Yesterday was a good day at the Calgary Motorcycle Show.
Ali posted a Hug Meter on our web site over at www.beltdrivebetty.com I am trying to fill it and will be doing the same thing in Edmonton and Red Deer - why? Well, I love hugs, and I work alone in my office and spend 95% of my time alone. When I am at these shows I love to see as many friends as possible so that I don't feel so isolated - hugs and wonderful words shared between friends are something you can draw on when you feel blue, lonely...so far my hug meter is at 125, come on Calgary - I KNOW there are more of you that I need a hug from...
There are some outstanding looking machines on display - Royal Enfield and Indian are both at the show along with the usual big brands but what surprised me were the businesses that weren't present - THUG Motorcycles/Precision Frame was not present - a Calgary based Custom Manufacturer and they were no where to be seen....The show is smaller this year - the economy has definately affected it, however it is still a fabulous event and worth the attendance just be sure that if you do come down you either take the C train or you pack the vehicle full-full-full because the Stampede Park is charging an ARM and A LEG for parking.
I hope and pray that Laurie and the team find a new venue for the show because the prices are getting outrageous at the Stampede Park and some of their staff are SOOOOO rude, many are friendly but some.... As a matter of fact I think I am going to make that suggestion to Laurie and her team that they move the show if possible...there aren't however too many places around that can hold or accomodate the needs of a show that size so perhaps it is because they (the Stampede Park) feel they have a monopoly they feel they can gouge.
In the news:
Polaris has a new Electric Quad out.
Our girl Flo and her Conga III for Breast Cancer hit the news even though Facebook and MSNBC Don't know it! It's really quite funny how asking us girls the color of the bras we wear could spark so much interest in a cause but it has and it is wonderful! If you are on Facbook, Flo has started another little campaign aimed at bending the warped minds of men with as much confusion as possible - much to the delight of all of us gals!
Troy Lee is producing so Steve McQueen Tribute helmets...
BMW and Triumph are both boasting record sales in Canada.
If you are lucky and blessed to live where you can ride, PLEASE ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you. For the rest of you/me included we'll have to make due with the motorcycle shows and the Beat the PMS Blues On Line Show 'n' Shine...get in on the action - I live seeing what my friends ride!
Belt Drive Betty
www.beltdrivebetty.com
National VP A.I.M. Can
www.aim-can.com
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Friday, January 08, 2010
The 2010 Calgary Motorcycle Show
Well, I made it in to Calgary, got to the Round Up Centre and guess what!
For once ALL of my marketing materials are here - the phone books arrived in one piece, my new key chains, bandanas and hats are here. All of my stuff for MotoRescue made it here. It's a thing of beauty when that happens! Trucking companies, couriers...they can be tough to deal with. Alanna from Artatude sent me some stuff that never showed - she ripped the courier company a new one and voila everything is here!
My hug meter has started to move rapidy which is also a good thing! If you are in Calgary and don't stop by my booth I will be some pissed when I find out. LOL - I sound like someone's grandma! But seriously - I want to see as many of you as I can because we don't see each other often enough.
We are getting more prizes for the Beat the PMS Blues on line Show 'n' Shine - I am so stoked with how the business community is supporting our show! Maybe next year we should charge a little something and donate it to charity...what would all of you think about that...or maybe we should just leave it as it is - a way to have a lttle fun and beat the winter BLAHS!
I have a number of things to get ready for the show today - it opens at noon - I really hope to see a bunch of Calgarians and southern Albertans....
In the news today: The 2010 Calgary Motorcycle show starts at noon - see you there!
If you live where you can ride - PLEASE ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you.
Belt Drive Betty
www.beltdrivebetty.com
National VP A.I.M. Can
www.aim-can.com
For once ALL of my marketing materials are here - the phone books arrived in one piece, my new key chains, bandanas and hats are here. All of my stuff for MotoRescue made it here. It's a thing of beauty when that happens! Trucking companies, couriers...they can be tough to deal with. Alanna from Artatude sent me some stuff that never showed - she ripped the courier company a new one and voila everything is here!
