The Region “A” rally season is off to a great start, with both Florida and Alabama hosting very successful rallies!  Nan and I love the spring and summer riding season in the southeast (Region A); the back roads are fun to ride and the rallies are always great.

          We attended the Alabama District rally in downtown Mobile April 3^rd through the 5^th.  We had a great room at the Ramada Inn that is just a couple of blocks from the Civic Center.  Our congratulations to Roy and Anita Fosnight and the entire Alabama District staff for a superb job with their rally.  The weather proved problematic Friday afternoon and night, with heavy rain and high winds.  The rain continued through Saturday morning.  Despite this, the rally was lots of fun!  The Region “A” staff along with assistance from several District Directors worked helping to prepare and serve the Bar-B-Q meal on Friday evening.  We got everybody fed and off to the talent show dry, as the weather gave us a break.  Again, our thanks for the hospitality shown by the great folks in Alabama and for a real nice rally.

          By the time you read this, the South Carolina rally will be upon us in Anderson, SC.  Nan and I, along with other members of the Region “A” staff will be in attendance as we look forward to a great time put on by Carl and Donna Blackston and their fine SC District staff.  This will be their first District rally, as District Directors and we know it will be good.  We’ll have a report next month.

          Once again we’d like to encourage any members planning on attending Wing Ding in Greenville, SC this July to give us a hand with Ticket Sales and the Poker Run.  These are FUN inside jobs where you’ll get to meet lots of other nice GWRRA folks while having a good time.  Please contact your respective District staff if you think you’d like to help.  Thanks!

          Things keep looking better and better for our upcoming Region “A” rally in Dothan.  We are working out the menu detail with the Holiday Inn banquet staff and are assembling an impressive list of prizes that will be given away.  We already have several sets of tires, Joe Rocket jackets and our special grand prize, a 2008 Honda Metropolitan scooter.  The host hotel is full (they actually gave us an exclusive) but there are overflow hotels listed on the rally flyer that are very nice.  If you have not yet registered, please do and join us in Dothan September 11^th through 13^th.   Our theme is a Luau, so bring your Hawaiian shirts and be prepared for a great time! 

          We look forward to seeing you at a GWRRA event somewhere soon,

Bob & Nan

A tip of the helmet goes to first year Alabama District Directors Roy and Anita Fosnight and their able Alabama Staff.  The Alabama Rally was another great event filled with fun, frolic and maybe some rain here and there.  The dang rain was actually more than here and there.  It was mostly on-site late Friday and into the night.  Saturday it was just here and there, but it was around.  Did that little event stop us from having BBQ on Friday night or fun all day Saturday?  Well, of course not.  Pretty much everything was on schedule except perhaps the Swamp Boat rides which the plug was pulled on them since the lightning could have been a huge issue out in the remote Delta areas where there is no shelter.  Unfortunately, Saturday wasn’t a very good day for the vendors with the dang rain coming in sheets at times and then nothing at times.  Even with the excess water I believe most everyone had a great rally and I know the Alabama GW Member from AL-B had a super Saturday night when his name was pulled for the brand new 2008 Gold Wing.  Darn, I missed the Grand Prize again.  But wait.  I have another chance at the next Rally in Region “A”.

Yep, the District of South Carolina is giving away a new 2008 Wing during their District Rally May 1^st thru 3^rd in Anderson, SC.  First year District Directors Carl and Donna Blackston will be leading their South Carolina Staff in the production of “Lighting Up the Electric City” in Anderson.  They have many fine events on their schedule and I’ll be looking forward to trying as many of the events as possible.  Just hope the weather God is more gracious than the Bama Rally.  Sue and I will be riding in Friday afternoon since Thursday is an action day at both our work places that we can’t duck out from.  Hope to see you on the road or during the South Carolina Rally.

         Another little event by the name of Wing Ding will be held in Region "A" in Greenville, South Carolina during the week of July 4^th and every delegate will have another opportunity to win yet another 2008 Gold Wing.  Hope to see many of our Region "A" delegates during the event.

