2015 - Issue #3 - Summer
COGnitions Random thoughts and ramblings from your Area Director COG is a bit like an extended family. It is terribly sad when we lose a family member. I learned that Martha Fleming passed away on July 17 from a fatal stroke. My sincere condolences go out to Russell, hubby of 34 years, and their family. Martha and Russell have been active members of COG since 1990. Martha was Russell’s co-AAD and helped with the many club activities they hosted together. She was a wonderful person who opened her home to COG for 18 years for the North & South Weekend, and helped Russell with other activities and rallies. Godspeed Martha, you will be missed. Russell has asked me to put the call out for volunteers to be co-AAD to handle activity write ups for the newsletter and assist as needed. Please contact me if you are interested. July has a lot of planned activity. At the end of the month there is a tech session, weekend ride in Vermont, and rides in MD/PA and NY. Looking ahead, there are several activities in August through October including these overnight events:
• • •
Dog Days Weekend - August 6-9, Staunton, VA – No frills, no cost Acadia National Park Weekend Ride – September 18-20, Northeast Harbor, ME Northeast Fall Rally – October 1-4, Lake George, NY – register online now
The COG Southeast Area is busy working on the 2016 National Rally, which will be the week of June 20-24 in Helen, GA. The hotel and registration details have not been announced yet. Watch for details online and in The Concourier. Here is a quick membership status. Since May 1 we gained 25 new members bringing the total Northeast Area membership to 582 members and 157 associates. My disappointment came when I saw that there were 51 expired members in the same period. The online membership system COG uses sends email renewal notifications prior to expiration. Club emails can come from the “cog-online.org” or “concours.org” domains. Please ensure that you have set up your email to not block these or send them to your junk folder. COG is an all volunteer club run by the members for the members. In an effort to make this a better club the Board of Directors (BoD) is organizing a Membership Review Committee to review COG member and associate member benefits, and will be seeking member volunteers to be part of the committee. The requirements to be on the committee are: 1) Must be a current COG Member of at least one year; 2) Willing to participate in Skype conference calls with the committee 2 to 3 hours a month; 3) Willingness to poll fellow members for their suggestions/recommendations and present to the committee for discussion; 4) Willingness to research the costs/benefits of suggestions/recommendations and present to the committee and Board of Directors. If you are interested and willing to participate contact Charlie Gary NWAD at NWAD@cog-online.org.
ule Event Sched 9 on Pages 8-
photo courtesy Bob Barbanti #7134
Until next time. Ride safe,
Concours Owners Group NORTHEAST AREA NEWS
New Members
First things first, a warm welcome to our Newest NE area COG members!
Branford, CT Genevieve Thompson #11418A Schenectady, NY Leo DesBiens #11942 Concord, NH Jim Parish #11936 Bucksport, ME Paul Hansen #11935 North Canaan, CT Martin Hitchcock #11949 South Bristol, ME Philip Steel #11952 Burlington, ON Ken Saunders #11957 Wernersville, PA Thomas Hill #11960 Wernersville, PA Ashton Hill #11960A Mechanicsburg, PA Dan Skane #11961 Brooklyn, NY Marcos Beniquez Jr. #11964 Gaithersburg, MD Richard Kirby #11968 Peabody, MA Scott Schevis #11978 Campton, NH Paul Johnson #11981 Campton, NH Shirley Johnson #11981A Salem, NH Mike Marsh #11988
Troy, NY Bob Reynolds #11989 Newtown, PA Edward Merriman #11993 Waterdown, ON Calvin McLennan #12008 Stuyvesant, NY Fred Indorf #12012 Powhatan, VA Tom Thomas #12017 West Chester, PA Douglas Carlson #12019 Vineland, ON Herb Jacobson #12023 Orangeville, ON Jeff Fowler #12025 Charlottotown, PE Roger Deveau #12027 Sanbornton, NH Stephen Pica #12030 Holliston, MA Steve Honey #12035 Medford, MA Steve Bucchianeri #12041 Hermitage, PA Andrew Hredzak #12040 Westminster, MD Wade Chilcoat #12045 New Preston, CT Dana Zinick, 12056
Kickin’ tires at the Big W Ride (left) and enjoying refreshments at the VA/NC Ride! Story & more pictures on page 4.
Editor’s Corner NORTHEAST AREA NEWS is published 5 times a year for Northeast Area members of the Concours Owners Group. Submissions are welcomed and members are encouraged to share their COG experiences. Email: NECOGEditor@gmail.com Snail Mail: Tim Anderson, 1040 Ocean Ave. New London, CT 06320.
