MTA MO#1

HIT THE "REFRESH" F5 KEY TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE VIEIWNG THE MOST CURRENT UPDATE (last updated - Febryary 7, 2011)

You are always welcome to join any of our scheduled events as our guest whether on two or four wheels. Our gatherings are very informal with no required dress or uniform. We are a social group whose common interest is fellowship and the sport of riding motorcycles. Many of our group continue to pursue riding with a passion, while others have slowed down or stopped riding altogether, but because of friendships developed over the years, they continue as active members. We will post shared motorcycle trip or travel experiences as they become available. If you have any questions about our group, scheduled activities, or how to join and be a member, please contact our Chapter Rep, Mike Yelton at 913-268-0650 or email him at mly24@earthlink.net.

"Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love."

MTA Missouri Chapter 1 proudly supports the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation

MONTHLY PLANNING ROSTER PLAN DINNER/RIDE *and* PROVIDE A SUMMARY FOR WEBSITE (PHOTOS OPTIONAL)
FEBRUARY	TOM & NANCY
MARCH	FRANK & BARB
APRIL	JIM & JANET
MAY	GARY & MARY
JUNE	JOHN & TERRY
JULY	CHRIS & SALLY
AUGUST	MARK & CINDY
SEPTEMBER	MIKE & ANN MARIE
OCTOBER	CHARLIE & JUDY
NOVEMBER	BOB & MARY
DECEMBER	MAL & GINNY
JANUARY 2012	GEORGE & JERI

Nola Boyd	2/13
Cindy Massey	2/10
Ginny Fishback	2/24
Sandy Ramel	2/24
Ann Marie Kowalczyk	2/24
Bud Jersett	2/25

I think everyone had cabin fever by the looks of tonight's turnout. Our hosts George & Jeri with Adrianna were surprised when the table was completely filled with 18 members and guests. Those attending included guests Floyd & Jerea, members Frank & Barb, Bud & Pauline with grandson Alec, John & Terry, Mike & AnnMarie, Tom & Nancy, Phil & Barb, and Mary & yours truly. The conversation was lively as our waiter served drinks and took food orders. I think everyone was happy with the results and a few had take home boxes to enjoy later. Some even had room for dessert. The restaurant even had a face painter who added some color and impressive artwork on the faces of the kids! Adrianna had a beautiful butterfly around one eye and Alec had another set of eyes on his forehead. The evening was a culinary success and everyone was glad the weather cooperated allowing a night out without snow. We missed all who are traveling down south and look forward to next month's breakfast and dinner event.

The new year started out rather cold for the club's first breakfast meeting with temps in the teens. It was 16 when Mary and I headed towards Denny's. People give you strange looks, most not knowing you have on heated clothing and are not icicles on two wheels. As we arrived, the group was already busy visiting and deciding on their breakfast menus. On hand for this morning's meal were Jim & Janet, Mark & Cindy, Phil, Frank & Barb, Tom & Nancy, and Mike & AnnMarie with grandson Zack. Although the service was a little slower than usual, everyone soon got their orders in and Mike held a short meeting to discuss club business. He passed around a summary of this year's Missouri 1 Name Game Contest. Watch your email as Mike and Annie will be sending out a request for your individual suggestions and feedback to finalize the contest for those who are interested in participating. Several members were off traveling this weekend. Mal & Ginny are enjoying some warmer weather on the Gulf Coast while Terry and John traveled to Texas. Not sure about others absent for this morning's breakfast, but we hope all are well and enjoying the new year. This morning Jim was the lucky winner of the 50/50 pot. After the food arrived and everyone had their fill, soon it was time to say good-bye and look forward to our next dinner event. Frank, Barb, Phil and us headed out for another West Central Missouri Polar Bear Club ride. We first stopped at the local BMW dealer to check out some new helmets and outer wear. After leaving the store, we all headed towards Windsor MO for a lunch stop. As we headed east on US-50 highway, we even ran through some light snow flurries, enough to make the crossovers white even though the road remained clear and dry. We soon ran out of the snow as we turned south on US-23 and arrived at our lunch stop ready to enjoy some warm food and great conversation. Wow what a turn out! Today's temperature at 11:30 was 18 degrees in Windsor. You would think this would make for a crappy turn out right? WRONG! Polar Bears came out of the wood works for this one. We had 28 motorcycles turn up and a total of 31 people. Usually the temps turn for the better when we left, but today it was only 22 degrees as we rolled out of Windsor. It was an improvement but not much, the sun was more prevalent making it a bit warmer. As we headed west towards Clinton, the temp never did get above 23 all the way home. It was a great day to sell the benefits of heated riding gear, right Frank? Mary, Phil, and I stopped for fuel and coffee and then headed north towards home. Not sure next week's weather will allow another Polar Bear Run, but you never know about the weather in the great mid-west.

It's hard to believe another year is coming to an end. Tonight, 21 members gathered together to enjoy each other's company and celebrate the Christmas holidays. We were all happy to have some very special friends and past members join the party, Ron & Eileen Bayless, who were two of the original charter members of our old VTS motorcycle club. Everyone was so glad to have them with us as we remembered past rides and events we all attended together. They both looked great and added much to our holiday spirits. George and Jeri also brought their little angel, Adriana, who always brings sparkle and lots of hugs when she joins us. She is such a special little girl and a jewel in their lives. We are so grateful they have made a special place in their life for her and know their family is enriched by her presence. As usual, we had a feast of great food provided by members and our hosts, Mal & Ginny and a special treat of smoked brisket prepared by our own Smoker-Chef, Frank Morgan. No one went away hungry by any means. Everyone brought their own special dish, salad, and/or dessert to make the meal complete. Mal offered the blessing and gave thanks for another safe year of friendship. The only sad note this year was the loss of two close friends, Mike Prouty and Jerry Bryant, who have transcended from their earthly life to ride with their Creator. We will miss them both. After enjoying the bountiful meal prepared for all to enjoy, Mike called the group together for a short meeting. He asked if anyone was interested in the officer positions or webmaster, to which there were no takers (surprise!), so he, Terry, and I were asked to continue our current positions for 2011. He asked for increased participation in the 2011 KC Ride For Kids and reminded all to mark their calendar as the date has changed and the ride will be held July 10 at the same location, JCCC. Mike feels that we need to share the club's donations so that anyone wanting to attend and/or ride at the event will have their fee paid and amount credited based on an equal distribution from the club's donation. Mary and I pointed out we could have done that this year or any year prior. Now that I am retired and Mary is contemplating retirement next year, 2011 will be the last year we (Mary & I) will be able to request company matching funds from her employer. She has not been told whether or not they will continue the triple matching fund program as in 2010, so we will have to wait and see. In any case Ann Marie asked for any fund raising suggestions from the group like the garage sale we did in 2009. If anyone has a community garage sale and would like to host a similar event, all we need to do is let the PBTF know and request they approve it for a fundraiser prior to the event. Last year we only had the pie and ice cream social at the Gathering, and we need an additional event to help make up any short fall experienced during the year if we expect to be the number one motorcycle club fundraiser again this year. Mike and Ann Marie also expressed interest in another club contest and plan to send out an email to solicit ideas and interest in having some kind of competition during 2011 similar to the mural contest we had a few years ago. One idea they had was to find businesses which included your name (first or last) and take a picture with your bike, car, or whatever mode of transportation you're in and to get points which would result in some kind of prize at the end of the year. They will send out an email and asked everyone to reply "all" to see if a committee can develop some ground rules. Terry gave a treasurer's report and I shared some information on the financial status of the MTA National organization. Terry also collected dues for 2011 and for those who were unable to attend, they are due by January 1, 2011. Club dues (still $10 per family), please send a check made out to Terry Edwards (4716 NW High Drive Riverside MO 64150) or pay at the next club event. Mal made a special presentation to Mike, Terry, & I thanking us for being club officers. Obviously we wouldn't do it if it wasn't fun, but we do appreciate Mal's generosity. Thank you! This concluded the business meeting and it was time for the gift exchange. Ann Marie passed out tickets for a modified version of a naughty Santa gift exchange, but everyone was satisfied with what they received, so there were few exchanges. Ann Marie and Mike gave away some door prizes which included PBTF shirts, hats, and fleece jackets plus some motorcycle Christmas ornaments. The club 50/50 drawing netted $44 to the winner. Lee had the lucky ticket and donated $24 of his winnings back to the club, so $68 will be added to the PBTF club donations. Thanks Lee! After the dinner, several decided to work off some of the calories by playing a spirited game of bean bag baseball and as usual, the girls won easily over the guys. As everyone was getting ready to leave, we gathered lots of donations including canned goods, personal hygiene items, and stuffed toys all of which will be delivered to local charities helping families in need during the holiday season. Those attending tonight’s party besides Mary and yours truly included Mark & Cindy, Mal & Ginny, Jim & Janet, Frank & Barb, George & Jeri with granddaughter Adrianna, Mike & Ann Marie, Charlie & Judy, Mark & Cindy, Bob, John & Terry, and Lee & Nola. Missing tonight were Tom & Nancy and Chris & Sally who all had family celebrations which prevented their attendance. Here is a LINK to some party photos (use the slideshow option to view).

