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NORTHSIDE HARLEY
April 2015
News
Let’s Ride!
HIGHLIGHTS
HD GARAGE PARTY AND
OTHER FUN THINGS AT THE
DEALERSHIP
HOT Training Detroit
Officers’ Report
MEET YOUR H-D
STAFF
HOGS FROM ABROAD
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1
April 2015 Vol. 4
Indianapolis Chapter NO. 1.
#1238
“…All along the road the reddish
purplish, forked, upstanding, twiggy
They enter the new world naked,
stuff of bushes and small trees
cold, uncertain of all
with dead, brown leaves under them
save that they enter. All about them
leafless vines --
the cold, familiar wind …”
Lifeless in appearance, sluggish
~ Spring and All by William Carlos Williams
dazed spring approaches --
Ride of No Regrets
from your
Director Ken White
As I write this month's article, I sit in
the dim light of my mother’s hospital
room listening to the muffled sounds
from the hallways and the occasional
muted tones of various machines and
technologies hanging from the walls or
extending from the very bed in which
she sleeps.
In the last two days, she has come
through two cardiac procedures like a
champ at 86 years of age. Soon, she
will make her way back to her
comfortably appointed apartment at
the assisted living center that she
fought so hard against moving into and
which has been a godsend. It is the
same determination that forestalled
the assisted living center for over two
years that has sustained her well into
eight decades and sustains her still
today.
As I find myself visiting hospital rooms
more and more often these last
several years, I find I am eventually
and consistently confronted by my own
thoughts about aging, which
inexorably circles back to the
question, "What will be my regrets?"
2
Mom has infrequently mentioned her
own regrets - usually while
admonishing her children to avoid
actions or inaction that would only
guarantee them regrets of their own.
Usually, the topic comes in the form
of 'travel', or, as my mother puts it, a
chance to, "Get out, and go!" I have
come to realize over the years that
she had looked forward to traveling
some once Dad retired; but when the
day came, he was content to finally
get to stay at home and tinker at the
things that he had delayed for so
many years. Much to my mother’s
chagrin, she rarely got to travel like
she wanted. In fact, in the first year
or two of owning my Harley, I had
traveled further on that bike than she
had travelled in her entire lifetime.
Each time I make my bedside visits, I
am confronted with my own
mortality; I think of my own regrets
and I begin to work through a
ponderous list. Some are the same
inevitable culprits that are usually
associated with youth: poor choices,
bad relationship decisions,
investments of time and resources
that weren't really investments at all,
and a host of other actions
committed in ignorance or through
pride.
And there are the large
regrets that were the result of
devious and subtle time-drains such
as the innumerable and pointless
hours spent watching television or
surfing the web for no real purpose.
Even in the aspects of my
motorcycling life, I have had a few
regrets, such as choices that might
have been preventable had I been
more attentive and diligent.
However, I can honestly say that I
cannot recall a single instance in
which I have regretted a ride that I
have taken on my bike. Of course, it is
easy to comprehend the thrill and
memories of the great rides through
majestic scenery and national
landmarks. But even the worst of
rides, those that found me riding
through high water, plagues of locust,
forest fires, oil-slick roads, insane
traffic, drowning rains, biblical-level
storms, flesh-shredding sleet, desert
sun, and six inches of snow failed to
render an ounce of regret once they
were complete. I am not saying that I
would seek them out again or allow
3
myself to fall into a similar
predicament, but in some sense, they
were an achievement, a hallmark of
accomplishment, and, occasionally, a
red badge of courage.
To others,
they may appear as poorly invested
time, but without a doubt nor
hesitation, I harbor no remorse for
having made the trip.
Several years ago, I was confronted
by a co-worker and friend that had
been mounting a crescendo of
criticism at me for riding my Harley
so often. A former biker himself in
earlier years, he now struggled to
wrench away an empty nest from
children too long lingering past their
time.
He belittled my rides as
pointless and mocked the time and
money I spent on my bike and the
trips I took across the country. He
pressed me to justify the risk of
riding a motorcycle given the dangers
of imminent injury and death.
I
noted how stressed he had been over
his work lately; asked about his
problematic blood pressure of late,
and inquired of the many nights spent
in the office trying to get ahead of
the workload. Then I asked him if he
thought his life were better spent,
was his cause more noble were he to
die of a heart attack in his cubicle?
He had no answer but he never
thought to bring up the subject again
and a few years later, he kicked his
lazy kids to the curb, retired, and
then bought a two-seater convertible
coupe. When last I spoke with him,
he had logged thousands of miles
across the country in his little sports
car and at long last, he had no
regrets.
The old saying goes that nobody lies
on their deathbed regretting that
they hadn’t spent more of their life
working another hour of overtime or
wishing they had spent more of life in
a soulless, corporate cubicle farm.
As the riding season is upon us, I hope
you are able to take advantage of the
many activities planned for the
Chapter. Furthermore, I hope you
are planning a ride that will take you
further than you have been before,
challenge you to learn more riding
skills, or take you to new places and
adventures. I hope you are mapping
out ride plans of no regret. Ride Far,
Ride Safe, and Enjoy! ~Ken
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Paul Smith
~ Assistant Director
“Let’s Ride”
Ride!
As I look out the window I see dark skies, lightening and rain.
Yes, it is that time of year again. IT’S RIDING SEASON!
Temperatures are on the rise and we all have been getting the bikes ready for the
many rides the Chapter has planned.
The “Breakout Ride” is now in the history book, which proved to be a great time
for our Chapter members along with members from the Christian Motorcycle
Association who provided a great blessing and joined us on the ride.
Officers have completed the HOG HOT Training and we even have had visitors
from the Kokomo Chapter visit us during our meeting to talk about the Indiana
State HOG Rally.
This is short so we have plenty of room in the newsletter for the officers to share
their learning experience while at HOT training.
Ride Safe!
Indiana State HOG Rally
Instatehogrally.com
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MEMBERSHIP OFFICER
TERRY MITCHELL
We have the first ride of the year
done and it is starting to warm up
in a hurry!
Remember!
If you change your email address,
please share the new address with
me so that we can update our
records. Chapter communications
are conducted through email blasts.
Our Chapter Web Page (thanks for
the amazing new page Joe!)and
occasionally through our Facebook
page. Because of this, it is
important that you keep your email
address current with the Chapter.
If you have not yet renewed, please
drop off your Membership renewal
and dues at the Dealership, or
contact
me
by
e-mail
[email protected] so we can
make arrangements to get your
membership renewed.
You can find the Membership form
on the Chapter Web Page http://
hogindychap1.com. As a reminder,
you must have a current National
HOG membership to be an
Indianapolis Chapter No. 1
member. Please remember, if your
National
membership
expires
during 2014, you must renew it to
maintain your local Chapter
Membership.
‘Nuff said….Now Get out and
RIDE!
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Jeff Cox
Activities Director
The long anticipated Breakout Ride last Saturday turned out to be a great day. It
was somewhat chilly, but it didn’t seem to matter. Thank you Meade Van Wyck for
a fun and safe ride to Shady’s in Sheridan. Thirty-two riders along with seven
guests attended. The food was good. Thank you to the CMA Crossroads Riders for
being our guest and thank your for our Bikers Blessing Service.
UPCOMING CHAPTER RIDES IN APRIL:
April 12 - Willie and Red’s Ride: Ed James will lead us to Willie and Red’s
Restaurant in Hagerstown. Staging will be at the Circle K gas station located at
96th and Olio Rd. KSU at 11:00 a.m.
April 24 - Big Cat Caper III: It’s been a couple of years since we have been to the
Exotic Feline Rescue Center and it has always been a good time. Bill Keesling will
be leading us this year. KSU at 10:00 a.m. at Harley-Davidson of Indianapolis.
Our weekday lunch rides will begin in May. Our first ride will be May 12. As of
now, we have one weekday ride scheduled per month during the riding season.
We might try to add one additional weekday ride each month.
As I reported last month, planning for the Peyton Manning children’s Hospital
toy Ride is all underway. I will update everyone at our May Chapter Meeting.
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Head Road Captain
Meade Van Wyck
On March 14, forty-one HOG members
gathered in the back room of the H-D
dealership for the annual Group Rider
Meeting. After some shenanigans getting the
projector to work properly (it never did and
we had to take alternate measures), the
meeting got underway. Much of this meeting
was review for much of our membership, but
there were several members new to group
riding and several more who had not ridden
with our Chapter.
