2016 - Issue #1
COGnitions Random thoughts and ramblings from your Area Director We are turning the corner on a new year. My wishes to you all for a happy and healthy New Year. Let’s bid a hearty welcome to the newest members to the COG Northeast Area who are listed in the New Member section on the next page. While on the subject of new members… Here is a quick membership status. The Northeast Area membership is 592 members and 172 associates. There are 431 forum subscribers. It’s February and winter is here… sort of. The northeast got slammed with a blizzard, then it warmed. We’ve had double digit negative overnight temperatures the past couple of days and it’s flurrying today, yet I heard tomorrow we may see temps in the low 50’s. This is the kind of wacky weather we’ve been having. On the plus side, we’ve had chilly, but riding conducive weather until almost end of January. Hopefully others have taken advantage of this and got some winter riding in before the snow hit. The good news is that Spring officially arrives in about a month. I am already planning on what items I would like to tackle at the Spring Tech Day in Monson MA at the end of April. The event is a spring favorite no matter if you go to do some wrenching on your bike or just hang out d socialize. I'm looking forward to a weekend in Williamsport, PA. I've never been there. I’ve booked my room and registered for the Spring Fling Rally. What about you? As I compiled the Event Schedule for this issue from the online Calendar of Events list I was reminded of a couple of things. 1) There are a lot of activities to choose from hers in the Northeast Area; and 2) your NE staff and members do a terrific job coming up with fun activities and posting them on the calendar. Way to go gals & guys. Elsewhere in COG, the Southeast Area continues preparing for the 2016 National Rally, which will be the week of June 20-24 in Helen GA. Details are posted online and in the Winter issue of The Concourier that was distributed in February. On JAN 31 the NE staff had a conference call meeting. I try to have one meeting quarterly, but it doesn't always work out. The staff uses these meetings to discuss upcoming activities and ideas, and discuss other plans. As you know the Spring Fling and Dog Days summer rallies are locked in and on the schedule. One of the discussion topics was the fall rally. Staff members reported that the preliminary leg work and negotiations have begun to secure a location. I'm not letting the cat out of the bag until definitive plans are locked in, but I feel members will like the locale.
ule on d e h c S t n e v E lots Page 6 with ding of Spring ri info! Photo photo courtesy courtesy BobBob Barbanti Barbanti #7134 #7134
On the national level of COG, I've been involved in a few projects over the last 12-18 months. Last year SCAD Fred Boothe, NWAD Charlie Gary, Secretary Joanne Poole and I took part in the Constitution and Bylaw review committee. Changes were made to bring this club document up to date, and to reorganize it to reduce redundancy and improve readability. I recently began chairing the Membership Review Committee, whose primary function is to take a look at membership features and benefits, and over all (Continued on page 2)
Concours Owners Group NORTHEAST AREA NEWS
New Members
First things first, a warm welcome to our Newest NE area COG members!
McLean VA Ben Nakhavanit #12198 Manchester MD Ronald Fleming #12205 Oceanside NY Kevin Remsen Jr #12207 Elton PA Mark Easterbrook #12213 Glendale RI Donald La Chapelle #12216 Whitehall PA Michael Frantz #12218 Bayonne NJ Chris Slocum #12219 Hanmer ON Dave Sauve #12220 Pequannock NJ Stephen Francescone #12222 Jarretsville MD Warren Wickless #12228 Spring MD Sandy Kramer Silver #12237 Narragansett RI Mike Kirk #12239
PLEASE HELP!!!
NEEDED!!!