Although mother nature was preparing to throw her first serious winter punch our way, it didn't discourage attendance at this morning's breakfast. Although no one rode, everyone who attended enjoyed the conversation and food at this last breakfast event for 2010. Mike held a short meeting and reviewed upcoming activities including the Christmas Party scheduled for Sunday evening. Those attending included Mal & Ginny, Terry, Mike & Ann Marie, Charlie & Judy, Jim & Janet, Mark & Cindy, Lee & Nola, Mary & yours truly. Mike shared some welding examples from the classes he has been taking at the JCCC. We had planned to do another Polar Bear Ride after breakfast, but with the forecast calling for dropping temperatures and 40+ mph winds, we decided to check out some last mintue shopping bargins at the local motorcycle shops. Surprisingly, the Polar Bear Ride did happen and some of our ROMEO friends noted our lack of committment and labeled us "chickens" for missing the ride. Reminder: If you have not paid your 2010 MO#1 club dues (still $10 per family), please send a check to Terry (4716 NW High Drive Riverside MO 64150) or pay at the next club event.

Ginny & Mal said the dinner at Los Cabos was enjoyed by all with lots of good food and conversation. Those attending besides hosts Jim & Janet included Mike & Ann Marie, Frank & Barb, Chris, and Tom & Nancy. From Ginny: John and Mal talked about tractors, brush hogging at John & Terry's farm where John had been deer hunting. The slides on John's RV wouldn't return, so he is talking with his dealer to solve the problem. Frank has been deer hunting as well and it was a successful hunt. Terry was looking forward to her Dr. visit the next day with regard to her recent fall. Tom and Frank talked about the Romeo ride to Dearborn, ladies are always welcome. Ann Marie won the $10 50/50 pot. Special appreciation to Jim and Janet for the nice accommodations, excellent service, and food. (Mark and Mary are in town helping their son and will return to warmer weather the end of the year.)

Sorry we could not attend tonight's dinner, but after a recent visit to the ER & hospital, we felt it more important to rest up and recuperate. All is now well we think. I had been having problems keeping warm and was having low blood pressure which culminated Sunday night after going to bed with some chest discomfort. Having a history of heart problems, we thought it best to head for the ER. Thankfully they could not find any evidence of heart damage and could not explain the symptoms and after a stress EKG Monday, sent me home. It was only then after getting all my prescriptions refilled that I discovered the pharmacy had made an error and I have been unknowingly taking an extra blood pressure medicine in place of another prescription I usually take for my leg cramps. That explained the problems with low blood pressure and low heart beat. The lesson we learned here is to always question your prescriptions when the pill color and/or size changes from one refill to another. Sorry to bother you with all the details, but maybe someone else can benefit from my mistake. As far as I know, everything is back to normal and I have only to visit my family doctor next week to confirm this conclusion.

After a rainy day yesterday, this morning brought clouds and cool temps for our monthly breakfast. Everyone came on four wheels except for Phil, Mary and yours truly who planned to attend this season's first Polar Bear Club ride to Bates City MO for lunch. Those attending the breakfast included Jim & Janet, Tom & Nancy, Terry, Charlie & Judy, Mike & Ann Marie, Mal & Ginny, and Lee & Nola. Jim won the 50/50 pot with a $15 dollar prize and the same amount will be added to next year's Ride for Kids fund raiser. After Mike held a short meeting, everyone enjoyed their visit and meal. Mike questioned our sanity riding today, but it didn't discourage us. As you can see from the pictures below from the Polar Bear club ride, we weren't the only serious motorcycle riders out today! It's only a matter of time before all riding will be impossible due to snow and ice on the roads, so we plan to enjoy every day on two wheels we can. Jim and Janet shared some information and directions about next week's dinner event. Hope those not able to attend are well and we look forward to next month's annual club Christmas Party (see schedule).

A few friends "blew in" for last night's dinner event, everyone on four wheels due to high winds in the area. Attending besides the host Cowboy Bob were George, Jeri with Adriana, Frank & Barb, John & Terry, Mark & Cindy, Mike & Annie and Mary with yours truly. Not sure where other club members were tonight, but they missed another great meal with lots of conversation. Everyone was happy to see Terry recovering from her recent fall. Although she was obviously much better than several days ago, she still showed signs of spinal discomfort after sitting for an hour or so on the restaurant's chair. Mark & Cindy supplied details of their recent trip out west to visit family. They had a great trip even though this time it was on four wheels rather than three on their trike. They did make a stop at Cedar City on their return route to check out the host motel for next year's MTA Gathering. They report that is a wonderful spot and they see lots of potential for great riding in the area. Annie said she had a good trip back east to New York to visit her mother who just turned 89. She also shared some history of how her father played baseball back in the day. Mike said he is still attending school, so save up your questions and see how much he has learned. We didn't get to talk much to George & Jeri or Frank & Barb other than hearing George and Frank are enjoying the ROMEO group weekly rides. Adriana of course was able to visit with lots of us and sure is growing fast. George & Jeri are doing a great job as parent-grandparents. Hope everyone who didn't attend is okay and we would like to see you at breakfast in November.

What better place to ride than the sweeping curves and scenic vistas found in the Arkansas Ozarks! Colorama is an annual fall riding opportunity first started in 1997 by the GWTA Lake Country Riders. This year it was held at one of our favorite spots, HUB Motorcycle Resort which is just south of Harrison AR. For those who remember, it was part of the old Dog Patch amusement park years ago. We started our "long" week of vacation riding with our friends Phil & Barb. We headed east on US50 highway anxious to get to our first fun riding opportunity on MO125 which runs south from Springfield to the Peel Ferry on the MO AR border. We have enjoyed this great motorcycle road on past trips and it did not disappoint us again this year with lots of challenging curves and hills and in our opinion, one of the best "gateway" roads in the Ozarks. Arriving at the Peel Ferry, we enjoyed the peaceful lake scene as we waited for the ferry and our "free" ride from MO to the AR side of Bull Shoals Lake. If you have not experienced this ferry ride, it is well worth your time to check it out.

As we departed the ferry, we headed south on AR125 continuing to enjoy the hills and curves as we motored towards Harrison. This time our faithful GPS girl "Jill" directed us on a scenic detour rather on the shortest route to Harrison. I guess she felt we needed to extend our ride enjoying the first day on the road. We never know which way she will take us, but know we will never be lost even though sometimes she takes us on the scenic route, which on a motorcycle is always more fun. After going through Harrison, we knew we were only minutes away from arriving at the HUB. As we pulled in the motel, we saw lots of bikes, a few other GWTA friends, as well as our MTA buddies Frank & Barb who were already enjoying Colorama.

After unpacking the trailer and visiting with Randall and Debbie, the owners of HUB, we changed out of our riding gear and freshened up before heading over to the restaurant for food and conversation. We checked out the ride schedule and decided on which route to join the following day as well as buying 50/50 tickets and getting other information on how best to spend our time at Colorama. This is our third Colorama and hopefully we can continue to make this trip on two wheels for a few more years. This year the weather was perfect with great temps and no wind to take away from enjoying the Ozark roads and countryside. We decided once again to follow our friends Kent & Jolene who were the ride leaders on the next day's ride schedule. Kent is a MSF instructor and great rider who always gives a "Safety Briefing" to help everyone remember how to ride safely while enjoying the wonders of the Ozarks, which are not without hazards and risks if you don't pay attention. Little did we know that this year's ride was going to include an "off road" challenge, the likes of which some had never experienced.

After a good breakfast at the Scooters, the HUB restaurant, we headed out on our ride. This year we decided to bring up the rear and keep in communications with Kent advising on any problems and keeping the group together as we traversed the route which again took us toward Yellville and Flippin AR. Like last year as we approached Yellville, we found traffic being rerouted by authorities due to their annual "Turkey Trot" fall festival and main street parade. This year we arrived just as the main street was closed to all traffic, so we could not even get close to town. Kent decided to take a detour hoping to get to the other side of our planned route; however, the road he selected on the GPS started to show signs of wear and tear and eventually turned into rock chips and asphalt, not great, but rideable. It didn't last long and we soon found ourselves on hard packed gravel which is even more challenging, but like good followers we trusted his judgment. The road conditions continued to deteriorate and we found our leader taking us down a forest service road where we even met a horse and rider wondering why on earth touring motorcycles would be coming toward her on this peaceful deserted road! She was in so much shock, as was her horse, she was unable to answer Kent's question of where this road would take us as we bumped by on now very unstable rocks and boulders. Everyone was able to handle the conditions but were getting concerned on how much longer it would be before we found suitable road conditions. To no avail, however, Kent soon found the road was ending, so the entire group had to do a U-turn and head back towards where we detoured and try to find our way back to civilization. After we got back to paved roads, we stopped and made sure everyone was able to continue with out a change of underwear. Later we would all laugh about how we were able to traverse such terrible roads on 900+ pound motorcycles riding two-up without any disaster. Obviously Kent tried to find as much humor in the situation and said next year he would call this a dual-sport ride for adventure riders as well as tour riders.

