1,100 entries and growing

It's been slow going but we are over 1/4 of the way through the data entry for the new riders phone book!

If I can keep up this pace the phone book will be ready to go to the printer in December!
I hope you will take the on line version for a test drive.

Have a great weekend and stay safe out there.

BD Betty

Free Membership

Ok gang -

Up until now we had no real way to allow people to sign up for free memberships. Spammers and hackers being our biggest fear. However, the content management system we use has now got the tools we needed and so...

So now, even if you don't subscribe to the paper ($5.30 per year on line or $47.65 in print) you can still get 90% of the benefits that subscribers receive.

AND IT'S FREE!!!!

So sign up today to take advantage of all of the tools that we have for you..... Stay safe out there.... 

BDB

Lots of interesting things happening

Ali has been adding components to the web sites in a fast and furious manner which always means a learning curve for me. The newest component allows us to manage our membership better.

Now new members get tools specific to the group they are in so Rider members see different tools than business members. This is like a dream come true - finally we are the rider's version of a chamber of commerce and Travel Canada all rolled in to one!

We still have a ton of things we want to offer our members and if there's anything you want on the site - let us know, a hunting we will go to find it!


Stay safe out there....

BD Betty

The Rider's Phone Book

If you haven't taken Belt Drive Betty's Little Black Book for a test run - you should check it out!
http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/joomla07/index.php?option=com_sobi2&Itemid=182
We now have over 850 businesses which means I am pushing the 25% mark for data entry!
It's coming - BC is almost half finished then I'll start on Atlantic Canada and work my way to the monsters - Quebec & Ontario!

This book is going to be one great tool for we riders!

The other thing that is a wonderful tool - the new calendars!
They are wonderful - it's easy for anyone to add an event be it for a group or a business.
You just click on the plus sign for the date of your event and away you go - the best is that I get notified before it's posted so we can ensure that every bit of information is given to the rider that we can - it also helps out the person who is adding the event because the repeating dates can be a bit confusing to enter.
http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/joomla07/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=208

As you can see, every province has it's own calendar and we have a large number of events transferred from our old calendar system to this new one already!
Check them out and if you don't see your groups meeting and ride/coffee(beer) nights or a local competition event or toy run in the calendar - add it!

Have a great weekend everyone and be safe out there....
BD Betty

Slowly but surely....

Hope your Turkey Day was a good one.

This has been a rough week on some levels.

Through a whole series of Murphy's Laws striking I went from 5 people helping me to no one helping me - all in one day.

2 Days later I had 2 people volunteer to help out, so I guess we'll just see how it goes.

I have been working at transferring more event information into the new 2008 calendars and so far so good. As I'm going I am trying to contact the event coordinators and the various riding clubs to get updates on their events and group information.

If you know of an event that we haven't yet got on the calendar - please by all means enter it.

We want everyone to have the tools they need for making 2008 a great riding season.
Some of us have shorter ones than others do and we like to cram as much in as possible, so please HELP ME OUT HERE!

I have the better part of 800 businesses or 1/5th of my data in the on line phone book.
If anyone doubted my sincerity about becoming the Biker/Rider's version of a Chamber of Commerce I hope that the work that is getting done shows you how serious I am.

We need advertisers for the print version of the book....
If anyone can help out with selling phone book advertising please get in touch with me - this going it alone is kinda rough... bdbetty@gmail.com

We also need more advertisers for the newspaper and web sites - I am so busy doing data entry I have no time for sales work it seems.

Anyone willing to step up - we do pay so please contact me.

Thanks everyone and stay safe out there....

BD Betty

SNOW! Yikes

Well, yesterday morning we woke to snow here in GP...yuck!

A reminder to all, bike shops and painters/airbrushers really appreciate having their work load spread out. Jamming them up in March only puts strain on everyone. Book your appointments NOW!

Belt Drive Betty's Little Black book has just shy of 800 entries it it!

Everything I have for Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, the Yukon & NWT is now in the phone book. I start on BC today and once the west is done I start on the east.

Our events calendars are coming along, if you know of an event, a group meeting that isn't listed - add them - you have the power!

Anyway, that slave driver I work for tells me it's time to go back to more data entry so....
Have a Great Thanks Giving everyone - and take time to remember the things you ARE thankful for, like family, friends and bikes.


Love you all - stay safe out there.

BD Betty

New Event & Group Calendars for the web site!

We have just installed our new events calendar management system, it is highly searchable by event type and is broken down by province to make your event and group information easy to find.

We can now carry your Group Meetings, ride nights, breakfast meetings, Rallies, Runs and other events.

Our BC and Alberta Calendars are well under way. Please, check the calendar for your province and make sure we have the right information for your group. If we don't please send us an event correction or email me to become a provincial calendar administrator.
For all other provinces, if anyone is willing to give us a hand to get the information for your province or region added to our new calendars, please contact me at bdbetty@gmail.com

We want every riding club and every event to get the exposure they need to grow the participation of their clubs and events for 2008.

Thanks and stay safe out there....

BD Betty