June 07 - Gateway Riders Index

Gateway Gazette
Gateway Riders BMW Club
The Legendary Riders of the Midwest
June 2007

Summer is here and the riding season is in
full swing. The spring was great for riding
with the exception of a few weeks of winterlike
weather. I’d like to start by thanking Rice and Helen, Gene
and Barb, Art and Judie, Al and Jill, and Marilyn and K.J. for
hosting the hungry hoards for the progressive dinner. If you
missed that, you missed the highlight of the year. Pete and Sally
had a great St. Patrick’s Day party with plenty left over for doggy
bags. We had a good turnout at the Moto Museum Grand Opening.
I hope that I can resist the idea of restoring an old bike until
the feeling goes away. I’ve always wanted to do that with an old
car. Bikes are cheaper, but I’d rather ride.
A few nights ago, I reviewed the “When and Where” and “Heard
on the Road” listings in the BMW Owners News. It’s the stuff
dreams are made of to me. My planning will have to fit around my
oldest son’s wedding, the International Rally, and other family
things. On top of that the Gateway Riders also has a full schedule
and several charities have spoken to us at meetings about the rides
they are sponsoring. So much to do and so little time. By the way,
if you are going to the International Rally and camping or moteling
on your own, please let me know you are there. Awards and
Tally is getting the club participation numbers from the club representatives
instead of the registration sheets this year. I think they
are doing that because many people don’t know their club MOA
number.
Webmaster Rice Race and Art Mester are redesigning the club
web page and the prototype looks great. It’s much more attractive
and easier to navigate. They are also going to set up a club Yahoo
list. If we get enough participation, all of you will be able to email
the list members to set up rides, find company to go to a
rally, or pass the word on anything of interest. Instructions on how
to register will be forthcoming. Rich will moderate at the beginning,
but he will need someone to take over those duties so that he
can concentrate on the website.
I regret to inform you that Lucie Sulfstede has resigned as club
Secretary for health reasons. Lucie has given a lot to the club as
Vice President and Secretary in the short time she has been a
member. I ask you all to keep her in your thoughts and support her
and Phil in any way you can.
Ride Safe,
Jay
Miscellany
By President Jay Green
Volume 35, Number 3
Gateway Riders BMW Club
PO Box 11563
Clayton, MO 63105
www.gatewayriders.com
President: Jay Green
618-277-7689
jay.green@dcma.mil
VP: Sue Anderson
314-831-7363
susnandrsn@aol.com
Secretary: Lucie Sulfstede
314-838-9179
lucieb717@yahoo.com
Treasurer: Judie Northcutt
314-567-4405
jlncutt@primary.net
Rally Chair: Larry Floyd
314-892-7012
sickleguy@charter.net
Technical: Art Mester
314-567-440
webam@primary.net
Membership: Bill McAllister
636-225-6548
wcmcallister@sbcglobal.net
Webmaster: Rich Race
636-207-9830
r.race@charter.net
Editor: Marilyn Roberts
314-878-5097
mrob46@earthlink.net
The Gazette is published in February,
April, June, August, October
and December. Deadline for the
next issue is August 1, 2007.
On the Cover: The Griff, Marilyn, Rich and Jay at the Kunza Reservoir in New York on the way to the
BMW MOA rally in Vermont. Photo by an unknown Harley rider.
Page 1

Several people got the
right answer to the “Where Am I?” cover on the April
issue, but Smitty was the first one. I must admit that I
was remiss in getting the prize to him in a timely
manner but that was taken care of at the May meeting.
The location was the riverfront in Clarksville.
This month’s cover pictures a happy group on the
way to the 2006 BMW MOA rally in Burlington,
Vermont. Next month there will be another group on
the way to West Bend, Wisconsin. For information
about the rally, see www.bmwmoa.org or the BMW
Owners News. And, if you don’t already know, the
2008 BMW MOA rally will be July 17-20 in Gillette,
Wyoming.
Eight members traveled to the Georgia Mountain
Rally in early May. Al Schroer, being relatively new
to the rally and camping scene, gives us a newbie’s
view of it all. There’s another take on it from me on
my website at www.mrob.net, click on “Stories.”
At long last Larry has found a bike for Andy. Parts II
and III finish that saga… I think. And Larry Stevenson
gives us a little current history about Bratislava,
Slovakia.
Beth Forristall and I ventured to the Hiawatha Rally
the first weekend in June. An account of that can be
found in these pages.
As always, I’m looking for photos and stories for the
Gazette. Or if you run across any interesting tidbits of
information about anything motorcycling, please pass
it along.
Ride safe,
Marilyn
The Editor
Speaks
Page 2
GR 2008 Calendar
Art Wheeler will put together a 2008 calendar near
the end of the year, hopefully in time to have it
available at the Falling Leaf Rally. Please go
through your motorcycle photos and send them to
him at awheeler2@charter.net.

Summer Events Calendar
Events Director: Jeff Ackerman 314-838-2161 Email: m_j_ackerman@sbcglobal.net
Note: The ride starting points depend on the direction we are going. See the list below:
NORTH: The east end of the Home Depot parking lot between New Halls Ferry & Old Halls Ferry, south
side of I-270 in North County.
SOUTH: The McStop at Peveley (Exit 180 off I-55 at Z) OR the Dierbergs grocery on Hwy 21, just south
of I-270 (on the L/H side at the first light).
WEST: The QuikTrip off I-70 by I-370 at Mid Rivers Mall (on the north side in St. Peters) OR the Amoco
just south of Hwy. 40 (I-64) on Long Rd., OR the MotoMart, on Hwy. 141, just north of I-44.
EAST: The Dierbergs or Home Depot – See above.
NOTE: Forever Endeavor has shop rides every 3 rd Saturday of the month (next rides are July 21 & August
18), followed by a hearty breakfast. Meet at 21 East 5th Street, Eureka, MO 63025. Phone 636-938-7336.
