Starr’s Bucket List Ride
Contents
Welcome
Monthly Recap
Monthly Pictures
Upcoming Events (2 months)
Members Birthday’s
Meet & Greet Update, (Portland, BC, & Seattle)
Club Business
Reader’s Corner
Day Rides
The latest news regarding rider skill enhancement classes
Officer Reports
The BRMC 2020 Calendar of Events
Non BRMC Motorcycle Events
Request for pictures & closing comments.
Welcome
Border Riders Motorcycle Club (BRMC) is an organized group of guys who like to ride and camp. Our membership spans the Pacific Northwest, with the greatest participation in Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver B.C. We have one of the largest memberships of gay clubs in North America. We welcome like-minded guests to come meet us at our monthly Meet & Greets and to join us at one of our club events and our local activities.
Check out our website. We are very proud of it. www.borderriders.com
Monthly Recap (July)
July celebrates the long awaited peak of Summer in the Pacific Northwest, and up until now the weather has been relatively cool, cloudy, and drizzly. But, alas, we are finally breaking out of the late Spring weather patterns and enjoying what remains of our Summer weather with searing temperatures that are approaching the 80’s. Yeah, no complaints here.
Hopefully, everyone got out to enjoy the 4th of July celebrations, see some fireworks, and safe-socialize with friends. Here in Molalla were I live, our rodeo was cancelled (first time since 1913) much to the disappointment of pretty much everyone. Our Grand Parade was also cancelled, however, quick thinking locals organized a Car Parade that snaked some 11 miles through our 3 mile town. The day was save and a good time had by all, a scene repeated in many communities across the nation.
Kas in the thick of things.
In other news of the day, Black Lives Matter (BLM) continues to make their voices heard with various protests in major cities across the Nation. Some of our members have directly participated. As the protests wear on and destruction, obstruction, looting, and occupation has taken root in both Portland and Seattle, the government has become more aggressive in dealing with some situations. Lovely times. Hope for some positive change.
BRMC, Starr, and Paradise HD
Again, this month Club activities have for the most part been cancelled or curtailed. Still we’ve managed to rally together for a couple of larger group events as well as various smaller groups getting out and about. Early July saw BRMC and Paradise HD in Tigard, Oregon come together for Starr, a sweet lady whose son, Eric, found her Bucket List. On there was her wish to ride a motorcycle! Eric contacted BRMC out of the blue and we agreed to participate. Paradise HD was brought into the plan and contributed a trike that would safely seat her. We all met, socialized, and headed out for a ride around the block. She was thrilled.
Group Ride out to Raymond, Washington
Later in the month, a ride was organized out in the direction of Raymond, Washington. For some Oregon guys, it was a grueling 300 mile ride that day, but well worth it. Good to get out and reconnect, even if just for lunch.
Dave J
Monthly Gallery
Photos from members and guests from last month’s rides and adventures.
Upcoming Events
August
TBD
Upcoming Birthdays
We have 8 members that have a birthdays in August. Take and moment and wish them a great day!
Bill L - August 10th
Buck W - August 14th
Dave J - August 16th
Blue B - August 19th
Troy A - August 21st
Stan C - August 24th
John D - August 26th
Jack O - August 26th
Meet & Greets
Due to Covid-19, the monthly M&Gs were canceled for this month.
Club Business
August Camp out - Cancelled
At this point we have had to cancel the August camp out. In Washington state the governor has placed a hold on counties advancing through the four phases towards returning to normal due to the increase in COVID-19 cases. In Oregon things are pretty much on hold as well. The Canadian border remains closed as well. We still have our hopes up to somehow manage to have a camp out this summer.
Reader’s Corner
A place for you, the reader, member or guest, to contribute.
Tell us about your travels, adventures, mishaps, etc.
To contribute send your story & pictures to President@BorderRiders.com
A SPECIAL REQUEST
The Bucket List Ride by Stan C
As a refresher, Border Riders received an interesting e-mail after the 2019 riding season closed. It was an e-mail from a guy who found his elderly mother’s bucket list. On his mother’s bucket list, he found “Ride on a Motorcycle”.
The family decided they wanted to see if they could make this come true and he (her son Eric) started trying to find someone who would help. No one in this family rode a motorcycle and did not even know anyone who did. He found the Border Riders website and decided to send us an e-mail to see if we could help. I think BRMC with the help and support of Josh W at Paradise Harley Davidson have hit a home run.
Several members, Alan H, Blue B, Chris L, Dale, C, Dave J, Dennis H, Kas C, Stan C plus guests Andrew G & Gabe, & Leo all showed up to support mom and the family. It was a surprise to mom “Starr”, and it appears she did not mind all the fuss and attention being paid to her. It did not take anyone long after meeting Starr why the family wanted to do something special for her. She is a wonderful person and a hoot to chat with.
