OH-KY ("OK") Voyagers

WRENCH DAY 2008


Posted 3/28/08

 


     Our OH-KY Voyagers had our first Wrench Day this January - with much success. Now, I’ve heard people have said I’m too “wordy” but I still have to start this out saying how  helping to start this chapter has not only given Robin and me some great riding partners & new friends – but also friends who keep me motivated to do that maintenance I’ve always wanted and needed to do.  Ok, lemme put in a plug here – if there isn’t a chapter in your area you can get to, don’t hesitate to give it a whirl to start your own.  The AVA guys & gals will support you in the process, and you’ll surely make some new great friends!

 

     Alright, back to Wrench Day - On that cold January Saturday morning three of us who gathered together in my garage to change the fork oil on my ’03 – I was joined by David Blair from northern Kentucky & Garry Dick from the Ohio/Middeltown area.  I’d been putting this off for a year, but with the know-how & joking of these two fine fellas we did the job (a 1st-time effort for me) in about two hours. We didn’t remove the forks, but, following the AVA tech notes, a print-out from the abbikeboard.com, and the trusty shop manual, all went without a single hitch… well, except for...(read the rest of this article in the March/April Voyagers' Voice Magazine!)


 

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WISCONSIN BADGERLAND VOYAGERS


Posted 3/28/08

 

     We had our annual party this past Saturday. We had 26 members attending with some very good food and fellowship.  As a chapter we collect small stuffed animals and donate them to a local fire department, EMT, or hospital to hand out to children during a time of crisis. In the past this has gone over very well. This year, Paul & Vicky Taylor, our newest members, had never heard of such a thing. Nine days before our party, their 61/2 year old granddaughter, who lives in Seattle, fell while roller skating and broke her leg. She received a teddy bear from the hospital to comfort her. The rest of the story is detailed much better below. There is a photo attached to this.This just shows how we can touch the lives of little ones we do not even know with such simple acts. I thought may be you could include this story in an upcoming newsletter and maybe the idea will catch on.  Bob Decker, President, Wisconsin Badgerland Voyagers

 

From Paul Taylor:  For our annual Christmas party all members were asked to bring a teddy bear/stuffed animal, which would be given to a hospital, fire/police department.  These stuffed animals would then be handed out to children that were in stressful situations.  This became even more meaningful to us when...(read the rest of this article in the March/April Voyagers' Voice Magazine!)

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CASCADE VALLEY VOYAGERS AWARDS THE 2007


Posted 3/28/08 
(Complete Article)

ROad Hazzard Non-avoidance Event of the Year (RONEY) to…

 

     Tom Dodson, for a sudden onset of snow blindness. Tom & Cathy, as they have for nearly every one of the last 15 years, represented CVV in the 2007 Christmas Toy Run. Along with approximately 4500 other motorcycles, they ventured out into falling snow to parade 8 miles through Olympia to present toys to the Salvation Army for underprivileged children (upwards of $75,000 worth this year!). Cathy caught the spirit of the event and decorated her full-face helmet with reindeer ears and fuzzy nose. Tom, apparently suffering from the “Harley Gene”, insisted, “I don’t need any stinkin’ face shield”. Together they braved the elements, Cathy in reasonable comfort and Tom with cold wet sticky snow beginning to accumulate on his visor and unshielded face and glasses. Eventually the visor buildup was sufficient to unleash a minor avalanche that cascaded onto his unshielded face obscuring all vision outward and hiding his signature mustache from outside view. At least he wasn’t wearing a traditional Harley “Beenie” helmet in which case he would have suffered snow-down-the-neck syndrome as well as snow blindness.           

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PALMETTO VOYAGER SOUTH EAST REGIONAL RALLY

Posted 3/28/08
Complete Article

     In October 2007, the Palmetto Voyagers hosted their first South East Regional Rally in Maggie Valley, NC.  In the following article, new Palmetto Voyagers president, Dave Wirtz, explains just how successful the rally was…

 

With clear cool weather the Voyagers rolled into Maggie Valley, North Carolina to gather at Smoky Falls Lodge rally central. Palmetto Voyagers hosted there first AVA South East Regional Rally the week end of October 12, 13, & 14. The nights were cool (cold) in the thirty degree range and the days were sunny and upper sixties to low seventies, warm clothing made for good riding. Friday started with riders coming in through out the day but for the ones already there it was a trip to Wheels Through Time Museum for a guided tour with Dale. Dale owners and operates the museum, and tales a good story about every motorcycle there, from hill climbing to board track racing, and lots more to go with it. If you're ever in Maggie Valley and you like motorcycle history this is the place for you.

 

The first group ride was an evening ride on the Blue ridge Parkway, what a sight to look back in one of the long sweeping turns and see a line of lit up Voyagers.  We had two group rides on Saturday one north on the parkway to MT. Pisgah for lunch then to Looking Glass Falls with many stops and a rare sighting of an elk.

The other group ride included a trip up the Blue ridge Parkway which also include an elk sighting and on to the roads of western North Carolina and Tennessee.  Saturday night dinner was at the Grizzly Grill for awards and door prizes.

 

We would like to extend a special thanks to the AVA, Kawasaki, Carl Leo, and Robert Shaw for providing the door prizes and rally giveaways. Everyone got something to take home with them along with there memories.

Our long distance riders were from New Jersey, Milton & Kathleen Laird double up, and Don Borgese single up, right at the seven hundred mile mark for both. We also welcomed riders from Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, & South Carolina. We thank all that attended and wish we could have welcomed you.

