Cyclerides.com Weekly Update
3/9/11
 
Greetings Riders,
 
Well, it is certainly prime riding weather for the Phoenix, AZ area. The forecast is calling for sunny and in the low to mid 80's for the next couple of weeks. Hopefully this type of weather will hold out for Arizona Bikeweek which is now only 16 days away from the first night of the Pre-Rally days with the Gretchen Wilson Concert at the Backstage Biker Bash hosted by Chester's HD. Regardless where you can go, it is definitely time to get out put some meaningful miles on your bike. Don't be afraid of a trip up North either. It is predicted to be in the high 60's and low 70's in Sedona and Payson as well. 
 
With weather like this and Arizona Bikeweek coming up, you will most likely be getting together with your old riding groups and planning a day trip around the State to really soak in this perfect time of year to ride. But after a long winter of not riding, some can forget their manners when it comes to group riding. And as the old saying goes, it only takes one bad apple to spoil the bunch. I have touched on this subject before, but it is one that needs to be visited at the beginning of each riding season.  
 
This is one of those newsletters that you might want to forward to all your riding pals, just to give them a gentle reminder. Might be easier than coming direct from you. Or even reprint in your club bulletins, (with credit to author of course :) or post on your break room wall. I'm sure there is something in here that we could all learn.
 
Group Riding Etiquette 101:
"Some tips on being a considerate group rider."
 
As we all know, group rides are fun and a good way to spend some time with your friends, HOWEVER. . . it can also be a very frustrating time as well if you have some problem children in the group. I'm sure some of you know what I mean already. As with any group activity you do, everyone needs to work together as a team to make it flow smoothly.
 
Let me set up a scenario. Imagine you are on a football team, the 15 minute halftime has ended and your team has the ball to start the second half. The team takes the field and is ready for the play, but all of a sudden 2 or 3 of your teammates decide they need to go to the bathroom, take a smoke break or get something to drink, all when the play was about to begin. This would most likely cause the team to not be efficient in playing the game and slow the progress down the field. After a move like that,  you would probably not be very excited about having them on the team and might not invite them to play the next game. 

The same analogy works for riding in groups with other motorcycles. All riders in the group, whether riding the bike or a passenger need to be on the same page to make the day trip desirable for all. I realize that there are many different riding styles, but that will work itself out. What I am referring to are some basic considerations that will make the whole outing flow much better. Here are a few examples of how you can help out the team.
 
Group Leader: Every group of more than 3-4 bikes should have an understanding who is going to be leading the group when planning a ride. This person is not the designated "ride nazi" but is merely responsible for keeping the group moving and on schedule, particularly if you are on a longer ride and are trying to reach a destination by a certain time. He is also responsible for letting everyone else in the group know the route that you are taking so that if someone needs to drop off for some reason, they will know where you are going and how to get there.
 
Punctuality: This is a big one with group riding and is a basic courtesy no matter what activity you are involved with. I've been in a group where the start time was 8:00am and the last straggler shows up at 8:50am. If you are one of those people that "move kind of slow in the morning" then DON'T PLAN A MORNING ACTIVITY THAT WILL REQUIRE YOU TO COMMIT TO AN EARLIER TIME THAN YOU ARE CAPABLE OF MEETING! Hangovers, Partying Late, Not Enough Sleep, or general Lack of Energy are not good excuses. If the ride is important to you, then plan your prior evening to make it desirable to get out of bed, meet your obligations and take a ride that will make you forget about everything else.
 
Having the rest of the group wait well past the start time will not endear you to the group, is not respectful of their time and is not a good way to start a ride. If you encounter an unavoidable delay, make sure that you call someone in the group to let them know that you will not be on time and when you could be expected to arrive. At this point the group has the option to wait a reasonable amount of time or you can catch up with them at the first stop. Otherwise, just make it a point to show up on time.
 
