MTA MO#1

HIT THE "REFRESH" F5 KEY TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE VIEIWNG THE MOST CURRENT UPDATE (last updated - November 20, 2009)

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.

MTA Missouri Chapter 1 proudly supports the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation

MONTHLY PLANNING ROSTER

PLAN DINNER EVENT and PROVIDE

A SUMMARY FOR WEBSITE

(PHOTOS OPTIONAL)

DECEMBER

XMAS PARTY (MAL & GINNY)

JANUARY 10

GEORGE & JERI

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Tom McBratney	11/25
Kelly Cook	11/26

Lee Boyd	12/7	12/27	Darrel & Sharon Burns
Barbara Morgan	12/27	12/30	Mal & Ginny Fishback

NOTE: Starting with January 2010, all MTA MO#1 activities scheduled will be moved to the MTA National website. Feel free to add your own event to the Forum calendar or join the discussion group yourself if you want to add your own thoughts or opinions on any subject. You don't even have to be a National MTA member to participate in most threads, although we encourage everyone to support the MTA as it is our parent organization.

We arrived to the surprise of Zio's, who never the less arranged for a private area with an attentive Server. After preparing our selves for a hearty meal, we exchanged recent events in our lives. Chris and Sally were just returning from a Cruise, Mike and Ann returned from a weekend in Dallas where they enjoyed grandchildren and attended a SMU Football game. Jim & Janet are excited about their grandson going overseas to study, Mal has been driving Ginny for treatments for painful Sciatica and Tom and Nancy who came the longest distance were just happy to see us all. We missed those who couldn't attend and want to wish each of you Happy Thanksgiving. This write-up is from Mal & Ginny. It has been added to the MTA Forum. In the future, feel free to add comments or join any discussion thread on the forum and communicate with all MTA members. It is easy and the National website needs our support, even if you are not a member of the national MTA organization.

Fourteen members and one guest attended tonight's dinner which was hosted by Jim & Janet. Some arrived a little late as the scheduled start time was 6:30, not 7, but everyone managed to get a good taste of Zarda's BBQ menu. Jim had reserved the backroom, so all got a chance to visit and catch up on several events, including Jim's recent visit to the hospital. He was doing great after receiving three stints and has even been back on his bike a few times. Mary & I shared some stories of our recent trip to Colorama 2009 in Arkansas. We had a good trip regardless of the weather which was damp and cool; however, our heated clothing kept us warm and dry while others had to stop frequently to warm up on the trip home. Mal & Ginny shared both the good and bad parts of their recent bus trip back east. They enjoyed the trip, but Mal suffered from "bus seat" syndrome and has been going to the chiropractor ever since their return. John & Terry got to share pictures and memories of their recent safari and big game hunt for John's trophy water buffalo. Those in attendance besides Mary & yours truly included Bud & Pauline, Tom & Nancy, Mike & Ann Marie, John & Terry, Mal & Ginny, and hosts Jim & Janet and their daughter, Valerie.

Hi folks, Just arrived from Washington. Alice and Lyle were engaged on the 10th of Oct. and will be getting marries next year. You can see me with my bike last Saturday. The weather was cold and wet. The 10th it got down to 11 degrees. Installed all new fuel hoses and a new rear tire. The oil leak was a cracked feeder line from the oil pump to the cylinder head. No major teardown was required. Chris Cline

Mother Nature smiled down on us as we gathered for our annual picnic on Sunday afternoon at Garrett Park in Shawnee. We had a great turnout – 35 people and lots of sunshine! Members of our motorcycle club joining in the fun included Jim & Janet & daughter Valerie, Gary & Mary, Chris & Sally, Mal & Ginny, Mark Nichols, and Tom & Nancy. Twenty-one members of the MoKan Hudson Club brought their appetites along with some great looking cars!

In addition to sandwiches, coleslaw, baked beans, potato salad, and chips, all were treated to an array of homemade desserts. Blackberry, Peach, Apple, Coconut Custard, Cherry, Pecan and Chocolate Banana pies topped with ice cream and whipped cream provided the ‘Pièce de résistance’! All diets were put on hold for the afternoon.

We held a 50-50 raffle to benefit our club’s charity, The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Frances & Vince were the lucky winners of $28, and the same amount went to our 2010 fund raising efforts. The Hudson Club held their monthly meeting, while the rest of us chatted and enjoyed each other’s company.

Check out the pictures taken by Gary & Mary that they’ve posted on the web - click HERE. .

Thanks for coming and making the event a success. We both enjoy the opportunity to share some good eats and old cars with friends. Hope to see even more of you next year!

When the breakfast bell rang this mourning, 19 members and guests gathered at our monthly morning dining spot. Those attending on two wheels included Tom & Nancy, Phil & Barb, and Gary & Mary; those on four included Lee & Nola, Jim & Janet, Mark & Mary, Mal & Ginny, Mike & Annie, Charlie, and John & Terry. Mike held a short business meeting and asked for a show of hands for tomorrows "Pie in the Park" hosted by he and Annie at Garret Park in Shawnee. He also reviewed upcoming car and bike events in the area over the next few weeks. Terry was glad to share some details of her surprise weekend birthday treat at the Elm's Hotel & Spa experience compliments of hubby John. Little did she know, there was more to this story than she knew. Lee & Nola shared stories of their recent attendence at a snowmobile "water race" competition. It seems some were able to keep afloat and some weren't. Everyone was happy to see our friends Mark & Mary who were in town to help Terry celebrate her birthday. They are planning to again head south for the winter later on this fall. Mal & Ginny are getting ready for a bus trip back east with their church group towards Cape Cod and other interesting places along the way. We hope they enjoy their trip and will share some of the details when they return. John & Terry brought their photo album of their recent trip to Africa and pictures of John's trophy water buffalo. It sounds like his best big game excursion yet, one he won't soon forget. While he was out hunting in the bush, Terry and John's mother Mary enjoyed a sight seeing trip on their own and had a great time. If possible we might be able to get John & Terry to share some of their pictures in our MTA photo album or make one of their own, so stay tuned. John won this morning's 50/50 pot and graciously donated his share back to the club so a total of $34 will be added to our 2010 total. Thanks John! Several headed out after breakfast for their normal weekend errands, but many lingered behind enjoying the chance to catch up on all that has been happening in their lives. We are all so happy to see Nola back to her old self and enjoying life after her recent illness. A good time was had by all and we hope to see everyone who can make it at tomorrows Pie in the Park.

When we heard our favorite group was going to be performing Labor Day for and the cost was only $5 per person, we could not resist making the trip to Cottonwood Falls Kansas and we invited anyone who did not have plans that day to ride along. We knew most would be busy, but a few didn't and they joined us for what started out as a damp foggy morning but turned into a bright full of sunshine afternoon and cool evening and near perfect riding conditions. Those who enjoyed the ride besides ourselves included Glen and Kent our GWTA friends, John & Terry, and Tom & Nancy, so the group was just the right size with four bikes and one trike to head west on Kansas 4 highway and enjoy the sights of the green and lush Kansas Flint Hills. If you haven't been on this road, it is one of the best motorcycle roads in Kansas. We started from Kansas City on 24-40 highway to Topeka where we picked up 4 highway and our first stop for coffee at Eskridge where we were surprised to see a Brahma bull with rider walking down the street as there was a rodeo in town. From there it was on to Council Grove and a stop at the Hayes House for lunch, and then on the Cottonwood Falls via Kansas 177, another great road. As we arrived in town, there were lots of cars so finding a place to park the bikes was a challenge, but we managed to find a couple spots on the main street and started to check out all the local vendors. At 3 p.m. we were given a tour of the Chase County court house. Many do not know this court house is a special place and the oldest operating county court houses in Kansas as it was built in 1872 an remains one of the most beautiful French provincial buildings west of the Mississippi. It was constructed using native lime stone and the interior is lined with native black walnut. To check out all the pictures go to our photo album, click HERE. After the tour it was time to walk north towards the Cottonwood River bridge and the concert. As we arrived the Diamond W Wranglers (LINK - Refresh page for a new song) were starting to get set-up for their performance. There had been other groups performing throughout the day for those who came earlier and we heard much praise from the local citizens who were able to enjoy their performances. As expected the Wrangles from Wichita did not disappoint the crowd as they played over an hour of our cowboy favorites as well as a few surprise songs we had not heard before. All too soon was time to say good-bye head towards home. We made a supper stop at the Flying J Truckstop at Emporia before traveling up I-35 towards Kansas City. I think all who made the trip enjoyed the ride and the music. We sure would like to get a group together and enjoy the Wranglers for one of their dinner events. If you would like to go, let us know and we will try and set up a trip to Wichita.