© 2015 Concours Owners Group
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Tim Anderson #9470 With the great recent summer weather there have been lots of events and there are some great ride reports in this issue. There are still many more events on the calendar for the next few months so I hope you enjoy as many as possible! The Ride & Event List starting on page 8 has lots of opportunities! Do you have some good ideas for improving this newsletter? Things you would like to see done differently? Here is your chance… After three
years as editor, I’m looking to hand off the editor role at the end of this year to another willing COG volunteer. My predecessor set me up well with an existing format and process that works well, and I’ll be happy to pass on all my info and guidance to the next steward of this position. It’s a fun way to stay in the loop on all the activities & events and keep in touch with the AADs and members who submit ride reports. I’ve had an increase in other obligations that have limited the time I’ve had for the newsletter, so it is time to pass the torch. If interested, please contact me or Steve Smith for more info.
2015 - Issue #3 – Summer
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 Greetings again folks! I hope everyone else is having a busier riding season than me, it seems every weekend has been taken up by family commitments and bad weather. I did get to Americade for the week but once again the weather was less than hospitable for three days. I did get some good riding in though while the weather allowed although we couldn't coordinate a COG ride. We'll keep trying though! As you read this the Big W Ride will have come and gone, hopefully the weather will cooperate and make for a nice day for riding and damn good BBQ (see page 6). Since my rally plans have consistently gone south so far I'm going to hold a pop up ride through north Jersey again, please keep an eye on the forum and the calendar. If the weather looks good I'll try to give at least a weeks lead in and hope for the best. Before you know it summer will be gone, but don't fret! The fall rally in Lake George is just the ticket to cure your blues! By the time you read this registration will be live and the Motel Montreal will be ready to take reservations. Come on out for some great riding and COG socializing! Till next time, keep the rubber side down and see you on the road!
MA, ME, NH, VTGreg & Tracey Habel #7010/7010A A very busy year has kept Tracey and I away from much riding but we have been able to get out once in awhile. Our daughter graduated from college and moved to eastern MA so there were parties and moving etc, etc. But, thanks to Kevin Martin, he has been hosting lots of rides - thank you so much Kevin.
2015 - Issue #3 – Summer
After years of saying “next year we’ll do that”, we finally got to do our Acadia National Park trip in June. It was truly worth the wait. Although one of the smallest National Parks, it still is one of the most visited parks and has plenty to do including things like: Thunder Hole (waves shoot up into the air through a hole that makes a loud sound), Jordan Pond House (delicious pop overs!), and Cadillac Mountain (during certain times of the year it is THE place to see the first sunset on the east coast). As we headed up on a Sunday afternoon we stopped at Taste of Maine for our first lobster dinner and enjoyed watching their nesting falcons. To save time we slabbed up I-95 until about ¾ of the way there and hit Rte. 1. A nice change of pace and it helped ease our way toward a relaxing vacation. For inexpensive accommodations we chose the Belle Isle Motel, located just over the bridge – we highly recommend the value. During our first day we rode around the island without going into the park and of course ate more lobster at another lobster pound (very authentic). It felt that they had re- paved a good portion of Rte. 102 just for us! We loved the quaint little towns and the friendliness of the people we met along the way. Day 2 it rained a bit so we spent the day in Bar Harbor exploring the many shops and chatting with locals and vacationers (thank you lady from Australia!). At night we decided to watch our first movie at the cinema in 10 years at the old fashion Criterion Theater – beautifully restored. On Day 3 we spent it all in the park and had perfect weather. The views from Cadillac Mountain were truly breathtaking. As we rode back the next day I cherished the memories and great opportunity to have visited such a beautiful place. Next year Nova Scotia? Kevin is hosting an overnight ride up to Derby, VT on Saturday July 25th. Please see details on the www.cog-online.org Northeast Calendar for sign-up and hotel info. I am registered and hoping my tailbone (ugh!) heals before then. Although not on the calendar yet, Tracey and I are planning a Meet ‘n Greet on Saturday August 15th – details are pending. September 18 -20 Kevin
has a nice weekend ride planned for Acadia National Park (your chance to experience another wonderful area) – details on www.cog-online.org Northeast Calendar. Look for an end of year social in November to be posted in the fall. 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 N.E. 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. See you soon, Greg and Tracey
Maryland Russell Fleming #599 Here are some of the things that have happened in MD & South Central PA. On April 26 I hosted the Sport Touring Camaraderie Ride in Winchester, VA .The worst part about the ride was that people listened to the rainy weather forecast and never showed up. But there were 20 brave riders that showed up and had a GREAT day of riding. There is a write up by Daniel O'Connell about the ride on page 5. On May 3rd in Frederick, MD I hosted the Kawasaki C14 Riders and Friend’s Ride. There were 30 Riders with eleven C14s and three C10s. There were three first time COG members who all enjoyed their first event. The theme was Apple Blossom Ride and we hit the peak of the blossoms in York and Adams County, PA. The ride ended at Pine Grove Furnace which is known as the half way point on the Appalachian Trail. If you are hiking the trail you stop here and attempt to eat a half gallon of ice cream. I sat down and talked to a couple who left GA on February 5 who just made the half way point and they had some great stories to tell about hiking the trail. There is a write up by Mike Walker about the weekend on page 5.
