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 of (July)
Emigrant Springs State Park, Oregon
Todd at the campground.
What a difference a month makes in the weather. The July run out to eastern Oregon saw considerably more pleasant temperatures than the heat dome that suffocated us last month. Though eastern Washington and Oregon were still at summer temperatures in the low 90’s, that was a piece-of-cake compared to the 118F of last month. The fires and smoke of southern Oregon had not yet reached us this far north, and we enjoyed relatively smoke free air most of the time, excepting Mark and myself encountering a strong taste of it in the small town of John Day central Oregon.
Thirteen of us, being 8 members and 5 guests, made the long trip out to camp, with most showing up on Friday. As a bonus, 4 of our members out on a two-week western states ride further to the east of us, managed to coordinate their return trip to rendezvous with us on Friday afternoon to relax a bit before heading the rest of the way to their homes in Oregon and Washington.
Dave presenting the history of the camp.
Emigrant Springs is a historical stopover site from early pioneers in the wagon train days of the mid 1800’s. In their journey across the Oregon Trail, they found the tall forests of old growth trees nestled in the Blue Mountains a great spot to call it a day and rest up before working their way down the mountains to where Pendleton is today, down the Columbia River to Oregon City and all places beyond.
A section of the camp site.
The campsite at Emigrant Springs, though highly touted from what you read online, was a bit of a disappointment for us. Though the RV sites on the other end of the park looked pretty nice, the group site we were placed was dusty, on uneven hill slope, and littered with tree debris, which was a mindful tripping hazard. In addition to the disbelief that the bathrooms and showers were not located anywhere near the group site, the road noise from I84 racing just in front along the park was overwhelming and non-stop. In spite of these annoyances, we managed to rough it out and enjoyed our time together, and as campfires were rightfully banned, huddled around a watermelon that a local farmer had given us earlier in the day (it was delicious!).
The Trails End Cafe/Bar/Grocery/Fishing. Best place in Meacham.
Eating opportunities were limited being Pendleton and La Grande were both about 25 miles away from the park in opposite directions, with Meacham being the closest at just 4 miles. As it were, the very small town of Meacham has a building used as the general store and local bar and café. We decided to try out the Trails End and found it to be a 5-star yelp review! Yes, the proprietors Dave and Sonya provided outstanding service and food for our hungry troupes. We ended up eating there for the entire weekend because, well, why go anywhere else.
Saturday saw some guys head out for a long ride out to the forest town of Ukiah and back up through La Grande. Lots of twisties and fast riding. While others stayed at camp relaxing and catching up on all things needed to be caught up on. Our President Jeff had his brother, his brother’s partner and their dogs stop into camp that morning as they traveled back to Montana from the Vancouver, WA area. Jeff returned to the cafe in Meacham to have lunch with them.
Time to roll.
Sunday rolls around and it’s time to pack it up and head back home. Some of us (Mark & Dave) took another day and the long way back through Oregon via John Day, to put on some 750 miles for the weekend. While it did get smoky in John Day and some ash was found on the bikes the next morning, it cleared up as we continued west. Around the Detroit area, we got to see the devastation left by the fires of last year, with miles of trees burnt to a crisp and Detroit Lake the lowest levels I’ve ever seen. Several delays were encountered as road crews were still logging near the road way.
In all, good times had by all, and no close calls or mishaps to report.
…Dave J
Monthly Gallery
Photos from members and guests from last month’s rides and adventures (or stolen from Facebook pages due to a lack of submissions). No photos were submitted this month.
Upcoming Events
Respectfully, please complete your 1st & 2nd vaccination 2 weeks prior to attending any “live” club event.
August 7th - Portland day ride, see details below or on Face-Book. Seattle day ride - details to follow by email.