I'm not sure exactly how many participated but the turn-out looked to be about the same as last year. The small registration fee included a Saturday catfish and roast pork loin banquet. A dinner ride to Ozarks Cafe in Jasper took place on Friday night. Seminars were offered on riding the twisties, motorcycle maintenance, long distance riding, riding two up, and tire plugging as well as a parking lot practice session. Friday was a full day for those in attendance. On Saturday after the rides the seminars continued right up to banquet time. On Sunday morning we had a tire plugging session and a long distance riding seminar. The rally was structured to provide the time to visit with old friends and to make new ones. The event is all about riding great roads and visiting with other riders.

Sunday we were sorry to say goodbye to both new and old friends and for some, head back home. For Mary & I, however, it was time to continue our week long vacation and head south and west for some more riding adventures. We had decided to spend some time enjoying the Arkansas "mountains" surrounding Mena AR and the Telimina Skyway and the Queen Wilimena Lodge. It had been several years since we've been there and after last year's tornado which did some serious damage to Mena, we weren't sure what we would find. As we reached Mena, we didn't notice much difference, but some of the trees did show some wind damage as we began to climb the mountain towards the Queen. As we arrived and parked, the day was almost perfect which allowed us to take in the unusual beauty of this state park and lodge 2600 feet above sea level. There is a lot of history behind the Lodge and surrounding countryside. If you are interested, check out this LINK which will give you all the details as to how this place came about. We checked in and found our room and after changing out of our riding clothes, decided to take a walk before dinner. The lodge always has an interesting clientele, some new to the area and some who come back time after time to enjoy the food and atmosphere. The rooms are very comfortable, and the buffet is always good, especially the dessert bar. Ask us how we know.

Too soon it was time to leave the Queen and head west and south towards our next stop, Broken Bow OK. Several years ago we had traveled through that area and decided if ever close by again, it would be a great place to spend some time. As we got close to the town itself, we went by the State Park which is north of town, so we decided to check it out. We found a beautiful resort on the banks of the Broken Bow Lake with low off season rates on their rooms, so after a trip to town for some snacks and dinner at a local restaurant, Stevens Gap where we enjoyed some great catfish. It was then time to enjoy the scenery and accommodations of the lodge for the night. Before night fell, we took a long walk along the shore line and picked up some unusual rocks as the water level was low due repairs being made on the corp. of engineer dam. It was very peaceful and a great way to wind down from an exciting day riding on the Telimina Skyway. After a great night's sleep and breakfast at the resort, we loaded up and headed north to Oklahoma City.

As we left the Broken Bow area, the scenery changed from tall pines to farm country as we traveled along back roads towards Oklahoma City. Our plans were to arrive at our dear friends Gary & Pam whom we had not seen for several years. We followed Jill's instructions (our Garmin tour guide) and we zig-zagged our way north. For some reason she decided to take us farther north than planned so we could enjoy some of old route 66 along the way. With Jill, although you're never lost, you may sometimes take a longer scenic route; but on a motorcycle, who cares? As the sun was setting in the west, we pulled into Gary & Pam's house which is located in Edmond OK, a suburb of Oklahoma City. They have a beautiful home and welcomed us with open arms and great hospitality. They are also motorcycle enthusiasts from past BMW events and wonderful friends. Gary is a volunteer pastor at a local hospital and Pam works for the county health department and is also about to complete her doctorate degree in nursing. The next day they gave us a great tour of the state capitol and Oklahoma museum of history. The state building complex was very impressive and puts Kansas and Missouri capitals to shame. We really enjoyed our visit with Gary and Pam and appreciated the time spent with them. But as always, good times must end as we headed north on the last leg of our week's vacation towards Wichita KS.

The weather for all of our travels was almost perfect with hardly any wind and comfortable temperatures. We traveled north on I-35 until we neared the Kansas Turnpike where we exited on a side highway taking us into Wichita from the south almost parallel with the turnpike. As we arrived, we found a motel for the night and checked in a little early. It gave us time to unpack for the last time and take a little walk around the area which was next to the Wichita hospital. It was a good place to stay and not many customers so we pretty much had the place to ourselves. Soon it was time to mount up and head for our evening's dinner and entertainment at the Diamond W Wrangler's Chuckwagon supper and music show. Some of you may remember this group when it was called the Prairie Rose Wranglers which our motorcycle group enjoyed on at least two trips to Wichita in years past. It is still basically the same group except they now have a new bass player who we think really adds to their musical program. They are tops in our book singing the old cowboy tunes of yesteryear as well as their own compositions with much bravado and some funny stories thrown in to keep things lively and enjoyable. After the program we bought their latest CD and headed back to our motel room to spend the last night on the road. After a restful sleep we headed for home the next day and ended an almost 2000 mile adventure we won't soon forget. We couldn't resist stopping at Council Grove KS for brunch along with several other motorcycle riders probably coming from the monthly Cassidy ride. Anyway it was a great trip with lots of new memories and we can't wait for the next one which we'll start planning over the winter months when riding may not be an option.

The beautiful fall weather and myriad of autumn activities resulted in only 4 members attending breakfast this morning at Dennys. Tom & Nancy Smith, Tom McBratney, and Ann Marie Kowalczyk enjoyed the meal. Conversation topics ranged from appliances to travelling both east and west to Johnson County drivers. We discussed it all! After a leisurely breakfast, Tom, Nancy, and Tom headed for their next meeting, and Ann Marie headed home. Hope to see you all at the next dinner!

Ann Marie

“Oh what a beautiful morning, Oh what a beautiful day, We’ve got a wonderful feeling, Peach pie is coming our way!” These are the words that members of the MO-KAN Hudson Club and the Missouri-1 chapter of the Motorcycle Touring Association were humming on the way to Garrett Park on the afternoon of September 12th. Sunny weather, with a cool breeze in the mid 80s, along with fried chicken and all the fixings greeted those who arrived to partake in the festivities. Thirty-seven people in total attended – 20 Hudsonites, 13 motorcyclists, 2 family members, along with the host and hostess. A variety of homemade fruit and cream pies topped with ice cream satisfied everyone’s sweet tooth.

The conversation was lively, as members of both groups intermingled and enjoyed some laughs. Of course, there was a fair share of tire-kicking and admiring the myriad of vehicles. The Hewitts drove their 65 Mustang convertible – a treat for all to see.

The Hudson Club had a brief meeting to discuss upcoming events. Next on the agenda was a fund-raiser in support of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. This cause has become a primary focus of Missouri-1. A fifty-fifty drawing was held, with $87 being split between Sally Cline, the winner, and the PBTF fund. Sally graciously donated $18 of her winnings to the fund. A raffle of various items contributed by members of Missour-1 netted $22. Lucky winners included:
· Thermometer – Barb Morgan (donated by Chris & Sally Cline)
· Key Holder – Darrell Alexander (donated by Frank & Barb Morgan)
· Votive Candles – Frances Schoenberger (donated by Gary & Mary Droege)
· Cherry Tart 1 – Charlie Stephens (donated by Mike Yelton)
· Cherry Tart 2 – Mary Droege (donated by Mike Yelton)

Special thanks to everyone for being so generous in supporting these activities! We both want to extend our sincere appreciation for bringing your appetites, your prized vehicles, and camaraderie to this annual event. We look forward to seeing you all there next year!

Not a large turn-out for this morning's breakfast. Those attending included Jim & Janet, Frank & Barb, Lee (Nola was babysitting), Tom & Nancy, Mike & Annie, and Mary & yours truly. Mike won the 50/50 pot AGAIN; the club's share, $9, will be credited to the PBTF. Mike reviewed the activity schedule and reminded everyone of tomorrow's Pie In The Park Sunday at Garret Park, the same location as last year. It will also include the Hudson Club as in past events. This year's menu will be slightly different featuring fried chicken. Come prepared for a "clucking" good time as the weather looks fantastic. We know John & Terry and Mal & Ginny won't be there as they are out of town. I did get a call from Terry last week confirming they have a new grandson, the first on John's side of the family, thus the Edwards' gene pool will carry on. Obviously John is very proud of the new arrival and Terry reported mother and baby are doing well. Mal & Ginny are attending an RV event in Branson, so both couples will be missed. Mike asked for everyone to bring some kind of door prize which they plan to raffle to help raise funds for the PBTF. We are glad to see Frank on the road to recovery after a recent battle with some poison oak. After some great conversation, everyone headed their separate way to enjoy the rest of the day.

