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WIND & FIRE Newsletter for Firefighters In-The-Wind
967 S. Ridge View Drive, Santa Maria, CA 93455
Volume 20 Issue #4 October 2012
JR – International President WFMC Our National Run 2012 in Hill City was a very special event.
We had four honorary members attending this year. Lisa Price
Waltman our newest member and Dave Barr one of our older
members and of course our very own Petter Massey & New
York Myke. This year was special because Dave we being
inducted into the Motor Cycle Hall of Fame. Wow what an
honor. What made it even more special to me was the fact that
Dave is a very proud member of Wind & Fire MC.
If you do not have one of Dave‟s books, get a copy and read it.
Amazing stuff.
JB and I want to thank the Illions Chapter for a great BBQ at
the camp ground. Of course this year this was a BBQ with no
fire. A very dry year in the Black Hills.
We want to welcome Twig from Deadwood and his new Black
Hills Wind & Fire Chapter to our family. This has been a long
time coming and thanks to Twig it has happened.
My ride to Sturgis this year was very special because of those
that rode with me. I want to thank Fat Bob, Jessie and Steve
for a great trip. We rode through six states and saw some of
the best the USA offers.
I arrived in Hill City five minutes before the Illinois WFMC
wedding. Very Cool.
Thank you again to the Illinois Chapter the many other
members that made the 2012 Rally special.
Wind & Fire MC was very well represented at the Hall of Fame
breakfast in Deadwood (more pictures later) Thank you Eric
for your continued support of this great event. I am truly sorry
that I did not take you up on your offer to be your guest sooner.
If you ever have a chance to attend the breakfast, please do.
Rumors put to the side, please attend the Western Rally and
support the 88 Crew and all the work they have put into this
event. WFMC will overcome all the BS and be stronger for it.
Dave Barr ―center‖ Lisa ―second from the R standing
Fat Bob, Jessie, Pepper, JR, Steve in Deadwood SD
The Central-Sierra Group leaving California
Volume 20 Issue # 4 October 2012
2
Club President / CEO
John Robbins (JR)
3113 Tupelo Drive
Merced, CA 95348
(209) 384-7408
Vice President / CFO
John Bergstrom
140 Slatey Ford Rd
Greenbrier, AR
72058
501-428-7701
European Director /
Board Member Eddy Styven
Vinkenlaan 17
2630 Aartselaar
Belgium
03 8871938 (Belgium)
Liaison Officer Western /
Sgt- at-Arms
Brian Oppenheimer (Oppy)
5400 E. Hwy 14
Fort Collins, CO 80524
970-567-8620
Liaison Officer Eastern /
Sgt-at-Arms
Wild Bill Sterne
1008 Georgia St
Louisiana, MO 63353
573-754-0122
Road Captain / Board
Member
Terry Porter (Skipper)
PO Box 623
Big Bear Lake,
CA 92315-0623
(909)866-5151 [email protected]
Charity Officer /
Board Member
Bruce Reibly
65 Cortez Dr
Nocona, TX 76255
(940) 825-5138
Corporate Rallies
John Bergstrom
501-428-7701
National Rally /
Board Member Terry Heflin (Hef)
630 484-0824
Board Member
Ron Hyde
29006 Cherrywood Lane
Shenandoah, TX
77381
(281) 513-8869
Board Member
Don Tompkins
P.O. Box 3981
Grand Junction, Co 81502
(970) 623-5070
Board Member
William Trinkl
1177 Oak Drive
Big Bear City, CA
92314
Hospitality/Board Member
Gary Lovell
1411 Hwy 205
Rockwall, TX 75032
(972) 563-9116
Membership / Club Products
Wind & Fire MC
Dave Barr
PO Box 8633
Bodfish, CA 93205
760 379-4941
Secretary / Board Member
Mike May
3416 Lancaster Way
Calgary, Alberta
T3E 5W6
Canada
Chaplain / Board Member
Mark Rittermeyer (Straight
Arrow)
4784 Foxwood Blvd
Lakeland, FL
33810-2041
(863) 816-9898
Newsletter
John Denning (B.O.B.)
