Volume IV Issue III

From the Editor

Spring is in the air. The trees are starting to bud, flowers will soon be in bloom, and riding will once again be an everyday occurrence. As you can see to the right we have a very good ride schedule this year with over 6,000 planned miles.
Before you get on your favorite machine, be it old or new, don't forget your safety checks. Also prepare yourself for the season with a little practice time in an empty lot if needed. We are never to old or experienced to not benefit from a little preseason training just like the baseball players are going through now. Practice... Practice and Practice
On the lighter side have ya hear the one about...
Well I have heard most of them but some of us may not have. Submit your favorite joke for publishing in the newsletter. We could all use a little humor once in a while

Keep the rubber side down
Ride it like you stole it.
Dan Randall

10 Ways to Be Safe on a Motorcycle
Motorcycle Safety
1.) Assume Drivers Can't See You: Ride assuming that you and your motorcycle are totally invisible to motorists. That means you must never assume that drivers can see you. The odds are, they can't so believe it yourself and always have an "out' for dangerous traffic situations.
2.) Maintain Safe Spacing: Leave plenty of space in front and back and to the sides from all other vehicles. Be an island. Stay away from traffic as much as possible. This gives you more visibility and more time to react to
situations.
3.) Anticipate Trouble: Anticipate trouble situations and know what to do when you see them. Analyze what vehicles are doing and try to predict the outcome. Then make sure you're ready to avoid a bad traffic situation.
Continued on Page 3

Special
Announcements

New Meeting Place!

Fox Ridge Pizza

1769 N. Germantown Rd.

Cordova, TN 38016

Effective Beginning With The March Meeting

Located in a new strip shopping area, behind
Burger King and Huey’s on Germantown Rd

6,555 MILES
That’s how many miles our Road Commander,
BJ Max, has planned for MTR in 2005!

Web Site of the Month
http://www.mcnews. com!
A Great monthly motorcycle mag

Trails End Minutes by Stan Viets

February 2005

Members at our February meeting, Michael Hopper, Brenda Hamilton, Sharon and Barry Englander, Larry Cole, Floyd Nunnelee, Rusty Higgins, Dan Randall, Tod and Cindy Beers. M.C. Scott, Don Oller. Jean and Stan Viets.

Everyone receive his or her January Happy Trails without any problems? Margaret didn't get hers; it came back, undeliverable as addressed? We have since corrected their address.

As mentioned last month, if you want to read Happy Trails on line, which is readily available on the MTR web page, send Dan an email, stating you want to stop your mailed hard copy and he will remove your name from the mailing list, otherwise he will continue to mail your hard copy. So far Dan has received only one request to stop mailing the hard copy.

Please continue to send your current news or articles, stories etc. to Dan Randall and get involved. We will continue to post rides/events as they come up both in the newsletter, Web Page, and at meetings. If anyone has any suggestions for rides or events please let Billy Max know.

We have 3 Birthdays in March, Joe Kilpatrick on the 3rd, Barry Englander on the 4th and David Elston on the 13th (no cake and ice cream, sorry). There is only one Anniversary this month, Terry and Mary Carole Scott, congratulations to all.

Ongoing business:

Our plans to move our MTR meeting location to the new Fox Ridge Pizza at 1769 N. Germantown Parkway at Dexter has now been finalized thanks to Floyd. By a show of hands our meetings change was approved, effective with the March 10th meeting. The Fox Ridge meeting room is much larger and hopefully we will have more folks attend and fill it up. It's easy to find and the MTR Web Site also has a map. I notified and thanked Shoney's for hosting our meetings for the past years and the manager thanked us and said they appreciated our business.

Bill Max reviewed in detail the 2005 Ride Schedule which will total 6555 miles of fun and festive events. The listing is also posted on the Web Page for the World Wide Web to see what MTR has lined up for 2005.

Billy has a great variety of rides and activities that will be enjoyed by all. We as a group at the meeting, thanked and acknowledged all the hard work and time Billy has put into the getting it together. We are fortunate to have such a talented Road Commander, looking after us.

Also the details and sign-up forms for the 2005 Long Distance event will be available at our next ride, March 19th at the Mid South Cycle Show at the Agricenter International and our dinner ride to Safari's in New Albany, MS. If you miss this event you can sign up
at the April 2nd Ride to Phillips Grocery.

