A Look Back at 2018 Boreal Bike Rally Season 6 Episode 6 Segment 3

Season 6 Episode 6 Segment 3
Boreal Bike Rally
Plamondon AB

Ride Like a Local spoke with Mel Kurpowsky with the Lac La Biche Lions Club and the organizer of the Boreal Bike Rally.  This is the 2nd year for the rally.  The ride is a get together for many riders to raise money and come out and enjoy themselves.

This year they are raising money for a young man who is loosing his eye sight.  Mikeys Sight, the name of this ride, will be raising money for computer equipment Mikey needs.  Mikey was born with a birth defect that causes him to lose his sight.  No in his early 20's he still sees a bit but it's going down.  His dream is to be a computer tech so the Lac La Biche Lions Club took him under their wing to get him the equipment he needs.

This is the Boreal Bike Rally's 2nd annual bike run.  15 volunteers, Lac La Biche Lions club, Apostles Motorcycle Society, the local art club as well as local individuals come together to offer their help and support.

Come share the beautiful forest area all year round with many events held all year round.
Go to classicwheels.org to find out more.

Don "Trooper" Minard
Apostles Motorcycle Society and Ministry

The Lac La Biche Lions Club approached the Apostles Motorcycle Society and Ministry about helping them with the rally and they were more than happy to offer their help.  They were responsible for organizing the rodeo and making sure all riders stay together and safe on the poker run.

Everybody had a great time and lots of laughs were had!

Phyllis Maki
Community Futures Bonnyville & Lloydminster

Phyllis couldn't wait to join in the fun for the day.  She loves to ride!
The community of Lloydminster just won Canadas MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest.  Phyllis is hoping the win will put a different slant on the way people view bikes and to get people excited why they hear the bikes.  To get people to see how much fundraising the bike community does and how much money they will spend when they ride through your community.  Phyllis is also hoping to do educational pieces around it.

Bordertown Hog is also doing their 8th annual Toy Run in Lloydminster Sept 15, 2018 and will be doing the presentation for Canadas Most Rider Friendly Community.

If you are blessed enough to live where you can be riding today, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you.

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Rider

A Look Back at 2018 The Future of Motorcycling Season 6 Episode 4 Segment 1

Season 6 Episode 4 Segment 1

The Future of Motorcycling Part 1
Calgary Motorcycle Show

Litas Motorcycle Club was recently formed in Calgary AB and has chapters in both Edmonton AB and Calgary AB.  Ride Like a Local interviewed the co-founders Erin Woon age 31 and Lauren Reschke age 28.

When asked what inspired the ladies to ride they had this to say:

Erin, who rides a 2015 Harley Sportster Custom XL says "It's me time, a time when I'm not dependent on my spouse.  I can appreciate whats around me.  With social media we tend to forget whats around us."  Erin grew up in a bike family.  Dad was a Harley man.  Erin, who is a transplant from Colorado to Canada said her husband had his first bike.  He encouraged her to get her license and the rest is history.  She states it was the best decision she ever made.

Lauren, who rides a Harley Sportster Iron883, says "It's a time that I am 100% present.  I'm not distracted by the phone or multitasking.  I am focused on the road the experience and using all of my senses.  It's a totally freeing feeling.  Lauren said she was riding on the back of her dads bike and could not see out front.  She knew she needed her own bike so she could be in control and see the view.

Litas has partnered with Calgary Harley Davidson to start doing charitable work.  For now, they make arts and crafts to sell and choose a different charity to donate to each time.  At the Calgary Motorcycle Show, all proceeds will go to Bikers with Autism.  Also close to their hearts are charities that involve animals and women's shelters.

Litas is established in 25 countries all over the world.

If you are blessed enough to live where you can be riding today, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you.

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Rider

CANADA’S MOST RIDER FRIENDLY COMMUNITY CONTEST WINNER ANNOUNCED

PRESS RELEASE

~~ For Immediate Release ~~

June 4th, 2018

CANADA’S MOST RIDER FRIENDLY COMMUNITY CONTEST WINNER ANNOUNCED

Grande Prairie AB – The final round of public voting for Canada’s MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest has concluded and the winner, a clear a decisive victor, has been chosen!

