Ahhh, there’s something about a clean vehicle!

The other day I got a kit with Armor All Ultra Shine Wash & Wax, some Armor All Air Freshening Multi-Purpose Cleaner and Auto Glass Cleaner to clean my car.

The weatherman had let us know that temperatures were about to plunge, and so it was the ideal time to get this job done.

Hubby and I went to the shop where he works as a heavy-duty mechanic and used a bay there so I could give my 2005 Volkswagen Passat a good going over, while he did an oil change and replaced a burned out headlight.

Road dirt, road salt and snow means that this dirty combination gets into all of the cracks and crannies of your car and unless removed, on the first warm day, the salt and grime start working on your parts and body panels and the next thing you know, rust starts.

One of the best defenses against rust and premature part wear is washing your vehicle, when it’s cold out.

You have to make sure that you get into the wheel wells, the undercarriage and after you are done washing and rinsing, a coat of wax is always a good idea. 

With the Ultra Shine Wash & Wax you can eliminate a step and obtain the protection your vehicle needs. The simple steps are to rinse, wash and rinse your vehicle again and then use a soft cloth to wipe it dry. Very important, don’t forget to dry the door rubbers off well and to blow out your door locks with compressed air and use some lock de-ice. I use a can of compressed air, the stuff I have on hand for my computer fans to blow out the locks.

With the outside washed well, when the temperature warms up and the salt starts working on the metals, there is a layer of protection to prevent rust from starting.

I love the way my car looks when it’s clean but more importantly I love how it smells! I cleaned the interior with the Air Freshening Multi-Purpose Cleaner from Armor All.  It does a fabulous job of lifting the dirt off of the dash and doors; it cleans the steering wheel and knobs with ease.

It also freshens up the carpet, removing dirt and stains without discoloring it.

The Auto Glass Cleaner does an amazing streak free job on the windows, mirrors and dash.

There is nothing better in the world than the feeling of clean sheets, a clean and tidy home and a vehicle that looks like someone loves it!

To find out more about Armor All products check out their web site: armorall.ca

Breaking News from Nashville Bike Week

Just announced, Gene Simmons & the Rock Icons will be headlining on Saturday September 16th.

Opening for Rock Icon & Simmons will be the bands Slaughter and Skid Row.

Friday the 15th of September will be Moonshine Bandits, The LACS and Colt Ford.

Nashville Bike Week - September 14-24th 2017 - Come witness histMoosnory being made!

Big News for the Afghanistan Monument & Memorial Gardens Project!

Today ANAVETS #389 held a press conference to fill in our community about the Afghanistan Monument & Memorial Park Project here in Grande Prairie Alberta.

It was very successful in that all of our local media came out and a few of our sponsors and a potential sponsor came out as well.

It was exciting to share with everyone the fact that our application to Canada Company for a LAV III Unit (light armoured vehicle) was approved and that we have our first major donors!

Canadian Legacy Project has committed a large donation to our project and introduced us to Sunset Memorial & Stone who discounted the cost of our monument from $41,000 to $19,800.00 as their donation.

Design Works Engineering and Inspections Ltd., has donated to us the stamped engineering drawing that we need to supply to Canada Company as part of our paperwork process to take possession of our LAV III unit.

Concrete Militia has agree to do the concrete work for us at a greatly reduced cost and Lafarge  Northwest, has agreed to provide us with our concrete, again at a substantial discount!

My stepfather and welder extraordinaire, Bob Campbell, has been getting various oilfield companies that he works with to donate the materials we need for our arches and gate panels, and he is donating the welding! He's promised to get me list so we can honour their contributions.

Grande Prairie Regional Tourism has stepped up to help us increase the awareness of our project by letting their members know about it and so has Friends of Historical Northern Alberta Society, they are going to add our monuments and gardens to their APP!

The County of Grande Praire # 1 has donated the trucking costs of bringing in the substrate materials we need, up to $5,000!

After the press conference we went outside to show everyone where we plan on building the monuments and memorial gardens and Randy & Dwayne of Smash and Sons Contracting Ltd., decided that they would donate all of the ground work we need to prepare the site for our gardens and monuments!

We also discovered, thanks to the long memory of Curtis Galbraith of Big County Radio that we have an even more important reason to build theses monuments and memorial gardens than originally thought...it turns out that in 2006, a man born in Grande Prairie, Master Corporal Timothy J Wilson died in hospital in Germany after being injured in Afghanistan. (He was injured on March 2nd and died on March 4th, 2006.)

