Welcome

The 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, and welcome like-minded guests to join us on our monthly club events and local activities during the riding months.  Check the main page of the website at http://borderriders.com for additional information.

!!LAST CHANCE!!

Registration Closes May 14th

BORDER RIDERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB

49TH ANNUAL VICTORIA DAY WEEKEND RUN

MAY 18TH THRU 21ST, 2017

ARDENVOIR, WA, PINE FLATS CAMPGROUND

This is it, your last chance to register for our big season kick-off camp-out and motorcycle run at the remote Pine Flats Campground hidden in the mountains past Ardenvoir, Washington.

Come and join us for another fantastic long weekend with some great food, good times, and amazing friends.

Get your bike in order, find your camping gear, and scrape off last years bugs on the leather. RIDE!

Registration is:

• $145 US members
• $160 US guests
• $115 Canadian members
• $127 Canadian guests

This is the 49th year BRMC has hosted this legendary event.  This event is not one to miss.

Join us now.

This primitive campground is fully reserved for BRMC, where seclusion and privacy are features of this central base camp for day rides throughout the central Washington area.  Hiking up the Mad River and just hanging out is also a ‘thing’ if more riding isn’t your plan.

Registration closes May 14th at 9:00 pm.  Guests require a member to sponsor them for this event.  If you don't have a sponsor and would like to attend please send an email to captain@borderriders.com for information. 

Click below for additional information and to register.

Monthly Recap - Club Meeting: Oakville

The April club meeting was hosted by Dan S in the small community of Oakville, Washington.  It was great to see so many of us there… and taking advantage of the good weather to ride our bikes.  Upon approach to his place, it was wonderful to see the amazing progress he’s made on the new structure he’s building.  Adorned with fish scale tiles and fabulously painted, this project is definitely in the final stretches of completion.

The meeting focused around final planning for the Victoria Day Run, coming up in just a few weeks.  A sign-up sheet was passed around for assignments to the various tasks that must be performed to make the event run smoothly.  The t-shirt design was discussed as it turns out that the supplier provided feedback indicating the image was too difficult to produce.  Dave J took the action to learn more and seek alternatives.  [Post meeting, 2 other vendors were approached and a new design was created, but it was finally decided that no t-shirt would be offered this year due to the very limited time to collect orders and meet the supplier's ordering deadline.]  

Additional meeting discussion addressed participation for the Portland Pride Parade, which is the same weekend as our monthly campout (at McIver Park, nearby).  While it's been an ongoing desire for some to ride, the situation presented to us continues to be a sticking point.  Specifically, 1) there is a per-person fee or $20 that must be paid, 2) we would be allowed to either ride with, or just behind, the Dykes on Bikes, or at the very end.  It was discussed that the club might compensate 50% of the entrance fee.  Concern was expressed in riding behind/with the DoB group as our banner and presents is diluted.  An issue with riding at the end is that you have to be there before the parade starts, and you don't actually ride for several hours.  That's a lot of waiting around.  No final commitment was made at this time, and Mark B will continue to be the point man for this topic.

Troy A had prepared a comprehensive report of the 50th Anniversary Committee's discussions for the club to review.  The committee should have some solid plans for the May meeting for club approval.

Dan is a wonderful cook, and with the help of Justin, whipped up a meal for kings.  Pork tenderloin was the main dish, surrounded by tasty quiche pies, roasted veggies, and topped off with a couple of desert cakes that hit just the right spot.  With freshly made lemonade to wash it all down, it was a culinary experience that couldn’t be beat by a 4-star restaurant.

While some of the group chose to leave before eating this fine meal, this left a lot of food for those who remained resulting in a total ‘pig-out’ indulgence of gluttony.  Life is good.  Dan has leftovers.  As the food settled in some very full tummies, it was time to mount out mechanical steeds and head back to the barn from which we came.

From the Handlebars of the President

I would like to start off by thanking Dan S and his team for hosting the April meeting at his place.  It was a great day for a day ride.  Chris L and Richard A met me at my place at 8:45 and we headed south on I-5 to catch the Edmonds-Kingston Ferry.  Just before arriving at the ferry dock Buck W and Bill L caught up to us.  We took a not so leisurely and scenic ride to Elma where we met up with Stan C and Alan H. We enjoyed a meal of great Mexican food and then proceeded on to the meeting in Oakville.  After the meeting I rode home with Chris and Richard.  Roundtrip it was 324 miles.   The first long ride of the season.   