COG Northeast Seeking Newsletter Editor Do you have and know how to use Microsoft Publisher (even a little)? Do you have some good ideas for improving this newsletter? Here is your chance! I am looking for an active member to pick up the throttle and take it for a spin over the next great set of roads. As a member of the Northeast Staff, it’s a fun way to stay in the loop on all the activities & events and keep in touch with the AADs and members. If you would like to lead this ride for a while, please contact me for more info. There are plenty of resources to help you get up to speed. We only publish 5 issues per year, and since we already have a pretty nice layout template the bulk of the work is already done. Along with basic compilation and editing each of the sections, the Editor will send reminders to staff for each issue deadline.—contact Steve Smith 203.720.7575 or nead@cog-online.org
COG Northeast Seeking AADs Looking for a easy way to get more involved with the club? Have ideas to improve member participation is you region? COG Northeast is always seeking Assistant Area Directors (AAD) to fill the needs in any town, state, or region that needs more activity. There can be one, two, or more for any region. All that is needed is to have the desire and motivation to want to help COG be better; to host a few activities each year; and help and encourage other members to host activities. I am specifically seeking members to fill AAD roles for NY Western, NY Eastern, CT, RI, PA Western, PA North Central, and MD. - contact Steve Smith 203.720.7575 or nead@cog-online.org
(COGnitions—Continued from page 1)
Concours Owners Groupsm
NORTHEAST AREA NEWS is published 5 times a year for the Concours Owners Group and distributed to Northeast Area members. It is archived in the club’s online member library at www.cog-online.org It is also available Submissions are welcomed and members are encouraged to share their COG experiences. Email: NECOGEditor@gmail.com Snail Mail: COG NE Newsletter c/o Steve Smith 39 Alison Ave Naugatuck CT 06770 © 1989-2016 Concours Owners Groupsm
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membership satisfaction. My desired end result is to identify latent issues and generate ideas to improve the membership experience. The committee will make recommendations to the appropriate officers and board of directors for consideration. Although there are a total of 12 members and officers from across the country participating on the committee, we quickly realized that the committee may not represent the views of the entire club population. We decided to commission a survey using a professional company to assist doing it properly with questions that will help your club officers make intelligent decisions on the direction of the club. It
may take another month or so, but when you receive the survey email please provide participate and make your voice heard by providing honest and candid feedback and commentary. You may begin seeing some small changes that will begin rolling out stemming from ideas coming out of the committee. One is providing each member with several referral cards in the envelope with your renewal or new membership. Please use these to introduce yourself and the club to other Connie owners and riders you meet on the road. If you need more cards, let me know. Until next time. Ride safe,
2016 - Issue #1
Concours Owners Group NORTHEAST AREA NEWS
Around the NORTHEAST
News from your Assistant Area Directors (complete list of AADs on back page) NY/NJ Metro Area Terry Faherty #792 Hello again folks. We're about halfway through the dark days of winter as I write this so before you know it the thaw will begin and we'll be back on the road. My Manhattan Midwinter Meet and Greet was the Saturday before the Super Bowl and turnout was a bit light. Jon Gould (Outback Jon) trekked down from upstate while Alex Benoit (Gigantor) moseyed in from the Bronx to join my bride and myself for some fine German beer and delicious food.
Rally that a little birdie told me. If you weren't there you'll just have to wait for the official reveal! I am hoping to get a free weekend perhaps in late March/ early April to have a repeat of my North Jersey Catskills Ramble. This time I think we'll try an interesting BBQ joint that's right on Rt 97 for lunch. I'm looking forward to the Spring Fling and will be headed out on Thursday morning and I might just let my Garmin software put together a nice route. Ain't technology grand! As of now I'm planning to attend Americade but not for the full week. I'll probably head up Wednesday after work and leave Sunday. Weather permitting I will drop a day ride on the forum. Mostly I'll be taking advantage of the visit to plan the trip down to the national with my innkeepers the Sorgers. We're shooting for a two day trip stopping over in Roanoke. Really looking forward to this it looks like a great place for a rally. That's all for now let's hope that miserable rodent the groundhog got it right and an early spring is headed our way! Take care all! Terry
MA, ME, NH, VT- Greg & Tracey Habel #7010/7010A
Terry, Alex & Jon enjoying the German fare at Reichenbach Hall It was a MUCH more pleasant experience than the Javitz show gathering thanks to the absence of the dreaded SantaCon nonsense. The music was at a more reasonable level and stuck to German theme to boot. Unfortunately, until the powers that be decide to move the show back to it's original January/February time frame we'll have to deal with the avalanche of drunken Santas, elves and trees. We discussed some of our upcoming plans for the season and I might have given a hint as to a possible upcoming Fall
2016 - Issue #1
The winter season has been pretty mild and unusually warm at times up here in the New England area. This makes one miss their bike and wish it wasn’t in storage 60 miles away at my father-in-law’s house. But a small price to pay for the opportunity for free storage as my 2012 Can-Am Spyder (aka Boris) is a real garage hog. Looks like this week will bring in old man winter and we are due for some snow over the next week. Well, I guess our luck couldn’t last forever. Greg and I are using these few months to work on the plans for the upcoming season and figure out which great rallies etc. we want to attend this year. We are excited about this year’s Spring Fling due to the fact that after all these years we are actually going to be able to make it to PA! Thanks to Jason for hosting. It is surely to be a great time. In January we held our year opening Social at the Horseshoe Pub in Hudson
