January 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
Group Photo: Border Riders December Meeting
BRMC December Holiday Party Recap
By President Stan C
Our 2023 Holiday Party went off without a hitch. It was a flawless event hosted by Chris & Richard with support from Buck, Alan, Kas, & myself. It was well attended with the usual smiles, some familiar faces we haven’t see in a while, & a new guest sponsored by Doug H. There were 22 brothers & 8 guests.
The menu included a delicious assortment of appetizers, Baked Ham, Scalloped Potato’s, a medley of Brussel Sprouts & Carrots, & dinner rolls. followed by a ever so yummy sweet treats. It must have been good because as people sat down to eat the noise of conversation chatter was replaced by slightly quieter table talk between bites.
We did the traditional White Elephant Gift Exchange & I think RD wins the most congenial award for adorning himself with some treasured garment/gown of some type. Luckily, there was also a bottle of wine and a box of chocolate included with his new, almost masculine informal party attire. There was plenty of trading with several gifts reaching the maximum number of transfers. The hat that holds 2 cans of beer with straws for hand free drinking made it back again this year. The gift exchange came to end after Michael L won the bidding war on one of the 2 extra gifts with a $20 contribution to the club general fund. It was another wonderful exercise in mindful, heartful, & thoughtful giving.
The party broke up a little late but no one cared. The laughter continued as people walked out to their cages & made the departure. No one rode to or from this event.
A wonderful Holiday Party once again guys. Thx for making this club and these events so enjoyable
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).
December Gallery Photos
Annual Dues
It is that time of year to renew your membership. There was a discussion at the November Meeting and it was decided that we would not raise our dues for 2023. This means the base rate is $60 for US Members & $45 for Canadian Members. You may renew & pay your dues by going into the Members Only Section of our website.
I know it has been standard procedure that you are allowed to pay the day of or at the AGM. I am asking all of you to try pay before the 18th. Paying at the last minute or at AGM makes the Budget discussed at the AGM potentially wrong as the Treasurer has to guess as to how many members will renew. It also makes additional work for the Treasurer since he has to keep a watchful eye on registrations and adjust things at the last minute. So, it would be much appreciated if you could please renew & pay your dues before the 18th of January.
The Annual General Meeting
The “AGM” will be held on January 21st in Seattle at a new location. That is correct, we will not have the AGM at the Cuff this year. Look in the Upcoming Events Section of this newsletter for details and click the link for additional details & to register.
53rd Annual Anniversary Banquet
The BRMC 53rd Annual Banquet will be hosted by Portland. Your Portland Brothers have been working hard to put together something enjoyable. The base price for the banquet this year is the same as last year, $75 for US members & guests & $57 for Canadian members & guests.
The bar will open at 4:00 with time to socialize before the opening announcements at 5:30. The menu is a Southern Fare with BBQ Chicken, Pork Ribs, and appropriate sides. Dessert will be a Seasonal Fruit Cobbler. There will be a no host bar, water, coffee, & assorted teas.
The location is the Courtyard by Marriot Portland North - 1231 N Anchor Way, Portland, OR 97217. We have a discounted room rate ($159 + Tax). Border Riders is what the rate is lister under. To make your reservations by calling them directly at 503.735.1818.
Also, keep in mind the Eagle is not far from the hotel so maybe we can all go get a drink after the Banquet.
Registration for banquet will open on February 1st. Mark your calendar and we look forward to seeing you there.
Meet & Greets
Portland M&G
Portland’s December M&G was hosted by Mark B 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, & a special guest Jin Y who traveled all the way from Seattle to join us. Also attending were 4 woman from Dykes on Bikes.
DOB is looking into a Poker Run for the month of gay pride & wanted to see if we were interested in being apart of it. BRMC Members will discuss this at the AGM.
Portland’s January M&G will be hosted by myself, Stan C, on Wednesday, January 4th. I really like the place Mark B found for his December M&G so I am going back there. So, we will meet at Kenton Station Restaurant located at 8303 N Denver Ave in Portland) at 5:30. We will have the M&G there. We will not be heading over to the Eagle afterwards.
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 December M&G didn’t happen, who would have braved the nasty weather.
Seattle’s January M&G will be hosted by Dennis at the Lumberyard (White Center) as we had anticipated to do there in December. They have re-opened since the fire in a new location across the street. 9630 16th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98106. Be there for dinner (limited menu) at 6 followed by the M&G 7-8.
Day-Rides
BC’s Day Ride
There was no BC day-ride in December.
See Upcoming Events for details about a possible Day Ride in December.
Seattle’s Day Ride
Seattle had hoped to do at least a little get together for December, but the day was too nasty. Stay tuned for January. Maybe a short one.