967 S. Ridge View Drive
Santa Maria, CA 93455
Wind & Fire Historian
Mary Walker (MIC)
3345 Shamrock Place
Merced, CA 95340
(209) 723-9822
Wind & Fire on the Internet
www.windandfiremc.org
John Robbins webmaster
3113 Tupelo Drive
Merced, CA 95348
209-384-7408
International Officers &
Board Members
Volume 20 Issue # 4 October 2012
3
As I see things..
John Bergstrom- Vice President
Well, it's almost fall and this past summer was a busy
one. The National rally held in Hill City during Sturgis bike
week was a good one. I cannot remember better weather during
the week. It was neither too hot nor too cold, just like Little
Red Riding Hood's porridge it was just right. The only down
side was an open burn ban was on in the Black Hills so there
was no campfires allowed. However, Bubba, Hef and the crew
would not be denied. A large quantity of multi-color glow
sticks were secured and made an interesting “fire".
The food supplied by Illinois was as usual, outstanding
and many members from all over attended. Many Thanks to all
those who hosted the event.
Two special events happened this year during our rally.
First, our own Dave Barr was inducted into the Sturgis Hall
of Fame. This was a tremendous honor and Dave shares it with
many of the "Who's Who" in the motorcycle world. Dave was
inducted on Wednesday morning after our rally at the breakfast
ceremony in Deadwood.
Many thanks to Eric Sondeen for his annual support of
this event. Thanks to Eric, Wind & Fire has a table every year
right up front (next to the Davidsons) and is well represented.
In fact, this year Wind & Fire was the only club recognized by
the folks hosting the event.
We also had 4 Honorary Members in attendance. Dave
Barr, New York Mike, Pepper Massey and Lisa Price
Waltman. This is I believe the first time we have had so
many honorary members at one event.
Next, we inducted our 17th Honorary Member into the
club during our rally/lunch on Tuesday. Lisa Price Waltman
is our newest member. Lisa is a wonderful person and is a very
good choice for our honorary position.
By the time you read this the Ride to Remember will
have just concluded. It is being held in Denver on the 15th of
September, at this event will also be the annual W&F Board
meeting. A report on both will be in the next newsletter.
The Western Rally is being held the weekend of the
22nd of September during the annual Street Vibrations bike run
in Reno Nevada. This is a first time venue for the western
and it may be the last. At the last minute it was decided by the
city to not allow colors at any of the casinos/hotels in Reno. It
was too late to cancel our plans this year but unless something
is worked out it may be the last time our club attends. If you
are planning to attend, please do so. The Santa Cruz chapter
has planned a good rally.
The Eastern Rally will be held once again in the
Flagler Beach area of Florida. Several events are being
planned and the dates are October 10th-14th. with the
actual rally on the 13th. The Biketoberfest rally is being held in
and around Daytona starting on the 17th, so come for the best
and stay for the rest.
Just a "heads up " Frenchie is planning a Blue Ridge
Parkway- Civil war monument, sightseeing tour next
year in early May. It will travel the Blue Ridge Parkway with
stops at Gettysburg and the York Harley Davidson Factory
tour. It will be a casual event with short days. Watch the
newsletters for more info as well as lodging info. See you down
the road. JB
W&F MC European Director: Eddy Styven
Last week the "Diamond chapter Belgium" returned from
the Swiss Rally nearby Charmey. 29 members from our chapter
rode to Switzerland for the second W&F Rally. Members from
Belgium, Germany, France and Swiss gathered for the week-
end.
This was another highlight after the European Rally
held in Wales, or should I say the UK? Anyway this was also a
great seeing again with members from the mountain country.
Gabriel and crew had prepared us a great ride to the
pyrotechnic factory nearby Montreux in an old fortress where
they store the "Swiss' world famous black powder". We took an
interesting tour about the firework industry and everything that
comes with it. The fortress was built in 1944 in order to protect
the Rhone Valley from Nazi invasion, but was never used, still
remained active until the late 90‟ ies.
Our chapter toured the wonderful area and visited Gstaad,
entering over breath taking passes, despite the rain.
At night our Swiss brothers had prepared us a typical
menu of melted cheese, named raclette, DELICIOUS. A live
band performed to complete the evening and night.
