Volume V Issue IX

Coon Dog Cemetery Ride Recap

Well, after three tries, we finally got the ride to the Coon Dog Graveyard in the books. It was hot but not unbearably so. The temp gauge on my bike reached a high of 96 degrees and that was around three thirty in the afternoon.

In an attempt to spruce up this old ride, we took a different route into the backwoods of Northern Alabama We exited off Highway 72 on the western side of Cherokee and the last nine miles to the cemetery was a pleasure. Actually, its an old logging mad that’s been paved and it really takes you deep into the sticks.

The Key Underwood Coon Dog Graveyard, as it is officially known, is really a cemetery and has over a hundred champion coon dogs buried there, the first~ Troop, was laid to rest in 1937. All must be champion coon dogs and no less than three coon hunters who know the dog must sign affidavits stating that the dog was indeed one of the best We may poke fun but the coon hunters take this very seriously and I wouldn't be cracking any jokes in their presence.

Our fearless leader, Stan, is forever bumping into relatives in the dangdest places and, yeah, you guessed it~ the coon dog cemetery was no exception. It seems that one of the dogs buried in the coon dog cemetery, as unbelievably as it may sound, is a distant relative of Stan’s. Really. Blue Tick, that’s the dog’s name, belonged to one of Stan’s in-laws and is buried at the southernmost end of the cemetery and he must have been very special to his master, Mr. James, because he has one of the nicest head stones in the graveyard. I do believe that if we rode to the moon, once there we would bump into an astronaut who just happened to be a relative of Stan’s.

On the way home we stopped in Corinth and had the buffet at Ryan’s. Always a good place to eat We arrived at 1:20PM. twenty minutes behind schedule and I blame the delay on Rick Tony. He gave a duck calling demo at the cemetery and it gummed up the schedule...Seriously, Rick’s duck calling expertise has to be heard to be believed...If you haven’t had the pleasure, ask him to demonstrate the next time you see him. He loves to show off and you will be pleasantly surprised at his skill..

We had a good turnout. Ten bikes and thirteen souls logged 301 miles on the ride and the weather, after a cold front moved through the night before lowering the humidity, was almost perfect.. Thanks to those of you who made it and to those who didn’t, we missed you.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Ride Commander,

bj

Bits and Piece’s: “Work hard-Play hard-Live life to the fullest. You only go around once in life. This is
your life-not a dress rehearsal” Tom Brokaw

Trails End Minutes by Stan Viets

September 2006

Welcome to the members In attendance for the August meeting. Dan Randall, Terry and M.C. Scott, Hubert Gross, Floyd Nunnelee, Mike and Brenda Hopper, Paul and Dian Talkington, Charlie and Darnell Gibson, Tod and Cindy Beers and Stan Viets. Visitors tonight Christie Talkington and Mark Hansen, thanks folks for coming and come back.
We will have 4 Birthdays this month, Don Oller on the 12th, Dan Randall on the 18th, Terry Taylor on the 21st and Darnell Gibson on the 28th. We also have 4 anniversaries, Jerry and Sissy Turner on the 3rd, Billy and Hildia Max on the 6th, Buck and Donna Permenter on the 7th and Charlie and Darnell Gibson on the 22. Congratulations and best wishes to all.
Mike Hopper had surgery on the 7th to remove a lesion from his vocal chords, waiting on tests to come back. All Is going well but he is not to talk for at least a week. He brought a sign to the meeting (Hi Y’ail) Brenda will take up the slack
Email from Sharon .... She is coming back to Tennessee on the 12th. Her Mother has finished her radiation this week and is doing fine. Sharon has bought a house in Nebraska and will sell her home in Memphis. She plans on coming to the September meeting to say Hi and Bye. We miss Sharon and Barry and wish her and her Mother the best, good luck and thank you for being a part of MTR
We are still slowly getting In our membership renewals, still short some. Thanks, to all that have renewed, if you haven’t yet, don’t forget to pay your annual membership $24 dues for 2006. Many have renewed however if you were not at the meetings, please print out a renewal form, note any changes and mail to Hlidia Max. We hope everyone will renew, we appreciate and thank you for your support. If you are not going to renew, please email me so we can remove your name from our mailing list. Also check the MTR web site often for updates. This is also Important before every scheduled ride as ft may be postponed due to various circumstances?
For your future planning information, BJ will have detailed itinerary emails later
August 19th thru August 29, the Yankee Invasion as Billy calls It. We have had an unexpected situation come up. Billy and Hildia will not be able to go due to Hilda’s work. We are sorry they can’t make it and do appreciate all the hard work put into the “Invasion”. Tod will meet with Billy and plan the trip from Niagara Falls and beyond, I know he will have a fantastic route laid out for us to enjoy. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd night reservations are already made and confirmed. Floyd and I are planning to leave the group in Vermont and head north to Cabot’s Landing, Nova Scotia, we may never be this close again.
September 9th. Hardy Arkansas Ride. Unfortunately I will not be able to make it. Jeans twin sister, Jane I. planning her 80th year birthday party with a memorial for Jean. I will be going to Florence, AL on Saturday the 9th.
September 16th. Trail of Tears, Waterloo, AL the Official end of the ride has been moved to Florence.
September 23rd. Lambert’s, home of the Throwed rolls, Sikeston, MO
October 7th and 8th.. Blazing Saddles, dine at the old jail, Fayetteville, TN. Again unfortunately I will also miss this one, due to family reunion in AL on the October 7th.
Anything else to discuss before the 50/50? How about the Coon Dog ride that we finally got in? I guess everyone knows about Al of Al’s Honda drowning? Don’t forget to check out Dan’s new Yamaha Roadliner Bike, it’s really nice. Dan, discussed the Burger and Bike Rally in Oakland on the Kroger store parking lot, it will be sponsored by New Life Church as well as the Benefit for Morgan Shaw at 7852 Craft Road, Olive Branch, also the Vietnam Wall at the Marion middle School, lots of activities going on Saturday the 12th.
Thanks to all that brought door prizes, remember win one bring one.
We will now have our door prize drawing and 50/50) jackpot.
Our next meeting will be Thursday September 14th back here at the same time. Thanks for coming tonight
MTR theme for 2006 is to Ride Safe and with a sense of awareness.
That’s all Folks.
Adjourned at 7:30 PM

DANGER: DEER CROSSING

Vehicle collisions involving deer are the most common type of animal-vehicle collisions in the United States. Almost a hundred people loose their lives every year in deer related accidents on our nation’s highways. Be vigilant while riding. With a little preparation and awareness many deer collisions can be avoided.

Five Tips to help you avoid Deer Collisions

1. Be extra careful when riding at dawn, dusk, or the first few hours after nightfall. These are the times when deer are most active.

2. Use high beams at night when possible. You will see the reflection in the deer’s eyes long before you see the deer. Your headlights hypnotize a deer when you approach, so slow down quickly.

3. Heed deer crossing signs. Slow down when riding through deer habitats such as wooded areas and fields. Keep your eyes moving and glance frequently at both sides of the road.

4. When you see a deer, watch for more. Deer are herd animals and usually move in groups. Slow down immediately. Never, ever make the assumption that there is only one.

5. And last but certainly not least, never ever blow your horn. This startles the deer and he may jump right out in front of you. This tip is from personal experience..
bj