MA with a great crowd of 21 people, and welcomed new member Robert Bourque. I hope we made a good impression and that we will be seeing more of him at upcoming events. In February we will be trying something new at the request of a member that brought up the idea at the end of year Social in November. On Saturday February 27th noon, we will be hosting a Pot-luck lunch and Educational/Safety video at our home in Hopedale to help everyone brush up on their safety awareness before the season begins. Please sign up and stop by with your favorite dish to share! March 26th will be our first Meet & Greet with a short ride (if Mother Nature co-operates) which will be held at Lowell’s Restaurant in Mendon MA. April is Spring Cleaning time folks!! Clean out that garage and the closet and bring all your treasures to the Annual NE Spring Tech Session and Gear/Part Swap on Saturday 4/30. Oh yeah, you can do some maintenance on your bike while you’re there too! See the calendar for sign-ups as garage space is limited and we can only accommodate a limited number of tire changes throughout the day. Well I think that does it for this time around. We look forward to seeing folks at some of the upcoming events and keep checking the calendar for additional information and a possible announcement on a Fall Rally coming to the area. If anyone has any suggestions or would like to host something, please email us at COG7010@verizon.net . Please be sure to register on-line at on the NE events calendar at www.cog-online.org , if you plan to attend an event. This will help us to make reservations for lunch and plan accordingly to keep the ride group size at a safe number. Until next time, please cherish everyone you meet, and those you haven’t yet. Life is too short. Tracey & Greg
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Concours Owners Group NORTHEAST AREA NEWS
Around the NORTHEAST (Continued from page 3)
Maryland/South Central PA Russell Fleming #599 Come April I will be stepping down as your AAD for Maryland and South Central PA. We are looking for a replacement to the position now. With Martha passing away back In July it is time for Russell to take some time for himself. I am a 26 year COG member and back in 2003 I stepped up and became AAD for this area. I have to say THANK YOU Guy Young for making the Northeast area what it is today. Ten years out of the 13 years I have been your AAD. I have been very lucky to set down with COG'S EDS, AD and AAD and talk about how to promote motorcycles rides. Most COG member did not know that I was AMA Road Riding Chairman for 16 year and AMA Congressman for 6 years. Please check the COG schedule for the rides that I have put together for you. Even though I am stepping down doesn’t mean you won't have any riding to do in this region. I have some ride scheduled until I leave in June for an extended road tour. Someone PLEASE step up and take over as AAD. Guy Young and Steve Smith have both told me the reason it is so hard to replace me is that I set the bar too high for someone to step up and become AAD for your area. You don't have to do the same rides that I host. Try something different. It is time for new ideas for the area. At this time I would like to THANK everyone for their helping laying out rides and hosting event at their homes, without your help the MD and South Central PA could not be so active and fun. There are some members who would tell me I wished I lived closer to you. The reason was they ride about 10,000 miles a year and they want to be able to do some of the rides that I do that are invite rides for friends and see if they could make 15,000 to 20,000 in a year. Don't worry, the North & South event will be at my house as long as I have fun hosting it, so make plans for June 3-
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5 and come and help with the fun. My brother and I will be leaving on June 15 to go to the COG National in Georgia. From there we are heading cross country as part of our journey to Alaska and back. We should be gone about 3 months. See you at the Spring Fling or one of the rides that I am hosting. Russell W Fleming Retiring AAD MA & South Central PA
VA/WV Tim Steele #8904 The 2016 schedule will be hitting the Calendar very soon. We are planning on having Meet & Greets every month this year, including January. If the weather holds, we might be able to ride to it.
well as the forum. You can contact me via email or the calendar registration so I can give a heads up on numbers. Val and I are looking forward to another riding season and the chance to meet new riders and see some of the regular COG characters. Some of the rides that will be in the works will be in the Lanark Highlands, Eastern Ontario and into Quebec as well as crossing the border into the Adirondacks. We’re always looking for someone who has interest to put a ride on they would like to share with others also. Invite a friend to an event and introduce them to the COG experience. Remember it’s all about people sharing a common interest and a passion. We hope to see you out at the Red Dot on the 27th. Keep wishing for an early spring.
From VA/WV, I hope you all had a great Holiday Season and I look forward to riding with and seeing many of you next riding season.
ON (Eastern) Richard Beaudoin #9318 Well we’ve just about reached the halfway mark for our winter and spring is right around the corner. I see lots of people have been into maintenance on the forum as well as me. Getting the bike checked and ready for the first ride. Well that’s the bike but what about you. What are you going to do to ensure you are ready to go? The last thing I profess to be is the best rider out there and saying that the winters break is a great chance for bad habits to reappear and put us at risk during our spring riding. I like to research riding over the winter and refresh and improve my knowledge. There are a lot of good videos on the net. But that’s not enough. It has to be put into practice in the spring. With all the distracted drivers out there, we can never be too prepared.