On the night of the 27Th of Aug. 27, 2009 17 hearty souls gathered to break bread at Brobeck's BBQ, right off of Roe Ave. in Overland Park, KS. This the second year we have met in Aug. and again no one was disappointed with the taste of the food or the size of the portions. Doug Brobeck is famous for his award winning rubs. Since he opened last year he has not once advertised yet people flock to his place for good food and the sounds of blues. A tradition I started 2 years ago is to treat my guests to Doug's famous onion rings, and again there was none left over after 4 orders were served. This year Doug added to this tradition by offering a sample of his chopped spread with crackers and homemade chips. My friend Lyle Polack and his future wife Alice Clymer attended the dinner after a long trip by motorcycle from Spokane, Washington. This is the 3rd time Lyle has broken bread with us. The first time was 6 years ago at the Macoronni Grill and in 2004 at the breakfast meeting. Lyle has 50,000 miles on his 2005 Goldwing and looks forward in 2 years to visit Alaska again by motorcycle when Alice retires form Spokane Community College. Lyle is the director for the Lilac City Wings and this week we celebrated 40 years of friendship so the dinner Thursday night held special significance for both of us. Of special note, I was really happy that Frank was impressed with the different meat offerings. I look forward to invitre you all back next year. Those in attendance: Jim & Janet, Frank & Barb, Tom & Nancy, Bud & Pauline, Mike & Annie, George, Gary & Mary. Chris and Sally

I think it has been four years since we made a trip to Wichita with our club to enjoy a dose of great cowboy music and dining experience at the Prairie Rose. Mark first introduced us to this group who has a world renowned reputation for their music abilities as they have even been to Carnegie Hall as well as joined a couple of cowboy cruises with Royal Caribbean. We decided this weekend to find and enjoy the group and after a little web search found they are now called the Diamond W Wranglers (LINK - Refresh page for a new song) and have joined the Wichita Cowtown Museum (LINK) as a featured attraction. Cowtown is accredited by the American Association of Museums. After Mary made reservations last week, we headed out Friday for a trip south to check out their new show and the Wichita Cowtown Museum. The weather was great and we rode south on I-35 and our first stop was at "Beto" Junction where we enjoyed a light refreshment before traveling south on US 75 highway at leisurely speeds enjoying the green countryside. At Yates Center we headed west on US 54 and soon started seeing hints of the Flint Hills as we neared El Dorado, Kechi, and other places we've stopped on previous trips. We turned south on I-135 before exiting west on Central and right on Museum Blvd (Sim Park Blvd on Mapquest). Also on this street is the Wichita Art Museum and Botanical Gardens which had it not been for the storms forecasted for Saturday, we would have like to stayed and enjoyed. After parking the bike, we put on our walking shoes. As we entered the visitor's center and gift shop, there was a lot of activity as a wedding party was in the staging process next door. We later found out you can have parties catered at this facility which looks out on the Arkansas River, a rather scenic view.

You buy your tour Museum tickets in the gift shop and then head out on a walking trail which gives you some first hand scenery of what it was like in an 1860-1880 western Kansas cowtown. There are many reconstructed old houses, buildings, and retail stores you can walk through, many of which have period dressed volunteers or employees who willing to share information of how business was conducted and life was like during these early years on the frontier. You can also schedule tours if you have a group and it is a popular place for school or any group wanting a great field trip experience. There are lots of antique horse drawn farm equipment, and old grain elevator, scale house, railroad depot and an actual operating farm with barn just to name a few. You can get up close and personal with a few farm animals including Rosie, a red shorthorn cow and her new calf, a few Brahma chickens, and even take a wagon ride pulled by a team of Percheron horses. We stopped for a visit at the Saloon and enjoyed a sarsaparilla with the patroness who explained the games of chance and what one experienced eating, drinking and gambling. Monthly license fees for gambling and prostitution paid for many city services, preventing the need for taxes. We then traveled across the street to visit with the blacksmith who was busy training a young teenager the metal work craft. He told us blacksmithing was in his family and after learning about it, he decided to make it his life profession. He explained there are now several thousand blacksmiths across the country as the craft is making a come back. He proudly displayed several iron roses he had made today and shared how he hoped to make them a popular item in the gift shop. I told him about my childhood and our home town German blacksmith who was the "real thing" not just a metal artist.

From the blacksmith, we traveled up the street and visited with the farmer who gave us a personal tour of the farmhouse and barn. Rosie was begging for some alfalfa instead of her usual prairie hay. I again recalled some of my farm life experiences and soon determined my background was much more than anything he could share with a group. Maybe I should move to Wichita and apply for his job? As we left the farm, a wagon load of visitors stopped who were enjoying a riding tour of Cowtown. On our way back through main steet, we noticed a professional photographer taking pictures of a young woman who appeared to be dressed in a rather revealing feathered saloon costume but never did find out the story behind the pictures, but I shot a few of my own which you can view in the MTA album.

After taking in all the attractions, it was time to find a motel and freshen up before the night's entertainment, the real reason we came to Cowtown. The Museum closes at 4:30, so you need to move your vehicle anyway as the show does not open until 5:30 and parking is in a lot on the west end of the park. We used Garmin to find a near by Super 8 just off highway 54 and only 15 minutes away. After a good shower and brief rest, we rode back to Cowtown and the Empire House where we were greeted by some familiar faces. We enjoyed 3 fun filled hours of friendship, great food, great music and wonderful memories. The quartet includes Jim Farrell who grew up in the recording industry of Music City USA, Nashville, Tennessee, and owns and operates his own recording studio; Stu Stuart, multi-talented lead singer/lead guitarist/fiddler who began playing the guitar when he was a child; Steve Crawford, drummer/percussionist known as “Stevie C, the Rhythmic Cowboy” ; and last but not least Chip Worthington the newest and youngest member of the group. He grew up with music in the house and started playing the string bass in the 4th grade. Together they make a fantastic musical experience for those of us who enjoy the sound and harmony of cowboy music, although they are continually expanding their horizons adding a contemporary flavor to all their musical offerings. If you visit their website, you can hear a few of their songs as your read about them and their musical history. Stu keeps everyone on their toes with his humor and stand-up routines of cowboy and personal humor. He certainly stands out although all are great musician in their own right and produce some wonderful music. Too soon the show was over and it was time to buy their latest CD and they offer to sign it personally as everyone leaves the theatre with tunes on their mind and a belly full of great western cowboy grub.

Out trip home followed a different route as we decided to get up early, ride through the heart of the Flint Hills and stop by Council Grove (my second home town) for breakfast at the Hayes House. Then it was back on US 56 and home in time for Mary to restock our kitchen and me to clean up the bike and trailer.

If anyone would be interested, we would gladly try to schedule a group trip as there is a small $3 discount for groups of 20 or more. The dinner and show ticket prices is $30 per person which is a real bargain considering that includes an all you can eat sit-down personally served meal plus a wonderful music experience. I would suggest the Museum tour as an option if you don't mind walking. Museum admission is Adults (18 to 61) - $7.75; Senior Citizens (62 and older) - $6.50; Youth (12 to 17) - $6.00; and Children (4 to 11) - $5.50. Discounted rate of $5.00 if you let them know you are going to the Diamond W Wranglers performance.

Last year we came really close, but this year we made it! It took a lot of arm twisting and hard work, but thanks to everyone's contributions, MTA MO#1 took first place at this year's KC Ride For Kids by raising a total of $6,467. No other club even came close to our results. We owe everyone a special "Thank You" including all who made monthly contributions to the 50/50 pot donations at breakfast and dinner events along with some individual contributions by club members. Also this year Mary & I received a great contribution from GWTA Chapter N, to which we also belong. Our fund raising efforts at work helped substantially due to the company's 3 to 1 matching funds program. Last but not least, Mike & Ann Marie added the crowning touch by doing some arm twisting of their own. All this together made Mary & I make three trips to the stage during the awards part of the Celebration of Life following a rather slow but great 50 mile ride. The kids were again "Stars" and related their appreciation to the group and shared some of their personal experiences. Elizabeth, one of the survivors, really brought everyone to tears as she shared her own personal poetry readings. Some of the kids were very talkative, and some rather quiet, but all thanked the riders for their continued support. If only more riders would learn about this opportunity, the sky would be the limit.

This year Mary & I volunteered to help at the event itself which required an earlier than normal arrival, but it was worth it. We got to meet many of the participants and ask them to complete the registration form to help expedite the check in process. Most of the riders who had been there previous years had their forms already completed, but many just forget and it clogs the process at the registration tables. We think our efforts helped make the check-in process flow more smoothly and will gladly do it again next year if asked. We only wish more of our group would participate, so next year, mark your calendars as it will be the same week-end, July 25th, same time, and the same place. Even if you don't ride, it is well worth your time just to watch the celebration after the ride. Please join us next year!

Thanks to Terry and Ann Marie who took lots of pictures, I have added a special album to our photo collection, so please enjoy their efforts and take a look. The link is at the top of the website along with all our other photo albums. Mary and I were very humbled to be able to represent our club and owe thanks to all who helped us be the top fundraisers for this year's event. It would not have happened had it not been for everyone's generosity. Once we receive the group photos, I will add them to the article and/or the photo album.

The weather was hot and steamy this morning as 16 club members gathered for breakfast, including our two newest members. A special welcome to Steve Krummell and Tom McBratney, we hope to see you often. If you are going for a ride or have a trip planned let us know and we'll see if others are available to ride also. Terry and John are getting ready to leave for South Africa tomorrow. It seems like they just got back home from their South Dakota trip with Chris and Sara. See article below. There are pictures on the photo link so be sure to check them out. Tom and Nancy made a trip to Cassiday last week end and enjoyed the sights along the way. Frank mentioned he like this "New" bike. Steve came to breakfast to check out his Venture. Frank will be participating in a BBQ cook off Aug.14-15th in Independence inviting everyone to attend. Mike and Ann Marie announced the time and place for the "Pie in the Park". He as also requested we bring good weather. Jim and Janet won the 50/50 pot. Mary and Mike noted additional contributions had been made to the Ride for Kids. Gary and Mary received $200 and Mike and Ann Marie and additional $25 bringing the club total to $6692.00. Chris, Mark, Mal & Ginny rounded out the group. Missing from breakfast were Gary and Phil. They were at a work day for Glen Anderson. Their group was building a retaining wall that Bob had planned before his untimely accident. Be sure to check out the "Event Schedule" for new events.

