February 2023 Newsletter
Contents
Welcome
Mothly Recap (Guest Author)
Monthly Gallery
M&G Report (Portland, BC, & Seattle)
Upcoming Events (2-Months)
This Month’s Birthdays
Club Business
Reader’s Corner
Day Rides
Gear Store Update
Upcoming Meeting Detail
Motorcycle Classes
Officer Reports
The BRMC 2020 Calendar of Events
Non BRMC Motorcycle Events
Meet & Greet Details
Request for pictures & closing comments.
Welcome
Border Riders Motorcycle Club “BRMC” is a not-for-profit 501(c)(7), designed for gay men who like to ride motorcycles & who like to go camping on their motorcycles. Our membership spans the Pacific Northwest with the greatest participation in the Portland, Seattle, & Vancouver B.C. areas. We are one of the largest, gay motorcycle clubs in North America. We welcome like minded guest to come meet us at our Meet & Greets &/or on our Day-Rides.
Check out our website. We are very proud of it. www.borderriders.com
January 2023 AGM Group Photo
BRMC January AGM Recap
By Secretary Tom C
This felt like a very different Annual General Meeting, since it wasn't at the Seattle Cuff. There's been a change of ownership there, combined with the expensive and hard to find parking, we decided it was time to move our AGM to a new locations. Dennis H. found us an unoccupied business office on Second Avenue, with a great view of Elliott Bay. Parking was provided at no cost, which was great.
Years ago I worked downtown, close to the location of the AGM, so it felt familiar - but different, since it felt like a ghost town. A very quiet office building, few people on the streets ... perhaps the new normal for downtown Seattle. We were on the 14th floor, and the vibe was appropriately business-like, for our AGM. Dennis really went to great lengths for the AGM with really good appetizers, everything all set up, then for dinner he made home-made lasagna, salad, and orange upside-down cakes. His care for us was very evident. Thank you, Dennis!
Don Wilcox brought some photo albums and collections of past newsletters from the archives, along with plans for organizing the large volume of material so it's easier to search, and easier to access. It was good to see members be interested in those historical document & those members who have come before us.
There was a lot covered in the meeting - more than I can put it into the meeting minutes. We do our best but I guess attendance is important if you want to stay informed. There was a lot of detail in the financials, which is great, but again the interesting details never make it to the commentary, even though the numbers do. We lost a member (Troy) but we gained a member (Lance). Financially, it's pretty much break-even due to donations. As you may have not6iced, Todd made it so we could donate when we paid our dues and many of you did, thanks. We will do the same for future run costs. We're lucky to have such an experienced financial person in Stan, working with Alan. Gear Store covers its costs but not much more, by design.
* The 2023 Budget is very similar to last year results, though food costs are up.
* Victoria Day: we won't be renting a cube truck this year, but instead will rent a U-Haul trailer (for $30/day) and a member's truck, paying fuel costs. When we had nearly 90 show up for Victoria Day, we made money, but with smaller attendance numbers it actually loses money, so keeping everything balanced with cash available is quite an art. If you're a member and can't take off work on Friday for Victoria Day, there will be an option to come Saturday, pull a work shift, join in the festivities then depart on Sunday for $80, about ½ price. This year, members are required to pull a shift, and guests can pull a shift if they'd like to.
* All 2023 fees (dues, runs…) will remain the same as 2022. We will encourage meeting hosts to charge $20 unless it's exceptional event like Thanksgiving or Christmas ($25) but it is up to the host to decide. The Anniversary Banquet and Victoria Day will remain the same.
* There's a new category of membership: Active Emeritus. It's ideal for a member in good standing for at least five years, who no longer owns a motorcycle but wants to continue participating. All dues and run fees are the same as an active member, with all the brotherhood and responsibilities, the only difference being that you can drive to the events. Any car-associated costs (park entrance and parking, for instance) will be the responsibility of the Active Emeritus member. Written appeal to the Board is required for this new membership status.
