal’s Gap or the Dragon…We will, once again, be twisting the dragon’s tail this year. Deal’s Gap is truly an awesome highwy. 311 curves within an eleven mile stretch and that ain’t counting the hundreds of curves you must negotiate just to get there…Riding the Dragon is fun and your helmet decal (You have to buy a decal and maybe a tee shirt to prove you survived the Dragon) is a badge of honor as well…Deal’s Gap. One of the great motoring roads of  North America…Below are a few facts about this magnificent stretch of  hair raising asphalt..

SPEED LIMITS:
Prior to 1992 the speed limit in both Tennessee and North Carolina was 55 mph. In 1993 the speed limit on the Tennessee side of the Gap was lowered to 40 mph, which is still in effect today. The North Carolina portion of the Dragon is still 55 mph.

RECORD TIMES:
The Deals Gap Riding Society record for an amateur rider was a 22 minute round trip run, which averaged out to 11 minutes (50.7 mph average). The overall record was 18 minutes, or 9 minutes one-way (62-mph average). In order to compete for a new record one had to make the run along with the current record holder.  These records were set back in the early 1990s when there was little traffic on the Dragon. Today, with the road patrolled by the Sheriff and Highway Patrol, you will risk severe penalties if you try to beat those records.

FATALITIES:
Since 1995 there have been a total of seven fatalities on U.S. 129 in the stretch known as Deal’s Gap. So be careful

MOVIES FILMED ON THE DRAGON:
The first feature film made on US 129 was Thunder Road, The 1958 Robert Mitchum film about backwoods moonshining. One location used in the film is at the power line easement at about mile 4.5 on  the Dragon map and a couple of the old wooden "safety" still remain. Parts of the 1971 classic movie Two-Lane Blacktop was filmed on the Dragon. There are scenes of the state line sign, some of the curves, and the original single lane bridge at Tapoco Dam. There are also scenes along 129 on the Little Tennessee River. The original Deal's Gap diner and Esso gas station are seen in the film too. These scenes are at the end of the movie. You might not remember but Two Lane Blacktop also had a segment filmed at the old Lakeland Dragstrip here in Memphis. It’s a real hoot to watch an actual drag race from the sixties taking place in the background.. I use to race out there and it brings back lots of memories. Some scenes in The Fugitive (1993) with Harrison Ford were filmed at Tapoco Dam as well as a few scenes from the movie In Dreams (1998) with Annette Bening.

All the information above was compiled from  from various sources on the Internet. For more info, type the words “Deals Gap” into any search engine…

BJ

Happy Birthday

ON THE ROAD

Bike Week Notes

by Jim Ashe

    If  you’ve never been to bike week, then you should go. At least once. This Rally is not specifically located, but located at different places throughout the county. Must sees are, the Cabbage Patch (Cole Slaw rasslin’), the Iron Horse Saloon, Pub 44, the Convention Center where Harley-Davidson displays Motor Clothes and Motors, Daytona International Speedway, where all of the demo rides start and where the main attraction of  Bike Week, the Daytona 200, is held.
   There were eight of us, seven of which trailered down together, another came later. We stayed in a friends condo..This had drawbacks, such as two queen-sized beds, a queen-sized fold out sleeper-sofa and a queen-sized air-mattress! Two guys in each sleeping unit was not what I called desirable but we managed.
   Someone drew up a heck-of-a-map that really helped getting around, and these maps are available just about everywhere you go! T-Shirts can be purchased at just about any price. Iron Horse Saloon, Pub 44 and places like that were the most expensive. But, on Atlantic near Main Street you could buy three Bike Week T-shirts of different disigns for $15.99.
   Main Street is TTTTHHHHHHEEEEEEEEE place to be for  most folks. Bikers line up by parking on the sidewalks with front tires near the curb and just people and bike watch for hours on end. There were vendors golore including a couple that would sew on patches bought from them or elsewhere for a nominal and reasonable fee.
   Before now, Americade had been the biggest and most interesting rally I had ever attended. There is no doubt that Bike Week is the biggest rally around and there ain’t no way you can see everything in a week. I guess that’s why so many people go back year after year.
   Accomodations are tough to come by and if one wants to stay at a local Hotel/Motel, then you had better get on the phone now for next years event. Be ready to pay top dollar for rooms. Even a small room with no phone can run over a hundred bucks a night. In other words, a minimum of one thousand dollars for all seven days…

   This is the first time I have trailered a bike anywhere and now I know the reason so many trailer this time of the year. It rains. Either on the way down or on the way back, according to our host who has been going for the last eight years! If you are uncomfortable riding in the rain, then trailer. It should also be noted that the cold front that came through here sank below Daytona Beach.  Tuesday's low temp was 24 and the high barley made it into the made into the fifties. I prefer to ride to a rally, but if your comrads are trailering and they have a place for your bike, why not trailer. Our age may also be a factor. Don't look like any of us are getting any younger and a 13 to 14 hour trip is a long ride!
   There were nine fatalties at Bike week this year including one pedestrian. With 500,000 in attendance, thatnumber is not near asbad as it sounds. We left Daytona coming home Friday Night, the 8th of March, drove straight-through and arrived home just before noon on Saturday.

 ‘Til we meet again~

Happy Anniversary

  March 26th - Ken & Aida McCarver

Celebrating Fifty Years of Martial Bliss…

CONGRATULATIONS!

Never argue with a woman holding a torque wrench.

Happy Trails  is Published Monthly by Possum's Anonymous, Memphis, Tennessee 901-377-9140