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 (December) Bow, Washington
The holiday spirit is in the air with the ushering in of December, and what better way to kick it off is with the annual BRMC Holiday Party. This year, Chris and Richard again opened up their house for a 5-star feast of food, goodies, decorations, and accommodations.
Located way up north in Bow, Washington, the location is a bit of a drive for those of us down south (I'd say about a 5-7 hour drive), but just a hop over the border for our Canadian brothers. In all, 32 members and guests made it to the event, and packed into the house and joining overflow heated tent.
During the joyous social time upon arriving, we munched on tasty goodies strategically placed around the areas. Eventually, we huddled for a very short club meeting before dog piling in the living room for a group photo.
Dinner was soon to follow, with the main course being stuffed bell peppers surrounded by a variety of carefully prepared sides. Desert pies and cakes found their way to the tables and were greedy gobbled down leaving nothing more than a few crumbs in the pans.
And then it was time for everyone's favorite Elephant Gift exchange. This year saw a number of items ranging from the absurd to the classy. Of course, the best gifts were pirated a few times as the rules allow, leaving the last of two exchanges the lucky man.
Eventually, it was getting late, the house got cleaned up for the most part, and we all headed off to parts unknown. For those of us with long drives home, an overnight stay was necessitated with friends or the local inn. In all, a good time had by all!
January's club meeting is our annual Business Meeting, held in the dungeon of The Cuff in Seattle. See you all then.
Dave J
BRMC Group Photo - Bow, Washington
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
Please do not come to any club event if you are not feeling well.
January 1st - Portland & Seattle area day rides
January 5th - Portland Meet & Greet, Eagle, Portland
January 15th - AGM, The Cuff, Seattle
January 19th - Seattle Meet & Greet, The Cuff, Seattle
February 2nd - Portland Meet & Greet, Eagle, Portland
February 5th - Portland & Seattle area day rides
February 16th - Seattle Meet & Greet, The Cuff, Seattle
February 19th - Anniversary Banquet, Skagit Casino, Bow, WA
Club Business
AGM - Annual General Meeting
The annual AGM will be held on January 15th. We will gather at the Cuff Complex in Seattle (proof of vaccination is required to enter the Cuff) to conduct the annual club business and elect our officers for the year. Please mark your calendars. Social time will be at 4:00 pm with the business meeting at 5:00 pm. Dinner to follow. Dinner plans are still being finalized.
During the members only meeting voting is completed for new officers, new prospective members, and changes to the bylaws or standing orders and other various administrative items. As such the meeting is closed to guests but guests are welcome for social and dinner time. We need to have a two-thirds majority vote of those eligible to vote to approve bylaw changes and new members. Please make every effort possible to attend the AGM.
Also, this is the time to renew club dues. Watch your email for the announcement of payment of club dues. Dues are to be paid in advance of the AGM and will again be payable beginning January 1st via the members page of the club website.
Board Nominations
The following members have been nominated and accepted to serve as board officers for the coming year:
President - Stan C
Vice President - Chris L
Road Captain - Dennis H
Treasurer - Alan H
Secretary - Tom C
As only one person has been nominated for each position, a confirmation vote will be taken at the Annual General Meeting.
Membership Nomination
Three individuals have been sponsored for membership and their bios are posted on the members only page of the website. Members please review their bios prior to the AGM.
Membership Dues
It is time to renew your membership. This can be done through the members only section of the web-site. The fee for is the same as last year and is $60. It should be paid prior to the AGM to maintain Active Membership status.
By-Laws Update
The bylaws committee that was appointed at the 2019 AGM has completed their task. A copy of the new “Proposed / Updated By-Laws” & a copy of the original one with highlights of the changes has been posted in the members only section of our web-site. Please review before the AGM as we will be vote on it at the AGM.
Many of the items are corrections to typos, grammatical and punctuation errors and cleaning up the formatting. A new section is being proposed that discusses what is to happen should the club dissolve or disband. This is an IRS requirement. The proposed changes will be posted on the member’s page of the website. Discussion and motion to approve will occur at the AGM in January.
Roster Update
It is time to review the Club Roster & make any updates to your outdated information. The Roster can be found in the members only section of the web-site. See Stan C at the AGM to update your information.