General riding principles including proper
spacing, hand signals, what to do at stop
lights and signs, and passing protocols were
covered. The MSF video was finally
downloaded from the internet as we could not
get the right combination of computers, dvd’s,
and projectors to sync up. Although this is the
same video that has been an MSF staple for
the last millennium, there is a great deal of
good information and it was helpful to be
reminded of it.
The original intent was to follow the meeting
with a short ride, but the weather was quite
chill in the morning and few people rode. The
afternoon was warmer however, and after
sampling some of the excellent chili from the
chili cook-off, several of us took of to get
some wind therapy.
Two weeks later, after the HOT in Detroit (a
whole other story covered elsewhere in this
issue), twenty-nine members attended the
lead/sweep meeting. This meeting was to go
over protocol specifically for leads and
sweeps and was the first step in assembling
a corps of road captains to assist in leading
and sweeping chapter rides.
A road captain manual was assembled as a
guide for those wanting to become road
captains and served as the curriculum for the
meeting. The manual is available as a pdf on
our website along with all the forms that were
presented at the meeting.
The meeting was divided into five main
sections: an overview, leading, sweeping,
accident protocol, paperwork, and a sixth
section with all the forms. There was a lot of
discussion, questions, and give and take. The
manual is a living document and will evolve
over time and with additional experience.
One thing I would like to see all our road
captains (and other interested parties)
partake in is an Accident Scene Management
class. It is something I will be working
towards during this year. All in all, it was a
great experience both for me as head road
captain and I hope for those who attended.
Our goal is to have fun and ride safely. The
road captain program will address the safety
portion of this combination.
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LJ Jernstadt
Safety Director
Safety Office Update:
I want to thank everyone for the input on first aid kits, especially Dr. Bob
Christenson for putting together our first aid kits. He sent me a text the night
we arrived in Detroit for HOT and I was overwhelmed with appreciation. So
were the rest of our members when I shared what he had done. We’ve got some
really great first aid kits now so please remember that if you sign one out you
need to return it to the dealership.
What did I learn at HOT? Well, we are not the only ones that have multiple
riding seasons: winter, pot hole, and then riding. I know we ride in all of them
but probably the most danger comes from the unexpected pot hole or any
storm debris and the danger is increased 100 fold on any motorcycle. That’s
why you need to remember your SEE (See, Evaluate, and Execute) and give
yourself time to react . I am sure we have all already had the Cager close calls if
you’re riding in rush hour. Just remember we can’t win and move on.
Our Breakout Ride went great. Tip of the hat to Meade for the work he has put
into the ride Lead and Sweep program. None of our groups bumped into each
other until we reached our destination and the smaller groups made it safer to
navigate traffic.
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THESE ARE YOUR 2015 OFFICERS!
Ken White
Paul Smith
Assistant Director
(317) 435-2769
[email protected]
Director
(317)-877-2195
David Dellen
Chapter Manager and Sponsor
(317) 815-1800
[email protected]
Bette Gumerson
L. J. Jernstadt
Safety Director
(317) 409-9519
[email protected]
Jeff Malaber
Sergeant at Arms
(317)509-0759
Secretary
(317) 590-6711
Meade Van Wyck
Head Road Captain
(317 714-3570
[email protected]
Tom Meeker
Treasurer
(317) 440-0366
[email protected]
Jeff Cox
Activities Coordinator
(317) 538-5223
[email protected]
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Ron Allen
Awards Chairperson
(317) 918-6901
[email protected]
Marci Hartshorne
Fundraising Chairperson
(317)514-1117
[email protected]
Terry Mitchell
Membership Officer
(219) 746-4368
[email protected]
Allen Sprunk
Historian
(317) 640-1686
[email protected]
Rew Van Wyck
Newsletter Editor
(317) 709-5027
[email protected]
Joe Schipani
Web Master
(317) 459-3340
[email protected]
Bill Keesling
Photographer
(317) 388-9239
[email protected]
or
[email protected]
Brian George
Publicity Officer
(317)690-2043
[email protected]
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11
Secretary’s Report ~ Bette Gumerson
Indianapolis Chapter No. 1
Saturday, april 4, 2015
Chapter Meeting Minutes
Jeff Mallaber, Sergeant at Arms, called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. with the Pledge
of Allegiance.
Ken White, Director, welcomed all 114 people asking who rode on this frigid morning.
About 1/3 of us were crazier than the rest!
We again thank Harley Davidson of Indianapolis for coffee and doughnuts!
Family Matters –
Who has a friend or family member in the Armed Services?
LEST WE FORGET <-- We are a nation at war and it is America's sons and daughters that
serve and sacrifice for our liberties
Ted Ellis’s daughter recently passed the Illinois Bar! Congrats to the Ellis family!!
H.O.G. Indiana Rally – Paul Smith and the Kokomo Crew
Curt Daniels and four other Kokomo Chapter members were here to update us on the
Indiana Rally. Mark your calendars for July 23 – 25, 2015, and register by June 4th at
www.instatehogrally.com if you want a T-shirt and pin. The entertainment is as good as
a national rally: Here Come the Mummies, Rare Earth, Mark Farner (Grand Funk
Railroad), Fran Cosmo (Boston)… There will be Field Events, escorted rides, a H.O.G.
only Garden Party, a parade into Kokomo with Poker Walk in downtown Kokomo with
local merchants providing food and souvenirs. You can order extra shirts or pins when
you register. Please also sign up to volunteer. The Kokomo Chapter is approximately 80
members strong and they need our help! Indianapolis Chapter No. 1 will ride out
Saturday morning and help with registration.
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Christian Motorcycle Associate (CMA) is here today for a Bike Blessing before our first
ride. They will join us on our Breakout Ride.
Chapter No. 1 Christmas Party – Marci Hartshorne
We are down to two options: Renaissance Hotel and the Dealership. Here’s the
comparison of what each venue has to offer If we don’t make the minimum for the
Renaissance, it puts our reserve funds at risk.
Item
Renaissance
Dealership
Decorations
By Renaissance
By Volunteers
Food
Informal Dining
Catered
Drinks
Full Bar for 4 hours
Caterer
Overnight
Accommodations
$120 per night plus tax with TBD, will look into UBER
reservations
and nearby rooms
Cost
$30 per person
$20 per person maximum
Minimum tickets
130 tickets
None
Budget Dollar
Budget plus $4,000
Within budget
Tickets will be sold for this, and all events to assure numbers for the caterer.
Marci thanked Jeff & Paul for their research on the hotel.
Vote: We will have a Dealership Homecoming Christmas Party for 2015!
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Kyle Jobin Memorial Ride – Joe and Cyndi Jobin
For those who aren’t aware, Kyle Jobin was murdered on January 4, 2014. There are
no tips or charges yet. On Saturday, June 13th, we will leave from the Dealership on
the second annual “Kyle’s Ride”. Cyndi modeled the wonderful T-shirt. Crime
StoppersTM is joining the effort this year hoping to bring attention to unsolved crimes
and the rising number of crime victims in the city. There will be raffles and food in
addition to a very nice 67 mile, fully escorted ride. Register on Facebook at “Kyle’s
Ride, Indianapolis” for $20/rider and $10/passenger. ALL proceeds go to the
scholarship fund established at Vincennes University to provide the opportunity for
other kids to go to college. This is an open ride, so invite riders of all brands to
celebrate Kyle’s life and try to turn the tide on Indianapolis crime.
New Members/First Time Attending/Visitors – Terry Mitchell
Buddy Randolph – Street Glide from Lawrenceburg
Dick Evans – Street Glide
Brian Freese & Stacy
Tim Hutson is rejoining
We want to thank Joe Melecosky, who rides in from southwest of Danville, IL!! Way to
go, Joe!!
Activities – Jeff Cox
Christian Motorcycle Association (CMA) will provide a Biker Blessing today @ 10:15
even if you didn’t ride, the Crossroads Chapter will do the blessing
Ed James – In years past, the Breakout Ride was always to Welliver’s in Hagerstown.
They went out of business and are now back in business as Willie & Red’s, but it
doesn’t open until 4:00 on Saturday. So, next Sunday, April 12th, KSU from the Circle K
at 96th & Olio Road at 11:00. There will be information in the Newsletter, on FB, the
website, etc. It will be an easy ride with a few little curves all on county roads. We
will have a private room to enjoy their great buffet.
There are still rooms available at the Paddleboat building across the street if you
want to join the fun for Rollin’ On the River! Don’t miss the great ride with friends!
Triple Nickle Ride – There are only a couple of people signed up so far, if you’re
interested in going get with Jeff.
14
Bill Keesling – Sign Up – We need Numbers!