My hug meter has started to move rapidy which is also a good thing! If you are in Calgary and don't stop by my booth I will be some pissed when I find out. LOL - I sound like someone's grandma! But seriously - I want to see as many of you as I can because we don't see each other often enough.
We are getting more prizes for the Beat the PMS Blues on line Show 'n' Shine - I am so stoked with how the business community is supporting our show! Maybe next year we should charge a little something and donate it to charity...what would all of you think about that...or maybe we should just leave it as it is - a way to have a lttle fun and beat the winter BLAHS!
I have a number of things to get ready for the show today - it opens at noon - I really hope to see a bunch of Calgarians and southern Albertans....
In the news today: The 2010 Calgary Motorcycle show starts at noon - see you there!
If you live where you can ride - PLEASE ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you.
Belt Drive Betty
www.beltdrivebetty.com
National VP A.I.M. Can
www.aim-can.com
Thursday, January 07, 2010
On the road again...
Willie Nelson's song won't leave my brain for some reason and even though it's very appropriate after hearing the tune roll around in the empty cavern of my brain for a day and now a morning well - it's getting old...
The drive to Blackfalds - about 6-7 hours from Grande Prairie took longer than anticipated as it was a balmy -33 before the wind chill, the wind was HOWLING and it was icy. Once I hit Little Smoky on the other side of Valleyview it warmed up to -14.
I had a great trip after that, stopped in to see some of our BDB partners on the way - if you get a chance you HAVE to stop in to Slumdog Bar and Grill in Bentley - and if you like Pizza - this would one of those places to try one - I had a Mexican Pizza - was it ever good. Not too spicy - a great balance of flavours...nice place too.
Anyhow, I am safe and sound in Blackfalds, getting my news and blog done for the morning, heading in to Olds and then in to the BMO centre at Stampede Park to get set up. I am looking SOOOO Forward to it!
In the news today: our very own Amanda Lynn from Fytness Fanatik announced that it is official, she's getting hitched! Congrats girl.
One lone Motorcycling Canadian is left standing in the Dakar Rally.
Harley is taking aim at riders of other brands and trying to lure them to the dark side with a $500 incentive. Also - they really want you to stop in at their booths and if you present the down loadable coupon from Free Canadian Stuff - they'll give you a free set of valve stem covers
The 4 ton statue that went missing at the HD Dealer down in the states was actually taken back by the artist...
And buddy who said he was sleep driving when he killed a rider and seriously injured another one was found guilty - appears the judge didn't buy his defense.
And, that's what's fit to print today - remember, we comb the news of the motorcycle community so you don't have to!
If you are a lucky dawg who lives in a climate where you can ride - PLEASE ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you! For the rest of you, here's one way to shake off the PMS - Parked Motorcycle Syndrome - Visit our On Line Show n Shine (enter your bike for a chance at over $4,000 in prizes from coast to coast) & all you Albertans...PLEASE come give me a hug at the Calgary Motorcycle Show...
Belt Drive Betty
www.beltdrivebetty.com
National VP A.I.M. Can
www.aim-can.com
The drive to Blackfalds - about 6-7 hours from Grande Prairie took longer than anticipated as it was a balmy -33 before the wind chill, the wind was HOWLING and it was icy. Once I hit Little Smoky on the other side of Valleyview it warmed up to -14.
I had a great trip after that, stopped in to see some of our BDB partners on the way - if you get a chance you HAVE to stop in to Slumdog Bar and Grill in Bentley - and if you like Pizza - this would one of those places to try one - I had a Mexican Pizza - was it ever good. Not too spicy - a great balance of flavours...nice place too.
Anyhow, I am safe and sound in Blackfalds, getting my news and blog done for the morning, heading in to Olds and then in to the BMO centre at Stampede Park to get set up. I am looking SOOOO Forward to it!