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Concours Owners Group NORTHEAST AREA NEWS
Around the NORTHEAST (continued from page 3)
The big event was the North/South 18 on June 19-21 at our house. This was the 17th year hosting it. To start off, I would like to thank everyone for their help. Michelle and Chris Cook mowed the 3 acres of grass, Chuck Landings & Jack Frederick came down Friday to help with food preparation, cleaning the garage and setting up the canopy. My brother Ronald helped setup canopies and chairs and tables. Greg Puterbaugh was the head dish washer. There were five Canadians that came and all helped with breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, everyone helped to cleanup and put things away so that I would be able to go ride. The best part of the weekend was to see Martha be able to make the eggs after a Doctor said that she would never be able to after her stroke but she proved them wrong. There were 30 motorcycles in the front yard for breakfast on Saturday. The long distance was Mike Schmidt from Orange City, FL. and five from Canada and four 1st timers and who said they will be back next year. If Martha and I can host a weekend event at our house like the North/South anyone can put a one day ride together for others to enjoy your favorite riding area. If I ask you to do a write up about the ride please help me because I have been helping with motorcycle rides for over 25 years and it is hard for me to think of new things to write about.
VA/WV Rides Report July 7, 2015 By Tim Steele, #8904 The weather didn’t cooperate with our plans for rides since the last update. Several rides were cancelled due to weather. Gordonsville breakfast ride went on as planned. We had three folks show up and had some great conversation, before heading in different directions for the rides home.
in attendance. Anyone that knows the area knows we had a blast. There were three South East members, one North Central and six North East members that showed up. This is already on the calendar for next year, weekend of July 14–16. We should fill this campground up. There are so many GREAT roads in the area, too many to list. Some known, some unknown until that ride. Next year should be a blast.
Track day on April 18th went well for the four members that attended. Lots of speed and tips on handling these big monsters we ride. There were a few videos posted showing Clark Melillo blowing by the field in the straights. There was an orange object spotted way in the back……..
Mr. B’s BBQ ride was cancelled. Spring Fling was a blast. The crowd was smaller than past events, but there were enough people there. Good times. Four of us ended up meeting in Harrisonburg and made the ride up. That’s always the best part of these get togethers, the ride there and back.
We have Dog Days Ride coming up in August, 6th – 9th. This area has some of the best roads in VA and WV within a short ride. The count stands at 20 people showing up as of July 17th. We should double this amount. The city has a lot going on that weekend. On Thursday the 6th there is a band on the city square, with refreshments for everyone. On the 8th, Saturday, the city is holding Shenandoah Valley Blues & Brews. This will be a great day, good food, good brews and good music. Don’t miss it. In September we have a Meet & Greet on the 9th in Richmond at Quaker Steak & Lube. Live band, good food, etc. We hope to add another ride to this month. October brings a Camp and Ride get together at Pat Sprague’s on the 16th – 18th. Check the calendar, there is lots going on! Hope to see you at a ride! Ride Safe!