Be Ready To Go: When you show up at the agreed upon start location at the agreed upon time, be ready to go. HAVE A FULL TANK OF GAS, A FULL STOMACH AND AN EMPTY BLADDER. I have been in several groups where it is the start time, we are all saddled up and ready to go and someone announces that they are on reserve and will need to stop at a gas station to fill up. Not cool or fair to the rest of the group that filled up on the way TO the start location. One of your responsibilities of being "on time" includes being ready to ride with at least enough gas to make it to the first stop. 
 
Food: If you suffer from low blood sugar from not eating every hour, then take some crackers or something with you to tide you over to the scheduled lunch stop. Don't stand around talking and then when it is time to take off, announce that "you have to put some food in your stomach" before you go. Take care of these things as transparent as possible without slowing up the whole group.
 
Bathroom Stops: This is a big one in group riding. If you have 10 people in your group, you are going to have 10 different needs for bathroom breaks. This will usually send the group over the edge faster than anything when you have taken a rest stop for 45 minutes, and then everyone is on their bikes and ready to leave and someone says, "OH, I HAVE TO TAKE A POTTY BREAK". That is the last thing the rest of the group wants to wait for. If you have an active bladder, "pee planning" falls on your shoulders, the group leader cannot do this for you. If you know that you have to go every hour, make that a priority as soon as you stop and then again BEFORE departure time. The group leader will let you know plenty of time in advance of when you are leaving. Don't hold up the rest of the group while they wait for you to relieve yourself.
 
Gearing Up: When the ride leader announces that you will be rolling in 10 minutes, this is your cue to take care of all of your personal needs of bathroom, food, drink and putting on your riding gear. Especially if there is a lot of layering going on and the need to put on and take of clothing at stops. So you need to be cognizant of how long it takes you to put on your jacket, helmet, gloves, glasses, ear plugs, MP3 player, sunscreen and unwrap your lollipop or gum for the ride. It seems like in every group I've ever been in, when everyone else is on their bikes, with motors running, ready to roll, there is always one last person zipping up a jacket or putting on gloves, and we are setting there staring at them. Don't ALWAYS be the one everyone is waiting for. Spread it around.

Visiting with others in your group at stops. This is why we take these group rides, to enjoy the company of our friends while we all enjoy our passion of riding. But where the problems come in is that we tend to talk about the last 100 miles before we take care of what need to do at the stop. A good suggestion is to get your gas, drinks, bathroom breaks out of the way, then visit with your buddies. After the conversation is over, you are all ready to roll. 

Riding Style: This is a problem in some groups. Usually when you ride with a group you are pretty similar in riding styles, that's why you ride together. But occasionally there will be a new person that will join the group that just "doesn't feel comfortable enough to keep up the pace". That is fine, we would never ask anyone to compromise the way that they ride just to keep up with the group. That is not safe or fair. But, it is also not fair to slow down a group that likes to ride the speed limits and take away their style. What do you do? If you don't feel comfortable at certain speeds, make sure you find out from your ride leader the directions to the next stop, take your time and ride at your own pace, they will understand. But don't expect the rest of the group to adapt to your style. The fun part of riding is enjoying the pace at which you like to ride.
 
Conclusion: I know a lot of you reading this right now are shaking your head in agreement saying, "we've got one or two of those in our group". We all do. But there are some people that don't realize they are doing these things, and then there are some that don't care. The ones that "don't care", don't get a call the next time a ride comes along. The ones that "don't realize", you can forward this letter to them.
 
I don't want this to sound like going on group rides with friends is supposed to be equivalent to a military maneuver. It is not by any means, and if it was, I wouldn't do it. It is supposed to be fun, relaxing and a way to see the country in the best way possible, from the seat of a motorcycle and share it with friends. We have all been guilty of one of more of these nuances along the way. I know I have. The bottom line is, that we all need to consider if we are a consistent violator of any of these points above, find a way to improve on them and to respect the time of our friends.

