Happy Birthday

Today our wonderful web mistress celebrates her birthday - she's taking a much needed and deserved day off.

I hope you will join me in wishing her the Best day possible - she deserves it!

We do have some issues on the site to still resolve and I am sure that once she's had a day away from everything she'll figure out those little things that have been plaguing us.

In the mean time I ask you for just a wee bit more patience - our news and funny stuff will return.

Have a great Monday
Belt Drive Betty

A response to Baron's Life Comments

Riding in Asia must be one of the ultimate challenges a rider could face. I have never had the good fortune to be able to ride anywhere else but North America so all I can do is imagine - I have seen videos of people riding there and think it looks crazy and dangerous but hell I'd be up for it. I can only imagine what sharing the road with that many people and animals must be like - chaotic?

Is that a good word for it…I think so.

I am an adventurer at heart - I think most who ride motorcycles are.
If I had the financial where with all one place I'd love to ride is Australia. Although not as challenging perhaps as Asia - Australia is one country I have always wanted to see and one day I will.

Baron's Life’s' post expresses once again how lucky we here in North America are, but I reiterate that we NEED to protect our freedoms - we can't take them for granted.

As far as my having responsibilities that others don’t – I guess you are right and maybe you are right that no one wants to hear about the challenges being faced by myself– they really only want to know what I can do for them…

So what can I do for the average biker?

I can help them to educate themselves by showing them the news headlines in other communities – when we look at what other towns are doing, what other riders are doing it can help us in our own communities.

I can help them to communicate. The newspaper – the Busted Knuckle Chronicles let’s riders from across Canada share their community stories with others – it is Rider Powered news.

I can help them entertain themselves – the on line show ‘n’ shine, photo contests etc are one way we do that and the other is by having kick assed events calendars that one can plan holidays and weekends by.

I can help them by promoting the community events, the charitable causes and showcasing great businesses and people.

I can do many things to help my fellow rider and my community - I can and do - all of the above.

Sometimes my posts here in my blog may come across as whining – I get that – some days I feel like whining – I have some pretty aggressive dreams for this community and sometimes I get so very frustrated and feel like I am never going to accomplish what I set out to. Yet I know without a doubt that my telling people of the challenges I am facing helps me too…Because of people like you who take the time to either post here, or send me private emails or call me – you all keep me on track – on course. You help me to keep it real and while sometime’s the comments sting – they always help me re examine where I am and where I need to go.

I work alone in my office about 16 hours a day – and when you are alone that many hours in a day – you can feel overwhelmed and daunted – frustrated and discouraged. There’s no one to bounce ideas off of – no one to help me see beyond my own blinders…

You Baron’s Life – and the others who write or phone me – you are my sounding board and you are far more valuable to me with your constructive criticisms and comments than you will ever know.

So – keep it coming – slam my ass when it needs it – help me keep my big girl panties on and help me stay the course and to always do the right thing. I am here to serve my community but without your feed back and input I can only do what I think is right.

Keep helping me keep it real, I DO appreciate it.

The whining did net me a rider who is an office administrator and all because one person who read of my frustrations and challenges picked up the phone and called a friend. Now I have Lori working with me. What a gift!

Sometimes you have to ask for help and I am so glad I did.

As far as marketing goes – come January we will be going hard at that – just waiting on a few kinks and quirks to be worked out on the web site.
The Rider Friendly Phone Book for Western Canada is in print as we speak and will be ready for the bike shows – our little crew is attending 5 out of 5 of the January shows - Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer and Vancouver….

One final note; before I get my sorry ass back to work….my spelling doesn’t suck any worse than yours does! LOL!

Stay Safe and Warm….

Belt Drive Betty

Hopeful

I have been feeling rather overwhelmed due to the fact that I have not been able to find staff here in GP. I am feeling more hopeful today than I have in a while.

Remember the post where I said I need an office manager disguised as a pit bull...well, because of my friend Wyz, I may have just found her.

Three weeks ago Wyz talked to her friend Laurie, asked her if she knew anyone who could help me. Laurie had a friend looking for work and she and Sophie came to meet with me, Sophie was looking for work but her physical challenges precluded her coming in to try it out.

Anyway Laurie decided she liked what I was doing and she loves riding - so, beginning today she starts training. I am so grateful and thankful to have the opportunity to have someone helping out around here! I look forward to being able to do more in fewer hours and regaining some balance in my life - that is going to be WONDERFUL!

I am looking forward to building our community tools and making this site and everything we do grow into a well oiled machine. One day we will have the team we need to become a registered non profit society, one day....

My crash bars are coming home today - they had a date with the powder coater - they should be coming home all black and sleek looking...and in the next week or so my tour pack goes in to my airbrush artist for a bit of a face lift.

What plans do you have for your favorite side kick this winter?

The show 'n' shine over on www.beltdrivebetty.com is gaining momentum!
About a dozen bikes in so far! There are some great prizes up for grabs too!

A RideInn cover, Red Deer Motorcycle Show packages that include 3 nights Hotel, free entry into their motorcycle show and a chance to win some cash PLUS VIP passes that allow you time to hob nob with Kendall Johnson and Paul Cox! Tickets to Toad Rock, Tickets to the Pig n Fin.... Boutique of Leathers is offering up some prizes - I'll have those details next week!

I figure if you can't be riding, maybe drooling over each others bike pictures will help with the PMS blues.... Anyway - time to get back to work...hope you have a wonderful Saturday!