The Big Cat Caper is back on April 25th! There will be a catered lunch, but sign up so
we know how many and much it will be for lunch. For those who didn’t like the
parking last time, it is improved! It is $10 to get into the center.
Chapter Ride after the May 2nd meeting will be at the 36 Saloon in Rockville, IN. They
have a family area as well as an outdoor area.
Memorial Day Weekend in May – Join our rich Memorial Day traditions
Flags for Heroes, Part 1 – Mike Boudreau, Lead. May 23rd will be the 6th anniversary of
this hallowed and memorable ride. What started as 6 bikes has turned into a huge
event that Louisville looks forward every year. The Mayor of Louisville is always
grateful for our participation. We will have an escort of some sort. If we have 50 bikes
it will be official escort. Otherwise Louisville will escort us. Please sign up so we can
have a head count. There’s a free lunch. The ceremony ends with us all revving our
bikes under the overpass by the river!
Flags for Heroes, Part 2 – Bill Keesling, Lead. Our destination is the Flight 93 Memorial.
The keepers of and visitors to that memorial really appreciate us bringing flags. We
currently have 7 bikes with 11 people, and yet there is room. We will be part of the
Flags for Heroes, Part 1 and leave Louisville at noon. The first day is long, but well
worth it. The next day offers some great roads on 50 and partially on the 555. The
ceramic flag-holder discs we paid for last year were destroyed in a fire so we will have
plywood ones this year. There are flyers in the back. This is a three day ride that you
won’t forget.
Ride to the Wall, sponsored by Rolling Thunder – Terry Sanderson, Lead. This is a
bucket list ride you should consider participating in. To enjoy this experience, you
must attend one of three orientation meeting: April 19th, May 17th (1:00 p.m.) or May
20th (8:00 p.m.) at the Ft. Harrison Veteran’s Center. The ride leaves on May 21st. Sign
up on line at http://indianarollingthunder.com/RTTW.html
15
Dealership Corner – David Dellen
✓ April 4th has a lot going on if you aren’t riding. We have an egg hunt “meant for
kids” so let your conscience be your guide. There will be pictures with Easter
Bunny and a beautiful Heritage. Afterwards, there will be helmet fitting in Motor
Clothes
✓ April 11th come for the Suspension and LED Workshops and Pancake Breakfast for
$5, all you can eat!
✓ April 18th at 11:00 – Meet the Tech Workshop with lunch to follow
✓ April 23rd New Bike Owner Party with HOG representation – this was one of our
best Marches!
✓ April 25th For those not going on the Feline Rescue Center ride, there will be a
Fashion Show for bikes and clothing
✓ April 30th is Men’s Garage Party – Cigars from Blend, Gun Accessories, etc. (Rew
requested cigars for the next Women’s Garage Party)
✓ May 2nd is “Spring Cruise In” in support of St. Mary’s Child Center
Also note the following:
Dan is 2 – 3 weeks out for Service pickup. If you want to get something done, get it
scheduled now.
✓ Ted Ellis is now a Salesman!
✓ Nate Barnet is now Inventory Manager!
H.O.T. (Harley Officer Training) Update –
Everyone who went had a great time. Allen Sprunk was a great representative of his
home town. Detroit is on the comeback trail and we enjoyed a city tour by a retired
Detroit police officer one evening.
On Wednesday, April 1st, the officers met to exchange information from H.O.T. among
all. All who went reported other chapters taking notes on what Indianapolis Chapter
No. 1 does. Even though we have things we struggle with, we are a fantastic
Chapter!
There was a large Canadian presence, but Rew did come home with us. LJ got a Tshirt out of it!
16
David Dellen was there representing our Chapter. The Motor Company fully supports
our dealership’s involvement and by the end of the year will require all dealerships
to play an active role. In the dealership meetings, David sees there is a check and
balance system with our relationship. The Dealership sponsors us and we are a major
source of business for the Dealership, bringing in customers.
Because the Dealership is a business and the Chapter is also legally a business, David
realizes the importance of the Chapter leadership, particularly the Primary Officers
(Director, Assistant Director, Secretary and Treasurer). For the 2016 elections, David
will screen all candidates for the four Primary Officers to be certain each has the
Chapter’s best interest at heart and a plan to improve the Chapter. David will not
choose the officers, but will endorse those who demonstrate the desire and plan to
move the Chapter forward in conjunction with the Dealership. Anyone desirous of
running as a Primary Office this Fall should be prepared to answer three questions for
David:
• Why do you want the position?
• Why should I endorse you?
• What are your goals for this position and the Chapter?
David will endorse all candidates for each office who can assure him they have a
good plan take this Chapter to the next level. This is not a power trip. He wants a
great Chapter!
Joe Schipani – Webmaster and the new Texting App
• Joe will soon get a vest with a pocket protector!!
• If you’re a ride leader, please get your submission form into the web site so others can
see the information and plan their participation. If you can’t get it submitted
electronically, get it to Joe any way you can and he’ll get it on the ride calendar.
• Last Minute Cancelations – FB is good, but not everyone is a member. We now have
“Remind” app. This is a tool teachers use to send texts to their students. If you want
to be a part of it – text @hogchap1 to 81010 and reply to the messages to sign up to
get last minute notifications. It never discloses emails or cell numbers.
• Jeff Cox will still maintain the Ride Line.
17
Donna Dellen, Dealership PrincipalRuss Dellen Memorial Ride (RDMR) –
The “Loop” returns! On August 8th the RDMR will leave from the Dealership and
head back around I-465, ending at Motorcycles on Meridian. There will be parking
downtown. The police are on board with the plans. The Loop is Back!
The Friday night before, August 7th, Donna reserved a block of 100 tickets for
Boston concert at Hoosier Park with hotel room options to make it an RDMR
weekend. VIP tickets will be $120/person and the least expensive option is $39/
person. Donna is working on additional discounts and/or food. Let he know if
you’re interested in ticket as she can only hold them for a month.
Road Captain Program Update and Breakout Ride – Meade Van Wyck
There were 29 people who attended the Lead & Sweeps meeting. The Road
Captain manual will be on the website for reference. It is a living document so
let’s improve it!
We are working on an Accident Scene Management class. Dr. Bob may become an
instructor.
Meade is also working on an identifier for Road Captains. Some chapters have a
badge on their vest, other’s a patch, others a full safety type vest.
There are 30 people signed up for the Breakout Ride today. KSU will be ~10:45.
Meade needs Leads & Sweeps to meet after the meeting. Meade plans to break
into four groups. Kokomo drove down, but all CMA riders need to sign waiver.
We’re going to Shady’s in Sheridan. They take credit cards. They are not normally
open for lunch on Saturday so they are opening up special for us. There is a huge
pothole in the far right lane as you go over Meridian. It’s enough to engulf a small
child and make a concrete truck swerve, so be careful.
OFFICER REPORTS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Assistant Director, Paul Smith – Nothing more
Treasurer, Tom Meeker – Nothing today
Secretary, Bette Gumerson – Nothing today
Chapter Manager, David Dellen – Nothing more
18
5. Historian, Allen Sprunk
We are celebrating an anniversary! Ten years ago today, Indianapolis Chapter No. 1
held the first Saturday meeting! It was moved to Saturday to allow for better
attendance and rides after the meetings. Additionally, 25 years ago we were
formed. Documents are continuing to roll in.
6. Awards Officer, Ron Allen
Get your mileage into the Mileage program. This is important to the entire Chapter
because we turn total Chapter mileage into National for national recognition.
7. Newsletter Editor, Rew Van Wyck
HOG Wild Bowling
Congratulations to team “HOGs & Kisses” consisting of Nick and Karen Meyers and
Brian and xxxxxx George who took first place! Rew presented them with the trophy
where their name will reside.
Rew announced we don’t know who won in 2010-2011. If anyone has information,
let her know.
Bowling will start up again in October. You don’t need to have to know how to bowl.
Just keep it in your lane. We’d also like to give Patti Boudreau a big hand for
keeping bowling going on Monday’s through the winter.
May is women’s month! Last year, the men submitted more articles in their June
2014 edition, so the gauntlet is down!
8. Publicity Officer, Brian George – Nothing today
9. Sergeant at Arms, Jeff Mallaber – Please remember to keep side conversations
to a minimum.
10.Fundraising Officer, Marci Hartshorne – Nothing else
11.Webmaster, Joe Schipani – Nothing else
12.Photographer, Bill Keesling
All new members meet back in Service to get a picture taken.