"We at Community Futures of Grande Prairie & Region and all of the Community Futures of Alberta offices along with Community Futures Lloydminster to congratulate all of the communities that competed in the contest, especially our finalists, Lloydminster and Drumheller. AB,” said Holly Sorgen of Community Futures of Grande Prairie & Region.  It has become very clear that community spirit is alive & well our country! Supporting small business and rural initiatives is important to all Community Futures Offices across Canada and we are proud to be a part of this exciting fledgling contest!”

“I want to thank all who inspired their community to vote in the final round of the voting for Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest.

Lloydminster pulled out in the lead in the late stages of the contest and Drumheller, a much smaller community couldn’t quite rally back.

Canada’s MOST Rider Friendly Community from the 2017 Riding Season has been chosen and the community is Lloydminster Alberta!

We want to acknowledge the commitment of all of our wonderful sponsors without whom this contest could not happen: EastLink TV, The World of Motorcycling Podcast, Reality Radio 101, Biker Radio, Northern Horizon, Choice Hotels Canada, Alig8r Web Design, Belt Drive Betty Media, Ride Like a Local, Colorado Rider News, Fast Lane Biker, Delmarva Edition, The Busted Knuckle Chronicles, and our presenting sponsors, Community Futures of Alberta and Community Futures Alberni-Clayoquot!

About Canada’s MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest:

Canada’s MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest was created by Renee ”Belt Drive Betty” Charbonneau, founder and CEO of Belt Drive Betty Media.  

Canada’s MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest is a rural tourism marketing initiative whose goal is to create awareness of the wonderful businesses and communities that are there for riders to explore.

About Belt Drive Betty Media:

Belt Drive Betty Media is a diverse motorcycle media company founded in 2003. It offers the rider a vast array of ways to connect with the information on the motorcycle community they need.

That diversity offers advertisers looking to connect with the Canadian riding community a large number of advertising vehicles to choose from. Belt Drive Betty Media offers TV, web, social media, app and email marketing opportunities.

Contact:

Renee “Belt Drive Betty” Charbonneau

(780) 402-8892

bdbetty@beltdrivebettymedia.com

Visit our main site: beltdrivebetty.com

About Community Futures of Alberta:

For 30 years, Community Futures has been supporting small business development and rural economic diversification in Alberta. We are a community driven, non-profit organization with 27 offices in rural areas throughout Alberta. Each office is staffed by local business professionals and guided by a volunteer Board of Directors.

In other words, we live where you live, and reap the benefits of a strong local economy created by business entrepreneurs just you! Read about some of the many successful businesses we have helped start-up and grow over the years.

We provide a wide range of small business loans, business coaching/training services and business management tools for people wanting to start, expand, franchise or sell a business.

We also run a number of specialized business programs, and actively work with community and business leaders to foster rural economic growth.

We are funded by the Government of Canada through Western Economic Diversification Canada

There are a total of 269 Community Futures offices across the country.

Contact:

Holly Sorgen

Community Futures Grande Prairie & Region

(780) 814-5340

Holly.Sorgen@albertacf.com

Lloydminster VS Drumheller in Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest

Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest has come down to the two HIGHEST vote getters in the last round of voting.

Lloydminster, the Border City is squaring off against Drumheller and the Dinosaur Valley.

I spoke with Drumheller's Mayor Heather Colburg and she is apparently planning on issuing a challenge to Gerald Aalbers the mayor of Lloydminster!

If Drumheller wins Mayor Aalbers will be expected to show up for Motorcycle Madness and if Lloydminster wins, Mayor Colburg will travel to the Border Bike Rally!

Oh folks, this final round is going to be exciting!

Don't forget to vote for your favourite community at riderfriendlycontest.ca every day starting May 17th and running to June 2nd at midnight MST.

Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest is brought to you by Community Futures & the Rider Friendly Business Association

#RiderFriendlyContest

If you are blessed enough to be riding today, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you!

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Round 2 of Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community is getting set to kick off!

With over 140 communities to vote for this year, the riding community got busy!
We are pleased to announce that we have the results of the first round of voting.

From what we watched in round one voting, I think there are some pretty stiff competitions shaping up for round 2!