The VA/NC Crossing the Lines Ride took place July 9-12. WOW! We had ten
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2015 - Issue #3 – Summer
Concours Owners Group NORTHEAST AREA NEWS
Around the NORTHEAST (continued from page 4)
Sport Touring Camaraderie Ride April 26, 2015 by Daniel O'Connell, COG #11867 Impressions of a COG ride from a first timer’s point of view. Well, let me rewind to how I learned about COG, and the Kawasaki Concours. In 2006-2007, a group of gentleman called "The Blue Ridge Riders" used to use our party room to hold meetings every so often. One evening, I started talking to a nice gentleman about how I loved to ride, but due to a bad back, didn't think I could lean over the gas tank. The gentleman explained to me that the Concours was a wonderful bike, and due to its more upright riding position, would help my problem. We looked over some of the group’s bikes and chatted for awhile, and he informed me of a group known as COG. I started doing some research, and found a nice ‘06 from a dealer with only 4,750 miles, which I picked up in February ‘08. I was so proud of my purchase, and couldn't wait to talk to the guys about it when they came for their next meeting. Unfortunately, they had disbanded, and I never saw them again, although I had boat loads of people see my bike when I rode to work, and stop in and ask about them. This morning, I was finally able to make a local COG event. Russell Fleming arranged for a C14 Riders and Friends ride. While there, I started talking to Russell, and asked if he had been with COG a long time, and he said he had. I asked if he had heard of the Blue Ridge Riders, and he said to me, you are talking to one!!! Russell was the gentleman mentioned above with whom I had talked to that evening!!! This was a ride your own pace in whatever size group you wanted to participate. A lot of the folks had GPSs, and Russell spent most of breakfast downloading the route maps for the
2015 - Issue #3– Summer
riders. As I did not have a GPS, I decided to ride with Russell and Matt. Russell planned a beautiful route, with lots of scenic country, all on back roads. The pace was slower due to a set of worn out tires by our leader, and that worked out just fine for me, it allowed me to enjoy the route, and ride at my skill level! We stopped twice along the way of our 130 mile route across two states, once for a restroom and drink stop, and one for a wonderful photo opportunity in front of an Apple Orchard with the seven bikes in our group. Several times we had to make detours from our route, due to road closings for maintenance, and once for a forest fire. Russell handled each scenario wonderfully. At our final destination, at the half way point of the Appalachian Trail, we had a wonderful time talking amongst our group and some other motorcyclists that were there. My only complaint was that there were only two C10s there. Both were the fastest color made, Nocturne Blue, of course. You know, they ALWAYS save the BEST for LAST! If you haven't done a COG ride yet, you have no idea what you are missing! What a great group of guys. What are you waiting for? Get out and do at least one event in your area this summer. I promise, you won't regret it. These folks are more than worth the price of admission! And to ALL of you who volunteer so much of your time to keep this COG rolling, THANK YOU!!
2015 North/South Ride June 19-21, 2015 By Mike Walker, COG #11683 From all accounts the 18th annual North/South event was a great success. Although the remnants of tropical depression Bill threatened to dampen spirits, significant rain held off till late Saturday evening after most riders had returned to “home base”. As those who have participated in this annual get together know, home base is where Russell Fleming and his wife Martha live near the Maryland/Pennsylvania border. Russell is COG ambassador extraordinaire, and never fails to have everything organized to perfection. From the
eggs and sugary sweet donuts and pastries in the morning to the barbecue and chicken, and beans and fixings’ in the evening, I’m not sure how it could get much better for the riders lucky enough to participate. This year, as usual, most marques were represented out on the lawn. The funniest quote I recall was when someone observed that “at least there is one Concours in this group”, as our 8 bike group headed away from the days lunch stop. This speaks to the farsighted view Russell advocates, that the club is for Concours owners, but riders of all makes are welcome. This is important because I don’t ride a “Connie”, but have brought FJRs and BMWs to this event and others, without ever provoking a sideways glance. For riders familiar with the roads within a couple hundred miles of home base, there is something for everyone. The dual sports headed for the dirt, while the sport touring and cruiser crowd found plenty of roads that afforded an opportunity to scrape pegs or just enjoy the countryside. It always amazes that Russell can dig into his PC to share a seemingly endless supply of well thought out routes for the various groups to experience while at the event—gotta love those .gpx files. A couple of anecdotes from the rides include one involving a dual sport operated by Wayne, who is essentially a professional mechanic in his spare time that has been riding for several decades. The writing may have been on the wall at the outset when the bike failed to start on the home base lawn. No problem, just a quick flip of the seat, a few well directed jiggles, and off it went. The next issue arose when the bike stopped in the middle of an intersection. No safety issues, but very inconvenient. Further investigation revealed a melted connection, not a blown fuse. Again, more tinkering, and the bike went on its way. There are more technical explanations for the problems Wayne experienced, but I’ll guarantee when the culprit is identified, a solution will be found. Among the group of sport tourers and
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Concours Owners Group NORTHEAST AREA NEWS
Around the NORTHEAST (continued from page 5)
cruisers, suffice to say that donkeys played a part in the ride. Not in a bad way thankfully. The story goes like this. As I cleared a rise in the road, my first clue something may be amiss was noticing the bottom of the rider’s feet that was in front of me about 4 feet off the ground, a bike plowing a shallow ditch into a nicely manicured lawn, and a dappled donkey jumping and kicking and running out into the adjacent field. Since we were traveling at a fairly brisk, but safe pace, it took a moment to process all this new information. My brain eventually caught up with my right hand and foot, and I pulled to the side of the road to check on my riding partner. Luckily, all was well--you just never know when an “off” occurs. Likewise the plow, uhh the bike, was virtually undamaged. You just have to love the way they build those cruisers, like low slung juggernauts. Our group continued on undeterred, and finished the ride in high spirits. When all is said and done the North/ South, and most all of these events, is about the people. Even though my experience with the group is limited to a few events, it is easy to quickly see that the COG crowd maintains its membership through stories and experiences exchanged off the bikes. The time spent in the shade of the tents or garage at the North/South allows newbies like me to share vicariously in the memories created through the hundreds of thousands of miles ridden by the attendees. In fact, a cake commemorating the 18th get together included a very good image of Russell and four of his riding buddies that together accounted for nearly ¾ of a million two wheeled miles. That is what camaraderie is all about. That willingness to expend energy to come together and enjoy one another’s company in a peaceful setting to share a little piece of life. Thanks Russell and Martha, another great event hosted and put to bed. Let’s all
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make sure we do it again next year.