* June 22-24: Missouri State Rally. Located in the city park in Crane, MO (approx. 30 mi. SW of Springfield,
MO on state Hwy. 413). Contact Connie Myers, 417-890-0591.
* June 24: Ride to Lambert’s in Sikeston (or Rider’s Choice). Meet at the McStop at Peveley (I-55 and Z) at
8:00 a.m./leave at 8:30. Ride leader needed.
* July 6-7: Sally Mountain Park Bluegrass Festival in Queen City, MO (3 mi. west of Hwy. 63 on W) with
many good bands including Rhonda Vincent. Camping on site. Meet at the St. Peters QuikTrip (see above)
at 9:30 a.m./leave at 10:00. Call Dave Mattis, 314-968-1186.
* July 12-15: 35 th BMW MOA International Rally. This year's rally will be held at the Washington County
Fair Park near West Bend, WI. See the MOA magazine or www.bmwmoa.org for details.
* July 15: Today is National Ice Cream Day, time for a Sunday Ice Cream Ride. Meet at Dierbergs (see
above) and wander down to Sara’s Ice Cream at 124 Merchant St. in Ste. Genevieve (across from the hotel
in downtown) or the spot of your choice. Meet at 1:00 p.m./leave at 1:30. Ride leader needed.
NOTE: No meeting in July (except at the MOA rally, if you go).
* July 21: Rider’s Choice: Jefferson county fair in Hillsboro or the Crawford county fair in Cuba. Pick the
destination you want and head out. Meet at the Long Rd. Amoco at 9:00 a.m./leave at 9:30.
* July 27-29: AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days. HD Sportster (its 50 th anniversary) is the “Featured Marque”
at AMA Vintage M/C Days 2007 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, OH. (Remember, we are an
AMA club, too). For info, visit www.AMADirectlink.com or call 1-800-AMA-JOIN.
* July 29: Summer Picnic at Blessed Trinity in Batchtown, IL. (serving 11:15 to 3), meet at the Home Depot
in North County at 9:30 a.m./leave at 10:00. Take the scenic route to Calhoun County. Ride Leader needed.
* August 4 (Sat.): Ride to the Battle of Athens State Historic Site annual Civil War battle celebration near
Revere, MO (far NE corner of state). Meet at the St. Peters QuikTrip (see above) at 8:00 a.m./leave at 8:30.
* Aug. 11: Saturday evening ride to the Dar-E Cream, a neat old diner off Hwy. 30 and BB for burgers and
ice cream. Meet at the Long Rd. Amoco at 6:30 p.m./leave at 7:00. Dave Mattis, 314-968-1186.
Page 3
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Events, continued from previous page
* Aug. 15: Wednesday General Meeting at Culpepper’s, 12316 Olive Street Rd., just west of I-270 on
the south side of Olive (east end of the strip mall). Arrive no later than 6:30 p.m. if you plan on eating.
Meeting starts at 7:30 sharp.
Unfortunately, the Hard to Be Humble Rally is cancelled again for this year; they are trying for next
year.
Aug. 17-18: Bluegrass festival in Pacific. Give Dave Mattis a call at 314-968-1186 if you want to attend.
This might be something to do after the Forever Endeavor shop ride on the 18 th .
* August 19: Ride to the TT dirt track races at Peoria, IL. Meet on the east side of the Home Depot (see
above) at 8:00 a.m./leave at 8:30. Qualifying heats start at noon. Racing starts at 2 p.m. See
www.amaflattrack.com or www.peoriatt.net. Ride leader needed.
* Events that are starred are point events. BMW and AMA rallies are also point rides, even if not listed. Note: See the MOA
magazine or website at www.bmwmoa.org for more rally information. GR
Iron Butt Rally Volunteers Needed!
Held every two years, the Iron
Butt Rally is a “noncomptetitive”
11,000 mile
ride in 11 days. Riders are
required to check in at midway
checkpoint(s), and there
are bonus destinations that
take most riders much farther
than the minimum 11,000
miles. From the IBR website: “’Bonus Hunting’ as
it is called, can be both fun and mentally devastating.
Where else in the world do riders have to ride
11,000 miles in 11 days, while trying to find odd
places like the remains of the Branch Dividian
Compound, or stop by the Los Angeles County
morgue to purchase a toe tag or take a hike in
Lava Tube or perhaps visit the enchanted Guru
Lane in the Black Rock desert in a remote section
of Nevada?” See the Iron Butt Rally website at
www.ironbuttrally.com for more information.
The 2007 Iron Butt Rally will depart the Doubletree
Hotel in Chesterfield (Swingley Ridge Rd.)
on Monday, August 20 and finish at the same
place on Friday, August 31. The mid-point checkpoint
is at the same place on Friday, August 24
from 7 to 9 p.m. If you just want to spectate at the
mid-point checkpoint, the best time to arrive is a
couple hours before the checkpoint “window.”
Gateway member Jim Puckett is the organizational
Pooh-bah in St. Louis. He reports that there
Page 4
are 20 riders signed up for
service and most want to take
advantage of the ferry service
between the Doubletree and
Gateway BMW where oil and
tire changes will take place.
Several volunteer riders are
needed to ferry approximately
15 IBR bikes to and from
Gateway BMW during the mid-rally checkpoint
on August 24. Some riders may choose to arrive
early and to sleep while their bikes are being
serviced, but most will probably arrive during
the two hour check point window to rest and
plan the second leg of the IBR while their bikes
are being serviced. Jim would prefer experienced
competitive rallists and MSF instructors
to do the ferrying.
There will be a need for a few additional volunteers
in addition to the MSF pilots. Jim will
probably be the scheduler and keep a real time
schedule for each bike/ferry pilot. There will be
a need for a tires & oil materials coordinator and
a couple of "go fetch" people to get the materials
to the mechanics on time so that they don't have
to waste time finding John Doe's tires & oil.