Jim & Sue 

It's a familiar scenario. You're on your way to work, maybe running 10 minutes late, and you're trying to make up for lost time. So you put your foot into it a little bit more and also decide to multi-task, perhaps get a head start on email on your Blackberry. Before you know it, you've got one hand frantically tapping away on the small keypad, the other on the wheel, and your eyes are working overtime to keep track of it all. Your foot, however, is doing just fine laying heavily on the accelerator. Doesn't sound too safe, does it?

Almost all of us make them, so here's a list of some of the most common and dangerous mistakes witnessed on the road.

Pushing Buttons

Car companies and their suppliers jump through lawyers' hoops when developing central information consoles that can include satellite navigation, stereo controls and climate gauges. And with good reason. Tweaking these devices while driving is a leading cause of accidents and near misses, according to Drive for Life, the National Safe Driving Test and Initiative. Most new consoles won't allow you to plug directions into a sat-nav while the car is in gear, but almost all allow you to play with the stereo. Try to do this when stationary, at traffic lights if you must.

Aggressive Driving

Aggressive driving is a factor in about 56 percent of fatal crashes, says the latest study on driving habits from the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership. Though subject to debate, the study has classified aggressive driving as "speeding, tailgating, failing to yield, weaving in and out of traffic, passing on the right, making improper and unsafe lane changes and running stop signs and red lights." The group says that most drivers admit to making the same mistakes they hate to see other drivers make.

Mobile Devices

As a group, teenagers are more likely than most to take their eyes off the road to concentrate on mobile devices, including cell phones, iPods and instant messaging gadgets. They are also the age group most likely to impress their friends both with the latest in gadgetry and by taking risks behind the wheel. The National Safety Council points out that traffic crashes are the leading cause of fatalities in teens, accounting for 44 percent of deaths.

Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Washington, D.C. have banned the use of hand-held cell phones while driving. California is scheduled to ban their use by July 2008. Another side effect of the ever-changing technology? Shorter attention spans, which isn't the ideal trait of conscientious drivers.

Driving While Upset

"Well the morning was complete. There was tears on the steering wheel dripping on the seat," lamented cheeky British pop mites The Arctic Monkeys on their new tune 'Do Me a Favor'. All very well if you, like I did, took an Audi A4 S-line Convertible to see them at this year's Coachella Festival, but what happens if you've had a great, sober festival, but end up in a fight with the wife while driving home (which didn't happen, obviously, as she adored the sporty drop-top)?

Other situations that inevitably distract from good driving habits are fighting over maps and directions or looking for a free parking space. Try to pull over if you feel your concentration is not fully on the road and take a walk to cool off. As a married man who's terrible at reading maps and spotting parking spaces, all I can say is, "But I told you so."

Turn Signals

Here's a harsh lesson learned. When my brother and I rolled up at my sister's wedding in her hubby's Jaguar XKR convertible, we expected a bit of respect and not, well, giggles. My brother was driving and we traveled about 20 miles in convoy alongside many of the other guests. We had enjoyed the admiring looks and stares from others on the way, figuring it was the fire-red convertible and the two good-looking lads up front.

Only during the groom's speech later did we find out that we'd driven his car the whole way with the left turn signal bleeping, to much mirth all round and conversation about stupid drivers and their habits. Turn signal errors in my experience are more common in trucks, SUVs and convertibles, when wind and cabin noise can crowd out the click of the signal, leaving the driver oblivious to their error.

Pushing the Wrong Pedal

In November in California last year, Huntington Beach police officer Brian Knorr was honored for his actions after he rescued an 83-year-old Orange County woman whose car was partially submerged in a water channel. Uninjured, the driver told a local newspaper she thought she had pressed the brake pedal of her 1999 Chrysler Concord only to find her car accelerating off the road into the water. She also said Chrysler had not been too responsive in her efforts to find the root of the problem, which she blamed on mechanical failure.