The following communities had the most votes in their province of region and they are now being featured in a web advertising package at www.beltdrivebetty.com provided by Belt Drive Betty Media (worth $800 each) that touts them as the winners for their province/territory:

• Peachland is BC’s MOST Rider Friendly Community of the 2017 Riding Season 
• Drumheller is AB’s MOST Rider Friendly Community of the 2017 Riding Season 
• Swift Current is SK’s MOST Rider Friendly Community of the 2017 Riding Season 
• Snow Lake is MB’s MOST Rider Friendly Community of the 2017 Riding Season 
• Peterborough is ON’s MOST Rider Friendly Community of the 2017 Riding Season 
• Saint John is NB’s MOST Rider Friendly Community of the 2017 Riding Season 
• Mahone Bay is NS’s MOST Rider Friendly Community of the 2017 Riding Season 
• Summerside is PEI’s MMOST Rider Friendly Community of the 2017 Riding Season
• Stephenville is NL’s MOST Rider Friendly Community of the 2017 Riding Season 
• Yellowknife is the Territories MOST Rider Friendly Community of the 2017 Riding Season 

The following 10 communities got the highest number of votes over all and advance to round 2 of the voting:

Anaheim Lake BC

Peachland BC

Prince George BC

Sicamous BC

Acheson AB

Drumheller AB

Lloydminster AB

Peterborough ON

Saint John NB

Yellowknife NT

Round 2 voting begins April 26^thand runs through to May 12^th.  

For all of the details visit the contest website: www.riderfriendlycontest.ca

#RiderFriendlyContest

I am looking forward to seeing which community I will be filming in this summer!

Belt Drive Betty, 

Editor & Rider

Community, what does that word mean to you?

Presenting Sponsor Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest

Community...it's a big word, what does it mean to you?

I have been working diligently along with my web mistress, our sales gal and our two admin assistants to promote and spread the word about Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest. All of us are riders, just FYI!


We have 140+ communities that have been nominated this year, which meant tons of creative to build, videos, promotional memes and the like. We still have tons of phone calls to make to the various community futures offices and to share news of the contest to all of the riding clubs and charities we support.

WHAT A TASK!!! But we are loving it. Why?

Because this contest celebrates OUR COMMUNITY.

If I am going to make my living, if the riders who work for this company as contractors are going to make their living from work in the community we live in, the rider community, then we need to always be giving back into our community and that's what this contest is all about.

COMMUNITY - GIVING BACK to all of the little businesses that support we riders, no matter where we live, for every poker run, rally and show 'n' shine we host for charity.

It's about giving back to every volunteer who has done something selfless, every event coordinator that busts their butts to give us great events to attend.

The reactions to the contest have been incredible and it is wonderful to see how many Community Futures Offices are now coming on board as sponsors as are small tourism offices.

Why is an economic development non profit involved? Simple, they help entrepreneurs start and expand their businesses. They offer services to coach, teach and mentor small business people, they offer financing and they offer special supports for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities!

They know that the riding community is filled with small business owners and they know that small communities and their business owners need to take advantage of the custom that riders can bring to their area.

Simply put, Community Futures wants to help grow rural Canada.
Helping small businesses become more rider friendly, helping them with strategic planning, to take advantage of our needs and help them identify what are the right services for them to provide to us!

We have many incredible media sponsors on board as well:

Out of Washington State we have World of Motorcycling Podcasts with Steve Johann and Rev Walt.
Out of Colorado, we have Colorado Rider News.  From Oshawa Ontario we have Lou DeVuono from Kickstands Up on RealityRadio 101, Man Wants Digital Magazine out of Great Britain and in Northern BC and Alberta we have the Northern Horizon/Mirror Newspaper. EastLinkTv has donated the air time for us to promote the winning community and the runner up with commercials and for us to air what we film when Ride Like a Local comes to an event to film the volunteers, community leaders, attendees etc...Then there is all of my company, Belt Drive Betty Media.

Our newspaper, the Busted Knuckle Chronicles and all of its provincial news pages inside of Facebook, the TV Show Ride Like a Local, the Facebook online talk show, Rider Friendly Report, our events calendars www.canadianmotorcycleevents.com our mother site, beltdrivebetty.com and all of it's Facebook pages, this blog and a the Rider Friendly Business Association and it's Facebook Pages and group.

