Nova Scotia Bikers Information

 

Hello everyone.. I have got several comments on helping Robert Hewitt and his family.. and its all in the works.... I know you all realize this could also be us in this situation.  Its not often one hits me like this one did.. so all I can say is we will do our best to help the family out.  Im sure you understand that transportation to the hospital, babysitters and lunches in town all amount to money that you normally would not spend.  There is no indication at this point on when Robert will be going home.. So whatever we can do in this situation will be most helpful. 

 There will be a bucket at Perks on the Waterfront,  Arbies in Bedford and Tim Hortons in Fall River.  Whatever your donation will be most helpful Im sure.  I will be at Big Leagues along with Tammy and Mike - doing a 50/50. Not sure how it will happen.. I would think a draw every hour for three hours -  If you would like to drop by to make a donation to the family that too would be great... Just touch base with Tammy or Mike.   And if there is a need for someone else there.. then we will make sure there is someone just to take donations... So with that said.. Thank you so much again for your support within the community to a fellow biker and his family. 

 As you all remember... Wayne Gillis was in the same position two years ago.. I thought I would share this email I received from his very sweet wife Lisa... I know we all think of Wayne often.. and here is the most updated information on his recovery.........

 

Video click here   http://www.southshorenow.ca/source/woodenboat_feature/index3.php

Police identify five victims
By BEVERLEY WARE South Shore Bureau

BRIDGEWATER — A woman, her father and their partners were killed when their motorcycles collided with a Ford Taurus on Sunday afternoon on Highway 103 near Mahone Bay. Also killed was a young mother whose baby boy was in the back seat of the car his grandmother was driving.

Dead are common-law partners Gary Clarence Robar, 58, and Ann Louise Lyons, 57, who were on one motorcycle. His daughter, Tanya Louise Robar, 34, and her boyfriend, Michael George Everett, 40, were on the second motorcycle. They were all from Lunenburg County.

Also killed was 22-year-old Raella Dean Haines of Halifax County, a passenger in the Ford Taurus. Her infant son, Jack, was treated in hospital for a broken leg and is now back home with his family. Ms. Haines’ mother was driving the Taurus and although her condition was upgraded to serious Monday, her injuries are still believed to be life-threatening.

RCMP spokesman Const. Grant Webber said police still don’t know what happened and have had experts reconstructing the series of events.

Greg Asling, who arrived at the scene several minutes after the crash, told The Canadian Press it was difficult to draw conclusions about what happened. The Ford, which had been travelling east toward Halifax, was in the ditch on the westbound side of the highway, he said.

"I can’t figure out how it happened," Mr. Asling told CP. "Nothing makes sense."

He said he saw several bodies on the ground and crisscrossing skid marks.

"It was very upsetting, very upsetting," he said in an interview. "It’s all so mysterious as to how it can happen."

The vehicles collided at about 1:20 p.m., just as a memorial service was getting underway in nearby Lunenburg to commemorate Motorcycle Awareness Month. Doug Beattie of the Christian Motorcyclist Association delivered the message.

"I talked about how you have to be prepared for anything that might happen," Mr. Beattie said Monday. "Even though you think you might be in control, sometimes it’s not in your control and we have to have our lives ready."

He said his words have taken on a note of stark reality, and four names will be added to the memorial list next year.

"Personally, I feel really, really bad that anything like this would happen," Mr. Beattie said.

Eddy Crossland was at that service and said while he is profoundly affected by what happened, he won’t think twice about swinging his leg over the back of his Honda Gold Wing and riding down the highway.

"Safety is something you think about all the time," Mr. Crossland said. "Something like this just raises your awareness even higher."

He said the motorcycle community in Nova Scotia is devastated by what happened.

"The biking community is really close. It’s a big family and something like this hurts all of us."

Mr. Crossland said his phone has been ringing off the hook from bikers across the province anxious to find out who the victims were and what happened.

"At some point, we are all touched by one another and somehow when one feels this hurt, we all feel it."

