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 GWRRA Wingin' It e-Newsletter
"Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge"
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| Director's Article
Mike Stiger
GWRRA Director |  | |
Riding Season is in full swing...
Hello fellow Wingers,
This is Lori's and my favorite time of year. The Wing is T-CLOCSed and ready to go. I went down to a local parking lot and knocked off the winter rust, practiced some braking, turning and swerving maneuvers. I'm glad to report I remembered how to handle that fine machine, and it's time to start visiting our friends and enjoy some great riding. There is something about the feeling I get when riding the open road. Being in the environment, smelling spring in the air, and seeing all the trees and flowers exploding with new color, calms my mind and takes me to that "Happy Place" that only motorcycling can bring.
Encourage your Chapter to get out there and ride, ride, ride... Befriend a new Member and invite them along. Let's get out there and show the community what we're all about. We're Gold Wingers on a mission to ride, enjoy great friends, and create new stories. I remember a quote my high school counselor had hanging on his wall, "Few people Live, most merely exist." GWRRA Members know how to truly Live and enjoy life to the fullest.
Final preparations for Wing Ding 32, in Des Moines, Iowa, are completed, and we can't wait to see all of our GWRRA friends. Things have been a little hectic at the Stiger household adjusting to our new responsibilities. We're ready to cut loose and have a good time, how about you? There are a ton of great activities to be enjoyed by all. So be sure to come and join in the fun. If you can't make it, we understand. Lori and I are going to visit many of the District and Region Rallies, so perhaps we'll see you there.
Looking forward to those hardy handshakes and great hugs,
Mike
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| GWRRA is now on Facebook! |
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Check out GWRRA's new Facebook page and sign up to follow us! It is easy!!
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| How GWRRA Has Positively Affected My Life? |
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Remember, I am still looking for stories about how joining GWRRA has positively affected your life. Please send your stories to me here.
| | "Did You Know?" |  |
Check your GWRRA knowledge and see if you know the answers to these questions?
1-Can you name the Founder, Co-Founder and original five Members of GWRRA? (Otherwise known as the original seven.)
2-Where did the "Original Seven" meet to start GWRRA and when?
(Answers in coupon block below.)
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| Des Moines & Iowa Trivia Feature | |
Let's see how much you know about Iowa this month.
1-Who was Marion Robert Morrison and where was he born? (Hint, he was born 5/26/1907)
2-Iowa is the only state to be bordered east and west, 100%, by water, What are the names of these waterways?
(Answers to be found in the coupon block below.)
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| Member
Suggestions & Comments | | |
"In the past year I have had the pleasure of dealing with Rescue Plus several times, from tire changing to towing. I have always been treated with the utmost respect and have always received swift and efficient service. I have spoken to several of the responders, and they all say that they would rather deal with the folks at Rescue Plus than any of the other major roadside assistance companies.
Thank you GWRRA for giving us the opportunity to participate in this outstanding plan."
Jim Smith
Panama City, Florida
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| Home Office Reminders |
911 Addresses
For those Members who live in rural areas, please update Member Services with your new 911 addresses as they become available to you. We understand that they are going from Rural Route addresses to this new system of 911 addresses. Please contact GWRRA with your new address.
Message Boards
Sign In Help:
There seems to be a bit of confusion with the new Message Boards so hopefully this information will be helpful. The new website is www.gwrrabbs.org A pop-up box will come up when you get there stating: User name is your GWRRA Membership number (zero's included) Password is the numbers in your address and the expiration date of your membership (in most cases) (If you are Life Members, it will be your address and then the word life ex. 1234life.) Once you are in the message boards, if this is your first time, you need to go up to the right-hand corner and hit "REGISTER". There you will fill out the information asked and create your own user name and password. Keep in mind the user name you choose can't be changed and it is what everyone will see on the boards when you are logged in, so choose carefully. Once you have registered, you will receive an email with your information. Please save this for future reference. You may be asked to login each time you go to the board. The first set of logins will confirm your membership, the second logins will be what you created. If you still have any questions on this process, please give us a call. It is easier to walk you through it over the phone 800-843-9460.