Our last child to get married, Chris wanted to spend their first anniversary in the mountains. Sara, his bride, had never been on a long ride, or to the mountains. Vacation dates were secured, reservations made and July 9th we headed out.

First stop, after 30 miles of hard rain and just missing a devastating hailstorm, was Mitchell, S.D. and the Corn Palace. Some people think this is “corny” but it is a really pretty neat place. The Corn Palace spends $130,000 each year to decorate this building with corn still on the cob, making murals out of different colored corn and grasses. Well, time to head west, hot weather now and lunch planned at Wall Drug.

Next, Deadwood, WOW, what a great town filled with real stories of old west history, gambling, good roads and beautiful surroundings. We stayed at the Silverton-Franklin Hotel. Terry and I stayed there two years ago. Built in 1908, so says the hotel, it is really a good place to stay. Each room has a name and a bit of history for the person or reason of the history to the dedicated room name. Another amenity of the Silverton-Franklin Hotel is the open veranda, with wet bar, open at 3 pm, has a perfect view of the downtown strip and the 6 pm gunfight. Guess where we went!?!

After some BBQ and a side trip to Devils Tower, we stopped for the night at Burgess Junction in the Big Horn Mountains. Terry and I had camped here before and Chris has camped with his buddies too. We love the Big Horns and plan to spend time there after retirement. We got there late and didn’t get to explore any, but had a good dinner and restful night. Monday morning, Terry and I got up early and started to load the bike. We usually take the stairs, but this time opted for the elevator. The door shut, bumped once, and all went quiet with no door offering to open. GREAT, we’re stuck, and nobody else is up yet. The buzzer didn’t ring to the office desk three buildings away. It just made a big buzzer sound in the elevator. After 30 minutes Sara heard us pounding on the door, and some colorful language from my lovely wife, and finally got the maintenance/owner to get us out!! Laughs all around. HA HA. I would point out that no “out of order” sign was placed on the elevator. Perhaps that is why the emergency phone was removed from the elevator. Good-bye Burgess Junction.

Loaded and ready, westward we go. For about three miles, we stop to take pictures of some moose, and don the Frog Togs. Vicious looking clouds overhead and they just opened up on us. Big Horn Mountains are so beautiful, but we were hunkered down and didn’t get to enjoy them as we stare down the rain and hail. As we start down the mountains the rain stops and before we get to Cody, the sun is shinning and warming up. Irma Hotel for breakfast, where Buffalo Bill used to eat and then it’s on to Yellowstone.

We stayed two nights in Yellowstone in a cabin by the Lake, not far from Fishing Bridge, for those of you familiar with this country. We saw rivers, lakes, waterfalls, geysers, and paint pots, mud pots, stink pots. We saw buffalo, deer, elk, coyotes and marmots. We just missed seeing snow at Ole Faithful on the second morning of our stay in Yellowstone. We bought sweatshirts, not for souvenirs, but to keep warm. We did the north loop, and the south loop and the road in between. We didn’t see any bear, but the views are still awesome in this Country!

Next is my most favorite spot in the world Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I just love the Teton Mountains. We did pictures with a split rail fence, horses and the Tetons in the background. Did the ski lift up Snow King Mountain and more pictures at the Elk Antler Arches in the middle of town and enjoyed the gunfight. Wish we could have spent more time here.

Next stop, Terry’s most favorite place, Estes Park. It’s a long day on the bikes, and early evening when we get there, but we get a room right on the edge of downtown. We walk to Bob & Tony’s for pizza. Established in 1958, they are a must stop any time we are in Estes Park. Food, shower and sleep. Next day it is through Rocky Mountain National Park with frequent stops. Down the west side, miles of road construction, through Granby, Winter Park, Denver and……. Egads….toward HOME!!

All good things must come to an end though, and the trip was memorable with rain, hail, road construction, really cold….but wow the scenery was magnificent, great times together and many photos. 3100 miles for Terry and I and 3800 mile for Chris and Sara, as their trip started from Houston, Missouri. I think Sara had the time of her life, but she was one tired biker lady when we got home.

We had three pretty good storms and 15 miles of dirt roads, but all in all a very good trip. I would add that since this trip Sara invited Chris to get a new, larger, and more comfortable full dresser Harley Davidson and she now reports much more comfortable seating.

Tom has been on the computer playing World of Warcraft, so I didn't have a chance to get on and send you an e-mail about our trip to Billings Montana. It was a great trip! Except for a few parts of it...like the day we got hailed on or the day it rained! And there are parts of Wyoming that I hope I never see again! There is NOTHING out there at all, but a lot of grass and some cattle! The houses are few and far between, and the only thing of interest was the occasional pronghorn antelope. Plus, the wind seems to blow about 90 miles an hour there most of the time--maybe all of the time! That is where we were when we got hailed on! It was raining a little--sideways because of the wind--and I started noticing that some of that rain was hard! It was hailing! And there was no place to go to take shelter. It was small hail, and didn't last long, thank goodness! We were glad when we finally reached civilization again.

We went up to Billings through South Dakota, until the ill-fated decision to "see some of Wyoming." I love the Black Hills region of South Dakota. It took us three days to get to Billings. Well, actually it was 2 and a half, because we were true to form and got a late start on Friday. We arrived in Billings on Sunday evening, which messed up the hotel, because they weren't expecting us until Monday. They put us in a different room, and we had to move on Monday into the room that we had reserved. (Only one bed, instead of the two that were in the room the first night.) We explored Billings the first day...got lost a lot! It is laid out very strangely. Some of the roads run diagonally, and they connect two parts of the city. We had a problem getting the hang of it! (Tom kept saying we need a GPS!) While in Billings we went to Pompey's Pillar, which is a large stone outcropping where William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame carved his name on the way back to St. Louis at the end of their trip. Kind of amazing! They have stairs up to the carving and then on up to the top--202 stairs and we climbed them all! The view was amazing! When we came down from the Pillar, I followed the path on down by the Yellowstone River, and when I got into the brush at the river's edge, I was swarmed by mosquitoes! I couldn't get out of there fast enough! Tom had gone back to the bike, because he was tired from climbing all the stairs.

We went on the Swampazz Ride that the STAR has every year at their rally. The object is to follow the directions they give you and match the time that the people that set up the ride did it in. It was supposed to take 6 hours, but it took us more like 8 hours! They allowed you 15 minutes to take pictures, but there were so many places we wanted to stop and take pictures--or at least I did! They also didn't say anything about stopping for lunch, which we all did! The ride went up over Beartooth Pass in the Beartooth Mountains, and it was a really beautiful road. We also rode on the Chief George Scenic Byway for part of it. Not quite as breathtaking, but still neat. It was a great ride.

We also visited the Moss Mansion in Billings. It was built between 1903 and 1905 by one of the founders of Billings who did a lot to develop and make the town a success. It stayed in the family until 1984, with one of the daughters living there until she was 88 years old, then it was given to the city of Billings. It is a fabulous old house. I love going to see mansions like that. It was cool!

We took the Billings Historical Trivia ride that the STAR had organized on Friday. That was fun, and took us to a couple of places that I had wanted to see but hadn't gotten to yet. We went out to Pictograph Caves State Park to see the caves. One of them had a lot of pictographs painted by Native Americans over the years, but they are just barely visible any more. I hiked the entire trail with another couple from our STAR group, but Tom stayed at the information center and took a nap on a bench! We went to other places around Billings, but didn't get to see much of any of them. Just got the answers to the questions and moved on.

This was our first time to attend STAR Days, which is the rally for the STAR Touring and Riding Association. The people were so friendly and nice, and there were a lot of bikes to look at. We had a good time, and look forward to going back next year, when it will be held in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

On the way home we decided to go through Yellowstone National Park. We had been there before and explored the park quite a bit, so we just kind of drove through this time. We only stopped to watch Old Faithful erupt again. We had planned to head out of the South Gate at the park, but there was road construction on that road, so we went out of the West Gate, and traversed the highway that runs down the western side of the Grand Tetons mountain range. There were these huge fields of grain that were still green and didn't look like wheat, and we weren't sure what it was, so I asked a guy at the next stop for gas what it was. He said that it is barley that they grow for Budweiser. They pay them a LOT of money for it, he said. We went through the Teton Pass and down into Jackson Hole, Wyoming, then back down the east side of the Tetons. We had promised a couple of people that we would buy them Sturgis shirts, and we hadn't stopped there on the way to Billings, so then we crossed Wyoming to go back to get the shirts at Sturgis! We ended up on that same damn road that I had disliked before, only now it was worse, because there was road construction on it! When they resurface a road in Wyoming, they don't put down hot mix like we do around here. They lay oil then cover it with a layer of gravel. We rode over miles of loose gravel, which Tom absolutely hates! Once again, we were glad when we cleared that stretch of road! We spent the night in Sturgis. It was a full week before the rally actually started, but the place was already full of bikes, and the vendors were setting up. (We had bought ourselves 2009 Sturgis rally shirts when we were there in June for the MTA rally in Spearfish!) We walked around a little the next morning, got our shirts, then headed out to visit Bear Butte State Park northeast of Sturgis. Bear Butte is a flat topped hill that rises out of the grassland around Sturgis. It is a sacred place to many tribes of Native Americans and is now on the national register of historic landmarks and is protected. Native Americans still use it for religious ceremonies and other purposes. It was interesting.

