Volume III Issue III

On The Road

When Strong Winds Blow

Even when your local weather forecast doesn't call for rain or snow, wind conditions could vary making your ride tricky. Pay attention to wind speeds and directions before you go riding. If you get caught in windy conditions, here are a few tips that could help make your ride safer.
Strong winds can catch you off-guard and throw you off balance when you're riding a motorcycle. Opposed to other weather hazards, you can't see it coming. Be aware of weather conditions before you ride and take extra precautions when winds are extreme. Look ahead on the path you're riding and try to determine where the wind is going to catch you so you can plan for it. Some areas to watch out for include bridges, gaps between buildings and trees, open roads, coastal areas and gusts as large trucks pass. Try and figure out which way the wind is going to blow you and then do the following:
*Ride on the side of the lane that gives you the most room to maneuver.
*Keep your distance from other cars as well as the side and centerline of the road.
*Practice good posture. A good grip on the handlebars, a firm planting of your feet on the pegs and keeping your arms and shoulders flexible will help you maintain control and balance.
*Steer into the wind as much as possible.
In addition, it's extremely important in windy conditions to be aware of debris such as branches that have blown into your path.

Submitted by David Elston……

When you finally visit your boyhood town, you find it wasn’t the old home you longed for, but your boyhood.

Trail's End

The February Meeting of the Memphis Tour Riders was officially gaveled to order at 7:00PM on Honest Abe's Birthday….
Roll Call: Dick Salveson, Mike Hopper, Brenda Hamilton, Margaret Rogers, Mary Carole Scott, B.J. and Hildia Max and yours truly, Stan Viets. Thanks to everyone for coming.
On a sad note, we lost a valued MTR member, Robert Crawford, February 15th. We appreciate all attending the visitation and funeral; Memphis Tour Riders sent a flower arrangement with the note "We miss our Friend Robert". Additionally our web site has a Memorial picturing Robert in a joyful moment with his granddaughter. Our love and thoughts are with Judy and the entire family. So Long Old Friend. We will miss your down-to-earth wit and friendliness.
B.J. Max again requests news for the newsletter. Thanks to David Elston and Bob Branch for contributing articles this past month. Keep them coming. If anyone has any more stories, rides, trips or safety tips they would like to share, please send to B.J. and get involved. This is your organization.
Our MTR Tennessee Corporation Annual Report fee has been renewed with the Secretary of State for 2004 at a cost of $ 20.00. We have a bank balance of $675.58. If interested, you can review the complete financial information for last year on the member's only page on the web site. 2004 information will be posted quarterly.
Thanks to all our members for their generous donation to our Christmas gift expenses fund. If anyone hasn't donated and wants to, it is never too late. As always this donation is not mandatory but your help would be appreciated. It's easier if we all do our part.
Ongoing Business:
Annual membership dues will be payable on or before our April 8th 2004 meeting. Watch for a renewal application insert in Happy Trails, please update and return with your payment. Thanks. We appreciate your continuing involvement.
Reminder: We need additional sponsors/advertisers, remember they will get twelve ads in the newsletter and a listing on the web page as well as a hard copy of the newsletter for $30.00 a year. And please, support our advertisers.
We still have a few MTR patches and rockers "WHERE

Continued On Page 3

Our Next Monthly Meeting Is

Thursday, March 11th, 2004

And will be held at

SHONEY'S

3081 Covington Pike

(click here for map)

Eat at Six - Meet at Seven

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Joe Kilpatrick - March 3rd

Danny Parker - March 4th

David Elston - March 13th

Many Happy Returns

Happy Anniversary

Terry & Mary Carol Scott

March 23rd

Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly Fact

This past week I received a production schedule for MMM 2004 which means, I guess, that I haven't been fired yet. This will be my third year as a full time writer for MMM. It's hard to believe it's been that long but I just finished my 14th column so I guess it has. I have a lot of fun writing these stupid stories and I hope its fun for the readers. I've been writing pretty much full time now for the past ten years and I still find it hard to believe that anyone would be interested in anything I have to say. But my editor, Victor Wachena, says he continues to get positive feedback from my junk and he and his wife Tammy tell me the Redneck Files is a popular column in the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes. Some of you have even written to Victor praising my literary genius and I thank you and thanks to all of you for reading The Redneck Files and for the positive comments you've offered. Listed below are a few facts about MMM that you as readers might be interested in..

Over 25,000 motorcyclists read each issue of MMM
37% of MMM readers ride Cruisers; 28% ride sport bikes and 27% ride touring and sport touring motorcycles.
35% of MMM readers are women.
The average reader's household has two bikes.
The average household income for MMM readers is $49,320.00
MMM readers ride an average of 6,185 miles per year

Robert Crawford

1944-2004

Robert and Judy joined the Memphis Tour Riders in December 2003 and right off the bat they got involved. When we needed someone to baby sit our cookout site at Chickasaw Robert volunteered without hesitation. As ya'll well know, this little detail requires that you get up at the crack of dawn, ride to Chickasaw State Park and then sit all alone twiddling your thumbs for four hours. Not a pleasant task but Robert did it and he did it because he wanted to be one of the bunch. He succeeded and then some.

Robert was a special person. For the short time I knew him he emitted an unmatchable and enthusiastic zest for life. His unshakable optimism was visible daily through a grin that stretched from ear to ear. He had a great family, a million friends and a devoted wife. And Robert's one liners were a real hoot. He could make a stressful day peaceful, a slow morning brighter and a dull ride fun. With his happy go lucky attitude Robert reminded me time and again that I shouldn't take life to seriously.