In the news today: our very own Amanda Lynn from Fytness Fanatik announced that it is official, she's getting hitched! Congrats girl.
One lone Motorcycling Canadian is left standing in the Dakar Rally.
Harley is taking aim at riders of other brands and trying to lure them to the dark side with a $500 incentive. Also - they really want you to stop in at their booths and if you present the down loadable coupon from Free Canadian Stuff - they'll give you a free set of valve stem covers
The 4 ton statue that went missing at the HD Dealer down in the states was actually taken back by the artist...
And buddy who said he was sleep driving when he killed a rider and seriously injured another one was found guilty - appears the judge didn't buy his defense.
And, that's what's fit to print today - remember, we comb the news of the motorcycle community so you don't have to!
If you are a lucky dawg who lives in a climate where you can ride - PLEASE ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you! For the rest of you, here's one way to shake off the PMS - Parked Motorcycle Syndrome - Visit our On Line Show n Shine (enter your bike for a chance at over $4,000 in prizes from coast to coast) & all you Albertans...PLEASE come give me a hug at the Calgary Motorcycle Show...
Belt Drive Betty
www.beltdrivebetty.com
National VP A.I.M. Can
www.aim-can.com
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
On the road again
A couple or three more hours and I am on the road to Calgary. I am so looking forward to it now that I am packed and almost ready to go.Why am I finally excited now? I just remembered one of the best things about going to the shows besides doing business...HUGS, I get lots and lots of hugs from friends I don't get to see as often as I would like, so while I will miss hubby and my own bed...I am getting pumped up big time!
Our Show 'n' Shine seems to be a pretty big hit so far. The new method of displaying the pictures of bikes, the mini forum, the commenting and ability to add info to your bike...wow - Ali did a great job getting that thing tweaked!
She and I sure appreciate the feedback on stuff - our web site: www.beltdrivebetty.com is YOUR home, YOUR site - we are just the stewards...
Danni from the Chrome Divas phoned me yesterday to tell me that Lise, the gal we put the plea out for a bone marrow donor - well the transplant has been a success and her prognosis is so favorable...to who ever the angel of mercy was who donated..THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.
In the news today: Harley is introducing 12 models of bikes in to India.
Garmin has added Satellite radio to their GPS units
An interesting article out of the States on Motorcyclists and Health Care Tax - it's worth a read...
A lot to do in the next couple of hours so I am signing off...
If you are riding, please ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you. Everyne else, come join our FREE show 'n' shine, visit me in Calgary and stay safe and warm!
Belt Drive Betty
www.beltdrivebetty.com
National VP A.I.M. Can
www.aim-can.com
Our Show 'n' Shine seems to be a pretty big hit so far. The new method of displaying the pictures of bikes, the mini forum, the commenting and ability to add info to your bike...wow - Ali did a great job getting that thing tweaked!
She and I sure appreciate the feedback on stuff - our web site: www.beltdrivebetty.com is YOUR home, YOUR site - we are just the stewards...
Danni from the Chrome Divas phoned me yesterday to tell me that Lise, the gal we put the plea out for a bone marrow donor - well the transplant has been a success and her prognosis is so favorable...to who ever the angel of mercy was who donated..THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.
In the news today: Harley is introducing 12 models of bikes in to India.
Garmin has added Satellite radio to their GPS units
An interesting article out of the States on Motorcyclists and Health Care Tax - it's worth a read...
A lot to do in the next couple of hours so I am signing off...
If you are riding, please ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you. Everyne else, come join our FREE show 'n' shine, visit me in Calgary and stay safe and warm!
Belt Drive Betty
www.beltdrivebetty.com
National VP A.I.M. Can
www.aim-can.com
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Spammers...
I have had a lot of people ask me why our registration form for our web site is so, extensive.
Our web mistress calls it abrasive.
Well, I hate filling out captcha and I resent spammers.
There are only two lines of defense that any web site really has when it comes to deciding who you are letting in. You either do what we do, hand approve everyone we let in the door OR you have a lot of captcha forms that people who want to contribute to the site have to fill out.
