Colorado Retreads Newsletter

Updated 14 Dec 98

Colorado Retreads Motorcycle Club
Retreads International (AMA Charter 3233)
Bill & Phyllis Ranzinger (State Representatives)
7694 South Madison Circle
Littleton, CO 80122
Phone: 303-220-5126
E-mail: Wranzinger@aol.com
Colorado Retread Web Site: http://members.aol.com/wranzinger/index.html
International Retread Web Site: http://www.hsv.tis.net/~pvteye/retreads.html (unofficial)

Total Membership: 46

News Items: If you have any items of interest, i.e., adhoc motorcycle trips, etc., please send a write up (e-mail or letter) to Bill & Phyllis Ranzinger and it will be posted on our web site.

Injury/Medical Problems: If you hear of any Retread member who has been injured or has some serious medical problem, please contact Jeanie Myers (e-mail or telephone). She will take care of sending a card. A news item will also be posted on our web site.

T-Shirts: Order your Colorado T-Shirts from "Get Personal Embroidery" at 5202 Hwy. Y, Two Rivers, WI 54241, 414-755-4094. Ask for short sleeves with a blue gray denim effect (made by Signal). Your motorcycle brand/model and color with Colorado Retreads underneath should be embroidered on the left side (over your heart). You can also have your name added if you want. The price is about $23.00 per shirt plus $3.00 for shipping. Let's go in style!

CBs: For those of you with CBs, our standard channel for the Colorado Retreads is 31. This channel historically has had minimum traffic from other people. CBs open up a new dimension of fun and safety. They are available in custom installations and a variety of portable models at a reasonable price. We obviously encourage the use of CBs.

Group riding: It takes a lot or organization to have all aspects of our rides go smoothly. The ride leader(s) takes a lot of responsibility to make this happen. Please be considerate and do your part by being on time at meeting points, meals and "take off" times. If you have a problem, please talk to the ride leader(s).

News Update for October - December 98

Happy Holidays: We hope all of you had a fabulous Thanksgiving. May you have a blessed Christmas season.

Newsletters: This is our last newsletter for 1998. The next newsletter will be in February 1999 and will contain all the details of the scheduled rides for 1999. You must have paid your 1999 dues to receive the February newsletter.

Crash Survival: Here are some interesting statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: 67% of motorcyclists in accidents would NOT have suffered brain damage had they been wearing a helmet. Studies show that 85% of all inpatient hospital costs for crash victims are borne by society (i.e., insurance companies and taxpayers), rather than by individual drivers.

Motorcycle tips & techniques (Copyrighted by The Master Strategy Group and is being used with permission): Highway boards/pegs. Highway boards can be dangerous - just like your throttle. On the other hand, used appropriately, they can be viewed as a safety device. Of course, if your feet are up on highway boards they are not on your foot controls. How in the world could that be thought to in any way be safer than leaving your feet on your regular pegs and covering those controls? It is NOT safer to have your feet on the highway boards than on your regular pegs. It is, however, a safety feature to be able to stretch your legs for brief periods of time by being able to place your feet on firmly mounted surfaces forward of their normal positions. Some people, over extended rides, dangle their feet towards the ground. Others try to put their feet on engine guards or on their passenger pegs. All of these alternatives are dangerous by comparison to using highway boards. Isn't it safer to just leave your feet on the regular pegs all the time? Nope! You need circulation in your legs and leaving them on the regular pegs over extended riding time tends to restrict that circulation. You could, of course, simply stand on those pegs for awhile as you tool down the road, and if you don't have highway boards that might be just the thing to do for you. But highway boards are especially important add-ons for the tourer because they allow you to stretch your legs without having to unbalance the bike or raise its center of gravity markedly. They are worth using at appropriate times.

