ACHOG Weekly Newsletter & Ride Info 6/25/2019
 

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Safety Tip of the Week 
 

  
A Story from Motorman

Sometimes nothing makes a better point than a real life story. This one is from Jerry Palladino.
A funny thing happened last week just as my Ride Like a Pro advanced class was ending and I was about to start picking up cones.
 
A rider pulls into the parking lot, rides up to me and asks, "is this the class to get your motorcycle license?"  This happens quite a bit.  I tell him no, this is the Ride Like a Pro advanced class.  Once you get your license, you come to me to really learn how to ride.  He replies, "oh, I know how to ride, I've been riding for 25 years, I just never got my endorsement."  The guy appeared to be in his mid 50's and was riding a late model Harley Ultra.
 
I said, "you've been riding for 25 years without a license?"  He says, "yeah, but I got a ticket and now I want to get my license before I go to court."
 
I then explained to him that he had to take the M.S.F. beginner course to get his license.  What?!, he screams.  "Can't I just take a test rather than waste three days of my time?"  He then repeats, "I've been riding for 25 years, I know what I'm doing, I know how to ride."
 
That's all the opening I needed.  I decided to have some fun with him.  I said, "do you think you could pass a test?  I just so happen to have the course set up right here.  Since you're so experienced, it should be very easy for you."  He says, "I'm sure I could pass any test, I've been riding since I was a kid, what do I have to do?"
 
As it happens, we were right at the entrance to the intersection exercise.  The intersection consists of four legs at 24' wide X 36' long, set up like an iron cross.
 
I said, "you just have to ride through this exercise, make three U-turns, one in each leg and then pull out and come to a complete stop;  and, you have to do it in 35 seconds.  I'll have my wife run through it for you.  By the way, the average rider in my class runs the exercise in 30 seconds."
 
I then have my wife line up to run through the exercise.  I take out my stop watch, count 1, 2, 3, go!  Donna takes off, whipping through the exercise with such ease, it looks easy.  All the while, I'm watching this guy's face.  His eyes are wide open and he appears a little pale.  As my wife comes to a stop, I hit the watch and yell, 21 seconds flat.  Not too bad I say to the guy and ask if he's ready to give it a try.  All of a sudden he doesn't look so "experienced" and says, "I have to do it in 35 seconds to pass?"  Yes, and if you hit a cone or put a foot down, it's an error and I add a second for each error.  He decides to give it a try.
 
As he pulls up to the start, I can see his hands are shaking.  I tell him to relax, you know how to ride, right?  He nods unconvincingly.  Ready, 1, 2, 3, go!  He takes off real slow towards the first right turn doing his best to keep the bike as straight up as possible.  This causes him to put a foot down as he makes the right so I yell, "one error!"  He then attempts the U-turn the same way and hits a cone on the far side, then duck-walks the bike backwards, then forward in order to make the U-turn.  I yell, "time's up!"  He's now shaking his head with disgust and appears to be quite angry.
 
I said, "what happened, did you get lost?"  I tell him to try again but this time just follow my wife through so he knows where to go.  He says, "no, I've got to go".  I said, "come on, one more try, just follow Donna."  Reluctantly, he lines up behind my wife's Ultra and I count, 1, 2, 3, go!  My wife takes off and for a second, he just watches her whip through the first U-turn.  He then takes off and pulls right out of the parking lot, never to be seen again.
 
Now, some of you may be saying that was cruel.  But if you were there and could see this guy's 'know it all' attitude as I did, you would be laughing your butt off as he tore out of the parking lot, just as I was.
 
The moral of the story, get some training folks!  
 
 
 

Harley Trivia

The First Harley Dealership

As many Harley riders cruise around the country, one of the favorite past times is visiting dealerships. Many times we will buy a tee shirt attesting we have ridden to this particular location. Have you ever wondered where the first dealership was located? Amazingly, it was not in Milwaukee. In 1904, after seeing Harleys race at the Wisconsin State Fair, C.H. Lang proposed being the general sales agent and first dealer. After buying one of the first bikes manufactured after the two race bikes, he opened a dealership on Adams street in Chicago and purchased three out of a possible eight first production Harleys.
In 1907 utilizing his manufacturing expertise in making piano tools, he developed and patented a changeable clutch and transmission for racing. Interestingly, racing fueled most of the success for Harley Davidson in the early years.
 

