July 2020 Newsletter
BRMC & Dykes on Bikes Group photo!
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 (June)
June is PRIDE month, and this year, BRMC members and guests joined up with the Portland chapter of Dykes on Bikes (DOB) for a ride though the Portland metropolitan area with our version of a Parade. This may actually be a historic event for the groups as it may be the first time this has happened. We all met at Cycle Gear in Tigard. Some 35 bikes and 45 folks in all with a good showing from the 10 guys who were able to make it. The ride took us around the park/library in Tigard, then up over Barns road and down the hill on Burnside. After many up and down streets in downtown Portland, we headed out to Mt Tabor to relax and regroup. Here we had an opportunity to chat and get to know each other more. Wonderful people, all! Then, it was off into Portland, again, to connect with Hwy 99 into Milwaukie and on to Oregon City where we ended the group ride at The End of the Oregon Trail museum. Along the way, bystanders would wave and cheer as we road through their neighborhoods. No ill-will was observed. Good times had by all! Looking forward to more joint rides with DOB. BRMC sincerely thanks DOB for hosting this historic event.
In other news, COVID-19 still has us mostly locked down. Attempts to open up various venues across the country have been met with increased infections and deaths. Yeah, this story is not played out yet. Stay safe and don’t be stupid.
Dave J
Monthly Gallery
Photos from members and guests from last month’s rides and adventures.
The guys showed up first for the Pride Parade Ride with DOB
The group is forming with about 30 bikes at this time.
The entrance to the summit of Mt Tabor.
BRMC Members and guest chilling on Mt Tabor
End of the Trail in Oregon City
Upcoming Events
JULY
Festival Camp Out July 17 - 19 - Mount Vernon WA
Upcoming Birthdays
We have 9 members that have a birthdays in JULY. Take and moment and wish them a great day!
Scott G - July 4th
Chris L - July 5th
John M - July 6th
Marc L - July 9th
David F - July 10th
Andre P - July 21st
Ryan S - July 24th
Jeremy W - July 24th
Dan S - July 26th
Meet & Greets
Due to Covid-19, the monthly M&Gs were canceled for this month.
Club Business
Festival Campout - July 17-19
Plans are to have a Festival Campout at Jeff C and Tim M’s Gentleman’s Ranch outside Mount Vernon, WA. Plans are to make this a mini-Victoria Day weekend complete with 4 meals and fun and games. Yes Dale, we’ll even have a duty roster for those that want to help with meal prep. At this time the menu is still in development but dinner will be available both Friday and Saturday evenings with breakfasts on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Plans are to have a motorcycle rodeo that will feature several contests to be done on a motorcycle. You’ll have to come and see what all is planned.
Everything unfortunately is subject to Skagit County being able to move into Phase 3 of the Washington Safe Start plan. Currently Skagit County is in Phase 2 and hopefully will be able to move to Phase 3 by then. Only in Phase 3 or later can groups larger than 5 people gather together.
Look for an email announcing registration. Cost will be $50 for US Members and $60 for US Guests. The price for Canadian Members and guests will be commensurate with the club policy.
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
Help Check one off the ol’ Bucket List
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. BRMC President Jeff C got the e-mail and since this family was based out of Portland, he passed it on to me and asked me to see what I could do.
I contacted Eric and got some details to help me understand how to proceed. I learned that Mom’s birthday was in February and even though we had a couple month to get ready, I explained I did not feel comfortable trying to do something like this in February. It is just too darn cold, so we decided to wait until the weather got better. Eric contacted me the first part of spring and asked if we would still help.
Eric promised me that his mom was still in good physical condition and would have no problem getting on and off a motorcycle. After much consideration, I decided it would be best if we could find someone with a trike or a side car to make it more comfortable for their mother. After a quick mental run through of all the BRMC bikes I knew I had to look outside the club. I reach out to a couple other local clubs I was familiar with and was unable to find anyone. As a last-ditch effort, I reached out to Paradise Harley Davidson and specifically, Josh W whom Alan and I have purchased several motorcycles from.
“Hey Josh, I need a favor.” I explained my situation and asked Josh if he knew anyone who had a trike, was an experienced rider, and would be willing to helping us out. Without much hesitation Josh responded, “I want to participate. I want to do this myself.” He quickly called me back and offered to take one of Paradise HD trikes for a short 15-minute ride and have mom ride on the back. He would also hook mom up with one of their loaner helmets, so she did not have to buy a helmet for this one ride.
I notified the family what I had arranged, and they were understandably pleased. The family is somewhat scattered throughout Oregon, so I asked them to find a Sunday that worked for them. Within a couple days Eric contacted me and asked if July 12th would work. I contacted Josh and he said if they could be there at 10:00 am on July 12th, he could make it happen, and so there it is. Border Riders MC & Paradise HD are going to help this family make a dream come true for their mother.
I am extremely excited to be a part of this and I would like to take it a step further. I would like to turn this trip around the block into a short group ride. I would like mom to experience the feeling of being a part of a group ride, even if just for 15 minutes. As we all know, it is not something we can explain. It is something you must experience.
So, I am asking all my BRMC brothers & guests, to come help make this a special event for this family and their mom. I think having a dozen bikes, or more, participate in this would be icing on the proverbial birthday cake. I am asking interested participants to arrive at Paradise Harley Davidson no later than 9:45 so we will have time to visit with the family and their mother. Let us make their mom feel incredibly special on her special day.
I would like to give a special thanks to Paradise Harley Davidson and Josh for helping make this all possible. Thank you! If you would like any additional information about this event, please contact Stan at Treasurer@BorderRiders.com
P.S. I will be asking EVERYONE to mask up while off the bikes. We will be in the presence of an at-risk person.