In all, Belt Drive Betty Media alone gives out over $60,000 in free marketing to these communities, that does not include the work we do to get ready for the contest, the highway signs,  trophy, plaques etc....that's straight up the advertising prizes we give away.

Everything that our sponsors donate for space, save for EastLinkTV's air time, is a bonus to our communities.

Rural Canada, small communities under 100,000 in size, it's where we ride, where we as riders yearn to go to when on our motorcycles, this contest helps us to discover wonder places that other riders love...

Vote for your favourite community at www.riderfriendlycontest.ca

#RiderFriendlyContest

Have a blessed day and if you are lucky enough to nee riding, think of me, here in Grande Prairie Alberta Canada in -14 with three feet of snow still on the ground and thank your lucky stars you live where you can be riding.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

And the HUNT IS ON!

Our second annual "Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest" is now under way!

We already have three nominations, two are for Two Hills, Alberta, the reigning Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community of 2015 and one is for a runner up community from the 2015 contest, Nisku Alberta!

With over $60K in marketing prizes to be won, this free contest is meant to help riders find those wonderful smaller communities that have a lot to offer a rider.

Nominate your community today!  Nominate a community you love riding to - tell us why and share your knowledge with the rest of this community! 

It's FREE, it's easy and it helps our entire riding community from coast to coast to coast.

The contest is brought to you by Community Futures of Alberta and the Rider Friendly Business Association.


The Rider Friendly Business Association helps Riders find Rider Friendly Businesses and Community Futures helps small business in rural communities.

Speaking of the Rider Friendly Business Association - the new online, fully mobile directory was just recently launched!  Check it out at www.riderfriendly.com 

Today, Episode 8 of Ride Like a Local airs and if you were touched by the Fort McMurray Wildfire, the next few episodes are something you aren't going to want to miss! Watch it below!

Have a great day everyone and if you are blessed enough to be riding today, HUG AN OILFIELD WORKER.

Belt Drive Betty,
Editor & Rider





SaveSave

Unofficial Results of Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest

The unofficial results in the Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest are in!

It appears that in the west, Two Hills Alberta won out over Kaslo British Columbia by a small margin. The tally was 8664 to 8589.

By far this was the most aggressive of the two contests with over 30 lead changes between Two Hills and Kaslo.

In the east, Moncton New Brunswick won out over New Liskeard Ontario, 331 to 302.

If the results we have at the moment stand, then the following communities will be awarded $2,500 marketing packages:

Kaslo BC, New Denver BC, New Liskeard Ontario and Digby Nova Scotia.

Two Hills and Moncton will then go head to head in the final round of voting.

The winning community will be called Canada's MOST Rider friendly Community 2015.
They will win a $35,000 Marketing Campaign and the runner up community will win a $10,000 Marketing Campaign.

So which community is going to have a Welcome sign similar to these?

We find out on April 21st when the winners will be announced on YouTube!

To vote or follow the contest register at www.riderfriendlycontest.ca

The final round of voting begins on April 1st at 11:59 PM MST and ends
on April 18th at 11:59 PM MST.

We could not host this contest without our fabulous sponsors.

Our presenting sponsor is Community Futures of Alberta. They offer amazing support to small business in rural Alberta. Loans, business planning, mentoring and so much more!
Visit them at:

Our Media Sponsors - the people supplying either ad space, radio time, articles/features, TV etc:

Kimpex

SmartBiker Magazine

Biker Radio

Reality Radio101

The Hog Radio Show

East Coast Biker

Adelle Laudan

Northern Horizon

Belt Drive Betty Media through their properties:
Ride Like a Local in conjunction with EastLink TV, Busted Knuckle Chronicles dot com, Belt Drive Betty dot com, Canadian Motorcycle Events dot com, Rider Friendly Business Association, Belt Drive Betty's Blog and BKC News Bytes dot ca.

Special thanks to:
Suzette Boothby Bedard - Our Translator
Government of Canada, Canadian Heritage

If you are blessed to be riding today please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you!

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest - Special Announcement!

Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest has been a lot of fun so far.

It's been interesting to see the healthy rivalries that have shaped up and to watch the good natured kidding on Facebook.

Holly Sorgen, Executive Director of Community Futures Grande Prairie & Region made the special announcement yesterday on YouTube regarding those who are going to move on to round 2!