24 Sep - 7 Oct.....Route 66.....By Bill Ranzinger: Art McMillan and I are now official Route 66 "Roadies." After 14 continuous days "in the saddle" we completed 5,000 miles without incident, over 2,000 of those miles on Route 66. This was more than a trip....it was a tour, journey and adventure all wrapped up into one. The weather was picture perfect every day....sunny and warm with highs in the 80s and 90s. There just has to be a Retread Weather God looking after us. Route 66, better known as "The Mother Road" is truly a step back into time. There are lots of old cafes and memorabilia shops to visit. Route 66 is one of the all-time great comeback stories. It was stamped on the American public's consciousness in 1926 and was officially retired as a U.S. Highway in 1978. Through the decades this remarkable road has been celebrated in song and literature. Route 66 became an escape route for the Dust Bowl pilgrims, a thoroughfare for troop convoys bound for war, and the most popular highway in the country for droves of tourists. A ribbon that tied the nation together, Route 66's concrete and asphalt pavement snaked across eight states. It was known as the Main Street of America. It still is. Route 66 is clearly not a path for people in a hurry. Route 66 is for a special breed. It's for those of us willing to slow the pace just to watch the sun sizzle on the horizon. It's for those who are willing to sample chili from a stranger's pot, slurp root beer floats out of frosty mugs, or tackle a burger platter that requires at least a dozen napkins to sop the grease off hands and chin. It's for folks who would rather drive through the heart of a small town than make time on the interstate. It's for people who will always be suckers for neon lights and home-cooked meals. I like to put it this way....Route 66 is for people who find time holy. That about sums it up. The venture really started when I met Art in Cheyenne, WY. No "super slabs" for us, so we took back roads through Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois. We now have a new appreciation for these fine states. We started Route 66 about 100 miles southwest of Chicago to avoid major traffic. The road was well marked in Illinois; but, it was also pretty rough. Shea's restored gas station was a real highlight filled with memorabilia from the 40s, 50s and 60s. Then it was on to Missouri the "show me state." Actually it should have been called the "show me the WAY state. We got lost many times, but recovered. The road, however, was in much better shape than Illinois. We also discovered that navigating Route 66 was the toughest challenge we've ever had. It takes at least two sets of eye balls. We had an old 1935 AAA map plus a current map and other aids. It was still tough to stay on the road without making an occasional error. We had morning coffee, lunch and an afternoon snack at some really neat historic cafes. Only 12 miles of Route 66 go through Kansas and it was well marked and in great shape. Oklahoma exceeded our expectations. One section of The Mother Road was continuous for 260 miles and in perfect shape. A highlight in Oklahoma was the Route 66 Museum in Clinton. Not much to say about Texas except that we made it through the formidable pan handle. New Mexico was marvelous. It was well marked and the road was super. The lack of traffic on Route 66 through all the states was rather unbelievable. We went for many miles without seeing another vehicle....or 18 wheeler! Arizona exceeded our expectations with great road qualilty, lots of historic signs to guide us and spectacular scenery. Oatman, AZ was a highlight with its burros wandering through town. This was the toughest part of Route 66 in terms of altitude change and twisties in the road. Route 66 in California proved to be very desoate until we got to Victorville. We felt like the only people on earth going across the Mojave Desert over 25 miles from the freeway. We actually found one town (Amboy) that had a cafe (circa 1930). It even had a jute box purchased in 1945 that played all the music from the 50s and 60s. Remember Poetry in Motion? The last real stretch of Route 66 took us into San Bernardino. From then on Route 66 is embedded in the California freeway system. We fought six lanes of freeway traffic for 60 miles (now I remember why I left California) and finally emerged unscathed at Thousand Oaks (near Santa Monica the official end of Route 66) for an overnight at Art's niece's house. The return trip found us basking in the sun in Palm Springs for a day (wonderful). Then it was more terrific back roads through Arizona and New Mexico. At Santa Fe we shifted to the super slab (ugh) back to Denver (for me) and Cheyenne (for Art). The bottom line: you really do "get your kicks from Route 66." Art and I most highly recommend the Mother Road....it's one adventure you'll never forget!

