The Heroes Highway Ride, the Dream Ride for Larry McKenzie and so many more great events this weekend

<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">From Coast to Coast to Coast, the 2013 riding season appears to have finally arrived and the <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/events/calendar">events calendars </a>at <a href="http://beltdrivebetty.com/">BeltDriveBetty.com</a> are filled with hundreds and hundreds of great events to attend.</span></span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My home town of Redwater AB has the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/110047915692254/"><span style="color: red;">Ride for Hunger </span></a>happening, my friends of the Alberta Lone Wolves are hosting <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/428020967290561/?fref=ts"><span style="color: red;">Larry's Dream Ride </span></a>- Larry AKA Loopy is dying of cancer and his wish was to ride with at least 1,000 other riders at least once in his life...I am attending the Heroes Highway Ride and Rally leaving from Whitby ON and heading to Trenton to pay tribute to our troops.</span></i><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I would have loved to ride with Loopy but was already committed to the HHR when we got the news about Loopy's cancer. I pray there are well over 1,000 bikes that show up for this wonderful man.  Love you Loopy!!!!</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The <a href="http://heroshighwayride.com/"><span style="color: red;">Heroes Highway Ride & Rally</span></a> is the largest event of it's kind in Canada. It's a free ride meant to demonstrate our support of our troops and veterans and their families.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">These people routinely put their lives on hold and on the line to defend the interests of our country and to protect others around the world who are not able to defend themselves, and their families sacrifice as much and sometimes more.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This year's HHR is being attended by Veterans advocate and SISIP class action hero Dennis Manuge who will be there supporting Medric Cousineau and Thai of <a href="http://www.pawsfurthought1.com/"><span style="color: red;">Paws Fur Thoughts</span></a> and the Long Walk to Sanity. <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/images/pawsfurthought/pft_dog_tag.jpg"><span style="color: red;">You can buy the Long Walk to Sanity Dog Tags</span></a> to support Medric's cause at the HHR - just look for the Mark Mullen/Belt Drive Betty/Paws Fur Thoughts Booth!</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Artist Mark Mullen and his mom Kristina Toomey will be on hand with Mark's latest creation a portrait of Duck Dynasty's stars  Si and Phil (Below).  All the money raised from the tickets sold on this piece of art goes to Paws Fur Thoughts towards the purchase of a service dog. Draw happens during the <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://markmullenart.com/"><span style="color: red;">Hillbilly Scavenger Hunt</span></a> </span>which will also be donating to <a href="http://www.pawsfurthought1.com/"><span style="color: red;">Paws Fur Thought!</span></a></span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7yYmLjo7jWhCHFRDTjUXQscf3AWKZU1knDjO7CDV2GoWjaOPwp-V1u-I0VHD2qcStgdXSpTMTvyddShvIBQhBnQR8xpQa2YryjmImIDoadVNFu9G7xO6ZwXHqu28txbi4BQ8/s1600/Happy+Jack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7yYmLjo7jWhCHFRDTjUXQscf3AWKZU1knDjO7CDV2GoWjaOPwp-V1u-I0VHD2qcStgdXSpTMTvyddShvIBQhBnQR8xpQa2YryjmImIDoadVNFu9G7xO6ZwXHqu28txbi4BQ8/s320/Happy+Jack.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">There will be families of fallen soldiers being honoured, silver cross moms that will be there to heal, to celebrate the lives of their children. The Portraits of Honour created by Dave Sopha will be there for you to see and pay tribute to the fallen of the Afghan mission. There will be military displays, guest speakers and all sorts of activities to take in.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Trapper Can of the <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://c.a.v./"><span style="color: red;">C.A.V.</span></a> </span>will be in attendance and if you have never heard this man speak, you will be in for a treat!</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Riders will be able to take in the Afghan Repatriation Memorial - meet our serving troops, meet some of our veterans and celebrate the lives and sacrifices made by the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces.  If you can attend - rain or shine - you will not be disappointed....even in the driving rain the military is out in full force showing their appreciation of our support - it is an utterly amazing experience that does so much for so many.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Please come out to the HHR and show our troops and veterans that we appreciate them and if you can't attend, you can support the HHR and the charities it supports by bidding here <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/supports-our-troops/bid-on-afghan"><span style="color: red;">on the amazing Afghan you see below</span> </a>- the winning bidder pays the shipping...Bidding ends at midnight tonight Alberta Time.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/images/camo_afghan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/images/camo_afghan.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Visit the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/51954658771/"><span style="color: red;">HHR's Facebook Page</span></a> for all of the meet up points to ride into Trenton under escort.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">That's it from me for today - a ton to do to get ready to film and report from the HHR...</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">No matter which event, what cause or what destination you are riding to this weekend, please ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you...</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Be blessed and stay safe...</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Belt Drive Betty</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Editor & Rider.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>

The Heroes Highway Ride, the Dream Ride for Larry McKenzie and so many more great events this weekend

Belt Drive 1 8:26 AM

From Coast to Coast to Coast, the 2013 riding season appears to have finally arrived and the events calendars at BeltDriveBetty.com are filled with hundreds and hundreds of great events to attend. My home town of Redwater AB has the Ride for Hunger h… Read more »

Read more »

