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January, 2007

Paulatics   By Paula McCallum
Looking back at the first edition of our newsletter you might notice some of the resolutions that were made back then are not kept today. It reads, “Membership will be limited to 100 bikes.” Did our forefathers (and sisters) not envision that the Manomet Mystery Riders would grow so large in just 7 years? I’m glad that rule changed allowing me and many who’ve come after to be part of this great group of bikers. Even though our numbers have increased, we still maintain that close knit community of friends that was first established.

Another break from the past is going from 10 E-Board members to our current 9 member board. By having an odd number of members, tie votes were eliminated. So these changes make sense and happened for good reasons.

One of the resolutions, made from the beginning, that we’d like to maintain is that our dues be paid by the end of January. Your name won’t be withdrawn from membership as our first newsletter stated but you will cease to receive the newsletter, you can’t participate in meeting votes or have your name entered in raffles until your dues are paid.

We also intend to uphold our founding mission statement which is, that this is a “family club, to represent motorcycle safety, family recreation and just t he fun of riding.”

As we move forward, new resolutions will be made, as we continue to evolve and grow. Some ideas will be kept while others will be put aside - always keeping the good of the group foremost in our minds.

NOTE: Deb Johansson has agreed to continue to be our Membership Coordinator (and VP) along with Bill Pike who will assist her collecting dues at the meetings and handing out 2007 applications/renewal forms which everyone must update and sign. Please see Billy at the meeting or if you are unable to attend, send a $25 check to the: Manomet Mystery Riders, P.O. Box 1453, Manomet, MA 02345. The only exceptions, who do not have to pay in January, are those new members who just signed up in October through December 2006.  

Hello MMR members and friends,
Time sure does fly by when you're having fun. Well here it is January 2007 where does it go? For the past five years I have served the Manomet Mystery Riders on the EBoard with three years as Vice- President and this past year as your President.

I have decided to take a break from the two meetings a month and the countless hours that go along with servi ng as an officer of the MMR.

I have witnessed over the past several years the growth of this group from about twenty members to o ver one hundred seventy members. During this past year we have experienced good times, great events, fundraising with generous donations to the needy in the community. I look forward to the y ears to come for more of both.

Safety has always been paramount on my mind and this past year two good friends were injured in separate accidents; Tom D’Eramo in Sturgis hit a deer and just recently our past President Chuck Sherman fell victim to poorly maintained roads and was severely injured from hitting a very deep pothole.

Do ride defensively and expect the unexpected.
Yours, Deane Laitinen  

Potholes                                                                             By Bob Tegan
As a daily com- muter into Boston from the South Shore I get a close look at Massachusetts roads, both main arteries and secondary roads. Although the roads aren’t generally in bad condition at this time of year, late winter and early spring seem to be particularly troublesome resulting from the chemical treatment of ice and snow and the surface damage by plows. MMR former President and member, Chuck Sherman, learned the hard way that any time of year can be problematic in our beloved Commonwealth. We all wish Chuck a speedy recovery from his particular g et off.

On December 17, while on a ride through the Braintree 5 Corners, Chuck’s front tire went into a pothole. Chuck and his bike became airborne. Luckily, he was able to push the bike away from himself so the Electra Glide didn’t land on him. Chuck however, skidded 50 feet on the pavement into the opposite lane of traffic breaking a lot of bones from his shoulder and ribs to his ankle. Chuck’s ankle was operated on and he is now at home facing a long winter’s recovery. If anyone would like to send Chuck a card, would like to call him or visit, he’d like to hear from you at: Chuck Sherman, 2 Cherry Street, Halifax, MA. 02338. Home: 781-293-3320 or d rop him an e-mail at: csherman@highstream.net

This incident has moved me to write this article. I hope to inspire you to campaign for improved road repair by contacting the appropriate agency. We all deserve good roads. Motorcyclists depend upon them. Public safety requires it.

If you see a road hazard please contact your city or town department of public works. If the road is a state highway or interstate, contact the state DPW. Tell them the exact location and size of the pothole (or other hazard). The agency can only be held accountable if they have prior knowledge and they fail to repair the hazard. It may be too late for Chuck…but we’ll all be at risk sooner or later.

The Massachusetts Highway Department number is: 617-973-7800. Or check out their website at: www.mhd.state.ma.us. Most of us live in District 5 (from Abington to Yarmouth) and can contact: Highway Director, Bernard McCourt at 1000 County St. in Taunton, MA 02780. Or call him at: 508.824.6633 or send him a fax at: 508.880.6102  

Oh, Deer or The Defective Good Luck Bell                     By Dick Tupper
Let's put the time machine in reverse and go back to June 2002, I got a new 2001 Electra Glide Classic and this is our first Laconia with the new bike. Looking around at all the vendors as we have every year since 1990, Joyce bought me a new good luck bell for the new ride. Off we go for a ride in the white mountains like we do every year. We got tangled up with the group that was going on a ride up the auto road to Mt. Washington, well it had just rained and I don't like heights so we pulled over to the side at the entrance to let the few hundred bikes go by.

I put my foot down when we stopped and low and behold, my foot just kept sliding, over we go with everyone looking at us. Boy does that hurt. After we got the bike upright and got our composer back, the first thing to come to mind was “damn, we got a defective bell.” Let's put the time machine back to normal.

