G  W  R  R  A  Bedford, VA 

Region “N”   Virginia District 

 YOU “OTTER “KNOW Newsletter

November

2016 Volume 3 Issue 10

Friends for Fun, Safety & Knowledge!

BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAIN WINGS

CHAPTER V

CHAPTER “V” TEAM

Chapter Website . . . www.gwrravav.ning.com  

Chapter Director: Keith Chrisman

540-580-7446 - kcwingrdr37@gmail.com

Chapter Educator: Jonathan Whitworth Assistant Educator: Darryl Johnson

Member Enhancement: Wayne Whitworth Treasurer: Mike Suwala

Chapter Couple: Mickey & Marge Cochran

Newsletter Editor: Lynn Suwala

CHAPTER V GATHERINGS 3RD SUNDAY OF THE MONTH

2:00 PM

Bedford Church of God

1212 East Main Street

Bedford, VA

Chapter website: www.gwrravav.ning.com

 

Howdy everybody!

Guess what? Saturday, November 5th was awe-some. Our breakfast ride was great. We had 14 folks attend AND VA Tech won against Duke! Yea!! November 20th is our next gathering at 2:00 in Bedford.

This year surely has gone by fast. It rained during Rally in the Valley and there were about 200 folks who attend. We will know the results of region N November rally on Sunday the 6th during chapter X-K-V gathering in Salem. I hope everyone knows about this event. We need everyone who can to be at our gathering on the 20th. We have some decisions to make about 2017 plus what we want to do for Christ-mas. Hope everyone enjoys this cool weather that has come around. Please keep Tim Cotter in your prayers. He is having surgery in Char-lottesville on Tuesday the 8th. We will try to let everyone know how it goes. Love and Hugs,

Keith & Georgiana

Happy Thanksgiving, ya’ll!

 

  Hello fellow bikers!! Here are some pictures from our

chapter picnic in October at our house!!! A fun time was had by all! .

Ride Safe !!

CHAPTER COUPLE You know that just before that first

Thanksgiving dinner there was one wise,

old Native American woman saying:

“Don’t feed them. If you feed them,

 

Tips from our Chapter Educator

 

 

 

Wayne Whitworth Senior Instructor

Rally in The Valley for 2016 has passed and plans are started for 2017! Several things will change for the upcoming Rally including the date. Due to North Carolina moving their Rally to a week later and would have been the week before, we figured it would be best to pick a different time of year so, … July it is! Hopefully the rain will still be in October and we will have good weather on July 6 – 8. The Salem Fair is running that week and has fireworks every night. Something folks attending the Rally could check out. Several local festivals are going on then and would be another attraction to draw folks from out of the area. We are working to get many sugges-tions for the Rally worked into it, especially the fun things. District will spell out what all once more things are in place. The District Member Enhancement Coordinator is working on some things to entice new members and recall some old ones. Benefits have improved over the last few years and attending a ‘Helpful info for New Members’ Seminar can alert you to something you may not have been aware of. It’s good to know what they are as when you are talking and trying to recruit new members to help the chapter grow, you can use them as a plus. The Rescue Plus has expanded to include more than your bikes; your cars, truck and recreational vehicles can be added too. Their packages have better benefits than AAA, and less expensive. Winter time many folks pack away their bikes, but a few still get out on the good days for a spin. Keep membership papers always handy to share and sign someone up. Invite them to a chapter function to meet the other members to get acquainted. Remember that our organization is open to all makes of bikes and even folks that don’t own one but are fascinated with them. Many chapters have members that enjoy the fellowship and benefits from membership even while not enjoying the freedom and exhilara-tion of riding. So … Let’s get out and find new friends to share our GWRRA experience with.

We had only one birthday in September: Wayne Whitworth October, however, was a great month for celebrations: Isaac Freeman, Alice Miller, Betsy McDermott, and Donna Cotter. The Whitworths also celebrated thier anniversary in October. A big "Thank you" goes to Micky & Marge Cochran for opening their home to us for an indoor picnic on October 22. We had a great turn out, and lots of great food-----chicken, potatoes, green beans, potatoes, bean salad, coleslaw, potatoes, and great desserts-------oh, did I mention, we had potatoes? Needless to say we were not shy of great tasting potatoes in all kinds of forms that day! Some of the guys played cornhole out in the sunshine---no winner declared. The weather was a bit windy and cool but we had lots of sunshine.

TWO THINGS OF A MORE SERIOUS NATURE . . .