THINK SPRING!
Have an ides for a 2016 Ride Event or other Activity. Discuss with your AD or AAD how easy it is to host & have your e activity posted on th online calendar and in the Newsletter!
Saturday February 20th 1pm, a lunch event will be held at the Red Dot Café in Osgoode On. 5673 Osgoode Main St. The event is listed on the calendar as
2016 - Issue #1
Concours Owners Group NORTHEAST AREA NEWS ON (Greater Toronto Area) Dave Perkins #5932 2015 recap‌ participation at our two monthly meetings remained strong throughout the year. In addition to reminders sent to the local members I also send out a recap of topics discussed at the meetings for the benefit of those who could not attend. A planned tech Day had to be postponed due to scheduling conflicts issues. Three of us attended the Spring Fling and two attended the Lake George ride in October. Both are day rides from the Toronto and uniformly excellent, from the accommodation, organization and ride routes. Our thanks and kudos to the organizers. The two rides we had last year were successful. One was a charity ride for Cystic Fibrosis in honour of Marika Wallenberg, niece of local member Anton Wallenberg, who succumbed to CF in 2014. We will be making this an annual day ride in her memory. The fall colours ride through Central Ontario was well attended. Simon Haworth lives in the area and knows all the roads from Provincial and County roads to almost-Gothic, two-rut pioneer wagon tracks! 2016 Bike Show... Officially it is known as the Toronto International Motorcycle Super Show. It is primarily for dealers, gear and accessory suppliers, and clubs. Kawasaki is the only manufacturer at this show. Booth space is provided free to clubs and COG was there once again for the (at least) 16th consecutive year. From all reports it was a success once again. Due to vacation commitments I was not able to assist at the booth this year other than in the pre-show organization. Richard de Jong and Dave Gingerich were instrumental in the booth setup and coordinating the staff of roughly a dozen local members.
available and a contact sheet where those interested in COG could leave their email address or phone number for personal contact after the show. (The 35 who provided their info have been contacted; I'll follow up when I return to Toronto in early Feb.) We had an excellent location for the booth and traffic was steady throughout the weekend. Interest is still high in the bike and in COG. My thanks to the local COGgers who stepped up for booth duty. Special thanks to: John McClean who supplied his '86 Connie for the booth and was at the booth all three days. Jeff Comello of Canadian Kawasaki - this marks the 4th year Big K has come through for us! - who sourced a C14 for the booth from a dealer; and Charlie Fourges of Fast Track Performance in Dorchester, Ontario, who supplied the bike, a 2015 in Bilious Green!! Charlie supplied a bike last year and its appearance in the booth was instrumental in its sale! And the owner joined COG!! We hope that he and COG have the same success this year. Steve suggested that I contact Big K about making COG membership info available to the dealers for distribution at the time of a sale. I'll follow up on this when I return to Toronto.
swap meet or cruise night. Steve has COG banners available to borrow and templates for literature and handouts. I have a sheet of hints and do's and don'ts for anyone interested. It is a lot of fun and worth the effort in my view. 2016 Outlook‌ We will have a tech Day in the spring. Peter Jackson wants to host one in April or May at his place near Trenton, Ontario, about 100 miles / 160 kms east of Toronto (final date and location will be posted to the calendar.) The C10 is still the most popular bike for the members though C14 ownership is growing. I think a great topic for a tech day would be "How to remove C14 bodywork in under 4 hours!!" We will be repeating the "Ride For Marika" and Simon hopes to host another ride in the fall. The theme will be "Tracking The Blair Witch!" Spring is not to far away. beware of the residual salt and sand on the roads. Both are like ball bearings when dry and polytetraflouroethylene (ie Teflon) when wet. Ride safe. ~Dave
If you have an opportunity to participate in a local show I recommend it. It could be as basic as a card table at a