After the traditional pictures the next morning, it was time
to head north again. We had a stop nearby Troyes in the French
Champagne region; an old watermill hosted us for the night.
Great food, enough wine made us all go to bed satisfied
after a great week-end and ride.
We returned home havin' covered 2000 miles. 2000 miles with
friends, ridin' to meet friends, in true W&F spirit.
PS: The 2013 European Rally will be held in Munich,
Germany.
All info will be available on the new European website:
www.windandfiremc.eu
CU' all on the road,, Eddy Greetz, Eddy
Volume 20 Issue # 4 October 2012
4
From: Evo Red
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation, of which I am a Charter
Member, is our federal motorcyclist rights organization in
Washington D.C. The following – trailed by my comments – is
copied from the September/October 2012 issue, page 17 of The
MRF Reports – a bi-monthly information bulletin.
The View Past the Handlebars Finding Hope
Print is dead. No one cares about it, no one wants it, so you
might as well get in line with the rest of the world and accept it.
At least that‟s what I‟ve been told to believe by those who
claim to know better. I‟m a dinosaur, a fossil, a relic from a
world that has become irrelevant. I am so obsolete; apparently,
that my work in the American magazine world can be done
automatically by overseas drones who use search engines to
seek out existing examples of the printed word. And once
found, those same drones repackage what they‟ve harvested in
an attempt to fool the reader into thinking that what they‟re
getting in the magazines they‟ve paid good money for is
actually new, relevant content.
When I first started in the writing profession twenty years ago,
I was often asked why. Most who asked thought they already
knew the answer: that I wanted to write the next Great
American Novel, make a ton of money from the book sales and
become the next Clive Cussler or James Patterson. How little
they knew me.
Writing, for me, isn‟t about ever being famous, having millions
of readers or even having what I write be that well liked. I
remember thinking early in my career that, if after reading my
words just one person in the whole world found a little extra
meaning in his or her life, if some tiny aspect of living on this
planet seemed to make a small bit more sense to him or her,
then I will have accomplished my goal. I hoped that just one
person, after coming home from a rough or sad day, could turn
to something that I had created, find solace in it, and maybe for
a short bit of time forget their sadness, their worry or their
fears. Maybe even smile. As I said, I hoped.
But hope is a funny thing. I was let go from my longtime
writing job this year. Corporate downsizing, nothing personal
of course, just the sign of the times. I was, quite literally,
outsourced to India. And I, being the dinosaur that I am, felt
about as lost and trapped as a brontosaur in a tar pit. The one
thing I had deliberately chosen to do with my life, to build my
world around, had been stripped from me. I short, I had lost
hope. And when one loses hope, there‟s only one thing to do –
ride.
At least for me, riding a motorcycle is as much an act of hope
as writing. It‟s a chance for me to forget and forgive, an escape
where I don‟t care what anyone else thinks of me while I‟m
doing it. It gives more than it takes; leaving me refreshed and
renewed after the ride is over. It restores my sense of balance,
reignites all five senses. And if the ride is good, it leaves me
feeling both emboldened and humbled all at the same time, like
seeing a blazing sunrise come storming up over the eastern
horizon and suddenly understanding how small I really am in
the middle of it all. My motorcycle does what nothing else can
– it restores hope.
I‟m still a dinosaur. I will always love print and be dubious of
the digital age of information. I will always treasure the smell
of a new book, the feel of a magazine in my hands, the delight
of turning an actual page and not a virtual touch-screen page
flip. I will continue to wish that, no matter where my future
takes me, as least one other person finds meaning in what I
write. And because I ride a motorcycle, I will never lose hope.
― The Ghostrider
COMMENT: On so many levels Ghostrider‟s piece meshes
with my motorcycle riding, writing history and my Neanderthal
approach to the electronic gismo age. A composite of the
similarities between us would morph into a rewrite of his prose.
My foray into writing began in March of 1990 when I
wrote “80 in 90”, a story about my dad, published in American
Iron Magazine. A photo copy of that piece, overlaid with its
$300.00 check, has hung on my wall ever since. Over the years
I‟ve had multiple stories in eight separate motorcycle
publications, local newspapers and the International
Association of Fire Fighters newsletter.