Attending tonight's dinner besides Mary and yours truly were hosts Mark & Cindy, John, Frank & Barb, Jim & Janet with daughter Marta, Mike & Annie, and Chris. If the hosts want to provide any information on tonight's dinner, it will be inserted later. Mike won the 50/50 pot; the club's share, $12, will be credited to the PBTF.

Michael Prouty, 65, of Independence, Missouri, passed away Sunday, August 22, 2010 at The University of Kansas Medical Center. Mike was born March 17, 1945, in Baltimore City, Md., to James and Evelyn (Kane) Prouty. He married Paulette Marks on Aug. 9, 1966 in Las Vegas, Nev., and they moved to Missouri in the 1970s. Mike was a self-taught motorcycle mechanic and an expert CB technician, founding Hub Cycle in Independence. Mike was a loving husband and wonderful friend and will be missed for his giving nature. He is survived by his wife, Paulette of 44 years; sister Lila Pennell and husband Sam; two nieces; and many friends. His ashes will be kept per his request at HUB Cycle where he spent the best years of his life. Several MTA members attended the visitation including John, Jim, Mark & Cindy, Bud & Pauline and Mary & I. If others attended, please let me know.

Those attending this morning's breakfast besides Mary and yours truly included Terry, Mike & Ann Marie, Jim & Janet, Charlie & Judy, Chris, Mal & Ginny, and Tom & Nancy. Mike held a short business meeting and discussed the lack of participation by club members at the 2010 Ride For Kids. He asked everyone to think of ways to improve participation and future discussions will be planned for the club business meeting at the Christmas Party. It does not promote a good image for our club to be the number one fundraising group and only have four members in attendance at the event. Chris brought a bonus door prize which was won by Charlie & Judy who also won today's 50/50 pot. After the meeting, Mary & I rode to Dell's Power Sports who recently added Kawasaki in addition to their Honda line-up. They were having a free breakfast as well as test rides on any new Kawasaki. We took a ride on the new 1400 sport touring model. The bike had all kinds of power with 160 hp, had a smooth ride and wonderful slow speed stability. We were surprised it did not have self canceling turn signals nor cruise control but did have some high-tech features including traction control and a keyless ignition. The rider position was not the greatest for me as my legs were really tucked hard underneath my body which would be a problem on long rides. Mary found the rear seat to be comfortable although the windshield did not offer enough wind protection for either of us; otherwise, it is a really great power plant and priced low enough ($13,500+) to be a winner for those who like power sport touring. They are very excited about adding Kawasaki to their line up and feel the brand will help fill in the gaps found in their Honda line. After the test ride, we came home and I took the pickup truck over to Frank & Barb's. Frank was participating in a BBQ contest in Independence, MO and as his regular partner was out of town, I helped him load and set-up his equipment for a long night of BBQ. The temperature was 108 so it was HOT to say the least, but it soon cooled down as the area was drenched by a thunder storm which rolled through the metro area. We got his tent set up just in time before the storm hit so everything was protected from the rain. Gordon, another friend, worked with Frank on the cooking part of the contest so they took turns during the night preparing ribs, brisket, chicken, sausage, and pork butt for the contest. I think there were 12 teams in the contest and Frank received four awards placing 9th overall in the standings. He was very pleased as he wasn't using his big smoker, instead using two smaller units that were harder to control. After the event ended Sunday, we helped him get everything back home. He shared some of the BBQ goodies and let me tell you the ribs were fantastic last night for supper. We enjoyed watching all the serious BBQ teams and all the hard work that goes into one of these competitions. Congratulations Frank for a job well done under some rather challenging weather conditions. Maybe next year we need to ask Frank to do a BBQ event for the club? We hope to see everyone at the dinner event later this month.

Last Saturday Mary & I decided to re-visit Reno Yamaha and get an up close and personal view of the Can-Am Spyder we saw last month when we joined Tom & Nancy at their Reno Riders Club meeting after the MTA Breakfast. Upon arrival we were met at the front door by Reno's owner who graciously welcomed us and answered all our questions about this new concept vehicle. It is manufactured in Canada by a well known company, BRP-Rotax. We were fascinated by all the high tech features of the machine and jumped at an opportunity for a test ride. After a short briefing on all the features, we were off. Again I immediately put my feet down as I stopped to wait for on-coming traffic just like I did a few weeks ago on a Gold Wing Trike test ride, duh! The machine has remarkable power with only a 998 cubic inch V-twin engine producing 100 hp @ 7500 rpm. It has a 5 speed gear box with a transmission driven reverse and shifting seemed very smooth once on the road. I found it very easy to handle but it seemed easy to over-steer, which I'm told is a common feeling for first time riders. We did two laps on their suggested test ride, but the route did not offer an opportunity to get much over 60 mph, nor were there any really good curves at speed to test the road hugging stability which claims to be able to out run a sport touring two wheeled motorcycle. That I would have to see to believe, but none-the-less we were very impressed with our first exposure and would suggest you give it a try if you would like to consider a three wheeled ride. For those who have given up two wheeled travel, if you have an itch to be back on the road without the worry of keeping a 900 pound machine upright, fear no more, the Can-Am Spyder may put you back in the driver's seat for miles of fun; but, be prepared to wait for next year's model as this year's inventory sold out almost as quickly as it hit the dealerships.

Brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer death in children. 76% of children diagnosed with a brain tumor are younger than 15. There are 130 different types of brain tumors, making diagnosis and treatment very difficult. On average every day 10 children are diagnosed with brain tumors, some are fatal; that's 70 a week whose lives, families and futures are in jeopardy. The picture above is the PBTF "STARS" we saw this year and they have crept in our heart over the past 5 years watching some improve while others are no longer alive to share their stories. There are no government agencies these kids and families can depend on for help. That's why our club has been so active in support of this foundation.

THANK YOU! Once again MTA MO#1 was THE NUMBER ONE MOTORCYCLE CLUB in raising $7,783 to help support the KC Ride for Kids; however this year the total contributions were seriously down from past years. We know times are difficult and there are many other non-profit organizations competing for these dollars, but these brain tumors are not going away until we either find a cure or a way to better treat once detected so as to improve and increase the quality of life these kids can expect.

This year the weather was perfect with cloudy skies and temps in the 80's. We were both happy and sad at this year's Celebration of Life; happy that we could add a significant amount to the total, but sad to have only ourselves with Mike & Ann Marie to represent MTA MO#1 at the event. We talked about this all year at almost every breakfast, dinner event, and the Gathering, yet we were the only ones who were able to represent our group. Some of you had even indicated you planned to attend, but no one showed up. The question becomes obvious, do you want to continue to support this foundation, or are you too busy to adjust your schedules? Everyone seems willing to support our fund raising efforts, but when it comes time to support at the Ride, it's a different story. Mary & I and Mike & Annie work hard all year to try and make this a priority, but we are perplexed at the lack of interest by our club members in the event itself. There needs to be some reason you are not attending, and we would like to know if anything can be done to increase participation. Think about it and be let us know your thoughts at the next club gathering. Regardless, I'm sure we, Mike, & Annie will continue to support the foundation, but we would obviously like to see everyone feel the need to be involved in some way at the event itself. If you are an active club member, your entry fee can even be paid by the club for those who want to attend, if that's the problem. Remember, you don't even have to ride to be a part of this event. It's such a wonderful experience, too bad you missed it!

On the 22ND of July at 7PM, 15 members of the club gathered to partake in some good old Kansas City BBQ at Brobecks BBQ in Overland Park, KS. I love the food and the efficient service that the Brobeck family provides us when we attend at their restaurant. As per my tradition I provided onion rings and chopped ham to stir up some hunger for some good BBQ. It did not take long for 3 orders of onion rings and 2 orders of chopped ham to evaporate while waiting for our meals. I did not hear 1 complaint about the food but did hear a few moans on some full stomachs. Many people took some to go boxes due to the size of the serving portions. Brobecks has never advertised and is one of the best kept secrets in Overland Park. Last year the LA Times flew out to write an article about Brobecks. Doug Brobeck stayed in the background to make sure our meals were prepared in an expeditious manner and we were provided good service. Those in attendance were: Chris and Sally, Bud and Pauline, Frank and Barb, Annie, Mike and Zachery, Jim and Janet, Tom & Nancy and last but not least Gary and Mary. For those who could not attend last night we look forward to you coming next year, Chris Cline