When we changed servers we lost a lot of our traffic for a while. It was actually a nice break from the hectic and frenetic pace we were experiencing. Now however as we are notifying all of our link sharing webs and the various riding clubs and coordinators as we talk to them about the 2010 riding season - our traffic is getting back to what it used to be and along with the traffic comes spammers. Every day it seems I am disallowing some spammer who has applied for membership. It's amazing how resourceful and cagey these people are. By hand approving EVERYONE, by checking and verifying the address is real, the phone exists, we are ensuring as much as anyone can the privacy and safety of our members. Our web mistress and I have wrangled with the idea of going to an easier sign up but yah know what, to me, it's not worth the risk.
It's like our news feeds, yes we have the actual feed located in various places on the web site however, the headline stuff is all hand selected. I don't want mountain biking news in our motorcycle news!
So anyway, if you ever wondered why our registration is a bit lengthy - that's really - truly the reason - I resent spammers and the destruction they cause, but I love the open experience of just contributing when you want to without having to fill out captcha codes or running the risk of some spammer jerk hijacking your account like on face book or getting a bunch of spammers following you on Twitter - combating those jerks is a full time job people! Touch wood, the old fashioned way of hand approving people, making sure they are there for the right reasons seems to still be the BEST line of defense!
In the news today: Billy Lane is teaching other inmates to weld and is working on the corrections vehicles.
The Dakar Rally has it's hopefuls.
Roehr Motorcycles is getting into the electric motorcycle game.
There's a lot more in the news today so visit our What's Hot Page at www.beltdrivebetty.com to stay in the know. We scour the news so you don't have to!
If you are one of those lucky dawgs that lives where you can ride, please ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you.
For the rest of you, come on over to the Beat the PMS Blues On Line Show 'n' Shine, you can celebrate being a rider in Canada - the Great White North, by enjoying some wonderful eye candy - 85 bikes registered - over 300 pictures to drool over and you might decide to enter - there's over $4K in prizes up for grabs!
Belt Drive Betty
www.beltdrivebetty.com
National VP A.I.M.Can
www.aim-can.com
Our web mistress calls it abrasive.
Well, I hate filling out captcha and I resent spammers.
There are only two lines of defense that any web site really has when it comes to deciding who you are letting in. You either do what we do, hand approve everyone we let in the door OR you have a lot of captcha forms that people who want to contribute to the site have to fill out.
When we changed servers we lost a lot of our traffic for a while. It was actually a nice break from the hectic and frenetic pace we were experiencing. Now however as we are notifying all of our link sharing webs and the various riding clubs and coordinators as we talk to them about the 2010 riding season - our traffic is getting back to what it used to be and along with the traffic comes spammers. Every day it seems I am disallowing some spammer who has applied for membership. It's amazing how resourceful and cagey these people are. By hand approving EVERYONE, by checking and verifying the address is real, the phone exists, we are ensuring as much as anyone can the privacy and safety of our members. Our web mistress and I have wrangled with the idea of going to an easier sign up but yah know what, to me, it's not worth the risk.
It's like our news feeds, yes we have the actual feed located in various places on the web site however, the headline stuff is all hand selected. I don't want mountain biking news in our motorcycle news!
So anyway, if you ever wondered why our registration is a bit lengthy - that's really - truly the reason - I resent spammers and the destruction they cause, but I love the open experience of just contributing when you want to without having to fill out captcha codes or running the risk of some spammer jerk hijacking your account like on face book or getting a bunch of spammers following you on Twitter - combating those jerks is a full time job people! Touch wood, the old fashioned way of hand approving people, making sure they are there for the right reasons seems to still be the BEST line of defense!
In the news today: Billy Lane is teaching other inmates to weld and is working on the corrections vehicles.
The Dakar Rally has it's hopefuls.
Roehr Motorcycles is getting into the electric motorcycle game.
