AriZona Rider Motorcycle News Blog

Happy New Year, Everyone! We wish you happiness, good health, & prosperity. We are certain that 2013 is full of great opportunities.

Have you fallen into the New Year Resolution trap this year? Rather than the old standards of eating less, exercising more, etc; resolve to inspire someone this year ~ either in a big or a small way. This resolution can be fulfilled in so many ways, your options & possibilities are endless. Inspiring makes others feel good ~ and you do too ~ rather than frustrated, irritable, deprived, or regretful. Everybody wins {:o) You can do it for friends & family… you can even do it for complete strangers. Sometimes you may not realize who you are doing it for. Sometimes you may not even realize that you’ve done it at all. Be warned though…. Inspiring can lead to more inspiring… you could even get a reputation. And it can certainly go on your permanent record. Inspiring can also be contagious… You could start an epidemic! So these are genuine considerations that you must think about before going around inspiring. But we know that you are up to the challenge!
B&B

For those who haven’t yet, we hope you’ll take a moment to Follow and Like us on Facebook and Twitter.

And Thank You to those who have been voting to keep AZ Rider listed in the Top 10 Biker Sites as ranked by American Steel.
Anyone can vote ~ just follow the links on azridersouthwest.com

Keep Your Butts On Your Putts!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Bruce & Betsy
AriZona Rider Motorcycle News
480-921-0244
www.AZRiderSouthwest.com

Bike Week in AriZona
AriZona’s Spring Run
Rally in the Valley
You know what we’re talking about….

No matter what you call the last days of March in the Valley of the Sun it all means the same thing…. Lots of opportunity for great motorcycling, concerts, and parties…. Official and otherwise.

There have always been a certain number of so-call ‘unofficial’ events that have taken place during this timeline.

What’s different this year is that some of the larger ‘traditional’ events have taken this course as well…. Shedding their ties to the ‘official’ promoters in favor of raising more money for the charities they support. Kudos to them.

Notable among these events are two of the most popular & long-standing gatherings:

Torch Ride for Special Olympics hosted by Chester’s Harley-Davidson … March 31

Chester’s Harley-Davidson has this great venue for holding parties… logic says USE IT! This year’s Torch Ride will bypass AZ Bike Week’s CycleFest; allowing administrative fees of previous years to go to their beneficiary, the Special Olympics, instead.

On Saturday March 31, the 13th annual Torch Ride for Special Olympics will stage at a NEW location. Sign-in at 8am at The Pavilions in Scottsdale at Loop 101 & Indian Bend Rd. Police escorted ride departs 10a on a scenic route to Chester’s HD in Mesa for lunch & concert by The Outlaws. Band members will lead the VIP ride. $25/pp includes ride, lunch, and concert. $35/VIP puts you at the head of the pack with fellow VIP riders, and gives you special seating for the concert. FMI: 480-894-0404, www.chestershd.com

Chester’s will have stuff going on ALL week… the Backstage Biker Bash extends beyond just the weekend happenings you are familiar with from years past. Check their schedule online.

Logan’s Run… always known as the last ride of Bike Week ~ now Logan & Chester’s HD have teamed up.

On Sunday April 1, Logan’s Run will again be the Annual Last event of Bike Week in Arizona! This year the ride will start from Logan’s Valley Motorcycles 1440 W Main St, Mesa. This is a NEW LOCATION. Sign-in 9-11am. The ride will be 100-120 miles; heading North to Rio Verde, Fountain Hills, Saguaro Lake and back to Chandler. For only $20 per person, all participants will receive a ride pin, free entry into a poker run hand with cash prizes, a free lunch @ Iguana Mack’s in Chandler, and an opportunity at over 50 good quality door prizes. The ride will end at Chester’s Harley Davidson in Mesa for awards, prizes, and a free concert from local favorite, “MOGOLLON“!! Mogollon has been the closing band for over a decade on this ride. Mogollon takes the stage from 2-5pm. Come on out, have a great ride, help out a charity and carry on the tradition! Some lucky Participant that pre-registers will win a $150 gift certificate from Logan’s MC and another $150 gift certificate from Chester’s HD. Since this year is about getting back to the basics and raising some cash for the charities, the Logan’s Run t-shirts will be available to everyone for only a $10 donation per shirt. Pre-register soon at www.LogansMC.com or right now by stopping by the dealership on Main Street in Mesa! FMI: 480-962-1700, info@LogansMC.com

Make sure as much of your money goes to the beneficiaries of the official rides as possible.

For those of you who purchase the 5-day CycleFest pass, so as to attend all the concerts & such, be sure that if you attend any of the charity rides that end at CycleFest that you use your 5-day Pass to get in, NOT the ticket that will be given to you in your ride packet.

