Belt Drive Betty's Blog

Setting the Record Straight About Shaving my Head for the Run to the Hills Rally Fallen Rider Monument

Last weekend I attended the Run to the Hills Memorial Rally, a rally that my company, Belt Drive Betty Media has sponsored since day one.<br />
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When I found out that Bob was short on money to truly get things cranking for the Fallen Riders Memorial, I told him that I don't have much for money but I have a lot of hair so I would solicit donations and when we hit the target of $10,000 I would shave my head.<br />
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$10,000 was the goal I had set from the beginning, because if Bob is going to apply for grants, he needs some matching money.<br />
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Right from the beginning I said I would NOT shave my head AT the rally unless I raised a minimum of $2,000.<br />
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Saturday night, after being in the sun all day, I went to lay down for a while. I had asked to be woken up, but no one came to get me.  I woke up around 1 am to a very quiet campground, I had a pounding headache from getting too much sun but I grabbed the bag of money, just shy of $1,200 and beetled down to the beer gardens. <br />
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I donated the money to Bob on stage and told him, I didn't hit the mark, but that we'd continue working at raising the $10K that was needed, that this was not over.<br />
You see, if I had shaved my head for so little, we'd have nothing to work with to hit our mark so....<br />
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Bob and I met with Community Futures and they have agreed to help him fill out the grant applications and include letters of endorsement for the monument and park.<br />
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Bob didn't have a Pay Pal account for the Rally, so I helped him get it set up and now we are ready to raise the other $8,800 that is needed for Bob to have the funds to apply for the matching grants that are available to see the monument get completed.<br />
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Today we officially launch our Run to the Hills Memorial Headshave Fundraiser to finish raising the money I had set out to raise for the memorial and park.<br />
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That's the goal, $8,800 - once that is reached, I will go to my hairdresser in Grande Prairie with video camera in hand and have her shave my head so that the hair can be donated to Locks of Love to make wigs for little girls with cancer.<br />
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If it takes us 2 weeks or 6 months, I don't care, I will shave my head when we reach the target.<br />
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Here is a video from Bob from the Run to the Hills Memorial Rally and myself that explains what the rally is all about and why the Memorial Monument and Park need the funds to be completed:<br />
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Donations to the memorial can be made directly to Bob Ross of the Run to the Hills Memorial Rally via Pay Pal: runtothehillsbikerally@yahoo.ca<br />
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When Bob tells me we have hit the mark, I will get my head shaved.<br />
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So come on folk, lets help him get this memorial built - our community needs and deserves this place of reflection.<br />
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Oh and don't forget that Bob needs volunteers to help do the work - the first work bee is slated for the weekend of September 19th - there will be pulled pork sandwiches, beverages and camping for all who can help out. We need carpenters, bricklayers, landscapers, and hands to help the trades people get the job done! <br />
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You can email Bob at runtothehillsrally@yahoo.ca to let him know how you can help!<br />
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Belt Drive Betty<br />
Editor & Rider<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b><i>Disclaimer:</i></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. The Belt Drive Betty Blog makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site & will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.</span><br />
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Setting the Record Straight About Shaving my Head for the Run to the Hills Rally Fallen Rider Monument

Last weekend I attended the Run to the Hills Memorial Rally, a rally that my company, Belt Drive Betty Media has sponsored since day one. ...