Nancy White, who has been riding motorcycles for more than 30 years, taught her two children how to drive and manages the Nova Scotia Safety Council’s motorcycle training program. She said she doesn’t worry about her children because they wear the proper gear and are well-trained, and she, too, will continue to enjoy her motorbike.

"I do not have any qualms about getting back on my bike."

She said that although she mentally prepares for each ride, "it’s a stress releaser. It’s the wind in your face, even though I have a full face mask. It’s the freedom, the smells. It’s driving along Waverley Road on a fall night smelling the dead leaves and smelling the wood stoves, thinking maybe it’s time to put the bike away for the winter."

Far more people are killed in car accidents than on motorcycles each year.

According to the provincial Transportation Department, 310 motor vehicle drivers and passengers were killed over the five-year span ending in 2005, the most recent year for which figures are available. Twenty-five motorcycle drivers and passengers were killed in that same time period.

Ms. White said she teaches bike riders to always be on the defensive.

"Be prepared to yield 100 per cent of the time because all you have is two wheels and nothing to protect you except your gear and your defensive driving techniques."

Mr. Crossland took a course from the safety council for advanced drivers seven years ago at the age of 48, even though he’s been getting on a bike since he was 16.

"They taught us to ride as if we’re invisible, to ride as if the drivers can’t see you," he said.

When he gets on his bike, Mr. Crossland said, he is carried to a quiet place where he feels free and calm.

"Either you like it or you don’t and if you enjoy it, you enjoy it well. It’s got a power over you."

( bware@herald.ca)

 

Five die in car, motorcycle collision near Mahone Bay

Surviving witness in critical condition - police - no names have been released at this point.

Video click here   http://www.southshorenow.ca/source/woodenboat_feature/index3.php

By AMY PUGSLEY FRASER Staff Reporter

BLOCKHOUSE, N.S. — The only witness to a horrific crash that killed five people on Nova Scotia's south shore on Sunday remains unconscious.

RCMP say two motorcycles collided with a car on Highway 103 near Blockhouse shortly after 3 p.m. near the Exit 11 ramp.

Two men and two women on the bikes were killed along with a woman passenger in the car.

Names of the dead have not been released.

Six ambulances from Mahone Bay, Bridgewater and Lunenburg responded to the crash, which involved seven people.

Three people died at the scene, a public relations officer with Emergency Health Services said Sunday night.

Four others were rushed to local hospitals, Paul Maynard said.

One died at South Shore Regional in Bridgewater and another died en route to the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax.

The woman driving the car was sent to South Shore Regional and later transported to the QEII by air ambulance where she remains in critical condition.

An infant boy was treated for minor injuries.

Police say road and weather conditions were good at the time and that they are still trying to put together what happened.

``There's only one person that can tell us that she obviously is going to be in hospital for quite some time,'' said Const. Dave Green of RCMP traffic services.

``At this point alcohol and speed do not appear to be factors in any way shape or form.''

It was one of the worst accidents in memory for Mr. Maynard, who has worked with EHS for 18 years.

In a horrible twist of irony, a memorial procession of motorcycles passed by the accident scene about 90 minutes before the crash, the South Shore chapter president of the Maritime Motorcycle Touring Association said Sunday.

Eddy Crossland said his motorcycle club, taking part in a commemorative event for Motorcycle Awareness Month, snaked by the location at 1:30 p.m.

Thirty-six motorcyclists from Lunenburg and Annapolis counties met in Lunenburg for an outdoor service and then toured around the Bridgewater and Lunenburg areas for their "memorial run."

"We had just had a memorial service, where we mention the names of past bikers that have passed away in the last year," he said.

When he found out that two motorcycles were later involved in a fatal crash on a day set aside to honour fallen motorcyclists, he was "stunned."

"It was a little upsetting to us, because it’s not something that you really like to hear about, especially having had that happen today."

He’s quite sure that the two motorcycles weren’t part of his group.

"We’ll be waiting to hear."

He said the section of highway where the accident occurred is not a dangerous one for motorcycles.

"The stretch along there where it happened, it’s two lanes coming out from Halifax, so (there is) a passing lane that goes all the way along beside the ramp and under the overpass there."

