Monday, December 29, 2014

December Newsletter

The Palm Beach Knights Newsletter










The Knights Table


Monthly Newsletter DECEMBER  2014


Greetings from your President   Will

Well it's that time of year where we spend some time looking  back on the past year. Some say that living in the past can be a dead end. Maybe they're right, but I believe it's all in what you choose to focus on. This past year for the Knights, like any year, was a mixed bag. While we did have some moments when drama or personal issues got in the way, they never stopped us. On the whole those negative moments made up a very miniscule percentage of our time. We have had members come and go, but our club remains to have a strong core! Some of our Brothers and sisters have experienced tragedy, health issues, and personal problems. Some still are overcoming these issues. We have been and will remain to be there for our fellow Knights. 

I have the good fortune to have a more global perspective of our club and I can tell you that what I have witnessed was a group of individuals that come together to give each other support and love. Having been on the receiving end of that love and support, I can tell you that it means a great deal. Perhaps I'm a bit nostalgic, but when I look back on this year, I see so many positive things that have happened. I choose to focus on the babies born, the members joining who have become family, and the friends that will remain until the end. I choose to focus on the beauty of the roads and sights we have shared. I choose to focus on the places we've been and the places we have yet to find. I choose to focus on the good feelings just being able to be around the Knights and to be able to watch them overcome adversities. I choose to focus on the many people we have interacted with on the 10,000+ miles we have ridden together, and the memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

 While  members have all different levels of commitment and involvement, I'm always happy to see everyone who chooses to come with us on our journeys. This year began with a ride to Lozano's mexican restaurant in Immokalee and will end with a ride to  .  The coming year holds nothing but promises of good time and brotherhood. Every ride we go on together brings us closer as a club and as a family. I now will start looking to the future excitement that is 2015. The next year will be filled with adventure, friendship, love, support and real feeling that we belong to something meaningful. 

I thank you all for some of the best parts of my life!
KNIGHTS FOREVER, FOREVER KNIGHTS.

your brother,
Will






Who has the COOLEST VEST ???





At this time we are out of large patches.. We have started a waiting list, if you wish to be put on the list let me know.








Echoes 12/31










We have been having some really awesome rides /TIMES:



December 6 ·      Pelican Cafe



Great turnout for this ride. Greenies organized this ride to downtown Stuart where we stopped at the Pelican Cafe. The view could not be beat. I must say that even though it was a long line of bikes, everyone rode very well. The weather was fantastic as it should be at this time of year....unless you're anywhere but here.Good to see Ken Adair again after a long break! Nice job MJ on catching us on the fly. 










We missed Lauren who was having some medical issues and our thoughts were with her.


Marc Sultan said" Fantastic weather, Great Ride, and was able to meet members that I have not met before. Great people. For a bait shop the food was (Good). Looking forward to the next ride."

December 13   OFFICER MEETING

The officers met and discussed many issues. The main topic of the evening was the safety and wellbeing of our club and members. It was decided that we will have a pre-ride meeting every ride. While I know that this can sometimes seem repetitive, we all agreed that it is important. So if you hear the same things over and over, please understand that we are only trying our best to look out for all the knights!! You will also see a list of charities from Echoes soon. Please vote on the one you think the club should get behind. The officer's want to thank all the members for all they do to help keep this club the #1 MRC around!


Tommy "ECHOES " Casella said" Very productive and instrumental in seeing what direction we will be taking our club in the future but most importantly spending time with my Brother knights"



Bill's Bike's Memorial Toy Run


This is an annual event for the Knights. 








The days starts with a great brea
 kfast at Hillary's. We had a nice turn out, including welcoming a new member Vern "DAMMIT". Good to see some members we haven't seen for awhile. One member that was going to be with us was Dan Shultz. Unfortunately Dan had an accident with his bike and unknown to us was in the hospital. The accident was serious enough to cause Dan to have his spleen removed! I am happy to report that Dan is doing well and is back home recovering. Rich Love brought us all a bunch of candy canes that we threw to the crowd, unfortunately these became little peppermint bombs!! Good cause and a great day.