Motorcycling in Canada - A Ride Through Our History - Part 4

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Motorcycling in Canada - A Ride Through Our History - Part 4</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfgVcYvouH8cz-A1fxtQjqoo3ikjPQ29yQeDyTHDrgRkv6TccYTWs_tAV88-me9QIlZb-zscJQlmBR8CYqWFdAtqQfpCfIJGMlEL0ms5SKOReYdoAhGUSZY9bSWeHHPrGSGkYc/s1600/MMC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfgVcYvouH8cz-A1fxtQjqoo3ikjPQ29yQeDyTHDrgRkv6TccYTWs_tAV88-me9QIlZb-zscJQlmBR8CYqWFdAtqQfpCfIJGMlEL0ms5SKOReYdoAhGUSZY9bSWeHHPrGSGkYc/s200/MMC.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Manitoba's early history with the motorcycle is as interesting and fascinating as British Columbia, Alberta or Saskatchewan's. In fact, the Manitoba Motorcycle Club is recognized officially as Canada's oldest motorcycle club. They were founded in 1911. In 2010 they amalgamated with the Antique Motorcycle Club of Manitoba.<br />
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During the early 1900's Manitoba had a bustling motorcycle community.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amcm.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mmc2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="http://www.amcm.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mmc2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo located on the Antique Motorcycle Club of Manitoba Web Site</td></tr>
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The Manitoba Motorcycle Club, and the Winnipeg RoughRiders Motorcycle Club are amongst the best documented of all of the clubs in Manitoba at the time.<br />
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The Manitoba Motorcycle Club had some pretty talented racers.<br />
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In October of 1911, Joe Baribeau of the Manitoba Motorcycle Club set the world record for 100 miles on a dirt track at 1:40:14 & 3/5 second. He shaved almost 2 minutes off the previous record! Not only that he set the pace at and average speed of 60 mph.<br />
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Joe was only a part of the Manitoba Motorcycle Club for two years, but his numerous victories and his huge love of the sport made a huge impact in those two short years.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFDIRH-Qogcse45PZbYxk0vWEnO04ddMGqaO9owkE6xWLtwruOWoWo0cOJ7LzxYV7CHskaRL1FhpZIestiXVn4pfDTFCyhDdFZ6v9kilefggvhhl__zsz2mfFjf_yqzqLx1xEL/s1600/The_Scranton_Truth_Mon__Oct_16__1911_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFDIRH-Qogcse45PZbYxk0vWEnO04ddMGqaO9owkE6xWLtwruOWoWo0cOJ7LzxYV7CHskaRL1FhpZIestiXVn4pfDTFCyhDdFZ6v9kilefggvhhl__zsz2mfFjf_yqzqLx1xEL/s320/The_Scranton_Truth_Mon__Oct_16__1911_.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scranton Truth, Oct. 16, 1911</td></tr>
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Baribeau went on the be a principle racer for the Hendee Manufacturing Co. (Indian).<br />
His racing career only lasted until 1913 when he wrecked in Toledo Ohio. He only ever raced once after that, in Toronto in 1915.<br />
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<b>There is one more first that goes to Joe Baribeau - his is the first recorded motorcycle wedding in Canada.</b></h4>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAwCikgwCYQ4TUbz-uVEzcp2BQzSp1kwiN3tZYk5cs1KHMcNVqz5RaofB7-hii-oOl3obmRfW364CsPjXoeGiDzOidoCMaiRMD4xtxT4JWLhbQ7bHS1Tn7qJOde79X24ni8LO6/s1600/Joe+Baribeau+Weds.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAwCikgwCYQ4TUbz-uVEzcp2BQzSp1kwiN3tZYk5cs1KHMcNVqz5RaofB7-hii-oOl3obmRfW364CsPjXoeGiDzOidoCMaiRMD4xtxT4JWLhbQ7bHS1Tn7qJOde79X24ni8LO6/s320/Joe+Baribeau+Weds.tiff" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winnipeg Tribune,  Nov. 5, 1913</td></tr>
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The clubs of the day in Manitoba were very active. There were lots of hill races, TT races, dirt track races, socials and more. The motorcycle community of Manitoba was also very civic minded.<br />
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The Manitoba Motorcycle Club and the Winnipeg RoughRiders Motorcycle Club collectively offered up 100 motorcycles and the manpower to form a motorcycle unit for the war in 1940.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winnipeg Tribune, July 19, 1940</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmjI395DgmQFDy5YXNTOE507BxTFJrHgwrB4Q8bqYmwNJvLPnmsjCGJZ9cMoOEeyE03aIe9pFjJZGT2qYwknEbKmmZ6ETJS83ceDJhZNkhk3Ko-rXhsWZvE0KX4BIKBwvJwSl/s1600/The_Winnipeg_Tribune_Thu__Jul_25__1940_.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/AVvXsEgHmjI395DgmQFDy5YXNTOE507BxTFJrHgwrB4Q8bqYmwNJvLPnmsjCGJZ9cMoOEeyE03aIe9pFjJZGT2qYwknEbKmmZ6ETJS83ceDJhZNkhk3Ko-rXhsWZvE0KX4BIKBwvJwSl/s320/The_Winnipeg_Tribune_Thu__Jul_25__1940_.jpg" width="217" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winnipeg Tribune 1940</td></tr>
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<b>Many Manitoba riders played roles in the way the motorcycle was used to impact our history and culture.</b></h4>
By the end of 1910, there were approximately 10 dealerships in and around Winnipeg and all were looking to fill the demand for the motorcycle.<br />
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<b>One of the best documented was the Northwest Cycle & Motor company. </b><br />
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Opened in 1912, over the course of their history they would sell everything from Harley-Davidson, Ducati, Lambretta and everything in between. In 1978 the dealership was bought by Harley-Davidson of Winnipeg.<br />
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Back in the day, the Northwest Cycle & Motor Company was not just a place for riders to congregate or drool over new machines.<b> It was also a place for innovation.</b><br />
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In 1948 a gent by the name of Ben Benson worked at this motorcycle shop and he filed and received the patent for the Hydra Glide front end!</h4>