According to Lisa Cyr of AZ Bike Week, “A few years ago we invested in a pretty sophisticated ticket scanner system.  The tickets we issue to the ride organizers are ride specific so we can track the number of tickets used.  The organizers are only responsible for actual tickets scanned.  In other words the guy who already has a five day pass isn’t paying two gate fees, he’s just making a bigger donation to the charity.”  This was outstanding news. So just remember to use your 5-day pass if you have it.

Here are some more events taking place during Bike Week in AriZona that our advertisers are involved with….

3/24     {Sat} 3rd Annual American Legion Riders/SAL Chapter 58 Ride In Bike Show Held in Memory of Kimmy Chapman. American Legion Post 58, 16837 E. Parkview Ave., Fountain Hills, AZ. Proceeds to American Legion Charities. Open To The Public-All Are Welcome. Ride-in (Only) Bike Show. Register 8a-Noon, $10/bike. Stock Harley; Modified Harley; Custom; Antique; Metric; Bobber; Women’s. Trophy for People’s Choice. Judging by Celebrity Judges. Music 10a-6p, Antique Bike Display, Beard Contest [$5 entry], raffles, & more. Vendor spaces $25/10×10. Contact Dave 602-505-3352, traversonmaui@yahoo.com or Kevin 480-628-3665, starryan1@cox.net. FMI-general: Mike 480-399-6087, www.alr58.org, mikecasey1957@yahoo.com
* We’ll be here… Bruce is one of the special celebrity judges for the Bike Show, along with Robert from Evil Twin Custom Cycles and Jim from AZ Biker Information Guide.

3/24     Born 2B Wild ~ Liberty Wildlife’s 5th Anniversary Ride, sponsored by Chester’s HD, 922 S Country Club Rd,  in Mesa. Sign-in 12-1:30pm @ Connolly’s Sports Grill, 2605 W. Carefree Hwy., #101, Phoenix. $30/pp includes lunch, bag, entry to Chester’s Backstage Biker Bash & more. FMI: 480-998-0230, 602-568-5313, www.libertywildlife.org/

3/25     {Sun} 2nd annual Kensi’s Ride sponsored by Chandler Custom Cycles. Kensi Stanley is an 11-year old girl who has been battling Wilm’s Cancer for several years. Her Mom is a teacher & single mother of 2. This fundraiser is to help pay medical bills. Sign-in @ CCC 2775 N Arizona Ave, Chandler from 9-11am. $25/pp includes lunch. Last stop at the Elk’s Lodge 1775 W Chandler Blvd. Please make checks payable to ‘Kisses for Kensi’. If you would like to make a donation but are unable to attend, please send checks to CCC or Wells Fargo account #7529295466 named ‘Kisses for Kensi’. ALL vehicles welcome. FMI: Harold 480-497-3573, bikes@chandlercustomcycles.com

3/25     Hearts to Heroes Poker Run benefits Packages From Home, in support of our deployed troops. Sign-in 10:30am Flicka’s Baja Cantina, 2003 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale. $25/bike. Last bike out 11:45am. Ride ends at Chester’s HD 922 S Country Club Rd, Mesa. Music by Jimmie Van Zant. FMI: PackagesFromHome.org

Yes, we realize there are other things going on during Bike Week too…. {:o)
Here are some other events taking place that we’ve been made aware of:

3/23-4/1 AZ Bike Week http://azbikeweek.com/ will give you their entire schedule

3/24     Desert Thunder MC Zombie Bash, 2:00 pm till ??? at Rock Springs, 33769 Old Black Canyon Hwy. Join us for some undead fun! $10/pp, $15/cpl. Cash prizes for best Male & Female Zombies. 50/50′s, Raffles, vendors and food specials. Music by Brotherhood of Blues Band. Free camping available. FMI: Lodur 623-210-1589

3/24     MMA-AZ Eagle District Farkle Dice Run Sign In 9-10am. Ride starts/ends @ Baja Loco Grill & Cantina 5134 N 95th Ave, [North of W Camelback] $/pp, $15/cpl. 50/50, Food & Drink specials… FMI: amusmcwalker@aol.com

3/24     LRMC 29th Anniversary Party. 6739 N 60 Ave..1Blk S of Glendale Ave..7pm. FMI: E.Z. oldhippy13@gmail.com

3/25     17th Annual Trifecta Custom Bike Show & Blowout at the Steel Horse Saloon – 1818 W. Bell Rd, Phoenix. http://steelhorsesaloon.com/

3/31     American Legion Riders Post 75 annual Hog Roast & Poker Run. Ride sign-in 9am at 10625 N Cave Creek Rd (Peoria Ave) Phoenix, AZ. $20/riders, run & dinner; $15/passengers & dinner; $10/poker run only; $15/Dinner only. Dinner 5-7pm, music by Group Therapy starts 7pm. Help us help homeless Vets & support PGR programs. FMI:  Ronzo 602-418-2879, 602-943-8477

3/31     Rough Riders MC Black Jack Chapter’s 3rd Anniversary Party in Sierra Vista, AZ.