Here is the announcement:

The communities that did not make it through to the second round were:
West - Fruitvale BC, Nisku AB and Kamloops BC
East - Manitoulin Island ON, Port Dover ON and Summerside PEI.

Those communities all won banner ad packages from Belt Drive Betty Media worth $1,500 each and emails to the person who submitted the nomination have gone out.

The communities moving on to round two are:

WEST - Two Hills AB, New Denver BC and Kaslo, BC
EAST - New Liskeard ON, Digby NS and Moncton NB.

Only 2 communities will survive this round of voting.

The four communities that do not move on will all win media packages that include banner ads on www.beltdrivebetty.com, radio interviews on The Hog Radio Show and a small write up in SmartBiker Magazine.

Good luck to all of the communities and may the MOST Rider Friendly Communities move on to the final round....the journey to becoming Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community continues on March 5th when voting officially begins for the semi finals!!!
Have a wonderful day and if you are blessed enough to be riding, please remember to rider like everyone around you is blind and can not see you.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Interesting times ahead...

Here at Belt Drive Betty Media we are going through growing pains in a big way! AND, that's a good thing!

Ali & Gator

I am in the process of hiring at least two data entry clerks to work on a contract basis from their own homes to take some the stress off of Ali's and my shoulders.

Ali, our web mistress does a great job of keeping things working and moving forward at www.beltdrivebetty.com and all of it's sub sites.  She and Gator are on their first vacation in 10 years,  and I am so happy for them that they are finally getting away - they like my husband and I, never had a Honeymoon!

We are at that point where we need more hands to give both Ali and I some balance in our lives. Both of us have a passion for helping people and both of us are workaholics because we truly love what we do, but there comes a point where you have to put yourself first and fill up the emotional gas tank.

I truly hope that Ali & Gator have the most fabulous holiday, lord knows they more than deserve it.

In the meantime, I will be doing the best I can to hold down the fort and assist anyone who needs help on the site, www.beltdrivebetty.com

I will be training a new sales rep next week, weather permitting and I am hoping to attract more people who love sales to help us grow the free tools we provide to the riding community.  It's an exciting time as this network we have created keeps growing.

We have so many plans for a new and improved experience and I can't wait to see them ALL be implemented! I know that we are looking to hire a part time Joomla expert, so if you know anyone who excels in Joomla CMS, send them our way for a chat!

I have been attending seminars on how to become an effective leader and business person thanks to Community Futures - a wonderful organization that helps small business people like myself to grow in ways that we'd never be able to otherwise.

Community Futures of Alberta are also the presenting sponsor of the Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community contest as they realize the value that rural tourism brings to small business!

I am embarking on my very first webinars geared towards Canadian Event Coordinators!

The webinars are going to help these coordinators by providing the important information on promoting their events and how to deal with a multitude of situations.

If you'd like to participate in our Webinars/Group on Greenrope - please accept our Ebook on Hosting Motorcycle Events as a thank-you - fill in your email to be taken to the form:

Yes, it is a super exciting time of growth with many things on the go around here, stay tuned for information on some of those changes coming soon!

In other news around the world:

According to an article on Gizomodo, the Hells Angels admit to being experts encrypting data in a text message during a rather bizarre trial.  Begin Quote: The Silk Road trial is back on, and we still don't know if Ross Ulbricht is going to go down for the crimes of the Dread Pirate Roberts. Today, the trial focused on DPR's interactions with the Hells Angels, who he allegedly hired to kill a rogue drug vendor. End Quote

Keith Wandell is retiring from Harley-Davidson and his successor is Matt Levatich
Triumph is doing very well in the Indian market having outsold their goal of 500 bikes.
They sold 1,300!

This week's version of the Busted Knuckle Chronicles is out!

Next week is a dark week - we resume again on February 19th.

I hope you all have a wonderful day and if you are not riding out a huge snow storm, if you are blessed to live where you can be riding - please ride like everyone is blind and cannot see you!

For those of you who like me are suffering HUGELY from PMS (Parked Motorcycle Syndrome):
Visit our Beat the PMS Blues Online Show 'n' Shine brought to you by our fabulous sponsors - www.BigBlueInCanada.com and Strip Club Choppers Canada

Join our PMS Support Group on Facebook!

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider