Naturally Beemers News Mar 2009

THE BEEMER BULLETIN The Newsletter of

NATURALLY BEEMERS Vol 21 no 2

The European Motorcycle Club of Arkansas

Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge By Patricia Berry Last spring, my husband Warren and I planned a trip to the historic town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas for a weekend getaway from Lawrence Kansas. We’ve been to Eureka Springs many times but it’s usually on the way to or from our annual trip to the Naturally Beemers Rally or the club campout. Our visit usually consists of stopping for a bite to eat at the Cat House Bar & Grill, one of the many great restaurants that also caters to motorcycle riders. This year however, our objective was an overnight stay at the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. Turpentine Creek is a not-for-profit, USDA licensed refuge for Big Cats, a short 7 miles from Eureka Springs on scenic highway 23. Lions, and tigers, and bears (oh my!), in addition to several beautiful cougars, are in the main compound area where visitors are as close as five feet away from these magnificent creatures. Each animal has its story/history plaque on the front of its cage for this self- guided tour, with visitors taking as long as they like to enjoy ‘meeting’ the cats. Many of these stories are sad tales of how these wonderful creatures were obtained to become pets or sold on the underground market for profit, only to be mistreated or abandoned when they became too difficult to manage or too expensive to care for. But the beauty and the majesty of these animals, as well as the displayed care and concern and interaction of the facility interns, overcomes any sadness. In addition to the main compound area, Turpentine Creek offers a guided tour of its natural habitats. Over half of the animals reside in these large enclosures. The goal of the refuge is to house every animal in a habitat on the refuge’s 459 acres. The 1/2 mile walking tour is guided by a biologist or zoologist intern. The intern educates visitors about the refuge, the different species of animals, and each enclosure. Information is provided about rescues, construction, and donations in order to keep the facility expanding. This is a great opportunity to watch the big cats running, playing, and stalking —just like they would in the wild. Feeding time at Turpentine Creek is an event not to be missed. Every day, interns prepare and feed over 1000 pounds of meat — mostly chicken, thanks to the generosity of Tyson foods — to all the cats at the refuge. Visitors are allowed to watch the feeding and it is really incredible to watch these huge and beautiful cats devour

Mar 2009

the meat that is tossed to them by the interns who roll out multiple wheel barrels full of meat. The cats are fed once a day, in the evening, in order to simulate their natural instincts to hunt during the evening and night. Another adventure not to be missed at the refuge is an overnight stay in one of the onsite lodging facilities. These B&B facilities vary from a quaint secluded tree house to a Safari Lodge with five cabins (adults only) all decorated with fantastic art and adorned with incredible views of the mountains. Each cabin has its own theme corresponding with different regions of Africa — Congo, Kilimanjaro, Kalahari, Serengeti, and Okavango. Each room has snuggly spa robes, luxurious bedding and linens, coffees and coffee pots, continental breakfast, color TV/DVD player, refrigerators, microwaves, and clock radios. Cast iron fireplaces and air conditioning keeps you comfortable during the changing seasons. Along with the spacious hot tub, the units share a 40’ Octagonal Deck, complete with a covered Gazebo and Fire Pit. Tables and chairs surround the area for comfortable relaxing or light dining. There is also ample space for RV or tent camping. In fact, wouldn’t this be a great location for one of our Club campouts? Listening to the cat’s caroling during the night is truly a wonderful experience (not to mention the great riding in the area)! And best of all, all proceeds from tours and overnight lodging go to maintaining the refuge and caring for the cats. And it’s tax deductable! For detailed information, including pictures of the beautiful cats (all named) and pictures of the accommodations, log onto www.turpentinecreek.org. And while at the site, check out the video! Here kitty kitty Annual Meeting By Rod Kilduff We meet as usual to discuss miscellaneous club business, Rally planning and Fall campout planning. To take it in reverse order, the fall campout will be sometime in October. The location and exact date are still undecided. We will discuss details at the Rally in our general meeting there usually held on Saturday after the closing activities. “Rally Planning” covered the housekeeping issues, and they will be handled in the usual ways. Sarge will take care of the signs again. Porta potties will be rented. Some food will be provided, gourmet hot dogs, coffee,