As Ghost points out, it‟s not the money. More often
than not, my writing sideline commissions went to charity. The
spread nationally and internationally of Wind & Fire
Motorcycle Club Inc. was due directly to the articles I had
published. Writing brought me a brief moment of fame in
Keystone, SD during Sturgis Bike Week when a complete
stranger/fan recognized me as Evo Red from Easyriders. In
another instance, a prison inmate/artist reader, responded by
donating several of his motorcycle ink drawings for use at
W&F MC‟s charity events. I still remember one Sunday fire
crew breakfast when the waiter complimented my Easyriders’
Road Tale…before I‟d even seen the copy. Still on the net after
several years, placed there by a reader, a search for Evo Red’s
RFTW will bring up one of my road tales. Writing‟s true
reward comes from knowing the positive impact of the
thoughts expressed.
A Good Time Ride By Evo Red
I hadn‟t ridden my bike in two months. “Gettin’
friggin’ old!” Knee surgery and its compulsory rehab caused
my down time. Nevertheless, I was back on track fit to hit the
road for an annual wouldn’t miss it putt.
Volume 20 Issue # 4 October 2012
5
All told having ridden nearly 600,000 miles you‟d
think my choice for a must-do putt would entail an awesome
route and perfect conditions. Well yeah, there is that but not in
this case. I wasn‟t the only noted scooter trash making this putt
either. Second nature to that crew was a mindset of 100,000
road miles being break-in mileage. Among the usual suspects
were: PT, who has probably topped my 600,000; JR, the
International President of W&F MC Inc.; Wm, a long rider in
both Europe & the USA; Skipper and Redlite, husband & wife
Run For The Wall alum, who over the years seem to spend
more time on the road than not.
I know you‟re curious. What event was this? Where
did we go?
We were among twenty-three riders attending Wind
& Fire MC’s Kids Day Run. This run goes east from Hemet,
California up into the mountains to Ronald McDonald Camp
for Good Times in Idyllwild. To get there our “perfect putt”
consisted mostly of running freeways and riding hundreds of
miles in sweltering heat. Worst case scenario: PT‟s 1,200 miles
“to and from” was 80% on freeways baking in the 100+
degrees.
Why do that!
It‟s because, “Sometimes the ride isn‟t for fun.”
Actually, “It‟s better than fun.”
Camp Good Times is a summer camp for kids with
cancer. Terminally-ill campers attend along with their siblings
and friends. The camp is a nonstop joy. Why include siblings &
friends? The story goes that after returning home a camper was
so cheery from camp that his little brother whined, “I wish I
had cancer so I could go.”
Camp Good Times is located in a wooded mountain
area. The camp‟s fine tuned agenda combined with its
enthusiastic councilors enrich the environment to near bliss.
Someone not-in-the-know looking in on the place would never
guess its underlying motive. Hell, I was there, been there many
times, and was completely immersed in the lightheartedness.
As soon as our bikes hit the Good Times grounds we
were met by a camp assembly of beaming faces cheering our
arrival. We parked under the trees, dismounted and strode
towards our hosts to start the festivities. Any façade of tension
between groups dissolved instantly as a front man, gyrated to
and fro between the two, belted out the lead for the Welcome
Harley-rider Song. Once the clapping and hooting from both
sides subsided, each cabin-group adopted a couple of bikers for
the duration of our stay.
JR & I were chosen by Cabin #7, a group of teenage
boys. One of the cabin mentors herded us over to a shaded
grassy area where we stood together forming a circle. Most
camper sported “tattoos”, many functioning as substitute beards
and mustaches. My “Nice tats” comment to one little guy was a
hit. A bit off from the rest, a Cabin #7 slacker, a waif of a guy,
was laidback on the grass. A dose of joking & coercion pulled
him swiftly to his feet. First up, a wave of self-introduction –
name & hometown – spun around the circle. I should have paid
more attention. This was followed by a Nerf-wand Smacking
Name-game. The kids were good at it. JR & I, ah not so
much…making complete fools of ourselves. Smiling,
laughing…it was great!