The last ride I can remember Robert and Judy participating in, and I could be wrong, was the Earthquake Ride to Reelfoot. I remember being parked on the off ramp waiting on part of the crew that we had mistakenly left behind. Judy was sitting on their bike when the thing just started rolling forward then fell towards the Aramco guardrail. Fortunately, a few of us managed to catch it before any serious damage or injury was done. Robert didn't seem the least bit flustered by the incident, perhaps because it was Judy's hide on the line and not his. But whatever, he took it in stride like he did everything else.

Robert's Death, even though we knew he had been sick, still came as a shock. He and Judy attended the January meeting and he looked great. Then, on a routine visit to the hospital for a checkup an infection was discovered and in less than two weeks Robert was gone.

I didn't even know Robert was or had been sick until the Magnolia Moon ride last August. He mentioned that he had been battling bladder cancer for some time. I was caught off guard and amazed that he hadn't mentioned it earlier. And he never, not in my presence, mentioned it again and I never heard him complain. Not once. You're a better man than most Robert and the Memphis Tour Riders were fortunate to have known you.

Riding is weather and weather is riding.

Trails End…………………Continued From Page One
ONE, WE GO ALL" left so if you need a couple more better get 'em now because we won't be ordering any more.

Dan Randall couldn't be at the February meeting but advised that the only news he had to report was the proposed TBCH Benefit Poker Run will likely be this fall. He had been considering a May date but time ran out.

Julia Jones reports that Bill is getting stronger every day. Bill has been out of the hospital for over three weeks but has to go in for checkups weekly. Julia says over all he seems to be getting much better and hasn't lost his sense of humor.

Jim Ashe has been at the Timber Ridge Ranch, Benton AR since November. They specialize and work with stroke and head trauma victims. Hopefully Jim will be able to come home next month. Judy is staying with her mother in Memphis and has a lot to deal with at this difficult time. Please keep them both in your prayers. Jim enjoys receiving mail. You can write to him at the following address.

Capt. Jim Ashe
Timber Ridge Ranch
15000 Hwy 298
Benton, AR 72015

New Business:
B.J. distributed a very aggressive Ride Schedule for 2004 and he reviewed all sixteen of them in detail. The list is as varied as it is bold and promises something for everyone. We realize it may not be possible to make every trip but hopefully, with this advance notice, you will be able to attend a number of them. Our only scheduled March ride is on the Agricenter Motorcycle Show/Dinner at Safari's Steak and Seafood, New Albany, MS on Saturday the 20th. The entire Ride Schedule is now posted on the web site. Details will continue to come in the form of flyers and e-mails.

Due to the small turnout at the meeting we decided to skip the door prize, 50/50 jackpot drawing and to carry them over until the March meeting. Thanks to all that brought door prizes. Win one bring one.

A bit of History: Origins of Mid-South State Names: ~~ Tennessee-Tanasi was the name of Cherokee villages on the Little Tennessee River. From 1784 to 1788 this was the State of Franklin. ~~ Arkansas-Algonquin name for the Quapaw Indians, meaning "south wind." ~~ Mississippi-Probably Chippewa: mici zibi, "great river" or "gathering-in of all the waters." Also: Algonquin word, messipi……………….. World Almanac.

See y'all at our next meeting Thursday night March 11, 2004.
Ride Safe and ride more in 004
Stan and Jean

The meeting was officially gaveled to order at 7:44 PM

Memphis Tour Riders 2004 Ride Schedule

March 20th -Agricenter Motorcycle Show/Dinner at Safari's Steak and Seafood, New Albany, MS - 154 Miles

April 24th- -Worlds Biggest Fish Fry - Paris, Tennessee-242 Miles

May 1st - Best Dam Ride of the Year-Honda of Tupelo Open House-Tupelo, Mississippi-Photo Op-Elvis Presley Birthplace-Dinner at the Grand Casino, Tunica- 265 Miles

May 15th & 16th -World Superbike Race -Birmingham, Alabama-478 Miles-Overnighter

June 5th- Freedom Wings Annual Po-Boy Picnic-Mousetail Park-Perryville, Tennessee-240 Miles

June 26th- U.S. Space and Rocket Center-Huntsville, Alabama-408 Miles

July 10TH-Dinner Ride-Bozo's Bar-B-Q Mason, Tennessee -52 Miles

July 17th-Burnt Burger III - Wall Doxey State Park, Mississippi-100 Miles

July 31st-Second Annual Magnolia Moon Dinner Ride-Chapman's Resturuant-154 Miles

August 14th-Dinner Ride-Crossroads Café -Red Banks, MS--70 Miles

August 28th-Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee-Lake View Inn--196 Miles

Sept 11th -Doodle Soup Festival, Car and Motorcycle Show- Bradford, Tennessee--198 Miles

Sept 18- Trail of Tears- -Waterloo, AL-Dinner at the Catfish Hotel-Shiloh--265 Miles

October 2nd-Saddlesore 1000 Endurance Ride-Hendersonville, NC and Return-24 hours or less--1012 Miles

October 16th and 17th- 4th Annual Blazing Saddles Fall Foliage Tour-McMinnville, TN--570 Miles -Overnighter

November 6th-Veteran's Day Thunder -Bally's Casino-Robinsonville, MS-86 Miles

Total Miles Planned: 4,490

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

Albert Einstein

There's a lot to be said for making people laugh. Did you know that's all some people have? It isn't much but it's better than nothing in this goofy world.

Sullivan's Travels 1941