cold drinks and snacks. One change this year is that we are being charged for the Pavilion over and above the camping fees. We discussed an increase in our nightly camping fee to cover it, but then someone brought up the fact that we have already published our usual $6 a night charge. So as a temporary solution we are going to put out a voluntary donation jar to cover the cost of the pavilion and to help defer food costs. Next year we will increase the basic fee. We still have a number of old rally shirts of the Woodpecker design. We decided to have a “Fire Sale” to get rid of them at a lower cost. Wanted – Rally Shirt Designs We need some design ideas for a new Rally Shirt for next year. It does not have to be super artistic and well presented. The shirt printer’s art department will make it pretty and finished. We just need some rough ideas and sketches. You can send the designs to me at the newsletter return address or just bring them to the rally. Naturally Beemers Treasurers Report - March 21, 2009 Bank Balance as of 21 March 2009 - $694.58 + $90 (undeposited renewal checks) $784.58 Inventory Club Patches - dozens Rally Patches - dozens Club Stickers - 100s 1-Shirts, Short Sleeve Club(R9OS) M Ash 2 Royal Blue 2 Black 1 Red 1 T-Shirts, Long Sleeve Club(R9OS) Sweatshirts, Club(Ash) -

L 6 3

XL 5 4

2

1

1 1

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T-Shirts, Short Sleeve Rally - Latest design (Woodpecker/R12S, AR roads) Purple 3 5 Green 2 1 Black 3 2 Red 4 1 Yellow 1 1

1 -

dogs, Tank and Moose, at our rally. I will be posting others in future newsletter issues. Here is another letter I received about semis’ rig & recaps. I have one more to send out but in the mean time we have some pro trucker out there I would like to here from them. I would encourage anyone to respond with their experience good or bad. I will try to keep your name off the subject. One of the thing I do instead of give him the finger (I also do this a lot with autos) is to give a little wave with left hand (you already signal right? RIGHT? Just because he is only going 5 over and you want to go 10 over that doesn’t make him ass. I am sure a lot of autos think we are ass’s for the way we drive sometimes. Anyway lets try to make the hiways more friendly. Mac I have followed way to many motorcycles and cars when they pass a Big Rigs. It seems that once they put there cruise on, come hell or high water, they are not going to take it off. No matter what the situation is. I have followed bikes and cars that will take 2 minutes just to pass the rig, and from the time they pull out and back in it may 5 minutes. So look at it this way, you pull out, it is 2 1/2 min to reach the back of the rig and 2 minutes more to pass. If that is 5 1/2 minutes (or 5 1/2 miles) the rig controls your destiny. I am not saying this is right or wrong or the only way to pass a Big Rig. If I am on a two lane I stay back close to the center line so the driver can see me and I can see to pass him. Ask any truck driver, if you are following him let him know it by being seen. On a 4 lane I ride the center line so the truck driver can see me with his big mirror. If he makes a move to the left I still have room to move to the left. If he holds his line I pass him between 10 to 15 miles faster then he is going There are many things to be aware of. A big one is a loud thumping that means he is going to through a recap (tire). If you are alone, gas it and get pass him. If you are leading a group, back off 400 yards because when it comes off all hell brakes loose if the traffic is heavy These are my point of view if you do not like them or have a different point of view or would like to make a point or add to this article Please respond to me and I will send it to the 40 or 50 riders this is going to. Mac

Hundreds of receipt tickets Safety Corner By Rod Kilduff In this section I will attempt to provide a few safe riding ideas, over time. What follows is the text from one of a series of emails I received from Mac McHugh. Most of you have met Mac and Arlene and the two little tankbag THE BEEMER BULLETIN

And A Response: Amen Brother Mac! I've had a semi's retread come off as I was coming at him....scared me worse than being in Iraq! When riding with a group...I build up a gap between me'n the guy ahead of me 'cause most folks take their sweet old time passing a semi. Me...I gas it and fly by Page 2