Big W BBQ Ride July 18, 2015 By Steve Smith, AD, COG #3184 This past weekend was the scheduled ride to Big W Roadside BBQ in Wingdale, NY. This has been an annual ride for the last 4 or 5 years. We throw the date on the schedule and folks can either meet us there or join one of the small groups leaving from designated locations. This year the threat of thunderstorms had some worried, and several bailed out from attending. Since I volunteered to lead a ride for whoever showed up at the Connecticut start point, I was committed to ride there. I left home around 9:45 AM, shortly after a storm passed. I arrived early at the meeting place in Waterbury, CT and noticed no one was there yet. To kill a few minutes I spun around the corner to the local community college to visit a fellow COG member and instructor who was preparing to teach class. Arriving at the deli on time I met Bob and Harriet and at the designated time we were side stands up. We headed out onto some tasty ribbons of asphalt through New Haven & Litchfield Counties and into New York to Wingdale. When we arrived we found the lot partially filled with bikes and Coggers. The food was awesome, as always, and we sat outside at the picnic tables to eat & talk. Of the 15 of us there, many were familiar faces and there were a couple of new ones too. Dave Fridirici was the surprise attendee, traveling up from Allentown, PA to visit and eat BBQ. Fred Indorf joined the club in June and this was his first club activity, and he was the lucky one to go home with the raffle prize of a $25 Murph’s gift certificate. Dana Zinick came by to check us out, and that night when he got home joined as a full member. Dana rode part way home with Bob and me, and was kind enough to lead a few times to show us some shortcuts and new to me back roads.
Do you have some good ideas for improving this newsletter? Things you would like to see done differently? Here is your chance! The newsletter editor position will be opening up later this year and we are looking for an active member to pick up the throttle and take it for a spin over the next great set of roads. It’s a fun way to stay in the loop on all the activities & events and keep in touch with the AADs and members who submit ride reports. If you would like to lead this ride for a while, please contact Steve Smith for more info. There are plenty of resources to help you get up to speed.
Thanks to all who attended. Be sure to look on the calendar for this ride next year.
2015 - Issue #3– Summer
Concours Owners Group NORTHEAST AREA NEWS C o n c o u r s
O w n e r s
G r o u p
Northeast Area Spring Fling Rally Lake George, NY October 1-4 2015
Here we go again! Scott and Terry are bringing us back to the Motel Montreal in Lake George, NY for another run through the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. Come on out and enjoy some prime blacktop and good old fashioned COG fellowship. Pack your electrics as mountain temperatures can be cool in the fall. Lodging: Rally Headquarters: Motel Montreal, 3 Lake Ave, Lake George, NY, 518.668.5439 www.lakegeorgemotelmontreal.com Room block cut-off is 9/7/15; Room rate $47.50/night+tax+fees and requires a 3-night minimum stay. Call ASAP as a limited block of rooms will be held. Mention Concours Owners Group to get rooms held in our block. Back-up Lodging: Lake Haven Motel, 442 Canada St, 800.347.0543 or 518.668.2260. www.lakehavenmotel.com . This motel is next door to Motel Montreal. Registration (per person): Registration Fee: $50 Non-Member; $35 COG Member. Online/Mail-in registration ends 9/22/15 and walk-in fees apply: $55 Non-Member; $40 COG Member. Save time & postage – register online via COG Calendar. Register early, Banquet dinner seating limited to first 100 registrations. Rally fee covers Saturday dinner, door prizes, and other rally expenses. Wristbands will be used to identify registered attendees. Refund Policy: Rally fee paid less $5/person before 9/22/15; no refund after 9/22/15. Events: There will be a Saturday evening banquet. Riding: Sample self-guided ride routes download available from online member library or from link at event listing in the COG calendar of events. General Questions:
Scott Sorger: 518-223-0544 (516-509-8392) Terry Faherty: 718-227-2099 (917-837-6634)