August 18th - Seattle Meet & Greet, Cuff Complex, Seattle
August 20th to 22nd - The August Campout & Club Meeting, Molalla, Oregon
September 4th - Portland and Seattle area day rides
September 17th to 19th - Campout & Club Meeting, Goldendale, WA
August Campout: Charlie Horse Ranch, Molalla, Oregon
As a group campsite was not secured for the August campout, Dave J ponied up his place just outside of the town of Molalla. Located about 1 hr south of Portland and 7 more miles up the river from the town of Molalla, it sits on the cusp of forest land into the Cascade Range and the confluence of two rivers. The 2 acre property sports a full acre of lawn, dance hall, and social areas that also provide easy access for motorcycles and tents. Power is available to keep those CPAPs running all night. A honey pot toilet will be provided to help keep the septic system from being overwhelmed, and a shower can be used inside the house. The hot tub will be opened for anyone wanting to soak after a long day riding. There is now no chance of a real campfire, but I am hopeful we can still have the contained propane fires going to huddle around.
For you non-tenting guys, I have a couple of guest rooms available. Let me know if you’re interested.
Current plans are Friday for dinner we’ll go into town or order out for pizza and bring back to camp. Saturday morning we’ll have local pastries and coffee, and we can also head to a local restaurant for breakfast. Saturday dinner will fire up the big BBQ and make some burgers & brats with fixings. Sunday morning we’ll have more coffee and pastries to get us all kick started.
The river is across the road and the neighbors allow us to use their access. August is the best time of year to take a cool dip in the water. There are a number of rides in the area that might interest you, of which a highlight destination is Silver Falls State Park where some very nice waterfalls can be seen near the parking areas without having to hike far. Also, for you cowboys, the county fair and rodeo is in Canby this weekend, just up the road.
Upcoming Birthdays
We have 8 members with a birthday in August. Be sure and help us make them feel special.
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 July. BUT WAIT, there’s more.
Starting with August, we will go back to our regularly scheduled Meet & Greets, YAHOO! Look for details below.,
Reader’s Corner
A place for you, the reader, member and/or guest, to contribute.
Tell us about your travels, adventures, mishaps, etc.
To contribute, send your story & pictures to President@BorderRiders.com
Day Rides
BC’s Day Ride -No upcoming plans for day rides. Watch the newsletter and Facebook for updates.
Seattle’s Day Ride -Saturday August 7th, will be doing a yet to be determined ride. Watch for an email during the week for details.
Portland’s Day Ride - There was no July day-ride in Portland. BUT WAIT, there’s more.
Portland resumes our monthly day ride with the August day ride scheduled to happen on Saturday 8/7/21. Plz let us know if you will be there by responding to the face-book post before 5 pm the night before. Also, watch FB for last minute details about the day ride.
Gear Store
Is your BRMC gear looking tired? Do you need a new hat or club shirt? The gear store is fully stocked and available for purchase. The club restocked the store in February last year, only to not be able to meet up and have the products available. Long sleeved denim shirts, 1/4 zip sweatshirts and t-shirts are in stock. To place an order contact VicePresident@BorderRiders.com. All orders placed in late June, July & early August will be brought to the August Campout..
Motorcycle Training 2021 - YAHOO!!!!
Registration for ALL the upcoming BRMC/Team Oregon classes is open. To register, call Ronda at 541.737.9660. You will likely need to leave a message, but she will call you back. Their system is not set up for this kind of bulk buying so be patient. Ronda will need to charge you for each class as she registers you, so it does take a little longer than I expected. The good news is, the entire schedule is ala-cart so you can pick and choose which classes you want.
Each class has a limited number of openings and it is first registered, first reserved, so don’t delay registering. Once classes are full, I will keep a waiting list just in case someone can’t make it. You may e-mail me at Treasurer@BorderRiders.com to be placed on a waiting list.
The August classes were opened to the public in late June & the October classes will be open to the public in early September.
OTHER NOTES:
Cancelation Policy – Team Oregon has a cancelation policy of 30 days prior to the class with a full refund. Instead of canceling, please contact me first and let me see if I can sell your reservation to someone on the waiting list. If not, then we can cancel.