3/31     Spartan Riders MC Glendale – OPEN HOUSE- 6002 W Maryland Ave, Glendale AZ. Starts 6pm til whenever…as always food is free, beverages and a good time… FMI: www.spartanridersmcglendale.com, jc@spartanridersmcglendale.com

3/31     Crusaders For The Children Bike Week Auction in the HandleBar Saloon at Cyclefest. Silent starts 1pm, Live starts 8pm. FMI: www.crusadersforthechildren.com,  alohaxoweb@gmail.com

4/1       Crusaders for the Children ‘Child Empowerment Ride’ departs Arrowhead HD 16130 N. Arrowhead Ctr Dr, Peoria, AZ. $30/rider, $20/passenger includes b’fast, Cyclefest entry, & more. Pre-reg discount online at www.crusadersforthechildren.com
FMI:    alohaxoweb@gmail.com, 480-312-6802

Spring is here. This cold spell is on it’s way out; leaving perfect weather for riding. We hope to see you out on the road. Keep Your Butts on your Putts!

Betsy & Bruce

Follow AZ Rider on Twitter and ‘Like’ us on Facebook…
both at /AZRiderSW

To subscribe to this blog, add this link into your RSS reader: http://azridersouthwest.com/blog/feed

Among the commemorations that take place over Memorial Day Weekend each year, many people gather in Washington DC for the Rolling Thunder demonstration on behalf of our nation’s military Prisoners of War and those who remain Missing in Action.
Unable to attend, as he was dealing with health concerns, the remarks of Bill Bell, tireless advocate for POWs & MIAs and former Chief of the U.S. Office for POW/MIA Affairs in Hanoi, Socialist Republic of Vietnam were intended to be shared with attendees by Rolling Thunder®, Inc. National Parliamentarian Michael DePaulo. Due to time constraints, this message was not presented during the speeches given on May 27, 2012. We hope that you will take the time here to read Bill Bell’s comments.

Bill Bell is a retired GM-14, DoD, and the former Chief of the U.S. Office for POW/MIA Affairs in Hanoi, Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Bill went to the Central Highlands region of Vietnam as a grunt in 1965 and he served there off and on until 1993. Bill lost his wife and son on the ill-fated C-5A “Babylift” flight that crashed during the evacuation of dependents of officials assigned to the American Embassy in Saigon at the time of the final communist offensive in April 1975. His last official visit to Vietnam was as a member of the Congressional Staff in 2004. During his career Bill served with the 101st Airborne, the 25th ID, the 6th Special Forces Group and numerous Joint Service and Intelligence units.