Registration Questions: Steven Smith 203.720.7575 or nead@cog-online.org Rally web page: can be found on the Northeast Area online Calendar of Events at: www.cog-online.org If registering by mail: complete & mail form below with rally fee payable in $US to “Concours Owners Group” to: Steven Smith – Fall Rally 2015, 39 Alison Ave, Naugatuck, CT 06770-3566 (Cut & return this section) 2015 Fall Rally Registration Form (Please PRINT Clearly) Name: (One form per person) ____________________________________________ AMA # _____________ COG #____________ Street: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ City: ________________________________________________ State/Province: ________________ Zip Code: _______________ Phone: __________________________ E-Mail: __________________________________________________ Country: _________ I will be a: rider / passenger / guest
Motorcycle model: _________________________ License tag # __________________
Emergency Contact Information:
Name:
Phone No.:
________________________________________________________ _________________________Relationship: ____________________
Please read and sign the following Concours Owners Group Release: I understand that the Concours Owners Group (COG) cannot assume responsibility for my personal safety in this event. I choose to participate in this event voluntarily, based on my own assessment of my abilities, the routes conditions and facilities, and therefore assume all risks. I release and hold harmless COG, its officers, agents and members from any and all injury and/or loss to my person or property that may result from my participation in this event. I further certify that my vehicle and I are in compliance with all applicable license, insurance and financial responsibility laws applicable to my participation in this event. All participants under 18 years of age must have their parent or guardian sign the following additional release. As the parent or guardian of the above participant, and being informed or familiar with the risks normally associated with motorcycle events, I hereby consent to his or her participation in this event, and accept and adopt all the representations and assumptions of risk set forth in the foregoing release.
Participant Signature: ________________________________________
2015 - Issue #3 – Summer
Parent or Guardian (if applicable) ___________________________________
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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. (NY) Saturday 18 July 11:30 AM Big W BBQ Meet ‘n Greet This is the annual COG NE pilgrimage to go for a ride and enjoy great BBQ. We're all going to converge on Big W BBQfor some great eats. 1475 Rte. 22, Wingdale, NY. On Rte. 22, less than 1 mile south of the Metro North station. Remember that Big W BBQ opens at 12PM, but some folks get there a little early to meet & greet. There may be some impromptu rides planned. Watch this page for updates, register to get notifications, or follow the thread for this activity on the forum. STEVEN SMITH, 203.720.7575 H, nead@cog-online.org TERRY FAHERY, 718.227.2099 H, tmcefah@aol.com
(ON) Mon 20 July 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 25 July 9 AM Orange County Tour Join us for a 120 mile loop tour of Orange County, NY starting from the Pilot Travel Center at 239 Route 17K in Newburgh (off exit 6 of I-84) and ending at the Hudson Street Café located at 237 Hudson Street in Cornwall-on-Hudson. We have scheduled a secondary pick-up location at the Dunkin Donuts in Warwick, NY to accommodate people who may not be able to make it to Newburgh by 9:00 AM. We expect to arrive in Warwick at approximately 10:30 AM and leave by about 11:00 AM. If you are unable to meet us at either location, you may join us for lunch at the Hudson Street Café around 1 PM. The secondary pickup location will be posted separately on the calendar. BEN OTUNU, 845.423.0373, hvaad@yahoo.com
(NY) Sun 26 July 10:30 AM Hudson Valley Wrenching Day Let the farkelizing and maintenance commence under the watchful eye and experienced hand of Outback Jon! Come join in the fun to watch or participate and help
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make my first wrench day a success. Register to give me an idea on headcount. We'll meet at the Park & Ride lot off Exit 18, I-87 in New Paltz, NY and then ride 10 minutes to where the tech session will be held, at 450 N Elting Corners Rd, Highland, NY. RICK LASS