As in previous years we had handouts with COG info
2016 - Issue #1
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Concours Owners Group NORTHEAST AREA NEWS
RIDE & EVENT SCHEDULE
Time listed is START time. Visit www.cog-online.org for updates. (ON) Tue 9 February 6:00 PM South Central Ontario Meet & Greet 2nd
Tuesday each month at Mohawk Inn, 9230 Guelph Lane, Campbellville, ON, just North of 401. All welcome, friends, wives, girl/boy friends. Many hungry people arrive earlier to get their dinner - road house food, salad, wings, burgers, fish & chips, etc. A mainly social function to meet other riders, shoot the breeze, plan rides. DAVE PERKINS, 416.691.2191 H, perkins43@rogers.com
(ON) Mon 15 February 6:30 PM GTA East - Meet & Greet 3rd Monday EVERY MONTH at Tartan Tavern, 555 Rossland Road East. All welcome, members or not - friends, wives, girl/boy friends. Arrive early to kick tires and tell lies in the parking lot (weather permitting). Menu is good pub grub. A social function to meet other riders, discuss tech issues, shoot the breeze, and plan rides. DAVE PERKINS, 416.691.2191 H, perkins43@rogers.com
(NY) Sat 20 February 12:00 PM Snow Tubing at Hunter Mountain, NY Join us 12pm-4pm for a day of Snow Tubing at Hunter Mountain, NY. The Snow Tubing facility has 18 chutes approximately 1000 feet long, as well as a mini Tubing Park for young children, a snack bar and large fire pit. BEN & ABBE OTUNU, 845-423-0373, hvaad@yahoo.com
(VA) Sat 20 February 12:00 PM VA Meet & Greet Shawns Smokehouse BBQ Meet at Shawn's Smokehouse BBQ Company, 602 Sperryville Pike Culpeper, VA at 12 PM. Lunch and maybe a ride. Great BBQ and sides. This place rocks! Come Hungry… very hungry. TIM STEELE, 540.649.7007, cogtim@outlook.com
(ON) Sat 20 February 1:00 PM Osgoode ON Lunch Meet & Greet Meet 1pm at the Red Dot cafe, 5673 Main St., Osgoode ON. This is a chance to meet other riders who share a passion. RICHARD BEAUDOIN, 613-657-3294, sailor_rich@sympatico.ca
(MD) Sun 21 February 1:00 PM Hampstead, MD Meet & Greet Lunch
Come out enjoy some good Italian food with us and talk about motorcycle riding. Meet at Illiano's J&P Pizza in Hampstead, MD. I have booked the back room for us. Illiano's J&P Restaurant 903 South Main
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Street Hampstead, MD. http://illianojandp.com/location/hampstead Please let me know if you are coming so that I can give them a head count by Friday, February 19. RUSSELL W FLEMING 410.374.9687 fleming@qis.net
(MA) Sat 27 February 12: PM Rider Educational Movie & Pot Luck Lunch Join Tracey and I at our home for a showing of rider educational videos, discussion, and a pot luck lunch. Please let us know what dish you will be bringing. Planned videos are on: Group Riding (MSF), Improving cornering and other riding skills. 80 Jones Road, Hopedale, MA. GREG HABEL, 508-444-2235 H, 508-377-8028 M, COG7010@verizon.net
(NY) Sun 28 February 9:00 AM Polar Bear Grand Tour - Lighthouse Tavern Non-COG event. The Polar Bear Grand Tour AMA district 2 events is the perfect cure for cabin fever for motorcyclists. Either meet for lunch at the Lighthouse Tavern, Waretown NJ or meet me for a ride there from the Pilot Travel Center, Newburgh at 9:00AM. You are advised to check your local and regional weather before departing from your house. Heated gear is strongly recommended as some of the rides can be over 250 miles round trip from our meet location. Please ensure that your bike is in good mechanical condition to avoided being stranded by the roadside in cold weather. Carry a bunch of hand warmers in your tank bag as a backup for your heated gear. To check on Polar Bear cancellations & updates call AMA. Dis. #2 Ph. # 908-722-0128. Cancellation will also be posted on the COG calendar. Polar Bear Grand Tour meets between 11:30 am to 1:30 pm unless otherwise posted. BEN & ABBE OTUNU, 845-423-0373, hvaad@yahoo.com
(VA) Wed 2 March 6:30 PM Hitting The Apex movie documentary Non-COG event. Great opportunity to see a showing of the popular motorcycling related movie "Hitting the Apex" in Midlothian VA. We need to have a minimum of 84 people sign up on the TUGG WEBSITE for this movie to be shown. https://www.tugg.com/ events/85432 If interested, follow link to theater and purchase tickets. TIM STEELE, 540.649.7007, cogtim@outlook.com