Dear fellow Vietnam Vets.
Due to another battle related to Vietnam, this time with Agent Orange cancer, rather than Vietnamese Communists, I will not be riding with you this year. I have asked my old friend “Boston Mike” DePaulo to pass on to you my very best wishes along with a few words concerning two topics of importance to all gathered here today; POW/MIA and the Vietnam War. I didn’t ask Mike to pass my remarks because he is such a good friend. In fact, I asked him because he is the only Marine I know of who can read.
Today we Americans live in a bizarre world indeed, a world where young men and women are being blown apart and dying every day while wealthy Americans are lining up in ever increasing numbers to renounce their American citizenship in order to move their precious financial assets to tax-free status “off shore.”
We live in a bizarre world where an American tourist can be reported missing from an ocean side resort and that subject will be covered 24/7-365 for years. You will hear about it and see it on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CSNBC, Anderson Cooper, Nancy Grace, etc, etc, while at the same time, however, some one thousand seven hundred fine young American heroes are listed as missing while last known to be alive in Southeast Asia and about the only time you hear it mentioned is on Memorial Day, or POW/MIA Recognition Day. Over 200 hundred of the missing remain on the so-called Last-known-to-be-alive list this very day. Many of those missing were in the actual physical custody of communist forces at the time of their disappearance, and the Communist Party of Vietnam has made no sincere efforts to shed additional light on these sensitive cases.
I believe that all of our resources available for use in accounting for our missing should be allocated specifically for only those cases listed on the Last-known-to-be-alive list, rather than for excavating crash sites that have already been excavated, recovered, inventoried and warehoused by a greedy, cunning and sly Communist party of Vietnam. I remain convinced that these sites, recommended by and introduced by communist cadre, are little more than orchestrated dog and pony shows designed to extort steadily increasing sums from apathetic American taxpayers.
If our missing troops could be with us here today I am convinced that they would say to us “please do not help those cruel, greedy communists to use our bones as pawns in order to extort millions more taxpayer dollars from our fellow Americans.
You might recall that during more recent search efforts to find bone chips and artifacts, such as dog tags and I.D. cards, an aging, Russian-built helicopter carrying both U.S. and Vietnamese MIA specialists flew straight into a mountain in Central Vietnam killing everyone on board. Those killed included the head of the office in Hanoi, bringing home the point to me: “There but by the grace of God go I.” Had I remained in Vietnam for another tour I would most likely not be here with you today and you might be funding a search for my bones. Needless to say, if the missing could be here with us today I’m sure they would say to us “please do not send any more fine young American servicemen and women up to be killed in outdated Russian helicopters with questionable maintenance standards.
Most of us gathered here are veterans of the American War in Vietnam. Many Vietnam vets are still confused about our service Vietnam. Was it necessary? Did we win or lose? Was Vietnam a noble cause or a big mistake? Many Vietnam vets are still perplexed by these difficult questions.
Personally, I believe Vietnam vets should be proud to take credit for the courageous efforts made by American servicemen and women in Southeast Asia from 1962 until 1973, when a ceasefire was implemented in Vietnam. Today one quarter of the population of this earth, for example: Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Republic of the Philippines, Brunie and Singapore is living under freely elected governments. One important fact that we seldom hear mentioned: Although radical Muslims around the world are quick to criticize America, especially our military, Americans who fought in Southeast Asia are largely responsible for the collapse of communism in two of the largest Islamic nations, Indonesia and Malaysia. Due to the sacrifices made by Vietnam vets in Southeast Asia during the 1960’s and 70’s, today the populations of the two largest Islamic nations are free to worship Islam in two counties that were at one point on the verge of collapsing under the threat of communist insurgencies aided and abetted by Communist China.
During the Vietnam War the goal of the U.S. Government was to contain Communism. The mission of the U.S. military was to kill, destroy or capture the enemy. My friends, we definitely contained Communism. Not only has Communism been contained, as a result of competing with America in Vietnam, the former Soviet Union suffered economic collapse and the Communist Party of Russia was disbanded. In other words, as a result of the valiant efforts made by American veterans in Vietnam, America was clearly a decisive winner of the Cold War. Vietnam vets, both American and Vietnamese should hold your heads high and be proud of what they were able to accomplish in Southeast Asia. Our military mission was to kill, destroy or capture enemy forces. In Vietnam we killed 1.3 million communists while losing 58,000 of our own. It is a tragedy that we had to lose anyone, but the obvious point is that our military forces never lost a major battle and we rendered the enemy a complete military defeat. Communist Vietnam even today, has not fully recovered from a punishing against American firepower and a resolve of tempered steel.
Had they the opportunity to do so, I’m convinced that today our missing heroes would say to us: “please do not support American veterans organizations that collect donations and membership dues from challenged veterans organizing nostalgia trips to Vietnam where they willingly participate and hold nauseating airport “hug and weep” sessions while being greeted by well trained, well prepared communist cadre who quickly bully them into removing any insignia indicating that they are veterans of the Vietnam War, especially any semblance of the flag of the former Republic of Vietnam. These same American veterans organizations completely ignore any efforts to demand that our former allies, the servicemen and women of the RVN who fought alongside U.S. Forces throughout the long war, be given veterans status equal to that afforded communist veterans. As it stands now, former RVN personnel are ignored or discriminated against.
I have spent considerable time with the Vietnamese people, both in the United States and in Vietnam. For the most part I have found them to be honest, hardworking people. I cannot imagine a situation where a Vietnamese would hide the bones of an American MIA in order extort money from his loved ones. If American veterans work closely with Vietnamese veterans of the Vietnam War we can eventually bring about the collapse of the Communist Party of Vietnam. As soon as the Communist Party has collapsed, we can begin our work with democratic forces in Vietnam to begin an honest, straightforward, accounting for our dead and missing. We should all work together to insure this event happens as soon as humanly possible.
Concerning the safety factor, please remember that although we all want an honest accounting for our unreturned veterans, all the bones in Southeast Asia are not worth the life of even one American serviceman or woman. And also please remember that although we all want to properly recognize our former POW’s, we must insure that we never take any action that might encourage our young servicemen and women to become POW’s. We must remember that our goal is to make that other guy, the enemy, a POW.
Thank you and God Bless.
Thank You, Bill ~ for your dedication to America’s POWs & MIAs. B&B

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Well the weather is outstanding here in the Valley of the Sun. And yes, we all want to be out riding. But there are times when we just plain can’t ~ ‘cause household or shop related chores get in the way. If you are faced with a spring-cleaning project this season, we hope you’ll keep a very righteous organization in mind.

The Dads Against Meth Use Foundation is an organization that is working to create a Drug Free Future for the next Generation. DAMU raises money to bring drug-free programs into communities. They teach kids about the dangers of chemical dependent drugs. They also offer parents signs and signals to be aware of in their children, that may indicate drug use.