(VT) Sat-Sun 25-26 July 7:30 AM Northern VT Weekend Ride Meet Kevin Martin for Breakfast at Cliff’s Restaurant, 268 Main Street in Townsend, MA for a Group Ride up through Vermont destination the Newport City Motel, 444 E. Main Street, Newport Vermont. This will be an overnight ride event allowing us to travel further north to enjoy more of Vermont’s best scenic roads. Newport is only a few miles south of the Canadian border, and sits on Lake Memphremagog. About 10 miles north up US-5 is the Village of Beebe Plan, VT, which is the home of CANUSA Street where the International border between Quebec and the USA actually runs down the center line of Main Street. Basically you can stand in the center of the road and be in two Countries at the same time….cool! The trip home from Newport will be a ride down scenic Rte. 100 into Ludlow, picking up 103 and crossing into NH in North Walpole, basically reversing the ride up, ending the ride at the Townsend Ice Creme Factory. Since this is not a COG Rally event with discounted room rates, standard lodging rates apply. Room rate estimates can be found on the Motel website. KEVIN MARTIN, 978.459.6275, cog145@verizon.net
(MD/PA) Sun 26 July 8:30 AM Long Distance Lunch Ride COG lunch ride that is for the long distance riders. I have planned a ride leaving Hanover, PA to Harshbarger's SUB ‘N MALT in McVeytown for lunch which is 135 miles to lunch and 125 miles back for ice cream in Waynesboro, PA. Meet 8:30 at the Sheetz at 1191 Carlisle Street in Hanover, PA at Route 94 and Eisenhower Drive, kick stands up at 9 AM. There will be route sheets and GPS file for the ride. Harshbarger's is a 50’s style Sub ‘N Malt shop. RUSSELL FLEMING, 410.374.9687, fleming@qis.net
(VA) Thu-Sun 6-9 August 6:00 PM NE Dog Days Weekend in Staunton, VA Dog Days are back this year in Staunton, VA. This is the perfect launching pad for some of the best riding anywhere. The Blue Ridge Parkway is 17 miles from the hotel and several GREAT routes into WV start or are very close to Staunton. There are many local wineries and breweries for after hours. It is only a 3 block walk to the restored downtown area where there are many choices for food and beverages. We will not
have any official dinners, this will be mainly about riding, so bring your gear and be ready to see some beautiful country. Bring a friend and bring your swimsuit as the Motel has a great pool! Rooms must be booked direct by calling the Hotel and mentioning that you are with the Concours Owners Group. The block will be released on July 23rd. Rate is $59.95 + tax for a double or single bed room. 25 rooms have been set aside for this event. So, as Jason likes to say....Book them rooms! TIM STEELE, 540.649.7007, cogtim@outlook.com or GLENN HARRIMAN, 540.984.2900, n1tsh@hotmail.com
(VA) Sun 9 August 11:30 AM Meet & Greet at Rick’s Wild Hog BBQ Meet at Ricks Wild Hog Catering & BBQ Carry Out, 507 West King Street in East Berlin, PA. Eat at the best BBQ in 5 states that I know. After a good meal there will be a 140 mile ride for ice cream to Hoffman’s Ice Cream in Westminster, MD. RUSSELL FLEMING, 410.374.9687, fleming@qis.net
(ON) Tue 11 August 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
(PA) Sun 16 August 9 AM Sport Touring Camaraderie Ride—Carlisle, PA All makes and brands Motorcycles Welcome. Meet for breakfast at 9 AM at the IRON SKILLET at the PETRO truck stop, 1201 Harrisburg Pike in Carlisle, PA. There will be 9 rides to choose from, 150 to 240 miles long. All rides end at the Middlesex Diner in Carlisle. One of the rides will be a mix of PAVED AND UNPAVED ROADS. CONTACT PERSONS: COG: Russell W Fleming, 410.374.9687, fleming@qis.net Yamaha FJR: Randy Sinisi, 717.439.3814, rsinisi6@cs.com BMW: Eddie Phelps, 410.781.7521, BMWDCR & Suzuki V Strom: Mike Montville, 717.540.1876, mjmontville@yahoo.com COG PA: Greg Puterbaugh, 717.632.3324, pbaugh1@comcast.net
(ON) Mon 17 August 6:30 PM GTA East - Meet & Greet (see 20 July info) (ON) Tue 8 September 6:30 PM South Central Ont. Meet (see 11 Aug info)
2015 - Issue #3 – Summer
Concours Owners Group NORTHEAST AREA NEWS (VA) Wed 9 September 6:00 PM Meet and Greet at Richmond, VA
(ON) Tue 13 October 6:30 PM South Central Ont. Meet (see 11 Aug info)
Quaker Steak & Lube Bike Night, 8000 W. Broad Street, Richmond. Good food, cold beer and a great crowd. Normally bikes of all kinds and live music. TIM STEELE, 540-6497007, cogtim@outlook.com or GLENN HARRIMAN, 540-984-2900, n1tsh@hotmail.com
(VA) Fri-Sun 16-18 October 2:00 PM COG ‘No Frills’ Camp & Ride
