Turn One

by Tim Smith, State Director " We plan and God laughs" Certainly many plans were disrupted by Hurricane Gustav, and as I write this IKE is bearing down on the Texas coast. Fall is a great time of the year to ride, but even the most avid rider yields to a hurricane. So our September rides are now going to be October rides…maybe. We didn't make Bull Shoals, but maybe FOF is looking good for many of us, or Byway Boogie Check it out at the HSTA website www.ridehsta.com/hsta In HSTA news, it is rumored ( at least) that STAR 2010 may be located in Taos, NM. Which I think is a great choice, and one of my favorite areas of the US. Other HSTA news is that it seem that the name change initiative has failed again due to a lack of participation in the process needed to make a decision. As I understand it only 25% of the members are needed to go forward, but that threshold was not met.

I am very aware of my own cynicism, but I ask you to forgive my dark analysis of this development. Less than 25% of our members either didn't care, or didn't bother to even answer the question about their opinion. Even though I have openly supported the name change, I would have little issue with either decision if the membership voted and the majority prevailed. What troubles me most is the apathy and disinterest, as I said in the last newsletter, I am concerned that we are a group that is very content with the way things are and not at all interested in growing our membership and revitalizing it with new and younger members. In the short term we can and will continue to enjoy the HSTA as it is, and continue to guard our secret closely. But it is an association that I believe is certain to decline and simply go away in a few short years as those who are active in making the decisions become no longer willing or able to continue. We have a great niche in motorcycling, we are lovers of the sport, and we are lovers of the road we ride a bit on the edge, but demand safety and responsibility. We don't just accept all brands, we like all brands and encourage diversity in almost all aspects of motorcycling. There is no better group of riders on the road. But our inability to define ourselves to any outside audience, and our apathy toward growing the association are fatal flaws. Still happy to ride with the HSTA and loving every mile, FASTIMMY

RIDE REPORTS

Hurricanes Gustav and Ike put a major damper on riding activity and there are no ride reports for this issue. Our scheduled August lunch ride was canceled as Gustav threatened and with that threat made good many of us are still busy with cleanup, roof repairs, insurance hassles and just trying to get back to normal. Hopefully October will be a much happier month. I expect it to start off well with a few LA chapter members planning to attend the annual Friends of Freddies event in Missouri Oct 3 & 4. In the upcoming section you will find a list of the remaining national events for 2008 plus plenty info about our own annual event. I urge everyone to take advantage of at least one of these events and to invite a non-member friend. This is the best way to grow our numbers.

UPCOMING EVENTS & RIDES

October 3 - 5 Friends of Freddies XV

Roseners Inn
(800) 888-4241 or 573-431-4241
Park Hills, MO
Banks Croak (636) 234-0961

October 10 - 12 Arkansas Byway Boogie

Paris Inn
Paris, AR
(479) 963-2400
Mario Caruso (501) 624-3668

October 18 LA Lunch Ride

TBA

October 31 - November 2 Texas Hill Country

Y.O. Ranch Resort
Kerrville, TX
(877) 967-3767
Ken Bowen (214) 533-6276

HSTA CAJUN CHRISTMAS 2008

FRIDAY & SATURDAY DECEMBER 5 & 6

SWITCHBACKS by Lee Nangle Women riders are a minority, and why not? Women are a minority after all….. Wait a minute , we make up 51 % of the general population….oh, yea, we are just a political minority because we are an identifiable group that is sometimes the victim of discrimination.

You know, most motorcycles are manufactured for men, and they don't fit me very well ( or I don't fit them) But I understand this, because most riders are men. Most pantyhose will not fit men very well, and while some men do wear them, the number s are pretty small, it's mostly women that buy them. ( write me if you want to complain) Right now is a great time to be a woman in America, there are so many opportunities that our mothers and grandmothers never had, and in case you have been in a cave, you know that some powerful women are taking center stage at the highest level of government. We have never been this politically relevant. Now I don't really think this is the place to talk much politics even if I held some strong beliefs ( which I don't) but it is kinda like a pile-up on the freeway, there is carnage and suffering, but we can't help but look. If you were wondering if I had an opinion, you obviously never read anything else I wrote. Let's just face some facts ( not all of the facts - just some) For all of recorded history, women have been a major distraction to powerful men. And the more powerful the woman, the more the distraction. While the media tries to walk that fine line, not crossing over into the murky abyss of political incorrectness, observation tells me they have been swallowed up. While there is absolutely positively no reason why women can't be taken seriously and can't perform and excel at the very highest level of politics and government, the reality is quite different. The reality today is that both political parties, ALL of the media and press, and a large number of the voters are monumentally, hopelessly , distracted by women. So then, what IS the greatest power that women possess? Distraction? Think about it. I do. Are we ready for a "Distracter in Chief" ? Maybe we are, the answers will vary. Are you distracted or are you a distracter? What has all this got to do with riding? Maybe nothing. Maybe everything. Being able to afford to ride….the economy. The price of oil…. Nobody has a cool wind powered bike yet, though I would be interested in nuclear. Insurance? Yadda - yadda. You get the picture. I hope Anyway, this is just one twisted girl's opinion. And I hope I haven't been too much of a distraction. Ride happy Lea

That's all for now. Keep riding and smiling....

Bob Chappuis, Editor [email: bob@this here domain]