Monday, March 30, 2015

March Newsletter

The Palm Beach Knights Newsletter









The Knights Table



Monthly Newsletter March 2015


Greetings from your President   
Will
KFFK


By Tim Watson        

·          
So, after months of nothing but Ramen Noodles, you've saved up enough loose change to put down a deposit on your first motorcycle. An exciting new world with leather jackets and without traffic, right? Sure, but there some other…stuff, too. Stuff no one else has told you about becoming a biker.
1. Bees & Animals
Bees are a pretty innocuous creature, so long as they're in the backyard. Sure, if you hassle them, you might get stung, but in general, they leave you alone if you leave them alone. Get on a motorcycle, though, and the humble bee is transformed into a weapon of mass destruction.

At anything over 10 mph, a bee in the face/neck/any exposed body part will feel — and this isn't an exaggeration at all — like you've just been shot with a rubber bullet. And, in its final throes, the bee will sting you. Probably in the face, because it’s trapped inside your helmet.
All of that takes place while you're attempting to operate a relatively complex machine in busy traffic with absolutely nowhere to pull over safely. (YES THIS HAS HAPPENED O ME !!!-Will)

Bees have also evolved the extraordinary ability to find gaps in your waterproof, hermetically sealed riding suit that nothing else, not even a drop of water, can penetrate. The bee will always find a way. Normally, it’s around your neck, plunging down your chest and stinging you as many times as possible before your frantic self flagellation manages to squash it. But sometimes, it’ll find its way in around your waistband, then proceed to sting you on the genitalia. Really, this does happen and likely will happen at some point in your riding career. Car drivers will pass by flummoxed by the odd, leather-clad man frantically stripping on the roadside while hopping around with a swollen face.
Animals, too, have been put on this planet for the specific purpose of performing Kamikaze missions on passing motorcyclists. In rural areas, deer will wait in the roadside undergrowth, listening for the approach of a bike. At the very last second, when it’s far too late for you to take evasive action, they’ll fling themselves into your path, or maybe just leap straight for your head.
Even domestic animals like to get in on the act. Cats will test your reflexes by bolting from underneath cars to underneath your wheels. Dogs will feel it’s their duty to hunt you down.
2. You’re Now An Expert Meteorologist

Forget the TV weatherman, you’re going to develop a better ability to read weather radar maps, cloud formations and wind patterns than anyone with an actual degree in the field. And that’s because the weather is now absolutely critical to your day-to-day life.

Can you make it home from work before the storm hits? If so, what’s your latest time of departure, chosen route and necessary average speed to make that possible?
Will it dip below freezing on your commute tonight? If so, should you pack your heated gloves or is the ride short enough for simply your heavy duty winter ones?
Is the rain today going to be light, meaning you can get away with leather or heavy, meaning you need that Bibendum suit?
Slicks, road tires, intermediates or full wets at the track day next week? You’d better know for sure, because that deposit is non refundable and it takes four days for tires to arrive.
3. Say Goodbye To A and B

Before you had a motorcycle, you always tried to find the quickest and most direct way to get around. In a car or truck, it was efficient and practical to do so. Now that you have a bike, you’ll be willing to go 100 miles out of your way to visit a store or restaurant that has the same stuff as the one in your neighborhood. You’ll find yourself with entire States between you and home, amongst strangers and in strange places that you never knew existed, just because. You’ll tell your family you’re just going out for a quick ride, then return hours, sometimes days later, not entirely sure where you have been. And it won’t matter, because you were riding.

4. Manholes, Paint and Tar Snakes

Utility companies go around placing large, slick metal plates in the road, precisely where motorcyclists need to ride or, in intersections, put their foot down. In the dry, that’s no big deal. But, in the rain? A wet manhole (no sniggering, please) becomes a deadly skating rink. Put a foot on one and your boot instantly slips, meaning you’ll drop your bike. Hit one while turning and you’ll be laying on the ground.

Road markings take on a new life in the wet, too. Nearly as slippery as manhole covers, they can make the back end of your bike weave around as the tire hunts for traction. Even under the gentlest of acceleration.
And then there are tar snakes: cracks in the road filled with liquid tar. In the winter, that tar freezes and becomes strips of black ice. In the summer, it melts and feels pretty much the same. The cracks they’re installed to patch tend to be in the heaviest sections of wear on the road. You know, like the apex of a corner or downhill, approaching a corner, where you want to be braking. They couldn’t have been designed to catch you by surprise any better.
5. Friends & Strangers

So scrimped and saved to buy your first bike, and now your friends are going to want in on the action too. No, not by going out and buying their own, but using your new pride and joy. Most are just going to want to pose for a new Facebook profile picture on it, but some are going to swear riding competency and want to take it around the block. Don’t let them, they’ll inevitably return holding only a par of (now detached) handlebars and a story about how it’s not their fault.

