G.W.R.R.A., REGION H, TEXAS DISTRICT, CHAPTER W

Chapter TX-W Director Cindy Harris

Fellow GoldWinger’s,

Hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas and New Years. I

know we had a rollercoaster from November but trying to

get settled down now that the new year is here.

It was great to see so many Chapter W Members at our

meeting on Thursday, January 5th. We also had Gabe and

Janis Kaspar visit with us again and hope to see them on

our upcoming rides. Many of us brought great ideas for

rides for this coming year. Some of them will be overnight

rides and others full day rides. I am really looking forward

to riding since I have not been on my bike in a while and

plan on making most of the rides this year.

We had some good discussions at the meeting regarding

tires. Many different views on which tire to buy and how

many miles they would endure. If you got anything from

the discussion I think it was to keep your tires in good

shape and visually inspect them quite often. It is amazing

how the tire pressure can fluctuate and you don’t realize

how low they are until it is too late.

I think everyone had fun playing Wingo (Bingo) again. I

know all my questions weren’t motorcycle related but as

long as “fun and friends” are involved that is the most im-

portant part of belonging to and being associated with a

great group of people.

In case we have left you out of some of our emails, the wom-

en who are either retired or have free time on Mondays, we

try and meet once a month for lunch somewhere. If you are

interested in joining us please email me and I will definite-

ly include you on the list. We might try and expand our

meetings to lunch and a trip somewhere. It’s always fun to

have a ladies day out.

Our next planning meeting is on Thursday, January 19

with destination unknown at this time. Please look for my

email on Monday the 16th to find out where we will be eat-

ing dinner. Another great time to come out and fellowship

with everyone.

As you all know the money that we collect from 3 advertis-

ers in the newsletter and the 50/50 tickets we sell at the

meetings are the only source of income that our group

takes in. We do have a few expenses through the year that

we must pay out for our website, GWRRA charter fees and

a few minor expenses. Please give that a little more consid-

eration when we have our 50/50 ticket sales at our meet-

ings. Hopefully we can build that up a little so by Decem-

ber it will be able to help pay for our Christmas party.

My other idea that I am keeping my eyes open for this year

is when one of the motorcycle dealers hosts a swap meet. I

know we all have gear, boots, gloves, t-shirts, parts and

such that sits in our closets and collects dust. If you would

like to donate anything when I go to one of the swap meets

the money we make will be put into our funds for future

expenses and maybe an ice cream treat for one of the rides.

I will also bring up that if you are willing to help out our

group in any capacity, i.e. places for our planning meeting,

putting together rides, inputting on poker runs or such that

you think we might be interested in attending as a group,

all input is welcomed. Just shoot me an email so I can

make a list and send out an email. Remember the more we

are seen in places with large numbers of bikes with our

Chapter W shirts on we might be able to draw in some new

members. It really makes me feel good when I see all of

you show up at the meetings with our Chapter shirts on,

vests or any other GWRRA gear. Keep up the great work.

Well I guess I have rattled on long enough. Looking for-

ward to seeing you on a ride or at the next planning meet-

ing.

Cindy Harris Chapter Director

January, 2017

Volume 18, Issue 1

VOLUME 18 ISSUE 1 PAGE 2

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PAGE 3 VOLUME 18 ISSUE 1 JANUARY, 2017

Fastest Possible Right Turn on Public Streets

By: James R. Davis

Some people wonder why slow-speed parking lot practice exercises are meaningful given that they usually travel at much faster speeds when they are riding their bikes. Let me share with you an example that might shed some light on this question. A young man who was relatively inexperienced with motorcycle riding decided to make a 90 degree right turn from one street onto another. He was traveling at a speed substantially in excess of 35 MPH, but he claimed that he was certain that he could 'make it' if he just slowed down to 35 MPH before he gave it a try. Needless to say, he didn't. So why not? Was it just a matter of skill? Well, consider these facts: The width of a standard lane in the United States is approximately 12 feet.

In order to make the fastest turn you must select a path that provides the largest turn radius.

Thus, you will want to carve a path from the outer edge of the approach lane, into as close as possible to the curb as your apex, then out to the outer edge of the new lane.

The largest radius possible is approximately 40 feet in this scenario. If you don't drag any hard parts of the motorcycle along the way then

your limit is determined by the amount of traction available. (on good streets with good tires that could be upwards of .9G's of centrifugal force.)

PAGE 4 VOLUME 18 ISSUE 1 JANUARY, 2017

Here is a diagram to put it all in perspective:

Observe that the fastest possible speed through that turn is about 23 MPH. That is about as fast as you ever go while doing parking lot practice. In order to make a tighter turn than that you MUST go slower. When you are practicing making U-turns you usually do it at about 10 MPH, no? 35 MPH is FAST! Making that turn at 35 MPH is an impossible task for the most experienced motorcyclist in the world, let alone a newbie.