If you are interested in filling any of these volunteer
positions, contact Jim Puckett at
j.c.puckett@gmail.com. You can be part of the
Iron Butt Rally! GR

My riding buddy, Fielding Childress, could not go to
the Georgia Mountain Rally. We usually share a motel
room when we travel, but now I would have to
stay by myself. This arrangement would leave me as
the only one in the group of eight from St. Louis who
would be staying in a warm, dry, motel room. I didn’t
want to be the odd man out, the butt of everyone’s
jokes, so I considered camping in a tent, something I
have not done in 25-plus years.
I don’t have any camping stuff, so I casually chatted
up Larry Floyd at the Progressive Dinner breakfast
about what it would take to pack all the stuff I would
need on my R1200RT. He told me to get some Helen
TwoWheels bags, pack them tight, get a Kermit
Chair, get at least a 2 person tent, to keep my stuff
inside with myself, and get an air mattress pad, so I
could maybe actually sleep all night. On the ground.
I really had my
mind set on having
the experience
of going to
my first camping
rally, so, I proceeded
to follow
Larry’s advice. I
checked out the
Kermit Chair
website, the
Helen TwoWheels
website,
Getting the Rally Experience
Al and his new camping gear. Photo by
Kim Ireland.
and a number of tent and bag sites. I wound up hitting
the credit card pretty hard. It would have been
cheaper to stay in a motel, probably even a really nice
motel. Federal Express was throwing packages at my
front door on a daily basis. First the chair—with my
name monogrammed on it, which was hilarious to my
wife. Then the bags from Helen, and the day before
leaving, the Big Agnes combo bag and blow-up pad. I
had to call the Big Agnes 800 number to figure out
the silly valve so I could actually get air in the pad
and keep it there. It was not very intuitive.
The tent shopping was the fun part. Fielding loves to
watch me spend money, so I had to take him along to
the Alpine Shop, which is practically around the corner
from his house. We put the salesman to the supreme
test, making him demonstrate a number of
tents over the course of an entire afternoon. We fi-
By Al Schroer
Page 5
nally opted for the 3 person, the most expensive of the
bunch, but probably the easiest to put up. I went for
easy because I could see myself exhausted, in the
dark, trying to figure out which pole goes in which
grommet, while everyone else was relaxing in their
chairs, watching me with great amusement as they
sipped their beers. Can you tell I was apprehensive?
With all the stuff in the house, I did a dry run. I blew
up the pad and stuffed it into the bag pocket, I got out
all the tent parts and put it up in the family room, with
the help of my son. I strapped the Helen bags on the
bike to make sure I knew how the straps worked. I
stuffed the bags the way Helen says to; she has an excellent
tutorial section on her website. I realized that
everything Larry had told me at breakfast was plagiarized
directly from Helen. But it was good advice nevertheless.
I got up to the sound of rain on the morning of departure.
The one thing I had not prepped was my new
Schuberth helmet. I had worn it once, to the Falling
Leaf, and in fiddling with the pivot on the shield, lost
one of the plastic keepers in the middle of I-270. Grass
Roots BMW sent me two plastic parts, one for a spare.
I was so nervous that morning, I had my wife put the
part on the helmet. Big mistake. It fell off in traffic not
more than three miles from home. Here I was, parked
on the sidewalk, dodging cars, trying to grab that stupid
little plastic disc. Neighbors were honking as they
drove by, thinking I was an idiot. It was raining, I was
20 minutes late, traffic was nasty, my Frogg Toggs
were a little humid inside, my shield was fogging, and
the plastic part was lying in the street, smashed. I almost
gave it up and went home. But I had come too
far. I could not give up. So I put my remaining spare
disc on the helmet, signaled from the sidewalk, and
got back into traffic. My determination paid off. Traffic
got better as I got close to the Arch, the rain let up,
and I was actually beginning to enjoy the day. I arrived
at the Bob Evans in Fairview Heights just as
everyone was finishing their breakfasts. Luckily, I had
eaten before I left. I grabbed a cup of coffee and followed
everyone out to the bikes. We were off on our
big adventure. At least it was big to me.
There were seven of us riding in the group. As we
headed east on I-64, we caught a little sprinkle or two.
I still had on my Froggs so I was smiling in my helmet,
amazed at how modern technology can keep a
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rider dry. But it started raining a bit more as we
headed south on I-57 at Mount Vernon. And by the
time we stopped for gas in Marion, we were riding in
what I would consider a veritable monsoon, with
spray coming off the trucks as we cruised by. My
Schuberth was feeling like a rain forest with little
drips dropping on my face. But hey, I was relatively
warm, and relatively dry. It could have been a lot
worse. As we crossed the big Ohio River into Kentucky,
the sky finally lightened up and that was the
end of the rain. Off came the rain gear and we had a
beautiful afternoon ride to Manchester, Tennessee
where we stopped at a KOA.
I have never stayed at a KOA. We stayed in a couple
of log cabins with bunk beds and window air conditioners.
We unpacked our bikes, cleaned ourselves
up, and walked to a nearby O’Charleys. We were all
ready for a cocktail and dinner. Marilyn sipped a bit
on her margarita grande, and Bill Graham was more
than willing to finish it off. I spilled red wine on my
clean shirt (shirt number 2 of 4) and we had a great
meal. We sat and talked under a gazebo at the camp
as the Air Force practiced touch-and-go’s with noisy
cargo planes from nearby Arnold Air Base, just over
our heads. We turned in at 9 p. m., knowing we had a
long day behind us, and good weather and good
roads ahead of us. The Air Force quit flying, and the
noise from trucks on the highway was muffled by log
walls and the fan of the a/c unit. We slept well on the
pink plastic mattresses with our sleeping bags on top.
Day Two was fabulous. I know its great riding when
I start laughing. Like the first time I ever rode my
own motorcycle, I was laughing, because this Highway
30 through eastern Tennessee was just a blast:
farm country, little towns, picturesque scenery,
mountain switchbacks, curves that went on so long
you could not see the end of them. You could not ask
for better roads.
