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Belt Drive Betty

Heroes Highway Ride & Rally

June 5, 2019 By Colorado Rider News Leave a Comment

By: Belt Drive Betty

Since 2008 the Heroes Highway Ride & Rally has been held on the first Saturday in June and is a free event for citizens of Canada to participate in to thank our troops for their service and their sacrifices.

[Read more…] about Heroes Highway Ride & Rally

Filed Under: Events, Magazine, Ride Tagged With: 06/19, Belt Drive Betty, Heroes Highway, Ride Canada

Ride Canada

April 3, 2019 By Colorado Rider News Leave a Comment

By: Belt Drive Betty

If you are like most riders, there are places that you ride to that just melt your heart.

Either you love the ride to the place, or the people once you get there, the scenery, the customer service, the hospitality, friendliness.

Whatever it is, it’s a hidden gem and it’s most likely in a more rural location too.

[Read more…] about Ride Canada

Filed Under: International, Magazine Tagged With: 04/19, Belt Drive Betty, Ride Canada

44th Annual Three Flags Classic

March 12, 2019 By Colorado Rider News Leave a Comment

By: Belt Drive Betty

The Southern California Motorcycling Association has been serving the long-distance riding community since 1968. That’s what it says on their website, and when you look at the rides they host, it’s obvious that this association is made up of hard-core riders! [Read more…] about 44th Annual Three Flags Classic

Filed Under: Events, Magazine Tagged With: 03/19, Belt Drive Betty, Ride Canada

Rider Safety – Being safe starts with preparation

December 9, 2018 By Colorado Rider News Leave a Comment

By: Renee “Belt Drive Betty” Charbonneau

Our 2018 Christmas Gift Guide: helping you find great products from Rider Owned, Rider Friendly Businesses…

The Rider Friendly Business Association is filled with small businesses that truly want to help you find that perfect gift, piece of jewelry, clothing, book, bike, hotel, motel, experience…. [Read more…] about Rider Safety – Being safe starts with preparation

Filed Under: Magazine Tagged With: 12/18, Belt Drive Betty, Christmas, Gift Guide, Rider Friendly Business, Rider Safety

Ride Canada Wish of a Lifetime

November 7, 2018 By Colorado Rider News Leave a Comment

By: Renee “Belt Drive Betty” Charbonneau

In 2005 Wayne Brand, a Marathon Ontario rider, crashed his motorcycle with his step daughter on the back. She suffered some pretty bad injuries and went through some surgeries, but for the most part, she’s doing well these days.

Wayne on the other hand struggles with partial paralysis, short term memory loss (although his long term memory is crystal clear) and was moved into long term care in the Marathon Hospital a number of years ago.

I was contacted in mid August by an organization called Wish of A Lifetime Canada. They have an American parent office in Colorado for their US wishes and a Canadian branch in Toronto for Canadian wishes. [Read more…] about Ride Canada Wish of a Lifetime

Filed Under: Magazine Tagged With: 11/18, Belt Drive Betty, Ride Canada, Wish of a Lifetime

It’s All About the Kids Day

October 8, 2018 By Colorado Rider News Leave a Comment

By: Renee “Belt Drive Betty” Charbonneau

The “It’s All About the Kid’s” Day that was hosted by Bullying Enns and UBAKA (Urban Bulldogs Against Kid Abuse) was an incredible event to attend.

Joy, absolute joy, is what was expressed on pretty much every kid’s face.

The hamlet of Cynthia has a population of 50.

Mitch’s Campground and RV Park is where the event was held.

They have a small motel, a pub called the Cyn City Saloon, and a few other small businesses, and that’s about all.

What the community lacks in size, it makes up for in heart. [Read more…] about It’s All About the Kids Day

Filed Under: Events, Magazine Tagged With: 10/18, Belt Drive Betty, Kids, Ride Canada

Ride Canada – Airdrie Bikes & Bulls, Rumble on the Runway

September 7, 2018 By Colorado Rider News Leave a Comment

By: Renee “Belt Drive Betty” Charbonneau

The last weekend of July, I headed for Airdrie and the Airdrie Bikes & Bulls, Rumble on the Runway put on by the Alberta Oilmen’s Association. This was to be my second time attending this event, last year’s was held at the rodeo grounds; this year was to be held at the Airdrie Air Park.

The AOA had decided that the old rodeo grounds, while an accommodating venue to work with, just wasn’t the location to help the event really take off the way it should, and so they negotiated a deal with the Airdrie Airpark.

What a great move! [Read more…] about Ride Canada – Airdrie Bikes & Bulls, Rumble on the Runway

Filed Under: Events, Magazine Tagged With: 09/18, Belt Drive Betty, Canada, Event

A Very Special 10th Anniversary in Canada

August 2, 2018 By Colorado Rider News Leave a Comment

By: Renee “Belt Drive Betty” Charbonneau

On Saturday, May 5th, I was blessed to be the only reporter and the only female in attendance at the 10th Anniversary Cpl. Michael Starker Graveside visit by the Veterans MC Canada.

Killed in an ambush by the Taliban 10 years ago on May 6th, 2008, Cpl. Michael Starker was a Calgary Paramedic and a co-founding member of the Veterans MC Canada.