There's a lot more in the news today so visit our What's Hot Page at www.beltdrivebetty.com to stay in the know. We scour the news so you don't have to!
If you are one of those lucky dawgs that lives where you can ride, please ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you.
For the rest of you, come on over to the Beat the PMS Blues On Line Show 'n' Shine, you can celebrate being a rider in Canada - the Great White North, by enjoying some wonderful eye candy - 85 bikes registered - over 300 pictures to drool over and you might decide to enter - there's over $4K in prizes up for grabs!
Belt Drive Betty
www.beltdrivebetty.com
National VP A.I.M.Can
www.aim-can.com
Monday, January 04, 2010
Getting ready for three grueling weeks on the road...
I love the January motorcycle shows, getting to see a lot of old friends, make new ones and conducting business and I hate the January motorcycle shows. It's an asinine time of year to be driving in Alberta. I miss my husband when I am away, I miss sleeping in my own bed. The expense, the challenges of dealing with shipping companies... Year end and a whole host of jobs have to be accomplished before one leaves and with the holidays it's a sucky time of year to be doing any real work because the rest of the world just isn't into it.
Yes, like most things in life there is an up side and a down side to everything.
The motorcycle shows are no different. The major thing for me that makes being on the road OK and almost wonderful is that I rarely stay in hotels. I stay with friends whenever possible. Not just to save the expenses but to be able to get some one on one time that I'd never get otherwise. Two more sleeps and I head for Calgary and my good friend Perky's place.
Not much in the newsfeeds this morning so I want to discuss our Beat the PMS Blues On Line Show 'n' Shine and all of the cool little tools our wonderful web mistress Ali has added to our gallery. We have a special forum just to discuss the bikes - it lives in the gallery, the link is right beside the home link in the gallery. If you need help loading pictures etc it's the place to go. It even has it's own internal private messaging service so if you are having issues you can PM me, if you like a bike and want to talk to it's owner, you can private message her/him. You can send your favorite bike to someone as an Ecard, make that bike into your Avatar..yes, Ali has outdone herself - again!
We have 90 people registered so far and just shy of 300 pictures (and it's only the beginning of day 4!) lots of eye candy to make the PMS either rev up or calm down depending on the person...
Our sponsors - we need to talk about them. We have created a gallery that tells you about the sponsors prize/s...I would deeply appreciate it if you visit the gallery called "Sponsors Gallery" It's the link right beside the Album List.
Why do I want you to visit that gallery - well, if you were a sponsor putting up some prizes, why would you do that? Because you are a nice person or because you are hoping to get some exposure and an opportunity to earn new customers?
Our sponsors make EVERYTHING we do possible, so while I and Ali appreciate the cudos for the work we do, we'd appreciate you helping us keep our sponsors and keep them happy and working with us by giving them what they need - a visit to their gallery, their web sites or their brick and mortar locations.
Please support those who support us, because in the end run they are supporting you!
If you are fortunate and blessed to live where you can ride, please ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you. If, like me, you live where it's snowing, cold and YUCKY, join our show 'n' shine, it's free and much better viewing that what's outside...
Belt Drive Betty
National VP A.I.M. Can
Sunday, January 03, 2010
2010 Motorcycle Events and other sundry stuff...
I would appreciate it if you riding club people and event people would make sure we have your events in the 2010 calendars. We know it's early in the year, but folks will be planning their holidays soon and we need your information as soon as you can provide it.
Belt Drive Betty and The Busted Knuckle Chronicles is proud to support the Canadian motorcycle riding community by providing event promotion free of charge.
We have a new event calendar program this year which is easy to use.
1. Please take a look to make sure your event has not already been added.
2. To add your event simply click on "Submit Event" which is located on the calendar menu bar directly under the heading Canadian Motorcycle Events.
3. Add the event as if you were helping a friend who has never been to your community before. Make sure you give the location postal code whenever possible as the calendar will generate a Google Map for the visitor. Make sure we have good contact information and that we know what time the event starts and completes!