13.Head Road Captain, Meade Van Wyck – Nothing else
14.Safety Officer, L. J. Jernstadt
Thanks to Bob Christianson for putting together first aid kits.
We did fill an experienced rider ABATE class. BRC2 will be at 10:00 on May 3rd at the
old airport parking lot. ABATE is resolving their issues with BMV.
Don’t forget to check your bikes! Many of them have been sitting all winter and
need a once over before venturing safely onto the roads.
15.Membership Officer, Terry Mitchell – Nothing today
16.Activities Officer, Jeff Cox – Nothing else
19
Reminders
1. Don’t forget that the Dealership donates a portion of the day’s sale Saturdays of
Chapter Meetings.
2. Pancake Breakfast – 11 April - $5 All-you-can-eat
We are building volunteers – Thanks already to:
✓Ray Fanger
✓Dale and Maddy Burrows
✓Brian George
✓Marci and Steve Hartshorne
DEALERSHIP CORNER
a) David Dellen
b) Donna Dellen
c) Joe Murphy
Chief Operating Officer
Dealer Principal
General Manager
d) TJ Hollingsworth
Sales Manager
e) Nate Arnet
Inventory Manager
f) Craig Hammond
Service & Parts Manager
g) John Boots
General Merchandise Manager
h) Matt Collins
Floor Manager
Meeting Adjourned at 10:07 a.m.
SUNDAY
SATURDAY
APRIL 11
Chapter
Pancake
Breakfas
t
All You
Can EAT
for $5
LED &
Suspensi
on
Workshop
at the
Dealersh
ip
11:00
a.m.
APRIL
12
SATURDAY THURSDAY
APRIL 25 MAY 2
SATURDAY
TUESDAY
SATURDAY
MAY 2
MAY 12
MAY 16
M e n ’ s
Night Out
Chapter
Monthly
Meeting
Chapter
Lunch
Ride
8:30
Donuts
and
Coffee
This
will be
our
first
Chapter
Lunch
Ride of
the
year.
Look for
more
details
on the
Event
Calendar
Ride
to
Exotic
Feline
Rescue
Willie
&
Reds
Center
Ride Master
Bill
Keesling
takes us to
another
visit to the
pussycat
paradise. If
you have
never been
to this
amazing
rescue
center you
are in for a
treat.
9:00
Meeting
36
Saloon
Ride
after
Chapter
meeting
SATURDAY
MAY 23
SATURDAY
MAY 30
H-D of
Indy Open
House
Flags
for
Heroes 1
Bug Run
Ride
food fun
for
everyone!
Flags
for
Heroes
II
Mike
Boudreau
is Ride
Master
as you
head to
Syracuse
Indiana
and The
Frog
Tavern.
20
KSU 9:00
a.m.
Welcome Our Newest Members!
Stacy Field and Brian Freese
Joe Melecosky
Tim Hutson
Phil Galoway
21
HOG Sightings at the Chapter Meeting
Brian George, Paul Smith, LJ Jersntadt, and Steve Byrne
Mark Christy and David Bridges
chats
Besties: Sherry Shipley and Julie Byrne
Joe Melecosky, our Chapter member from Illinois,
with Steve Hartshorne
22
Terry Mitchell, Jim Moore and John McCain
Curt Daniels introduces the Kokomo group and talks to
members about the 2015 State Rally in Kokomo.
David Conaway sitting with some of the CMA (Christian
Motorcycle Association) Members invited for the Breakout Ride
Bruce Heffernan, Aaron Childs and Paul Amos
23
24
Welcome to our 2015 Sponsor of the
Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital Toy Ride!
Rider Insurance
25
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standard through customer satisfaction and
consistently stunning displays, baskets, and
stonework. With an array of colors, flowers
and
arrangements,
customization
is
affordable and easy for any occasion.
To ensure vibrant and long lasting life, our
flowers are always freshly cut and chilled. We
consistently offer quality and beauty in each
hand picked arrangement that leaves our
shop. Come visit us or call in to order your
arrangement today!
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26
Castleton Trophy Center
Plaques and Trophies
Badges and Signage
Engraving
Desk Accessories
Convention Supplies
Logo Apparel
Promotional Products
Clocks
6888 Hawthorne Park Drive
Indianapolis, Indiana 46220
317-841-8181
www.castletontrophy.com
High Calibre Construction
Remodel * Repair * New Construction
Meade Van Wyck
317-714-3570
[email protected]
www.highcalibreconstruction.com
27
RIDE TO THE THIRTY-SIX SALOON
Saturday May 2, 2015
Westward Ho Partners! Here we go for another road trip to the legendary
Thirty-Six Saloon in Rockville Indiana. We’ll take a great scenic route there and
back and it’s promised you’ll enjoy every bit of the 146 mile round trip. The
ride will end in Lizton where you can grab a great ice cream before you ride
home.
Meet your Ride Captain, Bill Keesling at 11:00 a.m. (right after the monthly
meeting). There will be a short break and fuel at the Marathon in Jamestown.
Ride is considered “moderate”. For more information check the Ride planner
on our Website. http://hogindychap1.com (stock photos courtesy of restaurant website)
28
THIS DAY IN H-D HISTORY
~ Alan Sprunk, Chapter Historian
April in Harley Davidson History
April 5, 2005,
• Indianapolis HOG Chapter No. 1 conducts their first Saturday membership meeting at the
Dealership. Membership meetings were previously held on Wednesday evenings, often followed by
an evening dinner at a local restaurant. The change to the first Saturday, allowed chapter sponsor
Russ Dellen to provide a great breakfast for everyone in attendance
April 16, 1997
• Chapter Treasurer, David Bridges, continues his mastery of all things financial by once again
winning the 50/50 raffle at the monthly Chapter meeting. By winning the 50/50 with uncanny
frequency, several members are rumored to be purchasing their Hoosier lottery tickets through
David.
Bowling Season Ends
with Great Time and Big Winners
Sorry that its come to an end for another
year but this bowling season was another
great success and appears to have ended
just in time for us to rev up and ride.
This year’s big winners were the “Hogs &
Kisses” with team members Nick and
Karen Meyers and Brian and Nanette
George. Congrats to them and everyone
who came out and made ridiculously fun
and foolish sports out of themselves….week
after week.
29
Jeff Cox Masonry Restoration
Residential - Commercial
6645 Sparrowood Drive * Indianapolis, IN 46236
Jeff Cox, Owner
Did You Know...water is the single most damaging
element to a commercial or residential building or home?
Limestone Repair/Replacement
• Chimney Repair/Replacement
• Brick and Mortar Staining
Water problems are not always limited to older buildings. Water may plague a
structure from the initial construction due to improper building methods.
Water first damages a building cosmetically, then structurally. By the time
water damage is visible on the interior of a building or home it is likely some
irreversible damage has already taken place on the exterior.
• Waterproofing – Sealers
• Fireplace installation
• Brick Replacement
• Pressure Washing
• Masonry Coatings
Once damage has occurred on the exterior due to water intrusion, costly repair
work is required. This is why keeping the building or home watertight is so
• New Brick Work
• Epoxy Injection
important. Over time the only way to prevent water from entering a building
or home is by inspecting the structure on regular basis, looking for failed
sealant, cracked or missing masonry, failed flashing and roof defects.
30
Pancakes Corn beef and music on
St.Patrick’s Day
Not resting on the laurels of a successful
Valentine’s Day celebration, the HOG
Chapter and the Dealership put on a grand
festivity in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. There
were pancakes in the morning awaiting all
the hungry souls there for the Riders
Workshop and at noon the Dealership put on
a fete that would make ol’ St Paddy proud.
By all accounts, it was a huge success.
At left: Vern Roach displays his Irish spirit
by sporting the Dublin shirt he pinched
while on the Emerald Isle. Bottom left: We
had good (albeit-not-so-Irish)music to
accompany our talk and food.
And Ray
Fanger again manned the food trough to
feed the hungry HOGS a delicious meal of
cabbage and corn beef.
31
The Dealership put on a sneak preview of
their upcoming fashion show.
Motorclothes staff member Sami showing her
pink side while Danny Zernicke shows us just
how much of a bad ass he really is.
H-
G
A
R
D GA
Y
T
R
E PA
t th
Out a
t
h
g
i
n’s N
hip
lers
a
e
D
e
me
o
The W
Bette Gumerson shows the ladies how to roll it back up while Ryan Kennedy shows he’s “hot stuff”. Yes folks, someone stuffed him that bill.
32
The Big Cat Caper III
Saturday, April 25
If you haven’t experienced the thrill of meeting some cool big cats, here’s your chance to get really close.