We arrived at the rally around 4 p.m. and pitched our
tents with little fanfare. I was glad I had set the tent
up a few nights before; I actually thought it looked
like I knew what I was doing. We sat in our chairs,
listened to music from the bandstand by “Deep
Fried” until bedtime, and had a beer or two. I fell
asleep with no problem, surprised at how comfortable
that air mattress was. It was cool, down to about
50. It was good sleeping weather…until the thunder
and lightning started at 2 a.m. I was rudely awakened
by the rain hitting my tent like steel balls hitting a
metal pan. I flipped on my LED flashlight, bought
especially for the occasion, and was totally impressed
Page 6
Al (left) with Lyle Grimes in camp on
Friday night. Photo by Kim Ireland.
by the fact that the rain
was outside the tent,
and I was dry as a
bone inside. Sweet! I
rolled over in the bag
and went back to sleep
after a few claps of
thunder and bright
lightning.
Saturday was supposed
to be a riding day. Not a long day, but a nice
trip into the nearby woods and mountains of North
Carolina, northern Georgia, eastern Tennessee, and
maybe even to a motorcycle museum. But the clouds
hung low and dark. Smitty, Jim Shaw, and Bill Graham
were undaunted by the prospect of rain. They
took off for the museum after breakfast in the rally
barn. Jeff Ackerman and Larry Floyd waited until after
lunch, and they headed off on one of the recommended
rides, following a rally-supplied mapped
route. Marilyn and I hung back, relaxing, taking it
easy, and staying dry by jumping between vendor
tents, the bike show pavilion, and the rally barn. It
rained off and on all day. A typical Georgia Mountain
Rally, so I’m told. I drank coffee and even bought a
mesh jacket which I enjoyed wearing as it kept me
warm and dry with its liner. This was so relaxing that
I was starting to forget about my daily responsibilities
to my wife, kids, house, company, mom, brother, etc.
My cell phone had no service down there, no one
could reach me. I decided to take another day and go
home in two days rather than one. By not riding on
Saturday, it made perfect sense. The rain had caused
the 4-day riding trip to turn into a 5 day trip, riding 4
days. The rest of the crowd from St. Louis straggled
in towards the end of the day. Both groups had been
in rain all day. They were not happy. I think Marilyn
and I made the right choice.
Sunday morning we broke camp. The sky was beginning
to turn blue in spots, showing off the beautiful
green mountains around our campsite. The bulk of the
group got breakfast and took off for a straight shot
home. Jeff took off to a friend’s house in Atlanta.
Marilyn, Kim Ireland, and I headed north and east to
the white water rafting country of North Carolina and
to the Cherohala Skyway. It was a beautiful morning
to ride: clear, cool, great roads, great scenery. It actually
got cold on the Cherohala as we were up to 5700
feet at the top. We were almost down when we met a
pack of sportbikes on a hairpin turn. They were beginning
their ascent in typical fashion, cooking a little hot
in the turn. Bike one hit the brakes as the turn was
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sharper than he anticipated. Bikes two, three, four,
and five followed suit, hitting the brakes hard. Bike
six was another matter. His eyes got huge as he realized
what was happening. He could not stop in time.
Marilyn was leading us and coming through the apex
of the turn downhill. Number six had no choice, he
couldn’t stop. He didn’t want to hit Marilyn head on,
so he went wide on the turn, going outside of all three
of us before getting back in formation with the group
heading up the hill. He didn’t hesitate and it all went
smoothly. Marilyn did not have time to even flinch,
so it just happened and luckily no one got hurt. I
thought it was hilarious. Marilyn just shook her head;
I’m sure she was mad at the craziness and the situation
that she was put in, without any doing on her
part. They were all riding too fast, and too close together.
Luckily, cool heads prevailed and the day
went on without a potential mishap. We talked it out
and it was all over at the next gas stop in Tellico
Plains.
In Tellico Plains Marilyn noticed that my rear tire
was badly worn. I had planned to get new tires when
I returned from Georgia. I left with about 5300 miles
on the bike. I was sure I could get 6500 miles on
those Dunlops, not a problem. Besides, I was so busy
getting camping gear together before the trip, I didn’t
have time to go get tires put on.
We rode back to Manchester, and followed roads
west from there through beautiful Tennessee horse
country, ranch after ranch, the next one bigger than
the last. White fences, green grass, barns, big brick
houses on hills, beautiful horses. The highway was
called the Tennessee Walker Parkway. I had never
heard of it but truly enjoyed a Sunday ride. Kim, who
brought up our rear, has horses at home and mused
that his wife would have loved to see this. I worried
about my back tire.
We decided to camp again that night, south of Nashville,
in a AAA-recommended park. Did I mention
that I was so totally along for the ride that I completely
forgot a map? All I had was a Missouri map.
Normally, I would have printed off color copies of
Mapquest routes with mileages, verbiage, highlighted
routes, and the whole nine yards. But with no maps, I
was at the mercy of the group.
No big deal, we did fine…until we stopped at a convenience
store in Columbia, Tennessee. Marilyn
checked my tire as I slurped a Gatorade. She announced
that it was still holding. I decided to look it
over by rolling the bike a bit. My stomach went into a
Page 7
knot as I stared at a section
of back tire with
steel cord showing
through clearly. I knew
that we were riding
pretty hot on those
mountain roads back
there, and I knew that I
had a fairly heavy load
with all my gear on back,
but I had not wished for
this, at least not in Nowheresville,
not on a
Sunday night. The one
thing that I did bring was
my ‘MOA Anonymous
book. So I got out my
cell phone charger and phone and began making calls.
We borrowed a yellow pages book from the clerk inside
and started looking for bike shops. No one was
open of course, and no one had emergency numbers.
