Where We Go One, We Go All

August 2003

The first annual Magnolia Moon Dinner Ride that was postponed because of rain. It had been scheduled on the only Saturday night this year with a full moon. But, we managed to re-schedule the ride when the moon was 98% full which is almost the same thing. In fact this was a "Full Buck Moon" so named because it's the time of year when the whitetail deer's new antlers are pushing out. 
Eighteen members and guests turned out for this trip. There was Robert and Judy Crawford and four guests, Jan and Rudy Doyle and Barbara and Tommy Boykin plus Charley and Darnell Gibson, Floyd Nunnelee, Dorothy Shipman, Mike Hopper, Brenda Hamilton, Terry and Mary Carol Scott, Tim Hendrickson, Stan Viets, Hildia Max and Yours Truly. We had ten motorcycles in the group and when it comes to motorcycles we are as divers as New York City. On this ride we had three GL1500's, two GL1800's, one Kawasaki Vulcan, one Yamaha Venture, a BMW and a Gold Wing Trike. We are still dominated by Gold Wings but this outfit is changing and for the better as far as I'm concerned. One last point: My calculations predicted that the moon would rise at 7:59PM…As late as 7:50, as we gassed up in Corinth, I was still being razzed by certain members that there was still no moon visible.. But, to their consternation, at precisely 7:59, just over the car wash, that big silver ball popped into the evening sky. Allrighhhht! Hey, we promised you the moon and we delivered. When are you people going to start having a little faith in your friendly neighborhood Road Commander…Huh? 
There was a ride to Phillips Grocery last month too but Hildia and I couldn't make it. I had oral surgery the day before and was to pilled up to ride. David Elston lead the group to Holly Springs and, after a parade lap by Graceland South, straight to Phillips Grocery. A little bird told me that on arrival David smugly commented that "He didn't need no stinkin' GPS". He didn't need no stinkin' forty gig word processor either but he's got one. Truth be known, he probably just followed his nose. With that proboscis of his he can track sautéed onions from thirty miles out.
We also had a ride up to the Tennessee River last month. The ride was scheduled for the River Heights Café but, thanks to Robert Crawford, we learned that River Heights was closed for nine vacation days and naturally, one of those days was our scheduled ride. No problem. We simply detoured to the Catfish Hotel near Shiloh National Military Park. 
This was another dinner ride with yet another good turnout proving that dinner rides are very popular this time of year. Along for the fun was our President and First Lady, Stan and Jean Viets plus the usual suspects, David Elston, Floyd Nunnelee, Dorothy Shipman, Robert and Judy Crawford, Charley and Darnell Gibson, Dan Randall and co-rider Eileen, Myron and Bev Coney and Hildia Max and Yours Truly. And last but not least, guests of Robert and Judy. Now wouldn't you just know it, I couldn't remember their names right now if you put a gun to my head. But anyway, they rode a trike the same color of Mike and Brenda's and just want them to know that we enjoyed having them and that they are welcome anytime even if I can't remember their names. We have yet another dinner ride coming up August 16th to Reelfoot Lake and from what I've heard, it to will be a success. To all those who participated this past month, thanks for coming. For those who were buried under mountains of tree limbs and trash and couldn't make it, we missed you. 

The July '03 meeting of the Memphis Tour Riders was officially gaveled to order Thursday July 10th at 6:55 PM 
ROLL CALL: Dick and Fran Salverson, Mike Hopper and Brenda Hamilton, Robert and Judy Crawford, B.J. and Hildia Max, Myron and Beverly Coney, Terry and Mary Carol Scott, Charlie Gibson, Floyd Nunnelee, Hubert Gross, Stan and Jean Viets and last but certanily not least, our newest member, Kevin Cardwell. Welcome aboard Kevin. 
Unfinished Business: 
We discussed the problem with our web host going bankrupt and our web site being down. We will review other options before we transfer mtrmc.com to a new hosting company but in any event, the membership approved, if our other options be unsuccessful, to transfer our account to Atlantic Net, the web host buying our old company. Atlantic Net offered us a deal at $17.95 per month for one Gigabyte of storage space and offered to waive the setup fee if we go with them. Our previous hosting company charged $9.95 per month for a paltry 50 MB storage and, to be honest, we were near our limits. 
A reminder that everyone's dues will be payable at the same time next year. April 2004 to be exact. For members that have not renewed at this time and you have a question about your dues, please check with me. We hope this won't ever be necessary but if for some reason you're not going to renew let me know and I'll remove your name from our mailing list. 
We want to continue to look for additional sponsors/advertisers. For a paltry thirty bucks a year they will receive twelve ads in the newsletter and a listing on our web page. If we should for some reason or other accumulate more ads than we have space, we will add a page to our newsletter. If you find an interested business and you need help, just let me know. 
Up Dates, News and Comments:
Bill Jones is back in the Methodist Hospital; he had two more stent procedures and was on dialysis for a while but is off now and improving. Julia sends their thanks for all the cards, e-mails and calls. Jim Ashe is now able to read his e-mail but may not answer. Typing for Jim at this point is easier said than done. 
Dan Randall made a quick visit to Iowa to see his mother who is still in ICU. We want to continue our prayers for all our members and their families. 
Remember our MTR patches are available at $3.00/each. Also the rockers "WHERE WE GO ONE, WE GO ALL" are available at a cost of $2.00 per set. 
We had several members make trips recently; Hubert Gross rode to Yellowstone National Park and discovered that snow freezes on windshields, even in June. Robert Crawford and several friends made a trip spanning the area between the Tennessee River and Blytheville, approximately 260 miles, on their Gold Wings. 