Later this month, Bill Keesling will again lead the ride down to the Exotic Feline Rescue Center. Kick
stands up at 10:00 a.m. and the expected time of arrival will be approximately 12:15 p.m. Lunch will be
served at the Center and then the tour will begin. The tour is conducted in groups of 10 to 12 each and there
is a possibility of viewing area that the general public does not get to see. The ride back will most likely
commence no later than 3:00 p.m.and this ride will end near Monrovia at I 70 and Hwy 39 approximately
around 4:30 p.m.
The catered lunch cost is $10.00 per person and the entrance fee is also $10.00.
The ride is approximately 170 miles round trip and is rated as “moderate”. There is a gravel road leading
into the Center but it is well packed and smooth. For more details please check the on line planner on our
website: http://hogindychap1.com
Information regarding the Center: http://www.exoticfelinerescuecenter.org
33
The A-Team
NorthSide Harley-Davidson’s Motorcycle Sales Team
Josh Locke * Patrick Isom * Jeff Alcorn * Cathy Neel * David Dellen * Matt Collins * Ted Ellis
TJ Hollingsworth (missing Joe Murphy)
34
Rumblings
at the Dealership
It’s been a year since I walked into the Dealership with the sole
objective to get “the skinny” on what was going down. A lot of
changes have happened since then but there’s one thing that hasn’t,
the Dealership remains dedicated and determined to give its
customers the very best in product line and service.
Let’s Meet the Staff
and then moved on to Nissan in Fishers. When he
sold it, he was free to come here.
When asked how the Dealership had managed to
woo him here, he smiled and said, “The talks had
been on-going for a couple of years. Timing was
everything. It’s a dream job to come over here.”
I asked him if there have been significant changes
over the past quick few months he’s been here.
Again the smile, a pause, and then perhaps a well
practiced, “bike sales have gone up. There’s a
new energy and excitement.”
Prodded for
specifics he waived a hand in the direction of the
Parts area and noted the physical changes.
“We’ve changed the Parts area around and the
customers say its brighter, open and more
accessible. We think its a definite improvement.”
Joe Murphy,
General Manager.
Born and raised in Westfield Indiana, Joe took on
the reigns of General Manager on the 1st of
December 2014. Given the fact that he came on
just at the height of the Christmas season, he is
not an easy person to peg down. He’s had to hit
the ground running for sure as he has all
departments under his watch. This does not mean
that he comes inexperienced or capable of
breaking under pressure. Far from it. He ran
Dreyer Reinhold Infiniti for over sixteen years
Back in Service, they’ve hired several more
mechanics of which four are certified master
techs. As Joe puts it, “we are trying to rebuild the
confidence in our quality of service. Craig and his
staff are doing well.”
As well, there’ve been some changes in the sales
staff and now Joe feels confident that they’ve got
a great team. “The key to a team is that all the
players work well together and all have a lot of
talent. We want to grow it (the Dealership) and I
am pleased with what we have.”
So… is there proof that there is growth? Well,
when you read TJ Hollingsworth’s interview he
goes on record of wanting to achieve over 400
sales of new bikes.
35
When I asked Joe Murphy about this ambitious
projection, he didn’t flinch. In fact he came back
with statistics indicating that they are already well
on their way to reaching that goal. As he states,
“that would be double of last year to hit 400 and I
think we can do it. Four hundred new?… I would
love it. It’s a big goal but I believe we have the
team to do it.”
Murphy’s own goal is to grow the store as a total. “I
would like to see 25% to 35% growth in all the
departments. I’m invested in getting our name out
there and building our brand as Harley-Davidson of
Indianapolis.
He wanted to remind me that even though he rarely
has the leisure to sit and chat or even ride a great
deal (he loves to ride) he is always willing to say hi
and listen to your ideas. He wants to meet
everybody.
Good going Joe. Now if you can just get the
couches back out in the front…. (laugh) “you’ll see
them soon enough when we complete the sales
department redo.”
TJ Hollingsworth, Sales Manager.
“TeeeeeJay” came on board shortly after my initial
March interviews, but I caught up with him
sometime in May after he had officially taken over
as Sales Manager (April 1st).
I don’t think I’ve ever met someone more animated
and need of being duct taped onto his chair,
especially when it comes to discussing the
Dealership, the staff, and his plans. We started off
with a little clarification of what exactly he does in
terms of finishing off sales. Evidently the sales staff
has a new title, well, new to us, although it’s
actually been a H-D terminology for quite some
time. He’s still the quarterback, the overseer of all
things and it’s his job to “make sure that everything
is right so that my crew is successful.” And
sometimes, he is the Closer, especially on
“overflow” weekends when they can’t keep up to
the sales.
Taking a deep breath I prepare myself for the next
question and the predictable bolt of energy…
36
So, what’s the big plan this year?
TJ fixes his eyes on mine like a crazed cheetah…
and then…one…two…three…
“MY GOAL….my goal….is to create FOUR
H U N D R E D N E W H A R L E Y- D AV I D S O N
OWNERS….and I mean…BRAND NEW
motorcycle owners.”
He stresses that knowing the customer is
everything. “It’s a process and it takes a couple of
visits to get to understand the customer’s needs and
then the selection process begins. If the sales staff
is any quicker then that I have to question whether
we have been thorough enough.”
As he points out, “…then it’s up to me to get the
bike home. Happy customer, happy store.”
That’s ambitious.
“Yeah and it brought about some raised eyebrows
at the staff meeting when I pitched the numbers.”
“And of course, that just fuels your flame,
doesn't it?
“I enjoy over-exceeding everyone’s expectations.
WE are the Number One store in the district.
That’s a first in a very long time. We are
continuing to trend up, while others are not. We’ve
got a TEAM here! We will shock the world”
I pointed to a beautiful free wheeler that I’ve been
drooling over the past few months and asked what extras
could improve it’s already dynamic looks? He’s got that
look again and runs over to drag back a huge sign and
says, “so here’s the deal, we love doing these specialty
bikes. Its what we call our GPS program. This was the
brain child of David Dellen and Ted Ellis, to make the
bikes unique…and valuable.
(His smile fades to a reflective pose.)
“The commitment level from the Dellens for 2014
is unprecedented. They have really stepped up
financially with bringing Joe (Murphy), our new
General Manager, on. He’s a rider. He’s owned
Harley-Davidsons for years. It’s perfect.
And I love my staff. They have the right amount of
ambition and integrity. They ride. They are
immersed in this culture.
The sales crew are now the “Fit Specialists”
because they are the ones whose responsibility is
to fit the right bike for the customer and are geared
mainly towards the first time buyer. That
excitement of the first bike should be there six
months later. We don’t want to have you
disappointed and trading in before the year is up.
Customers like to trick out their rides and it’s a big
commitment from three to fifteen thousand dollars worth
of parts and accessories. We’ve got six or seven bikes
waiting to complete (they were put on the back burner
with all the new sales and service generated this past
month) but they are going to be great. Now that we have
Matt back with his experience, these are going to be great
designs, no cookie cutters and not duplicated. The looks a
customer will get riding down the road on their special
bike will be well worth every penny.
37
Matt Collins
Floor Manager
It’s almost as tough catching a word with Matt Collins as it is to catch up
with Joe. He’s constantly buzzing back and forth from office to office but I
managed to catch him for a brief set, albeit without catching a decent
photo. As he puts it, “I don’t do media and y’all know what I look like
anyways.”
“So….what’s it like to be back?
Without hesitation Matt says, “About the same, just
in a different seat.”
When the Dealership announced your return a
month ago, there was applause and some wild
cheers. How do you feel about that?”
“It makes me feel good because I had known so
many people here for a very long time.”
“So…you are now The Closer.”
“Floor Manager. I’m the front end of the deal. I do
trade appraisals etc and yes, I’m the numbers
guy.. .and yes, I do like this more then sales, really. I
get to touch everybody, not just certain customers,
and so far we’ve have a good couple of months.”
“Your thoughts on the projection of 400 sales?”
Without skipping a beat Matt says, “No problem.”
Then he just shakes his head, smiles and its back to
work.
Cathy Neel
Fit Specialist
Cathy’s first year anniversary was February 24th.
Looking around the new sales area, I realized that
there wasn’t anyone else that had an older
anniversary. She’s the senior staff of the crew and
she’s seen them come and go…and come back
again. (I don’t think she was only talking about the
customers). So, what’s her secret? Well, when I
asked for her response she apologized and
continued to text a potential client looking for
another bike to buy from her. Perhaps, not in so
many words, she had already answered me. She’s a
hard headed, hard working woman who still has
time for a smile and a joke and she also knows
when to stand back and listen to what the customer
is saying. She’s a good talker, she’s a better listener.