* We're going to try something new to encourage 'significant others' to join us on summer runs. Every voting member will get one 'coupon' to allow a non-riding friend/“SO” to attend a camping run. That man can drive a car and will be responsible for any costs associated with that car. The member will still need to ride his bike & be present for the entire campout. A member who has already used his 'coupon' can petition to use another member who has not used his 'coupon', but this is a request and can be denied. The club will not be involved in this request other than to note who is using their coupon to host who. It is a Standing Order, so can be rescinded at any time, and will have to be renewed every year. We'll see how it goes.
Take a look at the minutes to get more details - it was a lot of discussion. See you in Portland for the Anniversary!
-Tom
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).
January 2023 Gallery Photos
Annual Dues
A huge thanks to you all for getting your dues paid on time. We had one member (Troy A) who decided to not renew his membership & we had one new member (Lance D) get voted in. We wish Troy the best, we hope he will decide to join us as a guest, & we welcome Lance in with open arms.
As of 1/23/23, the club membership is made up of 36 Active Members and 4 Honorary Members. We have 5 in Canada, 24 in WA, 8 in Oregon, 1 in Wyoming, & 1 in FL. I am happy to have you all as brothers.
The 53rd Annual Anniversary Banquet & Dinner
Yahoo! It is once again time for our Annual Banquet. The BRMC 53rd Annual Banquet will be hosted in Portland this year. The Banquet Team (Chris L, Alan H, & Mark B) have been working hard to put together something special.
Dave J has put together another wonderful video for us and we will have several announcements and awards to celebrate. We will install the new Board & welcome our new member. We will have the usual Gear Swap Table set up so bring some gear for the table and look for treasures to take home. As if all that wasn’t enough, Stan has been working on his first banquet presentation as President and lord knows what he will do to keep it interesting. This will certainly be an unforgettable evening.
To keep the evening going, the Eagle is close to the hotel & I have heard some guys talking about going to the Eagle after the banquet. If enough of us show up to the Eagle in our vest, it would certainly garner some attention & be a great way to support the Eagle who is a big supporter of the club.
Oh my, can this get any better? Well, yes it can. The base price for the 53rd Annual Anniversary Banquet is the same as last year. That is right, no price increase. It’ll be $75 for US members & guests & $57 for Canadian members & guests.
The menu is a Southern Fare with BBQ Chicken, Pork Ribs, and appropriate sides. Dessert will be a Seasonal Fruit Cobbler & ice Cream.. There will be a no host bar, water, coffee, & assorted teas. The bar will open at 4:00 with appetizers at 4:30. There will be time to socialize before the opening announcements at 5:15.
The location for this year’s festivities is the Courtyard by Marriot Portland North - 1231 N Anchor Way, Portland, OR 97217. We have a discounted room rate ($159 + Tax) so get your room now. Border Riders is what the rate is listed under. You may make your room reservations by calling them directly at 503.735.1818.
Register soon! Registration opens on February 1st & will close on February 15th. Clean your vest, polish your boots, put on your favorite club regalia, and we look forward to seeing you there.
Meet & Greets
Portland M&G
Portland’s January M&G was hosted by Mark B & Stan C on December 7th. We met at 5:30 for dinner at the Kenton Station Restaurant which is located at 8303 N Denver Ave in Portland. Shortly before 7:00, we headed over to the Eagle for the actual M&G. In attendance was Mark B, Stan C, Jeff B, & we were treated with a visit from our very own Andre P & Matt H. It was a pleasant surprise io see these guys.
Portland’s February M&G will be hosted by Mark, Jeff, & Stan, on Wednesday, February 1st. We really like the Kenton Station Restaurant located at 8303 N Denver Ave in Portland and will meet there for dinner once again. We will head to the Eagle around 7:00 for the actual M&G. Please join us for dinner at 5:30 or the M&G at 7:00..
BC M&G
We are still looking for a member in BC to take the lead on this. Please let Stan know if you are willing do this.