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| High Mileage Contest |  |
GWRRA is very proud to announce a new Member-suggested Contest! This contest was sent to us by Brian Roundtree from Woodstock, Georgia, and will begin April 1, 2010, and will run through October 31, 2010. It is just as it sounds. The Member who has driven the most number of miles on his or her motorcycle or trike between these dates will be honored as the winner of the first GWRRA High Mileage Contest.
It is an honor program, meaning that you are taken at your word and you provide the mileage in the database. This database is a website that will be accessed from GWRRA's Home Page at www.gwrra.org.
There you will find a link to list your name, Member number and mileage driven for each month.
The data will automatically update and put each rider in order of the highest mileage first, second, etc. The winner of the GWRRA High Mileage Contest will receive recognition on this website, GWRRA's Home Page, and in an article in Wingin' It, our electronic newsletter, as well as a special certificate from the Home Office.
Some of the simple rules as mentioned previously are:
>Open to current GWRRA Members only
>Total miles driven must be given for your entries into the database
>Mileage is to be calculated on a single bike or trike and not cumulative from multiple vehicles (no commercial vehicles are allowed)
This contest is for the pure fun and enjoyment of riding. It has seen very much success in other organizations, so let's have fun with it and, remember, we are all on the honor system.
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Greetings!
June 4th is GWRRA's 33rd anniversary! How time flies when you are having so much FUN! As I have said in this newsletter previously, I remember being introduced to this organization, the people and Paul and Shirley at Wing Ding 1 at the Pointe Hilton when I volunteered for the off-bike games. Though it was Labor Day, 1979, it reminds me of how far GWRRA has come in its 33-year history.
From seven people to now over 72,000 people in 55 countries...WOW! What a success story, by any measurement, I'd say. Yes, things have changed and GWRRA has had its ups and downs; but for the most part, it has been a pretty FUN ride and it has always been about its Members!
And, we would be remiss if we did not say "THANK YOU" to all the thousands upon thousands of volunteers over the years, who have stepped up to actually run this great organization! From every Officer who has given countless hours to lead their Chapters, Districts and Regions to the National Directors, Treasurers to Phone-Tree Coordinators, Ride Captains to Rider Education Instructors, Historians to Newsletter Editors and every other volunteer I may not have mentioned...THANK YOU! You have made GWRRA what it is today, the biggest motorcycle family in the world!
Just to reminisce a little...GWRRA dues were $3 then, and now they are $45 for individuals and $55 for families (with no dues increases since 1999). Wing Ding I, the rooms were $25 a night and included a free breakfast...and a hotel now? In the beginning we used to get a mimeographed, black-and-white newsletter, now a full-color Wing World, plus a bunch of great benefits, including this free e-newsletter. Not to mention all the growth in Rider Education courses, classes and the other Programs like Membership Enhancement (Couple of the Year, Chapter of the Year), Leadership Training, and not to mention all the charity work that our Chapters and Members do on a daily basis all over the world!
For those who have not heard, we want to congratulate Mike Stiger, former Rider Ed Director, who was promoted last month to Director of GWRRA. We wish Mike and Lori well in their new position. Please read Mike's new column here in this e-Newsletter. (You can read the full Press Release at www.gwrra.org)
So, when I look back at what Paul envisioned and then actually brought into reality, AND is still creating ... I am so grateful to be a part of such a creative, dedicated, Member-loyal organization like GWRRA! Still holding true to its original moto, GWRRA is and has always been...
"Friends for FUN, Safety and Knowledge!"
Have a safe riding season,
Ed Price
Marketing Director, GWRRA
"BuildingRelationships" |
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GWRRA Chapter Profile:
"Hang on - we're going for a ride"
by Alan & Shirley Jarumay, CD - CA2Q
Today wrapped up an excellent weekend at the city of Dublin's St Patrick's Day festival. As you may know, our Chapter was able to secure a booth for a non-profit organization at this year's event. There are specific requirements by festival organizers that the booth be issued to organizations who promote a specific public or community service. Our theme was to promote "Motorcycle Awareness and Safety."
Thanks to the incredible effort by our core team and the on-site assistance by a few more Members, our participation at the festival proved to be extremely productive and well received by the festival attendees.
