August 17

Riders: Mike S., Tommy, Bob & Wanda, Mike & Amelia

Destination: The Grapevine in Donaldsonville

Comments: Everyone met at The Grapevine and the food was good as usual.

August 21

Riders: Mike S., Tommy & Jo Ann, Bob & Wanda, Mike & Amelia

Destination: Parrain's Seafood Restaurant, Baton Rouge

Comments: The food was good and plentiful. Everyone had a good time in spite of the heat.

August 25-28

Riders: Tommy & Jo Ann, Bob & Wanda, Mike & Amelia Bauman, Rhonda, Tammy & Mike Benoit

Destination: Kinderfest - BMW Motorcycle Owners of Alabama meeting

Comments: Club members rode or drove to Enterprise Alabama to join in the monthly meeting of the Alabama BMW club hosted by BMWMOAL club members Jim and Sheila Kalahan.

Thursday was a travel day for Tommy & Jo Ann, a day which ended with the beginning of Tommy's bad luck. During the last part of the ride, Tommy noticed a loud noise eminating from the rear end of his motorcycle, indicating a possible rear bearing failure. This was confirmed the next morning by a puddle of oil under the drive housing. This meant that the bike would have to be trailered home as it was too risky to try to ride it back.

Friday Bob & Wanda, Mike Bauman,and Tommy (in a car) accompanied members of the Alabama club to watch an aerial firepower demonstration by Jim Kalahan and Russ Kruse at Ft. Rucker. This was a great experience for those who attended.

Saturday Tommy, Bob, Andy Rispone (owner of BMW Motorcycles of Baton Rouge) and Keith Gutbier (the human GPS) rode to the Army Aviation Museum to view the display of various aircraft used by the US Army. Tommy was loaned a motorcycle by Tommy Arnold to ride to the museum. When leaving the museum bad luck struck Tommy again as the ignition key would not turn and the bike had to be trailered back to Jim's home.

At the meeting on Sunday morning, Tommy Arnold presented Tommy with a "bad luck" award, the broken ignition switch housing which had to be forcibly removed from his motorcycle so that he could ride it home. For the first time in over 500,000 accumulated miles on a motorcycle, Tommy had to have his bike trailered home.

Club members had a great time and appreciated the hospitality offered by Jim and Sheila.