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Chatter From The Chairman
The State of the AVA
By Duane Ash
(AVA
Chairman of the Board)
Posted 6/9/2010
(Complete Article) |
First of all, I would like to lead
off by saying the strongest asset of the AVA is its members and their
willingness to help other members with assistance or information
whenever needed. You are truly a remarkable group of people. AVA
membership continues to grow, not in leaps and bounds, but we are still
growing! Therefore, I would like to challenge everyone once again: I
would like to see every AVA member try to make an effort to recruit at
least one new member this year. As with membership, the stronger we are,
the more benefits for our members that we can attain. Also, with higher
memberships, finding advertisers is much easier, and this helps keep our
costs down, therefore our membership fees down. I was hoping the AVA
membership application would have been in the new Voyager’s paperwork
packet as it was in the past. However, for some unknown reason, this has
not happened yet.
I do continue to try to look for more member benefits, such as for our
rallies. The ROK Affiliate membership offers an extremely competent and
economical towing package. The Voyager XII Tech Tip Manual that is part
of the membership package and the contest we now have going, See the USA
With the AVA, have both been received very well by our members. The See
the USA With the AVA contest should easily pay for itself, help the AVA
out with a couple of bills, and, hopefully, provide a large donation to
our military serving overseas. The main goal of the contest is to give
AVA members a fun and exciting activity that not only chapters can and
have been getting involved with, but also individuals that do not belong
or have a chapter close by can still go out and get involved. There are
some articles in this issue about members who are participating in this
passport program. I am very excited about the enthusiasm that this
contest has brought forth.
So, if anyone ever has any ideas for future activities for AVA members,
please pass them on and we will see what we can do.
I am looking forward to getting out and seeing everyone at a couple of
the regional and the national rallies this year. My back is starting to
heal and I have been able to ride for the last week now. And I am
enjoying my new bike. Again, I would like to say that I hope everyone
has a fun and safe riding season. Please be careful. Look out for the
other driver who may not be looking out for you. Be observant of all
road hazards and unsafe riding conditions. One suggestion I would like
to make for people who are coming to the big rally this year in
Ellicottville, NY. If you are traveling long distances, start out early
in the morning when it’s cool, so all of your driving is not in the heat
of the day. One practice we do a lot when we are going long distances:
we get up early, drive about 100 miles, then have breakfast. That makes
for a nice break and you have also put in a good amount of miles to
start your day.
Please ride safely! I’m looking forward to seeing you in Holiday
Valley/Ellicottville, NY at the big international rally!
May the Fun &
Friendship of the AVA be with you!
Sincerely, Duane Ash (email), Chairman of the Board
Back to HeadLines
Member- NorCal Voyagers |
First Solo Journey
By Diane Komoto
Posted 6/9/2010 |
Sometime
in the last months of my employment as Director of Transportation for a local
school district I heard about a conference being held in Keystone, Colorado. It
was sponsored by AMA and held by Women on Wheels. Since I would be retiring
early August, and turning 60 at the end of August, I decided it was time for me
to spread my wings and make a journey on the open road. Alone. I needed this
time to decompress from having to deal with parents, kids, 85 employees, a
school board and a union!!
Jeff, my husband, was supportive while a bit apprehensive about me taking this
on alone. All my friends thought I had lost my mind. I did some investigation to
find if anyone else in our area was heading to Colorado, and couldn’t find
anyone. So be it. I’m still going.
August 15, 2009, sitting astride my trusty RK, I found myself on Highway 99
heading north on the first leg, of my first solo, out of state journey. I was
very excited and anxious to get this trip underway. I hadn’t yet had the thought
“What the heck am I doing?”... (see the rest of this story in the May/June
Voyagers Voice magazine!)
Back
to HeadLines
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SEE THE USA
WITH THE AVA
2010 Passport Program
Earn Points for a Chance to Win
$500 Cash Grand Prize!
2nd & 3rd Level Prizes will be
Kawasaki Brand Gear |
Great prizes that will help your future travels be better organized
and more fun!
The
passport program will cost $20 per participant.