THE CLASSES
August Classes – These classes occur on Monday the 23rd. We are hoping to have the August campout that same weekend. The intent is to have a group ride from the campout to Alan & Stan’s house on Sunday & a social function that evening. We will pass a hat to cover the cost of food. I will supply more details when we get closer.
October Classes – The weekend of the October classes is also the weekend of the club meeting which Alan & Stan are hosting. The cost of dinner will be a part of the registration for the meeting. There will be a social function Saturday night as part of the meeting. I will supply more details when we get closer.
When You Register for any class, please send Stan C a quick e-mail letting him know which class or classes you have registered for. Send this to Treasurer@BorderRiders.com. This will allow him to keep a head count and will allow him to make sure you are kept current of any extracurricular activities happening that weekend.
Wait List - Each class has a limited number of openings and it is first registered, first reserved, so don’t delay registering. Once classes are full, Stan C will keep a Wait List just in case someone can’t make it. You may e-mail Stan at Treasurer@BorderRiders.com to be placed on the Wait List.
THE CLASS SCHEDULE
Monday, August 23rd is the Cornering Clinic & the Advanced Rider Techniques Class. Both classes take place on the go-cart track at Pat’s Acres in Canby.
The Cornering Clinic focuses solely on cornering skills. The Cornering Clinic is appropriate for an endorsed rider with 2+ years riding experience. The Cornering Clinic runs from 8:45 to 11:30. The class permits 18 attendees and cost $99. Successful completion of the ART class is required for this class.
Shortly after the Cornering Clinic is the Advanced Rider Techniques. The ART class provides riders expert instruction on the clean, smooth curves of a closed course. The ART class is appropriate for an endorsed rider with 2+ years riding experience. This class will run from 12:30 to 4:30. The class permits 18 attendees and cost $179.
Saturday, October 16th is the Precision Maneuvering Clinic #1. The PMC-1 is appropriate for an endorsed rider with 2+ years riding experience. This series will teach attendees how to use the clutch, throttle & brake to smoothly handle challenging maneuvers. This class will run from 8:45 to 1:45. The class permits 9 attendees and cost $99.
Sunday October 17th is the Precision Maneuvering Clinic #2. The PMC-2 is appropriate for an endorsed rider with 2+ years riding experience who have completed PMC-1. The PMC-2 class will start where we left off the day before and continue expanding our slow speed skills. This class will run from 8:45 to 1:45. The class permits 9 attendees and cost $99.
REGISTER NOW, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.
From the Handlebars of the President
The campout at Emigrant Springs Heritage Area was a fun weekend. Unfortunately we didn’t have a big turnout. While the campground did have some less desirable qualities it was still a good location and the showers were hot, at least some of them, and fee.
I rode over on Friday with a new guest of the club. We left Maryville about 8:30 in the morning and arrived in camp at 3:30. We stuck to the freeways on our way there. On Saturday I chose not to go on a day ride as my brother and his partner were passing through the area on their way back to Montana. After breakfast I headed back to camp to meet up with them and they hadn’t eaten yet so decided to do an early lunch so I turned around and headed back to Meacham. After lunch they packed up and headed out. It was a leisurely afternoon around camp.
Sunday morning we packed up and were on the road about 8:00. Coming home we ventured off the freeway some. We took I-84 to I-82 and then Hwy 14 to 221 into Prosser. Then 22 and 97 into Yakima and onto I-82 to 821. 821 is the Yakima Canyon Road and with the warm weather there were a lot of people floating the river. We did a lunch stop in Ellensburg and then I-90 over the pass and up 405/I-5 to home.
I’m looking forward to this month’s run in Molalla. Hope that you all can make it.
…… keep the shiny side up!
Vice President Chatter
Hello,
With regards to Vice President duties, I haven’t much to report. Things are operating smoothly & quietly.