(ON) Tue 8 March 6:30 PM South Central Ont. Meet (see 9 Feb info) (NY) Sun 13 March 9:00 AM Polar Bear Grand Tour - The Chatterbox Non-COG event. The Polar Bear Grand Tour AMA district 2 events is the perfect cure for cabin fever for motorcyclists. Either meet for lunch at The Chatterbox, 1 Rte 15 South , Augusta , NJ or meet me for a ride there
from the Pilot Travel Center, Newburgh at 9:00AM. You are advised to check your local and regional weather before departing from your house. Heated gear is strongly recommended as some of the rides can be over 250 miles round trip from our meet location. Please ensure that your bike is in good mechanical condition to avoided being stranded by the roadside in cold weather. Carry a bunch of hand warmers in your tank bag as a backup for your heated gear. To check on Polar Bear cancellations & updates call AMA. Dis. #2 Ph. # 908-722-0128. Cancellation will also be posted on the COG calendar. Polar Bear Grand Tour meets between 11:30 am to 1:30 pm unless otherwise posted. BEN & ABBE OTUNU, 845-423-0373, hvaad@yahoo.com
(VA) Sat 19 March 12:00 PM VA Meet & Greet—Michie Tavern Join us for lunch and a ride. Great buffet and a little history to go along with it. Michie Tavern Charlottesville Virginia | 683 Thomas Jefferson Parkway Charlottesville, VA, 434-977-1234 www.michietavern.com TIM STEELE, 540.649.7007, cogtim@outlook.com
(MD/PA) Sun 20 March 9:30 AM Crab Cake Ride We will be riding to Woody's Crab House in Northeast Maryland and I will make arrangements for seating at 1:30 pm. Meet there or there or choice from 2 rides Ride#1: Greg Puterbaugh will layout a ride from Westminster, MD starting at the Royal Farm Store on route 140 and Bethel Rd. 1818 Baltimore Pike Westminster MD. Meet at 9:30 am and leave at 10 am and arrive at Woody’s 1 pm. Ride#2: Dave Fridirici also step up and will lead a ride from the Starlite Diner in Fogelsville PA. 233 PA-100 Allentown PA . Leave at 10 am and reach Woody’s by 1 pm. If you need breakfast show up at the diner by 9 am to eat. Information Dave Fridirici 484-553-1665 email dfridirici@rcn.com Woody's Crab House www.woodyscrabhouse.com RUSSELL W FLEMING 443-375-1215 fleming@qis.net
(ON) Mon 21 March 6:30 PM GTA East - Meet & Greet (see 15 Feb info) (MA) Sat 26 March 12:00 PM Meet & Greet @ Lowells Join us for a meet and greet lunch in Mendon, MA at Lowells Restaurant. After lunch we will go on a short 2 hour ride if people are interested. We are encouraging you to bring a friend to check out COG and what we have to offer. The more, the (Continued on page 7)
2016 - Issue #1
Concours Owners Group NORTHEAST AREA NEWS
RIDE & EVENT SCHEDULE (Continued from page 6)
merrier! Go to the calendar listing for a link to GPS sample routes. GREG HABEL, 508-444-2235 H, 508-377-8028 M, COG7010@verizon.net
(NY) Sun 3 April 10:00 AM Polar Bear Grand Tour - Hickory BBQ Non-COG event. The Polar Bear Grand Tour AMA district 2 events is the perfect cure for cabin fever for motorcyclists. Either meet for lunch at Hickory BBQ Smokehouse, 743 Route 28, Kingston , NY or meet me for a ride there from the Pilot Travel Center, Newburgh at 10:00AM. Please ensure that your bike is in good mechanical condition to avoided being stranded by the roadside in cold weather. Carry a bunch of hand warmers in your tank bag as a backup for your heated gear. To check on Polar Bear cancellations & updates call AMA. Dis. #2 Ph. # 908-722-0128. Cancellation will also be posted on the COG calendar. Polar Bear Grand Tour meets between 11:30 am to 1:30 pm unless otherwise posted. BEN & ABBE OTUNU, 845-423-0373, hvaad@yahoo.com
(NY) Thu 7 April 12:00 AM Moonshine Lunch Run - Distance Event Non-COG. Join me as I complete Moonshine Lunch Run, a distance event to Moonshine IL. This is an opportunity to get your IBA SS1K certificate. www.moonshine-run.com BEN & ABBE OTUNU,
845-423-0373, hvaad@yahoo.com
(ON) Tue 12 April 6:30 PM South Central Ont. Meet (see 9 Feb info) (VA) Sun 17 April 8:00 AM VA Meet & Greet—Inwood Restaurant Join us for breakfast and a ride. Meet 8:00 AM at the Inwood Restaurant, Route 15, Gordonsville VA for a home cooked breakfast and then a good morning ride. TIM STEELE, 540.649.7007, cogtim@outlook.com
