Yea! It's Finally May. Let's Ride Like the Wind.

Lack of weather cooperation has marooned most Chapter B riders for the last week or so! The Mystery Ride and the Hiway Cleanup were postponed. Hopefully the next few weeks will bring sunny skies, warm temperatures and lots of miles under our wheels!

Region F Rally Update
May 15 is the Deadline for registrations for the Region F Rally in Cortez at the reduced rate. After that date, the price increases. Many of our group are planning on attending, and most of us are staying at the Turquoise Best Western Inn.
There will be a gathering on May 22 at 7:00 at Danny and Ann Maynard's house to make riding plans for the Cortez Rally. If you are planning on attending the Rally, or just want to drop by, we would love to see you!

Safety and "Flow"
I have been reading, with a good deal of interest, a series of articles by Mark Barnes, PhD. The series is entitled Flow (MSCN May 2001), a feeling one gets when ones skills match an activity or undertaking. In the first in the series the author defines Flow as that nearly religious feeling one has when doing something challenging. Stretching ones capabilities to their limit and yet things are going well and everything is perfect. A sensation of connection and confidence permeates your being. Time seems to be slowed or even suspended. Many rides give us the opportunity to experience this sensation and yet we don't always achieve it. How do we improve our chances of having this very nice feeling?
In the second article, the author discusses the two things we can control to the greatest extent. The Challenge and the Skills we bring to the table. I will write more on the challenge later. The skills of the equation spoke to me because I am interested in anything that will improve my skill on the motorcycle. Dr. Barnes says, "Physical and mental exertion are fundamental sources of your sense of who you are, defined by both your abilities and your limitations." Your confidence in your skills on the bike strongly effects your capabilities. Looking where you want to go rather than fixating on the guardrail you want to avoid is an example of what confidence can do for you on a motorcycle. So, why worry about improving your ability to ride? Dr. Barnes points out "abilities increase, so do confidence, self-esteem, wisdom, value to others, the list goes on and on. As new skills move from the realm of attention-sapping practice to the realm of automatic reflexes, self-consciousness falls away and spontaneity increases. This allows for greater enjoyment, quicker reaction times and more resources to invest in other challenges."
Why take ERC courses if you have already completed one? Why bother with parking lot games and practice? Why work on counter-steering on those mountain twisties? Why enroll in rider education, maintain and advance your levels? Because like exercise, the more energy you spend, the more energy you have to do other things. The more time and effort you commit to being a safe rider, the more fun riding will become.
Rider education is not about patches, or dues, or elitist attitudes, its about having the most fun you can have in your favorite activity. Spend some time and energy on safety and education and get even more chances at experiencing what "Flow" feels like.
Boyce Baker








CHAPTER Q, THE PICNIC, THE BEAR, THE DUCK AND MAYBE THE MONKEY!
Chapter Q from Montrose had a big turn out last week for our May meeting! They rolled into the Golden Corral just in time for dinner and the meeting. They definately were on a mission! They wanted their DUCK back, and they wanted our mascot, the Bear! However, sometimes the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing! Elliotts were taking good care of our Bear and had left him home to rest. And no one would claim responsibility for their DUCK! Dan Maynard and Mitch Elliott offered to deliver the Bear to them on Saturday, in time for their Mother's Day Weekend Picnic Ride, and we suggested that they quiz members of their own chapter about the where abouts of the DUCK!
On Saturday Morning Mitch and Dan left with the Bear. Half way to Delta they ran into 3 groups of Q's on the way to their picnic. They joined Q for a great ride through Unaweep Canyon and on to Nucla. The Bear was delivered as promised and Chapter Q admitted that The DUCK had been in Montrose all along! Sounds to me like Chapter Q could be nominated to get the monkey!

JUNE NEWSLETTER INFORMATION
The Newsletter is becoming thinner and thinner! There is always lots of room for articles of interest that you might like to share with the group. Please let Ann or Deanne know if you would like to add something, or would like us to try to include something.

CanAm Rally Becomes International GWRRA Event

The Gold Wing Road Rider's Association is pleased to announce a new addition to their list of Exciting Rallies and Special Events. The CanAm Rally in Osoyoos, BC Canada has just become an OFFICAL GWRRA INTERNATIONAL EVENT.

Over the past 6 years, the CanAm has established itself as one of the West Coast's largest and most unique events for the Touring Motorcycle crowd. Famous for its breath-taking "LITE UP THE MOUNTAIN" night light parade, CanAm is more than a Rally. It is a true holiday adventure. From renting an entire steam locomotive to an historic paddle wheeler (for this year's special event "The Great Showboat Excursion") CanAm is and has been 4 days of incredible fun and excitement.
2001 features "Kinda' Kenny" as The Gambler who will be performing, just for the GWRRA CanAm, on board the "Fintry Queen" (paddle wheeler) in the show lounge as the ship tours Lake Okanagan. Some of you may have seen Marty Edwards (Kinda' Kenny) when he performed at the Block party and again in the talent show at Wing Ding in Billings last summer.
The GWRRA CanAm is held annually (during the last two weeks of June) in the world famous Okanagan Valley, gateway to the Canadian Rockies (truly a bikers paradise). The GWRRA CanAm has the honor of being the only Western Canadian Special Event listed in Honda Canada's official new Goldwing Brochure (and for the second year running no less).
Things to do and see at the GWRRA CanAm are: Drill Team Performance by the Washington Wings of Gold, community interactive Block Party, the infamous Miss CanAm Beauty Pageant, a special new CASH GIVEAWAY walkabout, a superior Bike Show, interesting guided tours, FREE hourly boat rides on Lake Osoyoos, and of course the "LITE UP THE MOUNTAIN" night light parade. At the GWRRA CanAm we are known for our relaxing atmosphere and great weather. Please note that there will be no significant changes to the general flavor of this event now that it has become an offical GWRRA function, just continuing with great times and lots of fun for all our friends.

The official dates for the GWRRA CanAm 2001 are:
June 20th thru June 23rd (Wed. Thurs. Fri. Sat.) 2001.

Visit the GWRRA CanAm online at http://canamrally.freeyellow.com
Call Grant Eisworth @ (604) 538-7641 E-Mail grant1@direct.ca for more information or Jim Carey @ (250) 765-3478 E-Mail jcarey@okanagan.net


Monkey Shines!
Hooking up your air horns backwards is pretty funny, but hearing Mitch Elliott give his imper-sonation of the sound they make is enough to make the group at Golden Corral in April award him the "MONKEY"


at the April meeting. If you missed Mitch's story be sure to ask for a re-telling. It will definately tickle your funny bone.
The May meeting brought the story of Danny Maynard's stubbed toe incident on his bike! Mitch was most happy to pass the Monkey on to the Maynards!


Upcoming Calendar Events!

June 22 - 23 - - Chapter Q Porker Run.