Each participant will receive a passport booklet in which he
or she can log information regarding all places they have visited to
collect points. The
places the participants can log points for will consist of ROK
events, all Kawasaki affiliate national and regional rallies, all
Kawasaki affiliate chapter meetings, state lines, state parks,
national parks and national monuments, visitor information centers,
state capital buildings, museums, historical sites, points of
interest, etc. A special
point total will also be given to anyone showing proof that they
have completed an MSF or compatible safety course during the time
frame of this promotion.
Along with the passport, which will include all of the rules and
information, each participant will receive a bronze map of the USA
(3½” x 2 ½”), which can be attached to his or her motorcycle.
This can be used to log the states the participant has been
in and be kept as a souvenir.
All net proceeds will go to a recognized charity, which supports our
troops. Applications in March/April Voyagers' Voice
and Now online!
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Back
to HeadLines

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See the USA with the AVA!
More and More Enjoying the Latest AVA Activity.
Posted 6/9/2010 |

A “Fun Run” in Overdrive
By Dennis Beattie
The
See the USA with the AVA program is a "fun run" for motorcycle junkies who
see destinations as mere excuses to carve through twisting, forested roads,
sail along bluffs, putt near lakes and rivers, cruise through the natural
beauty of rural farms and ranches, explore small towns, or to absorb scenery
entering big city attractions. If you love to ride, if you like planning
your routes and can't resist a good road whether riding along and spotting a
rustic road with a visible bend, or seeing two inches of curvy line on a map
(yes, some of us still don't have GPS), then this kind of tour is a perfect
match.
I've been riding for years and still can't resist the urge to find something
new. There is still wilderness out there (state lines, national parks, state
parks, national and historic monuments and endless museums) still places
undiscovered. I A “Fun Run” in Overdrive
The See the USA with the AVA program is a "fun run" for motorcycle junkies
who see destinations as mere excuses to carve through twisting, forested
roads, sail along bluffs, putt near lakes and rivers, cruise through the
natural beauty of rural farms and ranches, explore small towns, or to absorb
scenery entering big city attractions. If you love to ride, if you like
planning your routes and can't resist a good road whether riding along and
spotting a rustic road with a visible bend, or seeing two inches of curvy
line on a map (yes, some of us still don't have GPS), then this kind of tour
is a perfect match.
I've been riding for years and still can't resist the urge to find something
new. There is still wilderness out there (state lines, national parks, state
parks, national and historic monuments and endless museums) still places
undiscovered. I...(see
the rest of this story in the May/June Voyagers Voice magazine!)
See the USA travels with Phil Griggs
When
the "See The USA With the AVA" was first announced I couldn't wait to get my
hands on the passport book. When it finally came, I had to get on the old
iron horse and get started. There was still some snow on the ground from the
8 inches we had 2 days before, but this did not deter me. It was 40 degrees
when "BEAR" and I head out. Our first stop was the Green Wood Historic
district
(As the Greenwood District began to emerge in the early 1900s, rigid
segregation held sway. Segregation, ironically, gave rise to a nationally
renowned black entrepreneurial center. In the spring of 1921 underlying
social and economic tension in Tulsa sparked the worst race riot in American
history. As many as three hundred people lost their lives. Property damage
ran into the millions of dollars. Greenwood District, a
thirty-five-square-block-area that comprised the city's entire African
American community, lay in ruins. Tulsa's African Americans ultimately
turned tragedy into triumph. They rebuilt the ravaged Greenwood District,
which by 1942 boasted 242 black-owned and black-operated business
establishments.)
From there I rode over 4 blocks to the Historic Cain's Ball Room (Built in
1924 by Tulsa entrepreneur Tate Brady, The Cain’s Ballroom has gone from a
garage, a dime-a-dance joint and a dancing academy until it became what is
known by artists and patrons alike as one of the top performance venues in
the world today. As The Home of Bob Wills and The Texas Playboys from 1935
to 1942, the ballroom was especially significant for popularizing a new
sound of western music called western swing, a form of country and western
that combined jazz, hillbilly, boogie, blues, big band swing, rumba,
mariachi and jitterbug music. Bob Wills played...(see
the rest of this story in the May/June Voyagers Voice magazine!)
John Diel has been Seeing the USA!
Depew, Oklahoma – The Town That Even the Mother Road
Forgot!