To our new members. MTR patches and rockers "WHERE WE GO ONE. WE GO ALL' are available. @$5.00

New business:

The Art of the Motorcycle will be presented by Wonders, April 22-October 30, 2005. The Wheel of WONDERS Ride will be Saturday April 23. If you haven’t returned your registration forms yet. now is the time, circle Bumpus I-1-D as your departure point. Registration forms are available on the MTR we b page. You will pick up your packets at Bumpus H-D Dealership at 2160 Whitten Road. The Christian Motorcycle Association will be having a free pancake breakfast during the Saturday bike staging at both Bumpus locations. The Wheels of WONDERS ride will be well attended by the Memphis Tour Riders. Many have already registered and received their confirmation. It was discussed and decided MTR would have polo or golf type shirts with a pocket, light gray in color so we would be easily recognized as a group. Billy and Hilda volunteered to locate the shirts, where to buy them, and bring them to the March meeting. Dan also volunteered to buy the iron-on ink jet tee-shirt transfers, print our 10” logo and distribute them at the March meeting. MTR agreed to reimburse Dan for the transfers cost and a color cartridge for his printer, as necessary. The plan is for everyone wanting to have matching shirts for the W of W ride to purchase their own. and then iron the logo transfer on the back: we will also have a small logo for the front I under stand if you follow the directions, most of the time the transfer will be successful. Sounds like fun. Good Luck.

Thanks to all that brought door prizes tonight, win one bring one.

See v’all at our next meeting March 10th at Fox Ridge Pizza.

St. Patrick’s, Day March 17.

Spring begins March 20.

Easter. March 27.

Ride Safe and arrive alive in 005

Adjourned at 7:55 PM

Door Prizes - Win One Bring One

Donated By:	Prize:	Winner:
Barry and Sharon Barry and Sharon Dan Dan Dan Dan Stan and Jean Larry Mike and Brenda Mike and Brenda Floyd Darnel Darnell Darnell Darnell Darneli Darnell Mary Carole	Screw drivers Wheel cleaner Valentine candy Valentine candy Valentine candy Valentine candy Calculator Armoral wipes Goodie bag # 1 Goodie Bag #2 Turtle wax Tube press Tube press Eyeglass clip Eyeglass clip Candy Candy Photo album	Hildia Tod Floyd Larry Brenda Floyd Floyd Dan Hildia Dan Jean Larry Mike Hildia Mike Don Floyd Floyd
50-50 Jackpot	$32.00	Floyd

4.) Beware of Oncoming Left Turners: Beware of oncoming motorists turning left in front of you at intersections. This is the leading cause of death of motorcycle riders. I'm deadly serious here. I have personally lost many friends to this accident. If you only remember one tip here, let it be this one. Slow down before you enter an intersection. Have an escape route planned. Stay visible. Don't travel too dose to cars in front of you. Position your
bike so it can be seen by the left turner. Eye contact is not
enough.
5.) Ride Your Own Ride: Don't try to keep up with your friends who may be more experienced. Know your personal limits. Ride your own ride.
6.) Watch Out for Curves: Beware of taking curves that you can't see around. A parked truck or a patch of sand may be awaiting you.
7.) Don't Give In to Road Rage: Do not give in to road rage and try to "get even" with another rider or motorist If you follow these tips, most likely you won't fall victim to road rage. irs better to calm down, slow down, and collect your thoughts first. Then continue on and enjoy the ride. That's what we're all out there for in the first place.
8.) Don't allow Tailgating: lf someone is tailgating you, either speed up to open more space or pull over and let them pass. Life is too short. Remember that a bike can stop faster than a car so you don't want a truck on your tail when you find yourself trying to brake to avoid an accident Also, don't tailgate the vehicle in front of you. Oncoming drivers can't see you.
9.) Don't Be Blinded by Sunglare: Beware of riding your
motorcycle into sun glare. All it takes is turning a corner and
finding the sun either directly in your face or passing straight
through your windshield. Some helmets have shields to block
the sun. Face shields help somewhat. But sometimes you just
find yourself blinded by the light Slow down, pull over, shield
your eyes and look for a way to change direction.
10.) Avoid Riding at Night: Avoid riding at night, especially late Saturday night and early Sunday when drunken drivers may be on the road. It goes without saying that you shouldn't drink and ride. Going bar hopping? Leave the bike at home and find a designated driver.

MSF Issues Safety Advisory: Pocket Bikes are Illegal on Public Roadways

Irvine, Calif., August 2,2004—With the recent media attention surrounding mini motorcycles, or pocket bikes, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) would like to remind owners and potential purchasers, parents in particular, that these machines cannot be legally ridden on public roadways. Pocket bikes are not manufactured to meet U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. They do not have lights or turn signals, and are not manufactured to comply with federal emissions or noise standards. A primary hazard is that the bikes are so small, and the rider sits so low, that other motorists may not see them at all.

They are designed for use on racetracks and private property only.

MSF encourages those who choose to ride these machines to protect themselves by staying off public roads, parking lots, and sidewalks; to respect local laws; and to respect the rights of motorists who are legally entitled to use the roadway. For those who choose to ride these machines on
a racetrack or private property, MSF recommends adult supervision for riders under 16 and the use of motorcycle-type protective gear, including a helmet manufactured to meet United States Department of Transportation (DOT) standards.

“Patriotism is easy to understand in
America; it means looking out for
yourself by looking out for your country.”

Calvin Coolidge

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
	23 - Terry & Mary Carole Scott

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

03 - Joe Kilpatrick
04 - Barry Englander

13 - David Elston

Many Happy Returns