People in a restaurant overlooking the crash scene were shocked Sunday when the accident unfolded on the stretch of road below them.

"We were as close to the accident as I guess you could possibly get," said Breagh Conrad, who works in her mother’s restaurant The Happy Cooker.

Breagh called 911 after a customer witnessed the accident through the restaurant’s large front windows.

It was so shocking to everyone inside that nobody was able to move, she said.

"I don’t think anyone was really thinking," she said.

After police and ambulances arrived "very, very quickly" at the site, people in the restaurant knew it was too late for the victims.

"There was basically nothing we could do, or take to them, or anything, unfortunately," she said.

Breagh said her mother, Cathy, just took over the former Exit 11 Grill a few weeks ago.

"We came here May 1, so we’re just new here, and obviously we’ve seen accidents before but nothing right in front of us basically," Breagh said.

Her mother, too, was very shaken from the accident.

"It is just an absolute horrendous tragedy," Ms. Conrad said Sunday evening, her voice breaking.

"Any accident is certainly horrible, but here is this absolutely beautiful day and you think of joy and happiness, and here this horrible thing has happened and it’s just terrible."

Hours later, the road was still closed as emergency crews cleaned up the area.

Just after 7 p.m., the last of the emergency vehicles were beginning to pull away, Ms. Conrad said.

( apugsley@herald.ca)

 

8:00 am - is arrival time..... 8:30 am is launch time...... and yes there is a Tim Horton's in the Ferry Terminal.. so have one there..........

If you cant make it for the launch tomorrow.. than try for the Rally on June 16th.... Check out their website http://www.motorcycleridefordad.org/hal/ and surf around and find out the facts and how it can benefit all of us to support a worthwhile charity....... soooooooooo

So be there or be square!............. thank you everyone for such great support....

~ Janice

 

Motorcycle Wisdom

Four wheels move the body. Two wheels move the soul.

Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut that connects the handlebars to the saddle.

Life may begin at 40, but it doesn't get real interesting until about 110 mph!

You start the game of life with a full pot o' luck and an empty pot o'experience. .. The object is to fill the pot of experience before you empty the pot of luck. If you wait, all that happens is that you get older.

Midnight bugs taste best.

Saddlebags can never hold everything you want, but they CAN hold everything you need.

Never try to race an old geezer, he may have one more gear than you.

It takes more love to share the saddle than it does to share the bed.

The only good view of a thunderstorm is in your rearview mirror.

Never be afraid to slow down.

Don't ride so late into the night that you sleep through the sunrise.

Sometimes it takes a whole tankful of fuel before you can think straight.

Riding faster than everyone else only guarantees you'll ride alone.

Never hesitate to ride past the last street light at the edge of town.

Never do less than forty miles before breakfast.

If you don't ride in the rain, you don't ride.

A bike on the road is worth two in the shed.

Respect the person who has seen the dark side of motorcycling and lived.

Young riders pick a destination and go... Old riders pick a direction and go.

A good mechanic will let you watch without charging you for it.

Sometimes the fastest way to get there is to stop for the night.

Always back your bike into the curb, and sit where you can see it.

Work to ride and ride to work.

Whatever it is, it's better in the wind.

Two-lane blacktop isn't a highway - it's an attitude.

When you look down the road, it seems to never end - but you better believe it does.

Winter is Nature's way of telling you to polish.

Keep your bike in good repair: Motorcycle boots are NOT comfortable for walking.

People are like Motorcycles: each is customized a bit differently.

Sometimes, the best communication happens when you're on separate bikes.

Good coffee should be indistinguishable from 50 weight motor oil.

The best alarm clock is sunshine on chrome.

The twisties - not the superslabs - separate the riders from the squids.

When you're riding lead, don't spit.

A friend is someone who'll get out of bed at 2 am to drive his pickup to the middle of nowhere to get you when you're broken down.

Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt @ 70 mph can double your vocabulary.

If you want to get somewhere before sundown, you can't stop at every tavern.

There's something ugly about a NEW bike on a trailer.

Don't lead the pack if you don't know where you're going.

Practice wrenching on your own bike.

Everyone crashes. Some get back on. Some don't. Some can't.