Complete strangers will start approaching you, too. Normally old men, who will want to recount stories of the old Triumph or Norton they once rode. They’ll tell how your bike reminds them of it. Well, until they realize your bike is Japanese, at which point they’ll look shocked and walk away.
6. You Become A Better Car Driver

Before you bought your bike, you were content to be a sheep. You’d complain, of course, other people’s driving was never as good as your own, but you were seemingly powerless to do anything about it. You just say stuck in the flow, merrily texting and tailgating away.

But now that you've ridden a bike? You’re suddenly hyper aware. Not just of the risks and the bad driving and that nasty pothole six corners ahead, requiring a specific line begun now to avoid, but of the utter ridiculousness of it all. That guy in the $100,000 Porsche? What a poseur, that thing is slow. That guy driving the eight-passenger SUV all by himself? How unnecessary. All these thousands of people sitting in a traffic jam? That’s it, this car’s going on Craigslist.
7. Waving Etiquette

Visit any forum and you'll find novel-length screeds on the rights and wrongs of whom you should acknowledge while out on your motorcycle, and how. Should you wave at people on scooters? Will that thug on the sportsbike come chasing after you should you fail to salute? Do cruiser riders count?

You could spend every moment of your ride waving at anyone and everything, which is just mental. It’s probably best just to get on with the task in hand and ride your bike. Unless you see another riding unwittingly approaching a speeding trap, in which case it’s your sacred duty to tap the top of your helmet. Got that?
8. Working On Your Bike

Your new motorcycle likely came with an owner’s manual, full of specifications, technical drawing and suggestions on how to not end up with a worthless pile of parts stacked up in your driveway. You can see engine and all of the important bits and how hard can changing your oil be, anyways?

Take the time to read up about any work you want to do online, talk to knowledgeable friends and spend some money on acquiring the correct tools. And yeah, it’s not that hard.
There’s no obligation to take your bike to an authorized dealer and working on it yourself won’t invalidate your warranty, provided you don’t screw it up. If you don’t, you’ll end up with an enormous sense of accomplishment, along with fresh oil.
9. Your Bike Is Stronger Than You Think

Oh my god, you hit the rev limiter! Forgot to adjust the chain! Your tires are 2psi off! Relax. Your motorcycle is a lot tougher than you would think. It’s a highly capable feat of modern engineering and, part of its design process is devoted to making it stand up to your ham fisted abuses. Yes, you can take your bike on a trackday. Yes, you can take it on that weekend road trip. Yes, you can ride it fast and hard and put it away dirty. Your bike’s not going to melt in the rain.

10. The Boogers
Probably the least glamorous part of riding a motorcycle is the stuff that’s going to start coming out of your face. Live in a city? You’ll be inhaling so many carbon particulates that your nose will quickly clog up with black goo, then start leaking it down your face. Ride in the cold? Your nose will run the entire time. Kicking the snot off your upper lip will keep it from spreading across the rest of your face, then drying into a crusty mess. After every ride, you’ll blow your nose and it will come out black, brown, yellow and, if you've been riding anywhere dusty or around a nasty chemical plant, likely red too. You need to carry a hanky and you’ll need to wash that hanky every couple of days, because you will be using it, heavily.




Who has the COOLEST VEST ???




At this time we have NEW large patches.. If you'd like to have a club vest let me know.

NEED A SHIRT ? SEE WILL!!

LONG & SHORT
SLEEVE SHIRTS AVAILABLE 
$20 short sleeve           $25 long sleeve














WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!!!!!!!!!

Don't forget to pay your dues!!


For more than 2 ½ years we have managed to keep our dues at a very low $15 a year. Unfortunately due to a substantial increase in the cost of the website, we are restructuring our dues and how they are paid.  It is your dues that helps keep our club running and pays for expenses you may not be aware of, such as the cost of the meet up site, decals, BBQ, Patches, club Banner and other items. We also are able to give away door prizes and gift certificates., and much more.

Starting on April 1st.  All dues will be $20 per year. Just $5 increase.( .41 cents per month)



There is a link on our main page on our website on how you can pay your dues. 

As always if you have any questions, just contact me and I’ll try to explain. Thank you for your support.