Time is something that is hard to come by these days and we want to use it wisely. Going on these types of day rides are usually the only window of riding some of us have for the entire week or possibly the month, and making this time the most enjoyable possible should be very important to all of us. So if we could put the "It's all about ME" aside for the group and show up on time, full of gas, food, water and low on excess bodily fluids at every stop, the group riding world would be a better place. Pass this around to your riding buddies.

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Tidbits and Updates:
 
**Mark Your Calendar! Now only 22 days away and counting!**
Cyclerides.com Westgate Bike Night Starts Thursday, March 31st!
We will begin the 14 week run of the Cyclerides.com/Westgate Bike Night March 31st. Westgate wanted to begin the bike night as soon as we could in March, but due to Coyote game conflicts with the arena on Thursday nights, the first night that we could start it is on March 31st. The good news is that we are going to be able to run 14 consecutive nights without interruption through June 30th. Bike Night will be kicked off by welcoming Ernie Lizarraga back from rehab as well as honoring all of the victims from that devastating motorcycle accident that took place almost one year ago. We are now in the planning stages for programming for each of these nights and look forward to seeing you again this season. If you would like to be a sponsor of this event, email me at info@cyclerides.com .
 
 Bike Nights

Every Thursday Night
It’s Biker Bull Night at Western Trails Ranch!  Come on out to the Ranch and watch the bikers ride the bulls. This is a live bull show and Thursday’s are amateur night, starts at 7:00pm every Thursday.  Bull riding is billed as the most exciting sport on the planet and that ain’t no lie.  We have audience games during the intermission with prizes, Happy Hour all night!  Or ride the Mechanical Bull $2.00 a ride. Buzzard’s Saloon and the Ice House will be open, so come early and have dinner in our steakhouse.  Check out our website at www.westerntrailsranch.com. $5.00 admission at the gate; pays for the bull stock production company, which is K4 Bucking Bulls Luke & Gina Kraut.  It’s just a good time – don’t miss the excitement. Western Trails Ranch is located at 37823 NW Grand Avenue Mile Marker 123.5 FROM SURPRISE Morristown AZ 85342.

This Week
 
Saturday and Sunday,
March 12th and 13th
Tucson Harley-Davidson Demo Rides. This is your chance to ride the brand new 2011 Harley-Davidson of your choice. The Harley-Davidson factory demo truck will be at Tucson Harley-Davidson from 9am - 4pm on March 12th and 13th to let you experience the ride you have been dreaming about. It is always fun to see how the bike that you don't have would ride. There will be Food, Music, Vendors and Prizes! Must have a valid motorcycle license and be at least 21 years of age. Don't have a motorcycle license yet? Ask our sales associates about the Jump Start Rider Experience going on March 5th and 6th only. Tucson HD is located at 7335 N. I-10 EB., Frontage Rd. in Tucson, AZ. 520-751-3380.
 
Saturday, March 12th
Chandler Harley-Davidson BIKE NIGHT at Dos Gringos in Tempe. It is that time of year to start getting in some Arizona style evening riding. Chandler Harley-Davidson is hosting 2 upcoming bike nights at Dos Gringos located at 8000 S. Priest Dr. in Tempe, AZ. Meet at Chandler HD at 6pm located at 6895 W. Chandler Blvd. in Chandler for the ride over to Dos Gringos. Win prizes from Chandler Harley-Davidson and Dos Gringos. $1 Happy Shots, $2.50 Coronas, $3 Gringoritas and Well Drinks. $2 Tacos. Ride by and enjoy a Saturday night with your riding pals. Bike night is from 6pm - 9pm. If you miss this one, there is another one on March 26th.
 