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February, 2017 Upcoming

Events for

February

2nd—Chapter Meeting

16th—Planning Meeting

Check our web site calendar for

last minute events.

www.gwrra-txw.org

VOLUME 18 ISSUE 1 PAGE 5

3522 S. Mason Rd., Suite 260 Katy, TX 77450 Phone: 832-437-4180

Fax: 832-772-4325

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JANUARY, 2017

PAGE 6 VOLUME 18 ISSUE 1

January

Birthdays

Bernard Schmitz, 6th

Anniversaries

Jack & Lorraine Johnson, 25th

JANUARY, 2017

Our Meeting Place and Time

GWRRA Texas Chapter "W" holds its chap-

ter meetings on the first and third Thursdays

of the month. The first currently at Rudy’s

BBQ, 21799 Katy Freeway, Katy, TX 77450

(I-10 just east of Mason Rd.). The second

will move month to month so see our calen-

dar. The first is our regular chapter meeting

while the second meeting is an informal plan-

ning meeting/social gathering. Meetings are

held at 7:00 P.M. Everyone is welcome and

encouraged to attend. Come early and enjoy

dinner with the chapter.

Trump Café, Bellville, TX

Great Weather, Good Food

PAGE 7 VOLUME 18 ISSUE 1

FLEXING OUR WINGS

A LITTLE TEXAS HISTORY

Some January Texas Events

JANUARY, 2017

January 1st, 1863

On this day in 1863, Confederate forces under Gen. J. B. Magruder began their assault on Union forces that had held Galveston since October. Magruder placed artillery and dismounted cavalry aboard two river steamers, the Bayou City and the Neptune. He also gathered infantry and cavalry, supported by artillery, to cross the railroad bridge onto the island. The Confederates entered Galveston on New Year's night, January 1, 1863, and opened fire before dawn. The Union ship Harriet Lane sank the Neptune, but the Bayou City's crew seized the Federal vessel. Union commander William B. Renshaw's flagship, the Westfield, ran aground, and the commander died trying to blow it up rather than surrender it. The other Union ships sailed out to sea, ignoring Confederate surrender demands, while their infantry comrades in town surrendered. Magruder had retaken Galveston with a moderate loss. Although the port remained un-der Confederate control for the rest of the war, only a week elapsed before it was again blockaded.

January 10th, 1901

On this day in 1901, the Spindletop oilfield was discovered on a salt dome south of Beaumont, marking the birth of the modern petroleum industry. Pattillo Higgins, the "prophet of Spindletop," and others had tried for years to find oil on Spindletop Hill, but with no success. In 1899, however, Higgins hooked up with Anthony F. Lucas. Despite negative reports from contemporary geologists, Lucas remained con-vinced that oil was in the salt domes of the Gulf Coast. On January 10 mud began bubbling from a well that Lucas had spudded in the previous October. The startled roughnecks fled as six tons of four-inch drilling pipe came shooting up out of the ground. After several minutes of quiet, mud, then gas, then oil spurted out. The Lucas geyser, found at a depth of 1,139 feet, blew a stream of oil over 100 feet high until it was capped nine days later. The discovery of the Spindletop oilfield had an almost incalculable effect on world and Texas history. Investors spent billions of dollars throughout the Lone Star State in search of oil and natural gas. The cheap fuel they found helped to revolutionize American transportation and indus-try. Many of the major oil companies were born at Spindletop or grew to major corporate size as a result of their involvement at Spindletop, including Texaco, Gulf Oil Corporation, Magnolia Petroleum Company, and Exxon Company, U.S.A.

January 26th, 1945

On this day in 1945, Audie Murphy, the most-decorated soldier in United States history, earned the Med-al of Honor by single-handedly repelling a German attack. The Texas native enlisted in the United States Army in June 1942. During World War II he received thirty-three awards, citations, and decorations. After the war he starred in numerous movies, wrote country-and-western songs, and pursued other business interests. Murphy was killed in an airplane crash in 1971 and was buried near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery.

Position Name Phone Number

Chapter Director Cindy Harris (386) 846-8521

Assistant Chapter Director Vern Neal (713) 295-9150

Treasurer Janice Hill (281) 703-1308

Membership Enhancement OPEN

Newsletter Editor Steve Wilkening (713) 899-6855

Chapter Educator OPEN

Chapter Historian Jim Vardaman (281) 495-2748

Ride Coordinator Roger Caron (832) 868-8976

Webmaster Steve Wilkening (713) 899-6855

Chapter W Officers

PAGE 8 VOLUME 18 ISSUE 1

About Us

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