IFMR Dinner Meeting in New Orleans, Monday May 23, 7-9 PM

IFMR Dinner Meeting in New Orleans, 

Monday May 23 7-9 PM

   MARK YOUR CALENDAR AND MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS NOW

   IFMR Master Ride Guide Bill Fee has finalized arrangements for IFMR's annual dinner meeting during the New Orleans RI convention.  The event will be held at 

           Deanie's Seafood Restaurant & Market

           841 Iberville Street in New Orleans' French Quarter

              Right off Bourbon Street on the corner of Dauphine and Iberville     

              7:00 - 9:00 PM, Monday, May 23, 2011

   Deanie’s is recognized as one of New Orleans’ best seafood restaurants since 1961. In a town famous for great seafood, Deanie’s Seafood is in a class by itself. Their giant seafood platter is loaded with succulent fried oysters, shrimp, catfish, soft-shell crabs, and crawfish balls, and their boiled seafood is consistently rated by locals as one of New Orleans’ best.  

   Bill Fee has arranged for IFMR to have a 7-item buffet, with a cash bar, for a price in the range of $40-50 per person.  It will be a wonderful opportunity for IFMR members and friends to have great food, great fellowship, and a brief business meeting.  Whether you're riding, driving, or flying to New Orleans, if you're an IFMR member, past or present, you'll want to attend this event to meet and greet your fellow IFMR members from around the globe (several international members will be participating in the IFMR POLIO PLUS rides to New Orleans, while others will be arriving by air).

   

   To help Bill and Deanie's prepare properly for the event, please make reservations for the event by sending an email to Bill Fee at wsfee@comcast.net with the subject line 'IFMR Dinner Reservations' not later than Monday, May 16.  Give him your name, address, New Orleans hotel, number in your party for dinner, and your cell phone number.  Attendees will be billed separately by the restaurant.  If you want additional information about the event, Bill can also provide that if you ask him in your email. 

    We look forward to seeing you in New Orleans on May 23!

_________________  

    Please pass this message along to any other Rotary motorcyclists or friends who might be

 interested in joining us on May 23.

   POLIO PLUS Ride Captains, please make sure all your riders receive a copy of this email.

Hotels for Westcoast to New Orleans Ride Group

From Ride Captain Doug Holck

    The following Hotels have been contracted and have set aside blocks of rooms titled "International Fellowship of Motorcycling Rotarians"  and/or "Motorcycling Rotarians".
    Each rider needs to call each hotel and make your reservation, specifying type of room desired, floor level etc.  If the block does not contain a suitable room, let me know or feel free to negotiate an upgrade or book an alternate hotel in the area.
    I have tried to keep the room expense affordable, there are always higher priced (sometimes better quality) rooms availabe usually right  next door or across the street from these listed, so use your own judgement as to what's acceptable for you. Some may even prefer to camp and are welcome to do so, meeting us at these hotels for morning departures.
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5/14 Starting from Sacramento vicinity
Barstow, Ca 
408 miles
8:30 am meeting location is Hwy 12 / I-5 McDonalds
Lunch meeting location in Bakersfield to be announced.
 
Quality Inn On Historic Route 66
1520E. Main St
Barstow, Ca 92311
750/256-6891
$58 + taxes
http://www.qualityinn.com/hotel-barstow-california-CA183?promo=ylocal&camp=local&cha=yahoo
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5/15
Flagstaff, Az 
353 miles

Quality Inn 
2000 S. Milton Rd
Flagstaff Az.
928/774-8771
$59 + taxes 2nd floor
$64 + taxes 1st floor
This hotel does not have an elevator.
http://www.qualityinn.com/hotel-flagstaff-arizona-AZ003?promo=ylocal&camp=local&cha=yahoo
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5/16
Albuquerque, NM
323 miles

Western Star Inn
2015 Menaul Blvd
Albuquerque, Nm
505/881-3210
$39.99 + taxes
http://www.westernstarinn.com/
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5/17
Amarillo, Tx 
288 miles

Comfort Inn and Suites
2300 Soncy Rd
Amarillo, Tx
806/457-9100
$65.99 + taxes
http://www.comfortinn.com/hotel-amarillo-texas-TX576
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5/18
Plano, Tx 
344 miles

Southfork Hotel 
1600 N. Central Expressway
Plano, Tx 75074
866/665-2680
$79 + taxes
Oppertunity to attend a local Rotary meeting this night.
http://foreverlodging.com/destination.cfm?PropertyKey=72
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5/19
Baton Rouge. La
447 miles

Comfort Suites 
3045 Valley Creek Rd
Baton Rouge, La
337/303-6887
$65.99 + taxes
http://www.comfortsuites.com/hotel-baton_rouge-louisiana-LA128
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5/20
New Orleans, La 
Each rider is responsible for locating thier own suitable Hotel.
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There is no organized return route or Hotels
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    There are many sights to see and places to visit along our route.  You are encouraged to deviate from the freeway route, meeting up each evening at the Hotel.
    Please advise Ride Captian Doug Holck of your daily route plans and if everyone decides to stop at a special venue he will adjust the route as needed.
   Ride your own ride at speeds comfortable to you. 

Safety is rule # 1. 
   Make sure your motorcycle is properly serviced and maintained, check your tires for tread and pressure.
   How old is your battery? A fresh battery can save time and money on the road.
   Wear proper motorcycle protective clothing, boots, gloves and helmet.
   It can be HOT! so make provisions to carry water to remain hydrated.
   It can be Cold!, especially mornings, plan accordingly by packing/wearing layered clothing that can be removed as day  warms up. 