(ME) Fri-Sun 18-20 September 7:30 AM Acadia National Park Weekend Ride
Gather once again at OWO, 421 Beylor's Ferry Road, Rileyville, VA to see old friends, meet new ones, ride, relax, and poke the campfire. PATRICK SPRAGUE, 540.743.4874, psprague@shentel.net
(ON) Mon 19 October 6:30 PM Meet Kevin Martin for Breakfast at Bickfords, GTA East - Meet & Greet (see 20 Jul info) 20 Nagog Park in Acton, MA. After breakfast, (ON) Tue 10 November 6:30 PM join a Group Ride up to Northeast Harbor, ME South Central Ont. Meet (see 11 Aug info) for an early Fall weekend of riding the Maine coast and Acadia National Park. Destination is Kimball Terrace Inn, Northeast Harbor. Since this is not a COG Rally event with discounted room rates, standard lodging rates apply. Room rate estimates are provided on the Kimball Terrace website. Planned weekend rides from Kimball Terrace include; Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park, and trip to Lubec, ME. Lubec is the easternmost town in the contiguous United States and home of the Quoddy Head Lighthouse and museum, a great photo-op and place to visit. Attendees with passports will also be able to cross the Campobello Island bridge and visit FDR’s vacation home. Anybody interested in this weekend event, please register on COGMOS. If there is enough interest, I will contact Kimball Terrace by the end of May to attempt to obtain a discounted Group rate. KEVIN MARTIN, 978.459.6275, cog145@verizon.net
(ON) Mon 21 September 6:30 PM GTA East - Meet & Greet (see 20 July info)
COG Northeast Seeking New AADs
Presently COG Northeast is seeking Assistant Area Directors (AAD) specifically for Connecticut, Rhode Island, and a co-AAD to help Russell in Natural Bridge KOA ride. Ride to Paint Bank for Buffalo Burgers, or whatever you choose, Maryland. I will also consider AADs for good food at the Swinging Bridge. Breakfast other regions when a volunteer steps up and dinner at the Pink Cadillac. and makes a proposal. AADs can be 214 Kildeer Lane, Natural Bridge, VA. appointed as needed for a state, region, 540.291.2770. Budget Inn is behind the city/town, or just about anything that Cadillac for those looking for a room. 4331 South Lee Highway, Natural Bridge, VA. works. There can be one, or two or more for any region. What is needed is the 540.291.2896 TIM STEELE, 540-6497007, cogtim@outlook.com or GLENN desire and motivation to want to help HARRIMAN, 540-984-2900, COG be better and to host a few n1tsh@hotmail.com activities each year and help other (ON) Mon 16 November 6:30 PM members host too.
(VA) Fri-Sun 13-15 November 8:00 AM Burrr Ride—Natural Bridge
GTA East - Meet & Greet (see 20 Jul info) (ON) Tue 8 December 6:30 PM South Central Ont. Meet (see 11 Aug info) (ON) Mon 21 December 6:30 PM GTA East - Meet & Greet (see 20 Jul info)
NE 1-4 October 8 AM Fall Rally in Lake George Host location is Motel Montreal, 3 Lake Ave, Lake George, NY. Lake Ave. is located just south of the RT 9 and RT 9N split at the north end of Lake George Village. See details & Registration form on page 7.
(MD) Sun 11 October 9:00 AM Kawasaki C14 Riders and Friends Ride Meet for breakfast at the Union Bridge Fire Hall, 18 West Locust Street, Union Bridge, MD. 9 AM breakfast buffet and route sheets will be handed out for a 140 mile self guided ride that will end at Shipponsburg, 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 it’s finest. You will ride in Maryland and Pennsylvania. If you would like a copy of the ride in GPS format ahead of time contact me. RUSSELL FLEMING, 410.374.9687, fleming@qis.net.
2015 - Issue #3 – Summer
Spring Fling 2015!
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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) Duane Shaffer #9189 570-726-4676 duane@dkshaff.com
PA (SE) & NJ South Jim Ansbro #8443 215-805-0909 bluecon06@gmail.com PA (Western) Position Open Central NJ Position Open DE, East MD 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
ON (Greater Toronto Area) Dave Perkins #5932 416-691-2191 perkins43@rogers.com ON (Eastern) Ken Fader #8534 613-865-7995 kensc14@gmail.com
Richard Beaudoin #9318 613-657-3294
sailor_rich@sympatico.ca QC (Montréal) 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 Tim Anderson #9470 860-444-7544 NECOGEditor@gmail.com Assistant Area Directors: (AADs) VT, NH, ME, MA
Glenn Harriman, #10332 540-984-2900 n1tsh@hotmail.com
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.
2015 - Issue #3 – Summer