Josh W came through with a sporty trike and a fun little ride. When we got back from the ride, we had cupcakes and sang happy birthday to Starr. The family showed up and everyone seemed to have fun making mom feel special.
I send out a special thanks for Josh W at Paradise for helping make this happen and to the family for letting us help them make it happen. THANK YOU!
Day Rides
Portland’s Day Ride with DOB - As a result of DOB hosting and invited BRMC to their Pride Ride in June, I have become friends with one of their members, Rachel. I have learned a great deal from her about how DOB conducts their club and I am impressed by some of what they do and to their dedication to the club but that is another story for another time. It was during one of our chats that I learned they had not ridden the Klickitat Canyon up to Glenwood recently and for some, ever.
After a quick description of the ride Rachel was in and said she would organize DOB to join us. The only time slot available to both clubs was Sunday the 12th starting at noon. We meet at Home Depot near the Portland Airport and headed out as one large group. There were 17 bikes in total which makes for a challenge, darn near impossible, to keep them all together.
We also had the challenge of combining the different riding style of DOB with BRMC. In spite of the size of the group and the various riding styles, things went very well. As expected with that size group it was a slow ride but once we got to an area, I will just call it “Play Time”, people quickly broke off as individual riders and into small groups of similar riding styles to enjoy some curves up the canyon.
We all made it into Glenwood safely and from there about ½ of the attendees headed out individually as their destination was much different than the main group. With a smaller group heading home we were able to pick up the pace a little. Everything taken into consideration, it was a fantastic ride & I look forward to riding with everyone, including DOB again.
Portland’s Day Ride to Raymond - Members Alan H, Blue B, & Stan S took guests Andrew, David, Ryan/Jay, Larry, Peter, & Steve, on a ride that parallels the mighty Columbia River towards Astoria. When we reached 101 we headed north and meet up with other riders from the Seattle area at Bruceport County Park.
We enjoyed lunch, some great conversation, and before I knew it, it was time to head home. It was great to see everyone and our guests were excited to have meet so many wonderful people and look forward to our next event.
Portland’s August Day- Ride No plans for August. Watch our F.B. page for last minute details.
BC’s Day Ride - No plans for August. Watch our F.B. page for last minute details.
Seattle’s Day Ride - No plans for August. Watch our F.B. page for last minute details. Anyone looking to plan one contact Dennis, Stan or Jeff for posting. (Dennis out of town, so not able to plan one)
For details about this month’s day ride, please visit our Facebook page and seek out details for your area.
Motorcycle Training Opportunities
(August 29th & 30th)
Only 3 spots remain - register today!
Registration has opened to all guest and members. There is a limited number of openings so get your spot reserved soon. As a last resort, there is a waiting list available in case someone needs to cancel at the last minute. Don’t worry about the class time. Just go to our web-site and get registered for whatever is available. I will do everything I can do get you into the class that is the most convenient for you to attend.
One of the instructors showing Dale how the S curves are done!
My goal is to give Seattle people the Saturday afternoon / Sunday morning class. That way they can ride in Saturday morning and home Sunday afternoon and not need to take Friday or Monday off work. I will ask Portland people to take the Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon class to make this possible.
I spoke with Team OR on April 17th. They, and I expect this event to take place as scheduled. However, due to the shortened season and their backlog, this will be the only motorcycle class we can do in 2020. So, go to our website and register for whatever is available. We will figure out who is in which class once we know who is attending.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact me & let us chat. Treasurer@BorderRiders.com
As Colin would say, “I can’t wait, Bounce, Bounce, Bounce"
The dreaded Cone Weave.
For those of you who were not able to make it to the Advanced Motorcycle Training class we did as part of the Rally, not all is lost. Team Oregon and I have worked out a deal whereby Team Oregon is going to bring the entire 8-hour class to Portland, and we just purchased the whole thing. No outsiders, just us.
To make the class less physically demanding, Team Oregon has agreed to break the (1) 8-hour class into (2) 4-hour classes. Both classes will happen the same weekend to make it easier on those who will travel into Portland to take the class. The classes will be held on August 29th & 30th, 2020. Which of their Portland locations the class is to be held at, is currently Y.T.B.D. It’ll be somewhere in the Portland Metro area.
The 1st class will be held on August 29th from 12:30 to 5:30. This will be slow cornering, U-turns, and weaving. This is what you watch when you watch those police rodeos. I’d love to put together a team to challenge the police someday.
The 2nd class will be on Sunday, August 30th, from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. Sunday will wrap up day 1 and move onto group riding and group parking. Yeah, finally we will be able to look like pros when we go out to dinner at the campouts.
There are 9 available spots for this class and all spots will go for $200 each. Registration for this event will only be available through the BRMC website. It’ll be just like any other BRMC event only with limited availability.
