Back in May, I stood up in front of you and read off a lengthy and spirited ride schedule for 2003. Fourteen rides to be exact and several others were added throughout the summer. It's hard to believe that it's all over now. Time sure flies when you're having fun. And that's exactly what we were doing. Having fun and lots of it. I was for sure.
The Memphis Tour Riders, the motorcycle club that used to have the shameful reputation of an outfit that didn't ride, has in two short seasons executed a complete turnaround and we are now known as the group that does ride. Our proof is over 4000 organized miles ridden this year and I would wager that any motorcycle group in this city would be hard pressed to challenge that kind of saddle time. Maybe our motto should be "We Ride".
The year started off with the second annual Bikers for Barbara rally benefit which is certainly a short hop but it did some good and we got the year started on the right foot. June was our busiest month with rides on the 7th, 14th, 21st 
We did Marion and Don Oller's annual Po-Boy Picnic, always a good turnout for that one. The next weekend our Magnolia Moon ride was postponed due to rain. But we got it in a few weeks later. Our cookout at Chickasaw wasn't as big this year as last but we still had a great turnout. One of our best rides as far as folks turning out though was the Reelfoot Lake ride in August. If memory serves me right, we had seventeen motorcycles on that trip. It would have been perfect ride too if we hadn't run off and left Brenda Hamilton in the Bathroon in Hornbeak. Then there was the Beacon Light Café in Bon Aqua. I don't think the restaurant was a hit but the ride was. Great roads. The Trail of Tears had its usual 100,000 motorcycles show up but the spectacle was gone. Seems the Alabama State Troopers decided to bust up the ride into fifty bike segments. That just might ruin a very good thing. I hope they re-consider next year…. 
One of our added rides was the 141st annual Civil War Reenactment of the Battle of Britton Lane. I had never been to a reenactment and found it very interesting. MTR's Mike Hopper and Brenda Hamilton helped host the event and were to busy to do much socializing but they did take time to chat when they could. A few of the participants insisted on using Dan Randall for target practice but we managed to convince them that even though he was a dirty low down Yankee it would be easier on us if we returned him to his wife in one piece instead of full of holes. 
Only five bikes turned out for what was possibly the best ride of the season. The seven state Diamond Butt Ride. The weather was perfect and we had a great time. And Blazing Saddles Expanded was terrific. The new route via Monteagle Mountain beats the old one by a country mile. The Foglight Foodhouse, where we usually eat on this ride, decided to relocate and naturally they chose our week to make the move so we had to hustle up an alternate restaurant. Our substitute, Mama Mac's, had some good food but they came up short in the atmosphere department. Next year we'll return to the Foglight and check out their new facility. The next day, several of us continued on to Birmingham, Alabama and the new Barber Motorcycle Museum and Racing Complex in Birmingham. Great ride and the Museum is a must see for all motorcyclists. 
That's it in a nutshell. I'll try and have a ride schedule for '04 ready by the March meeting. There will be some old familiar rides but I promise some new ones too. Like the Doodle Soup Festival in Bradford. Sounds like fun huh? 

The November meeting was officially kicked off at 7:10 PM.
Roll Call: Terry and Mary Carol Scott, Brenda Hamilton, Mike Hopper, Dan Randall, Dick and Fran Salveson, Myron and Beverly Coney, Don and Marion Oller, B.J. and Hildia Max, Floyd Nunnelee, Rusty Higgins, Margaret Rogers, Charlie and Darnell Gibson, Gene Dennie and yours truly. Everyone except Myron reported receiving his or her November newsletter. The U.S. Postal System? 
Webmaster and Web Site update: Our Webmaster, Eddie Garner, now has a walking cast and is going to therapy three times a week. Eddie is continually updating the web site when able. We finally received the invoice from Atlantic.net for the MTR web hosting, cost $218.63; we are paid up until August 1, 2004. 

Ongoing business:

Our yearly AMA Social Charter was renewed this month at a cost of $25.00 and at the November meeting we had a bank balance of $713.03. 
We still have the forms available, if anyone wants to record their motorcycle mileage for the 2004 Long Distance Motorcycle Award,. 
All MTR dues will be payable at the same time, April 2004. If you have not renewed and have a question about what your current dues are and the date you joined, please check with me. 
We still need sponsors/advertisers. Remember they get twelve ads in the newsletter and a listing on the web page. It's a good deal for thirty dollars a year. And please support our advertisers when you can. 
Dan Randall discussed our MTR Christmas Party Lunch, which will be at the TBCH Boy's Ranch at 9224 Quito Road in Millington, TN on December 13th at Noon. Dan has arranged for the donation of hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken that will be grilled for lunch. I also sent an e-mail to all listing the additional food, condiments, etc. we will need to complete the lunch. Darnell Gibson is coordinating the list. So please let her know ASAP what you will furnish. We want to finalize the list no later than December 5th so we know what last minute items may be needed. 
In addition to the Christmas Party at the Boys Ranch, MTR and Dan Randall, AKA Santa Claus, will be at the TBCH campus

Continued On Page 3

News and comments:
Bill Jones is back in the hospital. If you get a chance drop him card or give him a call. And B.J. spoke with Robert Crawford on the phone this past week. Robert had worked that morning but couldn't quite make a full day. The chemo treatments, he said, really takes the steam out of him. But thankfully, he only has a couple more. He said that everything was looking good and he hopes to be back at the meetings soon. 
Dick Salveson and Terry Scott reported they and five other MTR members had a good time at the Veterans Day Thunder III, November 7-8 with a lot of motorcycles and venders on site. Loco Joe reported that it was the best one yet. The event raised over ten thousand dollars for the Armed Forces Museum.
Our scheduled ride to the BMW Dealership open house, November 15th in Little Rock was rained out. Only three brave BMW riders made the wet trip and were the only motorcycles in attendance that actually rode to the event. 

New Business:

We will continue to post rides/events as they come up in the newsletter, Web Page, and at the meetings. As always if anyone has any suggestions for rides or events please let B.J. know. He is already busy working on the agenda for 2004 that includes a pilgrimage to the Doodle Soup festival, whatever that is. And Dan Randall is working on an incredible event for 2004 that will include TBCH, a Professional Sports Team and the Memphis Tour Riders. Stay tuned.
If interested, all Honda Riders Club Members can go to the HRCA Clubhouse web site, http://hrca.honda.com, click on the IMS Contest banner and register for the breakfast drawing and entry to a 2004 International Motorcycle Show of your choice. I preferred the Atlanta Show on January 16-17-18, being the closest. 
Thanks to all that brought door prizes, win one bring one, we really had a bunch. There is no December meeting so tonight was our last regular meeting of 2003. See y'all at the gatherings December 10th or 13th or at the January 8, 2004 meeting.
The meeting was officially gaveled to order at 8:09 PM

November 50-50  

Winner 50/50 Jackpot: Floyd Nunnelee $45.00

The Memphis Tour Riders will meet at Shoney’s, Sycamore View and Summer Ave. Saturday Morning, December 13^th at 10:30AM and ride to the TBCH Boys Ranch near Millington for our 12^th annual Christmas Party. For those of you who want to go out on your own, go to the old “51Drive-In” in Millington (Hwy. 51 North) The screen, or whats left of it will be on your right as you exit Millington. Take a left on W. Union and Ride 1.9 miles to Quito Road. Take a right on Quito Road and ride 9/10ths of a mile. Boys Ranch on your right. If its cold and/or raining we will caravan out in four wheeler’s. This is our last ride of the season so if it’s just a little bit cold, try and ride anyway. Make an impression on the kids as to how tough (or stupid) we are even though we are getting a little long in the tooth.  

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!