When
the “See the USA with the AVA” Passport program was announced a few weeks
ago, I was trying to figure out a trip to Colorado. Well, as “Murphy” would
have it, that trip has been put on hold for now due to a few budget
crunches. “Hey! This is the ticket!” Both my wife and daughter looked at me
like I was a crazy man (This happens quite often). With this ammunition
available, I started my quest. Then… Out of nowhere, comes this challenge.
The GEM State Voyagers throw down the gauntlet and put out a challenge.
Something about the group with the most points wins! Heyyyy… I can eat this
up. But I’m not a member of any AVA Sub Chapter. Ok, Take up the challenge
anyway! Yeah, I can show these Idaho folks a thing or two on Oklahoma
Ingenuity. So begins my tale of mis-adventure.
I began this with several small trips around my hometown of Ponca and slowly
moved to the surrounding communities and searching out facts and oddities.
Living in Oklahoma, one simply can’t ignore the fact that a good chunk of
Route 66 cuts right across this state. Here we go! (see
the rest of this story in the May/June Voyagers Voice magazine!)
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Exciting addition to
“See the USA"... Passport Program
Individual Point Champion Prize!
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Thanks
to the many excited passport participants, AVA has added another prize to
the pot: An AVA satin jacket to be awarded to the winner of highest
individual points. The winner will pick the color of his or her jacket and
have his or her name embroidered onto it along with “See the USA With the
AVA Individual Point Champion”.
Here’s what one participant has to say about that… David (N. Alabama) This
little contest [individual point champion] has opened up a whole new
experience for me. I've always enjoyed riding and photography, but somehow
the urge to keep on riding has kept me from enjoying the locations I pass
by. I am learning so much that I am going to be unbeatable in Trivia
Pursuit!
Back
to HeadLines
Adventurous Ellen
By Don Kimble
Complete Article
Posted 6/9/2010
While most articles in the HeadLines section are
abbreviated, this article was just too sweet about what no doubt was a
special lady. Therefore, it is published here in it's entirety. However, you
really need to see the pictures that went along with it in the May/June
issue of Voyagers Voice, Gary- AVA webmaster.
We are speaking of Ellen Courtright, a
wonderful, caring lady who lived her life helping and doing for others. She
was approaching her 100th birthday and her family wondered what special
event, party, or activity she would like to celebrate on this special
occasion.
You see, Ellen may need a walker to get around, and, sometimes, a wheelchair
if on a field trip. “So I don’t slow down the young ones,” Ellen said. But
Ellen was still that lady who has a twinkle in her eye and was always ready
and willing to try something new.
In answering that question, “What would you like?” it went like this:
“There are a couple of things I have never done, and now is the time!”
“What might that be, Grandma?” Ellen instantly responded, “How about
skydiving!”
“Oh, wow! We will have to discuss this further,” was the family’s response.
It was decided to seek out another activity. “How about a motorcycle ride,
instead, Grandma?” Ellen, with that girlish smile, responded, “You bet! That
would be wonderful!” And, that’s how it happened.
Being an old friend of the family and having a Kawasaki trike, I helped make
the plan fall right into place. On a brisk fall, north Jersey day (September
26, 2009), the big day had come. The family had a surprise party going on,
and I showed up with my trike. “Where is Ellen?” I asked.
“Oh, she is out back in the big bouncy hut.” That was also on her “to do”
list. “You’ve got to be kidding!” Sure enough, there Ellen was in the big
bouncy hut, sitting down while her grandchildren were jumping, maker her
jounce up and down, just laughing and enjoying life.
The afternoon was passing… “Time for your ride Ellen.” My wife had ridden
over with me, so all her gear was just transferred onto Ellen. Leather
chaps, vest, jacket, dew-rag, and all.
I said to Ellen, “It’s cool today. Hope you don’t get too cold.” Her
response, again with that twinkle in her eye, “We are not going all the way
to Alaska, are we?” I responded, “Just part way!” And we were off, camera’s
flashing.
Now, we have an old guy and his girl, both with hearing loss, so we didn’t
communicate the greatest, but sure did enjoy the ride. Concerned after a few
miles, I made a stop to see how she was doing. “Do you want to go back, or
go downtown to Stillwater for a picture in front of the old station and gas
pumps?”
