May 2002

Trails End.......

Welcome to the April meeting of the Memphis Tour Riders. As previously mentioned we have a procedure to follow at our future meetings however we are still in the organizing process. I’ll bring you up to date on our progress later in these meeting notes.

We are happy to welcome the following members in attendance. Bill and Julia Jones, Don Oller, Charlie and Darnell Gibson, Larry Cole, Hubert Gross, Floyd Nunnelee and grandson Rusty Higgins, Danny Parker, Sandy Stroud, Dick Salveson, Jimmy and Margaret Rogers and yours truly. Also our visitors tonight Bill Healy and Bonnie, hopefully they will become members too. Prior to tonight we had 11 members, which was not enough, in my opinion to conduct any formal business. Please remember that copies of the membership applications are on our web page if you haven’t downloaded the form yet. If you don’t have a computer and need copies, let me know, I have plenty. We appreciate everyone’s club support and we need to get the completed membership forms of our prospective members returned as quickly as possible. This is important so we can have a good member turnout for the nominations and election of the Club Officers.

For those that may not know we have received our official AMA Club Charter Certificate, #2136, I will have it framed and will bring to our May 9th meeting. It looks good. The Memphis Tour Riders are now listed on the AMA web site either by state or district and we are in district 32. Eddie and Bonnie have done a wonderful job on our first class web site, our site also now includes the MTR by-laws link, many motorcycle links, events, pictures and of course a link to the AMA. Eddie is constantly updating the page he says “Every time I learn something new, I have to try it out on the site!” See the new “Fun Stuff” he’s added along with the local time, temperature window and salutation.

We had a 12 hungry folks turn out for the Virtual Motorcycle Dinner Ride on March 29th to Cozymel’s Mexican Restaurant, in the rain. Incidentally this was our first scheduled activity. See Additional details in Happy Trails. Our thanks to B.J., Hildia, David and Brenda for getting this, our initial gathering set up.

We also had a good turnout for the Mule Day Celebration; we left Jimmy C’s around 6:15AM on Saturday the 6th. It was a cold morning, 36 degrees when we left however it did turn out to be a nice day. We had 8 bikes and met 4 more in Jackson; B.J. will have more information in the next Happy Trails. Thanks to BJ, Hildia and all for putting this event together and the fantastic job the Max do on Happy Trails. Check the web site for pictures. Please remember if you have anything you would like to see in Happy Trails or on the web site please let me, Billy or Eddie know and space permitting we will do our best to include it. Any suggestions or ideas will be appreciated.

Unfinished Business:

The attorney (thanks to Floyd) has prepared a Tennessee non-profit corporation document, which was mailed April 2nd, to the State for

New Business:

Please again review the duties of officers needed to finalize our Corporation in the newsletter and posted on the web site to see what position you are willing to hold. Hopefully we will have a lot of folks nominated for all the positions at our May 9th meeting so we can finally have an election. Remember Tennessee is the Volunteer State lets do our part and make plans to attend the meeting.

Please note the advertising space available on the back page of Happy Trails. We now have four advertisers. Perhaps you know of someone that would be interested. All they need to furnish is a business card and BJ will scan and insert in the newsletter. Please thank our advertising sponsors by using their business and demonstrate to them that the cost of $30 per year is a good value for the money. The advertisers will also get a mailed copy of Happy Trails and will be posted on our web site.

B.J. and David Elston are working on many rides, activities including cookout’s and other fun stuff and would welcome your input, keep checking the web site for the latest happenings. mtrmc.com.

Other News: To date we have a total of eighteen memberships and thirty-three members, all dedicated to supporting MTR. We are off to a good start. Thanks to all of you.

Quotation of the month: Ever stop to think and forget to start again? Anonymous

Our next meeting will be May 9th here at Jimmy C’s and remember, door prizes will be appreciated. Hopefully by next meeting we will have many members actively participate in our officer nominations.

Ride Safe…Stan and Jean Viets… MTR Committee Chairman

Meeting Adjourned at 7:47 PM

A Memphis Tour Riders embroidered cap donated by Hubert Gross was auctioned to the highest bidder, Floyd Nunnelee $15.00 Thanks Hubert.

50/50

            Winner 50/50 Jackpot: Sandy Stroud $42.00

PAGE 2

Big Ride, Big Fry, Big Rain

On Saturday Morning April 27th it was already drizzling as I packed the bike for the trip up to Paris, Tennessee and the Worlds Biggest Fish Fry. Memphis Tennessee’s quintessential weatherman, Dave Brown, called for cloudy skies with a few sprinkles but we arrive at Jimmy C’s Café, our jumping off point, in a pouring rain. I had sent several e-mails the previous day proclaiming to all that no way in Hades’ was it going to rain and for the rest of the day I was razzed unmercifully by my “Friends”. 