52nd ANNIVERSARY BANQUET
It is not too early to start thinking about the 52nd Anniversary Banquet to be held at The Skagit Casino Resort in Bow, WA on February 19th. Chris L has taken on the task of helping plan and organize the banquet for the club. Dave J has been working on the video that will not only showcase 2019 BRMC activities but also much of the club’s history. Registration for the banquet will close on February 6th in order to provide a meal count. Please invite former members, guests, and friends of the club to join us as we celebrate the completion of our 52nd year and our first in person banquet since our 50th two years ago!
Lodging – The Skagit Casino Resort - A block of rooms has been reserved for the club for at a special rate of $139.00 plus tax. This special rate is available for Saturday night only. Reservations must be made by February 5th to obtain the group price. Call 360-724-7777 or 877-275-2448 to reserve your room.
Upcoming Birthdays
We have N0 members with a birthday in January. Be sure and help us make him feel special.
No Birthday’s in January
Meet & Greets
Portland M&G - Portland’s December M&G was canceled as no members were available. Watch Face-Book for details about Portland’s January M&G on Wednesday the 5th.
Seattle’s M&G - The December M&G had 5 in attendance., and we had dinner at the Cuff instead of someplace in the neighborhood. The burgers were great! Will announce the M&G details for January at the meeting and send out an email.
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 - First Saturdays weather is not cooperating for day rides, didn’t have one in December, and a New Year’s Day ride is out because of snow and ice. Stay tuned for February!
Portland’s Day Ride - Portland did not have a day ride in December. Hopefully, we will have interest for some activity in January. Watch our Face-Bok page for last minute details.
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. Items requested before January 12th will be brought to the AGM. E-mail Alan H at VicePresident@BorderRiders.com if you are interested in any BRMC gear.
2022 Advanced Motorcycle Training
The 2022 Training Schedule has been submitted and after some small negotiations, an agreement have been reached. Yahoo!
Registration Process
For the 2022 Advanced Motorcycle Training, the registration & payment process will be handled through the BRMC Website. Registration will open on 1/1/22. Space is limited so register early.
The Schedule
Saturday July 9th & Sunday July 10th is the Road Riding Tactics in Albany, OR. I scheduled 2 of these classes because I expect them to fill up quickly. The RRT will run from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm on both Saturday & Sunday. The fee for this class will be $100. This is a new class for 2022 & replaces the RSP which many of us have already taken. The RRT is designed to help us work off the cobwebs from a long winter of limited to no riding. Visit the Team Oregon website for more information. http://team-oregon.org/advanced/riderskillspractice/
Alan & I are taking this class on Sunday so the group ride to this class will leave our house at 7:00am on Sunday the 10th.
Saturday July 9th & Sunday July 10th is also the Braking Clinic in Albany, OR. The BC will follow the RRT on both days & will run from 1:30 to 4:00 pm. The fee for this class will be $80. A group of us did this class in 2021 and agreed it was the single most important class for day-to-day riding that we have taken. Visit the Team Oregon website for more information. http://team-oregon.org/advanced/braking/
Alan & I are taking this class on Saturday the 9th. The group ride to this class has not been figured out as it will likely include a late breakfast and a day ride on the way to the class. If you register for this class, Stan will make sure you are kept informed.
Monday August 15th is the Cornering Clinic at Pat’s Acres in Canby OR. The CC will run from 9:00 am to 11:30 am. The fee for this class is $80. This class enhances our ability to line up multiple corners for smoother transitions and faster cornering. Visit the Team Oregon website for more information. http://team-oregon.org/advanced/cornering/
The group ride to this class will leave Stan & Alan’s house at 8:00 am.
Monday August 15th is also the Advanced Riding Techniques at Pat’s Acres in Canby, OR. The ART will follow the CC & will run from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm. The fee for this class is $180. You will need to attend a 2-hour online classroom discussion before taking this class. This online class will be made available the week prior to the class as a webinar. The online class includes lessons on risk management, crash causation, judgment and impairments, braking, cornering, swerving, transitions, and traction. This class is a favorite among the guys who have taken these classes. Visit the Team Oregon website for more information. http://team-oregon.org/advanced/art/
Saturday October 1st is the Precision Maneuvering Clinic #1. The PMC-1 will run from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm. The fee for this class is $100. This class is all about slow speed cornering & U-Turns. It’s modeled after the Police Motorcycle Training Team Oregon offers various police agencies. Visit the Team Oregon website for more information. http://team-oregon.org/advanced/maneuvering/
The group ride to this class will leave Stan & Alan’s house at 9:00 am.