We were originally building this monument partially because of our ties to the Loyal Edmonton Regiment and their ties to D Coy Armouries here as their Regimental home during World War II.

But now that we know that a man born here, in our city, although he moved from our region at 9 years old to live in Manitoba, gave his life for our country, well it just made this project more special, more important, closer to home, if that's possible.

The more I learn about the men and women who died in Afghanistan, the more humbled I am to be leading this project.

On behalf of ANAVETS #389 and all of our partners, the Royal Canadian Legion # 54, our Air & Army Cadets, Canada Company, the Loyal Edmonton Regiment and the Loyal Edmonton Regiment Museum, I want to thank those who are supporting and sponsoring our project.

You make me proud to live here.

To learn more about our project visit the brand new ANAVETS #389 website at www.anavets389.com

Belt Drive Betty,
Editor & Rider

December is Support Local Business Month for the RFBA!

Our Rider Friendly Businesses donate to our riding clubs & causes all year long... Door Prizes, sponsorships, silent auction items etc...

This December Please:

Shop with your favorite local business & then Rate, Review & Refer them to your fellow riders!

www.riderfriendly.com 

EACH DAY IN DECEMBER we will highlight an RFBA Business on our Rider Friendly Business Association® FACEBOOK PAGE

A Canadian Built Production Motorcycle?

DATELINE: November 19th, Blackjack's Road House, Nisku AB.
WHO: Williams Custom Bikes of Canada
WHY: Unveiling of Canada's first Transport Canada approved production motorcycle since 2007, the Irv Special 100
WHAT: Under $18,000K Motorcycle that has great customization options
WHERE: www.williamscustombikes.com

Sven Bernard

The day was filled with anticipation. Every time I walked by the main stage, I had the urge to peek under the covering. That light piece of cloth was the only thing shielding this motorcycle from my view.

As much as I wanted to peek, I didn't.

Finally it was 9 PM and Sven Bernard the Manager of Williams Custom Bikes of Canada bounded on to the stage.  He talked a bit about the history of the company and used a rather entertaining powerpoint presentation to make his points. Williams Custom Bikes of Canada has been around since 2003.

Located in Heisler AB, they started out importing bikes, but decided after a number of years that with the Canadian dollar and some of the challenges the industry was going through, they should take a different tact.

They'd build their own motorcycles, right here in ALBERTA!

Now these bikes are not flat out customs where every part and piece possible is made in house.
These are production bikes and they are Transport Canada approved and bare the mark MADE IN CANADA!

Sven introduced Irv Williams, the CEO of the company and Irv spoke to everyone about how excited he was to see the bike, as it would be his first time too!

Irv Williams

Irv Williams is a heck of a guy. He's from Fort McMurray and he's one of those unfortunates who lost his home and all of his toys including his motorcycle. But he is the consummate business man and a jovial one at that.

Travis Blakko is the head mechanic/builder. Some of you who follow the custom motorcycle scene might remember his shop in Lethbridge, AB. He brings years of custom building and modifications experience to the table.

After having the key players in the team up on stage, it was now time to unveil the Irv Special 100.

Travis (L)    Irv (R)

What a good looking machine!

This hardtail looking machine is actually a softail.
The custom frame for this motorcycle was designed and built in house and the jigs are set up and ready for production!

  

I had the opportunity to give the saddle a little warm up, the sprung solo saddle has a gel pad in it, making it very comfy. I would want 6" pullback risers to bring the bars in to me, but other than that small change, it fit pretty well and I'm not quite 5'8". (I am told that's not a problem, having 6" pullbacks!)

The bike seems pretty well balanced.

The Irv 100 Special comes equipped with a 100" (1640ccm) Ultima V-Twin engine, 6 speed transmission, Mikuni Carb, primary belt, secondary chain for ease of maintenance and repairs.
GPS Tracer by “Spot” installed. (Always know when your Bike is moved and if stolen recover it quickly.)

And it comes with a kicker and electric start!

This bike was "designed" to be the do it yourselfers dream. 

Easy to: do oil changes, access the electrical, battery etc.

Williams Custom Bikes of Canada has 6 motorcycles in total that will be in their line up by late 2018.
Their cafe racer and their 70's style trike will both sport their very own, completely designed and engineered in house, inline 4 engine!

The company is offering the rider a 2 year factory warranty extendable to 5 years.