We headed home, aiming for Wounded Knee, South Dakota, where the Wounded Knee massacre took place. But we missed our road somewhere. By the time we finally stopped to look at the map, we were way past it, so that will have to wait for another time. On the way back through Nebraska to get home to KC, we stopped for the night in Valentine, Nebraska, where I had worked on a road construction crew one summer. (The job site was between Kilgore and Nenzel, Nebraska, but most of the crew lived in Valentine.) We ate dinner in the steak house where we all used to go on Saturday night for dinner and dancing. It has changed a lot, but it was still there! The people were so nice. When we got up the next morning, it was raining! So we got out the good old rain gear, and hit the road. We stopped a little early that night in Hastings, Nebr. because we were kind of tired from the cold and wet morning we had to endure! Finally made it home on Thursday night of week two! Had planned on being home earlier, but we were having a good time, so we made the most of it! We are well acquainted with the Sturgis area of South Dakota now! I would like to have a house in the area to spend summers in, because it is usually cool and has low humidity in the summer. And it is so pretty there in the hills. Great riding! And believe it or not, there are still some things around there that we haven't seen yet! I'm sure that we will get the chance to go back some time!

The cats were glad to see us when we got home. That is, after they stopped hiding from the "strange" people that had invaded their house! The only mishap we had that I can recall--other than being lost a few times--was hitting a bird on that road through eastern Wyoming. It hit Tom in the face, then bounced off his helmet and hit me on the shoulder hard enough to hurt! I had blood on my mesh jacket and had to go rinse it out in the bathroom at the next stop. Poor bird!

Anyway, that was our trip. We rode a lot of great roads and discovered some that we didn't like so much, but we enjoyed the experience tremendously.

Mark & Cindy picked a perfect evening for a dinner ride, except only three of us took the hint and rode our bikes. At least Chris, Bud, Mary and I enjoyed the cool temperatures for a usual hot July evening. Others who attended included Terry with son Joe and granddaughters Mia & Faith, George & Jeri with Adrianna, Charlie & Judy, Mike & Ann Marie, and Jim & Janet. Terry took home $20 for the 50/50 pot, so the same amount is shown above for the PBTF KC Ride for Kids which is this weekend. I called PBTF to check on ride receipts today and they told me the ride leader, Jerry Harvey was on his way to KC. Our total results are evident of some great generosity, especially our company's 3 to 1 matching gifts program which greatly enhances our fund raising efforts. It all goes to a great cause, to help find a cure for these little kids unlucky to have a brain tumor at an early age in their life. Tonight's group enjoyed the evening, but we concluded two things. First, don't put folks with kids on the inside of a group of tables joined together; and second, Granny's wasn't prepared for a group feed as some felt the service was a bit slow and the gratuity slightly unjustified. Never-the-less, no one went home hungry even if it took some complaining to get what you ordered. Our waitress did her best, but we feel they could have had at least two servers to help speed the process. One thing we might want to consider next time we go to a place with an automatic gratuity is to just go as individuals and not even ask to be at the same table. That way you can tip appropriately according to the food and service. I hope this doesn't offend our hosts, and it sure wasn't their fault as they had no control over how the place is managed. Thanks to all you attended and to our hosts for a great night away from the kitchen.

The weather was hot and steamy this morning as 14 club members gathered for breakfast, some rode and some came in cars, but it was a welcoming sight to see everyone in attendance. Gary held a brief meeting and went over the Ride for Kids agenda. The usual volunteers are not going to be in attendance this year as both couples are going to be out of town. Gary and I have discussed volunteering this year. Mark informed us that Cindy's father passed away. We all wish to express our condolences to the family. Ann Marie brought Zachary to breakfast and the lucky young man won the 50/50 pot again! Another $14.00 was added to the club's fundraiser. Mike is in Texas to visit family and attend the Texas group dinner; he picked a hot week-end for a ride! Tom (our new MTA board director) and Nancy gave us an update on the gathering. We are looking forward to Galena, Il. in 2010. We have a new member to MTA from our area, Tom McBratney, welcome to Tom. Ann Marie let us know they now had their PBTF website set up, see the link above. Also in attendance were Phil, Mal & Ginny, Charlie & Judy, Jim & Janet and myself.

The weather threatened storms, but the BMW dealers here must have some magic that makes them disappear. Great weather. Greater roads. And even greater people at The HUB Motorcycle Resort & Conference Center. You can view pictures in the MTA Photo Album, or check out these from our friends Paul & Voni Glaves: ALBUM ONE, ALBUM TWO

LaBodega Restaurant on Southwest Boulevard was the destination of Missouri Chapter 1 for Saturday night club dinner. The temperature was Kansas City hot and the meal was at 5:00 PM (instead of the usual 7pm). Since it was a weekend I thought that perhaps diners would like to have an earlier meal. I chose a place that was somewhere we had never been. Those present for the dinner were Jim & Janet, Gary & Mary and John & I. While we were eating Mike and Anne Marie showed up. We had wonderful chance to talk about Gary & Mary's trip to Arizona to see the new grandson and Mike and Anne Marie shared information about the trip to the Rally in Spearfish. Thanks to all and we will see you all down the road. Terry Edwards

Sunday, June 21st Dropped Tommy off at the kennel at 9 am. Got back home, finished some last minute packing and headed off around 10. Traveled 435N to I-29N. In St. Joe, picked up 36W. In Belleville, took 81N, followed by I-80W, and 281N. Stopped in O'Neill for the night - aka "the Irish Capital of Nebraska". Saw lots of corn fields, wheat, cattle ranches. Gas stations were few and far between!!! Great riding - sun, very little traffic, and not too hot. What more could we ask for?

Monday, June 22nd Took 20W to 83. Arrived in Murdo. Found the Pioneer Auto Museum. Lots of cars from all eras to see - many calling out to be restored. Headed across I-90. Took the scenic byway (240) through the Badlands. Wow!! What scenery! Could picture outlaws hiding out from their pursuers. Almost felt like we were on another planet. Saw lots of cute little prairie dogs on our way out of the park. Next stop, Wall, for our free ice water. A good tourist spot that was mobbed with people! Hopped on 1-90W and arrived at Spearfish - our "home-base" for the next three days. The Holiday Inn and Convention Center was huge, and well-equipped for a gathering such as ours. We got in too late to attend the Monday night dinner, which included a Western show.

Tuesday, June 23rd Ate a tasty breakfast at the hotel's buffet. Chatted with some of the Gathering attendees. Pat let us register early. We drove through Spearfish Canyon - simply awesome! Stopped at the Boondocks, Trout Haven (Nola's former employer), and then went on to Mount Rushmore. How impressive! Although there were lots of tourists, the place didn't feel crowded. Took a tour with Ranger Jackie - really liked her, and how she challenged us to think about the controversy associated with building these sculptures upon a sacred ground. On to Deadwood. Walked around the town. Had the biggest chicken-fried steak known to man at the Mineral Palace. Hurried back to the hotel to meet the rest of our group for Bingo. Was good to see Nancy & Tom and Cindy & Mark. Also met Bob's friend, Tom, who was lucky enough to win one of the Bingo rounds. What's a gathering without an ice cream run? Culvers was within walking distance. The conversation got silly, and we all laughed and laughed. Ask Tom about the difference between the Grizzly Bear and the Brown Bear. Ask Mark about the Buffalo who likes to chase motorcycles.

Wednesday, June 24th First stop of the day was Downtown Rapid City to take the President tour. Bronze life-size images of most of the Presidents. Very cool. Where was Lincoln? Browsed through antique shops, and had a yummy mocha at a coffee shop. Drove west to Sturgis, and visited the motorcycle museum. Had our chapter dinner at a Mexican restaurant in Spearfish. Attended the business meeting. Tom was elected to the board!! Our club sponsored the pie and ice cream social - and we collected $270 toward our PBTF Ride for Kids charity. Thanks to all who helped at the event, and thanks to the generosity of the entire group. An attempt at Star Gazing was made - on a hill spotted by Mark & Cindy earlier in the week. Thought we saw a couple of satellites go whizzing by, or was it a plane or something more alien ??!!

Thursday, June 25th Had a breakfast buffet poolside on the Masseys' terrace. Wanted to go caving, so we drove to Black Hills Caverns. Neato!! Almost felt like we were spelunking. Had lunch at the Boondocks, gambled at Tin Lizzie in Deadwood, and then visited Tatanka. A peaceful, interesting sight. Back to the hotel, and a dip in the pool. The Gathering dinner and awards ceremony was held that evening. Big Daddy Joel announced that he was chosen to be head of the board. He will be a good leader. The evening ended with a friendly visit poolside.

Friday, June 26th Hopped on 90E to Rapid City. 79S to 385S to 2. Visited Carhenge in Alliance. Drove through the Nebraskan Sand Hills. Raced lots of BNSF trains. Counted 135 cars on one train - loaded with coal. At 7pm, arrived in Grand Island looking for a room. None to be had - a 4H Shooting Tournament was being held all weekend. Drove on to York. Got the last room! Drove 500 miles today. Phew!!