As she explains, “ My love of Harley and their
product, its easy to talk about. I would say that a
smile and a personality goes along way too. Making
friends first is important. The sale comes later.
You know we all want to live the dream, all of us.”
38
them over to the financial specialists. They’ll pinch
the numbers.”
When asked if he’ll see 400 sold this year, he
proudly states, “I’m number 1 right now so I think
we can. We are neck and neck in sales right now
and that kind of rivalry is healthy. We have fun
with it. It’s not war.
Josh Locke
Fit Specialist
Josh is “the big guy”.
He’s been with the
Dealership for six months now and feels very
comfortable in his position there. No need to
remind him of the changes he’s seen here but he
doesn’t flinch. You see, Josh recently received an
honorable discharge from the army after ten years
service and three tours in Iraq. Quite the
difference. Still, it does not mean that he doesn’t
get excited when you talk about Harley-Davidson.
His eyes light up like the same young sprout
who’d come into the Dealership and have a blast.
And then he chuckles when he remembers those
times with his Dad when he’d be told to hold the
screw driver while his dad would “kick it”. “If I
got a shock, we knew it was good.”
When asked what he brings to the position he
points out, “Youth…and experience because I’ve
been weened on the culture, (he’s built bikes all his
life)……and I’ve also got army dedication. I’ve
got a medical retirement from the service, so I
don’t have to work but I love this job .He’s also
excited about the new format because he can build
strong relations with the customers and then “hand
Pat Isom
Fit Specialist
Pat is the new guy and another big guy. He’s
been with the Dealership for just over two
months but he comes with a wealth of
experience in tractor sales and managing a
trucking firm that became a 24 hour 7 days a
week deal. When this job surfaced, he jumped
on it. For him it was great to be back in sales.
“Tractors were my expertise so I am learning
all over again BUT there’s nothing better then
Harley-Davidson to learn about.”
He bought his first Harley, a Streetglide, last year
and thought, “I could do a better job selling them
then the guy who sold it to me (it wasn’t here). So
here I am and I love it. Can’t wait for the actual
riding season to begin!”
39
So….I’m just about to wrap it up for
this article when two things happen.
(I’ll leave the first one for last and
this is the second one.)
Ted Ellis
Fit Specialist
Our very own Parts Manager Guru, Chapter
member and dearest friend, Ted Ellis announced
that he was moving from the back and into the
front as the Dealership’s newest Fit Specialist.
This truly just happened folks. I kid you not! So of
course, I had to stop the press for sure and find out
what cosmic calamity had occurred to bring this
about.
Of course, with Ted the most complicated and
philosophical paradoxes of the universe can all be
simply explained. That’s why he is our Guru. And
so, the answer was simple,
“It was time. When I started here ten years ago, I
was in sales. Then I had the opportunity to get
some hours in the Parts Department. It was winter
and at that time, it would be better money. But
within six months, I was the manager, and I’ve
been there ever since.”
“Until now”.
“Yes, but listen, I’m proud that I’ve gone
through the different changes. I’m proud that
even when Russ (Dellen) died, the Dealership was
able to carry on. They and we were able to pass
through the grieving and move on. And don’t forget
there was a recession too. A lot was stacked up
again us. But we made it mostly because we
pushed on. David and Donna are not afraid to try
new things. We’ve changed our entire sales process
and in the last two months we have sold more bikes
than anyone in Indiana this year.”
“And so…now you are a Fit Specialist.”
“Yep, I wanted this. I wasn’t forced or anything. I
presented my idea to Dave and Donna and to their
credit, they accommodated me.”
“So you’ve come full circle. How do you like it so
far?”
“Well, it’s only been a couple of days but it feels
really, really good. I’ve already sold my first bike.
(big smile). Second day on the floor. I don’t have
the stress of having to supporting five people at
home like I did back then. And you know…I never
enjoyed working at the store more than when I was
in sales. It’s good to be back doing it. The time is
just right.”
40
So now we come to the other thing that
happened. (Remember, I told you this on
the last page…do you actually read these
articles? :) Anyhow, there’s this big guy
that continually streams through the
Dealership. He’s got guns on him the
size of Howitzers. I mean the dude is
built like a brick…and I wonder if the
Dealership is getting prepared for some
major offense from their competitors
with the size of their employees they’ve
recently been hiring. Between this guy
and Josh and a few of the crew in the
back, we’d have a mighty fine …. So
now, I’m really watching as he doesn’t
stop moving back and forth from front to
the back offices He’s looking all serious
and then he sees you gawking at him and
he flashes a smile that would rival the
chrome on a Heritage Softail…
Jeff Alcorn
Finance
Sitting with Jeff at one of
the new high tables that
have been dispersed
through out the store, I
have at least a decent
chance of looking directly
at his face for this
interview. He tells me that
he’s only been at the
Dealership for about 30
days.
He’d been
managing car dealerships
all over the States for the
past twenty-five years.
“But it was getting
stagnant and besides…
That’s when I finally ask Joe Murphy…
I always had a passion for motorcycles.”
“Who the hell is the guns?”
The light in my head sputters on and I ask,
“That’s Ogre.”
“You were brought on with Joe?”
“Ogre?”
“Yeah but don’t say that to his face.”
(And I’m thinkin’ that really wouldn’t be the
smartest thing to do, no….really, um thanks for
the advice.)
“So um, what does he DO here?
“He’s Finance.”
“Woah, what? Yer jackin’ me. He’s the whole
damn office?”
“Yep.”
“Holy sheooooot!”
“Yes, when he was heading here I told him to put
a word in for me and the next thing I knew I was
being interviewed and got the job in early
March.”
“So you hit the ground running?”
“Absolutely. Its been a great month. And I just
bought a brand new ’15 Roadglide.” (there goes
that chrome smile again). And I just recently got
married in January in Maui. Her name is Candi
Irvin. She’s not a biker…yet…but she drives a
car like me so I hope we can get her on one. “
“I know I’ve got to get out to meet the public
more. I think I’m getting the people to warm to
me.” And then the big smile comes up again and
I don’t think he honestly has anything to worry
about.
41
Easter at the Dealership
The Easter Bunny (aka David Dellen) gets his hugs on
with Ken White, a peck on the cheek from Bette
Gumerson and moral support from (far left) Mistee
Rushton and (L) Patti Boudreau (photo by Bill
Rushton)
42
A Day in the Life of the easter bunny
Eager to get on the road with the Chapter’s first ride of the season, Lead Bill Keesling and Jon
McCain are delayed by the appearance of a very big and white rabbit being led by Donna Dellen
and then left stranded. I’m really not sure what the white rabbit was thinking standing out in front
of 25 rabid bikers who were wanting to get a move on. Fortunately, the rabbit stumbled (he does not
hop!) back into the Dealership and found himself in the middle of a gaggle of very lucky children out
to find Easter Eggs. Judging by the serious look of Josh Locke, it’s fairly safe to say that this
particular egg did not get snatched up. Donna does do her best to make everyone get into the festive
act and appears to have forgotten about her rabbit. In a desperate attempt to finally find his way
back down the rabbit hole, our poor wretched bunny tries to drive off on a beautiful white Softail.
Unfortunately, it does not move! Resigned to his fate, the poor bunny must endure hours of abuse by
the local loons. Ah poor hare! Perhaps next year, you’ll stay in your safe little bunny hole.
43
Breakout Ride April 4, 2015
~ Meade Van Wyck,
Head Road Captain
Well, ya know, it coulda been a little warmer.
I suppose it coulda been snowing too, so I
guess we’ll just have to call it a good day
overall.
I woke that morning with anticipation and
not a little bit of nervousness; forty chapter
members had signed up for the ride and then
I was notified that the CMA had about twelve
riders that wanted to join us after doing the
bike blessing. Well…alright then. Then I
heard that the Kokomo HOG Chapter was
going to ride down to do a presentation about
the Indian HOG Rally and also wanted to
join us on the ride…
Flashback a few days earlier when the news of the
enlarged group was beginning to filter through my
head…
A quick phone call to Shady’s up in Sheridan,
the restaurant that was the lunch stop for the
ride and was going to open early on Saturday
especially for us…
ring…ring…ring..
“Hi, this is Staci”
“Meade from the HOG Chapter here. Hey,
how many people can you seat at the
restaurant?”