We had an abundance of literature giveaways focusing on motorcycle safety, such as Snell Memorial Foundation's work on helmet safety, Friction Zone magazines and much of our own GWRRA literature on motorcycle training and old copies of Wing World. But, from my personal observation, our Members interactions with festival attendees was really key in presenting motorcycle folks as fun, unintimidating, regular people. The image of several husband and wife partners equally involved in motorcycling and having fun, just made for an easy and inviting scene to the public. Several of our Members, like Steve Foster and Bruce Howland, were especially adept at interacting with children, often having them sit on the cycle to have their picture taken. These were very positive memories they and their parents had taken away from the experience.
There were more positives to this type of event for our Association and even CA-2Q. The many folks we spoke with showed a lot of interest in our Association and the Gold Wing. Some are considering visiting us during one of our gatherings to see what it's all about. Whether it bears fruit now, later or indirectly, a positive seed has been planted.
I want to recognize our core Members who worked extremely hard and sacrificed so much of their time and some personal expense:
Steve & Jacque Foster, Bruce Howland, Susan Coles and Shirley Jarumay
Thank you all very much!
I want to add a special thanks to Lynda Smith for attending both days assisting at the booth, and Rich Sciacqua for his assistance with our initial setup Saturday morning and staying the day to help with booth visitors.
Below is a Facebook link of a short video clip of our booth from the festival.
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Joke of the Month
Why does a dog always lift up his right hind leg?
It's because if he lifts up both, he will fall on his butt!!
(Submitted by John Walden, from Quebec, Canada ) |
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How GWRRA Positively Affected My Life!
by JoAnn Cox, Winton, CA
I believe in giving credit and praise where it is due, and on my trip this summer I met several people who deserve praise.
First, I had a tie-rod on my Bushtec trailer break and was assisted by an Oklahoma Sheriff and an off-duty fireman on his Harley. They got me one mile down the road to the Fort Thunder Harley dealership where I was treated like royalty while they assessed the problem and while I waited for my sister-in-law to come and pick me up. Fort Thunder had my trailer repaired in 2 days and had me back on the road. They not only repaired the tie-rod but also replaced a couple of bolts that were missing and changed the tire that had gotten damaged.
After attending Wing Ding, I continued on to the East Coast. When I was passing through Wilson, North Carolina I developed a problem with my front tire, on a Sunday (of course). After Rescue Plus got me to the local motorcycle shop, I limped a couple of miles down the road to a motel, spent the night and returned to the local shop on the next day only to discover that they were closed on Monday also. I got out my Gold Book and contacted Jack Rose, who so graciously called around and found a shop in Rocky Mount that was open and could help me. He then came to where I was and visited with me while I waited the hour for Rescue Plus to come to take me to Two Wheel Accessories in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
Then, while in New Jersey, I was in an accident. Again, the Gold Book came to my rescue. I contacted Kevin and Rose Sedlak, who put me in touch with Thomas and Cheryl Lord, directors of Chapter NJ-E. Tom and Sherry were on a Chapter ride, but he gave me directions and told me to go to his house and he would see me when they got home. When I arrived, Tom's nephews had gotten a trailer and we went and picked up my trike from the towing company. Tom and Sherry gave me a place to stay, fed me and their family did all of the work to repair my trike. They had me back on the road in two weeks. Without their generosity and kindness, I don't know what I would have done. I attended one of their Chapter meetings with them where everyone was super nice; some of the Members even offered for me to stay with them.
I feel I have made some new lifelong friends because of GWRRA and the Gold Book. |
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Correction & Thank You
I want to thank all the folks who volunteered to help me at Wing Ding 32, but due to some cost-cutting measures the Marketing Department, me :), will not be attending Wing Ding this year. As always, GWRRA is full of generous people who are more than willing to donate their time to assist a fellow Member; and for that, I am most grateful.
Along those same lines the Former Officers Program that has been announced here has also been delayed due to the recent changes with Mike Stiger being named Director of GWRRA. We need to allow some time for Mike to assimilate into his new postion before any new programs are developed. Mike sees the value of the program and will review it with his Team.
Again, Thank you!
Ed |
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Member Story
How I Found GWRRA!
by Royce Tollman/Joannie Tollman
proud Member#62276
It was on a trip to Cody, WY in 1989 that I was first introduced to GWRRA. (Gold Wing Restaurant Raider). My wife and I were on our very first long distance trip and had met up with a GWRRA Member on our way through Colorado.