Sunday October 2nd is the Precision Maneuvering Clinic #2. The PMC-2 will run from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm. The fee for this class is $100. This class continues to build on the skills you learned in PMC-1. By the end of this class, you should realize a great deal of improvement with your slow speed cornering. Visit the Team Oregon website for more information. http://team-oregon.org/advanced/maneuvering/
The group ride for this class will leave Stan & Alan’s house at 9:00 am.
Refund Process & Schedule
To receive a refund for a Team Oregon class, e-mail me, Stan C at Treasurer@BorderRiders.com & CC the president at President@BorderRiders.com. You will need to state specifically which class (name, date, & time) you are requesting a refund for.
To receive a refund for the classes happening in July, you must notify and receive a confirmation from Stan C before April 15th, 2022.
To receive a refund for the classes happening in August, you must notify and receive a confirmation from Stan C before May 15th, 2022.
To receive a refund for the classes happening in October, you must notify and receive a confirmation from Stan C before July 15th, 2022.
Questions
If you have any questions regarding the 2022 Motorcycle Advanced Training Program, contact Stan via e-mail Treasurer@BorderRiders.com.
From the Handlebars of the President
Thanks to Chris and Richard for hosting the club’s annual Holiday Party. It was fun to get together with everyone and enjoy the merriment of the evening.
Our AGM is coming up very quickly with the election of new officers. I will be stepping down as President and have chosen not to be a part of the board next year. It is time that I enjoy being a club member as I have spent more years being on the board than I have as just a member. I still plan to stay involved and be an active member of the club. While I have enjoyed my time as Treasurer and then President it does wear on a person.
I hope to see all of you at the AGM.
…… 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.
Be well and I hope you are finding the time to get out on two wheels!
Road Captain Rumblings
Here’s what the 2020 season is looking like, specific sites will be named as some of the sites haven’t opened up for booking:
May - Victoria Day, Pine Flats
June - Not too far from Portland so can participate in Pride
July - Private campground in B.C. - B.C. public parks not open for booking for groups
August - Northwestern Washington, hoping to book when opens for reservations on January 3rd.
September - Maryhill State Park, South of Goldendale, just across the river from Biggs Junction
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”.
Don’t forget to renew your membership before the AGM.
Additionally, you will find a Q4:21 Review Report & the 2021 Year End Report posted in the members only section of our web-site shortly after the year ends.
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
While trying to figure out what I should write about for this report, my mind was full of memories and feelings that I have of this incredible club. My first time riding with the club was on the 1990 Victoria Day Run to the Grouse Creek Campground. I still have a polaroid picture taken at that campground of me and Walt, my partner at the time, sitting on my first bike, a Yamaha 650 Special. In 2010, two partners and twenty years later I finally became a member of BRMC at the insistence of Dan S. Again, at the insistence of Dan, I ran for office and became the Secretary in 2015. Despite the events over the last two years, it has been an incredible ride. Even though I am giving up my job as Secretary, I am not going away. I am a Border Rider and I plan on staying around indefinitely. With that, I wish you all a Happy New Year and we’ll see you at the AGM later this month.
2022 Calendar of Events
January 15th - Annual General Meeting - The Cuff, Seattle
February 19th - Anniversary Banquet - Skagit Casino, Bow, WA
March 20th - Club Meeting - TBD
April 17th - Club Meeting - TBD
May 20th thru 23rd - Victoria Day Camp-out, Pine Flats Campground, Ardenvoir, WA
June 17th thru 19th - Camp-out, Portland, OR area
July 15th thru 17th - Camp-out, BC
August 19th thru 20th - Camp-out, NW WA
September 16th thru 18th - Camp-out, Maryhill State Park, Goldendale, WA
October 15th - Club Meeting - TBD
November 19th - Club Meeting - TBD
December 10th - Club Holiday Party - TBD
Meet & Greets
(M&G’s resumed 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