I now can take any payment with my PHONE at any ride !!!

To pay your dues or any other payments to the club, you can pay by Paypal or credit card. Or give cash or check to will!!
go to:


https://www.paypal.com/home

and send money to:

pbknightsmrc@gmail.com



David Rhodes 3/6/1966
Skip C 3/21/1943
Stanley Joseph 

Mar 22
Ken Adair Mar 24
 Lauren                              3/30 
Phyliss                               3/22
We have been having some really awesome rides /TIMES: and we have been very busy!!!!!!!!!!!



We had 8 different activities this month.



KeKe's Breakfast Cafe

This originally was slated to be a different ride, unfortunately no one informed mother nature. The weather was a little too uncertain for us to do an all day ride to Miami, so we headed to breakfast where once again the prettiest waitresses fought over the privilege of taking care of us. A lovely young lady named Heater won the honor. Kris is still pining away for her.



Neal Alvanos said " Was I there or was I dreaming? I know, I'll check the photos - nope, none of me. Guess I wasn't there after all, but it seemed so real: Greek omelet with sausage links, whole wheat toast, coffee, and the waitress had good teeth."


Dayton 2015

Greenies organized and lead this event. While I was unable to attend, I've been told he did an outstanding job. Thanks brother!! Maybe next year.




Keith Baldwin said" Brilliantly planned and flawlessly executed, thanks Greenies!



Indian River County public shooting range

Shooting has become a favorite past time for many of the Knights. We have gone to 3-4 different ranges and this one was a very nice outdoor range. The ride there while all highway, was not unpleasant. In less than an hour we ere there and blasting away. Shooting was followed up by a nice lunch at a great country style restaurant in Fellsmere called Marsh Landing . The Catfish I had was very good. All in all a fun day.





Stanley Joseph said" great ride, good people, fun day. thanks everyone."




Aruba Beach Cafe

A mid-week ride along the beach. Other than some unusual heavy traffic and Greenies getting a parking ticket, the ride could not have been nicer. A great Thursday getaway. We also got to welcome our newest Knight Yudi!! Yudi is a great guy and has the makings of a great addition to the Knights....welcome brother. And a big congratulations to Ricky Shades for gettings his cut....that vest makes him look good!!




Rich Love said " Thanks for a great ride P's the food was very good excluding the ticket all was a great Day Thanks for including Me"



Everybody in the Pool...no not that kind

Well it was time to just have a night to hang out. Pool seemed like a good idea until I actually started to play. Boy was I rusty!! It did renew an affection I have for the game and may schedule more nights like this one. I think everyone had a great time. I am also happy to report that we managed to get Mark Buzzcap7 out to play. It's always good to see Mark and hope to see more of him.


will said"Great time hanging out playing pool. Good to see Buzzcap, hope we see more of him."



FORGOTTEN SOLDIERS OUTREACH POKER RUN

A great cause brought out the Knights for a well organized Poker Run. Even with the weather turning very warm later in the day, it was a very enjoyable time.It was very nice to see 
Gerry "phish" and his lovely wife. We always are glad to see them both on any rides! Also Marc Simbo finally got a day off from work and was able to be with us. A special pleasure to see Jerry Parker up and riding with us...




I don't think anyone actually won anything, but I was 1 heart short of a flush.....oy!


Neal Alvanos said"Good cause; very well organized. Lots of stop & go town riding, but nice for a change; and an unexpected free lunch to boot."




SHORT NOTICE: Hump Day Ride

Greenies took a group of Knights for a mid-week ride. These are real nice excurstions to help break up the week. Too bad work gets in the way!!



Gilbert's Resort, the first and last stop in the Florida Keys.

Well Greenies did some strategic moves and changed this ride around a little. The weather gave us at least one more cool clear day. The Knights had a great time at Cafe 27, Chesters and Jonny Brown's. Good job Greenies.



Skip Commagere"Ride had some last minute changes but turned out to be a great day. Slick showed and Rick decided to join us too. Cafe 27 to Chester's in Hollywood then to Johnny Brown's in Delray. What a hoot. Weather was perfect."


















THROW BACK PICTURES!!!!
Oct 20, 2012.

 Nov 17, 2012
 Dec 2, 2012

Dec 23, 2012
Feb 17, 2013

Mar 23, 2013


Look for more throw back pictures next month!!