Tragically, this is an all-too-familiar story. In Santa Monica, Calif., in 2003, an 86-year-old man drove his car through a crowded farmer's market, killing 10. Elderly drivers rank as one of the safest groups, often sustaining unblemished driving records over long periods. But self-awareness combined with oversight by family members is key to upholding driver safety. Many more elderly drivers report trouble checking blind spots and looking over their shoulders due to physical restraints.

Speeding and Tailgating

For Lisa Lewis, executive Director at The Partnership for Safe Driving, it's simple: We drive too fast. "Based on what's going on today, the biggest thing we can tell people [is] to slow down," she tells AOL Autos. "Governments all over the country raised the speed limits from 55 mph and people are still continuing to drive even faster than these very high speed limits. It's not just the 20-year-old hot rodder; it's mothers, grandmother and everyone.

Lewis says people are also driving too close together, where you see "the NASCAR effect" of bunching. All it takes, she says, is one unexpected move and "you get a pile-up." In fast-moving traffic, Lewis recommends a safe distance of one car length for every 10 mph.

Buckle Up

Fatal crashes fell slightly from 43,443 in 2005 to 43,300 in 2006, or just under five every hour nationally. More than half of the fatally injured were unbuckled. "Bad things happen when people don't buckle up, and no one is immune from the damage and devastation that comes from not wearing a seat belt," Department of Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said on the release of the Department's most recent report last month.

Driving While Tired

Beware and make sure that an energy drink crash doesn't lead to a road smash. Take a break. It's that simple.

Recently we where told by a mechanic at an undisclosed dealership that most Gold Wing riders ride with under inflated tires. This was with us running 41, front and rear.  His recommendation was to run 50 lbs. rear and 45 lbs. front. This concerned us, even though this man was a long time Honda certified  mechanic, so we contacted Dunlop. This is their reply. Keep in mind this info reflects auto and truck tires, not necessarily motorcycle tires, so we rephrased the question and are awaiting their next reply, and will pass it on when and if we get one.

Proper Inflation  

Thank you for taking the time to contact us regarding the proper inflation pressures for the Dunlop Elite 3 motorcycle tires fitted to a Honda GL 1800 Gold Wing. For the original equipment sizes of 130/70-18 front and 180/60-16 rear, we suggest inflating your tires to 38 - 41 psi front and 41 psi rear for all loads and street conditions.

SAFETY WARNING:

Serious injury may result from tire under inflation/overloading. Follow Owner's Manual and tire placard in vehicle.

MAINTAIN PROPER INFLATION PRESSURE IN YOUR TIRES.

Proper inflation pressure is necessary for optimum tire performance, safety and best fuel economy. To maintain proper inflation pressure, frequently check tires (when they are cool) with an accurate tire pressure gauge. For example, it is difficult to tell just by looking at radial tires whether they are under inflated.

·         Evidence of air loss or repeated under inflation requires tire removal and expert inspection.

Always maintain inflation pressure at the level recommended by the vehicle manufacturer as shown on the vehicle placard or in the Owner's Manual. Higher inflation pressure increases stiffness which may deteriorate ride and generate unwanted vibration.

Tire footprint and traction are reduced when van, pickup or RV tires are over inflated for the loads carried. In particular, tires with aggressive tread patterns may contribute to overseer or "road walk" if inflated beyond the inflation pressure specified in the Owner's Manual and vehicle placard for standard or customary loads. Over inflation also increases the chances of bruise damage.

Under inflation is the most common cause of failures in any kind of tire and may result in severe cracking, component separation or "blowout," with unexpected loss of vehicle control and accident. Under inflation increases sidewall flexing and rolling resistance resulting in heat and mechanical damage.

Furthermore, when operating a vehicle equipped with radial tires, it is difficult to notice when a tire has gone flat or near flat since the "feel" of the vehicle does not change significantly.