========================================
Westcoast Riders List (as of 15 Apr 2011): 

1. Doug Holck, Lodi, Ca
  holckster@aol.com
  209/7476453

2. Jean Dores, Anza, Ca
  LdiHrli@aol.com

3. Bob Hirsch, Sebastopol, Ca
  bobwvi@yahoo.com

4. Gary Wegener + 1, Woodland Ca
  gwegener4098@wavecable.com

5. Roy Mankins, Pahrump, Nv
  rmankins @gmail.com

6. Jose Osorio McCormic +1, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
  jcosorio@mccos.com

7. Wade Nomura, Carpinteria, Ca
  Wnomura@verizon.net

8. Harald Westendorf, Fremont, Ca
  haraldwestendorf@hotmail.com

Reasonably priced New Orleans hotel for IFMR riders

IFMR member Bob Hirsch reports that he made New Orleans hotel reservations that are much cheaper than the ones nearest the Convention Center! if any IFMR riders would like to change their reservations, stay at same hotel, and save money too:

Clarion Inn 100 Westbank Expressway , Gretna, LA, US, 70053 Phone: (504) 366-2361 Fax: (504) 362-5814

   AAA rate for standard room with 2 double beds is $112.50 on Fri-Sun, $98.50 Mon-Tues.They still have quite a few rooms available.
   This hotel has all the normal amenities PLUS a full buffet breakfast, free parking PATROLLED BY THE CITY POLICE FORCE, and a free shuttle that takes you to the free Canal Street Ferry which is walking distance from the Convention Center, French Quarter, Etc.
   It appears that parking and motorcycle security may be a problem, so this property solves those problems. And it's only about 5.2 miles (11 minutes) from the Convention Center.
   It would be great to have a large contingent from IFMR staying together!

    --  Bob Hirsch, Sebastopol, CA

Special processing for POLIO PLUS donations in $Cdn cash

    Several Canadian IFMR members have asked for clarification of the procedure required by the Rotary Foundation for handling cash donations to POLIO PLUS in Canadian dollars in order to assure that donors receive proper credit and acknowledgement from the Foundation.  Here is the clarification provided by Clare Monroe, Supervisor, Rotary's $200 Million Challenge, The Rotary Foundation:

   " In the case of cash donations (by Canadians), we would recommend that the Canadian IFMR member to write a check for the cash made payable to the TRF Canada office. When he sends the check in, please have him include the completed donation forms which will allow each donor to receive a Canadian tax receipt." 
    If you need additional information or further clarification, p;lease contact Clare Monroe directly at clare.monroe@rotary.org

Volunteers needed to staff IFMR booth in New Orleans

Long-time IFMR members and frequent convention attendees Bill Fee and Ken Brandt are working on plans for the IFMR booth in the House of Friendship at the New Orleans convention, as well as arrangements for an IFMR membership meeting and fellowship dinner.

Plans for the IFMR booth include show-casing Bob "POLIO PLUS" Mutchler's side-car motorcycle in the booth, plus the usual displays of photos and hand-outs describing our fellowship and events, membership forms, etc. At last year's convention in Montreal, we signed up some 30 new members at the IFMR booth. We hope to do the same at this year's convention.

In order to do that we need volunteers to help us staff the booth for a few hours every day the House of Friendship is open, beginning Saturday May 21 thru May 25. If you plan to be in New Orleans and can help staff the IFMR booth for a few hours, please contact Bill Fee (wsfee@comcast.net) or Ken Brandt (keystnken@aol.com) and let them know about your interest and availability.

Also, if you have photos from one of the IFMR get-togethers/rides in your area that you'd like to have included in the photo display in the booth, send those along to them as well.

Day Rides planned after arrival in New Orleans

For IFMR riders who would like to see more of the local country-side after arrival at the convention center, a pair of Friday afternoon rides have been planned by local riders lead by Mark Shirley in Baton Rouge:

* To Oak Valley Plantation, along winding river roads to an exquisite plantation and a great restaurant

* Along the Gulf Coast to Biloxi where we will visit MS Coast Harley Davidson and eat at the Hard rock Café

Additional rides and self-guided route information is also being prepared; and experienced local Ride Captains will also be available for guided rides in the bayou country and beyond.

Each IFMR Ride Captain will have information on the various rides that are available.  Meanwhile, If you want additional local ride or route information in advance of your arrival, contact Mark Shirley directly at marks@dandwcpa.org or 225-769-5711.

Harley Davidson of Baton Rouge plans "Bike Night" for arriving IFMR riders

Mark Shirley and his team of Baton Rouge Rotarians have been contacting local motorcycle dealers and clubs to alert them to the expected arrival of the IFMR POLIO PLUS riders and to be prepared to provide service for any who may need it when they arrive.  They have arranged for Harley-Davidson of Baton Rouge to host a ‘bike night’ with food and band for IFMR riders on Thursday night, May 19, and staging for the group’s departure on Friday morning for New Orleans.

Mark and his team are also coodinating with local law enforcement and news media to alert them to the expected Thursday arrival and the group’s ride to the convention site in New Orleans on Friday, as well as working out logisitical details of the arrival in New Orleans with RI’s Shari Pontillo, New Orleans police, and others.

Several RI VIPs plan to join the IFMR riders in New Orleans for the final leg from the Super Dome to the Moreal Convention Center. Arrangements are being made for side-car rigs and trikes to carry the VIPs, whom Rotary does not allow to ride on regular motorcycles.