This spring has been rather wet but I have managed to sneak in a few days commuting to work on the bike.  Whenever it's dry I prefer to take the bike. 

Victoria Day Weekend 49 is just around the corner with lots to do, but planning is well underway. I can't believe that this will be my 7th Victoria Day.  As usual I am really looking forward to it as a great start to the official riding season.  The first opportunity of the year to camp and ride with my fellow club members and guests is always special.

The weekend is a lot of work, but well worth the sweat. The comradery that is built working in the kitchen, sharing a meal and time around the campfire is something to be treasured. Not everyone is part of a club that comes together to share these special times and create those bonds. At this time we still have plenty of room for members and guests. If you haven’t yet registered or sent your regrets please do so as soon as possible. Also, if you have friends who would like to attend please invite them. Remember, guests must be sponsored by members and you are responsible for their actions. Victoria Day is an all vehicle event so you or your guests don’t have to arrive on motorcycles. This is our only camping run that is all vehicle. However, we do not allow RVs due to space constraints at the camp.

There are still plenty of opportunities to volunteer at camp. If you are attending and have not already signed up on the duty roster please contact Dan S. at vicepresident@borderriders.com to volunteer.

Support Vehicles: Jeff Booth will be providing a support vehicle from Portland. Please contact Jeff.booth50@gmail.com to make arrangements to transport your gear.  Dennis Hummel will be providing the support vehicle from Seattle.  Dennis will be at the meet and greet at the Cuff on May 15th at 7:00. If you have gear you need hauled please bring it to the Cuff.

If you have friends that ride a motorcycle or know of someone that would like to join us on a weekend camp out be sure to invite them to join us.  Border Riders welcomes guests to ride with us without becoming an official member.  We have some guests who have ridden with us a long time, but are not interested in being more active. 

Road Captain Rumblings

With the return of some decent weather I hope everyone has had a chance to get out and spend some time on the road and getting their bikes ready for the season.  Looking forward to another great Victoria Day.  For those registered watch for an email on the 10th with those registered to date, and a final list on the 15th for planning rides or carpooling.  The May 15th email will also include final instructions. 

Treasurer Report

The club funds continue to be stable. We have had some contributions to the 50th anniversary fund but not near enough. I thank those who have donated bigly and will try to have a list for public kudos at the VD camp-out. I will also try have a detailed income & expense report at the VD camp-out and will be happy to meet individually if anyone has a specific question(s) as to club finances.

Hope to see you all at the VD Camp-out. I believe it will be an intimate event of quality people. It will certainly be one not to miss. I will leave Portland at 6am on Thursday if anyone wants to ride with me. If interested, contact me to discuss riding styles. Those who know me, know what I’m saying. 😊Which brings me to;

Motorcycle Safety Training

The response to the motorcycle safety class has been minimal. To date, I am unable to fill a class or even get close and thus may cancel this event if interest does not increase soon. We need 7 more riders to commit before May 8th so if you are interested you need to contact me ASAP.

Is anybody else bothered by the fact the turd is in the word Saturday? Saturday is one of my favorite words. Why couldn’t it have been in Monday? Moturday or something. Hm, on second thought, I see a problem with that too.

Anyway, please contact me at 503.320.9572 if you have questions. If you want to be put on the list of attendees send me an email Stanley.V.Christiansen@gmail.com before the 8th of May. I will reach out to those on the interested list on May 9th or 10thwith the results.

This event is NOT sanctioned by the Border Riders Motorcycle Club.

Victoria Day History

The summer of 1969 was without question a memorable one for all motorcycle enthusiasts. The images of Peter Fond, Dennis Hopper, and Jack Nicholson rolling freely on the American roads in the cult film “Easy Rider” introduced a new culture of men and machines. These were people who thought differently.

Summer of 1969 was also Stonewall in New York City, and outstanding event which redefined what being gay in America meant. And in 1969 a small group of men from Seattle and Vancouver decided to form the Border Riders Motorcycle Club. Founded on the idea of riding and camaraderie, it was not easy to be a gay biker in the ’70s and ’80s.

In the beginning most activities were discrete, generally being day trips or two-day campouts. The Wenatchee National forest and the mountains became a favorite destination affording privacy and a chance to socialize away from the cities.