See his Patent <a href="http://www.google.ca/patents/US2511320">here</a>.<br />
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It is believed that he struck a deal with the Harley-Davidson Motor Corp. in late 1948 before his patent was approved in 1950.<br />
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<b>Meet another interesting Manitoba rider; Albert E Bennett (1906-1968)</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaDEpge1awJhZBqI07U3Sm057q9uVFWkT_ovr16sAQBUeTrFeyXnZVVx99yL9_jtUsRSWaHHD9fSiqLHw_KhLjZ1jGM2q8mwejkeHyl2SI-VwoAdOMyCOP_0WwY7xeFzEHO2kx/s1600/Albert+E+Bennet.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaDEpge1awJhZBqI07U3Sm057q9uVFWkT_ovr16sAQBUeTrFeyXnZVVx99yL9_jtUsRSWaHHD9fSiqLHw_KhLjZ1jGM2q8mwejkeHyl2SI-VwoAdOMyCOP_0WwY7xeFzEHO2kx/s1600/Albert+E+Bennet.tiff" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Row, second from the left</td></tr>
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Born in Rossburn Manitoba, he and his family moved to Winnipeg in 1909.<br />
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After a stint prospecting for gold in the Williams Lake BC region, he returned to Winnipeg where he held the position of superintendent for the Winnipeg Electric Company of 14 years.<br />
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He had also worked as an assistant engineer during the construction of the Norwood Bridge and held the position of executive director for Met-Wood Industries. Heavily involved with civic politics he served on city council for 5 years from 1955 to 1960.<br />
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Mr. Bennett is probably best known in our history books as the founder of the first air cadet corps in Canada (1938) and for his role in the second world war as the commanding officer of Winnipeg's motorcycle training unit.<br />
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<b>I hope you enjoyed our ride through early motorcycle history in Manitoba....</b>So far this ride through our history has had some colourful and talented characters involved!<br />
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<b>Ontario is up next!</b><br />
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Here are a couple of videos from the <a href="http://www.amcm.ca/">Antique Motorcycle Club of Manitoba</a>'s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/AMCMWpg">YouTube Channel</a> that I thought you might enjoy:<br />
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<b>Interesting Historical tidbits:</b></div>
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1906: Quebec, it is believed that there were 3 motorcycles registered in the province </div>
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1911: Ontario issues motorcycle license plates</div>
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1911: New Brunswick includes motorcycle plates as part of their first run of licence plates</div>
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1912: Manitoba issues motorcycle plates that are miniature in size and revert to large plates with no provincial emblems for motorcycles in 1914.</div>
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1912: The Titanic sinks off the coast of Newfoundland</div>
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1912: Saskatchewan issues miniature motorcycle plates with provincial crests</div>
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1913: British Columbia introduces motorcycle license plates that are miniature in size, in 1914 the </div>
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plate changed to the size of a regular plate but had additional mounting holes.<br />
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1914: Britain declares war on Germany, Canada as a colony is at war.<br />
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1914: Winnipeg MB, the Fort Garry Horse was founded and was Manitoba's only cavalry regiment<br />
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1929: Canada is the second largest manufacture of automobiles. By the end of 1929 there were 1.9 million registered automobiles in Canada.<br />
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1930: The average cost of a car was $600<br />
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1939: Prince Edward Island - this is the earliest known motorcycle plate for PEI<br />
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1938 - 1945: Canada stops producing civilian products such as cars, appliances and clothing, and focuses on military production.</div>
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<b>I hope you enjoyed our ride through early motorcycle history in Manitoba....</b><br />
<b>Ontario is up next!</b><br />
<b><br /></b><b>I hope you will help us find Canada's MOST rider Friendly Community</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Visit www.riderfriendlycontest.ca</b><br />
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If you are blessed enough to be riding today, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you.<br />
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Belt Drive Betty,<br />
Editor & Rider<br />
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<b>Research for this article:</b><br />
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Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame<br />
Greg Williams<br />
Winnipeg Free Press<br />
Manitoba Motorcycle Club Archives<br />
Antique Motorcycle Club of Manitoba<br />
Canadian Car<br />
Memorable Manitobans<br />
Google: Patents<br />
Eric's Plates<br />
Winnipeg 100 Years<br />
Winnipeg.ca<br />
Winnipeg Tribune<br />
Scranton Truth<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b><i>Disclaimer:</i></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. The Belt Drive Betty Blog makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site & will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.</span>