'cause if a big rig has a tire let loose and you're beside it can literally kill you OR scare you so bad you over-react and put the bike in the pickers! Rules— Six Corners of Arkansas (8 if you want) By Lee Kubicki Go to each of the 6 outside corners of the state. Take a photo of your bike at a P.O., Town sign, etc. that shows you made it. AFTER YOU GET THEM ALL, send them to me and I’ll return to you a Supercool, not like any other commemorative trophy. NE *1, St. Francis, AR. NE *2 Huffman, AR. There’s a sign, hunt! SE Readland, AR. Sign at US 65 Ok? better AR.8&209 SW *1 Ravanna, AR. Boys it is there!(boys as a nonsexist term) SW *2 Foreman, AR. NW Maysville, Sulphur Springs, OR, the Monument at the Corner Rock (point at junction of AR., MO., and OK.) Extra Points ! Inside Corners— Extra Points! NE I Childress, AR. SW I Ogden, AR. Go for it! Explore your state. Have a fun ride and get your neato—keeno trophy. Remember, rubber side down, Lee Kubicki 8205 Georgia Ridge Rd. Alma, AR. 72921 479-997-8133

decided to wait until after the annual meeting to send this one out. There is a meeting summary elsewhere. I used to do this every two months, giving us a six per year. I would like to return to that schedule. I plan to publish the next issue after our rally. I figure we can discuss publication frequency at the business meeting there. In an attempt to put out more timely information I have begun to post stuff out on the BMWMOA Web site: http://www.bmwmoa.org/ In the FORUM section under Main Forum (in the top section of the menu) there is a section called: “Chartered Clubs & Local Events” I will be posting time sensitive information and reminders of our Club events there. Look for something with “Naturally Beemers” in the header. There is already one there, a reminder about the just passed annual meeting. In addition Barry Phillips has a thread called: “Thinking of starting a riders group in the Arkansas burbs.” Barry also lists local events and notes on his various wanderings there. As always – please send me some stuff to share with the club. Ride safe, keep the shiny side up.

From the Editor’s Desk By Rod Kilduff Hello all. This is my first issue of the Beemer Bulletin as your Editor, well the first this time around. I have discovered that my email address did not get printed on many of the last newsletter issue copies, so here it is again: [email protected] My postal mail address is the return address. As you have probably noticed, I did not send out an issue prior to the annual meeting as I said I would. The last issue went out a lot later than I expected so I THE BEEMER BULLETIN

Map to Natural State Rally Site Page 3

What’s Happening? Club Activities: Natural State Rally – May 15-17 – Sequoya Park at Arthur B Ormand Lock and Dam #9, South of Morrilton on Highway 9. Fall Campout – Date and location to be determined, sometime in October. Other Activities: BLITZ to BRANSON Fourteen 2009 April 24-26, 2009 This is the Internet BMW Riders event lots of fun and about 300 riders there.

800-324-7660 www.hanniganmotorcyclefairings.com

http://www.ibmwr.org/events/2009/blitz2branson.shtml Wilderness Rally – May 1-3 – Spring Creek Campground on the Buffalo River off of Hwy 14 North of Harriet, AR at Cozahome, AR. Wild Goose Rally – A Moto Guzzi event – May 8-10 – US 71 @ McDonald Co H, just South of Anderson, MO. (Cross bridge on 71, Next R and R to Elk River 2009 BMW Bash – July 3-5 - The Hub Motorcycle Motel and Campground, Marble Falls, AR. Sponsored by a bunch of area BMW Dealerships. Motel rooms available. For more information go to www.bmwbash.com

CMA Christian Motorcyclist Association - Nov 5-7Carving the Ouachitas http://www.cmausa.org/!UserFiles/2009%20FL%20Regis tration.pdf I know it reads like a road event as in Carving the Ouachitas but there is Dual Sort training sign up sheet at same web site.

THE BEEMER BULLETIN

Naturally Beemers The BMW M/C Club of Arkansas BMWMOA CLUB #181 Chartered 2/88 BMWRA CLUB #74 Chartered 4/91 Steering Committee Harlan Brown…....................President Lee Kubicki…...............Vice President Jerry Reynolds…...................Treasurer Rod Kilduff…………………. .Secretary Annual Membership Dues: $10.00 for Solo $15.00 for Family Send correspondence to: Rod Kilduff 822 Donaghey Ave Conway, AR 72034 [email protected]

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