Grouse Creek was the home for Victoria Day run for many years, but its elevation often made for snow camping in the early spring. Getting a bike, much less a supply truck to the camp was not always easy. The flyer for the 23rd annual run in 1992 reminds people to “expect warms days and cool nights” which might have been optimistic.

There are great stories of how the park service called to say that Grouse Creek would not be open in time for the BRMC reservation in 1997 and would the club consider a new site—Pine Flats. Sight unseen the club accepted the location for that year. Flyers for the 1997 run inform people of the new location and provide the alternate directions. That year Route 2 was under construction at Steven’s pass and Route 20 was not scheduled to be clear of snow until about a week before camp. Fortunately, we don’t seem to have those issues today.

Pine Flats has been the annual site ever since. It offers more space and more predicable weather. Some of the trees at Grouse Creek that contained the memorial plaques of fallen members have disappeared, but Grouse Creek is still remembered fondly by many long-time members.

Each year we now honor our fallen members with a service at Pine Flats and place a small plaque high in the tree where it will not be disturbed. This has indeed become the recognized home for the annual Border Riders Victoria Day Run.

But what really makes this a special place for the members and guests is the chance to start a new riding season with a celebration. We renew old friendships and start new ones. We talk about our upcoming plans and reminisce about the past. And most importantly we carry the tradition of the Border Riders forward another year. BRMC is the largest and one of the oldest gay motorcycle clubs in history.

High Mileage Award

Each year we award a shirt and mark the plaque for the member who rides the most miles in the season. If you wish to be considered you need to register your name and bike odometer on Friday night or Saturday morning of the Victoria Day camp. An ending mileage will be taken on Saturday night of the September camp – this year at Bear Hollow Camp, Fossil, OR.

Calendar of 2018 Events

• May 18-21 Victoria Day Weekend Camp
• June 15-17 Milo McIver, Estacada, OR & Portland Pride
• July 20-21 Evans Group, Kettle Falls, WA
• August 17-19 Goldstream Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, BC
• September 14-16 Bear Hollow Camp, Fossil, OR
• October 20 Club Meeting - @ TBD
• November 17 Club Meeting - @ TBD
• December 8 Holiday Party - @ TBD

Birthdays

We have 4 members with a birthdays  this month.  Please take a moment to wish them a great day.

• Michael C - May 27
• Jeff C - May 16
• Rex C - May 29
• Roy S - May 04

Meet & Greets

BRMC members will be available for new and returning guys to connect and learn more about the club and opportunities to participate.  If you are interested, check out when and where in the cities listed below.  Also, in addition to the club's monthly events, local rides may be organized, weather permitting.  To lean more, email the Road Captain for specific details, or to ensure a member to meet you, at captain@borderriders.com.

• Portland: Meet & Greet - 1st Tuesday of the month, 7pm at The Portland Eagle
• Seattle: Meet & Greet - Tuesday, May 15th, 7pm at The Cuff
• Vancouver BC: Please contact the Road Captain for arrangements

How to become a Border Rider member

The Border Riders Motorcycle club is the largest and one of the oldest gay motorcycle clubs in North America.  Founded in 1969 it currently has over 70 members primarily from Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia.  The club provides social and educational opportunities for our members and guests interested in recreational motorcycle touring. Our diverse, international membership is composed of both seasoned riders and beginners, and we come from all walks of life and professions.

We also accept all types of bikes. Our members ride a variety of makes and models ranging from sport to touring motorcycles, and we welcome any motorcycle capable of sustained highway speeds. This is about riding and group camaraderie rather than motorcycle brand.  The commonality that binds us is the love of motorcycling and the enjoyment that comes from touring some of the best roads for motorcycling in Canada and the USA—all in a spirit of friendship and safety.

In the off season, we do monthly meeting and look for social activities to keep people involved. These meeting are open to members and invited guests.

To really participate in the club we encourage you to consider becoming a member. Riders who have ridden with the club for a year may be sponsored by a member. Your sponsor will work with you to submit a photo and short bio which will be posted on our private website. Members will be informed of your desire to be a member and you are encouraged to be sure that other members get to know you. At our general meeting in January club members vote privately on prospective members.  Accepted members receive their colors at a ceremony at our annual Banquet in February.

Contributions of Photos & Stories

If you have photos and stories to share, please send to news@borderriders.com