A tire is a pneumatic system, which supports a vehicle's load. It does this by using a compressed gas (usually air) inside to create tension in the carcass plies. It is important to realize that a tire carcass has a high-tension strength, but has little or no compression strength. It is the air pressure that creates tension in the carcass and allows the tire to function as a load-carrying device. That's why inflation is so important. In an inflated, but unloaded tire, the cords pull equally on the bead wire all around the tire. When a tire is loaded, the tension in the cords between the rim and the ground is balanced or relieved. The tension in other cords is not changed. Therefore, the cords opposite the ground pull upwards on the bead. This is the mechanism that transmits the pressure from the ground to the rim.

In addition, a tire must transmit handling (acceleration, braking, cornering) to the road. Cornering forces are transmitted to the rim in a similar manner to load. Acceleration and braking forces rely on the friction between the rim and the bead. Inflation pressure also supplies the clamping force, which creates friction.

A tire also acts as a spring between the rim and the road. This spring characteristic is very important to the vehicle's ride.

Too high an inflation pressure causes the tire to transmit shock loads to the suspension and reduces a tire's ability to withstand road impacts.

Too low an inflation pressure reduces a tire's ability to support the vehicle's load and transmit cornering, braking and acceleration forces.

Finding the optimum inflation pressure requires extensive engineering efforts on the part of tire and vehicle manufacturers.

Under-inflation can cause many tire-related problems. Because a tire's load capacity is largely determined by its inflation pressure, under-inflation results in an overloaded tire. An under-inflated tire operates at high deflection, resulting in decreased fuel economy, sluggish handling and may result in excessive mechanical flexing and heat buildup leading to catastrophic tire failure.

Correct inflation is especially significant to the endurance and performance of radial performance tires. For example, because of a performance radial's aspect ratio and design, it may not be possible to look at a radial tire and actually see under-inflation of 5 psi. However, under-inflation of 5 psi can reduce a performance tire's tread life by 25%. A typical tire may also lose 1 to 2 psi a month, if not checked and adjusted.

Temperature Effects: Air pressure is affected by temperature. The air under pressure in a tire is no exception. Typically, an inflation pressure can change by 1 psi for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit of temperature change. Higher temperature means increased pressure.

For example, if a tire is inflated to 35 psi on an 80-degree July day, it could have an inflation pressure of 23 psi on a 20-degree day 6 months later in January. This represents a normal loss of 6 psi over the six months and an additional loss of 6 psi due to the 60-degree temperature change. At 23 psi, this tire is severely under-inflated.

SAFETY Note: For safety and vehicle performance, Dunlop recommends that tire inflation pressure be checked at least once each week and as often as possible when tires are cold (ambient air temperature and if the vehicle has not been driven for several hours.) Repeat or excessive inflation loss (more than 2 psi); visible damage such as knots, bulges, punctures, cuts, cracks, irregular wear; experiencing impacts, vibration or pulling; all require removal, expert inspection of tire and rim to determine reparability, or the need for replacement. Damaged tires may fail suddenly or burst upon re-inflation, resulting in serious injury.

We hope this helps, if anyone else was told this, an educated decision is a usually a good decision.

Ride Safe, the more you know the better it gets.

         Spring is here and if you can miss the showers, it is great riding weather again.  I am not sure the folks up north are enjoying it yet, but we Region “A”’ers are ready to bask in the sunshine and warmer temperatures. 

The Alabama Rally has been put to bed, the Gold Wing given to a very happy gentleman. At Closing Ceremonies at the Alabama Rally we added three new certified instructors to the fold.  Anita Fosnight, Linda Teasley and Craig Harrison got their stripes and we presented our new Master Instructor, KZ Kleinheitz, with his patches and pins.

Speaking of Region “A”, we sent in our quarterly report last week to national headquarters with a whopping 2,298.5 hours of training for the first quarter. That is a record for Region “A” and I feel certain it is a record or close to it for all of GWRRA.  Our district Leadership Trainers have done a super job getting the officers and members information and training to help them in their chapters.  This can only enhance our chapter life.  We are extremely proud of all their efforts.  The rally seminars are being well attended and that is due to the enthusiastic leadership of our Region “A” instructors.