Vern Gorham said" .My first Knight ride...good cause, good weather, good people...all good thanks bros. KFFK...Dammit"






















Holiday Party (k)night



OK, this was a great night!!! About 30 people were at this years party. Some who had planned to make it could not and they were missed. Some that were expected didn't show and that was their loss, because we had the best party yet! Our safety officer Kris gave so many prizes for our door prize give away that we had to join him. While no one matched Kris's generosity, all the officers contributed something to the door prizes. It was awesome to see spouses and family of the members, as well as new members. I want to thank everyone for their help, especially my daughter who played Elf again this year. Congratulations to Joe on winning over $100 on the 50/50. Good food, good people and everyone went home with a prize! This party gets better every year.








 








Phyllis said" Thank you all for the warm welcome. And special thanks to Green T & Sherry for following me home with my faucet because I forgot the bungees!! See y'all soon! =)"








Neal Alvanos said" Great family event; everybody enjoyed the festivities; every year it just keeps getting better; welcome to the new members; sorry some members couldn't make it - you were in our thoughts and prayers."

Joseph Ciancio said" Once again , a night of Knights. Great time, with great friends , good food and I WON A C- note. Then there was Kris' chocolate pie. Etc,etc and one more Etc."







Ok Corral Gun Club

Well this Monday ride didn't pan out as I had wanted it to. I ended up canceling it until I got a call from Vern saying he would meet up with me.

He caught me on the Beeline and with my wife and Daughter  plus 2 friends tailing in a cage we went shooting. It's a great place although a little $$$. We all had a great time and it was good to get to know Vern better.








The Edison & Ford Winter Estates Lab and Museum


The last ride of the year was one of our best! An early morning start found us heading out into patchy fog, but that made it even more enjoyable. The visibility wasn't bad and the effect was awesome. The group was excellent good knights that know how to ride. It was good to see Darin with us. The weather cleared, the roads were good, and the trip was stress free. The Museum was an interesting place and everyone had a real education as to what true genius looks like. It was a special treat that Skips wife Cathy met us there, she's always a pleasure. After the tour we walked over to a local restaurant on the water with spectacular views and very good food. We even got our drinks for free. Keith "GREEN-T took the lead on the way home and did an perfect job. Thanks to Stogies for tailing all day!  We arrived back before dark and I don't think anyone was especially tired. Just another great day out with the Knights.





Dale Goldstein said" Excellent education on what is possible if you have a brain, and are willing to work hard. We need another Edison, amazingly productive life story."














Sunday, November 30, 2014

November 2014

The Palm Beach Knights Newsletter










The Knights Table


Monthly Newsletter November 2014


Greetings from your President   Will


Zen and the art of motorcycle RIDER maintenance

by Will

This narrative begins like many other tales of woe, with a nice ride.  It was the day we had been anticipating for quite some time, the Friday we go to Roscoe’s. This year had the added treat of Gunner leading and my getting to tail. This is a luxury for me because I get to see the Knights and how great a riding group they are. After we all had breakfast together, we headed out to beautiful weather and what was a perfect riding day. Gunner did a great job leading and I got to spend more time to do some Zen contemplation of the wildlife and scenery. Another benefit was having the SENA intercom system. This allowed for some friendly banter on the trip.  Regrettably I have to report that the trip was about to change.  As we made our approach to the city of Sebring, I abruptly found it very hard to shift. I couldn’t seem to get the bike into gear, and it finally locked up entirely. Luckily, I was able to pull into a store’s parking lot. Now when something like this happens, you quickly get a bad feeling way down deep into the very depth of your viscera. There is even a momentary feeling of panic when you realize that the ride is about to change due to your bike. Everyone was very helpful, but in the end we had to call a local mechanic. Our Sgt at Arms Echoes did some searching and found one close by. After answering the mechanic’s predictable queries on the phone, I finally had to accept the inevitable and have him come to where we were.  I was fortunate that he was even willing to do that, considering we were stuck. There was even a momentary discussion of renting a U-haul and my taking the bike back home, but I choose to go with the mechanic. I was yearning that it was an easy solution, but no such luck. Watching Helga get put on a trailer, sent that unmistakable sinking feeling to my stomach again. As you all know, your bike is so much more to you than just a machine. We give our bikes human traits and characteristics. So when seeing her being taken away, it’s comparable to seeing a friend being taken away by ambulance.