Seattle M&G
Seattle’s January M&G was at the Lumberyard in White Center since they have now reopened. They have a very limited menu right now as they’re still working on the kitchen. We had a nice little group attend and will be planning on adding it to our rotation.
Seattle’s February M&G will back in Georgetown and will be hosted by Dennis. We will be right down the street from Smarty Pants at Jules Mae Saloon, 5919 Airport Way So. For those coming for dinner be there around 6, followed by the M&G 7-8.
Day-Ride
BC’s Day Rides
There was no BC day-ride in December.
See Upcoming Events for details about a possible Day Ride in December.
Seattle’s Day Rides
There was no Day Ride in January.
Watch FB or for an email for details about a possible Day Ride February 4th - at this point looking fairly wet.
Portland’s Day Rides
There was no Day Ride in January.
There is no day-ride planned for February but watch FB for last minutes details just in case. Also, watch Upcoming Events on our web-site for details about a possible February Day Ride.
Upcoming Events
Please do not come to any club event if you are not feeling well.
February 1st - Portland’s Meet & greet
Details above…
February 4th - BRMC Day-Rides (DOW)
Details on our website…
February 8th - BC Meet & Greet
No M&G scheduled…
February 15th - Seattle’s Meet & Greet
Details above…
February 18th - BRMC Annual Banquet
Portland is hosting the 2023 BRMC Annual Banquet at the Courtyard by Marriot - 1231 N Anchor Way, Portland, OR 97217.
There will be no increase from the 2022 Base Price for this event.
The fee for US Members & guests will be $75.
The fee for US Guests will be $85.
The fee for Canadian Member’s & Guest’s will be made available in the February Newsletter as it is dependent on the exchange rate. Today’s rate would have this fee at $55 & $65 respectively.
Additional information will be posted in the February Newsletter.
March 1st - Portland’s Meet & greet
See details on our website…
March 4th - BRMC Day-Rides (DOW)
See details on our website…
March 8th - BC Meet & Greet
No M&G scheduled…
March 15th - Seattle’s Meet & Greet
See details on our website…
March 18th - March Meeting
Hosted by Jeff B in Portland, OR…
See details in our website…
A Brothers Birthday
We have 1 member with a birthday in February. Be sure and help us make him feel special.
February 10th - Alan H
Club Business
Board Nominations
The new board has been voted in and will be installed at the February Banquet. Congratulate these guys and see if there is anything you can do to help.
Membership Nomination
Our newest member Lance’s bio will remain in the members only section our the website until March. If you haven’t read it yet you still have time.
By-Laws Update
We thank the latest By-Laws committee for all their work on this latest revision. The By-Laws changes were adopted as proposed at the AGM and the updated version of our By-Laws can be found on the members only section of our website.
There is no By-Laws committee planned for 2023.
Sending Regrets, a request from the president
I would like to ease the process of tracking regrets and your sending regrets when you are not able to attend a meeting.
Currently, members in attendance are stating regrets during roll call for other members who are not present, who have not said anything to a board members about their attendance regrets, or registered their attendance regrets through proper channels.
So, I am requesting that all regrets be made through the web-site via the registration page. This will allow the Secretary to have already processed these regrets when they are preparing their roll call sheet and will speed up the roll call process during the meetings. Not to mention, it will make the Secretary’s job easier as that work will already be done.
If anyone thinks this is unreasonable or has an issue with this request, please see me and let’s have a chat. Also, if anyone know why we even track or take regrets, I would be interested in knowing.
Thank you,
Stan C
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 News@BorderRiders.com
Keep in mind, you can write about a trip that happened over the summer. It’s doesn’t have to be something you did last month.
Gear Store
The Gear Store will make it’s first appearance of the year at the Banquet. This is a great time to add some club bling to your style. We will be accepting cash & checks for gear at all events.
Advanced Motorcycle Training
Well, I was able to get 3 of the 6 classes I was hoping to get for 2023.