Simply by fate, we met this Member during a break along highway 25 just north of Denver. Stopping to take pictures of the Rocky Mountains, I had left my partner to guard the rig while I crossed over to the other side of the highway to take a few pictures. Richard Braggs from Midland, Texas had stopped to check out this lady standing by her bike. I returned to the bike shortly after he arrived. We made our greetings and small talk to find we were headed the same place. We were headed to Cody, Wyoming for a rally that was being held by the city. Being new to the long distance riding and having read about strangers along the way, we declined the offer to ride with Mr. Braggs.
After we had had our break, we started off to our next stop. As fate would have it, we met Mr. Braggs at a refuel point and once again asked if we wanted to ride with him. His offer was so gracious we finally accepted and off we went.
With foul weather ahead, we began to look for a stopping point. Good ole" Douglas, WY came up in sight, so we said this was it. As all good Gold Wingers (we found out) always like to have a full tummy before bedding down for the night, we found a great steak house and had a very enjoyable dinner together. We sat in awe listening to the stories told about his travels since he joined this association called GWRRA. I told my wife, "Gosh, sure hope we can do some of the trips like he has." Now it was time for bed. All the hotels, motels and such were booked up, so we had to find a campground. We were told by the locals that there was a KOA on the north side of town. We searched for about an hour before we finally got to our resting place.
It was dark and not so nice out when we pulled up to the office. Of course they were closed. We found the late night registration box and preceeded to fill out the forms. The comment was made how nice the place looks, so we found a nice place for both of us to set up camp.
"Good morning camper" we heard from the other tent about 0600 the next morning. We returned the greeting and began to get moving. Little did we know mother nature had opened the sky during the night. Once dressed I decided to open the tent and found a lake in front of our tent. Even if it was rented, it was nice to once have some lake front property. We had picked a site that was in the mud; and if we had not had hard sides on the tent, we would have slept in that lake.
Sitting back down and allowing my partner to get dressed and making plans how we were going to get across the lake and to solid ground, we finally accepted that there was no way to get there without getting wet and muddy. We figured there was no need for both of us to get messy so I was elected to be the venturous one. Lucky for me, I had boots so it wasn't too bad.
Looking around, I found some rocks to place in our lake so my partner could get out without getting all muddy and wet. Now, on the road and looking back on the tent, we started laughing about the whole thing. The crazy thing was there was a very nice grassy spot right across from where we had camped.
We cleared camp, got all things packed and went to get the bikes fired up. As bad luck would have it, Mr. Braggs' bike would not start. He had discharged the battery with all the late night search for the camping grounds. Prepared with a set of jumper cables, I hooked up the two bikes and got his bike started.
Now, what is the first thing that starts the morning: COFFEE!!! We were really hungry, and we were able to find a very nice restaurant not far from where we had camped. Once finished with our breakfast we prepared to forge on to Cody. OOPS! Battery is dead again. Once again we jumped Richard's bike and got him going.
All the way from Douglas to Casper Richard's battery kept going dead. We did make it to Casper, WY and found a phone. We found a nice parking lot, and Richard pulled out his "GOLD BOOK". He began to explain how this GOLD BOOK worked. Hum!! Kind of nice to have friends all over the country who are willing to help. Of course, it was a Sunday and nothing was open so we could get his bike going. Richard made a couple of calls to Members in the area and found one who had a trailer and pickup to come and get us.
It was about an hour and all of a sudden here came two bikes and one pickup and trailer. All three of the Members asked what had happened and said they had a garage and would take us there and figure out what the problem was.
Once loaded on the trailer, the Members lead us to one of their homes and off-loaded the bike and trailer. The Members had all kinds of tools and started to check out the bike. OK!! It was the battery and it was just shot. Our rescue group had a new battery to install in Richard's bike. Job complete, bike fired right up. The mechanic said, "Just send me a new battery when you get back home."
These new-found friends also gave us refreshments and sandwiches before we made way to head to our next destination. We all greeted each other with some hand shakes and hugs and we were off.