But we did reach the head of the BMW club in Nashville.
He turned out to be our saving grace by directing
us up toward Nashville, and helping us find a
fabulous Honda/Yamaha shop that was open on Mondays.
We had a nice Sunday evening ride through Spring
Hill and Franklin, past the GM Saturn plant and some
nice shopping/residential areas. We kept the speed
below 50 as I rode prepared for a blow-out at any
time. We holed up in a motel and had dinner at a
Cracker Barrel. Unfortunately, Cracker Barrel doesn’t
serve alcohol because I sure could have used a drink
that night. Next morning we got to the dealership, got
a new Michelin Pilot Road that was pre-balanced, and
were on our way home by 10:30 a.m. The dealership
even made a follow-up call a week later to make sure
my service experience was everything that I expected!
We toured more Tennessee countryside, did the route
through the Land Between the Lakes, caught the interstate,
and got home by dark.
I didn’t ride the bike until almost a week later. But
this experience will stay with me forever. I owe a lot
to Marilyn Roberts and Kim Ireland for sticking with
me through the cell phone melee that Sunday night.
They stayed with me at that creepy convenience store
while I scavenged for assistance for my ruined tire.
They never let on that my tire was an inconvenience
or a change of plan. They were true friends all the
way. Next trip I will be more prepared. Good tires,
maps, and I won’t forget to take the good friends. GR

Part II: In last month's Gazette, I chronicled the experience
Sharon and I had while looking for a motorcycle
for my son. Although I was somewhat dismayed
by the experience we had, the search continued
with the objective to find a good, rehabable entry
level sized motorcycle for Andy for around $1000.
The Sunday ads section of the Post-Dispatch gave me
my next lead. The article advertised a Honda Shadow
for a mere $700 that had just passed inspection. I figured
"passing inspection" would mean it actually had
turn signals and a working horn, unlike the last bike
we looked at. It sounded like it could be a winner, so
I called the owner right away. He informed me that
someone else was looking at it, and he would call me
back if they declined to purchase it. He did call me
back about 30 minutes later and told me the bike was
still for sale, but added that someone called to tell
him they were on the way to look at it now. It was
obvious that his intention was to sell first come first
serve, not in the order of inquiry. The bummer was
that this guy lived in High Ridge, which put me at a
distinct disadvantage. Sharon and I dropped what we
were doing and jumped in the car in a manner reminiscent
of the Amazing Race.
It wasn't a bad day at all for a ride, which of course
would have been much better if we could have cycled.
But no matter, we were on a quest for my boy.
The directions turned out to be pretty good, and we
eventually ended up on a dirt road that rolled by some
double-wides with rusted tin skirts. When I turned
into the guy's driveway, there was another vehicle
there and the driver was leaning on the hood writing
the bike owner a check. Curses, foiled again.
After making the mad dash all the way to High
Ridge, I at least wanted to see what I had missed. It
was indeed a Honda Shadow and maybe it passed
inspection, but if that were true I would say the inspector
was the owner's brother-in-law. There may
have been paint on it, but it was hard to tell as the
color was about the same as mud. The tank was
dented on the side and all the plastic and metal parts
showed the effects of being out in the weather for a
long time. The side cover panels were missing, exposing
the dusty wiring and a few spider webs. I took
a short walk around, decided the guy who bought it
would likely die on it, and got back into the car to
head home.
OK, strike two. I wasn't expecting to get anything
A Bike for Andy: Parts II and III
By Larry Floyd
Page 8
fancy for the money we have to spend, but I would
like to get something at least worth the time and effort
to restore to acceptable riding condition. Somewhere
there must be a bike for Andy, but it sure isn't in High
Ridge today.
Part III: For those who have not been keeping up with
this saga, my son decided he wanted to try motorcycling
again and commissioned his dear Dad to look
for an appropriate mount. The only kicker is that he
wants to be cheap and find something for around
$1,000. While I would love to find a fixer up BMW
for him, you can't even buy old basket case airheads
anymore for that kind of money. So, I have been
watching the ads for anything in a cruiser or standard
type bike that would be in his price range. If you have
been reading my reports of bikes I have looked at, you
will know how discouraging the quest has been to
date.
A couple of weeks ago, Art Mester forwarded an email
from a guy at Boeing who had a motorcycle for
sale. The ad was sent to all of the Boeing motorcycle
heads with a note that the machine was looking for a
good home and was in pretty good condition. With
again some reserved hope, I looked over the ad more
carefully. The bike was a 1972 Honda 750. Gee, a 35
year old Japanese motorcycle. My son is only 28, if he
was a mini-bike, that motorcycle could be his father.
Still with reservations, I opened up the attached picture.
It was a bit fuzzy, but it looked like all the parts
were attached and it wasn't bent in half. The color was
that metal flake orange that seemed so cool in the
disco age, but now is about as dated as peace symbols
on gold chains worn with leisure suits. The ad said it
had 41,000 miles and was in good condition. The
seller was listed as only the second owner.
I didn't get too excited. Sure, the Honda 750 was a
classic design that persists today as the Nighthawk
750, but we are talking hard to find parts, drum rear
brakes, point plate ignitions, and non-hardened valve
seats. After a couple of days, I looked at the ad again,
and fired off an e-mail to the seller. The response
came back "out of office reply", so I just let it go at
that.
About 4 days later, I got an e-mail response from the
seller. The price was $1500, or best offer, and the bike
was available for me to look at. The asking price was
a bit above my son's budget, but I figured if it didn't
Continued on next page

Continued from previous page
need too much, it would still be acceptable. So, I set
up an evening to look at it. Since Art has owned these
bikes, and since he lived pretty close to the seller, I
asked him to come along.