Saturday, June 27th Went South on 81 to Marysville, and then took 36E to St. Joe. Arrived home around 1 pm. What a great trip - beautiful weather, amazing scenery, friendly people, enjoyable cycling. 2000 miles in total. Can't wait to go back !!!!!!!!

As the saying goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words." This year we traveled to Phoenix, AZ to spend some quality time with our 6 month old grandson Anthony Beach. We really enjoyed it. Can you see why? Gary & Mary

What started out as a rather dreary morning ended up being a dry trip to this morning's breakfast. It was the first time members got to see our new ride with the little black Unigo trailer in tow. If you weren't there, we are now the proud owners of a 2008 K1200LT and have been enjoying it for over a month. We have really enjoyed it and hope Frank and Barb are enjoying the 99LT. Those attending this morning's breakfast included Mal & Ginny, Tom & Nancy, Chris, Charlie, Bob, Phil, Terry, Mike & Ann Marie, Jim & Janet, Lee & Nola, Mary & yours truly. We were greeted by a new manager who seems very glad to see us and asked to please keep coming back. It's nice to be wanted. Other news to share included a very sad report from last weekend's trip to Eureka Springs to the GWTA Region E Rally. One of Chapter N's members and GWTA Missouri State Directory, Bob Anderson, was killed while riding on one of the group rides. Gary & Mary and Phil & Barb were in attendance. It made for a really sad end to a wonderful weekend riding in the Ozark area. He was a great person who loved the sport and was in turn loved by many friends and acquaintances. Bob was survived by his wife Glen (who also rides her own trike), two daughters, and their families. The procession to the cemetery was led by 40 motorcycles on Bob's final earthly trip. We know somewhere in heaven, Bob is starting to organize a Gold Wing Chapter as we speak. A few of the club members are making plans to attend this year's MTA Gathering. As far as we know those planning to make the trip including Mike & Ann Marie, Tom & Nancy, Mark & Cindy (we think) and maybe Cowboy Bob. Mike has already ordered pies for the pie & ice cream social. Anyone not mentioned who is planning to attend should let Mike know as they will need help getting the pies back to the event.

Attending tonight's dinner were hosts Frank & Barb, Tom & Nancy, Jim & Janet, Gary & Mary, Mike & Ann Marie, George & Jeri with Adrianna and friend Mathaela, and Terry. Service and food again was outstanding as everyone enjoyed the dining experience. Terry won the 50/50, so another $11 goes to our PBTF fundraising efforts. We missed all who could not attend or had other commitments. I hinted that Mary & I were looking at a newer model LT and that our 99 LT might soon up for sale. Well to comlete the story, it happened yesterday. We are now owners of a 2008 K1200LT very similar to the one pictured below, only it has a few extra goodies we didn't have on the 99. The ride is about the same, but the changes are noticable; more horses, transmission shifting is smother, heated seats and passenger backrest (which Mary enjoyed last night on our first night out on the bike) custom passenger seat (Russell seat, after first ride last night, the jury is still out on whether this is any better than the stock seat on the 99), better trailer hitch for the Unigo (but an adapter will have to be ordered). Things left to figure out: all the electronics (different communications system). Things to be ordered: adapter for the Unigo hitch, CB, etc.

Mike won the "Residents' Choice" Trophy at the Brighton Gardens car show on Saturday, May 9th. He exhibited his '26 Model T Touring. Congratulations!

Attending this morning's breakfast were Jim & Janet, Tom & Nancy, Mal & Ginny, Lee & Nola, Mark, Mike & Ann Marie with Zachary who again drew the lucky ticket for the 50/50 pot and took home $12 with the same amount going to the PBTF. The total continues to grow! Mike is now sure his grandson may well be a chip off the old block. Afterward Mary and I rode over to Engle Motors and test rode a used 2008 LT very similar to the one pictured below. Always some eye candy at the dealers during the spring rush. I may end up eating my words "I don't want to own another black motorcycle again" as this was a nice one with lots of goodies. Stay tuned for further developments...

Mary and I traveled into another dimension Saturday while attending Engle Motors' Triumph Open House. Our LT is still working great, but as technology marches on, BMW has a new flagship for the sport touring market called the K1300GT (GT stands for Gran Turismo). We have purposely not ridden the GT for fear of catching the GT FLU bug going around. But as we both felt healthy yesterday and in control, we threw caution to the wind and jumped on this 160 horsepower power plant for a ride. The bike does not come standard with a passenger backrest nor a trunk, so Mary held on tight as we left the dealership which was full of people admiring the Triumphs, although there was some BMW shoppers in the store taking advantage of a free lunch of hot dogs, brats, and cookies supplied by Norm and his staff. As we left, salesman Pat, briefed me on the updated handle bar controls which have turn signals more "Americanized" than the normal Germen set-up. Then it was off to ride as far as we wanted according to Pat. We headed east and I-435. As I started up the on-ramp to merge into traffic, I soon realized this wasn't the old LT I was used to. The difference in acceleration to highway speeds was amazing. The power-band for those strong at heart kicks in around 6k rpm. WOW! Mary held onto the hand grips, but had I really kicked in the full power of this machine, she would have been bouncing down the interstate as it will literally do wheelies in the first three gears (so I am told by those foolish enough to want that experience).

We exited onto MO-210 and then north on MO-69 towards Liberty. I was trying to find some curves, but without my other brain (Garmin Zumo 550) I was under a slight handicap. We turned on MO-33 and headed towards Kearney easily passing car after car, sometime 4 or 5 at a time. This machine has "speeding ticket" written all over it! Soon it was time to head back south towards the dealership. We had a great test ride and it really had our fever up, but we managed to stay in control and not do anything financially foolish as we turned the key back into Pat's hands. The place was still busy as we left Engle and made a stop at HUB Cycle to say hello to Mike and Susan. Then it was off for lunch at Panera Bread before heading home to do some weekend chores, mow the lawn, get groceries, clean house, etc.

Take our advice, if you want to ride a rocket, you can do so at Engle on either a BMW or a Triumph. WARNING! The sticker shock on the BMW is dangerous to your health. We have our eye on a used 2007 K1200GT for sale in Austin TX, but haven't decided if we want another bike in our garage. We hope everyone had a great weekend and we look forward to sharing our experiences at the next club breakfast. If by chance we aren't there, it probably means we are on our way back from Austin... UPDATE: Deal fell through at the last minute. We had our trip planned when the dealer informed me we could only "test ride" the bike for 5-10 miles. We told him we would not travel 700 miles for a test ride of 5-10 miles! So, we are still looking and dreaming. Just can't afford a new one, that's for sure! Weather this morning looks like we made a good decision as there are bad storms going across Oklahoma and we would have been getting up somewhere in that area to head towards Texas.

Once again Mother Nature tried to ruin our great weekend ride to Branson, but she graciously allowed us a dry ride with only a little south wind. Otherwise it was a perfect weekend to ride the Southern Missouri and Arkansas twisties. We had a few chores to get done before leaving Friday before noon and two stops to make on the way. We always stop to see Mary's brother and his wife at Garden City. After a brief visit, we headed on to Clinton for another stop to visit an old Hallmark friend and his wife who recently moved there and wanted us see their new digs. We have known Larry & Carol for many years and was glad to get the opportunity to see their house and marvel at all Carol's needle art and quilting throughout this wonderfully restored old home. We had a great visit before heading on toward Branson after a late lunch break at Smith's Family Restaurant in Collins, MO., known for great food and pies. We had to find the place as the new four lane highway now takes you right by, so you have to exit Hwy 13 At 54 and head east to find them, but it's worth it if you want to satisfy your hunger pains. Food:[10.0] • Service:[10.0] • Atmosphere:[10.0]. After a great signature pork tenderloin sandwich and salad, we decided to ride the backroads toward Springfield and avoid the I44 Hwy 13 left turn which is always a PIA especially at rush hour, so we zig-zagged our way east towards Hwy 65 and rolled into Springfield with heavy weekend traffic as we got to the south part of town. Then it was on toward Branson and arrival at the Branson Towers where we found many bikes already parked and lots of tire kicking already in progress. After checking in and unloading, we got to visit with many friends from previous Blitz events. We picked up some great maps and decided to rest and plan our route for Saturday's ride. This time we picked a route which started at Harrison and took us on The Ozark Moonshine Run, traveling distance 110 miles with 662 curves. This is without a doubt the most picturesque route in the Ozarks! The route encompasses parts of Scenic Highway 7 which winds through the deepest parts of the Ozark Mountains. Along the route we saw tragic evidence of last winter's ice storm damage to the trees all along the road. It was sad to see so much damage to what is normally a tree lined highway. A local game warden told us this region was without power for over two weeks as a result of the winter storm, but things are back to normal now with mile after mile of shredded trees and piles of limbs along the roadside. Fire wood should be a bargain there next winter. The area makes you feel like you have stepped back in time to a slower paced lifestyle. We enjoyed many attractions along the way, and took our time and managed to still enjoy the scenery, especially the many curves along the route, some of which tested my abilities with a few 15 mph switch-backs. There was little traffic except for a group of sport bikes also out to enjoy the curves who quickly left us in the dust as they powered through the curves. We finally arrived at one of our favorite stops, Jasper and the Ozark Restaurant. Bikes were already parked on all sides of the square, but we managed to find a table and ordered lunch. I had a great salad and Mary enjoyed the salad bar, but we saved room for their signature black berry cobbler topped off with ice cream. What a treat! With full bellies, we headed back down Hwy 7 and Harrison. From there it was back to Branson on Hwy 65 which will soon be all four lane sometime in 2010. We arrived back at the Towers in time for a brief nap before heading down to the lobby for the annual meeting of the Presidents. Our long time friends and Presidents Paul and Voni were already passing out door prizes and awards for various serious and humorous reasons, but everyone got some prize before the group picture in the motel lobby. As soon as we get a link from Paul & Voni, we will share some pictures of the event as we forgot to bring our camera. Then it was time to rest and get ready for the next day's travel back home. We had some concern as the Weather Channel was showing storms around the KCMO area and a stormy Sunday forecast. Everyone had the same idea as we ate breakfast and listened to others planning their homeward routes. Our ride was uneventful, however as we had cloudy but dry skies and the wind to our backs as we stopped only for coffee the Boss Cafe in Clinton. We got home before noon and managed to get the yard mowed and groceries re-supplied before the rain hit. This again proved to be a wonderful way to start the riding season. We only wish some of our friends could have joined the fun. Maybe next year! For some pictures from the 2009 Branson Blitz, click HERE, compliments of Paul & Voni Glaves.

