STAR Chapter 424 Cleveland, TN

Reprinted with

Permission of

RoadBike Magazine

January/February 2012 Page 42

Note: We have a special guest in the area. Ben Sawall, former President of STAR Chapter 193 in Woodstock, IL. Ben will be in the area for several months I believe as he is doing some work for TVA at the Kingston, TN Steamplant.

Ben is of course invited to all our STAR chapter 424 events and rides. Lets make him welcome and invite him to go riding with us.

Road Trip

Events: Summer 2011

STAR Days 2011 Madison, Wisconsin

Despite a sweltering July heat wave, the 2011 STAR Days rally was a sweaty success by all accounts, as riders from all over the US came together near Madison, Wisconsin, to celebrate camaraderie, brotherhood, and, oh, yeah, motorcycling, all under the banner of Star Motorcycles.

Over 700 registered attendees (and hundreds more ride-ins) made their way to the annual gathering of Star Touring and Riding members, hosted by the Madison Marriott West in Middleton. In addition to the sea of Stars that blanketed the parking lot, the Star demo truck was on hand, offering demo rides on everything from the sleek Stratoliner Deluxe to the smolderingly sexy Stryker to the mighty VMAX. The tent had something for everyone, including the Yamalube crew; these guys were tirelessly sweating off the pounds by wrenching on bikes throughout the midday heat.

On vendor row, the crew from Low And Mean tried to beat the heat in their fully customized disco van, which they drove all the way from Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Companies like Grasshopper Ltd. and Sign & Wonders kept the hardy souls who braved the blacktop entertained with projects and demonstrations. But it was oppressive; so much so that even the disc jockey conscripted to entertain the masses succumbed to the heat, blaming his move indoors on his sensitive, high-tech equipment. Chicken.

We kid. It was absolutely broiling on the blacktop, which left the vendor area sadly deserted for much of the day; anyone who stayed at the Marriott was either holed up in air-conditioned rooms or lounging at the pool. But most of us found the best way to beat the heat was to get out and ride! This method works only if you can keep moving, and in the hills of western Wisconsin, that is not a problem. Many kept cool by cruising up to the Wisconsin Dells or Devil's Lake. More than a few attendees joked that the annual Swampazz ride, an all-day affair designed to bust STAR members' butts, could be completed simply by rolling to the other end of the parking lot and back. But that was just a joke, for dozens of hardy souls did gear up and head out for the rump-roasting ride.

On Wednesday, the first official morning of the rally, an estimated 700 motorcycles gathered in formation in the hotel parking lot for the annual Feed the Children Ride. All brands and styles were represented as riders unloaded boxes of food from two massive tractor trailers and strapped them to their bikes. Once the trucks were emptied, the motorcycles convoyed through the streets of West Madison to a local high school, where grateful needy families were presented with two boxes of food and a case of bottled water. It was a sight to behold, watching the chain gangs of STAR members, with smiles as bright as the morning sun, hand boxes to one another, moving the goods from pallets to waiting cars. Moreover, Star Motorcycles donated a beautiful, customized gold Stryker to the Feed the Children cause; its auction brought in nearly $ 15,000, which STAR donated to Feed The Children. The Feed the Children Ride is generally the highlight of STAR Days, and it was clear that STAR members are passionate about helping the needy. STAR Days wrapped up with a great banquet, but not before a customized Stryker motorcycle was auctioned off to benefit Feed the Children.

STAR Days 2012 is planned for Reno, Nevada, next summer. Whether you ride a Star motorcycle or just enjoy hanging with a crew of amazing folks, STAR Days is more than just a hot time — it's a great event. — Jon Langston

I would like to thank Buzz Kanter (Editor-In-Chief) and Steve Lita (Editor) for their very kind permission to reprint the article and to Jon Langston (Writer and Associate Editor) for covering the event.

Roy and Connie Thomas extended an invitation to ride the Foot Hills Parkway on Sunday January 29th. Hannah and I along with Mike and Mary Runyon gladly accepted their invitation. It was a cold start but a beautiful day. Sunny and and it did warm up a bit as we rode. We met Mike and Mary at their home, then rode hwy 72 to hwy 129 and met Roy and Connie at Punkin Center. There was very little traffic along the way, the scenery is east Tennessee at it's January finest. We made a short stop at Look Rock on the Parkway. Continuing on to Townsend, we stopped for lunch at the little River Side restaurant. It seems that while Hannah and I found this little diner some years back (great omelets!), Mike and Mary knew it even earlier (honey moon perhaps). We talked about possible ride choices for the chapter during 2012, motorcycles and food of course.

Day Ride January 29 2012