The DAMU Foundation is doing a scrap metal collection as a fundraiser. This project helps keep drug free kids busy and off the streets. Through these efforts, there have been some positive results, not just for DAMU, but for the community as well. Here is an example that DAMU spokesperson Ginger shared …

“A donation from a commercial building led us to drive behind this office complex in Mesa, where it was clear to see by the look of the dumpsters, someone was moving out. Daniel, one of our mentored students, came across ATM keys, Security CDs and Plans for ATMs, left behind from the security company who installed them for two of our leading banks, Chase Bank and Wells Fargo Bank. We gave this information to Chase Bank through an Employee of the bank who is an acquaintance of ours.
“We were delighted when we were informed that what we had found was significant and a huge breach of security. They were very happy. They even flew in their own security guys, to speak with the boys who found it.  The boys took them to the spot. They were very proud of themselves. They had found a new sense of accomplishment for doing the right thing. These boys didn’t always make the right choices in the past. We always tell them, they will be reward for doing the right thing one day… I am sure the above companies are grateful.”

You can help DAMU carry on their mission. Your donations of recycled appliances and scrap metal are needed and appreciated. This is an ongoing project. Please do not assume that by the time you read this, your opportunity to help has passed.

“Drop off or arrange a pick up by phone. DAMU will properly dispose of any metal scrapped, A/C, cans, anything metal or mechanical. If it can be repaired it will be recycled back into the community.
“DAMU is a 501c3 non-profit and you will be putting a DRUG FREE Kid from your community to work. For your generosity, we will give you a thank you, tax credit or deduction from the DAMU Foundation, for your Arizona State taxes.
“For more information or to schedule a pick up, please contact Ginger at 480-635-6264 or Joe at 480-388-7697.
‘Don’t Incarcerate Them, Educate Them’
Thank you and God bless.”

Whether you are an individual, active in an organization, or in your neighborhood we hope that you will consider supporting the DAMU Foundation as they work to combat the evil that is chemical dependency in our community and to educate its most vulnerable victims, our kids.

Learn more about this organization from their website http://www.damufoundation.org and these news articles

http://www.azfamily.com/news/local/Drummer-of-anti-drug-band-in-Mesa-stabbed-in-neck-after-show-100864299.html
and
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/uponsun/2010/08/crazed_junkie_blamed_for_stabb.php

Well as you can see, you aren’t going to get bombarded by blogs from me. Guess you can say I’m more in to ‘quality’ over ‘quantity’.

But I can say that my list of blog-able topics is growing. Now the next trick is finding time to put those thoughts into some order to share with you.

Corporate Days [oops, we mean The Holidays} are coming… Holiday shopping is becoming a big topic lately as the corporatocracy encourages everyone to shop and support the economy; Black Friday, Cyber-Monday, etc etc, etc. And of course those ‘tug at the heartstrings’ announcements that the retail sector is not hitting their sales quotas ~ designed to make you feel guilty for keeping a financially-responsible hold on your wallets.

Well, this email we got addresses the subject SO WELL and offers such an outstanding suggestion for gift-giving ideas, that we just have to share it……..

Thanks Dyan for sending this along………

Christmas 2011 — Birth of a New Tradition

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods — merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is!
It’s time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?
Everyone — yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?
Gym membership? It’s appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.
Who wouldn’t appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.
Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking down the Benjamins on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.
There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants — all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn’t the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this isn’t about big National chains — this is about supporting your hometown Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.
How many people couldn’t use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?
Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.
My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.
OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.
Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre.
Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn’t imagine. THIS is the new American Christmas tradition.

Forward this to everyone on your mailing list — post it to discussion groups — throw up a post on Craigslist in the Rants and Raves section in your city — send it to the editor of your local paper and radio stations, and TV news departments.  This is a revolution of caring about each other, and isn’t that what Christmas is about?

Remember …  ”The most important things in life … are NOT things!”

Make THIS your new Christmas tradition.
B&B

…about your upcoming event. The AriZona Rider calendar is an extremely popular resource for riders and event promoters.

We know of businesses that post our calendar on their walls for the convenience of their patrons. “If it’s not in the Rider it’s not worth going to.” {fan comment} Well we’re not sure if that’s completely true ~ but we sure appreciate the support and enthusiasm.

Anyone can post to the AZ Rider calendar, as long as the event is
motorcycling-related {duh} and open to all motorcyclists.

So, you’re on the event committee for your club, association, organization, business, cause, etc. Visit our calendar page. Scroll down to the day planner icon and click in.

Once the calendar opens, select your date, and follow the prompts to add an event. We suggest you submit your posting as an EVENT and not as an appointment. Please note, we reserve the event type “Special Occasion” for our advertisers’ listings. Information Guidelines: Be CONCISE… Focus on the pertinent details such as date, time, sign-in location, cost, FMI [contact point for more information], beneficiary, etc. Be aware – Postings to the hard copy may be cut / edited for space. We reserve the right to edit all postings for content and length.