I’d known Mike for a little over a year before he was killed, and I had attended his deployment party, a party where Haley and Dave got engaged, and two other members were also getting ready to deploy. Over the course of our friendship, I had learned to appreciate Mike’s unique sense of humor, and it cracked me up how he could push the buttons of Anthony, the other co-founder of the Veterans MC Canada. Those two could not have been more different from one another if they tried, and they provided countless hours of amusement and entertainment for those who knew them!

I was honoured to be the person to capture the graveside visit and to be allowed to share it with everyone else in our community. This is a rare glimpse into the Veterans MC Canada and the brotherhood that exists because of the rigorous vetting and mutual histories and hobbies that these men share.

Bright and early on Saturday morning, I was picked up at my friend’s place in Airdrie by Sean Ellis, a man who has also become my friend.

We arrived at the clubhouse in Calgary, and the smells wafting out of the backyard had my mouth watering. Fozzy, another prospect was serving coffee, eggs, sausage and pancakes.

Fozzy is an interesting character; he speaks with an English accent but spent a good amount of his time with the Veterans MC Netherlands. I was directed to talk with him to find out more about the history of the Veterans MC, the various chapters around the world and their involvement in an alliance called the Brothers in Arms.

After a big scarf and being introduced to a good number of the 24 club members who would be attending at the graveside, it was time to head out for Queens Park Cemetery.

I rode with Sean, who had all of the graveside amenities already loaded into his SUV.

We pulled into Queens Park Cemetery and walked over to Michael’s grave. A bouquet of green and white flowers from the club was placed on his marker. A lot of the men who are a part of this MC today never met Mike. They didn’t experience his brand of friendship, loyalty, mischievousness, etc.

Telling the same stories year after year, making sure that each new comer to the club learns about its co-founder and his values, is a task left to people like Kris Dlouhy.

Every year he does his best to educate the newcomers about the philosophy and sense of brotherhood on which this club was founded. Like every other year, Kris spoke of Mike and his values, and while his voice cracked, he held his composure together for the most part.

After some tears, some cheers and a few photos, everyone headed back to the clubhouse. One of the wives had made spaghetti sauce, and that was the first smell that hit you when you walked in the door. Instantly people were ready for a late lunch, and so it was decided that we’d go to a local pub for growlies.

After the luncheon, it was back to the clubhouse, and by now you could smell the spaghetti sauce out in the backyard too. I didn’t think I was going to make it until supper time!

Some of the gents had to head back home as they had to work the next day, but in their stead came more club members, many of whom brought their significant others. The backyard was full, so was the front yard and the house itself. There were people everywhere.

After an amazing supper (and Melanie, that was amazing spaghetti sauce), many of the different riding clubs that make up the fabric of the Calgary Motorcycle scene started dropping in.

The show of respect was evident from every RC that showed up. The prospects, all 8 of them, were busy ensuring that every guest was being looked after. They kept the yard clean, the beverages flowing and were offering all of the new comers a bite to eat should they be hungry.

I watched young men like Pork Chop work his way through the guests and make sure that everyone was taken care of, and he did it with such joy and reverence that I had to smile. Likewise, Matt was just as considerate and efficient in taking care of the club’s guests. They all were.

If Mike was alive today, I think he’d be so proud.

The quality of the young veterans or serving members that comprises this club is really remarkable. I watch the way they work together, ride together, move together, and I can’t help but think that the training these folks undergo, no matter the division, makes it so that they can work side-by-side in a precise fashion even if they have never worked together before.

The brotherhood of people who have fought side-by-side, who have trained side-by-side, is so unique. Firefighters and Veterans/Serving Soldiers see horrid things during the course of their careers. Many have had to do things that you and I couldn’t possibly fathom.

I hear a lot of people throw that word brotherhood around, but I am here to tell you that the average person that thinks they know what brotherhood really is, probably does not have a clue.

“Brotherhood is an unconditional love that I feel for my brother. I would do anything to support or help my brother, anytime, anywhere. If this (prospecting) doesn’t work out for me, then I will become a lone wolf because I don’t want to be a part of any club. I want to be a part of THIS CLUB because of what it represents,” said Pork Chop.

Filed Under: Magazine Tagged With: 08/18, Belt Drive Betty, Canada, Veterans

Ride Canada – Most Rider Friendly Community

July 7, 2018 By Colorado Rider News Leave a Comment

Bordertown HOG Chapter

Lloydminster, Alberta

By: Renee “Belt Drive Betty” Charbonneau

Our Quest to find the MOST Rider Friendly Community from the 2017 riding season is over, and, in a resounding win, Lloydminster, Alberta won that honour. [Read more…] about Ride Canada – Most Rider Friendly Community

Filed Under: Community, Magazine Tagged With: 07/18, Belt Drive Betty, Canada, Rider Friendly Business

Ride Canada FOOD – Charlevoix region of Quebec

May 31, 2018 By Colorado Rider News Leave a Comment

By: Belt Drive Betty

I am working on organizing a ride across Canada to celebrate my upcoming 60th birthday in June of 2020. Part of my research has involved looking at old articles I have written about Canadian locations I have already traveled to. I came across some of my articles on my various times in the Charlevoix region of Quebec with Moto Foodie Ken Aiken and then tourism director Francois Gariepy. [Read more…] about Ride Canada FOOD – Charlevoix region of Quebec

Filed Under: Community, Magazine Tagged With: 06/18, Belt Drive Betty, Charlevoix, Food, Ride Canada

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