Usually next on the agenda is a slow-race with the
campers cheering the bikers from the sidelines. This year due
to some new construction the race was skipped.
That moved up the premier event, the Hula-Hoop
Relay Race. Three competing teams were formed composed of
hand-in-hand lines of participants from multiple cabins. The
exact line count was meticulously maintained…give or take 30
or 40 bodies. That open-ended officiating put a squelch on any
seriousness. Each relay line had a bike with a Hula-hoop at one
end and a biker with a pile of frilly women‟s clothes at the
other end. At “Go” the hoop began bobbing down the line as it
passed over and under each team member hindered by hands
being clasped to their line-mates. Note here the photo of JR
cunningly helping some campers…from an opposing cabin!
What the…? Once the hoop made it down to the biker/clothes
pile, said biker in a rush donned his outfit from the pile, hoofed
it back down the line to his bike, hopped on and fired it up.
You’ve got to be there. I don‟t remember who the winner was
nor does anyone really care.
Volume 20 Issue # 4 October 2012
6
After the race everyone moved over beneath the trees
to the parked bikes for some Harley show-and-tell. Often this
turns into a viewer‟s choice Best Bike Contest.
Lastly we headed to the mess hall for lunch.
Remember that “slacker”, the waif needing a nudge up from
the grass to join our circle? He entered the hall just ahead of me
being carried in the arms of a counselor.
Lunch is a spectacle, a sheer kaleidoscope of activity.
Each cabin sits at its own table. A couple of chow rules: if you
leave your napkin or elbows on the table you may get called
out to stand & sing. That‟s terror to me; so, I was good.
Tables call challenges to other tables, “Cabin #7 shake
your booty!” Our table stood and lamely bounced in place. The
hall can erupt with group challenges; “Bikers do the Muscle
Walk.” That one had us parading through the hall in an inane
attempt at bodybuilding poses. The “Barbie Walk” enlists
parading victims to comically attempt the light floating &
spinning moves of ballet. Ever seen a 6 foot guy in club colors
do a pirouette? If you relent to any individual camper‟s plea to
wear your vest two things usually follow: instantly smiles
appear on a young face and later you‟ll be thrown in with other
unsuspecting do-gooders scourged with doing the Squirrel
Dance to retrieve your colors. I avoided The Squirrel even
though Jesus was wearing my vest. He seemed mesmerized by
my Maltese captain‟s badge, asked about it, kept wearing my
colors and didn‟t turn it in…a real bro.
Amazingly the commotion-filled hall is easily calmed
to silence by a single raised hand gesture mimicked by
everyone.
We donated some money. The campers thanked us.
We thanked them. As Club Founder I got waylaid into making
a speech. It was short, “I was just talking with JR about all the
effort involved within the workings of a motorcycle club,
dealing with bias, dealing with outlaw clubs and all the rest.
Events such as this one make it all worthwhile. Thank you!”
Evo Red
Epilog: PT, on the way home broke down and spent two days
in Fresno.
An email & photos below from Fred Fournet -
French member of W&F MC Chapter #1.
Hi Brothers,
The last weekend, I went to a country bike rock festival to Tours (area of Touraine).
There I discovered the historical pageant of an American camp after the landing in Normandy. Of course I took advantage of this moment to make me photograph with the military officers and the girls of period...they were also beautiful in 1944 as now...
Bro Fred.
Imagery of the International W&F MC Footprint
(Sent from Santa Barbara Chapter's Serbian member,
Slobodan)
1 - Frank & Sandra Zetting took me to visit the concentration
camp Dachau.
It‟s an incredible experience, as being in a time machine.
Everything is perfectly taken care of and preserved. My idea
Volume 20 Issue # 4 October 2012
7
was for this picture to be filled with symbolism: a Serb and a
German, the brothers W&F MC at the front gate of one of the
worst places in Germany at that time...
2 - The picture is bad because my hand trembled: This is a
room with its fake showers, instead of water poison gas,
Zyklon B, rains down ... many thousands of souls of innocent
people are here.
No pretty pictures, but I think all people should see the
results of human madness and brutality...