Denny's was really glad to see the big turn-out for this morning's breakfast, and it was nice to see so many riders taking advantage of an almost perfect riding day. Those attending included Frank & Barb, George & Jeri with Adriana and friend Tom, Lee & Nola with Ali, Tom & Nancy, Mike & Annie, Tom McBratney, Jim & Janet, Chris, and Mary with yours truly. Mike held a short meeting before the food was served encouraging all to participate in the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation's KC Ride for Kids coming up this month. If you can't or don't ride, there is always an opportunity to volunteer. Training for volunteers will be held at JOCO community college next week: Thursday July 22nd Carlsen Center @ JCCC Rm 211 auditorium sign-in 6:30pm training 7-8. Saturday July 24th Carlsen Center @ JCCC Rm 211 auditorium sign-in 9:30am training 10-11. They also need help with lunch box assembly Friday July 23rd at JCCC (COR bldg) in kitchen area 10-11:30am. Please contact Jeff Griswold if you would like to volunteer. All who attended the MTA Gathering had lots of fun. Our chapter won the Largest Chapter Award. Next year's Gathering will be in Cedar City, Utah. Tom won the 50/50 pot and donated almost all of his share back to the club's PBTF fundraiser. Afterward we followed Tom & Nancy to their Reno Riders Club meeting. While there we got to look at the Can Am Spyder up close and personal. Might be worth a trip out there for a test ride, but be aware they are like all new models, nice but a bit pricey. We then traveled back to Engle Motors to see if they had any new information on the BMW K1600GT and GTL coming out next year as there are still no pictures available. While there we also looked at Triumph's new cruiser. It too might be worth a test ride as it's more in our price range. After Engles, we traveled to HUB Cycle to visit our friend Mike. We found him a little anxious about his upcoming surgery next week, but he is surrounded by lots of friends who will keep tabs on his progress. We will keep him in our thoughts and prayers. Then it was time to head home. It was good that we rode a little as Sunday was as real rain out.

After missing last year's Gathering due to taking our summer vacation to Phoenix to visit our new grandson, we were able to schedule this year's vacation to include a trip to Galena to attend the 2010 MTA Gathering. Galena is a small town on the banks of the Mississippi River; however, the surrounding area has some unusual geographic altitudes which supports winter actives including winter skiing at the location for this year's Gathering at the Chestnut Mountain Resort. Our trip started Saturday morning as we had planned to visit a friend in Darien IL, a Chicago suburb. We started out with almost perfect riding conditions, cool temperatures and calm south breezes. We traveled up I-35 and across MO36 crossing the Mississippi at Hannibal and stopping at Bloomington IL for lunch. We then traveled up US36 which soon turned in to I-72 until Springfield where we turned north on I-55. For the most part, traffic was light and road conditions good which made for wonderful riding all the way until we got close to the Kankakee River when all traffic came to a sudden stop. We later learned from our friend, this was probably due to normal Saturday traffic returning to the Chicago suburbs plus possible road construction. As we were close to an exit, we bailed out and traveled on IL53 through Wilmington which also had a traffic backup due to the cars and trucks thinking the same thing. After a stressful detour, we finally made it back to I-55 and then on to other traffic slow downs until we made it to our destination. This once again confirmed our past experiences that there are too many people in this area and all seem to be on the road at the same time. We found our friend's condo and had a great visit with him before heading back west towards Galena and the Gathering. Unfortunately when we looked at the weather forecast, it showed waves of storms headed east across Iowa and points east, so naturally when we got ready to leave Monday morning it was raining. Our friend lead us on a short cut to our main route and as soon as we waved good-bye reaching our jump-off, the rain stopped and we rode almost the rest of the way to Galena in cloudy but dry weather. After a lunch stop in Freeport IL, we decided to take off our rain gear which would later prove to be a mistake. As we got closer to our turn to the Resort, the clouds got thicker and just as we turned on Black Jack Road, it started raining and followed us all the way in to the Resort. Of course we didn't feel it necessary to stop this close to our destination, so we arrived wet but ready to get off the bike and dry off.

As we got off we soon saw some MTA friends and the staff of the Resort welcomed us to the area. When we made reservations weeks ago, they had asked if we wanted a view of the Mississippi. We thought that sounded great, but we soon found that would also require four flights of stairs every time we returned to our room as the Resort does not have elevators! Never-the-less, we unloaded the bike and trailer and started hanging our riding gear up to dry. We found the MTA registration area and checked in getting our packet of ride information for the area. We then returned to our room to get ready for the night's activities including the welcome barbeque reception. The meal also included some great entertainment which started outside on the deck, but was soon interrupted by some sprinkles so everyone had to come inside to finish the reception. The music was great as old friends greeted each other from times past. The meal consisted of hamburgers and brats plus all the usual side dishes and some great desserts. To be honest, the brats, side dishes, and desserts were good but our hamburgers were undercooked, but we managed to get enough to eat and soon returned to our room to rest and get ready for the next day's activities.

We had signed up for the poker run and Frank & Barb decided to go with us to see what it was all about. But first it was time for breakfast and we heard from Bud & Pauline about a great place to eat down town called the Victory Cafe. So we took their advice and found it was a great place as promised with lots of breakfast choices including huge platter sized pancakes. With a full belly, we headed off to follow the directions and clues needed to complete the poker run. Unfortunately the directions had some errors, so we soon started making U-turns trying to determine the locations for the clues. We were not alone as we met others doing the same thing. By comparing notes and later finding corrections had been posted at the Resort after most had already left, we managed to complete the Poker Run and find all the clues to qualify for our poker hand. Before we finished riding, we stopped at Freeport for lunch and then it was back to Galena's Wal-Mart so Frank could find some replacement riding boots. We also picked up a few supplies and then headed back to the resort. It was all in vain as we didn't draw a winning hand or even close and only enjoyed the scenery and a few of the good riding roads in the area.

Wednesday morning we had to get up early so Mary could get her blood tested at the local hospital. Unfortunately once again it was raining, so we put on our rain gear and headed towards town. Once at the Galena Hospital, the rain had almost stopped, but we dripped our way in to their lab area and Mary was first in line for her blood test. Afterward as it was time for nourishment, we headed again to the Victory where Mark & Cindy joined us for breakfast. We were glad they were able to make the trip on their new trike and surprised they got up and rode in the rain to join us. Afterward we checked out a few shop windows but most didn't open until 10 A.M., so we decided to check out the home of U.S. Grant, the famous Civil War General and President of the US who once lived in Galena. As we were parking, a car pulled up and it was Charlie & Judy who had just got in to town. We were delighted to see them and surprised they were able to join our Missouri attendees. The tour through the home was very interesting and the guide provided some interesting facts about the home and living conditions during that time. It was furnished with some original furniture as well as some recreations to make it appear how it was in the 1860. Here is a LINK if you would like to learn more about the home and it's history. We then went to another of the historical mansions found in Galena, but the sun was coming out and we were getting hot in our rain clothes, so after lunch again at the Victory Cafe, we opted to return to the resort instead of more sight seeing. The rest stayed in town and did some shopping while we enjoyed a refreshing dip in the pool at the resort along with Pauline who had the same idea. That night we joined Bud & Pauline at the resort's restaurant and had a great visit learning about their trip and plans for the next day. We also met the rest of the group and made plans to have breakfast as a club Thursday morning at the (where else?) Victory Cafe. Soon it was time for the MTA business meeting and everyone gathered to hear any news about our organization. As usual, the meeting was longer than expected with much discussion better explained in person, so we won't go in to a lot of detail other than there was much discussion about positions and leadership on the BOD as well as the MTA corporate status and next year's Gathering in Cedar City, Utah. Then it was time for the group to enjoy pie and ice cream furnished by Mike & Annie for our club's traditional pie & ice cream social to raise funds in support of the KC Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation's Ride For Kids. As it was too far to try and transport home make pie, Mike purchased the pies and ice cream locally and everyone had their fill and made their donations. We were able to raise $308 from the social and the next evening we had very generous personal donations from two individuals bringing the total to $502. Thanks Mike & Annie for helping support our club's fund raising efforts!

Thursday morning we again went in to town and with all the MO#1 club members had breakfast at the Victory Cafe. The only glitch was the waitress didn't understand we all wanted separate checks, and the manager refused to break the charges out at the cash register, so we ended up paying the bill and everyone reimbursed us as we were leaving. Never-the-less, no one went away hungry and all were ready for the day's activities. Several members opted to stay and shop, but Frank and Barb were leaving as they wanted to be home by Saturday morning. We decided to enjoy more of the area roads and rode with Bud & Pauline on one of the scenic routes provided at the Gathering. As we returned to the resort, the bike games were finishing and we decided to clean up the bike and enter it in the bike show that afternoon. We tried to take some pictures of all the bikes, but for some reason the focus on our camera malfunctioned so none can be shared. We did end up winning a certificate for first place in the touring bike with trailer competition, but to be honest, our bike was the only one in this class. At the banquet later that night, Missouri Chapter #1 won largest chapter certificate. The banquet was well attended but all the awards and prizes took way too long and everyone was ready to rest-up and head home the next day. It was announced that Pat Klix was elected by the BOD to be the MTA President for the coming year.