Tom & Nancy were the hosts for tonight's feast at Cascone's. Those who attended: George, Jeri & Adriana, Barb (without Frank), Mike & Ann Marie, Jim & Janet, Mal & Ginny, Bud & Pauline, Chris, Mary & yours truly and our special friends Mark & Cindy. Everyone was so happy to see Mark looking great and on the road to recovery after his recent surgery. He sends his thanks to everyone who sent cards and best wishes. He is still fighting a little infection in his legs, but otherwise keeping Cindy busy with driver's ed (inside joke, you'll have to ask Cindy). Everyone seemed to enjoy their meal and the food and service was good. As Mary and I are getting ready to go to Branson, this will be short for now unless Tom & Nancy want to fill in the blanks.

We have wanted to visit Springfield, IL, and attend the Easter Classic Car Show in St. Louis for a few years now. Our desires finally came to fruition. Although our intent was to travel by motorcycle, we decided to pay heed to the weather forecasts and drive the car (Wise choice J).

On Friday morning, April 10^th, we dropped off Tommy, our lab mix, at the day care/boarding facility (AKA jail). We headed on Interstate 35 to 36 through Hannibal, MO. In Illinois, we picked up Route 72 and drove on into downtown Springfield. We arrived about 1 p.m., and enjoyed lunch in a small café close to the historic district. 2009 is the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth, so this is the perfect time to experience the sites and celebrate the history that fills this city. Our first visit was to the Lincoln Presidential Museum where we were taken on an interactive journey starting at Lincoln’s rustic log cabin, through his rise to national prominence and leadership during the Civil War, and culminating in his assassination. Next door was the Presidential Library, a working research facility which houses a treasury of Lincoln documents and artifacts. We had just enough time to tour the Old State Capitol. This is the site where Lincoln uttered the words “A house divided against itself cannot stand” in his inaugural (and initially unsuccessful) drive for the US Senate. Years later, Lincoln’s body lay in state here as 75,000 mourners filed by to pay their last respects.

We drove around the town, and decided to stay at the Drury Inn in the Southeast section of town. Amenities included a happy hour, an indoor pool and hot tub, and a hot, filling breakfast. Our choice of restaurant for the evening was Smokey Bones BBQ (Mighty good eating).

The next morning, we toured Lincoln’s home, a one-and-a-half story cottage that was eventually expanded into a twelve room, two-story dwelling. One of the few original pieces of the house was a banister, which we all could touch. As our guide explained, it was the closest we would come to shaking Mr. Lincoln’s hand. We strolled around the neighborhood, and saw the church where the Lincoln family rented a pew.

We rode past the Illinois State Capitol on our way to Lincoln’s tomb. Within the walls of this granite monument lie the final resting places of Abraham Lincoln, his wife Mary, and three of their four sons. It’s a tradition to rub the nose of Lincoln’s bronze visage for luck.

Although there was still more to see, we needed to head on down the road to start the second leg of our trip. On our way out of town, on a section of Route 66, we stopped at Bill Shea’s Gas Station Museum. Housed within two buildings is a large and eclectic collection of service station memorabilia, including thousands of oil cans, fuel pumps, and a 1952 Airstream travel trailer. Bill’s son gave us the grand tour. Quite a place!

Next stop - Saint Louis, via 55 South. Years ago, on one of our motorcycle contest trips, we happened upon a wonderful donut shop off of I 270 and New Florissant Road. Whenever we get within 25 miles of the place, our vehicle automatically heads that way. It had been about 4 years since our last visit, and the donuts were even better than we could remember! (Ask us for the directions if you are ever in that area!)

We were in St. Louis to see cars, and that is what we did. FastLane in St. Charles has a wide variety of cars to ogle and purchase (if you have just won the lottery). Next, we discovered a car show at the local high school - mostly consisting of street rods with a few classic cars and motorcycles to view. St. Charles has a quaint Main Street with shops and restaurants within close proximity of the Missouri River. The weather was just right for meandering here for a couple of hours.

After our feet got tired, we drove to Forest Park to find where the Easter car show was being held the following day. The event would take place in the parking lots surrounding the Muny Theater, which is an outdoor venue similar to the Starlight in KC. We found another Drury Inn close by. Dinner that night was at J Buck’s restaurant - another yummy meal!

In anticipation of big crowds, we headed to Forest Park early, and found a good parking place. Lots of car enthusiasts were already out - some were shining up their cars, and some were admiring the unique array of automobiles. The lower parking lot was filled with street rods, while the upper parking lot displayed the classic cars. After an hour or so, we realized that we were at a ‘happening’! The show has become a St. Louis tradition, and people of all ages come out in droves to participate. One of the highlights was watching 5 men from the Model T Club of St. Louis build a ’26 Model T from pieces lying on the ground in 9.5 minutes.

After three or more hours, with the skies darkening, we said goodbye to all the unique autos, and headed on 50 back to Kansas City. Needless to say, Tommy was happy to see us. It was a good trip, with lots of fond memories!

Mother Nature wasn't as kind this year with a wet start as we got around and headed towards Weston Bend State Park Bee Creek Shelter, sight of GWTA Chapter N "Spring Fling." This was the first year the weather really didn't cooperate as we traveled north on 45 highway in a light misty rain and on wet roads. Soon after we arrived, however, the rain stopped briefly and the clouds started to break up giving a hint that possible dryer weather might be in store. As a result, only about an estimated 30-40 bikes braved the road conditions to attend. Everyone enjoyed lots of hot coffee and great conversation as we waited for the sun, but after an hour, 26 bikes headed out on the Poker Run in spite of the damp riding conditions. Because of the low turn out, only one group started out and after a few miles, the clouds started to break away and the roads began to dry out. For the rest of the ride, we enjoyed dry riding conditions as we traveled south to Wyandotte County Park for our first stop to draw our numbers for the Poker Run; and, the local Park Ranger stopped by and said we were the second motorcycle group traveling through the Park and welcomed us to his jurisdiction. We then headed north towards a lunch stop in Smithville and another Poker draw. Some ate while others fueled up before heading toward Plattsburg for our last Poker draw and fuel stop before heading back to the Bee Creek Shelter for the final Poker Draw followed by the Bike Show, BBQ dinner, 50/50 pot, Poker Run results, and door prizes galore. The ride itself was 137.1 miles according to my Garmin and everyone was thrilled the weather turned dry and warmer for the ride and journey home after the event. Unfortunately, the turn-out was far less than expected due to the weather, which meant Chapter N didn't raise nearly as much for their club treasury as last year. The flip side, however, meant there were many prizes to be won and auctioned off to help support the CMA from Leavenworth who conducted a Blessing of the Bikes ceremony as well as leading us in a prayer to start the riding season. Because of the low turn-out our GWTA chapter auctioned off many door prizes to help support the CMA activities throughout the area and the world. This year's donations from door prizes totaled over $300 which was a new record for this event and the CMA members really appreciated the response. The Poker Run awarded both the lowest and highest score, and would you believe yours truly had the highest score and won $100, most of which I will donate to the PBTF for this year's Ride for Kids. I did bid on and won one of the door prizes as well as make a personal contribution to the CMA's 2009 Ride for the Son fundraiser which has enabled CMA to equip the saints here in the United States and all over the world to reach the lost with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The successful efforts of the past twenty-one years have raised over 31 million dollars to help spread the Good News. Tom & Nancy joined us for this year's Spring Fling and met lots of new friends and also enjoyed the event activities. Tom and Nancy's bike won the bike show trophy for best Cruiser style motorcycle which had several bikes in competition. Tom also bid on and won a new helmet as well as a very attractive leather USA flag vest donated by Hub Cycle. Almost everyone else won at least two or three door prizes so no one went away empty handed. Chapter N members canvas the area bike shops and although they received a few declinations due to this year's economy, still ended up with many, many contributions from generous local area businesses who faithfully support this event. When all the prizes were claimed and everyone had their fill of dessert, it was time to say goodbye for another year and head home. We hope everyone enjoyed the day's activities as much as we did and look forward to next year's event as it is a great way to start the riding season, rain or shine! Click HERE to see some photos.