4. If you see your event but there are corrections or changes, or, if you are having difficulty adding your event through the calendar program, email your information directly to us. Please remember to give us as much detail as possible.
Our event calendars cover a variety of categories:
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HIGHLIGHT YOUR PROVINCE AND THE EVENT TYPE BY CHECK MARKING THEM!
Customer Appreciation
Unlike Let's Ride and Monster - we actively work our calendars and do everything we can to make sure our information is up to date and accurate - so please - help us out a bit - you just never know when someone is going to move to your town or ride through on a holiday and want to hook up with someone of like mind. Having your information readily available will help them find you easier and faster!
COME ON PEOPLE - the Christmas holidays are over and bosses are going to want people to book their summer holidays by March 31st - You Snooze you LOOSE and so does your club and or charity!
In the News Today:
Duncan, BC resident Don Hatton had some more bad luck at the Dakar Rally...
Other than that, so far a quiet news day.
If you are fortunate to be riding, you obviously either live where there is no or minimal snow or you have chains on! Please ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you!
For the rest of us there's the Beat the PMS Blues On Line Show 'n' Shine with somewhere around $4,500 in prizes to give away in 14 categories! The People's Choice award is worth approx $1045! Make sure you visit the Sponsors Gallery (The link is right next to the Album List Link) I am not quite done adding all of the prizes, but all of the sponsors are in there and 60% of the prizes!
Until later...
Belt Drive Betty
www.beltdrivebetty.com
National VP A.I.M. Can
www.aim-can.com
Belt Drive Betty and The Busted Knuckle Chronicles is proud to support the Canadian motorcycle riding community by providing event promotion free of charge.
We have a new event calendar program this year which is easy to use.
(you don't even have to login)
1. Please take a look to make sure your event has not already been added.
2. To add your event simply click on "Submit Event" which is located on the calendar menu bar directly under the heading Canadian Motorcycle Events.
3. Add the event as if you were helping a friend who has never been to your community before. Make sure you give the location postal code whenever possible as the calendar will generate a Google Map for the visitor. Make sure we have good contact information and that we know what time the event starts and completes!
4. If you see your event but there are corrections or changes, or, if you are having difficulty adding your event through the calendar program, email your information directly to us. Please remember to give us as much detail as possible.
Our event calendars cover a variety of categories:
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HIGHLIGHT YOUR PROVINCE AND THE EVENT TYPE BY CHECK MARKING THEM!
Customer Appreciation
Demo Days
Dinners/Dances/Socials
Injured Rider/Special
Motorcycle Awareness
Motorcycle Shows
Motorcycle Sports
Rallies & Rodeos
Ride/Coffee
Ride/Coffee
Riding Club Meetings
Runs - Poker & Other
Show 'n' Shines
Swap Meets
Toy Runs
Unlike Let's Ride and Monster - we actively work our calendars and do everything we can to make sure our information is up to date and accurate - so please - help us out a bit - you just never know when someone is going to move to your town or ride through on a holiday and want to hook up with someone of like mind. Having your information readily available will help them find you easier and faster!
COME ON PEOPLE - the Christmas holidays are over and bosses are going to want people to book their summer holidays by March 31st - You Snooze you LOOSE and so does your club and or charity!
In the News Today:
Duncan, BC resident Don Hatton had some more bad luck at the Dakar Rally...
Other than that, so far a quiet news day.
If you are fortunate to be riding, you obviously either live where there is no or minimal snow or you have chains on! Please ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you!
For the rest of us there's the Beat the PMS Blues On Line Show 'n' Shine with somewhere around $4,500 in prizes to give away in 14 categories! The People's Choice award is worth approx $1045! Make sure you visit the Sponsors Gallery (The link is right next to the Album List Link) I am not quite done adding all of the prizes, but all of the sponsors are in there and 60% of the prizes!
Until later...
Belt Drive Betty
www.beltdrivebetty.com
National VP A.I.M. Can
www.aim-can.com