“About sixty, seventy if we can seat the patio
too.”
44
“Great, ‘cause we may have as many as
seventy people coming. I will call the
morning of the ride and let you know a
count”
“Cool! Looking forward to having you.
Should be no problem.”
Whew. One hurdle handled. Now it will just be a
matter of making sure we have enough leads and
sweeps to handle potentially six to seven groups
of riders!
Weather forecast calls for clearing
weather but cool in the a.m. for
Saturday.
Ring…ring…ring…
“Hi Chip. I noticed you signed as a possible lead
or sweep for the Breakout Ride. Can I count on
your help for tomorrow?”
“I dunno. Let me look at the forecast…Mid 20’s
for tomorrow morning???? I don’t think so dude.
Remember, I said if it was sunny and warm.”
“Well..it WILL be sunny, so I thought I’d try.”
“I have to go car shopping with the daughter, so I
can’t go on the ride anyway.”
“Okay”
click
THEN..FINALLY, I get five potential leads and
four sweeps. I have a feeling the temperature is
going to mitigate in favor of a smaller number of
riders anyway.
Now….it’s THE MORNING of the ride and the
meeting. Rew will not be able to attend due to
prior obligations, so I suit up in chaps and full
layers and leathers.
45
I roll the blue and white Heritage Softtail out
of the garage. It is crystal clear, beautiful
sunshine, a promise of spring and warmer
weather and I notice that if I had to take the
truck, I would need to scrape a quarter inch of
frost off the windshield. Hmmm.
The ride to the Dealership is brisk to say the
least.
The meeting is over in record time. Many
more people are planning to go than I figured
would due to the cool weather BUT the
Kokomo contingent has driven down and will
not be riding with us. The CMA only had one
rider planning to join us, but at the last
minute eight more show up. In all there are
about 45 bikes. We break into four groups
leaving at 5 minute intervals.
The Christian Motorcycle Association
members do the Blessing of the Bikes and I
give the pre-ride briefing. It will be a short
ride taking some county roads through the
farmland and terminating at Shady’s in
Sheridan for lunch.
The temperature has warmed up and the sun
feels good. My radio check is 5 by 5 and we
are ready to go. I roll my finger in the air and
the column moves out. We have a new
Chapter couple riding with us in my group
and I want to make sure it is enjoyable for
them.
As we negotiate the lights and onto the
highway, I feel the coolness of the air begin
to nip at my face. It may have warmed up, but
it is by no means warm.
ready to burst forth, but has not yet made
the move. The fields are still winter
brown and wet and muddy from the
previous day’s rain. The trees have small
buds with the promise of bursting into
green, but they are waiting. Nonetheless,
the cool air wraps around me and the
engine is running strong and the sweep
and lead are in sync and the group moves
smoothly. I have no music, I just want to
hear the ride.
As the road falls away behind me so do
the cares and concerns of the morning
and the previous night; it is great to be
moving on two wheels again!!!
We pull into Shady’s and park against the
curb in unison. The interior is dark and
warm. My fingers are a little numb. Staci
says, “Hi!” and Bob, the owner gives me
a hug and thanks me for coming.
Lunch is awesome.
As we move out of the city and into the
country side, I can see that spring is crouched
46
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47
HOT in the
City
Officer training in
Detroit
Six of the Chapter Officers were privileged to ride up to
Motown, Detroit for the Harley Officer Training (HOT) for 2015.
Some came with great expectations, some came with none at
all. What was learned from that experience will be shared and
hopefully remembered for a very long time…
48
HOT TRAINING ~ Joe Schipani
Detroit Rocks - Opening
Ceremonies
Last month I was fortunate enough to attend the
annual HOT training in Detroit. Yeah, Detroit. All the
prior years it was Milwaukee, but the year I get to go,
it’s Detroit! Well, it turned out better than I expected.
The classes I chose to attend were mostly social media
and web people. It was excellent training and each
participant got a nice black framed pair of glasses with
white tape wrapped around the nose bridge with a nice
HOG logo embossed on the tape. It matched our
pocket protectors perfectly.
The classes were great but the real knowledge came in
the round table discussions with other chapters. We
shared ideas, exchanged websites and talked about
some of the technologies people are using for their
websites. It gave me a pretty good feeling to know we’re
doing things pretty well. Even other chapters were
taking notes when Rew and I were talking about how
we do things. So yeah, we’re doing pretty good.
One idea I received was that some chapters are doing
TOO MUCH! I’m talking about social media.
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, Linkedin, etc.
Geez, we’re a bunch of people who love riding Harleys,
not a Fortune 500 company, so they suggested we take
a survey (which I did on our homepage) of which social
media apps we use. Facebook won hands down. That’s
why you’ll notice the link to Twitter is gone. That’s
assuming you noticed it was there in the first place.
Anyway, the account has been deleted.
HOG Officers from Michigan and
Alberta Canada
Tom, L.J. and Allen
49
In the Air Force, after we attended Leadership school or
any kind of military training, we always referred to it as
getting “Re-Blued”, (since the Air Force color is blue). In
this case, I think I got “Re-Blacked”. But that’s a good
thing.
Thanks for allowing me to attend.
H.O.T. Motors into Motown ~ Allen “Sprunky
Joe, David and LJ enjoying the
HOG Show
“Sprunk
Board members, both veterans and rookies, from
Indianapolis Chapter No. 1 gathered in Detroit March 19th
through the 21st for officer training and fellowship with
fellow HOG members from across the United States and
Canada. In my humble opinion, having a board member
born and raised in the Detroit Metro area serving as a
tour guide is not a guarantee of great food and drink
venues. For reference, “The Detroit Bar” even though
Everyone wants to meet Thor or
better yet, Will Davidson. (L.J. Joe,
Rewski, Will, Allen,Tom & Bette)
they did provide a free ride back to the hotel, after the
required drink threshold was met. And after providing
Rew Van Wyck with a visual sighting of Canada from the
hotel bar window, she continued to blissfully speak in her
native tongue for the remainder of the convention. There
were great discussions, led by well trained staff at every
breakout session.
50
The informal after meeting discussions held in the
lobby bar, with HOG members from near and far,
confirmed what the breakout sessions were leading
our contingency to believe: we already possess the
strong support of owners, David and Donna Dellen,
and we have a diverse membership willing to take on
any task that helps our neighbors, their children, and
you can add their dog’s and cat’s to the mix.
Bar meetings were the best.
We our blessed with leadership from members
outside the board, and a strong experienced,
dedicated board led by people like Ken White, Paul
Smith, Meade Van Wyck, Jeff Cox and L.J. We are
Number 1 for a reason: our membership and their
commitment to our Chapter’s ongoing success.
Many of the HOG members in attendance were
somewhat surprised that many of the chapter
management tools they were being advised to
Native Detroiter, Chapter Historian,
& Tour Guide: Allan Sprunk
Nightscape from hotel room
implement we have had in place for years. We were
able to speak to the success of the activity rather than
how to begin the activity. Yes, it was good to be an
Indianapolis Chapter No. 1 member in Motown.
51
Like a virgin officer ( a view ) ~ L.J. Jernstadt
Where does the time go?
It seems like just yesterday that Greg Shipley was helping me load a table and
chair into my truck and we talked about upcoming officer elections. The next
thing I knew he was gone. So I felt the need to give back to a group that has
given so much to Susan and I. Not just all the support for the Boone County
Humane Society but also the family atmosphere of this Chapter. After talking to
Bill Collins and Paul Smith to make sure that they would be supportive of my run
for the Safety Officer Position, and they were, I made the decision to run. I had
not even given any thought to all the work and responsibility that comes with
being an officer for a social group since this is a first for me. Ken made the
comment after the elections about people stepping up and out of their skin, for
me nothing could be truer.
I found out early that this is a team effort and our first Officers Meeting was full
of energy. Former officers showed up to voice their support and pass on what
wisdom they could, which was very encouraging as most of this year’s officers are
first timers.
Then came all the changes with ABATE, MSF and the BMV, and I am asking
myself what did I get myself into? But both Bill and Paul would relay information
they picked up and provide support which helped sort out all the missinformation that was in the air. I was very thankful for all the support, especially
Meade Van Wyck for saying on one call as I was so focused on the BRC 1 class,
“Well will they still do the ERC (BRC2) since it did not provide any BMV
benefit?” Wish I had thought of that moment, but it has all come together.
Now do you want to go to HOT (Harley Officers Training)? I am all about
training so I signed up, though again, it is not something in my comfort level. I
set up plans to travel with Tom Meeker who I only knew through meetings, but a
great guy and hope he enjoyed the trip up also.