The MCC & the CMA say NO BOOZE for Motorcyclists

<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The Motorcyclists Confederation of Canada and the Canadian Motorcycle Association have made a joint statement declaring that they are the voice of 85,000 Canadian riders and they say a <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/303-businessindustry-news-canada/28006-canadian-motorcycle-riders-back-zero-bac-for-all-riders"><span style="color: red;"><b>ZERO Blood Alcohol Content initiative for motorcyclists would be supported by all of their riders.</b></span></a></span></i><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I am beginning to see a familiar pattern when it comes to the Moped Motorcycle Industry Council (MMIC) and the Motorcyclist Confederation of Canada (MCC).  I guess it shouldn't surprise me because the MCC is supported financially by the manufacturers and it appears that yet again, they are working towards the discrimination of riders.  Remember that the MMIC are the people who brought us the J2825 Motorcycle noise Test from the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers).</span></span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I do not understand what they are doing or why.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Their vision appears to be so one tracked and it is beginning to look like they are trying to make a name for themselves, although I am not quite sure what ind of name to give them.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If it is NOT ok for me to have a glass of wine with supper and get on my motorcycle to ride to my motel when I am on holiday, then why is it ok for me to have a glass of wine with my supper and get in my car to drive home?</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Impaired judgement is impaired judgement. </span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If I am not competent to ride a motorcycle then I am not competent to dive a motor vehicle, period.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Why this distinction by the MCC?</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If you are a member of the MCC or the CMA, did you agree to the statement as an individual?</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Why - yet again - single out motorcyclists?</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Do you really think that a statement like that from riders is going to make it look like riders are leading the way in the campaign against drunk driving?  Wouldn't the far more balanced approach be to state that the riders of the MCC and the CMA support a ZERO BAC for ALL who share the roadways?</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What say you?</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">In other news, Japanese racer Yoshinari Matsushita was <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/news/sports/international-sports/intl-off-road-racing-sp-1345791592/28020-devastating-news-for-all-at-tas-racing"><span style="color: red;">killed during a practise for the Isle of Man TT</span></a>.</span></span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">And we have riders down again...</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Police in Clarenville NL are <span style="color: red;">i<a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/1658-nl-rider-down/28021-mounties-investigating-fatal-accident"><span style="color: red;">nvestigating a fatal motorcycle crash</span></a></span> and in Sudbury<a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/1653-on-rider-down/28017-frood-road-crash-sends-motorcycle-driver-to-hospital"><span style="color: red;"> a rider is in hospital</span> </a>after a driver attempted to make left hand turn in front of the motorcyclist.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My prayers go out to the family and loved ones of all involved in these three incidents.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">For all of the news of the day, visit<span style="color: red;"> </span><b><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/"><span style="color: red;">www.beltdrivebetty.com</span></a> </span></b>where our work is keeping you informed!</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We have an auction we are supporting for the Heroes Highway Ride & Rally - a beautiful afghan done in a cammo look!  <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/supports-our-troops/bid-on-afghan"><span style="color: red;">Check it out and bid on it!</span></a></span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I leave you with a few funnies shared with me by friends on Facebook and by email...</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I need a laugh after somber news like that.</span><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5ZnUGF1Iq_rKjTL1ISEiz60rzQnkjT89lf65s0XNWreyN1SV8nutCHYY1rSeIDrlsw2vOXYr7ZzRHUcUFYi2KM7WFIBsnHY5-8gG3FYNwIHZvMrKryWeIadIR2K_jIN-lajK/s1600/165436_382415545200227_2023959600_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5ZnUGF1Iq_rKjTL1ISEiz60rzQnkjT89lf65s0XNWreyN1SV8nutCHYY1rSeIDrlsw2vOXYr7ZzRHUcUFYi2KM7WFIBsnHY5-8gG3FYNwIHZvMrKryWeIadIR2K_jIN-lajK/s320/165436_382415545200227_2023959600_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span></div> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span><br /> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIwDm_92a6tLySP_lvwRiSTr9H4b8wD7Uz4st-g_fzWwl8YU5hwMguG5WXUSAmXZJW7yT3_7s2fKcwkzcSZB1XULJBfl1ZIHsYI8C4S30AJJJ57mxmaLgsqAxZV-_HDyA4rppO/s1600/381416_475541222516562_1998331070_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIwDm_92a6tLySP_lvwRiSTr9H4b8wD7Uz4st-g_fzWwl8YU5hwMguG5WXUSAmXZJW7yT3_7s2fKcwkzcSZB1XULJBfl1ZIHsYI8C4S30AJJJ57mxmaLgsqAxZV-_HDyA4rppO/s320/381416_475541222516562_1998331070_n.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr> </tbody></table> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span></div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsuRk2rpc0T7I6MNSL6CX4dwbqXKgGXgw1D_ebEfTLfbdYrpcL_yAY0MzrPHmKDqKDSLYxraSARxvDdaK0ZwLar7Om3ry6jvkuROpV6LiFo_b5cTlQTX7qkVl6DrUtGUeL6-n/s1600/644684_446458538772751_1977141009_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsuRk2rpc0T7I6MNSL6CX4dwbqXKgGXgw1D_ebEfTLfbdYrpcL_yAY0MzrPHmKDqKDSLYxraSARxvDdaK0ZwLar7Om3ry6jvkuROpV6LiFo_b5cTlQTX7qkVl6DrUtGUeL6-n/s320/644684_446458538772751_1977141009_n.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr> </tbody></table> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /><i><b>Have a good Tuesday everyone, and remember, ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you.</b></i></span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <i><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Belt Drive Betty</span></b></i><br /> <i><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Editor &  Rider</span></b></i><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>

The MCC & the CMA say NO BOOZE for Motorcyclists

Belt Drive 1 8:02 AM

The Motorcyclists Confederation of Canada and the Canadian Motorcycle Association have made a joint statement declaring that they are the voice of 85,000 Canadian riders and they say a ZERO Blood Alcohol Content initiative for motorcyclists would be … Read more »

Read more »