We enjoyed the Gathering which was smaller than past years. We were told approximately 90 attended this year's event. It was a pleasant area to ride with nice curves and green scenery. There was some great history behind the town and surrounding area which many enjoyed. We want to thank all who helped plan and support this year's Gathering. We also want to thank Joel, Keith and Bonnie for their past contributions as they leave their MTA leadership positions. We hope everyone made it home safe and sound and look forward to many more miles of riding with our MTA friends.

Seventeen members attended tonight's dinner event. Once again the weather was not biker friendly tonight. John & Terry, Mary & I and Mark & Cindy were ready to ride when the western sky darkened due to a rather strong storm headed our way, so we all decided four wheels would be a better decision for transportation. It was a good decision as the storm hit just as we were about to cross the Missouri River. Other than the weather, everyone seemed to enjoy the food and great service. We had an exceptional waitress who managed to keep everyone happy. Several are preparing to head east for this years MTA Gathering. It looks like we will be well represented as we all will leave at various times and destinations prior to the rally itself. If anyone would like to travel together, please don't be bashful and there are lots of reasons not to ride alone. We hope everyone enjoyed tonight's dinner and wish all a safe trip to the Gathering and a happy Father's Day to all our fathers next Sunday.

From Frank & Barb: Another pleasant gathering for MO1 was had on the 16th June at O'Charlies in Independence, MO. Once again hosts Barb and Frank chose a stormy evening. Conversations ranged about past rallys to the upcoming Galena, IL event. The guest list attending was; Bud and Pauline , Jim and Janet, Mark and Cindy, Gary and Mary, Tom and Nancy, Mike and Ann Marie, John and Terry, George. The food was very good and the gratis Double Rainbow desert made for a bright finish. All in all a quite memorable evening.

This morning's rain didn't stop a large turnout for our breakfast! Twenty members attended and had a great visit before the real storm hit our area with heavy rain. Everyone going to the upcoming MTA Gathering discussed their individual plans and routes. It was great to see Mark & Cindy and hear about their new ride. Now that Mark has all the kinks worked out of the Venture trike conversion, they are looking forward to many miles of fun and enjoyment with the Gathering as only the first stop of Cindy's retirement adventure. Others in attendance included Lee & Nola, Tom & Nancy, Charlie & Judy, Mal & Ginny, Jim & Janet, Mike & Annie, Terry, Frank & Barb, Bob S, and Mary & yours truly. This morning 50/50 pot was won by Terry who also brought another donation from Dave Frazon, one of John's work friends. We are again planning to provide pie & ice cream for the Gathering after the business meeting to help supplement our RFK fund raising. Bob has plans to also attend the Gathering if his bike gets out of the shop. It was good to see the room full of friends this morning and we hope to see a good turnout for the dinner this month.

This year Mary & I made a last minute decision on how to spend Memorial Day. Our other riding group had planned a ride-to-eat journey to Jamesport, but that didn't seem to match our mood, so we searched the web and found a great website which listed all the current and future activities planned throughout Kansas. It's called "Kansas, as big as your think" and is a great place to find any activity which might interest you by date or location. We found that the Fort Scott Historical Site was sporsoring a Memorial Day sepcial activity to honor those soldiers who served during the 1840's in these frontier forts and thought it would be interesting to attend. Our MTA riding friends Tom & Nancy quickly answered our email, so we were off to see what life was like during this part of our nation's history. We were very surprised at the number of in-costume park employees and volunteers acting the roles of the soldiers and other personnel, both male and female, to make this fort their home and livelyhood. I'll use some of the Fort Scott NHS tour script to help describe what we saw and heard during our visit.

The building and grounds represent Fort Scott in the 1840's when the fort was built to protect the Permanent Indian Frontier. Its architect, Captain Thomas Swords, stated that his goal here was to build the Crack Post of the Frontier. To that end, he employed a variety of architectural styles, native building materials, and local water resources used in mixing mortar and plaster. He supervised the construction of a fort that was intended to be a permanent and safe home for soldiers whose mission was to patrol the Permanent Indian Frontier. Each of the buildings played a role in helping the army fulfill it military mission. There were no battles fought here, no Indian raids, but instead a quiet and functional fort whose initial mission was to keep the settlers separated from the Indians as the nation migrated further west during this period of our history. Most of the hostile activity involved keeping the Indian feuds between the tribes from becoming a problem. This was done by demonstrations of power using black powder muskets and cannon to demonstrate the military power should it become necessary. Most of the military action and related fatalities involved participation for the fort's soldiers in the Mexican-American War and later the Civil War.

After we entered the visitor's center, the first building we toured was the Hospital. Sick and wounded soldiers were treated here and its mission was insure the health and recovery of the patients. We listened to a local volunteer describe the tools, drugs, and treatments used during this period most of which were either useless or of a questionable value based on today's medical treatments. High ceilings on the second floor allowed for better ventilation and porches surrounding the building meant open air, where soldiers could convalesce and perhaps be restored to good health. A surgeon was in charge of the medical team and would provide treatment; however, the surgeon was the only one who received formal medical training. Despite the design of the hospital and the training of the surgeon, treatment here often impeded recovery rather than aiding it due to the medical practices of the time. Consider the case of Private Frederick Roderwald, who broke two bones in his left leg while attempting to leap over a garden fence. Since it was a compound fracture, amputation was required to avoid the onset of gangrene. Roderwalt was lucky that he recovered, especially since the amputation was performed not by the surgeon (who was away from the post that day), but by the steward (a soldier who maintained the hospital supplies and had no formal medical training).

The volunteer also told us about a treatment for stomach problems that used mercury as the key ingredient, which is as we know now considered a poison. It was even administered to President Lincoln who experienced some of the side effects including delusion and loss of memory. It was noted that he stopped using the medication after he realized the affect it was having on him while still in office.

Next on the tour was the Infantry Barracks Museum and the Dragoon Barracks. There are two reconstructed infantry barracks which were home to the infantry soldiers at Fort Scott. Today this building houses museum exhibits, but originally would have been laid out similar to the Dragoon Barracks. Called the "backbone of the army," the infantry soldiers marching into combat on foot formed the core of the army's fighting force. Many were dismayed to learn upon arrival at Fort Scott they were to be used as a glorified labor force. Using tools such as the adze and broadax, the infantry hand hewed the beams used to build this and other fort structures. Several complained they had not joined the army to build houses. They were paid $7 a month out of which they had to pay for any service they did not do for themselves, such as mending their uniforms and laundry. This we done by the "laundress" who provided a necessary service to all fort personnel and whose pay was deducted before the soldier received his monthly salary. The quartermaster also received payment the same way, so the soldier was the last to be paid after all costs for goods and services had been deducted. The Dragoon Soldier was the mounted version of what later we know as the Cavalry. They were paid $8 per month. Their barracks provided a place to sleep, the mess hall a place to eat, and the laundress quarters, a place to get their clothes clean. Duty rosters generated at the company office kept them busy during the day. In the evening, soldiers could spend free time in the barracks playing card or checkers, engaging in the sport of boxing, reading books, or writing letters home, although the latter two activities were limited to those soldiers who were literate.

Officers, who had the responsibility of command, received the perks that came with the position. Four three-story duplexes were built along officers' row, with two sets of quarters in each building. Typically an officer and his family occupied half of one of these buildings. If the officer was a bachelor, he might share his quarters with other bachelors. Each of these quarters had two bedrooms, a dining room, a parlor for entertainment, a morning or sitting room, and a kitchen. The officers' quarters we saw is believed to have been the home of Captain Thomas Swords, the post quartermaster and his wife Charlotte. To deal with the hardships of the frontier, the Swords sought to bring the comfort and culture of their homes in the East with them. In these elegant quarters, the Swords entertained guests, had social gatherings, dined on meals prepared by their servants, and furnished their quarters with books, curtains, rugs, a dining room, and fine china and silver. One observer at another post commented of an officers' quarters that "there is comfort and neatness always...and a very successful attempt at luxury."

Building a fort on the frontier brought a unique set of challenges, especially considering Captain Swords' goal to make this fort the "Crack Post of the Frontier." While the area provided an ample supply of standing timber and limestone for construction, other items such as window glass, doorknobs, and paint had to be shipped long distances at great expense. Skilled labor was also a challenge as most of the work was done by soldiers using hand tools and a nearby sawmill which was constantly breaking down. Captain Swords complained that he was entirely on his own for resources and coming up with plans to build the fort. He complained that none of the other officers could "draw a straight line even with the assistance of a ruler."

The military has always noted differences in life style between the ranks. The non-commissioned officers quarters were better than those of the infantry soldier as were the officer’s quarters. It was interesting to note, however, that if a wife of an NCO was widowed, she was normally keep employed at the fort in some way as to provide for her continued livelihood, whereas if an officer was killed, his wife was literally turned away and had to seek a place to live on her own and leave the fort.