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ILLINOIS PRAIRIE VOYAGERS
What the Illinois Prairie Voyagers Are About


Posted 3/28/08
 

     As we got up this morning at 5 AM to make the drive up to the meeting, we had time to reflect on what we love about our club. We talked about all the fun times at get-togethers and the happy campouts. We talked about the places we had traveled and the sites we have seen. We talked about the friends that we have made and the new ones that we will make in the future. We also talked about the sad times that have happened. Members being hospitalized, facing sickness and life situations that cause us to pray and weep at times.


At 9 AM we met up with our club brother, Mikey, a.k.a. "Wrongway", and then continued the discussion as we continued our travels to the meeting. The topic turned to the last month and the troubling developments that have occurred through behaviors that have shocked us and made many of us deeply concerned that someone that we had considered a family member had not discussed their ideas or desires with us.


At 11 AM we made a quick stop at a Menard's home improvement center to walk around and kill a little time before CiCi's opened up for business. Much to our pleasant surprise we bumped into Bob and Char Jones. Immediately, like a family member coming home for Christmas or Thanksgiving, smiles and hugs were exchanged and laughter and stories as well as pictures of children and family members were viewed. True family is what was beginning to take place again, without a cue or a prompt from anyone. There were no awkward moments and nothing but genuine joy and happiness during our time together.


11:30 a.m., we arrived at CiCi's Pizza and immediately noticed several members that were beginning to arrive. Once again, it was as if a family member was arriving for a Christmas dinner. Smiles, hugs and laughter filled the area as we greeted each other. During this time, it dawned on me that our club is about Family, Friends, and Fun. We do care about each other and we share our experiences with each other.


As members and friends arrived (27 total for the get together) this protocol continued as each person arrived. Hugs, smiles, handshakes, and laughter as well as stories. There was one thing that did occur during this fellowship time before our meal that was different than in past get-togethers. The difference for this day was the eventual arrival ...
(see the rest of this article in the January/February issue of the Voyagers' Voice).

 

 

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IDAHO’S GEM STATE VOYAGERS

 
Posted 3/28/08

 Lonnie "I can't feel my hair" Dobyns- GSV Pres.   
T
he Gem State Voyagers enjoyed another post-holiday party in January at the Edge Center of the local Nazarene Church.
  A potluck dinner made sure no one went home hungry and after a short meeting to elect officers, we had a white elephant gift exchange.  Never to be outdone by such special gifts as donkey calendars, fiber optic flower arrangements, cans of prune juice, or boxes of chocolate, Gem State Voyager Jerry Kriegel one-upped everyone! 

 

Jerry’s gift contribution was a “survival kit” replete with everything a motorcycle owner could need.  Shown below is Gem State Voyagers President, Lonnie Dobyns, with the ultimate motorcycle survival kit.  As you can see, Lonnie has already donned the “helmet liner.” 

 

Jerry, there is no way any of us can beat this wonderful “present.”  Our white elephant gift exchange will never be the same again!


BE PREPARED!
By Rick
Londagin, Stinnett, Texas - Lone Star Voyagers
Posted 3/28/08
(Complete Article)

     My oldest son died when he was 15 from 3 ant bites to his wrist & top of his hand.  Now that I have your attention, I will also tell you that the Lord gave him back to me.  He was at Scout camp serving on staff for junior leadership training for other scouts.    When he was younger he would get big welts from mosquito bites the size of silver dollars. The doctor said not to worry, that’s not all that uncommon in children.

 

We had it on his medical records about his allergy but had never experienced anything so severe.  He made it about 50-75 feet to the camp nurse, told her he’d been bitten. She turned to get some Benadryl, turn back to him & he was dead on the floor. His heart stopped, his breathing stopped, gone…. clinically dead.  Scouts being scouts & always prepared, some of them started CPR, another called for an ambulance.

 

Camp is about 18 miles south of Amarillo & 15 miles north of Canyon, Texas. Time was critical. He was loaded up in a pick up & driven towards Canyon. The ambulance was being led by the Highway Patrol. He expired again in the back of the truck. They got him going again & met the ambulance, he expired once more in the ambulance & the medical staff in the ambulance used their “super charger” and jump-started him.

 

I made the 80 some-odd mile trip from home to Canyon in about 45 minutes.  When we got there he was sitting up in bed & was his typical 15 years of age, he was hungry & wanted a Double qtr pounder with cheese, super sized.  I was more than willing to get it for him to say the least.

 

Why am I telling this? Well to make a point, to make you think. It was a matter of about 3 to 4 minutes from the time my son was bitten to the time he died. They were 15 miles either direction from emergency medical help. That’s 20 to 30 minutes round trip for an ambulance to get there, pick him up & return to hospital.  I suspect that there are AVA members out there who are allergic to wasps, yellow jackets & the sort. So I’d like to pose these questions to you as “food for thought”

 

If you are allergic: 1) Do you carry an “epi-pen” or equivalent? 2) Do you carry emergency medical information (medic alert bracelet or necklace)? 3) If you carry an epi-pen, does someone with you know where it is kept & how to use it?

 

I thank the Lord every day for giving my son back to me. But his mother & I both learned a very valuable lesson that day that could have ended a lot worse.  The riding season is rapidly approaching for a lot of the country. If you fall into this category of having an insect allergy, PLEASE make the necessary arrangements to counter any incident of this nature.

 

May God bless you, look over you & protect each and every one of you.