Tuesday, March 3, 2015

February newsletter 2015

The Palm Beach Knights Newsletter









The Knights Table



Monthly Newsletter February 2015


Greetings from your President   
Will
KFFK







The Exploding Toilet                 (not by Will)
A MAN was working on his motorcycle on his patio and his engine on the motorcycle and somehow, the motorcycle slipped into gear. The man, still holding the handlebars, was dragged through a glass patio door and along with the motorcycle dumped onto the floor inside the house. The wife, hearing the crash, ran into the dining room, and found her husband laying on the floor, cut and bleeding, the motorcycle laying next to him and the patio door shattered. The wife ran to the phone and summoned an ambulance. Because they lived on a fairly large hill, the wife went down the several flights of long steps to the street to direct the paramedics to her husband.
After the ambulance arrived and transported the husband to the hospital, the wife uprighted the motorcycle and pushed it outside. Seeing that gas had spilled on the floor, the wife obtained some papers towels, blotted up the gasoline, and threw the towels in the toilet. The husband was treated at the hospital and was released to come home.
After arriving home, he looked at the shattered patio door and the damage done to his motorcycle. He became despondent, went into the bathroom, sat on the toilet and smoked a cigarette. After finishing the cigarette, he flipped it between his legs into the toilet bowl while still seated. The wife, who was in the kitchen, heard a loud explosion and her husband screaming. She ran into the bathroom and found her husband laying on the floor. His trousers had been blown away and he was suffering burns on the buttocks, the back of his legs and his groin. The wife again ran to the phone and called for an ambulance.
The same ambulance crew was dispatched and the wife met them at the street. The paramedics loaded the husband on the stretcher and began carrying him to the street. While they were going down the stairs to the street accompanied by the wife, one of the paramedics asked the wife how the husband had burned himself. She told them and the paramedics started laughing so hard, one of them tipped the stretcher and dumped the husband out. He fell down the remaining steps and broke his arm. Now THAT is a bad day...


 Who has the COOLEST VEST ???


At this time we have NEW large patches.. If you'd like to have a club vest let me know.

NEED A SHIRT ? SEE WILL!!














WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!!!!!!!!!

For more than 2 ½ years we have managed to keep our dues at a very low $15 a year. Unfortunately due to a substantial increase in the cost of the website, we are restructuring our dues and how they are paid.  It is your dues that helps keep our club running and pays for expenses you may not be aware of, such as the cost of the meet up site, decals, BBQ, Patches, club Banner and other items. We also are able to give away door prizes and gift certificates., and much more.

Starting on June 1st.  All dues will be $20 per year. Just $5 increase.( .41 cents per month)

We are also collecting dues differently. Everyone’s dues are now due on June 1st. This will make it a lot easier for everyone!

If you owe dues before then or join in the middle or part way into the year, your dues will be pro-rated. So If I pay my dues between 

October 1st, and January 31st, I owe $15 and then $20 on June 1st, from then on.

 If I pay my dues between February 1st, and April 31st, I owe $10 and then $20 on June 1st from then on. 

If I pay my dues after May 1st, just pay $20 on June 1st from then on.

If I join between June 1st and September 30th, just pay $20 and then $20 on following June 1st from then on. 

This will only be confusing once, and then be very simple; your dues will be due on June 1st

This pro-rated chart will be on the Dues and other payments page on our website.

There is a page on our website on how you can pay your dues. Just go to the tab labeled pages and then to the :
Dues and other payments page for an explanation. You can always give your dues to Will in person. Thanks for understanding the increase and the new way of doing it.  Your support is what keeps this club growing and going. 

As always if you have any questions, just contact me and I’ll try to explain. Thank you for your support.


How do I pay my Dues !!!! 
We need your support....still only $20/ year as of June 1st.

I now can take any payment with my PHONE at any ride !!!

To pay your dues or any other payments to the club, you can pay by Paypal or credit card. Or give cash or check to will!!
go to:


https://www.paypal.com/home

and send money to:

pbknightsmrc@gmail.com










Dale Goldstein 24-Feb












We have been having some really awesome rides /TIMES: and we have been very busy!!!!!!!!!!!

We had 7 different activities this month.





Benny's on the Beach February  1st

Being unable to make the Dania Beach Vintage motorcycle show, I put up a last minute ride. Since it was last I was lucky to be joined by a Knight I hadn't been able to ride with for awhile, David Rhodes. It was just a great day to catch up with David and all that has been going on with his great family.



Casa Tequila Mexican Grill February 7th

A nice cool, (OK maybe cold to start out) day to ride to a Knights favorite Mexican eatery. We had a great group that joined us on this ride and rode like a well oiled machine. 