 The bike then was taken back to the shop where I was told about all the things that was conceivably wrong. None of them were quick or easy!( I think this is where my Zen like breathing started) Bart, the mechanic seemed to know what he was doing and explained that he had just worked on a couple of Goldwings. While this made me feel a little better, it did little to relieve my building anxiety.  It ended up that I had to accept the inevitable conclusion that the bike would be staying right there for a while. 
Now came the time for the decision of what to do next.  I immediately wanted to send everyone on and get myself home. Echoes said he wouldn’t leave my side and the rest wasn’t having any of that either.  All I can say is “thanks” for sticking with me. This is where the art and Zen of maintaining this rider comes in. The emotional turmoil that was raging within took a great bit of Zen calming to overcome. (Although I probably didn’t look calm)  The thought of ruining everyone’s weekend was foremost on my mind.  We had lunch at what was later discovered by Gunner as a place we had been to before. After some further discussion it was decided that I would take Stogie’s bike and ride him to Lakeland. This was mainly due to my fear and overwhelming anxiety of riding on the back of anyone’s bike.  I have to be honest and say that I was more than a little nervous!! Not only was I on a strange bike, but I had Neil’s well being to worry about.  My apologies to Neil for any jokes and kidding he got for allowing me to do this.  We made our way through rush hour traffic to Lakeland and got to the Hotel just before dark. All of us were tired and a little stressed.  That evening was spent in the best way possible, in the company of the Knights. We had our own veranda and plenty of libations. The evening (and the moonshine) helped to relieve much of my stress. While I still had no idea of what was wrong with my beloved Helga, at least I was with my friends. Thus ending our first night of our yearly Roscoe trip.
The next day some of the Knights took a ride to a local dealer. I took this time to find a rental car. Later, we rode/drove to our long awaited destination. I have to say that this year Roscoe’s was a bit disappointing. The event seemed smaller and not as exciting. One highlight was Keith getting his club vest done! The chili was awesome as always, but there were fewer vendors and the space itself was ½ the size. That evening we had dinner at a local Steak house. After dinner, I decided to save the expense of another night at the hotel and drive myself home. I should say that I would not have done that if I was not fully confident that Gunner and the rest of the Knights would do a great job of getting back.  The short end to this tale is that Helga blew her clutch and rear bearings. I took Amtrak back to Sebring a week and ½ later. Paying the $900+ bill was painful, but it was good to get her back.  I still find myself taking a Zen like moment when I reflect about all that occurred. Isn’t Karma a bitch!!


Your Brother Will


The Palm Beach Knights MRC is sponsored by:


Force-E Dive Centers has the best dive staff in South Florida.  We have staff members ranging from Photo experts to, Blue Heron Bridge masters, to Free Diving experts. 


Please look for more info coming soon about special events for the Knights and others.

Diving can be a wonderful experience, but it takes you out of your element and puts you somewhere that can be very dangerous!! When you go diving or snorkeling always go with someone who knows the rope and you can trust with your life...like Force-E Dive Centers. The best dive center there is.