“On to Stillwater!” was her command. We had a great ride; short but sweet.
The following Tuesday, I took Ellen for another ride. It was another
celebration to honor her for all her dedication, her labors of love. All she
has done for our town, county, state, and nation. We made the front page of
our paper to boot! What an honor to be part of this.
So, as you can see, nothing is impossible in this life. Be positive like
Ellen and live your dreams. I dedicate this writing, this story, to Ellen.
She is no longer with us. She passed into a beautiful life with our Creator
in Heaven on February 20, 2010.
When I am having a bad day, I remember Ellen… and her love of life! Keep
riding and having fun…
Back to HeadLines

Kawasaki Affiliate Point Events
VROC
June 17-20: High Sierra VROC rally (HSVROC)
The location is the Topaz Lodge and Casino on Hwy 395 about 75 miles
south of Reno, NV.
More information at my web site:
http://norcalrat.com/hsvroc.
Contact: Don "Very Short Person" Inamasu
June 10-13: WWR4 Cortez, Colorado
For more information:
www.wolfmanswanderingrally.com . Host:
Mary Buchholz
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Have You Changed Your Mailing Address?
If you have moved and changed your mailing address, please let
the AVA know ASAP! Also, please note: USPS (United States Postal
Service) does NOT forward bulk mail, even if you submit a forward
mail order to USPS! Unfortunately, due to
the manner in which the Voyagers’ Voice is mailed, it is
considered bulk mail. If you have not received an issue,
this may be the reason. NOTICE: Due to the high cost
of first class mailings, the Voyagers’ Voice cannot send more
than the most current issue to anyone who has not received an
issue due to change of address. |

What's in the Latest
Voyagers' Voice Magazine:
( May/June 2010)
(Hard copy- Part of your AVA Membership
benefits)
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Chatter from the Chairman- By Duane Ash,
AVA Chairman of the Board. See Article here and Hardcopy Publication.
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See the USA with the AVA!- New Passport
Program. Win cash and prizes! See description and
registration info and forms here and in May/June issue of
Voyagers Voice magazine.
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Some Kawasaki Affiliate events for See
the USA with the AVA. See Article here and Hardcopy Publication.
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Western Regional Rally 2010- See
Article here and Hardcopy Publication.
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First Solo Journey- By Diane Komoto. See
Abbreviated Article here and Hardcopy Publication.
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See the USA with the AVA! Several AVA
members getting on the stick! You can too! See
Abbreviated Article here and Hardcopy Publication.
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Additional prizes added to See the USA
with the AVA passport program. See Article here and Hardcopy Publication.
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Adventurous Ellen- An unbelievable story
about a very sweet and adventuresome lady. See
Article here and Hardcopy Publication.
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The Ride of Life- Don't miss out on the
important things. By Kevin Braddy. See
Abbreviated Article here and Hardcopy Publication.
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Riding in Deer Country-Keep you guard
up, and some things to watch for. By David Wirtz. See
Article here and Hardcopy Publication.
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"Tail of the Snake" and Sniffles.
Getting Stuck with an allergy before a great ride! By Theresa Stuck. See
Abbreviated Article here and Hardcopy Publication.
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Welcome Aboard, list of our latest new members.
See Hardcopy Publication.
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Many Voyager and some non-Voyager specific parts and
accessories ads. See Hardcopy Publication.
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Upcoming Chapter Events and Ride Calendars.
See
Hardcopy Publication
and on the
Chapter Events page
on this site.
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Chapter News.
See abbreviated Article here and
full articles in Hardcopy Publication.
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Chapter Calendars, See
Chapter
Events and Hardcopy Publication.
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Sale Barn- more Voyagers, parts, and accessories, most in addition to what's on this
site, See Hardcopy Publication.
As you can see, there is a lot of information packed into
each Voyagers' Voice issue, some of which is highlighted on this website, other
information is available only through the hardcopy magazine.
If you're a member of the AVA,
you're kept up on the
latest and greatest for Voyaging everywhere, if not, you should seriously consider a
membership to the AVA, there is no place where you can get more
info on Kawasaki Voyagers specifically, and touring in general, for more information, visit our membership
page or contact the AVA office.
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