The calendar also includes weekly Rides & Gatherings; so if you have a regularly scheduled ride or gathering, either weekly or monthly, which is open to all riders, you can post it. Readers please note, we do not monitor these events; so we suggest calling ahead if you plan to check out a ride night you are unfamiliar with, just to confirm that they have not changed the day, hours, or cancelled it altogether.

With this self-posting system, listings are not delayed by us being in deadline or away from the office. Event organizers can add a party or rally and it goes up immediately. The information you post is then emailed to our office for inclusion in our next edition.

You’ll notice in our editions that certain calendar postings are in bold. That is because we know that one of our Advertisers is hosting or a sponsor of that gathering. In our online E-ditions, that entry also includes a link to either their business or to that event.

The calendar in AriZona Rider Motorcycle News is one of our most popular pages, whether online or in print. When we do our online-only E-ditions we set the font size large enough that those who want can print out a thumbnail of the pdf for posting to their bulletin board.

Got an event coming up? Make sure your details get sent to the AZ Rider Motorcycle News calendar.

Summer’s over and the weather is perfect for riding. Keep Your Butts on your Putts!

Betsy & Bruce

Follow AZ Rider on Twitter and ‘Like’ us on Facebook…
both at /AZRiderSW

To subscribe to this blog, add this link into your RSS reader: http://azridersouthwest.com/blog/feed

Yep, once again we are straying from the “we are a biker publication so we can only talk about biker-specific topics” rule… we’re coloring outside the box. There’s a very good reason for this. As much as we all love our motorcycles, there is a world that surrounds us and our bikes that has nothing to do with riding but most certainly affects us every day.

Financial and legislative issues; products and services outside the realm of motorcycles, the condition [destruction] of the educational system… The list goes on. And we may discuss stuff like that in future posts. But today, the item on top of our list is ….

Health… gaining it, maintaining it…. As we’re all getting older we start to think more about how we want to live out our years. And how we want to feel as we follow that path. Some who are young[er] don’t think so much about it, although they should. Living in a state of continuous concern about blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, cancer, and a whole host of other conditions… Morning rituals centered around a rainbow of pills…. These are NOT supposed to be an automatic consequence of turning 40, or 50, or 60….. We see many of our friends and acquaintances becoming diagnosed with preventable illnesses and conditions.

Those who know us, know that we can talk for hours on the condition of the food chain, what people should and shouldn’t eat for good health, and how the medical field is in business to stay in business. Good health is not good for their bottom line. Our knowledge comes from years of studying and applying practices over time; and seeing and feeling the healthful results in our lives. We realize that what we relate is anecdotal, second-hand, non-professional, and easy to dismiss.

But there are bona fide doctors out there who can share extremely important information; information that can make immense difference in the lives of those who choose to listen.

We’ve recently been made aware of a new, 2011, documentary movie called Forks Over Knives. This 96-minute film can change your life forever and for the better, if you let it. Follow this link to the Forks Over Knives trailer for a preview of the film. If you have access to streaming movies you can probably watch it from there… we streamed it on Netflix. So, it’s likely available on other video services as well. Within these 96 minutes, you can learn that by making simple changes to your diet, degenerative diseases that today afflict so many people can be controlled, or even reversed.

Timing is certainly everything… We found out that as part of ASU’s “No Impact Week,” [a week-long series of events and experiments in low-carbon living] there will be a one-night only showing of this acclaimed documentary which is FREE to the public. Donations of nonperishable (healthy) food items are being collected for Tempe Community Council. This event is co-sponsored by Chipotle.

This FREE showing is taking place on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at Valley Art, 509 S. Mill Ave., Tempe. Doors open at 6:00 pm and Screening begins at 6:30 pm.

There is much more information available at their website.

We hope that you will stop and take a moment to think about how you truly feel right now…. physically and mentally….And then consider the possibility of living your life in better health and spirits…

Until later ~ B&B

The Ride Home is a special event to Honor all former Prisoners Of War and Remember those still Missing In Action. It is being held at the National P.O.W. Museum at Andersonville, GA the weekend of September 15-17, 2011. It is scheduled to take place in conjunction with National POW/MIA Recognition Day, Friday, September 16, 2011.

The United States’ National POW/MIA Recognition Day is observed across the nation on the third Friday of September each year. This is not a federal public holiday, but a national observance.

While the goal of the huge Rolling Thunder demonstration ride held on Memorial Day in Washington DC is to remind our government of its responsibility and obligation to bring ALL of our GIs home, the Ride Home is a smaller, but no less important gathering. Here, former POWs and MIA families are recognized and honored for their sacrifices and courage.

Please take time in your day to remember our nation’s Prisoners Of War and those who are Missing In Action; their service and sacrifices, and their families.

Betsy & Bruce

Like so many others, we still remember that morning, that day,Tuesday September 11, 2001. Bruce saw on the TV what was happening in New York and called me in, with the words, “we’re going to war”. We, too, were glued to the images on the television screen; our world changing forever as we looked on.