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Memphis Tour Riders Ride Schedule 2003

August 9th: Shiloh Battlefield/Milbourns Market Ride
August 16: Earthquake Dinner Ride- Reelfoot Lake(GPS Coordinates N36 24.861 W89 25.641)
September 6: Beacon Light Café-Bon Aqua,TN…Home Cooking-Fried Chicken, Gravy, Biscuits (GPS Coordinates N35 57.197 w87 19.624)
September 20: Trail of Tears-Waterloo, Alabama (GPS Coordinates: N34 54.905 W88 03.644)
October 4: Buns of Steel Ride -Seven states in one day
October 18: Blazing Saddles Three-Fall Foliage Tour- Overnighter. Foglight Foodhouse (GPS coordinates: N35 48.523 W85 35.938) McMinnville, Tennessee. New Route over Monteagle Mountain this year. NOTE: The Foglight Foodhouse is moving into a new building. They should be in their new digs by this fall. Same picturesque road, just moving into a new building. 

Hurricane Elvis

On Tuesday Morning, July 22nd at 7:02 AM Hildia and I stood in the living room watching Ron Childers describe the storm that had just hit Midtown. In the background their High Five camera was pointed west down Union Avenue recording the storms destructive power. Then, we heard the wind. 
It started as a low moan then increased to a howl and finally evolved into a wailing shriek. I had never heard anything like it. Hildia and I ran for the hallway. On the way I grabbed our motorcycle helmets and with shaking hands we buckled them on then hunkered down in the hallway and waited out the storm. At one point, for about ten seconds, I really thought the roof was going to go but thankfully it held. We could hear trees hitting the roof and wood cracking. The wind just kept coming and I remember saying out loud, "Will this thing ever end." We heard later that the wind actually blew through at Category Two hurricane strength for fifteen agonizing minutes. In that fifteen minutes, the look of our neighborhood as well as most of Memphis, was changed forever. 
Mercifully, the wind finally died to a point where we felt safe to check outside. We could not believe our eyes. It looked like Gondzilla had tromped through our neighborhood. Trees were down everywhere. Big trees. Old Trees. Power had gone off about five minutes into the storm. I had installed a corded phone in the bedroom just the day before so we had a phone. Hildia started making calls and soon learned that Memphis was shut down. Period. 
We've got eight trees in our yard. Two Pecan, a Maple, a Magnolia, a Pin Oak, one River Birch, an Elm and a Bradford Pear. Five of the seven were damaged. Twenty-foot up, the Pecan split and will be lost as will the Magnolia tree, which also split in two. The elm dropped a huge limb onto our patio, destroying the cover and a brand new patio glider. The River Birch lost a couple of limbs and even the mighty 150 foot Oak on the east side of the house split up in the top and will need some serious surgery….
Down on Mullins Station, Bradford Pear trees lined the road in front of the church. All were lost. It looked like someone had gone by with a chain saw and cut them all down. Over at Shelby Farms, about a mile and a half from here, a huge old oak was blown down roots and all. But, not fifty yards away a Portable toilet was still standing…But we are lucky. Other Memphians as well as other MTR members have suffered a lot more. Our webmaster, Eddie Garner and Bonnie have a sheet metal shop and I'm told the front got blown away and still did not have power this past Tuesday, one week after the Storm. Mike Hopper and Brenda were still without power at this writing as was Terry and Mary Carol Scott. 
A Storm Spotter that had taken up station near our neighborhood said he recorded winds over a hundred miles an hour. To put this into perspective, Hurricane Floyd hit the Atlantic Coast in 1998 with winds that could only boast 98 MPH………Yes; The Memphis Hurricane season is upon us

HAPPY TRAILS

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