We learned about the importance of doing “stretching exercises” before we get out of bed each day. Lynn Suwala teaches water aerobics at the YMCA in Lynchburg and provid-ed some information that she shares with her “older” classes. Several of us were talking about back issues and the associated pain, thus Lynn shared some insight how to help re-lieve some tension. She demonstrated stretches (on the floor!) for us, but several can be done on the bed be-fore getting up. A lot of exercises can also be found on the internet. Performing some of the exercises will help one’s mobility especially in the early morning. Lynn’s advice: “Pay at-tention to how animals and toddlers get up! We need to mimic them both!” And, even more seriously, we learned that our friend and member, Tim Cotter, had an appointment with a cancer surgeon at UVA the following week. We have since learned he is scheduled for surgery on Nov. 8. Our thoughts and prayers are with Tim and Donna, and their family.

John Barbara

 

Glenn & Janice Zornes

We left our house on August 24, 2016 to start our trip to Iowa and South Dakota. When we reached the 136 mile marker in West Virginia, Glenn remarked that our bike had reached 80,000 miles.

On our first night in a motel, everything was fine until I was about to go to sleep and saw this big spider on the floor by the door. Glenn had just fallen asleep. I had to wake him to kill it. Then I walked into the bathroom and there was a little one in the corner. Glenn killed that one and then we called the manager to let him know about the problem! He told us because of all the rain they had been having the spiders had been coming out. I had some bug spray that I carry with us so I sprayed around the door and

put a towel by it. I said to Glenn, “Why do these things always happen to me?”

Our second night we stayed in Evansville, Indiana at the Comfort Inn and there was a lot of antique cars there for a show over the weekend. So we had the pleas-ure of looking at a lot of old cars.

On the third night, we arrived in Knoxville, Iowa, which was our first tourist stop. There is a Sprint Car Museum there. We toured the museum and then left for Winterset, Iowa about 2 hours away.

We arrived in Winterset, Iowa to visit the John Wayne museum. This was the highlight of the trip for me. They have a wonderful tribute to the “Duke”. We toured the museum and saw a brief film of his pictures he made and then we went around the corner to his house where he was born. It was a 4 room,

one bedroom home and he had his small bed in the kitchen area. They didn’t say the footage of the home but it couldn’t have been more than 800 sq. ft. We stayed over-night in Winterset.

We left Winterset, Iowa and 2 days later arrived in Wall Drug in South Da-kota. We did the tourist thing there. Of course we had to have their 5 cent cup of coffee and some home made ice cream. Water is always free. We

stayed overnight in Wall Drug and then left to come home.

On our way home we stopped in Corydon, Indiana where we had a treat of eating a gourmet dinner at the White Castle. You can only find them in a few states. We always had one in New Jersey.

Throughout the whole trip we had wonderful weather. We saw blue skies and had good temperatures every day. We arrived back home on September 3rd.

Happy Thanksgiving Ya’ll!

The Appalachian Gazette

Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge 7

**Article from GWRRA’s Insight Focus Newsletter August 2016**

Webster defines passion as “a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing

something”. Many members of this association have a strong passion. They have a passion for serving the

members. It does seem strange and maybe unique that a person will spend time and money to meet the needs of

others purely because of the joy and satisfaction that it brings. They don’t get paid in dollars and cents.

Why do some members feel this way and step up to take on more responsibility than others? We all have seen

Rider Course Instructors setting up courses in the rain or when its 100 degrees they look like they are enjoying

it, and they are! We have attended workshops and classes where the Instructors and Trainers have put many

hours into preparation, arrived early to set up and still have a big smile on their faces when you walk into the

room! We all have seen our Membership Enhancement folks come up with silly games and activities that make

us laugh and they are usually the ones laughing the most!

What’s in the water? Or the air that makes and I mean makes these folks go above and beyond what is asked or

what we expect of them?

As a Rider Course Instructor, there is a wonderful warm feeling you get when you coach a rider, they put that

coaching into action, and it works for them! Usually there’s a big smile on their face. You can see it through a

full face helmet. You have just helped them become a better rider. Perhaps you have contributed to a knowledge

and skills base that will help them make the correct decision and action at the right time down the road.

As an Instructor, in a room full of leaders and officers both experienced and inexperienced facilitating a

discussion and watching the whole class “get it” is very satisfying.

I watch a friend of mine who is currently a Chapter Director. They could be out riding and thinking about

nothing but the ride and that would be fine. Instead they are thinking about the Chapter Participants, planning

events for them to attend, working on opportunities that will be fun. Sometimes it’s hard, sometimes it’s a lot of

work, but they keep coming back and working on things that benefit the members. They have a passion for this

Association and the members and are willing to invest time and energy because of the passion and the

satisfaction of a job well done.

So, my question to you is, do you have a passion? Have you watched someone in GWRRA who invests their

time and energy into the organization and the members and though “I would like to do that”? Maybe you ask

yourself “how would I do that”? Would you like to be that Rider Course Instructor or Membership

Enhancement Coordinator or even that Chapter Director? Do you wonder what that sense of satisfaction would

feel like, how it would fill you and help complete you as a person? You are feeling the passion. The passion of

serving your fellow members is something that can’t be paid in money. It’s paid in fulfilling your passion!