Saturday, March 12th
Chester's Spring Riding Kickoff. Chester's Harley-Davidson has a full day of events to celebrate the beginning of beautiful weather and a great riding season ahead. Not only can you have some fun, but you can surely help some others as well. The giving part of your day will look like this:
 
9AM-1:30PM - United Blood Services Blood Drive.  Please e-mail a preferred time and your full name to jatkins@chestershd.com to sign up OR go online to UnitedBloodServices.org (code: chestershd).
9AM-11AM - The 2nd Annual Colon Cancer Ride. This ride benefits the Colon Cancer Alliance Central Arizona Chapter. "Take a Ride, Save a Butt". Ride Registration from 9am - 11am. KSU at 11am sharp. $25 Single/$15 Passenger.
11:30 AM - East Valley Hog Bike Blessing
12:00 PM - PARTY ON THE PATIO!  Wrap up your day with the Party on the Patio. Live music by Tin Weasel and a Taco Stand by Z-lantro Mexican Grill.
This is a great way to Kick off riding season! Chester's Harley-Davidson is located at 922 S. Country Club Dr in Mesa. 480-894-0404.
 
Saturday, March 12th
2nd Annual Colon Cancer Ride. This ride benefits the Colon Cancer Alliance Central Arizona Chapter. "Take a Ride, Save a Butt". Did you know?? Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in the U.S.
With regular screening, colorectal cancer can be found early, when treatment is most effective. In many cases, screening can prevent colorectal cancer by finding and removing polyps before they become cancer. And if cancer is present, earlier detection means a chance at a longer life -- generally, five-year survival rates for colorectal cancer are lower the further advanced the disease is at detection: Over 90% of those diagnosed when the cancer is found at a local stage (confined to colon or rectum) survive more than five years.
 
If you would like to help bring awareness to this disease and raise money to further research, the Ride begins at Chester's Harley-Davidson located at 922 S. Country Club Dr. in Mesa, AZ. Registration from 9am - 11am. KSU at 11am sharp. $25 Single/$15 Passenger. All riders get entry into the Angels Appreciation Party at the Buffalo Chip in Cave Creek. Also a Poker Game, All you can eat BBQ, Live Music, Libations, Dancing, Raffles and More. Ride pins for all registered.
 
Next Week
 
Saturday and Sunday,
March 18th and 19th
Arrowhead Harley-Davidson Demo Rides. This is your chance to ride the brand new 2011 Harley-Davidson of your choice. The Harley-Davidson factory demo truck will be at Arrowhead Harley-Davidson from 9am - 4pm on March 18th and 19th to let you experience the ride you have been dreaming about. It is always fun to see how the bike that you don't have would ride. There will be Food, Music, Vendors and Prizes! Must have a valid motorcycle license and be at least 21 years of age. Don't have a motorcycle license yet? Ask our sales associates about the Jump Start Rider Experience going on March 18th and 20th only. Arrowhead HD is located at 16130 N. Arrowhead Ftns Ctr Dr. in Peoria, AZ. 623-247-5542.
 
Saturday, March 19th
Arizona Burn Center Chili Cook Off, a CASI sanctioned event is also being held on March 19th at Arrowhead HD. Benefits the Arizona Burn Center. $5 donation for tasting all day long. People's Choice Chili starting at 11am. CASI Competition Red Chili turn in at 2pm. For chili information contact Jerry Lee at 623-388-9745.
 
Saturday, March 19th
Buddy Stubbs Anthem Harley-Davidson Hogs & Dogs. Looking for a short ride out of town and a good time when you get there? Gear Up for Bike Week! Ride out to Buddy Stubbs Anthem dealership and Enjoy some Live Music while having some FREE Food and Drinks. This is always a good time. Event time 11am - 3pm. Buy 2 Get 1 Free. Purchase 2 Buddy Stubbs 2011 Bike Bash Sportster Raffle Tickets and receive 1 Free. Limit 1 free ticket per customer. Buddy Stubbs Anthem HD is located just 14 miles N. of Loop 101 off of I-17 exit 229. Take a ride out for some Free Food & Drink and take a look at this beautiful dealership located at 41715 N. 41st Dr. in Anthem, AZ. 623-465-1122.
 
Saturday, March 19th
2nd Annual Farkle Dice Run. Hosted by the MMA Eagle District. Meet at the Glenfair Bowling Lanes located at 6110 N. 59th Ave. Northwest side of 59th & Bethany Home Rd. 623-937-9225. $15 for couples/$10 for singles. Sign in 11am - Noon. 4 stops around the Southwest valley. Everyone is welcome. FMI: Call Mojo at 623-435-0727.
 