Along the way to Cody, Wyoming, I quizzed Richard about this group called GWRRA. He explained how it all worked, and we were amazed how great it was. I told my wife that as soon as we got home from our trip we were going to find a Chapter to join.
We finished our wonderful trip and arrived home safely. Then, we searched and found a group in our hometown. The Chapter was just in the process of starting up. We made their kick-off meeting and met some wonderful people from all over the state of Texas. They had all come in support of and to help get the Chapter off the ground.
Following the meeting, we joined GWRRA. The fun began the following weekend with a ride. We were hooked and we were allowed to be Charter Members of the group. It's been a fabulous journey, and we've really enjoyed it. Along the way, I held the positions of Assistant Chapter Director, Chapter Director and Newsletter Editor and Ride Coordinator.
We just passed our 20th year. OH WHAT A RIDE IT HAS BEEN, and thanks to all those in GWRRA for the friendship and love. |
Reminder:
June 21st is Ride to Work Day!
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The Wild Ride from Your VA District Couple and the Past Remembered
by Patrick & Debbie Koehler
VA District Couple 2009/Coordinators 2010
Our trip to the wild and wonderful West Virginia to visit Chapter G in Beckley, West Virginia, was both fun, exciting, and a true challenge. After putting on over 500 miles riding in northern Virginia and throughout West Virginia, we arrived just in time for the social meeting being held at the Beckley Pancake House.
Their meetings are held the 4th Saturday of every month at 7:00 pm. The meeting was great and we got the opportunity to pass out some flyers. We also won a kneepad and someone gave us a hat. We were even offered a place to reside when we are up in that area again.
It was a good turnout, even though some people had to drive 2 hours just to make the meeting, because of so few Chapters in a state. In this regard, we are blessed to have so many chapters in the Tidewater area. After the meeting, we took part in a candlelight vigil ceremony for the victims of that September 11th tragedy. We even made the front page in the West Virginia's paper except you really can't see us since we are just a small light in the many candles that were there. However, it did my heart good to see the turnout and America asking God to bless our country.
Our adventure didn't start until early the next morning when we went riding with the WV-G Chapter Director affectionately known as "Iron Butt Bob." Well, needless to say Bob & Lynn, his wife and co-rider, took us on a really challenging trip. Dick and Julie tried to warn us about Bob, but that warning was not received until we were already traversed some really rough roads getting to the first covered bridge.
It was the first time I ever had the opportunity to drive down dirt roads with potholes, ruts, and you name it, on a Gold Wing. I also got the opportunity to maneuver around hairpin corners at a 45-degree incline with loose shell gravel, in the middle of the road. Even a couple of sharper, hairpin corners had to be negotiated. I believe I would have been more at home on a dirt bike, but my '94 Wing probably performed better than us.
I could tell my co-rider was getting a little antsy from the chips I know have on my helmet (Ha, Ha). All in all, it was a very challenging, fun, and long hard ride. I can see how Bob got his name. We did see some really pretty, covered bridges including one in Virginia. Then, we said our good-byes and departed for the long trip back home arriving late with the mileage meeting the "Iron Butt" requirement.
We definitely paid for it though. I believe they should change the "Iron Butt" pin to "Sore Butt" because that's what it was! I even had to buy my wife a pillow the first day, and then I was trying to con it out of her the second day and I succeeded. The cost won't be discussed in this newsletter. Just to let people know that the leaf color in West Virginia was low and Virginia was just barely starting. West Virginia is beautiful, the people just wonderful, and the riding definitely wild!
Thanks to Chapter G for their friendliness and willingness to take us for a ride. Remember to keep up that training and ride for friends, fun, safety, and share that knowledge.
Even though this article is in the past, we should always remember our friends, our colleagues, our GWRRA family, and those events that changed history.
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Rescue Plus 
Remember to sign up for Rescue PLUS! It will add more miles and more vehicles to your standard FREE Rescue towing package from GWRRA. PLUS, it only costs $25 per year to upgrade the entire family!! Sign up now by calling 800-843-9460.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> And remember, non-members can purchase Rescue Plus for $50 with the same benefits.
Call now!