Don't argue with an 18-wheeler.

Never be ashamed to unlearn an old habit.

A good long ride can clear your mind, restore your faith, and use up a lot of fuel.

If you can't get it going with bungee cords and electrician' s tape, it's serious.

If you ride like there's no tomorrow, there won't be.

Gray-haired riders don't get that way from pure luck.

There are drunk riders. There are old riders. There are NO old, drunk riders.

Thin leather looks good in the bar, but it won't save your butt from "roadrash" if you go down.

The best modifications cannot be seen from the outside.

Always replace the cheapest parts first.

You can forget what you do for a living when your knees are in the breeze .

Only a Biker knows why a dog sticks his head out of a car window.

There are two types of people in this world, people who ride motorcycles, and people who wish they could ride motorcycles.

"It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end."

 

 

RCMP officers measure the roadway at the scene of a crash between a

car and a motorcycle on the Northbound off ramp toward Milford on

Highway 102 on Wednesday.  An RCMP spokesman said one person

suffered undetermined injuries in the crash and was taken to the hospital.

ATLANTICADE NEWS UPDATE

May 3, 2007

With less than two months to go until the inaugural edition of the ATLANTICADE Motorcycle Festival the excitement is building for all motorcycle enthusiasts.  Greater Moncton is gearing up to host thousands of guests June 20-24.

Registration for the event is growing daily, and we want to take this opportunity to remind everyone to get in on the early-bird registration by June 1^st to be eligible for great prizes from Delta Hotels and many local restaurants and bars.

Registration is only $25 and it will give you huge savings throughout the five days, and also make you eligible to fully participate in all the events, especially being able to access the “motorcycle only” parking on Main Street during our big Street Party event on Friday the 22^nd.  You don’t want to be left out of all the excitement at the heart of this action packed day of activities, entertainment, and vendor displays.

Get the word out to your riding clubs members, friends and family from far and wide. People are already registering from as far away as Quebec , Ontario , Maine , Newfoundland and all the Maritime provinces and we have a place just for you.

The Festival schedule and registration information can be found at www.atlanticade.ca or you can call 1-888-855-8522 for more information.  See more details below.

ATLANTICADE Registration

Your registration package is designed to save you lots of money over the weekend, so you can participate in all of our exciting activities.  You will need to be registered in order to fully participate in the Festival (i.e. parking on Main Street during the Street Party, participate in contests and to receive free items and/or discounted prices for various special events and products at participating businesses). While some activities are open to the general public, several of them are designed only for registered participants.  Register today, you won’t want to miss out on all the excitement!    Bringing someone with you?  Be sure to also register Passengers who wish to participate in the Festival activities.

To register online, please use the form below. To register by fax or regular mail click here to download PDF version of the registration form.

Pre-register before June 1st and your name will be entered into a draw for a chance to WIN one of several prizes including DELTA HOTEL overnight stays, gift certificates from sponsoring restaurants, and many more exciting prizes.

Prices

$25 for one bike and one rider. 

$35 for one bike, a rider and a passenger.

Registration Package Description:

Here is an example of the savings you will get with your registration.  Be sure to check back for updates on additions.

Description	Regular Price	Registered Participant Price
Veterans Breakfast	$10.00	$5.00
Finale Breakfast	$15.00	$10.00
Rock n’ Rodeo Concert	$15.00	$5.00
Main Street Parking	$5.00	$0.00
Point du Chêne Wharf Event	$2.00	$0.00
Parlee Beach Event	$9.00	$0.00
Total	$56.00	$20.00

Exclusive for Registered Participants:

1. Passport of Savings filled with great offerings from local establishments.  The more stamps you collect the bigger the prizes you are eligible for.
2. Valuable draws for prizes from our sponsoring companies.
3. 10% Discount on fares from White Cab.
4. Free cover charge on Saturday to participating Bar Venues.
5. Show n’ Shine Contest
6. Poker Run
7. Treasure Hunt
8. Road Maps
9. Veteran’s Honour Parade
10. VIP Parking on Main Street during Friday’s Event
11. Destination Ride & Dinner Specials