I have many pictures from there, but only these two are
enough to understand human cruelty and hatred. My
experiencing all of this was a psychological shock.
EDITOR’s CORNER: [email protected]
The subscription price of the W&F Newsletter is $15 mailed
in the USA ($23 mailed Outside the USA). ―This may go up
due to price increases for Envelopes, Printing and Postage.‖
THE SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE FOR THE HARDCOPY OF
THE WIND & FIRE NEWSLETTER (Price for 2 Years)
PLEASE make out the check to John Denning As I do not have an account for Wind & Fire MC newsletter.
The banks do not want to cash them with W&F MC.
Address: John Denning 967 S. Ridge View Dr.
Santa Maria, CA 93455
Last Issue Of The Quarterly Newsletter:
Pat Treece
Newsletter Subscriptions Due:
October: Tim Blewett Jim Bowe
November: Ralph Deblasi
Please everyone read the list of "subscriptions due" above.
That is the only way that I am going to contact you. The
way it works is — I put down the month you are due; then
if no payment is received, your name appears in the next
edition in the Last Issue Of the Quarterly Newsletter.
Our latest Chapter is #183 Black Hills SD (rocker wording
will be "Black Hills or Black Hills Chapter")
President: Rich „Twig‟ Stanger VP Steve „Doc‟ Mauch
WIND & FIRE RALLIES AND OTHER RUNS:
Western Rally Chapter # 088
Come to the 2012 Western Rally in Reno, Nevada!
This year's Western Rally is being held in conjunction with
Reno's biggest motorcycle event of the year, Street Vibrations!
It's a celebration of music, metal and motorcycles in downtown
Reno. It begins September 19th and runs thru the 23rd, 2012.
The members only WFMC Western Rally ride & luncheon
is scheduled for September 22nd. There will also be a reception
hosted by the Santa Cruz Chapter on the evening of September
21st.
Members are encouraged to stay at the Grand Sierra
Resort where a special rate of $69 (net) per night has just been
negotiated! In addition, all resort fees have been waived saving
and additional $10 per night! GSR is colors friendly! If you
booked a room at the resort (at any rate), call (800)648-5080
and ask for them to switch your reservation to the new rate.
These special rates apply for 9/19 thru 9/25. When calling let
them know you are from WFMC and provide Group Code:
TWFMG. Special rates are also available for the RV Park. If
you booked and RV spot you should switch to the new rate and
save! Don't wait too long as hotels will overbook for this event.
The resort runs a shuttle bus service to the airport if anyone
desires to fly in. . . .
If you have event questions please contact Chapter 88 at
(831)227-5272 or the hotel directly. Thanks, Dan Walters,
President, Chapter 88.
Volume 20 Issue # 4 October 2012
8
2012 EASTERN RALLY October 10
th thru 14
th
Flagler Beach, Florida
Wed. Oct. 10th
: Meet and Greet 3:00 pm at the “Golden Lion”
cabena bar. 500 North AIA, 4 blocks north of the Flagler Beach
Pier.
Thur. Oct. 11th
: Ride to Kennedy (NASA) Space Center and
Valiraf Air Command Museum. KSU 8:00 am! At Flagler
Beach Pier.
Fri. Oct. 12th
: Drum Circle? ”Beach Party”. North side of
Flagler Beach Pier, 6:00 pm. Cans only! No glass on the beach.
Sat. Oct. 13th
: “3rd
Annual Biker Bar Run”. KSU 11:00 am! At
“Finn‟s” Parking lot, N/W corner of SR 100 and SRAIA in
Flagler Beach.
Dinner and Awards, 7:00 pm at “Hurricane Patty‟s”. Under the
Flagler Beach bridge, Eastside on Intercostal waterway.
Sun. Oct. 14th
: Farewell Breakfast 7:30 am at the Flagler
Beach Pier Restaurant.
Information: Call Frenchie at 386 449-9991 or J.B
Lodging: www.visitflagler.org
Eastern Rally (BIKETOBERFEST) 2013
10 Day Rally
Daytona Beach – It‟s Official!! The Biketoberfest
Committee has announced, that starting in 2013 the rally will
be 10 days!
They could not get all the required permits processd in
time for this year.