When we pulled up, the house and yard were neatly
manicured. I rang the bell, and Steve, the owner came
bounding out with a big grin. Unlike the previous
sellers I had dealt with during my ill-fated search to
date, he actually seemed normal and rational. He said
he bought the bike from it's original owner 7 years
ago, had it professionally serviced, and then rode it
rather sparingly since. This was beginning to sound
like there might actually be some promise here. We
went around to the garage; again everything was
clean and neatly arranged.
The bike was, indeed, a 1972 Honda 750. These came
out in 1969, and immediately reengineered the motorcycling
world. Honda put out a smooth, quiet 4 cylinder
motorcycle with an electric start that would out
perform any of the big British or American bikes of
the day, and for a price that I vaguely recall being less
than $1800 MSRP. The early 750's are collectable.
The 1969 sandcast models are the most rare, but most
of the early years with the 4 into 4 pipes have at least
some historical and sentimental values beyond just
the roll it down the road return on your investment.
For a 35 year old bike, this one was pretty clean.
Heck, for a brand new bike, this one was pretty clean.
The tires were great, the replaced, but stock, exhaust
pipes were rust free, and the seat in great condition.
The gauge faces were faded and cracked, and the tank
had one dent, some faded paint on the top, and a
small nick of rust near the gas cap. The side covers
were in good condition, just a small nick on one of
them, and all of the badges were original and in pristine
condition. There was a very small dent in the top
of the front chrome fender, but no rust anywhere.
Gee, this was one nice old motorcycle.
The owner fired it up, but admitted that it was
"running a bit rough." Oh, oh, I thought, here it
comes, this thing looks good but it is a total mechanical
wreck. It started up nicely and ran pretty
smoothly, but Art detected uneven heating in the head
pipes, with a resultant diagnosis of carburetor fouling.
Unlike the first bike I had looked at for Andy, this
one actually had a working horn and turn signals!
The brake fluid was old, and the chain, although a
replacement O ring, was much too tight. The owner
had taken good care of this bike, but obviously did
Page 9
not fully understand all of the regular maintenance
issues. He did use Amsoil, and also reported using
only premium gas although he did not use lead substitute
additives. The inside of the tank was Creamed by
the previous owner.
Art suggested I should ride it, but the owner stated he
just was not comfortable with that. I understand. Motorcycle
shops and sellers are often very hesitant about
a stranger riding away on their motorcycle. It is certainly
to BMW's credit that they support a standard
ride-before-you-buy policy. Most marques don't. I did
ask the owner if he would ride the bike at speed
around the block so I could listen to it and verify that
the transmission shifted. He was happy to comply
with this.
After that was done, he took us back into the garage to
show us all of the spare parts. He had an aftermarket
windshield, a luggage rack, a spare original seat with
a small tear in it, an original owner's manual, the stock
took kit, a shop manual, a new oil filter, a new set of
stock mirrors, a chrome headlight bezel, and a coffee
table type book on the history of the Honda 750. This
antique came with a lot of goodies!
So he said "shoot me an offer," which I did (somewhat
below the asking price) and he replied "sold." Andy
now owns a classic Honda motorcycle that is 7 years
older than he is. He is very excited. All he has to do
now is take his MSF course and get his motorcycle
endorsement again, and we have to get this bike in
good everyday running shape.
The bike needs to have all of the fluids changed, the
brakes flushed and new fluid put in, the carbs removed
and cleaned, the plugs cleaned and gapped or
replaced, the chain and sprocket cleaned and adjusted,
and the points cleaned and set or replaced. All of that
is pretty doable stuff, and a whole lot less than I was
anticipating on the basis of the other wrecks I looked
at before finding this gem. Art is going to help out, as
he has worked on these bikes before, and maybe do
some tech articles for the Gazette or website.
Andy ended up with a nice, clean, classic that should
be a great platform for him to get back into motorcycling.
It would not take too awful much to do a complete
museum quality restoration, but then you wouldn't
want to ride it. Things with engines just ought to be
ridden, at least once in awhile, and this one just seems
to whisper "ride me" when you thumb that innovative
electric starter that changed the face of the motorcycling
industry. GR

The 31st Annual Hiawatha Rally
I stood there, leaning on a tree, holding a margarita
in one hand and a half-day old banana pecan buckwheat
pancake from breakfast in the other. I said
to my compatriots as I wobbled the dry pancake in
the air, “A margarita and a half-day old pancake…
it just doesn’t get any better than this.” We’d just
arrived at the Hiawatha Rally and set up camp in a
drizzle.
I’d ridden to
the rally with
Gateway
member Beth
Forristall, and
we were soon
approached
by Larry and
Bruce, who
were camped
nearby and
Beth sitting in her Kermit Chair.
offered us
Margaritas from Larry’s blender. The two of them
had clearly had enough and we needed one after
riding the last 100 or so miles in rain. Thank goodness
the rally packet included rally mugs; we put
them to immediate use. Beth set up her Kermit
Chair after chugging part of her margarita and announced
that she’d always thought it best to put
one of those chairs together before the fog of alcohol,
but she realized that putting the chair together
was easier after imbibing alcohol. We had made
two new friends, which later included Bruce’s
wife Barb, and Dave, who was camped next to us.
I’d spent the night before at Beth’s house bathed in
the light of her wonderful hospitality, and that of
her cat Spud, too. We capped off a good evening
of visiting and a great home cooked dinner with an
ice cream treat on the patio of Princeton’s Dairy
Queen. And those banana pecan buckwheat pancakes
were accompanied the next morning with
scrambled eggs and bacon.
Southeast Minnesota’s rainy weather pattern continued
through most the weekend, despite our rain
deterrents: my umbrella and Beth’s Outdoor Research
Gore-Tex hat. We even stayed dressed in
our waterproof riding pants and waterproof boots,
By Marilyn Roberts
Page 10
just to avoid getting other pants and shoes wet and
muddy. Friday evening’s entertainment in the pavilion
included watching the mud and puddles get
deeper and waiting for the hour to get later so that
we could go to bed. For some reason, both of us
were very sleepy and we tried to outdo each other
with number of yawns.