10 October.....brunch at Genos.....By Bill & Phyllis Ranzinger: Thirty people attended a fabulous brunch at Gene Mayer's house. Many thanks to Geno for hosting the event. Also thanks to all the people who brought food and additional beverages. The beautiful weather certainly augmented the outdoor BBQ. Several items were discussed at the planning meeting in addition to the ride schedule for next year: Jeanie Meyers volunteered to make name tags for all members and bring them to the December brunch. Registration forms for 1999 were passed out to all folks in attendance. Forms were mailed to the rest of our members. Our yearly financial status was discussed. We're well "in the black." It was mentioned that Ted Stokes and his wife (who many people know) were in a motorcycle accident on a Harley. Protective gear "saved their butts." We all need to be very cognizant of our own protective gear just in case something happens. Since our group is continuing to grow and getting too large for many home brunches, we decided to have next year's breakfasts at a local restaurant in Castle Rock. Castle Rock was recommended because it's a central location for all members. All breakfasts will be at 1030 to accommodate people driving longer distances. It was mentioned that club T-shirts can still be ordered. Several of our members have a concern with club/individual liability in the event of a lawsuit. This is being thoroughly investigated. Recommendations will be coordinated with the Four Corners Regional Director and the International Directors. Some changes will be implemented before our first scheduled ride next year. It was recommended that some new people volunteer to be ride leaders next year so we don't have the same people being ride leader all the time. We decided not to schedule any rides on the Memorial Day weekend and the 4th of July weekend due to significant traffic during those times. We're making an exception for the Labor Day weekend since that's when the Four Corner's Rally will be scheduled. We also discussed allowing adequate time on rides for everyone to gas up, get a drink, make a rest room stop, etc. The ride leader and drag will make sure everyone is ready before taking off. The key word here is consideration for other members of the riding group. Some folks said we need a few more scheduled rides, so more rides were added for 1999. There were also several people that were interested in some adhoc rides that would be longer in nature (4 to 8 days). We'll add a sign up list to our schedule to accommodate those people interested in getting together for some rides. Some folks were also interested in some adhoc day rides. Jerry Writebol volunteered to be the telephone point of contact for this and Bill Ranzinger will send an e-mail note when a day ride is scheduled on short notice. Finally, we discussed our 1999 ride schedule. We agreed on some repeat rides and some new ones. All the scheduled rides for next year are indicated in this newsletter so please mark your calendars now. The specific details for each ride, e.g., meeting time, place, motel, etc. will be discussed at the February 20th breakfast. We all waddled home about 1530. Thanks again Geno!

Ride Ultra Defensively.....by Pete Beinetti: I just want to reinforce the need to ride defensively, which we all know but can use reinforcement from time to time. We had a double tragedy in Colorado Springs on Saturday (28 Nov), with two motorcyclists being killed in separate accients. Both were victims of older drivers (women, 81 and 82 respectively), who pulled out in front of the cyclists. One accident involved a Harley rider who was supposedly going 45mph in a 35mph zone, and the woman pulled out of a driveway in his path. The other, which hits a little closer to home for some of us, involved a 31 year old who was test driving a Goldwing from Apex Sports. He was traveling north on Weber, from Apex, and a woman pulled out of a side street in his path.....claimed she never saw him (he had no stop sign...she did). He was traveling under the 30mph speed limit. Unfortunately, neither of the victims was wearing a helmet. Whether that would have saved them or not, we don't know. Apex recommends that you wear a helmet when test riding a bike; but, it's your choice. Regardless, as we all know, the only way to avoid accidents like this is to ride ultra defensively. It can happen to any one of us.

13 December.....brunch at Plum Creek Country Club.....By Bill & Phyllis Ranzinger: A large contingent of Retreads enjoyed a fabulous Christmas brunch at the beautiful Plum Creek Country Club in Castle Rock. Attendees included Bill & Phyllis Ranzinger (and Bill's mom from Minn.), Gene Mayer & Aurelia Walker, Ben & Lidia Shepherd, Doug Kaiser, Peter & Kathy Beinetti, Bill & Cindy Kaelber, Dick & Mary Ann Quick, Dave Delapp, Peter & Kathy Plourde, Doug Pinkerton, Eddie & Judy Clark, Jerry & Hollis Writebol, Jim & Vivian Ulrich and Art & Pat McMillan. The ambiance and food was wonderful and the champagne flowed freely. It was great getting everyone together to celebrate a fantastic year of riding. Thanks to everyone who donated to the "Toys for Children in the Rocky Mountain Region." Cindy Kaelber took care of the donations.

1999 Ride/Brunch Schedule

Note: Unless specified in the ride schedule, everyone is requested to make their own motel reservations. It's highly recommended to make your reservations early if you think you're going on one of the trips. Most motels fill up fast.

