Saturday, June 13, 2009

A North Peace Dice Run & a BDB Club Customer Appreciation Run

I enjoy supporting charitable causes but I also believe in supporting our own.
So when I was asked by Mighty Peace Tourism to assist in developing a run for the North Peace I asked the Alliance for Injured Motorcyclists to be involved along with the Ride for Dad and we will be supporting the Peace River Toyker Run.

The Over Night Dice Run will begin in Grande Prairie on July 10th at 6 pm. Riders will meet, roll their first dice and then ride to Peace River with stops along the way for Ride Prize Draws. Once in Peace River both the Sawridge Inn & Conference Centre and the BMC Inns will be providing special room rates and the Sawridge will be hosting a meet & greet with free appies, your final dice roll of the day and some more ride prize draws.

Saturday morning will see us take in the Peace Fest pancake breakfast, and at 11 am we will meet up and take part in the Peace River Toy/Poker Run. A free lunch will be served at one of the stops and the run ends at Maximum Motorsports. The Dice run back to Grande Prairie leaves from Maximum (convenient huh!) and will end up back in Grande Prairie for a BBQ, the last of the ride prizes will be given out and the High Roller will get to find out what their winnings are!

The cost to be involved in the Dice run is $20 plus accommodations in Peace River and if you choose to participate in the Peace River Toyker Run the cost of your hand for that.

The proceeds of the run will be split between AIM-Can and the Ride for Dad and the very best part...the entire run is being filmed for a Motorcycle Tourism DVD that will promote riding in the North Peace!
Then on August 22nd, a number of our BDB Business Partners have teamed up to host customer appreciation runs that will leave from their business locations, converge in Thorsby at the Kountry Kitchen Bakery and then on to Drayton Valley for the V-Twin Diner Show 'n' Shine at the Rodeo Grounds and for those who want to make a weekend of it there is a Kissmania concert in Drayton Valley that night for $30 and free camping is supplied! If you want to enter the show 'n' shine you will only pay $20 as opposed to the regular fee of $25! They have some pretty spectacular prizes up for grabs too like a $1500 paint job, custom made his & hers jackets and more!

There will be a ton of Ride Prizes and the best part - there is NO cost to be on the run.

The businesses that are confirmed to be involved are:

Time Machine Motorsports - Edmonton
Insane Customs - Edmonton
Rose's Front Room - Blackfalds
Handle Bar Hideout - Sylvan Lake
Walking Eagle Inn & Lodge - Rocky Mountain House

We are awaiting confirmation from three other partner businesses.

We'll keep you up to speed on the customer appreciation event as it progress!

Our friend and columnist Layton Park is doing much better -
follow his progress here: http://backroadscholar.wordpress.com/

Our events calendars have tons of worthy events to attend and we do our best to keep them accurate and up to date. Check them out at www.beltdrivebetty.com

Hubby starts Prednisone Steroid Treatment today...let the emotional roller coaster begin as it is the start to recovery!

If you are fortunate enough to be attending and event or going for a ride today, PLEASE - Ride like everyone around you is blind, stay hydrated and be respectful with your throttle hand....

Belt Drive Betty

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Some news....

Well, the appointment at the U of A brought us the news. Mark has relapsing, remitting MS and of the 2 categories of this type of MS it is the mildest. Dr Penny Smythe said once she gets the MRI report at the end of the month she will be able to give us a definite but from his history she believes that once he comes out of this attack it could be another 7 - 10 years before another one hits - so while it's not the best news it is far from the worst...MS is a pretty bizarre disease and while she can't say for 100% - the fact she doesn't want to put him on the awful Beta Interferon drugs that cost an arm and a leg is encouraging. His treatment will be Prednisone Steroids.

Layton Park our Backroads Scholar underwent surgery and from what Myrna, his wife says, he is doing much better - Layton's quirky sense of humor is in tact and that's a really good thing. You can follow Layton's progress here: http://backroadscholar.wordpress.com

If all goes reasonably well I will be back on my motorcycle next week and heading to New Norway for the big Soldiers Tribute ride. I look forward to being around my fellow CAV members and the rest of the military boys and girls! It should be a fabulous time.

Don't forget to send your event stories in to us at www.beltdrivebetty.com
We are still running the McCool's Street Bar & Grill Logo contest for 2 more weeks - so get your logo submission in! Our Great Canadian Day Ride's Contest is on going and we need your entries!

I'll sign off for now and want to remind you to PLEASE: Ride like everyone around you is blind and can't see you, stay hydrated and be respectful with tat throttle hand!

Belt Drive Betty

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

A day for some answers?

I stopped in to see Insane Customs in Edmonton and have signed them up as new BDB Partners! Great shop, Big Bear Choppers and all kinds of clothing and gift items...

Layton - our humor columnist underwent the first of many surgeries - he was in far rougher shape than the scans originally showed...follow Layton's progress here:
http://backroadscholar.wordpress.com/

I am heading to Thorsby in a few minutes to hook up with Bruce from Kountry Kitchen Bakery - he wants to advertise with us and he is a rider himself, then hubby and I go to the U of A....Hopefully today we will get some answers on hubby's situation. That would be a good thing. Today will, I hope be a day for some answers!

Chat with you all when I know more about Layton and my sweetheart...until then, stay safe - ride like everyone around you is blind, stay hydrated and use respect with that throttle hand.

Belt Drive Betty

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Home for a night and back on the road....

Well, through sleet, snow and rain, high winds and sunshine! I made it home last night and am just getting ready to head to Edmonton with hubby for his appointment at the U of A tomorrow!

I am sure glad I came home as the old boy is having a tough go of things.

Our humor columnist - Layton Park - is undergoing surgery today and I will do my best to keep you updated on his progress. Apparently he was dehydrate and basically rode off the road!

Other that that - I need to get packed so please people - ride like everyone around you is blind and can't see you, remember to stay hydrated and be respectful with your throttle hand!

Belt Drive Betty

Monday, June 08, 2009

Your Prayers Needed

Our friend and humor columnist Layton Park went down in Ely Nevada.
From what his wife Myrna tells us he's in good spirits but has a collapsed lung, a number of broken ribs and his left arm is not in good shape.

He is in hospital in Reno Nevada and his wife is going to keep everyone up to speed with his condition and progress via his blog: www.backroadscholar.com

We have no details on what caused the accident, we only know the old boy is in really rough shape.

Your prayers for his full recovery would be deeply appreciated.

Unfortunately the news feeds today are filled with more fatality and accident reports over on www.beltdrivebetty.com

Please ride safely people - you are, each and everyone of you very important.
Ride like everyone around you is blind and please use respect with that throttle hand.

Belt Drive Betty