For an extra $200 you can provide them with the paint code of your choice and they will paint your bike, in YOUR color!

They also offer another innovative service,  if you want your bike to be airbrushed or wrapped, they'll supply you your tins, ship them back when they are done, and 14 days later you should have your personalized bike in your driveway.

They offer accessory packages as well, that include windshields and saddle bags etc., and they offer this bike in a 2 up model with two kinds of two up seats to choose from.

The Irv Special 100 retails at $17,995 for the solo and $18,495 for the 2 Up version.

Get in on the Pre Order Offer:

If you like what you see you can pre-order your bike with the factory before the 31st of January 2017 and put a deposit (or pay in full) on it, they will discount your purchase price by $2,000. Production of the Irv Special 100 starts February 7th, 2017.

We'll do our best to bring you updates on this new venture for Williams Custom Bikes of Canada!

Your opportunity to sit on these bikes, talk to the builder and the team is:

Calgary Motorcycle Show: January 6-7-8

The Edmonton Motorcycle Show: January 13-14-15

The Vancouver Motorcycle Show: January 20-21-22

In the mean time, check out their web site: www.williamscustombikes.com

PS: I am looking very forward to the press ride in the spring.

www.riderfriendlycontest.ca

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Remembrance Day at Harry Balfour School in Grande Prairie AB

Last week I received a beautiful scroll like parcel in the mail from the kids of the grade six class over at Harry Balfour School.

Their principle, Christian Gee invited me to their Remembrance Day service after I had phoned him to thank him for the most beautiful of gestures from the grade six students at his school.

I have only ever been to Harry Balfour School to vote and so I was taken aback when I got there today.

It's a much different place when it is filled with children. This school has amazing energy, it's a very peaceful and yet joyful place.


I can't tell you how incredible their ceremony was.

Taps were played, poems and letters read, videos and music were played, all themed with Remembering.

They laid their gorgeous home made wreaths at their own makeshift cenotaph and I must say their entire ceremony went off with military precision that would make any commander proud.

It was truly well done and would have made any soldier or their family feel the love, respect and pride these children have in our veterans, military and our country.

What struck me as I watched these young people, was the concentrated focus and attention that every participant gave the service. From the youngest to the oldest, these children were well and truly engaged and showed so much respect.

After their service was over, I took the mic and as a neighbour who has no children in school, I thanked them for the scroll with the letter and newspaper and told them what it meant to me to receive it.

I thanked young William who wrote the letter that was part of the scroll and their teachers for the wonderful gesture of Remembrance.  I also made sure that their principal got the kudos he deserved for supporting and encouraging his staff and students.

When the gymnasium was almost cleared, a teacher brought young William over to meet me.

He is a wonderful young man with a very large heart. I'm not sure that he had really understood how I felt about the gesture until we met. I am so thankful to have met this young man and to have shared a tearful hug with him.

The young ladies who ran the ceremony thanked me for coming as did some of the teachers and Christian Gee and I spoke a little about the school and the administrations and faculty's goals for their students.

I can't tell you how impressed I was by him.

This is an educator with compassion, empathy and a genuine love of his job and pride in his faculty and students.

Equally important, this man has their respect and genuine admiration.

I have never been more gratified to attend a school function than I was today.

I hope to see lots of people from Grande Prairie attend at the cenotaph tomorrow and later to join the ANAVETS Unit 389 for soup and a sandwich at the clubhouse:

10117 93 St, Grande Prairie, AB T8V 1Y1
Phone: (780) 532-2623

Belt Drive Betty,

Editor & Rider

My heart swells with pride in our Youth & their Teachers here in Grande Prairie

Today, 8 days in advance of Remembrance Day, I got something very, very special placed in my mailbox.

It was a newspaper, wrapped in a letter, tied with red ribbon. It almost looked like a scroll.



When I opened it fully and read the letter I started to cry. I had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes.

Here's why:

The Grade 6 students at Harry Balfour School know the importance of Remembrance Day and want to share this small gift with you. What Remembrance Day means to me....

It means take a moment of silence and bow your head. Remember all the soldiers that gave up their lives for us.  We are thankful for a country without war.

November 11 means respect.

William

Well William, I want to thank you, your fellow students, your teachers and who ever gifted you with the newspapers to give out.  

You all represent what is good in and about our country. 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Rider

Proud Supporter Member of the C.A.V.

Member, Ladies Aux, Unit 389 ANAVETS