We also visited other areas of the fort including the Quartermaster Storehouse, although it was not open to the public for pictures. "The line of supply may be said to be as vital to the existence of an army as the heart to the life of a human being." This quote from a military commander emphasizes the critical role of the quartermaster and subsistence departments played in the army's well being and survival. The storehouse housed the barrels and boxes that contained these important supplies. One side was set up as the office and storeroom. As the name implies, the quartermaster was in charge of providing the army with quarters or buildings in which to live. In the quartermaster storeroom are nails, paint, and other materials used in the construction and maintenance of the buildings, supplies that ultimately provided comfort to the soldiers. The commissary or subsistence officer ran the other side of the building. He used it to store food rations and other supplies vital to the solders' survival. Dry goods such as flour and bacon were stored in barrels and boxes, while goods that needed a cooler environment, candles and soap, for example, were stored in the downstairs basement.

At the end of the day we were treated to a demonstration of live cannon fire (without the cannon balls of course) which was so important both on the frontier and the Civil War. Although primitive by today's standards, to see and feel the percussion of the cannon fire was very impressive. It was not without danger and cannon was responsible for many deaths if not well maintained by a crew of soldiers who were many times the target of enemy snipers. The rate of fire was limited by the speed of the crew and their ability to keep the cannon cool enough so as to not self destruct. There were several types of cannon balls, even fragmentary balls for close contact fire.

After the cannon fire demonstration, the officer in charge (who was actually a park ranger in an officer's uniform of the period) read the names of several soldiers who perished while assigned to Fort Scott. He also gave a brief description of how and where they died and held a moment of silence in their honor on this our county's Memorial Day. We were very impressed with the effort the park staff and civilian volunteers provided to give us a sense of how life was like on the frontier at Fort Scott. We even got to visit with several "washer women" who were busy mending uniforms, making lye soap, and demonstrating their skills all in period costumes. Although their life was hard, it was productive and they managed to be self sufficient after many had lost their husbands who had fallen in the line of duty.

We also saw a couple on horseback demonstrating how the Dragoon Soldiers and their wives were dependant on horses for transportation as well as combat.

Finally we toured the Dragoon Stables. This building stabled the horses of the dragoons, soldiers trained to fight on horse and on foot. Designed to shelter 80 horses, the stables included a hayloft and granaries that stored the horses' daily ration of 14 lbs of hay, 6 qts of oats, and 4 qts of corn. A window above each stall provided the horses with ventilation, giving the horse relief and comfort during the often blistering summers. Tack rooms stored the equipment that enabled the horse and soldier to function as one. Here soldiers groomed their horses for the task of patrolling and protecting the frontier. Infantry jokingly referred to the dragoons and nursemaids because they spent so much time caring for their horses. A dragoon officer stated that "requires...attention to see that the horses are in complete condition, that their equipment is strong, and in such good repair...and are so adjusted upon each animal, so as not to impede his action and power."

The day was perfect for riding and enjoying the history of Fort Scott. The personnel did a fantastic job giving all who attended a better understanding of what life at Fort Scott must have been like during this period of our nation's history. We were grateful for the experience and recommend this as a great historical destination. Here are some other pictures we took before leaving for home. You can view all the pictures on the MTA MO1 photo album, click HERE

Tuesday again turned into a perfect riding day for the ROMEO Riders and our local MTA group's dinner event. The day started with an almost perfect ride to Wellsville KS for lunch at Smokey's BBQ. I'm not sure of the count, but the street was full of bikes and the restaurant full of hungry riders. Smokey's did their best to feed the group and most all agreed it would be a good place for a return trip. After looking at all the bikes, some of which were unusual like an antique Indian and triked Suzuki Bergman, it was time to head north. We took our time and enjoyed the countryside around Lawrence before heading to Tonganoxie and a stop at the Backfire BBQ to make sure they were ready for tonight's MTA dinner event. They said "no problem" and then it was time to head home and prepare a little surprise for Mary's birthday. As everyone started to arrive, all were impressed with the biker decor as we were seated and began reviewing all the menu choices. Our waitress did a good job and kept the group entertained with her lively personality. Soon the food and drinks arrived and everyone enjoyed their dinner and good conversation. It was a great turn-out with 17 members in attendance. Beside Mary and yours truly, others present included John & Terry, Charlie & Judy, Tom & Nancy, Jim & Janet, Bud & Pauline, Mike & Annie, Chris, and Frank & Barbara. Those riding tonight besides Mary and I were Bud & Pauline, Tom & Nancy, Frank & Barbara, Chris, and John & Terry. Everyone had a great time and helped make Mary's birthday a very special day. Thanks to all who came and we hope everyone enjoyed their Backfire BBQ experience. Here a few pictures of tonight's event.

Friends, these are the pictures taken last Sunday in Washington state. This location is 60 miles south of Spokane sitting at 3880 feet above sea level. You can see 50 miles in any direction. The lower right hand corner is picture would be a good shot for the news letter. The weather was very cold (29 every morning) and we had snow last Wednesday. Lots of rain which is not normal for Eastern Washington. Took a round robin train trip of the state last Monday and the Cascades were beautiful with the snow melting off the mountains. The white bridge/trestle is part of the old Milwaukee Road system. Still have an oil leak on the bike but not as bad as last year. Chris

Happy Mother's day weekend. Cool temps greeted us as most headed for this morning's breakfast. Craig was the only rider willing to brave the 40 degree temps. Others attending this morning's breakfast included Mal & Ginny, Judy & Charlie, Nancy, Mike & Annie & Zackery, Jim & Janet, Lee & Nola, Terry, and Mary and yours truly. Mike reviewed upcoming dates and asked how many were planning to attend this year's Gathering. I told the group that Mark & Cindy are planning to attend, hopefully on their trike. We discussed how to provide the pies and decided due to the day and distance, we will again have to buy the pies locally. This will cost a lot more than making them at home, but it would be impossible to transport and keep them fresh due to the distance and scheduled business meeting. Mal reports improvement with his new knee. He continues with physical therapy and is making slow but steady progress and is well enough to start thinking about a trip in their RV. Lee & Nola are headed to South Dakota soon in their RV for a short trip. Tom was absent this morning working at his lodge. We enjoyed everyone's company this morning and hope to see everyone at this month's dinner event. This morning's 50/50 pot was won by Mike (finally, as he never wins anymore!) so $16 goes to the PBTF fund raising. Terry, who arrived too late to participate in the drawing, made a $5 personal donation. Thank you to all who donate to our club's favorite charity!

One thing that holds true with most motorcyclists is that they go somewhere to be able to ride more than riding to get somewhere. It’s the enjoyment of the ride, being in the open while landscape unfurls in front of us. To this end a few years back a group started meeting at little restaurants in small towns across Kansas. We gave ourselves a name, "The Romeos", Retired Old Motorcyclists Eating Out, and gathered a few more riders into the flock. Unlike most clubs we have no president, no dues, or really organization of any kind. Also we do not meet up and ride down the road in large groups, we each make our own way and meet at our destination. We are as eclectic as the bikes we ride which range from 200cc motor scooters to large touring bikes and trikes, from antique to futuristic. The common bond is we all love motorcycles and we all like to eat. We do things rather simply -- an email put out over the weekend for a town and restaurant, then we meet there for lunch. Small towns are chosen because they are off the interstates, usually something of interest nearby, and more often than not good home cooking. If you are traveling through Littletown, USA, and see a bunch of shiny steel steeds in front of the local diner, stop in and say hi, we love to talk about our rides. Yesterday (May 5th) the group met in Mapleton KS at the C Store & Cafe. They even had fresh strawberry rhubarb pie.

Although the morning turned out to be cool, the sunshine was bright and warmed our hearts as we headed towards Weston for this year's Spring Fling. Compared to last year's rain, today looked promising as we anticipated a good turn-out. Frank & Barb rode to our house and we all headed north together. As we arrived, preparations were already started, coffee was brewing, donuts were fresh and several GWTA members were hard at work getting ready for the registration. I had agreed to be the ride captain and had plotted out four different routes for the poker run in case we had a large crowd. Around 9 a.m. the bikes started arriving including Tom & Nancy. Soon a large group arrived, the CMA chapter from Leavenworth who always bless our bikes for the riding season; following came a GWTA chapter from Iowa plus others from Springfield. Soon the food arrived and smelled wonderful, but it had to wait until later after the poker run. We held a short safety meeting explaining the two routes and everyone started lining up on the route of their choice. Each group ended up with 18-20 bikes. Phil took his group north and east through Atchison and back down the alphabet roads on the Missouri side while I led my group south through Wyandotte County Lake with a lunch stop in Tonganoxie. We had to make an unplanned gas stop after enjoying the great scenery around the lake, but found a gas station with a large parking lot adjacent for the group to park while one or two bikes filled their gas tanks. Then it was on to Tonganoxie where we found the Sonic packed with local kids attending an athletic and forensic event at the high school across the street; never-the-less everyone was able to get something to eat and we gathered the group together and headed towards McLouth where we turned on to highway 92 which is an excellent road with lots of sweeping curves taking us towards Leavenworth. From Leavenworth we followed Kansas Highway 5 which is a favorite motorcycle road back to interstate 435 and then off at Missouri highway 45 and back to Bee Creek. As we turned into the entrance road, Phil's group was coming from the other direction so both groups arrived at the same time, unplanned of course, but quite a coincidence! Everyone enjoyed the rides and complimented Phil and I on how great they were planned and conducted in a safe and well organized manner, which made us feel good. Then it was time to pass out the many door prizes, announce the poker run winners, and award trophies for the bike show. By that time everyone was starving and ready to hit the chow line. The food was excellent and all the desserts provided by club members topped off a terrific meal and ended a great day of riding and friendship. This is a great way to start the riding season and everyone is invited to attend next year at the same place and same time rain or shine. Thanks to all who helped volunteer and to those who attended. NOTE: A special "thank you" goes out to CMA rider Jim DeJarnatt and Engle Motors who provided emergency support to Frank Barb who had a mechanical problem while stopped at Tonganoxie. Jim helped Frank remove the broken shift linkage, rode to Engle Motors who stayed open late, paid for the repairs, and returned helping Frank repair the problem, and in time for all to attend the meal and most of the final ceremonies. This really demonstrates how the motorcycle community takes care of each other!