What many of you may not know or remember is that back then we lived directly in the flight path of Sky Harbor International Airport. “Our most tangible evidence of what was happening ~ something that could ‘tie’ us to events going on thousands of miles away was…. Silence. …. On a normal day, planes come and go so often that they tune out of your daily awareness. The silence of the grounded planes could be deafening at times… and a constant reminder of lives forever silenced.” {AZ Rider Oct 2011, Vol 3, Issue 10}

Over these 10 years there’s been so much discussion, so many theories, numerous documentaries… asking questions such as what happened, how it was allowed to happen, who orchestrated this act of evil, and the ultimate goal of such an act. Theories are presented, with evidence to back up whichever version one subscribes to. All that is truly and undeniably known is that the events of 9-11 changed our country and the world, forever.

Regardless of whether you feel things have been handled ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ since then, be sure to keep asking those questions .. Because it’s a pretty sure thing that some fishy stuff went on. As more time passes, more indicators come to light.

But also be sure to remember the PEOPLE who were lost that day and since….. There have been so many. The initial victims, GIs sent to war, civilians caught in cross fires, …

We participated in the big 9/11 Patriot Parade that was held September 11, 2002– the one year anniversary ride; 7,242 motorcycles strong. Riders were given wristbands with the names of victims. That day, we rode for Nicholas Brandemarti [age 21] of Mantua, NY and Terrance Andre Aiken {age 30] of New York, NY. They were in Tower 2 on that fateful morning.

Closer to home….when we moved from Tempe to Mesa we found that our new home was located not far from the convenience store where a man crazed with fear, ignorance, and hate killed an innocent gentleman of the Sikh religion… Balbir Singh Sodhi … basically because he was wearing a turban and [of course] turbans now equaled ‘bad guys’. On a smaller scale than the attacks themselves; but also NOT one of humanity’s finest moments. We regularly see the monument at the gas station dedicated to the memory of the 9-11 victims and victims of the subsequent revenge attacks. It is hoped that religious tolerance and cultural understanding will be instilled in those who visit.

No doubt many of you reading this have your own memories… certain people who come to mind… you are welcome to share your thoughts here if you wish ~ but there’s no obligation… do what you feel is right for you.

There is a boat load of events planned to commemorate 9-11 this weekend… some large some small…. More than we even have listed here. Following are the gatherings we were made aware of that are taking place around AriZona.

9/10     5th Annual Freedom Gathering hosted by American Legion Riders of Post 86, Overgaard, AZ – Hwy 260 at Lumber Valley Rd. Celebrate veterans, Fun Run, music, food, refreshments, raffles, vendors. Reg. 8-11am, $15 donation. Vendors or FMI, Sporty Jim 480-710-4101, stjames4@mindspring.com {C} 

 9/10     9/11 Remembrance Run. Register 8am at Buddy’s Bar 119 E Hwy 82, Whetstone, AZ. $15/pp,  $20/cpl. Last Out 12pm / Last In 5pm. Fundraiser for Wounded Warrior, Palominas Fire Department Toy Drive. Last stop Arena Bar 250 N. Prickly Pear, Benson. High $500 / Low $250. FMI: bagman@supersierra.com {Z}

 9/10     American Legion Riders [Safford Post 32] 2nd Annual Poker Run. Sign-in 8amat Post 32 – 531 11th Ave., Safford, AZ. $15/sgl, $20/cpl. MIA/POW & 911 Ceremony starts 9am. Ride departs ≈ 11a. Stops at Posts in Clifton, Duncan, Solomon. FMI: Mike 928.651.7997, Donna 928.322.4511, e-mail: streetbobhd07@yahoo.com {E}

9/10     2nd Annual Legacy Run starts / ends at Post 5, 3927 W Southern Ave, Laveen. Breakfast available 7:30-10:30a. Reg 8-10am, $20/sgl, $25w/passenger. Buffet included at end of ride. Last bike in by 3:30pm. Live music starts 4pm. High / low hand, raffles & more. Proceeds benefit Legacy Scholarship Fund. FMI: sistermoon0072004@yahoo.com or Post5Cowboy@yahoo.com{E}

 9/10     American Legion Post 2 [2125 S Industrial Park Ave, Tempe] hosts 2011 USO Show to benefit the USO Military Hospitality Room at Sky Harbor Airport. No-host bar 4p, Mess 5:15p, Show 6:30p. Honoring all Wars since WWII. Dress in your favorite era. FMI: 480-528-2508, judygalvez@cox.net {E}