On Saturday July .8th from 1:00 to 5:30, we are taking the Precision Maneuvering Clinic #1 “PMC-1”. The PMC-1 is a half-day course for endorsed riders modeled on police motorcycle officer training. Participants improve coordination of clutch, throttle, and steering inputs to keep the motorcycle balanced at low speed while executing tight turns and U-turns with precision and control. Students also practice group riding formation, parking and signals.
On Sunday, July 9th from 9:00 to 1:30, we are taking the Precision Maneuvering Clinic #2 “PMC-2”. This is day 2 of this series. These 2 classes are sold as a set. The fee for the set is $200 per person. There are 10 spot available for this class and registration will go through the BRMC website. Reservations are non-refundable but we can sell them to another club associate up to 15 days prior to the class.
Since the club is buying these classes from Team OR, Team OR CANNOT refund your money or make any changes to this reservation.
On Monday July 10th from 9:00 to 4:30, we are taking the Advanced Riding Techniques “ART”. ART is unique, challenging, and most of all, fun. Riding exercises are conducted on a go-kart track, providing riders expert instruction on a closed course. While participants ride at more real-world speeds, this is not a high speed, racing-oriented class.
This day starts with a two-hour classroom session covering the skills taught in the riding session as well as risk management, crash causes, judgment and impairments, braking, cornering, swerving, transitions and traction. ART graduates tell us they now have more fun riding with fewer "uh-oh" moments.
This class will be purchased directly from Team Oregon. Please review their rules for cancelations and alterations before registering. BRMC has nothing to do with this reservation. Again, this is a direct purchase & this class is already open to the general population on a 1st come 1st served basis. The cost will be $179 and is a stand alone class.
Sadly, I was not able to secure the much anticipated High-Speed Emergency Braking Class. I know this will be a big let down for many of you. I cried too! Team Oregon is already aware that we want to try get this class on the schedule for 2024. Who knows, If they are able to get the Woodburn Drag Strip on the morning on Monday July 10th, I’m sure they will grab it and call me. They know we want it & I am leaving that time slot open just in case.
Also sad, I was unable to secure any of the mid-range skill level classes I was hoping for. To those of you I had in mind for these classes, I will see if we can put together some practice sessions just for you. The core group of us who take a lot of these classes are not instructors nor do we profess to be, but we are willing to work with you, give you some pointers, and maybe even help you be better prepared for these classes in 2024. Contact Stan if you are interested in some of this coaching & are willing to practice on your own regularly.
Questions
If you have any questions regarding these classes or any other classes offered by Team Oregon, please feel free to contact Stan at President@BorderRiders.com
From the Handlebars of the President
If I was to tell you I’m not a little nervous about being the presenter at this years banquet, I would be lying. I’ve been busy putting together something that I hope will be a little entertaining and not too embarrassing for me. Come wish me luck and watch this potential train wreck unfold. Weeee!
I hope to see you all at the banquet . I promise, it’ll be different.
Vice President Chatter
This will be my last contribution to the monthly newsletter as Vice President.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody for putting up with me as your Vice President for the last year.. I also want to remind you all that if you are not feeling well, please DO NOT come to any event. Lastly, I want to remind you all that when we are in the public eye, let’s keep it clean & respectful. Your actions and comments are a representation of the club so lets put our best image out there.
I will see you at the Banquet.
Road Captain Rumblings
I was a pleasure to be the Road Captain for the past few years. I noted at the AGM that not all of what I arranged were great, but it was pointed out that all of the events that we are together for are successful because we are together enjoying our bikes and camaraderie. Its just there are some sites we would not plan on going back to.
Treasurer’s Ramblings
Before I say “Piggy Bank Be Balanced” for the last time, I want to tell everyone that I have enjoyed working as Vice President & as Treasurer. It has given me a unique understanding of what it takes to keep this club going.