Dick and Fran Salverson, Floyd Nunnelee and Dorothy, Charlie Gibson, Hildia Max and Yours Truly stood under the awning of Jimmy C’s Café suiting up while Stan and Jean Viets sip hot coffee and watch from the warmth and comfort of a charcoal gray Buick. I used to say that I would ride all day in the rain if need be but I would never leave in the rain. Well, on this day I ain’t got no choice. We are due in Longtown in thirty minutes where we are supposed to hook up with a group out of Oakland and if we ain’t there we’ll never hear the end of it. 

We arrive in Longtown on time. The Oakland contingent is waiting and included new members, Jimmy and Margaret Rogers and Dan Randall along with a third rider, Chuck. (Sorry Chuck, my memory ain’t so good anymore and I forgot your last name). 

After introductions we hit the road to Jackson. The rain seemed worse than it really was because of the spray kicked up by traffic. I glanced in my mirror and counted six headlights…Everyone out. The fizz and mist swirled harder as the wakes from the semi’s tried to blow us off the road. As the trucks blew by we were sucked towards the tandems and I would instinctively lean away from the suction. Then, just at that moment, the blast would reverse itself and shove us towards the shoulder. Interesting. The rain now seemed to be falling in sheets and forward visibility was limited. Blind wet and cold with forty miles of Interstate to go. What a predicament but here we are so we might as well enjoy it. I lean forward and with Hildia pressing against me, we assume a defensive curl and gas on it. 

We bank off at Exit 87 onto highway 70 and it’s like turning a faucet off. Compared to I-40, the two-lane seemed almost dry and in no time we found ourselves at the Paris fairgrounds. We usually park on the grass for this event but it was wet so we began looking for a hard surface to park on.. As luck would have it, Ben Knight, the guard at the Pepsi Cola Distribution Center just outside the gate, use to ride Gold Wings and this Good Samaritan gave us permission to park in the Pepsi lot. We horsed the bikes back in against the docks, kicked down the kickup stands and headed for the dinner table. The rain had stopped and the chow line was getting kinda’ long so we jumped in. At about this time, MTR members Larry and Juanita Cole who had driven up in a van, arrived and joined in on the feast. I didn’t realize it at the time, but Vic Motely and his bunch had also arrived from Nashville. This was turning out to be a pretty good show. 

The fish at the World’s Biggest Fish Fry was delicious and plentiful. All you could eat for eight bucks and they weren’t stingy with it either. I went back for seconds, as did the rest of the bunch and everybody, even our resident catfish connoisseur’s, Jimmy and Floyd, gave the Paris Jaycees two thumbs up for a job well done.. 

Despite the lousy weather, we had a good turn out for the Paris ride. Counting the folks from Oakland there were twelve souls and seven motorcycles representing the Memphis Tour Riders. The fish fry itself was dampened a bit by the weather but after the rain quit the good people of Henry County and surrounding area’s ate up 11,000 pounds of catfish and the World’s Biggest Fish Fry lived up to its name. Our ride home was dry and windy and everybody made it safely. It takes dedication to get out in such sorry weather but we came through one more time proving that the new Memphis Tour Riders are here to stay.

The only good view of a thunderstorm is in your rear view mirror.

HAPPY TRAILS

PAGE 3

MULE DAYS

According to Floyd Nunnelee’s fancy built in thermometer in his new GL1800, the temperature is 36 degrees... Eight bikes have gathered in the Parking lot of Jimmy C’s Café and at 6:30AM on the money we brace ourselves for the cold ride ahead and hit the road for the first time in history as the new independent version of the Memphis Tour Riders.

Five hours later we arrive in Columbia, Tennessee, home of Mule Days and two time Daytona 500 winner and current Winston Cup points leader Sterling Marlin. The Mule Day festival has been a Columbia tradition since 1840. We pay five bucks at the gate and then sorta' split up, agreeing to meet back here at 1:30PM

This whole place has a kind of carnival atmosphere. There’s food tents everywhere and music blasting from every nook and cranny. Folks are milling about and gawking at everything but mostly at each other…After an hour of roaming around it dawns on me that I ain’t seen no mules. There’s all kinds of evidence laying around that mules have frequented this area recently but I still ain’t seen one.