This will give Wind& Fire MC a lot more flexability and
time for our Eastern Rally. So look for some additional W&F
events in 2013. Maybe a couple of days on Cedar Key or in
Mexico Beach?
Mechanized Cavalry Tour
May 11th
-18th
2013
Start your 2013 riding season right! Saddle Up! Join other
Wind&Fire members for a tour of scenic roads. National Parks,
Forests and Battlefields. Ride through Great Smokey Mtns.
National Park and meet in Cherokee, NC at he (KOA)
Kampground of America.
Ride up the Blue Ridge Pkwy & Skyline Drive through
Washington National Battlefield. 150th Anniversary of the
battle.
May 11th
: 0700 hrs KSU at KOA Cherokee, NC and ride up the
Blue Ridge Pkwy to KOA in Natural Bridge, VA.
May 12th
: 0700 hrs KSU at KOA. Back up the Blue Ridge to
KOA in Harpers Ferry, WV National Park.
May 13th
: 0700 hrs KSU at KOA. Ride North on US Hwy 15
(Old Emmitsburg Pike) to Gettysburg KOA.
May 14th
: Freebird Day R&R. Or take a ride to Harley in York,
Flight 93 (9-11-01) Memorial etc. 1900 hrs Campfire Lecture
and Q&A of Battle and Tour.
May 15th
: 0700 hrs KSU.Part 1 of MC Tour of Battlefield. Visit
Gettysburg Fire Dept. and Battlefield H-D. Ride through
Cavalry Battlefield Site. Stop at Gary Owens Pub. Evening
campfire.
May 16th
: 0700 hrs KSU. Part II of MC Tour of Battlefield.
Memorial ceremony at 2nd
Fire Zouaves Regiment Monument!
Visit cemetery and museum center, lunch at historic Cashtown
Inn. Evening Campfire.
May 17th
: 0700 KSU. Eisenhower National Historic Site. Tour
of downtown Gettysburg, a couple of pubs too!! Happy Hour
plus at Herr‟s Tavern.
May 18th
: 0700 hrs KSU. Farewell Breakfast TBA.
Info: John Bergstrom – [email protected]
Glenn French – 386 449-9991
koa.com/camp/Cherokee
koa.com/camp/natural-bridge
koa.com/camp/harpers-ferry
koa.com/camp/Gettysburg
www.gettysburg.travel
WIND & FIRE COMPLETED RIDES & RALLY’S
Kids Day Run – Hemet, California, July 21, 2012
JR, Bruce:
We had a very successful Kids Day Run today. There were 23
bikes participating and W & F made a $1500. Donation to
Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times.
The weather on the other hand sucked. Very warm! (Actually
hot)
Looking forward to next year
Thank You Papa Duane Chapter 91: CDF-FIRE
Chapter 53's – CA. Annual fundraiser is behind us for the
16th time. Our chapter raised $800. and it was all donated to
camp Ronald McDonald.
I think this was the third year that that Terry's coin sale
made up about 60% of the donations Thanks Terry
Thanks to the rest of the chapter as well maybe next year we
can make it a whole chapter event.
William Trinkl
Tuesday's group picture in front of the Alpine Inn,
Hill City SD
Volume 20 Issue # 4 October 2012
9
Dave Barr is kneeling front in faded red jacket.
Then JJ and then the second guy over towards the center from
Dave is Mike May from Canada, Then John “JR” Robbins,
Then John “JB” Bergstrom
Yup, that's a Maltese W&F MC tattoo - cost $500 to ink it.
Greetings from your National Rally Coordinator!
We held our 21st W&F National Rally this August. While we
had a great time last year at the 20th Anniversary celebration in
Missouri, it was nice to be back in the beautiful Black Hills of
South Dakota once again! Thanks to all that attended the
rally and showed your support for YOUR club.
There will be a change in the National Rally next year as we'll
be gathering at the Senior Center on Railroad Ave (across from
where we park the bikes) in Hill City. We were getting too big
for the Alpine Inn, and since we are parking over by the Senior
Center anyway, we decided to move registration over there,
also. The Senior Center is open every morning of Bike Week
for breakfast and they have graciously offered some of their
outside tables to us for registration. So please support the
Senior Center by enjoying their delicious pancake breakfast
before you register or any day of bike week. The time is still 11
am till 12 noon for registration and we will be taking our big
picture before heading out for our ride.