Skip & Cathy CommagereSkip and Cathy are the owners of the three Force-E Scuba Centers located in Pompano Beach, Boca Raton, and Riviera Beach. Skip started his diving career at the first YMCA Scuba Diving Certification course in Atlanta, GA and later became a Dive Instructor in 1961. In 1975, Skip and Cathy met and Cathy started diving here in Florida. The first Force-E Scuba Center was opened in 1976, and is currently one of the leaders in the dive community in South Florida to offer retail, training, and dive experiences. When Skip and Cathy go diving, their favorite dive site is the ledges in Delray called the Snapper Hole. Cathy loves diving in her new Aqua Lung Lotus i3 BCD and Skip loves to dive in all the equipment he sells at Force-E.
https://www.force-e.com/






Knights don't forget to RSVP for our Holiday party. Last year was a great one and this year will be even better. Free Door prize gifts, 50/50(bring cash, this helps our club!)  raffles and more. Of course we will have our Knights White Elephant Gift Exchange!!!!! If you want to participate, just bring a wrapped gift (no more than $25) and get your ticket!! When your number is called you pick a gift from the prize table, or you can steal someone elses.  This the fun part!!

We will also have T-shirts and Patches for sale.

12/20/14 

Hurricane Grill & Wings       7pm

4075 State Road 7, Wellington, FL

Knights may purchase anything from the menu, just make sure they have a check just for you.



Who has the COOLEST VEST ???









































We have-small patches and now a  limited 
supply of  large back Patches available.

WEAR YOUR SHIRT SHOW YOUR PRIDE!!




MJ Bean Cox   11//1
Scott Lord 11/8/1962
Joe Ciancio 11/9/1943
Steve Cohen 11/15/1963


Please join me in congratulating 
Kris Kollar as the Knights new
Safety Officer. Thanks you Kris for always watching out for the Knights!



We have been having some really awesome rides /TIMES:

November 1            Fishermen's Village - Punta Gorda, Florida




The was a little longer ride , but what a great day!! The weather was really excellent, even if it was very windy. It was a great way to spend a day out with the Knights. I think we all got home before dark.


David Rey said" Glad I went. If it weren't for the Club, I am not sure I would have made this ride to Punta Gorda"






November 2       
Meet for breakfast at Cracker Barrel and ride to Harley Davidson Beach Party.

Greenies took the club to the HD Beach Party. Seemed like everyone had a great time.







November 7                    Roscoe's Chili Challenge weekend. 






Well for the whole story see the top. This is always an interesting weekend getaway. This year was smaller and seemed less exciting, may just have been me.


Rick Pirozzoli Said" Even riding in the rain is better with the Knights , good luck with Helga Will





November 16                     Bluewater Beach Grill

Since my bike was not yet back from repairs, I asked Gunner to fill in for me. As usual he did a fantastic job and everyone had a great time. We should also mention that it was his birthday!!! I did get to stop by in the morning and have a Donut with the Knights. We had some new Knights and some we haven't seen for awhile....always a good thing! Welcome to Rich and his wife Deb. Good to see everyone.



Rich Love said" What a great day thanks for sharing your ride what a nice group of friends We had nice time"  


Gunner said" Thank you everyone for breaking in to the Happy Birthday song for me. For those of you that missed it, it was a great, I never expected it. THANK YOU ALL"




November 29      

      Short ride to Harry and the Natives.
 I posted a last minute ride to get out of the house. Lauren joined me and we had a great breakfast and even meet with a prospective Knight.






































November 30th                        





All I can say is Thank You!! This had to be one of our nicest events. First a big thanks goes to Kris, for all the cooking, and everyone else who brought food and drinks. So many people brought so much great stuff, we all had a ball. Days like this are so rare to most people, unless you're a Knight! The new and old faces just make for a great day. I can't help but feel that we are so much a family. Sons, Daughters, and baby's  were all there. While we did not do a lot of tech stuff, we did do a lot of motorcycle talking. We also got some patches sewn on! The weather could not have been better. Those that couldn't make it were missed, but I think you'll want to be at the next one.



Slick Said" I had an awesome time today with my brothers, new & old. Special thanks to Chef Kris for an amazing job keeping us fed. So looking forward to many more adventures with my friends-"