Our yawning was interrupted by a dinner of
hearty vegetable soup served up by the Minnesota
club and later with hotdogs cooked over a fire,
which Bruce handily got going with only newspaper
despite the pouring rain. Prior to the hotdog
roast Beth and I succumbed to ice cream at the
Money Creek Haven restaurant. Speaking of the
restaurant’s ice cream, they also serve it for
breakfast in a concoction known as Oatmeal Delight,
which is a big bowl of oatmeal topped with
a large dollop of softserve ice cream—your
choice, either chocolate, vanilla, or vanilla/
chocolate swirl. I had it for breakfast on Sunday
morning and found it extremely rich and I could
not finish it, but it got me down the road to lunch.
But on Saturday we did get
a wonderfully cool and
sunny day for most the day.
Some rally participants
rode the GS ride while others
took advantage of demo
rides provided by Leo’s
South. Demo bikes were
not all BMWs; most were
but one could also ride a
Moto Guzzi Breva or a
Piaggio MP3 scooter. The
many children at the rally enjoyed the spring-fed
swimming pool on Saturday afternoon.
The rally featured a Poker Walk in Lanesboro,
Minnesota, about 30 miles west of the rally
grounds. Participants collected ribbons from five
of seven businesses, which required the riders to
explore the quaint little town and probably have
lunch there. Upon returning to the rally site, participants
drew a poker hand from a deck of cards.
Time limits for the Poker Walk coincided with
Lanesboro’s annual Rhubarb Festival in Sylvan
Continued on next page

Continued from previous page
Park. I was busy collecting ribbons and having a
tasty brat with sauerkraut for lunch at Das Wurst
Haus German Deli and I missed the Rhubarb Festival’s
entertainment: the Rhubarb Sisters singing
various rhubarb songs, the rhubarb juggling, the
Rhubarb Olympics and various rhubarb tastings
(breads, desserts, candies, etc.). I loved Lanesboro
and I will definitely go back there when I have
more time to visit restaurants and shops, and
maybe walk part of the Root River State Trail, a
60-mile bicycle/walking trail that parallels the
Root River. See www.lanesboro.com for more
information.
Garrison Keillor was in Lanesboro to do two Prairie
Home Companion shows. Because Beth volunteered
to check out and check in Poker Walk participants
at the rally grounds, she arrived in Lanesboro
about the time I was leaving. She saw Garrison
on the streets of Lanesboro but I did not.
I took a ride after leaving
Lanesboro. I had no idea
that southeastern Minnesota
had such great motorcycle
roads! Along
with being seen in Lanesboro
again, I’ll also be
seen roaming the area’s roads.
Back on the rally grounds I drew one of the worst
poker hands. And I didn’t win any door prizes,
either. I was in the lead to win the Long Distance
Female award until Paul and Voni Glaves arrived
on Saturday and Voni signed up. It wouldn’t have
mattered if she used her Kansas or Big Bend,
Texas address, she still rode farther. I was a threetime
loser but it didn’t matter; I drowned my sorrows
in more ice cream.
Rally organizers must have been watching the radar
because they began grilling steaks early and
served dinner—steak, baked potato, slaw, baked
beans, a roll and dessert cake—early. Sure enough,
rain began again while most rally goers were eating
dinner in the pavilion. The pavilion was a nice
gathering place, especially during rainy periods,
and it was large enough to accommodate most of
the 350 rally goers. Beth had been dying to roast
marshmallows over the fire on Friday and again in
Saturday night’s fire. Her wish was finally
granted. A Minnesota club member went into town
Page 11
and bought not only a bag of marshmallows, but
also graham crackers and Hershey bars to make
s’mores.
Switchback (www.waygoodmusic.com/
switchback), a Celtic soul duo from Chicago that
has recorded nine CDs, entertained on Saturday
night, and I was told that they are the usual entertainment
at this rally. You can find their music on
iTunes. I’m a new fan; their vocals, guitar playing
and guitar-based percussion were fantastic. Toes
tapped and people danced.
As I sat in the pavilion
with friends
near sunset, the
low sun broke
through the clouds
to light tree tops
with a golden
glow, and a double
rainbow appeared
in the sky. Switchback was playing a particularly
lively and happy song. I smiled. Yup, it just doesn’t
get any better than this.
See more photos at http://mrob.smugmug.com/
gallery/2950830#159420944. GR
Riding Tips From the Internet
Ears and Feet
An emergency treatment I used once for ear pain
caused by an earplug was Anbesol toothache pain
product applied with a Q-tip. I was a week into a
long trip and far from home. It saved the day and
the trip for me. —Frank Glamser
I too have suffered sore ears while using ear plugs
on week-long or multi-week rides. I have found
that if I clean my ears out each night with a small
splash of hydogen peroxide from the drug store, it
eliminates the problem for me. One more possible
solution for a problem. —George Wacasar
Use medicated powder on your feet everyday on a
long trip. It keeps the odor down and helps eliminate
fungal infections. —Marilyn

Learning to appreciate Bratislava, Slovakia happens
slowly. It is not an instant love affair that sweeps you
off your feet, but rather, grows slowly by exploration,
communication, and respect for its rich culture.
It is a rare combination of old and new. For instance,
gypsies can be seen begging on the streets or hitching
a free ride on the rickety old trams that clatter up and
down the main avenues. The hotels along the Danube
are modern and comfortable. They offer $20 cigars,
great meals, and exquisitely decorated rooms that
provide the traveler with a sweeping view of activities
on the river.
Bratislava’s renovated old town bustles with activity.
No cars are allowed in the square and foot traffic consisting
mainly of strolling Slovaks. Fourteenth century
buildings rise up around the plaza and many are
in various stages of restoration. Fresh paint appears
everywhere. Particularly impressive is the recently
modernized opera house across from the city park.