(ON) Mon 18 April 6:30 PM GTA East - Meet & Greet (see 15 Feb info) (VA) Sat 30 April 7:00 AM N2Track Day @ NC Bike Tune up your skills with a day of classes and track time. More details to follow, but this N2Track Day is hosted at NCBIKE track in Garysville NC, just across the VA/NC line. Must have full face helmet, boots, license, gloves, insurance and either rent leathers or ride in your own. More info at N2track days website: http://www.n2td.org/ NCBIKE track info is available on this website. Be sure to review Frequently Asked Questions: http://www.n2td.org/faq/ Total prices are not posted for the 2016 season at this time. Will update as soon as possible.TIM STEELE,
2016 - Issue #1
540.649.7007, cogtim@outlook.com
(MA) Sat 30 April 9:00 AM NE Spring Tech Session and Gear/Part Swap Join hosts Pat, Sherry, and Angel Mulloy at their home in Monson, MA for their annual tech session. Starts at 9 am. Hosts Pat and Sher Mulloy along with cohosts Greg and Tracey Habel will be having another spring tech session at the Mulloy’s in Monson MA. Start time is 9:00 am. Spring Tech Sessions tend to be very popular with area members so if you’re interested in servicing your bike, contact either Greg or Pat in advance to reserve a spot on Tech Day, and to discuss requirements for tools and supplies to accommodate your particular service request. If you don’t have any service needs, stop by anyway to meet fellow Coggers. We will also be providing lunch so bring your appetites! Note: non members will be charged $5 but this can be refunded if the non member signs up as a COG member the day of the tech session. To cover costs of tire disposal we are asking $5 per tire. Got any parts or gear to sell or swap? Bring them along. We'll have a table for you. Make sure you mark them with your name so people know who to ask for. We are encouraging you to bring a friend to check out COG and what we have to offer. The more, the merrier! GREG HABEL: 508-444-2235 H, 508-377-8028 M, COG7010@verizon.net; PAT MULLOY: Sniper64@aol.com
(MD) Sun 1 May 8:30 AM Kawasaki C14 Riders and Friends Ride Meet for breakfast at the Golden Corral in Frederick MD on route 355 south of RT 70 at 5621 Spectrum Drive, Frederick, MD GPS N 39-22.935 E77-24.037 8:30 am breakfast route sheets will be handed out for a 170 mile self-guided ride that will end at restaurant somewhere in PA. The ride will take you on some of the FINEST Motorcycle riding roads in the area. Come out and show your support for Sport Touring at its finest. You will ride in MD and PA. If you would like a copy of the ride in GPS format ahead of time, contact me. RUSSELL W FLEMING 443-375-1215 fleming@qis.net
(MD) Sun 1 May 10:00 AM MotoAmerica Superbike Championship /NJ The race weekend will include two full days of racing. The track is a 2.25-mile Thunderbolt Raceway layout at NJMP with 12 corners and a half-mile straightaway situated in a 500-acre plot. A $40 entry fee can either be purchased online or at the gate. Price is more at the gate. Visit track web site for event info www.njmp.com/ Contact host for info on possible ride to event. BEN & ABBE OTUNU, 845-423-0373, hvaad@yahoo.com
(NH) Sat 7 May White Horse Gear Trip - (tentative) Placeholder for a possible run up to Whitehorse Gear, 107 East Conway Road, Conway, NH. GREG HABEL, 508-444-2235 H, 508-377-8028 M, COG7010@verizon.net
(ON) Tue 10 May 6:30 PM South Central Ont. Meet (see 9 Feb info) (NY) Sat 14 May 8:30 AM New Sweden 450 Tour Non-COG event. Join us for a 450 mile two day road tour by the New Sweden BMW Club traversing some of the best roads in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. You decide your own pace. Ride starts at CycleGear in Cherry-Hill, NJ and ends at P.J. Whelihans, also in Cherry Hill, NJ. tinyurl.com/newsweden450 BEN & ABBE OTUNU, 845-423-0373, hvaad@yahoo.com
(ON) Mon 16 May 6:30 PM GTA East - Meet & Greet (see 15 Feb info) (PA) Thu-Sun 19-22 May 5:00 PM NE Spring Fling 2016 Rally Host town of Williamsport is located in north central PA, a day ride or less for many Northeast members, and offers great riding and sightseeing. The rally hotel is in a great downtown location within walking distance to many restaurants. It takes minutes to be into great riding. Rally Headquarters: Genetti Hotel & Suites (www.genettihotel.com) 200 West Fourth St., Williamsport, PA 17701, 570-326-6600. A limited block of rooms will be held until 4/19/16 at a special rate of $79.95+tax. Included is a full hot breakfast, free WiFi, free secured parking. Hotel has an on-site restaurant and lounge. Visit COG web site for details. Camping: See additional details online. Rally Fee: $60 per person. Discounted fee of $45/person for COG members, their immediate family or significant other. Save an additional $5 by registering before 4/1/16. Fee covers the Friday group dinner, door prizes, and other rally expenses. Refund Policy: Prior to 5/1/16, fee paid minus $5/person. No refund after 5/1/16. IMPORTANT NOTE: The group dinner will be on Friday evening at the hotel. Complete info on web site. tinyurl.com/COGSpringFling2016