For those who do not make this morning's breakfast and have not talked to him recently after his heart surgery, I will share a phone call I got from Mark last night. He is doing well and is out walking everyday when the weather permits. Cindy is still his chauffer and he will not be released to drive for a few more weeks, that is if their marriage can take the stress of his "back seat driving." Only glitch is the healing of his legs where they took the veins for the bypass surgery, which is a common complaint. Otherwise, he is feeling great and looking forward to continued recovery. He still does not have the Venture trike back yet as the guy was ill for awhile and now has a full time job and can only work on it part time. He isn't too worried as it will be awhile before he can physically handle it anyway. He sends many thanks for the get well cards, especially the one Terry made and sent on behalf of the club.

What an outstanding turn-out for this morning's breakfast! Everyone was happy to see Lee & Nola joining the group back from their trip to Florida. Nola reports she is continues to feel much better and only has a few more tests to complete to confirm it. Others attending included Charlie & Judy, George & Jeri with Adrianna, Mal & Ginny, Jim & Janet, Frank & Barb, Tom & Nancy, Bob, Phil, and Mary & yours truly. Mike & Ann Marie were unable to attend, so we did the best we could without Mike's leadership. I reviewed the upcoming schedule of events and Phil sold some GWTA raffle tickets. Terry did the 50/50 pot which was won by Geroge & Jeri which will add another $12 to this year's PBTF fundraiser total. Everyone was happy to hear the good news about Mark's recovery. After enjoying breakfast and a good visit, everyone headed off for their weekend activities.

Checklist:

* Clean the bike
* Reintegrate the loaded battery
* Check the engine oil, brake fluid, cooling fluid und the fully suspended drive oil (when you have one)
* Check the sparking plugs and the spark-plug connector
* Check all lights
* Check all electrical installations
* Check the chain and oil it (when you have one)
* Check the brake pads, braking efficiency and free-wheel
* Check also the bowden cables
* The tire profile must be at least 2mm and check the tire pressure
* Start the engine with choke (if you have one) and let it run with low torque

When the engine won't start. Take a break and check the lights. When you recognize that the power of the lights went down try a jump start otherwise you could ruin your battery.

In every village there is a gathering spot, a place to share meals, the center for all those who live and work in the area to congregate, to be together…The Cafe. Whether they come for a place to celebrate, to share stories with family and friends or because of the need to get away from the daily routine. The Cafe is their neighborhood place to land. Here at The Cafe at Briarcliff Village, we want you to experience that same “coming home” feeling. We take the utmost care and judgment when planning our menu and when serving you, as we consider YOU our friends, our family! We are locally owned and we use local farmers and producers to source our food ingredients whenever possible, farmers and producers who share our respect for food and high standards of quality and integrity. Our menu boasts unique offerings and uniquely prepared favorites. We accept the extra responsibility and cost involved in handling, preparing and serving GREAT food. We hand process all foods and inspect them for wholesomeness. We season and prepare our own meats, sauces and stocks. Fish is flown from its home dock and our pastries and desserts are all House-Made. All of this is done for you…our guests…our neighbors…our friends…our family. Enjoy
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Everyone seemed to really enjoy both the food and atmosphere found at The Cafe in Briarcliff Village, the location selected for tonight’s dinner. For those who had not been there, most found it a great place, easy to get to from anywhere in Kansas City. We selected this location after eating there with the GWTA group and really enjoying both food and service. Our group ended up with 11 members, most of whom arrived early. When we got there, Bud sat alone at the table as Pauline was taking advantage of the unique shops surrounding the restaurant. Others who attended tonight’s dinner event included Tom & Nancy, Mal & Ginny, Jim & Janet, Terry, and Mary & yours truly. We had hoped to see others who did not attend as we had RSVPs, so hope all is well. Everyone ordered and we were soon served quickly. One little known fact about this restaurant is whenever possible, they use fresh locally obtained produce and this quality and selection really shows. After a great meal and lots of conversation, almost all ordered their dessert specialty, macaroons “to go”. They are wonderful if you like macaroons. All concluded this was a great place to dine, and both food and service were really above average. As we were leaving, the manager asked us how the group enjoyed their dining experience. We reported to her that everyone was happy and full, and some felt this would be worth a repeat performance. Our thanks to all who attended and for those who could not attend, we hope to see you next time. Gary & Mary

Everyone gathered for this morning's breakfast which started out with some great news. Mark has returned home from the hospital and sent his "thanks" to all who visited or sent get-well wishes while he was in the hospital. We hope to see both he and Cindy when he feels up to getting out of the house. A friends recover is always good news. Fourteen members and three guests gathered for this morning's breakfast. We were happy to see Mark & Mary join us as well as Mike's grandson Zachary who AGAIN won the 50/50 pot. Mike was surprised he didn't want to pay for his grandpa's breakfast! This time $16 was added to the PBTF club contribution. Others who attended the breakfast included Tom & Nancy, John & Terry, Mal & Ginny, Judy & Charlie, Phil & Barb, Mike & Ann Marie, and Mary and yours truly. We let everyone know that our garage won't be available for the PBTF Garage Sale as we will be out of town that weekend. If anyone has a community garage sale and would like to volunteer their garage, please let Mike know as this proved to be a fun and profitable event last year. Mike is still asking for other ideas for fund raising events including a possible poker run ride. He suggested Memorial Day as a date, but others are concerned about all the other activities going on that weekend and also it would involve traveling busy city streets rather than rural highways which always increases the risk factor. We noticed there is another ride going on that weekend to raise money for the War Veterans, so we might be in competition with that event. We hope to see everyone at this month's dinner.

Turn out for this morning's breakfast was rather sparce, so we condluded all who did not attend were maybe out shopping for Valentine's day presents. None-the-less those who had already done their shopping and attended this morning's event included Mike, AnnMarie and grandson Zachary, Jim & Janet, Tom & Nancy, Mal & Ginny, Terry, and Mary and yours truly. Zachary drew the lucky ticket for the 50/50 pot and took home $12 with the same amount going to the PBTF. His bright smile when he won was worth the trip! Mike held a short meeting to discuss possible fund raising events the club might consider to help add to the total colleted for the 2009 PBTF KC Ride for Kids. Some discussion was tabled regarding a possible poker run, but no decision was made pending more consideration. Tom & Nancy told all about their trip to Texas to watch their grandson graduate from Basic Training. While in San Antonio, they took advantage of some sight seeing on the River Walk and enjoyed the experience. Mal & Ginny also shared some stories about their Florida trip and visit to the Clown Museum and other attractions while on their one week get-a-way. During the breakfast, Lee & Nola called Mal to wish everyone a happy Valentine's day. They are also in Florida and reported temps rather cool this morning, but not as cold as here in KCMO. Nola is still doing well and we all hope this trend condines. They plan to return sometime in April. Mary and I have decided to hold the club dinner event at The Cafe in Briarcliff. See the schedule for more details. For those of you who were unable to attend, hope you can make it next time.

The restaurant is located inside the Bass Pro Shop just south off I-70 in Independence, Missouri. When you walk into this restaurant you see a huge saltwater aquarium behind the bar, large windows that look over a lake behind the Bass Pro Shop and there is a huge stone fireplace in the back of the restaurant. John and I had taken a weekend day that was too fridge to do much but stay inside to look around and see this new outdoors mega shopping area. We looked in and decided to sit and watch the fish, have a soda and appetizer. The menu looked good and if the other items were as good as the appetizer then it could be a “good catch” for a club meal. The date was chosen and the club alerted to the FISH COMPANY. The day chosen for our meal turned out to be a beautiful warm day. We were surprised that we had a large turn out for the meal 23 total, including youngsters. Those that attended were: Gary & Mary, George & Jerry with Adriana, Jim & Janet, Bud & Pauline with grandson Alec, Mike & Kelly, Mal & Jenny with friends Larry & Doris, Tom & Nancy, Chris, Mike & Anne Marie, and John & I. The staff was so gracious to keep adding new seats to our table and then another table to our first table. Everyone says the food was great, but then so were all those that made the trip to this meal. It was wonderful to see everyone and have the chance to enjoy good food, fun stories and laughter. I would like also say the restaurant did a great job getting our food to us quickly once got we seated. Terry

Darrell Steuer, President - Motorcycle Touring Association, passed peacefully on Saturday, January 24, 2009 after a short battle with cancer, at the age of 57. In lieu of flowers donations to the London Regional Cancer Center gratefully acknowledged.

Those who attended included Adriana, George & Jeri, Mike & AnnMarie, Frank & Barb, Bud & Pauline, and Mary plus yours truly. George and Jeri were disappointed with the weather, but happy at those who braved the bitter cold to attend the dinner. Adriana was full of hugs for everyone. She has a wonderful personality and has changed so much since George & Jeri took responsibility for her life. Their love and affection really show and she is blessed to grow up in such a wonderful home. All seemed to enjoy the food, atmosphere, and as always the fellowship with one another. The weather was cold, but the food was hot and spicy, so everyone went home full and satisified. For those of you who were unable to attend, hope you can make it next time.