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Region J Rally
Submitted by:
David Haryett, Chapter Director SK-D
The Saskatoon Chapter SK-D is honoured to host the Region J Rally for 2010. The Rally will take place July 30, 2010 to August 2, 2010, in the beautiful City of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Plan to join us for a scenic ride to Prince Albert National, poker run, entertainment and many prizes. The following training sessions are offered ARC course, Trailering Course and Road Captain's Course. Check our website for details and on line registration.
We would welcome one and all and while you are here, stay a while and explore our Province. The Province's landscape is very diverse. The North consists of boreal forest, 100,000 lakes, powerful rivers and Precambrian rocks that reach out of the ground. In the South there are panoramic views covering prairie grassland, fertile farmland, valleys and forested areas, and sand dunes to badlands.
The City of Saskatoon grew on both sides of the winding South Saskatchewan River, and is connected by five bridges, therefore becoming known as the Bridge City. The renowned University of Saskatoon ( U of S ) is located here. The City offers its visitors a balance of relaxing charm and city hustle and bustle offering many attractions and summer events.
The Rally is July 30 - August 2, 2010.
Click below for the Rally Information Flyer
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"No Phone Zone"
 GWRRA is pleased to announce it will be participating in the "No Phone Zone" Program as seen on the popular Oprah program. One of GWRRA's Chapter Rider Educators from Chapter D-2 in Indiana, Dave Williams, suggested we try to get as many GWRRA Members, as well as non-members, to sign the "No Phone Zone" pledge.
The pledge merely states that you will not drive a vehicle while texting, or use a cell phone and that you will encourage others to not talk on a cell phone or text while driving. Or, you will use a handsfree device while driving. It also states that if you must use a cell phone while driving you will safely pull over to the side of the road.
This Program will be run under GWRRA's Rider Education Program, specifically the Motorist Awareness Division. Charles Mallett, MAD Director, will oversee the Program and coordinate it through all our Rider Educators, as well as all the other Divisions.
GWRRA's goal is to get 100,000 pledges signed. This Program has all ready begun and will continue at Wing Ding 32 in Des Moines, Iowa. Please contact Charles at rideaware@yahoo.com to sign up to help get pledges at your events. The more events that have the pledges for our Members and guests to sign, the faster we can reach our goal and maybe be on Oprah representing GWRRA!
Thank you Dave and Charles and the folks who are going to support this lifesaving program! |
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New Member Benefit
For those Members who may be traveling to Phoenix for pleasure or business, GWRRA has negotiated a special rate for our Members at the Four Points by Sheraton in North Phoenix.
The property has Standard rooms, Cabanas and Executive Suites. The rates for GWRRA Members start at $59 from June through September 6, 2010 and then $79 starting September 7th through the end of this year. (Rates do not include taxes.)
Call 800-627-7166 and mention "Gold Wing Road Riders" to get the special rate and more information. |
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GWRRA Discount Program Links!
Here are links to some GWRRA Discount Programs.
If these Discount Programs may be of interest to you, just click on the link or call 800-843-9460 or 623-581-2500 (in Phoenix) for more information.
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| Save 20% |
Featured Official GWRRA Product:
This month all GWRRA Microfiber, RideHide shirts are on SALE!
Item # 3051000=Long sleeve, white RideHide MicroFiber Tour LS with Exclusive GWRRA logo. Reg.=$25, NOW = $20
Item # 3081000=Long sleeve, silver RideHide, with Stay-snug cuffs and blue lettered GWRRA. Reg.=$25, NOW = $20
Item # 3081006-3081011=Long sleeve, white RideHide, with Stay-snug cuffs and red lettered GWRRA. Reg.=$25, NOW = $20 Click here
Click on above links to go to the GWRRA Official Products website and view accessory items. These products are sold separately for the sale price! Make sure you mention the special code on this coupon.
Answers to "Did You Know?"
1-Paul Hildebrand, Shirley Stephens-Garcia, Fred Rugg, Dave Nicolai, Tex Wilson, Beggs & Lil Nelson
2-June 4, 1977 at Denny's Restaurant, I-17 & Dunlap, Phoenix, AZ.
Answers to "Iowa Trivia"----
1-John Wayne, Winterset, Iowa
2-Missouri and Mississippi Rivers
| Offer Expires: 6/30/10. Mention code "June E-news"
Contents copyrighted by GWRRA, Inc.
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