Consider being more, talk to your Chapter Director, talk to the Rider Course

Instructor from your last course. Talk to the instructor at the last workshop you

attended. You won’t regret it!

GWRRA Virginia District Times October 2016

Rally season is over for most and ours this year was basically attending the last two District Rallies, North Carolina and Virginia. North Carolina District ‘Wings Over the Smokies’ at the end of September went well considering. Kathy, Jonathan and I rode the bikes down I-81 then onto I-26. We had a small incident while travelling but the traffic wasn’t too bad. The best part of the ride was after Asheville and thru Maggie Valley. The roads and weather was perfect the entire trip. NC had their obstacles to deal with after the main building was closed and they opted for a large tent to host most of the Rally in. Venders were sparse, as is usual an-ymore, but were sufficient for having a varie-ty. We enjoyed seeing the three different Drill Teams, including exercises while pulling

trailers and visiting with so many of our GWRRA friends, including Verna and Vernon Dudley (roomed next door to us) and Bennie Garcia. These guys are a hoot to be around at any time; Rally, event or gathering. Several of us rode the bikes back up Maggie Valley to visit ‘Wheels through Time’ Museum, also known as “The Museum That Runs”. It is the most amazing collection of rare American Motorcycles ranging from 1903 to the present. Antique automobiles, memorabilia, machinery and even an airplane! Well worth the admissions and well deserving of donations to maintain this non-profit organization. Jonathan took off on his F6B with visiting friend Reid Sanford from Nova Scotia, to ride the Dragon’s Tail and Cherohala Skyway. The video he filmed from on his bike is mind blowing as they switch back and forth thru the curves.

At the Virginia District ‘Rally In The Valley’ in Roanoke this year we had our own set of issues to deal with. The weather for coming and going was nice, but rain as usual messed up the days between. We worked out most issues during the Rally, and have already got them fixed for next year. Seminars will be in common rooms so no need to search all over for where they may be held. I didn’t mind doing the ‘Night Riding’ seminars twice for those that missed the first presentation. I’m excited about the new revised seminars or ‘modules’ as they are calling them now. The Scavenger Hunt was a nice touch taken from Wingless Weekend. For all those that missed the skits, y’all really missed some GREAT entertainment. I’m sure there are videos out there. All of the baskets that were offered were fantastic, especially the $1000 basket! Kathy won the VA-O basket and re-claimed $45 in scratch tickets, so she was happy. It was great getting to share another Rally with so many of our Virginia friends and those visiting from the other districts. Watch for details of next year’s Rally in July.

In case some hadn’t noticed, Kathy bought a brand new red and black 2015 40th Anniv. GoldWing a couple months ago and has sold her familiar ’96 pearl green with woodgrain ‘Wing Bling’ GoldWing to a gentleman in Lynch-burg who’s riding partner is a miniature Collie. She has been anxious to break in her new ride, adding 4000 miles in 2 months so far. For now, y’all will still see me on my Midnight blue 1500 as we travel to gatherings and events.

See you on the road!

Wayne and Kathy Whitworth VA Assistant District Directors/SW

Wayne and Kathy Whitworth Assistant District Director

South West

GWRRA Virginia District Times October 2016

Motorist Awareness

OCTOBER MAD Mind Games by Wil Bell, “Virginia Motorist Awareness Coordinator”

Well hello to all you MAD lovers out there in GoldWing land. It’s been one great Motorist Awareness year so far and we are Far, Far from over. So go have some October fun while helping others think & learn about Awareness. You all should know that my Mother Dorothy was truly un-believable at solving crossword puzzles while I was growing up and as far as I know, she still does them often in Heaven. I however seem to have a knack at Word Searches. Man o’ man do those words just jump out at me upon seeing the list for the first time. So here’s the deal, be one of the first five people to solve the Crossword and/or the Word Search and I’ll Give or Send you a prize. You can scan in your solu-tion/s and email me at wil@wilbell.com . Please include your Name, Phone Number and Email and I’ll let you know how you did. Let’s make this a Safe & Aware October 2016.

Get out there and Ride; See the public; “”Teach the public””. Ride Often, Ride Safe & Ride Aware.

 

Many we love have passed away too soon. . . . Without reason. . .

We remember them often in a thousand different ways. . . In the Morning. . . In the Night. . .

When we look at the Stars. . . A Date. . . A Song. . .

A Place. . . A Smell. . .

Take a moment to be Quiet. . . . Reflect. . . . REMEMBER.

Nothing can ever take away - the love a heart holds dear

Fond memories layer everyday - Remembrance keeps them near.

Remember & Give Thanks for the time you shared together.