Some how MJ met us there and arrived before we did!  Always a pretty ride on some backroads. Lake Placid is a great place to go to and we weren't disappointed this time. We even got to stop for some fresh fruit on the way home. Gunner as always did an awesome job tail gunning





Skip Commagere said "Great ride with the best folks. Sitting in my recliner with a single malt. The perfect end to today. Will did a great job leading. Thanks all. Good to see Lauren and MJ back in the pack."


Treasure Coast Bike Fest  February 8th

This was a 2nd event for the weekend. Greenies took the lead and had a good crew that went with him. We got to welcome a new Knight" mkeevo on this ride...welcome!!  Also it was good to see Simbo back and a big thanks for riding as tail gunner. 

Marc said" Great job Greenies! Glad to see the Knights. Looking forward to the next ride I can make. Got my vest, now I've just got to get Will to sew for me! "


Alabama Jacks..  February 15 · 9:00 AM

A really cold start quickly turned into one of the best weather rides of the year. We all were a little worried when temp took an all time low, but the sun came out and made it a comfortable ride for all. After a scenic ride on 27, we picked up MJ at Cafe 27. 
 We then headed to the Keys. Even though the ride can make for a long day, it is well worth the effort. Alabama Jacks is just such a great place with big amounts of great food and some very unusual people. The ride home was all highway and we made really good time, I think that everyone got home before dark. Congrats to Marc and Dale getting on their vests. 




Dale Goldstein said" One of the best rides yet. Terrific to have my Knights vest, thanks Will. The frost quickly came off the pumpkin as we headed west then south to biker madness. What a great stop. Then on to Alabama Jacks, a fun scene with beautiful sun, boats, bikes, babes, and live music with ancient square dancers in costume turning round and round. I did not realize my vest had a top-secret pocket where my wallet evaded (my) detection, but thanks to a swarm of Knights and Marc with a credit card swipe to gas me up and bail me out all was righted in short order. Thanks Marc. Thanks Knights. I enjoy the long rides and different places we discover. Great group of Knights and Lady’s."





officer's meeting  ..February  20th

Contrary to popular beliefs, this club doesn't just happen. As one officer said "I know it's sometimes seems like people think we just all meet at a gas station and then go for a ride". Well nothing could be further from the truth. We meet and discuss everything to do with our club. From ride planning to dues to member's concerns. With no other members there, we still took 3 hours to get through it all. I want to say a BIG THANK YOU to all the other officers( Echoes, Kris, Greenies, Gunner, and The Green-T himself...Keith, who give of themselves to see that we are all safe and having fun!! Knights next time you're on a ride it sure would be nice if you went over to one of them and told them that you appreciate them.




will said"Great meeting!! Thank you all."




Iron & Clematis 2 Vintage Motorcycle Festival  February  21st

A yearly event that the Knights are invited to by our favorite mechanic Jim Parrsh. We started the day with a winter ride along the beach to go to lunch. Our first thought was to stop at Benny's on the Beach, but after finding a long wait and no room, we headed to Mulligan's. I thought the food was great! After lunch some of the Knights had to leave and the rest of us made our way to the show. Man, what a show it was! The vintage bikes are always fun to see, but the cage of DEATH was just unbelievable!! It is indescribable to see not 1, not 2, but 3 bike going 50+ miles per hour around a metal ball!! I swear you had to be there to see the look on Gunners face!! He said he couldn't watch. Unfortunately we got some rain on the way home, but not the worst.


Neal Alvanos said" Home safe & sound. Interesting ride past Palm Beach mansions. Good lunch in Lake Worth; good antique MC event. Caught a little rain, but no big deal."











BREAKFAST AT HILLARYS/ Gun Range

Well the best laid plans... the original ride to the Party under the bridge had to be canceled due to rain. The Knights are hard to keep down, so we had a quick plan B and had breakfast at Hillary's. While the restaurant got mixed reviews on food and service, the company did not! We got to welcome a new Knight Danial to his first ride/event. I have to say, the guy has nice taste in cars. Echoes and Gunner decided to brave the weather and went to the original event. I'm glad that they made it home safe after a epic soaking!!
After breakfast some of us made our way to the range to do some shooting. We are fortunate to have Rich Love as a Knight for many reasons, but one of them is that he is a trained firearms instructor. He was nice enough to give us all some pointers and we are better shooter for it. Thanks Squirrel!!


 Danial  said"thanks everybody for this nice welcome"



KFFK

Will