Monthly Meeting

Meeting for will be Saturday, July 13, 2019 at  Adamec Harley Davidson, 8909 Baymeadows Rd.,Jacksonville, FL.  Please join us for coffee at 9:00 a.m. and the meeting begins at 9:30 a.m.  A short lunch ride will follow.

Tidbits

It really sucks not being able to be on the bike. Saturday Deb and I decided to jump in the cage and ride to the Chapter Ride destination. It was St. Johns River Grill and it was a fun and beautiful destination. The best part from a Directors point of view though was seeing one of our newer members lead the ride. It really does look like we have a new Road Captain. I got several good reviews on how good a job he did and he is in to our "rabbit trails", concept of riding. I'm really sorry I had to miss it. Of course I am also very appreciative of him stepping up and taking up part of the slack for me as I am one of the Road Captains. 
Thank you Wes and welcome to the Road Captain ranks.

National Dues

I'd like to remind everyone to be mindful of your national dues. Technically, your chapter dues expire when your national dues do. This is not about nit picking but it is a liability issue. Probably the best thing about HOG is the insurance they provide when we ride as a group. This is one of those things that doesn't matter until it does. I'd also like to ask you, should you realize your national membership has lapsed and you want to participate on a ride, just ask for a waiver from one of the road captains.
Also, if you have never considered a Life Membership, if you have been a member for a few years they usually give you a tremendous break. When I became a Life Member, they applied 5 years worth of dues toward the Life Membership. For me it was a no brainer. I saw in a forum this morning that they are still doing this. I went to the HOG website and it said to call and the prices vary. It might be worth a phone call.

Local Dues Sale

I would also like to remind everyone of a sale we have every year on dues. Please share this with prospective new members. Between July 1 and October 31 our dues go down to $10 for new members. If they join in November, the price again becomes $20 but we will cover them for the coming new year. To avoid any confusion like last year, remember, a member who joins in November must sign a waiver-application for the rest of this year but another for the following year which we can accept after December1.
    
Up and Coming 

Progressive Dinner

One of the chapters favorite activities is the Progressive Dinner ride. A ride that visits three of our members homes for hor d'ouevres, entrees, and then desserts. This has been scheduled for Sunday, October 6. Ruth and Scott have already volunteered to do the desserts, so we need someone for the hor d'ouvres and someone for the entrees. For anyone not familiar the chapter reimburses those who prepare the meal parts. There will be a sign up sheet in the future. 

Grand Opening

If all goes well, the Grand Opening of our new dealership is scheduled for the weekend of October 5.


Unity Pink Ride and Chapter Meeting Day

The following week after Grand Opening, we have our first event. The Unity Pink Ride, previously know as Think Pink will be staged out of our new dealership on October 12. We are on the hook for registration for that event and if possible, to also help with staging and parking. So we need volunteers. Please set this date aside on your calendar if possible. Details will be available.
Also note that this is also our usual meeting day so we will be having our chapter meeting at 2:30 p.m. after the Unity Pink Ride. Hopefully many of us will already be on site since the new dealership will also be our new meeting place.

Cantina Louie

Hope to see some of you tonight at Cantina Louie as you bring your LOH to their meeting.


Check link below to see our calendar and upcoming rides, events, and meetings.

http://www.ancientcityhog.com/ 
 
Disclaimer - Since being a member of Ancient City HOG is not a requirement to subscribe to this newsletter, it must be noted that all rides posted on this site are closed rides, unless otherwise stated. A closed ride is composed of members and  guests, with guests being required to sign a waiver, and is not advertised; hence the disclaimer. Also guests can't outnumber the members.

Please Share - Send us stories and member info to share with your Chapter Friends and then see it here!  Just shoot it via email to:  director@ancientcityhog.com  

Come Out and Join Us On Our Rides...Hope To See You Soon... Terry    
          

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