BTW, these motorcycle training events I put together are normally not a BRMC sanctioned event. This is just me organizing these classes because I keep getting request for it, I love them, and I learn something every time I go.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions about these motorcycle training opportunities, please contact me and let us chat. Treasurer@BorderRiders.com
From the Handlebars of the President
Where is the year going to? It is August already and boy has summer arrived. The end of July we saw some sunny days with high temps. We are running about 8 or 9 inches ahead of normal for rain. It is nice to finally see the sun.
Work remains hectic with Paycheck Protection Program loans. We are still taking applications for loans as well as receiving applications for forgiveness. Congress is proposing changes to the program so it seems as if the program is never going to end. But I am glad to be helping small businesses stay afloat. I can attest that the bulk of our loans have gone to small locally owned businesses.
Since I work in an “essential” business I am required to minimize my socializing. I really miss getting together with others. I was looking forward to the Day Ride in July but decided I had best stay home due to work requirements.
Unfortunately my bike has been sitting rather neglected in the garage. I really need to somehow get out on it. I am really hoping that we can have a camp out in September.
…… keep the shiny side up!
Vice President Chatter
Howdy,
Well July has come has come and gone with a few events, Bucket List Ride, a joint ride with DOB and then the day ride to Willapa Bay to meet up with the Seattle group (thanks to those who showed up), it was great to see everyone! Honestly, I wished I had more to share this month but Covid keeps getting in our way.
I hope everyone is finding the time to get out there, ride and finding ways to keep yourself sane!
Be well and hope to see ya’ll soon!
Road Captain Rumblings
Since the July Campout was cancelled, I looked for a spot to meet up near Raymond which is roughly halfway between Seattle and Portland and off the I5 corridor for more interesting riding. Found Bruceport County Park that had a reservable day use area. It was better for us as the regular picnic area was a big grass field with no shade. From either direction can figure on 300 mile round trip, so still a good bit of saddle time for a day.
Another benefit of having been to that campsite is we found out they have group sites that can be reserved and could be added to our list of potential future campsites. Like many small counties the online information on them is very limited. Many people have commented “have you tried this campsite or that?” and the problem that run into is most don’t have group sites that are reservable and we aren’t in a position to just do first come on sites.
And on the subject of campsites – since the August trip has been moved to the Mount Vernon area I’m looking for an alternative for September since September is scheduled to be near Concrete. The riding opportunities in both locations are similar and would be a longer trip from the Portland area two months in a row. However, the problem I am running into is due to Covid-19 restrictions booking of group sites is on hold until further notice. I’m working on a couple of possibilities further south, not likely to know for about a month but best right now looks like near Trout Lake.
Stay healthy, shiny side up and hoping to see you all soon.
Treasurer’s Ramblings
All amounts owed to us have been collected. All the bills I am aware of have been paid. All our account balances are where I expect them to be. Briefly stated, “Piggy Bank be balanced”.
If you have any question, comments, or suggestions about anything I am dealing with, please feel encouraged to contact me & let us chat.
Secretary Thoughts
2020 Calendar of Events
January 18th - Annual General Meeting - Seattle, WA
February 15th - Anniversary Banquet - Seattle, WA
March 21st - Hosted Club Meeting - Michael C home - Seattle, WA
April 18th - Hosted Club Meeting - Dan S home - Oakville, WA - Cancelled
May 15th thru 18th - Victoria Day Camp-out - Cancelled
June 14th - BRMC rides in the Portland Pride Parade - Cancelled
June 26th thru 28th - Camp-out at TBD Campsite (Seattle Area) - Cancelled
June 27th - BRMC Booth at Capitol Hill Pride Festival in Seattle, WA - Cancelled
June 28th - BRMC rides in the Seattle Pride Parade - Cancelled
July 17th thru 19th - Camp-out at Jeff and Tim’s outside of Mount Vernon, WA - Cancelled
August 14th thru 16th - Camp-out at Union Creek,OR - Cancelled
August 29th & 30th - 2-day Advanced Motorcycle Training in Portland, OR
September 18th thru 20th - Camp-South Grandy Lake by Concrete WA
October 17th - Hosted Club Meeting - TBD Location
November 14th - Hosted Club Meeting - TBD Location
December 12th - Holiday Party - TBD Location
Meet & Greets
(August’s M&G have been canceled due to COVID-19)
B.R.M.C. members will be available for interested individuals to meet and learn more about the club and how to get involved. For locations and times, check out the cities listed below for your area. Also, in addition to the club's monthly events, local rides may be organized, weather permitting. To lean more about local event’s, check out our F.B. page or email the Road Captain at Captain@BorderRiders.com.
Portland: Meet & Greet - 1st Wednesday of the month, 7 pm at The Portland Eagle.
Vancouver BC Meet & Greet - 2nd Wednesday of the month. 4 to 6 pm at The Met Hotel, New Westminster
Seattle: Meet & Greet - 3rd Wednesday of the month, 7 pm at The Cuff
Non-BRMC Motorcycle Events
Contributions of Photos & Stories
If you have photos and stories to share, please send to news@borderriders.com