Our chapter (Illinois) will still be hosting our Monday night
meet and greet at our campsites in Pactola Lake
campground. We had a great turnout for the meet and greet
dinner this year as we served about 70 people. A reminder that
you can pre-register there, as well, avoiding the lines in Hill
City Tuesday morning. It was a little strange sitting around the
"camp fire", with no open flames allowed this year. Glow
sticks stuck in the fire grates do not a campfire make, but the
stories still flowed and old friends got to catch up on the year.
I will put a reminder about the change in registration in every
newsletter until Sturgis rolls around again, and we will have
some guys at the Alpine Inn to send people over to the Senior
Center who might be joining us for the first time or don't read
the newsletter. I really want to make the National Rally an
event that members are excited about, so I'm also looking for
any and all suggestions to improve it, e.g. the route,
registration, the restaurant, awards etc. Please send your
suggestions to me at [email protected].
Til next time, ride safe!
Hef
To: Brother Fred Fournet from Glenn French
Thank you very much for taking the time to remember and
honor all the brave men of D-Day 6 June 1944. My personal
hero is my uncle SSGT Henrey W. Rosenka. He was with F
Company 18th
Regiment US Infantry of 1st Infantry Division
„BIG RED ONE‟ that morning. He landed on Omaha Beach-
Easy Red Sector, in front of St. Laurent draw. I just had his
cloth map framed last month. There are blood stains all over
the map!
The official US Army History credits the 18th
Infantry as
the unit that breached the concrete fortifications. The last
organized German defense surrendered to the 18th
at 11:30 hrs.
F Company then advanced and fought over the ground that is
now the American Cemetery. Then liberated the village of
Colleville-Sur-Mer. D-Day was the 3rd
invasion/assault landing
of the war for the „Big Red One.
F Company started the war with about 200 men. At wars end,
only 6 of the original men were still on the line, my uncle was
one of the 6. The 18th
Regiment started with about, 1000 men
(grunts). 1,513 were KIA! More POW (died of wounds) as time
passed.3, 977 were wounded.
The 18th
Regiment is the unit Ernie Pyle was with when he
was writing his articles about GI Joe.
If any of you are riding and come upon any Monuments
for „The 1st Infantry Division‟ (Big Red One) or „The 18
th
Infantry Regiment‟. Do this brother a favor. Take a few
moments, stop and render a salute and in the words of Ernie
Pyle. Just say “Thanks Pal”.
If all goes well, I hope to be in France and Belgium in
June of 2014. To ride the route of the 18th
Infantry that is
marked on my uncle‟s map. A PIGRIMAGE RIDE, 70th
Annv.
Of D-Day.
Again Thanks Fred Your Brother Glenn French
PS: Read these Books:
American Iliad – The 18th
Infantry in WWІІ
By Robert Baumer with Mark Reardon. Aberjona Press
[email protected] www.aberjonapress.com
The Fighting First – Untold Story of „Big Red One‟ on D-Day
By Westview Press – Perseus Books Group
www.westviewpress.com
W&F MC National Rally SD - 2012
Volume 20 Issue # 4 October 2012
10
Hello, I present me Gilles W&F MC Firefighters of
the Chapter #149 Rhone-Alpes France. I will wish to
make publish this article of the Departmental Union of the
Firefighters of Rhone.
Our action is to the profit of the orphan children of Firefighters
of France. On a photo the presence of the President of the work
of the Wards (O.D.P.) Mr. Pierre Mazure; The French will
recognize it.
The holding of fire that I carry me summer offered by Don
Azakawa Fire Department Lathrop CA That I Thank Again!!
Best Regards: Gilles W&FMC Flirefighters France Chapter
Director #149 National Treasurer
E-Mail: [email protected]
The best part of a road trip,
Is meeting family along the way.
Thanks Bubba, Hef and the whole Illinois Crew
Fresno Area and Central-Sierra meet on the way to SD