I also want to thank prior board members, current board members, & all future board members for being willing to put forth the time and effort you do. It does not go unappreciated.
To give Tom a head start, I have renewed our License with the State of Washington, renewed our Trademark with the State of Washington, paid for the PO Box Rental in Seattle & for the Storage Locker in Entiat. I have posted a copy of the 2022 Expense Report, & a copy of the 2023 Budget in the Members Only Section of the website.
For my final report as Treasurer. All the bills I am aware of have been paid & all the receivables I am aware of have been collected. Our accounts are balanced, & they 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 at the Banquet here in Portland.
Secretary Thoughts
What a year. When I became Secretary, I said it was for 1 year only & I kept this promise. I could have never imagined that I would need to take on the position of Treasurer to keep that promise happen but here we go.
Can any of you guess, once I have been sworn in as Treasurer, which position on the board or which committee I have not been involved with? You might be surprised.
See you all at the Banquet in February!
2023 Calendar of Events
February 18th - Annual Banquet - Courtyard Marriot on Anchor Way in Portland, OR.
March 18th - Club Meeting - Hosted by Jeff B in Portland, OR.
April 15th - Club Meeting - hosted by Kas C in Vancouver, WA.
May 18th thru 21st - Victoria Day Campout at Pine Flats near Entiat, WA
June 16th thru 18th - June Campout - Willamette Mission State Park, Keizer, OR
July 8th thru 10th - Team OR & BRMC Advance Training Weekend in Portland, OR.
Saturday afternoon will be the PMC 1 (Police Rodeo part 1)
Sunday morning will be the PMC 2 (Police Rodeo part 2)
Monday will be the Advance Rider Techniques (Go-Cart Track)
July 14th thru 16th - July Campout - Bull Prairie Lake, Heppner, OR
August 18th thru 20th - August Campout - Paul Lake Provincial Park, Kamloops, BC
September 15th thru 17th - September Campout - Rasar State Park, Concrete, WA
October 21st - Club Meeting - hosted by Jeremy W in Kent, WA.
November 18th - Club Meeting - hosted by Chris & Richard in BOW, WA
December 9th - Holiday Party - hosted by Todd M in Bremerton, WA.
Monthly Meet & Greets
BRMC 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 following list of times & location. Watch our FB for last minutes details pr changes.
Portland: Meet & Greet - 1st Wednesday of the month, 7 pm at The Portland Eagle. Dinner together normally proceeds the actual M&G.
Vancouver BC Meet & Greet (tentative - Watch FB) - 2nd Wednesday of the month. 4 to 6 pm at The Met Hotel, New Westminster. (Canceled until further notice.)
Seattle: Meet & Greet - 3rd Wednesday of the month, 7 pm at someplace new. Watch the newsletter, website or Facebook for exact location.
Member & Guest Non-Sanctioned Day-Rides
In addition to the club's monthly M&Gs, local rides frequently happen on the 1st Saturday of every month. Additionally, members & guest going on an impromptu day-ride, or to some other activity, will post their plans on our FB page so others can tag along. Again, watch our FB page for last minutes details or changes.
To learn more about local event’s, impromptu events, or to check status on any event, check out our FB page or email the Road Captain at Captain@BorderRiders.com.
Hey, did you notice that trend? Yep, keep an eye on our FB page for last minute changes and details for all events.
Non-BRMC Motorcycle Events
The One Motorcycle Show is coming up in April. This is just a heads up if you are interested in attending. It’s always a lot of fun.
If you know of anything that we might want to post here, please let is know at News@BorderRiders.com
Contributions of Photos & Stories
Please feel encouraged to send us your photo’s of our activities to News@BorderRiders.com
Also, if you do anything interesting outside the club, we’d love to hear about it. Send us a short story with some photo’s and we will try get it into the next newsletter. It doesn’t have to be motorcycle related to be interesting. We are very diverse.
If you have photos and stories to share, please send to news@borderriders.com
Is it spring yet?