On a personal note, I was 1 of 4 people who were on a 2-week, peak to peak ride around Colorado which was to end at the July Campout. My original plan was to attend the August campout on my way home. It was on the 484-mile ride from Layton Utah to La Grande OR that I realized I was exhausted, and I just wanted to go home. Trust me, it wasn’t an easy decision. We did swing by Friday night to visited for a couple hours and it was great to see everyone. We were all bummed we didn’t feel up to staying for the campout.
I am planning to be at the August campout, and I hope to see you all there. I know Dave J will make a great host and much fun will be had by all.
Be well and I hope you are finding the time to get out on two wheels!
Road Captain Rumblings
Reading from above looks like Emigrant Springs will not be added to a list of preferred sites for future trips. Tough to find sites that fulfill all the desires in a group site – flush toilets, hot showers, quiet, shade, food and gas close by, and interesting riding in the vicinity. This year also presented additional challenges in since group gatherings were banned registration wasn’t open to even sign up for sites.
The August trip to Dave’s place covers most of those desires. Check back in next month’s newsletter to see how many stars the reviews give it.
September – Brooks Memorial State Park, Goldendale, WA. The group site has 2 vault toilets (sorry, no flush toilets in the group area) We’ll see how the road noise is as right along Highway 97. Coffee, pastries and deli are close by at St John's Monastery & Bakery, with other food 12 miles away in Goldendale. The group site also claims to have a volleyball net which could be fun. There are several fun road to ride in the area including the Bickleton “Highway” and the always exciting Klickitat Canyon.
Everyday is a good day to ride!
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”.
Please feel encouraged to reach out to me if you have any questions. Otherwise, stay safe, stay healthy and I look forward to seeing everyone soon.
Secretary Thoughts
The run to Emigrant Springs State Park in Oregon was an important weekend for me. It was the first time in almost two years that I actually went camping on my motorcycle. Last year, because of Covid 19 restrictions, the only rides that I went on were mostly day rides. There was one ride when I was able to ride to a friend’s cabin on Rimrock Lake on highway 12. But that wasn’t camping! And there was the time that I took my car to go camping with BRMC, but that didn’t fit the criteria either. Then this year, I skipped the ride to Dayton because of the extreme heat. So finally in July of this year I was able to go camping on my motorcycle!
It was great to be able to hang out with the club, go riding and eat meals together. I found the history recorded at the park interesting. The camp gets its name from its location at a spot originally used by the Native Americans as a stop-over on the trails through the Blue Mountains. After the Lewis and Clark expedition, it became an important stop for travelers on the Oregon Trail because of its location near freshwater springs: hence its name “Emigrant Springs.” This is also why major transportation routes for railroads, and national highways like I-84 came through the area. Having grown up not far from this spot, I had heard a lot of this history in school, but now I was able to actually experience it and see it.
I hope we will be able to do more rides like this in the future, and am looking forward to the August ride to Molalla, OR.
2021 Calendar of Events
January 16th - Annual General Meeting - Virtual
February 20th - Anniversary Banquet - Virtual
March 20th - Club Meeting - Virtual
April 17th - Club Meeting - Virtual
May 14th thru 16th - Camp-out Bruceport County Park near Raymond WA
June 25th thru 27th - Lewis and Clark Trail State Park near Dayton WA
July 16th thru 18th - Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area, Meacham, OR
August 20th thru 22nd - Charlie Horse Ranch in Molalla, OR.
September 17th thru 19th - Brooks Memorial State Park, Goldendale, WA
October 16th - Club Meeting - TBD
November 20th - Club Meeting - TBD
December 11th - Club Holiday Party - TBD
Meet & Greets
(M&G’s will resume in August)
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
If you know of an upcoming motorcycle event or something of interest that we might want to attend, please send the information to News@BorderRiders.com and we will be sure to get it added to the newsletter.
Contributions of Photos & Stories
If you have photos and stories to share, please send to news@borderriders.com