Even with frigid temps and a skiff of snow, Phil rode to this morning's breakfast enjoying his Christmas present, a new heated jacket liner. The rest of our crowd enjoyed the warmth and comfort of 4 wheels. Ginny shared some wonderful news. She received a phone call from Nola. Nola and Lee are on their way to Florida, but wanted to let everyone know her last medical check-up revealed she is now cancer free and feeling great. Nola thanks everyone for their prayers and support during her illness and recovery. We hope she can continue on this track and not have to deal with this problem anymore. Jim & Janet had a sewer back up last week causing some serious basement damage and forcing them to move out temporarily while the city paid for major clean-up and remodeling due to the damage. What an ordeal. At least the city is picking up the tab for the damages as well as a few days in a Residence Inn while the work is completed. Mike & Ann Marie just returned from a trip to New York to visit family and had a safe and enjoyable trip. Mal & Ginny are headed to Florida in February for a week's vacation in a warmer climate to celebrate Mal's birthday. We all thought he should go shopping for that special swim wear now fashionable on the beach, a new thong; but he felt it might be too much for the young ladies to handle. Ginny is still teaching the new pup to announce when she needs to go outside by ringing a bell. Mal felt it might be the other way around. Mark said Cindy are on the short count-down for her retirement in February. We hope they can enjoy their new trike this summer and do some serious traveling. Others in attendance this morning included Charlie, Tom & Nancy, Zachary (Mike & Ann Marie's grandson), Mary and yours truly. As we were getting our tickets, the manager came in and thanked us for coming and passed out some Denny's discount coupons which made this morning's breakfast a little cheaper. This morning's 50/50 pot winner was Tom who donated $5 back to the PBTF fund making this morning's contribution $17.

What a better way to start of the year than to get to ride the bike! 13 bikes and one trike gathered for the annual KC Tour Riders Arctic Blast Ride at Hunt's Car Center at North Oak and MO 152 highway. With temps in the 38-43 range, those who had heated gear plugged in and enjoyed the warmth, and those who didn't bundled up in their best wind-stopping winter gear some looking like the Michelin Man. Phil tells me this event usually has a large turn-out and the club even has event pins with year bars which you can purchase. After a chance to meet and greet, everyone mounted up and headed north on the back roads using extra care to avoid the sand put down by road crews from previous icy weather. Surprisingly the roads were not bad at all and everyone seemed excited to get an opportunity to ride this time of year. We even passed a small group of bicycle riders out enjoying a riding opportunity on their bikes. The route headed towards Smithville Lake and we made a stop at Paradise MO for a brief "warm-up" for those not wearing heated gear who were getting cold. Most went inside the gas station/convenience store to warm up and visit, but others stayed outside and enjoyed the crisp fresh air and intermittent sunshine. Before starting, the group of bike riders passed by and said our motorcycles were so quiet, they didn't hear us coming except for the one Harley in the group as they kept peddling using their body heat to keep warm. After everyone was refreshed and warmed up, the group mounted up again and headed towards Plattsburg. The bicycle riders must have turned towards Smithville as we didn't see them again. At Plattsburg, we turned west on 116 highway and waved at several passers-by who probably thought we were crazy riding this time of year. Kent, our ride leader, did an excellent job warning of road hazards on the CB. This is normal procedure for this group and they always ride safe which is one of the reasons we enjoy their club rides. We arrived at our destination on time which made our ride last almost 2 hours. It ended in the "Farris' Truck Stop" parking lot where two more bikes joined the group along with some wives and family who opted to meet the party using four wheels instead of two. Mary didn't ride with me this time, not because of the temps, but due to some back problems. We felt it best she not make her back pain any worse by riding and getting on and off the bike. I didn't get a head-count, but the room was almost full as we got ready to take advantage of a large buffet prepared especially for us. The restaurant recently changed ownership and is now called Milbourn's Family Restaurant instead of Oliver's. Here is a LINK if you would like to know more about the place. The truck stop and restaurant is located on the west side of I-29 at the DD exit near Faucett MO. The buffet consisted of fresh garden salad, fried chicken, ham, green beans, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, hot rolls or biscuits and fresh cherry cobbler. The service was excellent and everyone thought the price was very reasonable at $10. Some even found room for seconds. After eating their fill, Bob the state GWTA director and Phil the chapter director, conducted a brief business meeting thanking all for coming and reviewed future GWTA events. They had a 50/50 pot with the winner receiving $51 dollars. Phil & Barb were the lucky winners! All too soon it was time to head home. For me, it was a fast trip back down I-29 with Mary following in the car. This is a great group to ride with and we appreciate all the planning and efforts that went into making this a wonderful first ride of the 2009 season. If you want to join the group or get on their mailing list, contact Phil Konzak, who is also one of our local MTA members and he can add you to their email distribution. Most of their rides are north of the river, but sometimes they ride south on their weekly summer dinner rides. Anyone can participate regardless of the bike you ride and you don't have to be a member of the GWTA to ride along. This is a friendly bunch of riders and their ride schedule is great, so don't be bashful and join the fun! We are looking forward to their Spring Fling which we have attended the past 3 years. We encourage all to mark their calendars and enjoy this event when the date is announced. I will post it on our schedule.

HO HO HO! This day saw temps start out semi-warm and windy and end up in the teens with blowing snow. At least MO#1 was able to enjoy their Christmas Party before the roads were snow packed, but the trip home for most was slow and easy. 23 members and guests gathered together to celebrate another year of friendship and share great food and gift exchange. Mike called the group to order for a short business meeting. Terry presented a treasurer's report which showed we didn't need to apply for a bailout. Mal presented one lucky winner with the ham bone left over from the main course so it could be said they were prepared for the recession which many feel is similar to the depression of 1929. Special thanks were noted for the club officers who were re-elected for another sentence. Mal presented the Club Officers with a surprise Christmas gift certificate in appreciation for their work doing the club's business. Mike showed the club plaque for the 2008 Ride For Kids participation and encouraged everyone to think about how to continue to support efforts for the coming year. We agreed to hold another garage sale and would like other suggestions on how to raise money in support of the PBTF. The 50/50 pot was won by Terry, so another $28 went to the 2009 Ride for Kids. The club expressed its appreciation to Tom & Nancy for hosting the Salt Mine ride to Hutchinson, our only ride beside the trip to West Virginia to the MTA Gathering. Mike asked for a headcount of those who plan to attend the 2009 MTA Gathering, and he hopes to support another pie & ice cream social fund raiser after the business meeting. Everyone was happy to have Nola back on her feet and with the group after her year long battle with Lymphoma. It was the group's Christmas present to see her and Lee and hear her laugh again. Lots of love and hugs welcomed her back. The 2009 Dinner Event Calendar was passed around and as you can see, we still have some openings for anyone wanting to host the monthly club dinner event. Everyone brought lots of donations for Hillcrest Ministries and stuffed toys for Hope Haven. The naughty Santa gift exchange concluded without too much hostility when a few gifts were stolen and had to be replaced with a new selection, but everyone went home with a special item, especially Bob! Mal & Ginny once again provided the club's feast main course with luscious ham and roast beef which melted in your mouth along with the pot-luck menu, so no one went home hungry, and once again Cindy brought the Club's favorite dessert, Dirt Cake holiday treats. The evening ended rather quickly once everyone found the weather was taking a turn for the worse, so all headed out to beat old man winter's arctic blast. Those in attendance tonight included George & Jeri with Adrianna, Jim & Janet, Tom & Nancy, Frank & Barb, Mike & Ann Marie, Charlie w/o Judy who had to work, Mal & Ginny, Bob & Mary, Lee & Nola, Mark & Cindy, Terry w/o John who also had to work, and Mary with yours truly. We wish all who could not attend tonight's festivities a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and hope to see everyone who doesn't head south for the winter at the January breakfast and Dinner Event.

The evening was a great success with 19 members and guests attending last night's concert. The weather was cold, but at least no ice or snow greeted us as we arrived for an early meal at Panera's. Mike & Ann Marie brought 7 guests, Jim & Janet brought two friends, and the rest of the group included Mal & Ginny, Tom & Nancy, John & Terry, and Mary and yours truly. Tom Jacobs and his musical ensemble provided a great selection of seasonal music mixed with his usual thought provoking dialogue. We have known Tom for many years and always look forward to this event which has become the highlight and start of the holiday season. We were happy to see an almost full house with few open seats and felt the crowd agreed that the concert was well received. We hope all enjoyed the evening as much as we did and hope to see you all next year.

I was just reading the item in the newsletter about the concert last Friday night. I just wanted you to know that we both enjoyed it very much. Thank you so much for arranging for all of us to go and being the hosts for this special event. We wouldn't have known anything about it if you hadn't told us, because there was no advertising done at all, as far as I can tell. We have already discussed going again next year. We appreciate the time and effort you put into getting the tickets for all of us. We enjoyed our dinner at Panera as well.

Tom and Nancy

Things were smokin tonight as everyone gathered at a new place to eat thanks to Charlie & Judy. Only the host showed up as Judy had to work, darn! Those who came to enjoy some great Bar-B-Q included Mike & Ann Marie, Jim & Janet, Tom & Nancy, John & Terry, and Mary and yours truly. The owner was glad we came as Thursday was usually a slow night, so if you are looking for a new place on Thursday night, they're open until 9 P.M. Mike "finally" won a 50/50 pot, so another $10 goes into the PBTF fund raising kitty for next year. Terry made a suggestion that if anyone has not yet bought their food donation for the Chrismas Dinner, she has learned one of the things most often needed by food pantries are ketchup, mustard, and mayonaise. You might want to consider this choice as the store brands are usually less expensive. Maybe Cindy could get us a deal at Price Chopper???

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!

Gary & Mary enjoying the BMW Bash at "THE HUB" Mid-Amarica's Motorcycle Resort

We would appreciate comments, suggestions, or questions about our club or articles you enjoyed.