Saturday, March 19th
STOP Rock N' Roll. Welcome to Volume 1 of the Phoenix Firefighters Stop!!!...Rock and Roll! Saturday, March 19th, the United Phoenix Firefighters present a day of music and fun to the Phoenix community. This concert will feature music from a ton of local bands and will feature the Gin Blossoms as the main headliner. This concert is a fundraiser for the United Phoenix Firefighters who support various community programs. This event will take place at Steele Indian School Park at 3rd St. & Indian School Rd. in Phoenix, Arizona. The gates open at 10am and the music will go all day long. Event take place at Steel Indian School Park 300 E. Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85012. General Admission tickets are $20 in advance. Order online at http://stoprockandroll.com/Ticket_Info.html
 
Saturday, March 19th
Spring Fling 2011. Helping Vets in Need presented by the Vietnam Vets Legacy Vets Chapter "0". Take a ride to Mayer, AZ and enjoy Food, Vendors, Raffle, and Music. $5 entry fee. All takes place at Smokin' Harleys Bar and Steakhouse. 10484 Hwy 69 in Mayer next to Grand Canyon Harley-Davidson.
 
Special Ongoing Event
 
February 1st - April 30th
Chester's Harley-Davidson Road Glide Ultra Giveaway.
Looking for a new bike, have a little extra time on your hands and know a lot of people? Chester's HD is giving you the opportunity to win a 2011 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Ultra for a little effort on your part. Giveaway program starts February 1, 2011, and ends April 30, 2011. Just bring someone you know into Chester's Harley-Davidson to buy a new bike. You must accompany buyer to the dealership and have proof of purchase signed off by the General Manager. Buyer must agree to Chester's Harley-Davidson's terms of sale and cannot already have a deal pending at Chester's.  Validity of referral is at the sole discretion of the General Manager and could be denied. The person who brings in the most new bike sales wins a 2011 Harley-Davidson Road Glide® Ultra. Referrals must be contracted and take delivery of a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle at Chester's Harley-Davidson by April 30, 2011. Winner must refer a minimum of three sales to qualify.  There will be no ties.  In the event that 2 or more persons bring in the highest amount of qualifying buyers, the winner will be the person that reaches the minimum of three sales first. Winner is responsible for all applicable sales tax, license and doc fees. Click Here for details.
 
Upcoming Events
 
SAVE THE DATE!
March 30th - April 3rd.
Arizona Bike Week 2011. Arizona Bike Week is only 16 days away. The dates this year are March 30th - April 3rd for Cyclefest at Westworld in Scottsdale. Musical acts this year include Skid Row, Warrant, Heart and Buckcherry. Pre-Rally Days start Friday March 25th with the Chester's Harley-Davidson Backstage Biker Bash featuring Gretchen Wilson and the Herndon Brothers in concert. There are lots of RV and tent camping options available. Go to www.arizonabikeweek.com for tickets and more information.
 
Extras

Mid Week Updates will be made on the Cyclerides.com Facebook. New Easy to remember Facebook address. Go to Cyclerides.com Facebook. Over 2800 FANS! Take a look at all the new photos posted on the wall. If you are not on Facebook, you can still view the page, but you will not be able to post. There will be a link there for you to sign up for Facebook if you are inclined. Click the LIKE button!

I don't think this guy should be teaching gun safety. Not a class to lead by example. Click Here to View.

Here is a funny game show clip. What are things that get passed around? See if you can guess what he says. Click Here to View.

Video of the Week: Here are a few people that you would probably say didn't finish tops in their class. A couple of these still make me clinch event though I have watched them several times. Click Here to View. Click on the Video of the Week graphic on the page.

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Until Next Week,
Blessings and Safe Riding To All,
 
Barry Caraway
"The Road Is Yours - Take The Ride"
www.cyclerides.com

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