Watch FB or for an email for details about a possible Day Ride in January.
Portland’s Day Ride
There was no Day Ride in December.
There is no day-ride planned for January but watch FB for last minutes details just in case. Also, watch Upcoming Events on our web-site for details about a possible January Day Ride.
Upcoming Events
Please do not come to any club event if you are not feeling well.
January 4th - Portland’s MEET & GREET
See details above in the M&G Section of the January Newsletter.
January 7th - BRMC Day-Rides (DOW)
Due to the PNW unpredictable weather, we will wait until Thursday, January 5th to announce the plans.
. . . Watch our FB page or our web-site for last minute changes &/or details.
January 18th - Seattle’s MEET & GREET
See details above in the M&G Section of the January Newsletter.
January 21st - BRMC AGM
This year’s AGM will be held at 719 2nd Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, Millennium Tower, 14th floor. Free parking will be available in the garage. Read more and register
February 1st - Portland’s Meet & greet
Details to come…
February 4th - BRMC Day-Rides (DOW)
Details to come…
February 8th - BC Meet & Greet
Details to come…
February 15th - Seattle’s Meet & Greet
Details to come…
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 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.
A Brothers Birthday
We have no members with a birthday in January. Be sure and help us make them feel special.
January - Nobody
Club Business
Board Nominations
Board member nominations are closed. It appears all positions are being unchallenged. Nominations are as follows;
President - Stan C
Vice President - Dennis H
Road Captain - Todd M
Secretary - Justin W
Treasurer - Tom C
Membership Nomination
Members, please review Lance’s Bio in the members only section of our web-site. Members with voting rights will be asked to vote at the AGM in a couple weeks.
By-Laws Update
We have established a new By-Laws Committee to investigate the idea of a new category for current members that are not required to ride. The intent for this new committee is to address the issue of valued members, who for personal reasons are thinking about, or have stopped riding yet want to continue to be an active, contributing member with all the same rights, privileges and responsibilities of any other active member.
We have made available a “Draft By-Laws Sept 22” in the Members Only Section of our web-site for you to review. We discussed these changes at the October Meeting. No changes were requested at this meeting so the draft stands unchanged. Be ready to vote on the New By-Laws at the AGM.
This new committee is made up of Jeff B, Tom C, Richard A, & Blue B. We thank you gents for donating your expertise and your time regarding this matter.
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 (1 of 3) for 2023 at the AGM. This is a great time to add some club bling to your style before the Banquet. Then you can tastefully adorn yourself and proudly wear it to the Banquet & the Eagle afterwards.
The Gear Store will also be available at the Banquet & at VD.
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
Believe it or not, we start planning for the VD weekend in January. It takes a while to get all the task assigned to either the incoming board member or to the current board member & maybe get a favor from an outgoing board member. It’s truly an all hands on deck kind of thing to make this event happen.
Additionally, the plans for the Banquet is coming along well. It should be a wonderful event and a fun evening. I look forward to seeing a good turn out for this event & remember that this is the prefect event for your non-riding spouses, significant others, & imaginary husbands.
Finally, Alan & I are working on the Financial Reports in preparation for the AGM. I’m very proud of Alan for how he has approached this project. I think he will have a simpler report that will be easy to understand.
Basically, there are many loose ends to tie up & many things to get started in preparation of the new year. Things are a little hectic this time of year. but I’ve got some wonderful, skillful people helping me. It’s truly an all hands on deck to make these things happen & I thank all my support.
I hope to see you all at the AGM & I am excited to see what venue Dennis has found for us.
Vice President Chatter
My term as VP is almost over and it has been very uneventful. I thank you all for behaving.
It was wonderful seeing everyone at the December Meeting.
I am looking forward to seeing everyone at the AGM.
Road Captain Rumblings
Ride weekends for 2023 have been finalized. I look forward to passing this task on to the future Road Captain. It has been a pleasure to serve the club in this role - some successes and some failures in arranging sites. In spite of the ones that didn’t weren’t great, all were a success because of the riders present.
Treasurer’s Ramblings
All the bills I am aware of have been paid, & all receivables have been collected. Our accounts are balanced, and 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 AGM at our new location.
Secretary Thoughts
I was sorry to miss the Christmas Party at Chris and Richard’s, but you’ll be glad I did since I was sick as a dog. ‘Tis the season! I was thinking fondly of everyone, but from afar.
See you all at the AGM in January!
2023 Calendar of Events
January 21st - AGM at The Millennium Tower Seattle, WA this is in downtown Seattle instead of Capitol Hill. there are several hotels in the neighborhood for people coming from out of town. Free parking for those that choose to stay close by. There will be a lasagna dinner onsite at the conclusion of the meeting., read more when you click: . Register today!
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.
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?