If you’re an espresso fan, the cafés serve some of the
best you can find anywhere in the world. For an
added bonus try a small cup of Turkish delight for
sixty cents. Rich and robust, it has that great taste that
only true coffee drinkers appreciate.
Old town’s main courtyard
is a place to rest and
people-watch. Like most
European towns and cities,
a large fountain is the
centerpiece of the square.
Vendors peddle small
statues, wind chimes,
artwork, and pastries in a
half circle around the
square. Small tents house
their wares and shield
them from rain or bright
sunshine.
In one corner of the
square a small crowd has gathered around a ten-yearold
boy playing a flute. His eight-year-old sister
works the crowd. Her sad eyes continually dart back
and forth searching the crowd for potential donors.
Coins are placed in a plastic Burger King cup that she
thrusts in your face following eye contact. Occasionally
the boy stops playing and yells at the girl to
“work harder.” Occasionally, a passerby tosses a coin
Bratislava Revisited
By Larry Stevenson
Page 12
in the cup, which produces a broad smile from the
boy. He responds by blowing harder and louder on the
flute. At “intermission” he quickly empties the cup,
examining each coin carefully, and then drops them in
to his pocket.
Several blocks away the local Tesco is doing a booming
business. Shoppers crowd the store corridors examining
everything from washing machines to fresh
fruit. Shelves are lined with goods representing the
entire global community. Pert shampoo, Swiss
watches, and locally made microwave ovens are displayed
and reasonably priced. It appears that the Slovaks,
long under communist rule, have embraced the
luxury of “stuff.” A short distance away McDonald’s
and Pizza Hut are doing a booming lunchtime business.
Young adults happily get their daily fix of pan
sized pepperoni and coke.
So, what about the motorcycles? The short answer
is…there are none to be found anywhere. Occasionally,
a Harley can be seen, pipes blaring loudly and
speeding westward toward Vienna on the main highway.
The rider, dressed distinctly American with
fringed leathers, and beanie helmet, is lightly packed
and soon disappears among the traffic heading toward
the border crossing.
So, as spring flowers begin to bloom throughout the
city, life chugs forward for the Slovaks. This “city of
students” continues to enjoy their tall pilsners at the
Montana Bar and Grill or the Irish Pub. Like the song
the “Times They Are A-Changin’,” so it is true for this
small European country. A landscape dotted with old
castles, nude sunbathers, big German cars, and neon
signs suggest a strong hint of western culture and influence.
Perhaps symbolic of their transition, the old
bell tower clock, high above the town square, has
stopped running at 2:16. It has been that way since the
previous spring, suggesting that capitalistic change
happens slowly in this part of the world. GR

1. KNOW AND BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE INVISIBLE TO ALL OTHER DRIVERS.
2. When approaching any intersection, assume cars traveling in the opposite direction are going to turn left
and run over you. Be prepared to take evasive action.
3. ALWAYS-ALWAYS have an escape route out of a situation to avoid the consequences of other peoples'
mistakes. Keep looking for the gap that you can use when someone else screws up.
4. Adjust your speed to your reaction time. At the end of a tiring day it will be much longer than it was on the
way to work at 8:00 a.m., so ride with bigger safety margins.
5. Check BOTH directions when the light turns green. Sooner or later someone will run that red light and run
into you.
6. Drivers who are using their cellular phones are not using their brains. Watch out for them.
7. Mirrors are important. If they don't show anything but your elbows, buy some that do. Always use your
mirrors.
8. Use other people's mirrors, too. Look into the mirror of the car in front of you. That way you can see
where they are looking, and how attentive they are. If you can see them, chances are better that they can see
you.
9. Trucks and vans often have a hard time checking their right side blind spot, and if you can’t see the truck
mirrors, the driver can’t see you in the mirror.
10. Slippery oil, antifreeze, and ATF look like water, particularly in low light. Try to avoid all wet spots, but
if you can't, ride over them smoothly.
11. Check under (behind) parked cars. Those legs you see belong to a child who may run out in front of you.
12. Anticipate the moves of other vehicles. Drivers don't always use their turn signals in traffic, but you
MAY be able to tell where they are going by watching their heads turn just before they change lanes.
13. Treat all metal surfaces—train tracks, bridge gratings, manhole covers—with the utmost respect. They
offer very little traction when dry, and almost none when wet. Ride over them as smoothly as possible.
14. Ride in a gear that will allow you to accelerate quickly if you need to get out of a tight spot.
15. Never lose your temper when riding...If you do, STOP, take a breather, and then resume your ride.
16. Always be on the lookout for, and expect, the unexpected.
17. Avoid racing with other motorists.
18. IF YOU'RE NOT SURE, DON'T!
Words to Survive By
From the BMW Owners of Nova Scotia
Page 13

If you want some attention out on
the road, here’s a helmet that will
ensure that.
Men villagers of Banaue in Ifugao province in northern Philippines join the
friendly wooden scooter race during a recent culture-based festival. From
www.flickr.com/photos/harley501/.
The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English will be the official language
of the European Union rather than German, which was the other possibility.
As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement
and has accepted a 5- year phase-in plan that would become known as "Euro-English".
In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c". Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy.
The hard "c" will be dropped in favour of "k". This should klear up konfusion, and keyboards kan have one
less letter.
There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome "ph" will be replaced with
"f". This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter.
In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more
komplikated changes are possible.
Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate
speling.
Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent "e" in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away.
By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th" with "z" and "w" with "v".
During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords kontaining "ou" and after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a
reil sensi bl riten styl.
Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi tu understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop
vil finali kum tru.
Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in ze forst plas. GR
Page 14

The Gateway
Gazette
In This Issue:
Summer Events
Info About August’s Iron Butt Rally
Larry Floyd Finds a “New” Bike
Al Tells Us About the Rallying Experience
Larry Stevenson Visits Bratislava
Marilyn and Beth go to Minnesota
Info About the 2008 GR Calendar
Words to Live By