Wynoochee Dam Ride
By mid-May, I think we were all tired of being cooped up at home, and missed the camaraderie of the Border Riders. Dale Conley had enlisted Dennis Hummel and Todd McNaught to help him install a new waterline into his house from the street, and I came down to see if I could help. We all decided we wanted to go for a ride - somewhere, anywhere - so in mid-May we met at 10am in Belfair. The goal for lunch was Wynoochee Dam, north of Montesano, WA. It turned out to be a nice, sunny day in a rainy spring, so with Todd leading, we headed down the south shore of Hood Canal toward Shelton, then west on paved back roads where one could easily imagine the sound of banjos playing a duet.
We did have one three-mile connector road that was dirt, but it was no problem for anyone, and Dale got to practice his ADV stand-up style to better absorb the potholes. We got to the dam and enjoyed our lunch and some good conversation, all fairly-well socially distanced. Motorcycling by nature is socially-distanced - it's just when you get off the bike that there are problems.
Rain clouds had been threatening our sunny morning, and by the time we got to Matlock, the skies opened up and we got some serious rain. Luckily there was a store there that had a nice surrounding porch (though the store was closed) and we joined two older local Harley riders trying to stay dry.
We all agreed it was pretty wonderful to share a ride together, after having been shut down for a couple months - we were all pretty motorcycle and socially starved. We agreed we wanted to do more riding together, and maybe even some camping. Smaller groups like these are a good way to get out and get some riding in, without the logistical problems of a large group. It may be our new 'normal' for awhile.
-TomC
Day Rides
Portland’s Day Ride - We are hopeful we will be able to do something in June. Watch our F.B. page for last minute details.
BC’s Day Ride -
Seattle’s Day Ride - No plans for July, enjoy your Fourth!
For details about this month’s day ride, please visit our Facebook page and seek out details for your area.
Motorcycle Training Opportunities
Only 6 spots remain - register today!
Registration has opened on the BRMC website. There is a limited number of opening 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 get registered for whatever is available and 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
Happy 4th of July! I am so happy to see June come to a close. The past three months have been very busy at work with the SBA Paycheck Protection Program. My bank has done almost 2500 loans for over $450 million dollars in just three months. That is over a 1/3 of the bank assets. Whew what a time! I can honestly say that these loans went to small businesses to help keep a paycheck in the pockets of their employees. Now we begin to process the forgiveness applications which will not be nearly as face paced as the application phase.
Unfortunately my bike has been sitting rather neglected in the garage. I really need to somehow get out on it. I am really looking forward to hosting a campout this month.
…… keep the shiny side up!
Vice President Chatter
Greetings Everyone
It appears that yet again we will have another month of no or limited club activities. Hopefully we will be able to do the mini VD thing soon.
It is unfortunate we had to cancel VD, I was looking forward to contributing some fresh ideas for the 2020 VD Campout. Maybe next year! That said, I am hoping we can pull off a mini VD at Jeff’s house soon. I plan to support him with food prep and organizing some volunteers to help with the cooking and clean up chores.
Dan S, if we do get to gather at Jeff’s house, you will need to work with Jeff on the fire, if allowed.
I hope everyone is finding some peace with all what is happening in the world today and I look forward to seeing everyone soon.
Be well,
Alan
2020 Vice President
Road Captain Rumblings
I’ve finally been able to get out on a few rides both individually and in small groups as noted elsewhere. Definitely seeing a lot of bikes out on the road as a perfect activity for social distancing. The interesting thing is that with many of the campgrounds closed how many people are camping in pull offs or little side roads. Some of the setups I’ve seen make our Victoria Day camp look like a mini camp. Not encouraging it, just an observation of people still wanting some recreation and normalcy in their lives and hope they’re using precautions
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
On Thursday, June 18, Dennis H. and I rode up to Rimrock Lake near White Pass to his sister’s cabin. After we met in Belleview, Dennis picked a route that got us off the freeway and we headed to Enumclaw where we joined Highway 410. At Cayuse Pass we joined Highway 123 that took us around the east side of Mount Rainier. We then joined Highway 12 to go over White Pass. The cabin was just east of White Pass and beautifully located on the south side of Rimrock Lake. It was a perfect place for a layover.
The next day we were joined by three more motorcycle buddies Dale C, Tom C, and Todd at Packwood. From Packwood we took Skate Creek Road north heading to Mt. Rainier National Park. We spent the rest of Friday riding a route that let us view three sides of Mount Rainier. A few miles away from Packwood the road became NFD Road 52. This stretch of Road 52 to the National Park Highway was not fun. I named it the Devil’s Hole Road. The pot holes, dips, broken pavement and bumps were constant. Fortunately I was not leading the group so I could see what the people ahead of me were experiencing and had the time to prepare for what was to come next. Thank you Tom and Dale for guiding us through the mess.
We rode up to Paradise stopping in several places to take pictures. At one point on this part of the trip we even saw a black bear posing for pictures. We didn’t stop. Our plan was to take Road 206 from Paradise to Highway 123 that runs north of Rainier, then to take Highway 12 back to White Pass. Unfortunately it didn’t work out that way. We turned down two different roads. Each road was blocked to traffic so our only choice was to go back through the Devil’s Hole. Every time we stopped, we got a different view of the mountain. I hadn’t spent this much time at Rainier in years. It was a great ride despite the gift from the Devil. When we arrived back at the cabin, Todd fed us with a beautiful salmon dinner. Thank you Todd.
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
August 14th thru 16th - Camp-out at Union Creek, near Phillips Lake between Sumpter and Baker Oregon
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
(July’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