Stay safe and warm,

Belt Drive Betty

News - it can be very interesting....

The news can sometimes prove interesting especially when you feel you have a bit of a connection to it.

There's an article this morning out of Laval Quebec regarding a lawyer who is been arrested - accused of trying to bribe police officers among other things.

One of the conditions of his release is to stay away from certain Montreal/Laval "mobsters" and certain restaurants, bars and businesses.

One of those businesses named in his release is Montreal Choppers. Now a couple of years ago Hubby and I were in Laval for the Tattoo & Bike show and to visit his parents and we had the opportunity to meet the gang from Montreal Choppers. The one young gent reminded my husband, who grew up in Laval, of the wise guys he knew of and heard of when he was a kid.
I told him he was wrong - he's just a young guy feeling his oats and being a bit brash to try and fit in. I told him just because he's Italian you should not label him or assume...

The young man was so friendly and out going but very stereotypical - he's Italian (good looking) and he acted like he's a wise guy, so now it appears my hubby's instincts could be very well right.
Go figure huh.

In other news they are proposing a stepping up of motorcycle licensing requirements in the UK.

They are proposing to split the testing into two separate parts - one requiring you to do the obstacle and crash avoidance segment and the other involving an eye exam and 35 minutes of following you while you ride in traffic to see how you interact with other motorists....

In UK motorcyclists make up 1% of the roadway traffic but 20% of the deaths that happen on those roadways.

In Ontario the private members bill to restrict kids 14 and under from being on a motorcycle as a passenger goes to a second reading next week. If that bill is allowed to go through that will certainly dampen family plans for many riders in 2009. And typical - the gal who introduced the bill doesn't ride...interestingly enough according to the article - the region of York which is where the MP who introduced the bill is from - has only had one motorcycle accident this past season - involving a 30 year old. Is this a career building move for the MP? I think so and it's sure getting her the attention as motorcyclists across the country have been making their displeasure heard!

Today is Thanksgiving for our American Brothers and Sisters -
Our web mistress Ali is from the US originally and along with hubby Gator, she will be taking the day to be with family and friends - I hope its a good one filled with lots of love.

I am going back to work now before the bag I work for tells me I have to....stay safe and warm.

Belt Drive Betty

We are determined

Ali has been stripping everything off of the Busted Knuckle News page trying to find that one piece of code that Internet Explorer still doesn't like.

The community/members profile page is working really well in IE and I am happy about that - man what a process.

I have no idea why her eyes aren't square from looking at that computer screen...

Anyway, I have been working away at helping to configure our groups sections and working on cleaning up the members list.

Housekeeping is one job that never let's up - lol

I've been checking in on the Show n Shine - 4 bikes entered so far.

I'll bet there'll be more in the next few days - I heard tell of a few people cleaning their bikes so they can take pictures! I guess if nothing else the Show n shine will "Force" the odd person to do some detailing!

Anyway - I am off to bed 3:30 am comes early - if your up around then, drop an email and say hi.

Stay safe and warm

Belt Drive Betty

A busy day ahead

I have a busy day planned for myself today - working on the events calendars and some miscellaneous paper work, sales calls.

The news has a rather strange tale of how a former member of the HA turned informant abused the very people who paid him over 1 million dollars to act as an informer..hmmm - did they really expect anything less?

Also in the news, Billy Lanes DUI trial is being postponed. The judge who was to handle the case lost re election and so the trial is having to be rescheduled.

Well, hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work I go....

So what have you got planned for this fine Monday? Whatever it is - stay safe and warm.

Belt Drive Betty

Taking a mental health day

Sorry for the fact that I didn't post anything yesterday - don't pay the ransom - I escaped.
I took a mental health day.

Just got this week's newspaper done - some good stories in there. I love Sunday - composing day. It's an interesting puzzle to put together that newspaper is!

I need a wee bit of help - do you like looking at pictures of bikes? Are you a proud Canadian?

I sponsored a small Canadian Flag Contest on the Delphi Riders Forum Canadian Riders and the pictures are now loaded in an album in my photo gallery. I need to determine a winner for this little contest and your help would be invaluable! I would appreciate it if you could look at the pictures and rate them. To rate a picture just click on the thumbnail, the picture will open full screen and on the bottom right hand side you'll see Rate It - there are five stars - choose how many stars you think the picture deserves and voila - you are done!

Our on line show 'n' shine already has entries in it - we have some great prizes up for grabs!

I finally got the bulk of the riding club links back up and active - we are up to 440 live Canadian web sites and or forums! Came across a few we didn't have and added them. I know that there are more out there and I intend to find every one that I can. If you know of a riding club or event web site that we don't have listed - add it - it's easy and it helps us all!

The 2009 events calendars are already shaping up nicely - quite a number of events even have their posters done!

It looks like the 2009 riding season is going to be absolutely positively wonderful and busy.
By the looks of those calendars - I will be praying for is high gasoline prices like this last summer.
I know - it's goofy to actually say that - but traveling in the mountains without all those motor homes was awful sweet!

Anyway - for those of you who live where its warm and you are riding and you are writing me to ensure I know you are riding - YOU SUCK - I mean that in a nice way - really... I am GREEN with envy.

For the rest of us poor buggers left with day dreaming and detailing...enter the show 'n' shine, drool and day dream some more - stay warm and safe!

Belt Drive Betty