52
All Aboard…the magical mystery tour…
the midnight bus run through downtown
Detroit…
I went into this trip very concerned that
this was going to be like some of my work
seminars where they just want you to drink
the Kool-Aid and buy more but this was
not the case. I could not believe how fast
the time went by. From the mass confusion
at sign in, the packed elevators of jovial
bikers and sitting down to dinner in Greek
Town the first night, to having to find an
open joint for breakfast the last morning it
went way too fast. I am still getting emails
from fellow hogs and trading ideas.
HOT turned out to be an
experience that I hope to do
again. We met people from all
over the Mid-West and Canada
that are dedicated to riding and
having fun. It took the whole
picture of what we do in our
group to the next level. The
sharing of information and the
constant threat of Rew flashing
her boobs kept a smile on
everyone’s face. (Ed’s note: This
never actually happened and was all
part of a shared nightmare among
the group after our first night of
Greek Style “OPA!”)
thought we could add to our program, but
when I would ask questions and share
what we do, more often than not our fellow
HOG members wanted to be like us.
I will end with this. If you have any interest
in being an officer in this group reach out
to the person holding that position now. I
feel comfortable in saying they will be
supportive, but come election time, may
just give you a run for your money.
The biggest lesson I learned. I should have
bought a Harley and joined HOG earlier
Still the biggest takeaway (and I know you
in life, but I have finally ended up where I
have heard this many times) but now I am
belong!
a believer is that we have a group beyond
compare. I took some notes of things I
53
Ride To The Wall With
Rolling Thunder
Itinerary
Registration and orientation for the ride will be held at the Ft. Harrison Veterans Center, 9450 E. 59th St.:
April 19th or May 17th following the monthly Rolling Thunder Chapter meeting which begins at 12:30 p.m.
May 20th at 8:00 p.m.
No registration on the day of departure.
Itinerary
May 21st: Staging: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. at the Indiana War Memorial, 51 E. Michigan St.
Program: 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Departure: 10:00 a.m.
Overnight: Baymont Inn & Suites, Athens, Ohio. *
May 22nd: Travel to D.C.
May 23rd: Free time in Washington D.C.
May 24th: Demonstration Ride
Overnight: Crown Plaza Tyson Corner, McLean VA**
May 25th: Travel to Athens, OH
Overnight: Baymont Inn & Suites, Athens, Ohio. *
May 26th: Travel to Indianapolis
For questions or further information contact:
Mike Clark
Terry “Flash” Sanderson
Tom “Big Daddy” Ransdell
317-999-2927
317-374-8957
317-271-2803
54
Flags For Heroes and the Memorial Ride
Part I and II May 23, 24 and 25th, 2015
~ Bill Keesling
This year’s Flags For Heroes Ride is set to run as always on the Memorial Day weekend. There are two parts
to this ride to consider. Part 1 is the short one day ride to Louisville to meet the Louisville Chapter in a flag
ceremony. Your trip can end there or you can then take the longer ride out to Flight 93 Memorial in
Pennsylvania.
Itinerary:
Part I Flags For Heroes
- Saturday, May 23rd
- Leave from the 9/11 Memorial downtown Indianapolis at 7:30 a.m.
- Attend the Flags for Vets ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky. There will be over 50,000 flags installed along
the banks of the Ohio River spelling out USA.
Part II Flight 93 Memorial Ride
-
Saturday May 23rd - Monday May 25
-
Leave the Flags for Vets ceremony, Louisville around noon.
-
First night spent in West Virginia.
-
Sunday - Arise early for 2 hour ride on State Road 50 to Flight 93 Memorial. Place flags at each
stone and pay our respect to these heroes. This is an hour you will remember for years, just ask
those who have gone with me in the past three years.
-
Ride on backroads through Pennsylvania and West Virginia into Ohio for second night.
-
Monday we rise early and again using state highways start the return home by riding Ohio’s
famous Triple Nickel 555 and other state highways back to Indianapolis. First day is a long day
but with the wind inner faces and 99 percent interstate, it goes pretty quickly.
55
56
Humane Society for Boone County
Golf Scramble
Helping raise funds for the shelter building!
Monday May 18th, 2015
Registration and lunch starts at 11 am.
Shot gun start at 12:30 pm.
Awards following the final play.
Course Donated by:
Sponsorship Opportunities Provide:
• Highly visible and unique advertising opportunities
• Access and exposure to a large number of animal lovers who
are motivated to support your organization
• Aligns your company with the exclusive Wolf Run Golf Course
• Brand exposure on all marketing materials and on course
Sponsorship Levels:
Leader Board Sponsor - $5,000 (two foursomes included)
Lunch Sponsor - $2,500 (one foursome included)
Longest Drive Sponsor - $1,000 ($850 with a foursome)
Closest to the Hole Sponsor - $1,000 ($850 with a foursome) SOLD
Beverage Hole Sponsor (1 available) - $500 ($450 with a foursome)
Individual Hole Sponsorships - $200 ($150 with a foursome)
Foursomes - $500 or $125 individual registration (prior to May 4th, $550 after)
The Humane Society for Boone County (HSforBC) is a shelterless
501(c)3 charity domestic pet rescue staffed 100% by volunteers.
To learn more about us visit www.hsforbc.org. For sponsorship or
info contact [email protected] or leave a message at
765-485-8888 or 317-769-5092.
57
Captivate the Beauty of your
Motorcycle for a Life Time. Have it’s
image painted on canvas, glass, or
on a dangling Christmas bulb. What
ever way you want it, Joanne can do
it all.
Specializing in detailed miniature portraits
of people, pets, homes, cars and motorcycles.
this artist specializes in watercolour and acrylic
paint on stone, feathers, canvas...just about
everything.
If it sits still long enough, "I can paint it!" Check out her
web site at:
icanpaintit.wikifoundry.com
Call for a quote: 416-496-0859
or
Meade Van Wyck’s Sportster and Jo Jobin’s Roadglide were both painted by Joanne using photographs
[]
58
Riding Sweep
I’m not sure what else I can
really add to the great
comments from my comrades
regarding our officer’s training
in Detroit. It truly was an
enlightening experience and I
also felt extremely proud of our
representation there and what
we were able to bring to the
collective HOG table.
I also was very proud to see how
well both American and
Canadian HOG members were
able to banter with one another.
Of course, what we all learned
is that there are very few
differences big enough to get in
the way of our common love for
riding and for Harley Davidson.
I
left
feeling
a
deep
contentment, very much on a
personal level that I had
witnessed a gathering from two
nations very much united and
committed in furthering the future of HOG and the motorcycling lifestyle.
But I also wanted to see for myself how Detroit was faring after all the devastating years that it
has suffered through. Industrial downturns, crime, government mismanagement and corruption,
and urban blight have kicked ass on many U. S. cities, but Detroit has probably experienced the
worst. Does Detroit still Rock?
Parting Shots...
And now finally spring has arrived and
now we ride. Yay! So while you are out
galavanting about please keep this in
mind…
doesn’t have to be finessed. We aren’t
competing for the Pulitzer here, just the
story, the genuine heartfelt story of our
lives as Chapter members.
Sadly I saw a city still
struggling to turn things
around. Beyond a 2 mile area
of the downtown core, there is a
vast wasteland of boarded
buildings, tall grasses and
broken dreams. And yet, there
is still hope and it dwells in the
mindset
of
the
people
themselves and not the coffers
of some government project.
Taking the midnight tour on
“The Detroiter” with our
retired cop, Tom, was truly an
eye opener. His friendship was
genuine, his sense of humor
could be off color and his
political beliefs were most
definitely NOT PC, but his
commitment and hope for his
city had not faltered, even after
40 years of service on some of
the toughest streets in this
country.
If Tom is truly a representative
of the kind of faith and heart
that is needed to pull this city
back from the depths, then I
believe that day will come and
we may see it in our own time.
It’s a lesson, perhaps a dream,
we should all have faith.
NORTHSIDE
HARLEY NEWS
Rew Van Wyck, Editor
Next month is already is calling me. It’s
the Women’s month and I am hoping to
feature some great articles that focus on
the Women of Harley - the riders and
the passengers. We are all the same.
(317) 709-5027
[email protected]
This issue: photo credits: Bill Keesling,
TJ Hollingsworth, Bill Rushton
and Meade Van Wyck.
Please except this invitation to add your
voice to the growing number of females
who have told their story, their way by
sending me an article, complete with a
photo. It doesn’t have to be long. It
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59