Motorcycle Poetry

Haikus are a form of poetry, which originated in Japan. They have been used there for centuries and made their way to countries all over the world. These special poems are consisted of three lines: the first line having five syllables, the second having seven syllables, and the third having five syllables. Lately more acceptable forms of Haikus have been accepted and not all follow the format mentioned above. Often haikus are about things in nature, like plants and animals. But more recent forms of haikus are about anything the poet wants to write about. In writing haikus you are to transform yourself into the world you want to express. In that way you can better see what it is you want to share. The following are some samples I wrote that bring back some motorcycle memories for me and I hope for you as well.

Wind in my hair
The earth rushing by all around me
Senses are alive

The sun arrives
Morning dew surrounds me
Peaceful sounds of nature

Pop! Pop! the noise is loud
Vibration on the legs and hands
Such power in a switch

Fast, slow a way we go
Close or far it doesn't matter
Two wheels take me there

Dan Randall……

We began our March meeting with a moment of silence in remembrance of MTR loyal member and valued friend, Robert Crawford. A moment of silence was also observed for members Myron and Bev Coney who lost their grandson, Eric Sansone, in a traffic accident recently. Our prayers and thoughts go out to their families. 

ROLL CALL: Barry and Sharon Englander, Brenda Hamilton, Mike Hopper, Dick and Fran Salveson, Margaret Rogers, Judy Crawford and her Granddaughter Victoria, Dan Randall, Mary Carol Scott, B.J. and Hildia Max, Floyd Nunnelee, Tim Hendrickson, David Elston and yours truly Stan Viets. We also had three visitors. Richard Oglesby and Woodie and Lin Hill. We enjoyed having them and I would like to take this opportunity to invite them back…. anytime.
As of the first of March, our bank balance was $579.95. The 2004 financial information will be posted quarterly. For 2003 financial details as well as the membership information, i.e. names, addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail, birthday's, etc. they can easily be accessed on the MTR web site. Just click the member's link, then use the password that can be obtained from our webmaster. Speaking of our webmaster, Eddie Garner, after a lot of research and hard work has redesigned the MTR site enabling all the links to be easily accessed from the opening page. Great job Eddie. We appreciate your efforts. Eddie welcomes all comments so if you have something to say, please sign the guest book.

Ongoing Business: A reminder that MTR annual membership dues will be payable on or before our April meeting. The April Newsletter will have a renewal application form. Please fill out your membership information, updating if necessary and mail with your check to: 8285 Chippingham Drive, Cordova, TN 38016. And thanks to those who have already renewed. 
Dan Randall has signed up a new advertiser, Kan Do Printing & Graphic Sign Center of Somerville, Tennessee. And, while placing an order for a new trailer, Charlie Gibson seized the moment and signed up N-Line Trailers of Olive Branch, Mississippi. Please note our new sponsor's ads in this issue and as always, we ask that you support our 

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support our advertisers. If anyone needs additional Newsletters or membership applications for prospective members or advertisers, let me know. Ads are only $30/year. And if you happen to sign up a sponsor please try and get two business cards.
Remember MTR patches and rockers "WHERE WE GO ONE, WE GO ALL" are still available. 
Dan Randall is working on details for the tentative fall poker run benefiting the Tennessee Baptist Children's Home, including participation at a Red Bird game. The event will be coordinated so it will not conflict with our 2004 ride schedule. 
Tim Hendrickson, who showed up at the meeting on his rare BMW R-80 RT, reviewed a recent ride to Little Rock for the BMW Motorcycles of Little Rock Open House.There were 14 bikes and everyone enjoyed the ride, fellowship, food and special prices on clothing and boots, etc. I bought a pair of BMW zip open waterproof boots myself and wore them on a trip to Bike Week. But, luckily, I didn't get the chance to test their waterproof capabilities. But I'm sure I will before the riding season is over.
See the additional ride details in this issue about Daytona, the Memphis Motorcycle show, Hunan dinner ride and the pictures on the web site.
The MTR ride to the AMA Super Bike races at the Barber vintage Motorcycle museum in Birmingham will be well attended. We have nine rooms reserved at the Days Inn in Jasper, Alabama. (Viets, Max, Elston, Randall, Hopper, Scott, Gibson, Salveson and Nunnelee) The pre-race tickets for Sunday the 16th are on order. If you want to join us, please let me know immediately and I will see about getting additional rooms and tickets.
We will continue to post rides/events as they come up both in the Happy Trails Newsletter, Web Page, and at meetings. As always if anyone has any suggestions for rides or events please let bj know.

Quotation: “Trust yourself. You know more than you think. Benjamin Spock

Ride Safe and ride more in 004
Stan and Jean

The meeting was officially gaveled to order at 7:50 PM

A Batteries Life

I was sifting through some files just now and I came up on the receipt for my last battery. Hmm. It's coming up on its second anniversary pretty soon so I might ought to think about buying a new one. It's been my experience that motorcycle batteries go belly up after a couple of years and likely as not, when they do they die a sudden death. Konk out without warning. Climate has a lot to do with if you can believe what you read. Heat, as with most things mechanical, is the Achilles heel here and odds are that a Yankee battery that lives out its life in Minnesota is gonna' have a longer life than a Redneck battery from Meridian, Mississippi. 
But no matter how you baby a motorcycle battery, it just ain't gonna' last much longer than two years. That'd be fourteen doggie years, which ain't to bad. Now there are a few riders that subscribe to the "I'd rather be safe than sorry" syndrome and buy a new battery every two years whether they need one or not. And some even claim to buy a new battery every year. Period. I personally think this is probably overkill but if you got the money, better to err on the safe side. Right? But to those I would also say, the next time you get ready to dump a one-year-old battery, give me a call. I'll give you twenty bucks for it plus my old battery and we can both save some money…Ya'll think about it

Hatchie River Slim 

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