It’s Monday, November 27, 2006, nice warm day in the sixties also the first day of deer season with shotguns (very important). I was home from the gym already and was going to give the Softail a bath. Just as I was taking the bags off, Joyce comes home from the gym and says it’s over 50° out we should go for a ride (Joyce doesn’t like to ride under 50°). We get dressed and take off to Padanaram in Dartmouth, very nice area. Every time we got near the coast, the fog was present so we retreated back to the warm air. We took the back way home from New Bedford.

It’s 2:30 in the afternoon. We are going by Bugs Stevens junk yard in Freetown. Movement on the right caught my eye. Deer. Lots of deer. Ten feet to starboard. No, not now. We are in the middle of them. I knew I was just going to miss dear #1, deer #2 and #3 who knows?! I thought they were going to jump over us or go through us. Guess what? That defective good luck bell must work after all. I didn’t hit the brakes just relaxed the throttle and we were lucky.

We are going to keep on riding like we have been and going to love that little bell. Just goes to show you, you never know. One deer went in front and two just behind us that was a good ending. There were a lot of hunters in the area, they were chasing the deer. We didn’t even get our underwear dirty, lucky for the Softail.  

DICK’S PICKS Clean as a Whistle                                 by Dick Tupper
I washed my bike today and also did the saddle bags and put saddle soap on them. It looked damn good as far as I am concerned. Now it's time to wax the paint, use chrome polish on the chrome, clean the Lexon plastic windshield with my plastic cleaner. Lots of stuff to get ready, not to mention the wax that dries white on t he black engine, ready set go.

No wait, when we were in Laconia this year, staying at my friend's heliport on Rt. 106 near the race track in Pembroke, N.H., Roy gave me a can of universal spray cleaner and polish. He uses it on the copters and his custom Harley, time to try it. Well, it's the best thing since sliced bread, spray it on the paint, wipe it off, spray it on the chrome, wipe it off, spray it on the windshield, wipe it off, even the saddle bags which were already done. It works great and the chrome really shines and as a plus, any over spray on the black e ngine doesn't turn white, you can't see it.

The Softail looks real good with a half hour's work, can't get any easier. The only draw back is that we Harley riders have to sneak into a Honda dealer showroom to buy it. Wear your Halloween costume so no one will notice, that's all folks. (Or you can save yourself any embarrassment by buying it online at wingw orx.com - $5.75 a can)

The magic spray can is Pro Honda Spray Cleaner and Polish, part number HC 3597275.

Details printed on the can:
Roadside detailer cleans road grime, grease and bugs without water
Polishes paint, chrome, glass and clear plastic
Protects vinyl, plastic and rubber
Blocks UV rays, reduces fading and cracking
Repels water, beads like wax
Antistatic properties reduce dust buildup

Iron Butt 2006 Deadline
To all Iron Butt Contestants and club members, The deadline for Iron Butt mileages is midnight December 31, 2006. Please submit final mileages and pictures as soon after that as you can. Winners and awards will be announced at the February meeting, a nd sign-ups for 2007 will begin then, as well.

The "horse race" has been very exciting, and as we come down to the final wire, first place is being hotly contested, as many riders are still out there logging more miles. We may have some big surprises at the February meeting. Consequently, we are not updating the standings in this newsletter, but letting the tension build.

Night Before Christmas
(Dedicated to the valiant Iron Butters!)
‘Twas the night before Christmas
And all through the land
Motorcycles were resting
Up on their Kickstands
Bikey chick mommas
And Bikey Dude poppas
Were all snuggled in their beds
With visions of bike accessories
Dancing in their heads
When out on the streets
There arose such a clatter
They all sprang from their beds
To see what w as the matter
When what to their wondering eyes
Should appear
But Dozens of Manomet Mystery Riders
In full riding gear
On Mike Lallier and Chuck
And Crazy Eddie and Katherine
Clem and Billy and Butch
On Dan and Jack, John and DD
Amy and Rick, Donna and Theresa
On Hawk and Anthony, Scott and Paula
Deane and Charlie, and Ernie
To the end of the street
All over town Fly away on those bikes
Before the Iron Butt shuts down!

Santa Came to My House                                            by Ric Tomlinson
I know my fellow rides in Manomet Mystery Riders know that a couple of years ago I bought a "Blue Knight Special” on Ebay. I was always worried about the bike’s colors but as a working stiff, I had to make do. Driving my taxi around Weymouth, my eyes always went to a body shop Called "Factory Collision " on the corner of Mutton Lane and Washington St. I would drool every time I went by and saw the custom choppers with the great paint jobs sitting out front. I can dream anyway. As the holidays grew close, I guess my nerve also grew and in I went to see if they would take my first born!!!

I walked into a world that one doesn't often see. Custom bikes being built, hot rods, street rods and just plain cars being done to their owner’s dreams. I met a family that works together and has fun doing it. Not the fighting and just plain childish crap that goes on, o n the TV show.

This family is just beautiful inside and out. Robert Del- Gallo is a husband and father that has a lot to be proud of. I walk in and was treated like one of the boys right off. At the age of 65 and riding for fifty years we get to know the cold side of bikers. But none of that was shown to me at Factory Collision. They heard me out and said they would work with me to make my custom paint job match my dreams!! I had to laugh because I couldn't paint a house never mind customize a paint job. I said it was up to them to give me back my own Harley Ultra the one that says “me!”

If any of you have ever wanted to customize your bike or your paint job, you should visit Factory Collision and dream out loud. I thought I heard Santa whisper to me “Go for it" and some people don't believe in Santa!!