If registering by mail, download form or contact host. JASON KAPLITZ 814.615.9138 cog62@kaplitz.com
(MD) Fri-Sun 3-5 June 4:00 PM North & South 19 Get Together Visit online calendar for details
(ON) Tue 14 June 6:30 PM South Central Ont. Meet (see 9 Feb info) (VA) Wed 15 June 6:00 PM Meet & Greet
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Greg & Tracey Habel #7010
508-444-2235 COG7010@verizon.net CT, RI Position Open
Metro NY/NJ Terry Faherty #792 718-227-2099 tmcefah@aol.com NY (Long Island) Roger Mercer #8867 631-226-2853 mercercarpentry@live.com
NY (Hudson Valley NW) Ben & Abbe Otunu #8594
845-423-0373 hvaad@yahoo.com NY (Central) Stephen Strock #10396 315-308-0108 cogcny@gmail.com NY (Western) Position Open PA (North Central) Position Open
PA (SE) & NJ South Jim Ansbro #8443 215-805-0909 bluecon06@gmail.com PA (Western) Position Open Central NJ Nick Palumbo #11073 732-925-3215
ON (Greater Toronto Area) Dave Perkins #5932 416-691-2191 perkins43@rogers.com ON (Eastern) Ken Fader #8534 613-865-7995 kensc14@gmail.com
Delaware Bob Chappell #1283 302-791-0582 cog1283@comcast.net Maryland Russell Fleming #599 410-374-9687 fleming@qis.net VA/WV Tim Steele, #8904 540-649-7007 cogtim@outlook.com
sailor_rich@sympatico.ca QC (Montréal)
wanderingnap@gmail.com
Richard Beaudoin #9318 613-657-3294
Christian Dupuis #10098
450-427-0182 d1user@mac.com
NE AREA STAFF
Area Director (AD) Steve Smith #3184 203-720-7575 nead@cog-online.org Web Editor Wayne Geiser #4627 978-851-2710 geiserw@gmail.com Newsletter Editor Position Open Tim Anderson #9470 860-444-7544 NECOGEditor@gmail.com Assistant Area Directors: (AADs) VT, NH, ME, MA
Attention Newsletter ‘Hard Copy’ Mail Subscribers! The U.S. Postal Service recently raised their rates (again) We take a big hit on international mail to Canada. We still have many NE members signed up to receive mailed hard copies. It would be helpful if you are able to receive and view your Newsletter online instead of by mail. Please sign up for electronic delivery and help save our budgets for ride events! Its easy to sign up! Here’s how: 1.
Go to www.cog-online.org, Select the ‘Member Area’ tab
2.
Log in with your username and password
3.
Select the ‘My Info’ tab
4.
In the top section, ‘General Information’, next to ‘Area Newsletter By: ’uncheck the ‘Hard Copy’ box and check the ‘Email’ box.
5.
From ‘Actions’ menu, select ‘Save’
6.
You’re done! Thanks for helping! photo courtesy Kevin Martin #145
Reminder: Keep Taking (and Sharing) those Photographs! In a recent discussion about the Northeast-specific online web pages, I mentioned that there seemed to be fewer pictures taken and shared during this year’s events. It was suggested that a short reminder might be in order. So here it is (there are only three steps) …
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1.
Remember to take your camera—Try to remember to take your camera with you whenever you go on a ride or event. Many people use their phone as their camera. If that’s you, you probably have your camera anyway.
2.
Take a picture— … or two or three. You don’t have to be the photojournalist taking hundreds of pictures every time the wheels stop turning, but one or two won’t hurt. As is often found on many forums “Pictures or it didn’t happen!”
3.
Share them—Include them in a post in the forum thread about the event you’ve attended. Don’t be afraid to start a new thread in the unlikely event that one was not already going prior. If you already use a photo hosting site, use the direct link from the individual photo or the photo album in your message. Alternatively, you can use the “Media” portion of the forum (see the top banner on the forum web page) to upload your photos.
2016 - Issue #1