Note: Please call the ride leader if you want to be added to a ride (or cancelled). This will help the ride leader for planning purposes.

Sign up list for long adhoc rides (4 to 8 days): Ranzinger, Beinetti, McMillan, Mayer.

January: Nothing planned.

February 20 (Saturday): Breakfast at Mr. Manners In Castle Rock at 1030. Bring your calendars and maps. We'll be discussing the details for all the rides. We'll also select ride leaders and start signing up for rides. Please contact the Ranzingers (e-mail or telephone) NLT 15 February if you plan to attend. Directions: Take exit 182 from I-25 and go west on Wolfensberger Road for a block and a half. Turn left at the stop sign (you'll see a McDonalds) and go 50 feet and then turn right into a shopping center. Mr. Manners is in the southwest corner.

March 20 (Saturday): Breakfast at Mr. Manners in Castle Rock at 1030. We'll continue the sign up for rides. We also plan to talk about club/personal liability. Please contact the Ranzingers (e-mail or telephone) NLT 15 March if you plan to attend. Directions: Take exit 182 from I-25 and go west on Wolfensberger Road for a block and a half. Turn left at the stop sign (you'll see a McDonalds) and go 50 feet and then turn right into a shopping center. Mr Manners is in the southwest corner.

April 17 (Saturday): Breakfast at Mr. Manners in Castle Rock at 1030. We'll continue the sign up for rides. If the weather is cooperating we can do a day ride. Please contact the Ranzingers (e-mail or telephone) NLT 12 April if you plan to attend. Directions: Take exit 182 from I-25 and go west on Wolfensberger Road for a block and a half. Turn left at the stop sign (you'll see a McDonalds) and go 50 feet and then turn right into a shopping center. Mr. Manners is in the southwest corner.

May 22/23 (Saturday/Sunday): Trinidad, CO.

June 5 - 7 (Saturday - Monday): Taos, NM.

June 20 (Sunday): The famous Pitkin Hotel Road Race (not really a race). Sponsored by Apex Sports in Colorado Springs. This is a wonderful day ride which includes lunch at the historic Pitkin Hotel.

June 25 - 27 (Friday - Sunday): Delta, CO.

July 15 - 18 (Thursday - Sunday): VOA Rally in Montrose, CO. Eddie & Judy Clark will provide details.

July 17/18 (Saturday/Sunday): Saratoga, WY.

July 31 - 2 Aug (Saturday - Monday): TBD

August 10 -13 (Tuesday - Friday): Sturgis, SD. I have 7 space A rooms reserved. They will be confirmed 24 hours in advance.

August 14 - 21 (Saturday - Saturday): International Retread Rally in Hot Springs, AK. Be sure and bring your 1999 membership card.

August 14/15 (Saturday/Sunday): Steamboat Springs, CO. This is for people who are not going to Sturgis or the International Rally.

September 2 - 7 (Thursday - Tuesday): Four Corners Rally somewhere in Arizona. This is over the Labor Day holiday. Details will be promulgated at a later date.

September 24 - 26 (Friday - Sunday): Grand Junction, CO and Durango, CO. This will include a loop through the Colorado National Monument Park and Moab, UT.

October 9/10 (Saturday/Sunday): Vail, CO. We'll mostly likely take cars on this trip. Beinetti's will handle reservations at one of Vail's first class hotels. We'll be getting a special off season low rate through Beinette's son Steve.

October 23 (Saturday): Breakfast and planning meeting for the year 2000. Bring your calendars and ideas. Place is TBD.

November: Nothing planned.

December 12 (Sunday): Our Christmas brunch will be held again at the beautiful Plum Creek Country Club in Castle Rock at 1200. This will be a full course champagne brunch. The cost will be determined at a later date. Directions: The main drag in Castle Rock is Wilcox St. At the south end of town from Wilcox St. take Plum Creek Parkway east for .3 miles. Then a right on Plum Creek Blvd for .8 miles. The club will be on your left just above the golf course. It's well marked. The Ranzingers need a head count NLT 4 Dec. Please send an e-mail note or give us a call with your reservations. Hope to see a great turnout!

Thought for the day: Winter is nature's way of telling you to polish!

Note: We don't care what you ride.....JUST THAT YOU RIDE!