We are please to announce that Doug and Sandy Grey will be taking over the District Leadership Training position for the Florida District.  Doug and Sandy are no strangers to Florida as they held the Asst. District Director position in the past before moving to Georgia where they took on the Region Trike Sig position.  Now they are back in Florida and ready to get back in the swing of things.  You may have seen Doug and Sandy at the Florida Rally, already doing their part as instructors for some of the seminars.   They are already making plans for Horizon, Knowledge Enhancement and Intermediate training classes for the fall.  Be sure to watch the Florida website for information.

We want to thank Pat and Judy Seadorf for the outstanding job they did as Florida District Leadership Trainers.  They got the ball rolling in Florida and will be around as instructors for future classes.  Pat and Judy will remain as Florida District Public Relations.

We are getting ready to head to Anderson, South Carolina for another great time in Region “A”. Carl and Donna Blackston and their District Staff have some “electrifying” plans for all the attendees and we hope to see you all there!

Dave & Ellen

FUN ACTIVITIES

       Why do you think they put FUN first in the GWRRA Motto, “Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge”?  I would be willing to bet that a number of you joined this organization for this very reason, to have FUN. 

       Do you sometimes find your gatherings are falling into a rut? Are your rides boring and mundane?  Maybe your chapter gatherings and rides just need a little spicing up.  Sometimes it is difficult to come up with new ideas month after month after month.  The GWRRA Fun Activities Guide may be the solution for you. 

       GWRRA has a ready made booklet that is filled full of FUN activities. It can be found on the GWRRA MED Page under Guides and References.  It is packed full of a variety of activities that are anything but normal.  I will just mention a few to wet your appetite and let you discover more new and exciting activities on your own that will work in your chapter. 

       Your Ride Coordinator can use it to: “Pick-A-Card Ride”…Each rider picks a card out of a deck. Each card designates the number of miles they must lead. A black card means they must make a left turn at the beginning of their ride and a red card means a right turn. All face cards equal 10 miles and aces equal 11 miles.  For example: Black Ace = Right turn, then lead 11 miles; Red 8 = Left turn, then lead 8 miles; Black Queen = Right turn, then lead 10 miles.  Depending on the size of the group, you may want to take more than one card. 

       Your Membership Enhancement Coordinator can use it to: “Screws and Nuts”…The object of the game is to find one of the five missing Gold Wing Nut and Screw sets. Everybody will get a nut or screw, but there is only five of each that makes a complete set.  You must ask everyone you meet if they have either the Gold Wing Nut or Screw. If they have either one, they have to give it to you. If you are lucky enough to get the complete set, go to whoever is in charge of the game and turn it in. Awards are handed out to the persons who find the missing Gold Wing Nut and Screw sets. The object of the game is not only to find the full sets, but also to meet as many new friends as possible. 

       The Chapter Director can spice up his/her agenda by: “Hug List”…Get a hug from 5 different people from 5 different chapters or districts. Have them sign your Hug List form and then enter it for a drawing of some kind. This is a great way to get people to meet each other.

        So add some FUN to your GWRRA experience.  Use some of the examples from the Fun Activities Guide or make up some of your own.  BTW – If you have or make up one of you own, please share it with others.  Send your idea to us and we will be glad to forward it to the MED Director for inclusion in the next Fun Activities Guide update. 

Chapter Newsletter Award Winner Announced

       Congratulations to Ms. Diane Libertini, Chapter Newsletter Editor for Chapter FL-1Q.  Chapter FL 1-Q was selected as the winner of the 1^st Quarter FY2008 Chapter Newsletter Award out of all the GWRRA chapters in the world. 

       If you are interested in participating in this program, take a look at the National MED Web Page under Guides and References – Newsletter, where you will find the guidelines.  Chapters are to submit their newsletters and ask any questions directly to National.

Bob & Karla