 9/10     4th annual 9-11 Tribute Motorcycle Rally hosted by American Legion Post 109, 15921 S Houghton Rd Corona, AZ. T-shirts & pins to 1st 300 paid entrants. $20/pp, $5/passenger. Proceeds benefit 9/11 Tucson Memorial Building Fund. Breakfast available 9-11am, Bike Blessing 11am, last bike out noon, last in 5pm. Live music, food, door prizes, vendors, & more. Show your Pride and Fly Your Flag. FMI: www.911TucsonMemorialFoundation.org {J}

 9/10     Revolution presents Ride to Remember 9/11. Sign-in 6pm at the Revolution Club House1505 E. Weber Dr. Ste #116,Tempe,AZ (Weber Dr. is North of Curry Rd. off Hayden Rd.). $10/sgl, $15/cpl. After Party with DJ and other entertainment, food & drinks, Punching bag & Pool, Wet T-shirt contest. FMI: Prez Too Tone 602-370-3109 or VP Stand-up at 480-229-1462 {J}

 9/10     9*11 Patriot Day Celebration from 2 PM – 9 PM at Paseo Highlands Park, 3435 W Pinnacle Peak Rd, Phoenix. Benefits: ThanksUSA, Fighter Country Foundation, 100 Club, & more. $9.11/pp includes entrance into park and Joe Nichols Concert. Food & drinks available. Group ride departs from Sanderson Ford, 6400 N. 51st Ave in Glendale. KSU11am FMI: http://patriotdayaz.org/ {J}

 9/11     {Sun} 9/11 Patriot Motorcycle Ride to Remember. Staging at Ashley Furniture Pavilion (fmr Cricket Pavilion ) Phx [I-10/83rd Ave – east parking lot (follow the signs)]. Check in 8-10am. $20/bike. Ride proceeds benefit AZ Police & Fire support programs. Ride ends at the Ft McDowell Casino. 10th Anniversary bracelet, motorcycle decal while supplies last. Proceeds from the sale of 9/11 Badges benefit the FDNY Foundation. FMI: w.stevenmartin@cox.net or 480.899.0366 {E}

 9/11 Law Enforcement Memorial Run hosted by the Fraternal Order of Police Yuma Lodge #24 w/ proceeds going to construct a memorial to honor LEOs killed in the line of duty within the Yuma area. The event is on the 10th Anniversary of 9/11/2001 to honor & remember those killed in the terrorist attacks of that day. Register 9am at Bobby’s Territorial – 2550 E. Gila Ridge Rd.Last stop LZ Bar & Grill. $20/pp. FMI:  www.yumafop.com {J}

Wherever your path takes you, have a safe weekend ~
B&B

Well, time is rolling on, and my CenturyLink sponsored Social Media classes are winding to an end. Not that I’ve learned all that I need to know. But I’ve been given tools, resources, information, and guidelines; so I can venture out and continue my exploration & education on my own.

This training program was offered to me by CenturyLink Small Business and its Technology Support Team, in exchange for sharing my opinion about their services.

Our Social Media presence has definitely been a means of getting news pertaining to the motorcycling community out sooner and further. In the past, being a monthly meant only so much news would be fresh & up to the minute. We’ll always enjoy sharing stories and photos from events and parties, what’s happening on the MRO front, etc. But by way of our Social Media connections, we are now also able to keep our readers up-to-date on current events such as the trial of the Carefree Four Killer, Michael Jakscht … even having the opportunity to put out a call to action regarding sending letters to the court to block his attempt to be released from custody. We post links to news of motorcycle accidents that we learn of around the state, with informational updates posted to our Forum. So, for example, if you miss an initial Facebook announcement, you can always check in there.

The Social Media network has allowed us to not only promote our traditional hard-copy edition, but also enhance those pages; especially for those who have developed a preference for online access to all we have to offer.

Through Social Media for business, we’re definitely making contact with people we likely otherwise wouldn’t. We’ve been introduced to informational resources pertinent to our community, we’re meeting fellow business owners, and readership increases as our online presence expands. We’ve also been able to interact with readers to a degree not possible before; and that’s really cool. These are each elements toward business growth that would not have come about without the time and effort invested in networking.

And there’s no question that I would not have learned what I have without the guidance of my CenturyLink coach. I’m glad that I took that first step, made the call, and inquired about small business IT resources.

If you want to market your business online or learn about IT services, talk with a CenturyLink rep and see how they can help. Or visit centurylink.com/small-business to learn more.

AZ Rider Motorcycle News is listed in the Top 10 Biker Web Sites as ranked by American Steel. Please cast your vote for AriZona Rider from any of the AZRiderSouthwest.com links.

We hope you’ll sign up to FOLLOW us on Twitter, LIKE us on Facebook, and JOIN our LinkedIn network. Join us in the Social Media community. I’ll tell you here and now, we’re not gonna spend your valuable time texting about what we had for breakfast or what color shirt I’m wearing today. Also, remember to subscribe to our e-newsletter via our Subscriptions page. Thank you!

Have a great week and Keep Your Butts on Your Putts!

Betsy & Bruce