We strolled on down the dusty midway, past hot dog stands, hamburger stands, cotton candy booths and Tee-shirt emporiums. Then Hildia spied this great big 'ol sign that said “Crafts”. Well, I knew where we were going next. She loves crafts and there would be no holding her back so we ambled in. First thing I did was speak to this lady who seemed to be in charge, “Scuse me mam, but do y’all by any chance have any mules in here.” She was a happy soul with rosy cheeks and one of them jolly dispositions. She smiled real big and said, “Nawww. We don’t have no mules in here you silly goose.” Then she turned and waved her arm in a long sweeping semi-circle indicating the contents of the huge circus size tent. “But we got just about anything else you can think of.” Well, that was sure the truth and Hildia looked at all of it. She didn’t buy nothing but she looked.

There was a crossroads in the midway and right in the middle of it was Bahama Mama’s, a fruit drink stand. They played a lot of loud Hawaiian music with lots of bongo’s and tom-toms. The drinks were served in tall skinny flower vases and they looked real tasty. I walked up, took a peek over the counter and yelled over the deafening music, ”Hey. Have you got any mules back there.” A man sportin’ a Hawaiian shirt yelled back, “What?” I yelled louder, “I said, have you got any mules back there?” “Naw, no mules he screamed. But we got some really cool drinks.” They were also really expensive. Five bucks if I remember is what I paid for Hildia’s. She seemed to enjoy it though.

As Hildia sipped her fancy five-dollar punch we strolled on around the midway. There were some new Toyota Trucks on display under an awning so we ambled over to check ‘em out. We ducked in and I stood there with my hands on my hips looking around then asked this fellow that seemed to be guarding the trucks, “You ain’t got no mules in here anywhere have you?” “Nope. Ain’t got no mules.” Says he. “Just what I thought.” I snorted. “But hey, I do got this here fancy gas grill that we’re gonna’ give away after ‘while.” He slipped us a slip of paper and said, “Fill at ‘tare piece of paper out an’ drop it in ‘nat box over ‘air. You might win yourself a fancy new grill.” He grinned. “No mules though?” I repeated. “Naw, ‘fraid not neighbor.”

What kind of mule show is it that don’t have no mules I mumbled as we shuffled on down the gravel pathway. Just look at all these stupid people. Come up here by the thousands and pay their money to celebrate the majesty and splendor of mules and there ain’t a mule in sight. What a rip.

I stuck my head inside of this big tent where these four black ladies were laughing and carrying on as they stood over two large cookers. “Scuse me ladies” I said politely, “but do y’all happen to have any mules in here. “No, we don’ have no mules in here you ignorant white boy but we got some mighty fine catfish.” She forked a fish steak and pointed it at me and smiled. “Why don’t you and you lady friend there come on in and try some.” “Well” I said and turned and asked Hildia if she was ready to eat. She said she was always ready to eat catfish so we took a seat and dug in. As I polished off the last hush puppy, I asked one of the ladies if she had ever seen a mule at Mule Days. She said, “You know, come to think of it I don’t think I ever have. I’ve seen some horses and a few ponies. I even seen a giraffe once. But mules? I don’t think so. But then I ain’t really interested in mules. I’m more interested in money, honey. You unnerstan’ what I’m sayin'?” If I didn’t then, I certainly did after I paid for the catfish.

Stuffed full of catfish and hushpuppies, we waddled out of the fish tent and I checked the time. One PM. Got to go. As we made our way through the crowd we rounded a corner and from out of nowhere came two teenage girls riding the biggest mule I’ve ever seen in my life. Had to be sixteen hands at the shoulder. Then, on an impulse, I did the dumbest thing I think I’ve ever done. I jumped out in front of that huge animal waving my arms like an idiot and yelling and hollering at the top of my voice. “Whoa mule, whoa mule, whooooa mule!” This was the first mule I had seen here at mule days and I wasn’t gonna’ let him get away. Seeing the camera in my hand, the girls reined up and when I aimed the lens in their direction they got the picture and lit up like light bulbs..

So now I can verify that there was at least one mule at Mule Days but there was a lot more people than mules. Some say over 200,000 visit every year. I believe it….We had a good time and The New Memphis Tour Riders very first ride was a success drawing thirteen bikes…If you were with us, thanks for coming. If you weren’t, we missed you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

May 14th - Juanita Cole

May 23rd - Judy Goff

Many Happy Returns!

MEETING NOTICE:

The New Memphis Tour Riders

Will Meet Thursday, May 9th

Jimmy C’s Café

I-40 at Sycamore View

Eat at Six, Meet at Seven

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