Attending tonight's dinner were Tom & Nancy, Frank & Barb, Bud, Geroge & Jeri and Adriana, Mary & yours truly and hosts John & Terry. If the hosts want to provide an observation of tonights dining experience, it will be added here.

Finally Mother Nature smiled down on us today and provided an almost perfect day for riding to this morning's breakfast. We were happy to meet and get to know one of our new members ,Tom McBratney, who joined us at last year's MTA Gathering and also Craig & Gayle McSparren who had been previous members and found us on the web and decided to join our group once again. We welcome them and hope they can continue to attend our club's activities. Also present for this morning's breakfast were Mal & Ginny, Mike & Annie, Tom & Nancy, Lee & Nola, Frank & Barb, Charlie & Judy, and Mary & yours truly. This was Mal's first time back since his knee surgery and he was doing great, looking much better and I might add, very distinguished with his cane. He continues with physical therapy and is gradually increasing his daily walking as the healing continues and strength returns. We were sorry to hear Jim is back in the hospital per Ginny. Not sure of all the details but it appears his heart is acting up so he is in good hands and we hope for a speedy recovery. Mike held a short meeting to review upcoming events on the calendar. We hope to see everyone at the next dinner event. Mary & I attended a leadership meeting and met the new PBTF National Ride Director, Kelly Corwin, last Thursday night. She will replace Jerry Harvey at this year's KC's Ride for Kids event. Jerry has been asked to host another PBTF ride event so this was Kelly's first time to meet with leaders and participants and to share her enthusiasm to help get this year's event off to a great start. We watched a couple of PBTF videos and discussed ways to help improve this year's ride. The Chapter Director of the KC BMW Club presented a check for over $2,000 from a recent fund raising activity. It was a great way to kick off the fund raising efforts and this year will no doubt prove to be a real challenge for our club to achieve number one, so we need everyone's help to keep us in the running. This morning's 50/50 pot winner was Barb Morgan and the balance of $17 will be added to the club's fund raising efforts. Due to a schedule conflict, Denny's manager asked us to cut our normal visiting after breakfast short as he had another group waiting for the room, so we didn't get a chance to talk with everyone. I think we need to confirm our breakfast reservation next month and ask for at least 2 hours or start looking for another breakfast location. After the breakfast, Mary and I rode the rest of the day first visiting Engle Motors along with Frank and Barb who had not been there since they remodeled last year. We then rode over to HUB cycle and visited with Mike & Susan. Mike looked a lot better and is getting his strength back since his last surgery. We then rode out to Dell's Powersports in Blue Springs. We met the new owner Mark Riggin at the PBTF meeting and wanted to revisit the store as it has been many years since we had been there. Mark is a native of Harveyville KS which is near my old home town so we found some memories in common. It also gave us a great chance to see some of Honda's new bikes, especially the DN-01, a revolutionary cross-over bike which features an automatic transmission (no clutch). It has a very quiet 700cc v-twin water cooled motor and very low 27.2 inch seat height, so it should be a real winner for new riders and the ladies. We were also impressed with the new N700V which features the same motor as the DN-01, but has standard shifting. Mark is a great guy who travels all the way from Topeka everyday where he lives with his family. He sold his Honda business there two years ago when making the move to the Blue Springs location. After drooling over all the new bikes and promising a return for a test ride, Mary and I headed off for an extended ride on the one of the possible routes for next weekend's GWTA Spring Fling. We rode toward St Joe on some of Missouri's alphabet highways and enjoyed the spring scenery. We hope next weekend's weather will be as good as it was today and invite all who can to attend the event where I will be leading one of the 50/50 route tours. The entry form is attached on the schedule, so pray for good weather and plan to attend if your schedule permits. We will have lots of great food and door prizes plus a bike show if you want to participate. This is an all brands event, so don't worry if you don't ride a Honda, everyone is welcome.

We had another good turn-out for tonight's dinner. Those attending included hosts John & Terry, Frank & Barb, Mike & Annie, George & Jeri with Adrianna, Tom & Nancy, Jim & Janet, and Mary & yours truly. With temps in the 50's we opted to ride to tonight's dinner while everyone else chose four wheels. Everyone asked about Mal and I reported he was making good progress with lots of physical therapy and TLC from Ginny. All send him their wishes for a speedy recovery.

The cold and damp must have kept everyone away from this morning's breakfast as the turn-out was less than normal. Of course Mal & Ginny were absent due Mal's recent knee surgery. Thankfully, Mal is recovering nicely at home with Ginny's expert care and everyone sends their best wishes. Lee & Nola at last report were still in Florida. Not sure about everyone else. Those attending this morning's breakfast included Mike & Annie, Tom & Nancy, Jim & Janet, Terry, and Mary & yours truly. We were all happy to see Jim & Janet able to join us after recent bouts with pneumonia. They both seemed pretty chipper after being hospitalized not that long ago. Mike is enjoying a JoCo course in astronomy and was sharing his knowledge of the solar system. After breakfast Tom was on his way to help his lodge with their support of the Snake Saturday parade and Terry was on her way to a family breakfast. Mary was the 50/50 pot winner and set a good example by donating her winnings back to the club's fund raising effort. After enjoying our meal it was time to head off in separate directions for the day's activities. We made a short stop at Engle Motors and then headed to Hub Cycle where we found Mike Prouty recovering from a recent fight with esophageal cancer. The surgery went well, but the second chemotherapy treatment was almost too much to endure. He is still fighting to recover and we hope he is successful.

Tonight's dinner capped a very fun and emotional day for me. As most of you know, yesterday I started my second attempt at retirement. My NAIT friends and co-workers made it a very special last day at work with lots of cards, gifts, and a surprise party which included a presentation of a retirement clock from my employer. When it came time to leave, clean out my desk and say my final good-byes, I realized what a great bunch of people I have worked with for the past 8 years. I will certainly miss them and hope to remain in contact through email and occasional visits. Then it was time to run a few errands, relax, and get ready for tonight's MTA dinner. Upon arrival, however, I received another surprise as my MTA family had a retirement cake, balloons, and cards to help me end my day with another party. To make it even better, our daughter, Ronda and granddaughter, Samantha were able to join the festivities. I owe a special thank you to Nancy & Tom for getting the cake, and to Terry & John for the balloons and decorations and to Ronda & Samantha for a retirement coffee cup. I also received lots of cards from the group which included Frank & Barb, George & Jeri, Mike & Ann Marie, and Charlie. We even had a 50/50 drawing and Mike finally won; and the other half plus $5 from our daughter will to towards our PBTF fund raising campaign. I also receive a card through the mail from Mal & Ginny who could not attend due to a schedule conflict. It was a great way to end the day and start my retirement.

WHERE HAVE WE TRAVELLED ON OUR BIKE?

Have a great photo to share with the group? If so, send it to me and I will gladly place it here for other's to enjoy!

Aah, the Golden Years!
SPECIAL POEM FOR OLDER FOLKS
A row of bottles on my shelf
Caused me to analyze myself.
One yellow pill I have to pop
Goes to my heart so it won't stop.
A little white one that I take
Goes to my hands so they won't shake.
The blue ones that I use a lot
Tell me I'm happy when I'm not.
The purple pill goes to my brain
And tells me that I have no pain.
The capsules tell me not to wheeze
Or cough or choke or even sneeze..
The red ones, smallest of them all
Go to my blood so I won't fall.
The orange ones, very big and bright
Prevent my leg cramps in the night.
Such an array of brilliant pills
Helping to cure all kinds of ills.
But what I'd really like to know...........
Is what tells each one where to go!

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