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ROAD DEBRIS by Rev. Willie MAY ’08
Urban navigation can be a problem to many riders these days. New roads pop up and long-time landmarks disappear all around the Piedmont of NC. I had my crisis-of-navigation in the journey to the April meeting. I was riding in a group of four out from the Bikers Breakfast in Chatham County, and we started out by missing the first turn onto Lystra Road, then followed by missing the alternative route turn further down US 501, and then one member ran out of gas on US 64. This was not a good journey so far, so we boogied down NC 55, trying to follow the MSN directions from the web page—they didn’t mention that they have put a NC 55 bypass around Holly Springs! After deciding that we were working on getting lost, we turned around in Fuquay, and eventually made it to the meeting about 10 till one. I drove NC 55 frequently when the only BMW shop was in Chealybeate Springs, way beyond Fuquay-Varina, and I knew that road and my landmarks. I saw NONE of my old landmarks on this last trip and there was a lot of the road that was not in my memory cells. The huge growth in the Greater Triangle in the last 5 years has wiped out many familiar roads and made other areas completely unrecognizable. North Raleigh and Cary has scared me off for years, but now Garner, Apex, F-V, Holly Springs, and even Pittsboro have turned into complete strangers. I like to use my GPS to wind my way around endless shopping centers and cul-de-sacs, but they build roads faster than they can be mapped, so how does one drive the Triangle?
April Meeting:
Larry and Gloria Boone hosted the April meeting and it was wonderful. About 30+ members enjoyed their “cliff house” and a great lunch was provided. Next month’s meeting is in Greenville, NC, at Michael Slocum’s business. I do not believe that we have ever held a meeting in Greenville before, so this should be interesting and we may add some new members from the east. It is a relatively long ride there, but the weather should be reasonable and there will be food at the end of the ride. Hope a lot of members will get up for this meeting and groups of BMW’s will be rolling down US 64 on that Sunday. Get up with other members to ride with you and make this a significant ride.
Steve Brunner reminded members that the BMWMOA yearly mileage contest has started and that we all need to prove to the country that BMW riders of the Carolina really do ride. Since Steve is also the Mileage Coordinator for MOA, he would like to have a good turnout of his club’s membership for the contest. The form is in the April copy of ON and Steve will accept most any sort of registration that you can get to him. Contact either Steve or me if you need help. You really should sign up and see what you will really ride in the next 6 months—either way it ends up, you will be surprised.
Now, some BIG questions:
1. A proposal from Vince Provenzano that the TT’s “adopt a road” was presented at the last meeting, and Vince brought in some more information at this meeting about the state highway clean up program and what “adoption” of a road meant. He also said that the DOT folks had a section near RDU airport, on Globe Road, that would provide some good visibility for the club and would be centrally located for many. The requirements would be:
-2 miles of state road cleaned (4 miles of roadside), they provide bags and vests
-The site must be visited at least 4 times a year
The question is, do we want to take on this obligation? The work can go quickly and easily if lots of people show up on the clean up day, but if is only the same-ole folks ending up cleaning each time, this could be a bad thing. I think it is a good idea and I plan on making the time to help, but you are going to have to commit yourself to the project if we take it on.
2. A long lasting question about the October Halloween campout was brought up again by Ed Jones, who asked us: what kind of campout do we really want?
--a bigger rally/campout with operational costs to be covered by gate and club
( food, programs, pins, activities, entertainment, awards, door prizes)
OR
--a small, informal club-only family campout with individual payments
(a “No-Brainer”-type of gathering, you pay for site, food, etc.)
( do what you want, or whatever folks come up with!)
Here again, it ends up concerning people volunteering to help. I know it is the same-ole folks doing most of the work each Halloween campout these days, and burnout is as much the problem as the site. We may have a possible site, but we really need some more people to do the work, or cut Way Back on what we have done for our campout for years.
Lots of Big Questions--------------------We need you at the May meeting in Greenville!
Possible site for Oct. campout: Bill Piscitello did some net searching and found a campground in Snow Camp that could fit our needs. It is called Cane Creek campground and has enough camping areas and easy access to resources and good roads in Alamance County. They have rough showers and toilets and no big barns, but good camping areas and several smaller buildings for food/activities.
Check it out: http://www.canecreekcampground.com/
Interesting BMW activities in the area:
-April 25-27 “Great NC Spring Fling” @ High Country Camp, Deep Gap NC
Airheads & Poverty Riders gather
-May 2-4 “Ga. Mountain Rally” Highwassee GA
Lots of good roads, folks and food
-May 23-25 “Cass Rally” Cass WV
Old steam trains and giant satellite dishes
-May 24 “Vintage at the Vineyards” Westbend Vineyards Lewisville,NC
BMW cars + BMW bikes Carolina BMW is a sponsor
-May 30-June 1 “Square Route Rally” Thurmont MD
Crazy BMW riders next to Camp David
-June 13-14 “Gathering of the Clans” @High Country Camp
Airhead gathering--true Beemer weirdness
-June 19-22 RA National Rally Traverse City, MI
-July 17-20 MOA National Rally Gillette, WY