July 2022 Newsletter
Contents
Welcome
Monthly Recap
Monthly Pictures
The New Members of 2022
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 for 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
June Recap
June Group Photo
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).
Upcoming Events
Please do not come to any club event if you are not feeling well.
July 2nd - SEA & PDX Hook-up ride. (Canceled due to low participation)
July 6th - PDX Meet & Greet
Jeff B is hosting the July M&G in Portland. Jeff is a long standing member and is very knowledgeable about the club. Feel free to stop by & visit with Jeff..
. . . Watch for last minute details on our Face-Book page..
July 9th & July 10th - Team Oregon Clinics “Advanced Braking Clinic” & “Road Riding Tactics”.
Border Riders continue to advance our riding skills through the various clinics offered by Team Oregon. Registration is closed on the BRMC website for all classes but you might still be able to find an opening for our classes on the Team Oregon website. If you have any questions contact Stan C at President@BorderRiders.com
July 15th - July 17th - The July Campout at Lost Lake Group Campground near Tonasket, WA.
Not far from where Highway 97 and Highway 20 meet, is this month’s campout. It’s some of the most spectacular riding in this area and will not disappoint. Services are limited in this area so don’t pass up a chance to get gas.
July 20th - SEA Meet & Greet (Exciting New Locations)
Dennis H is hosting the July M&G in Seattle. Dennis is our Road Captain & the longest standing current member of our board of directors. As such, has a wealth of knowledge about our processes, rules, & upcoming events. Stop by and learn about all our upcoming activities.
Per our discussions, we are taking the Seattle M&G on the road and will be meeting in Georgetown this month. Dinner for those that want will be at Smarty Pants with their motorcycle themed décor at 6017 Airport Way S. From there we will move a couple blocks down to Jules Maes Saloon, 5919 Airport Way S for the actual M&G.
. . . Watch for last minute details on our Face-Book page..
Upcoming Birthdays
We have 10 member(s) with a birthday in July. Be sure and help us make them feel special.
July 4th - Scott G
July 5th - Chris L
July 6th - John M
July 9th - Marc L
July 21st - Andre P
July 24th - Jeremy W
July 24th - Ryan S
July 26th - Dan S
July 30th - Darryl H
July 30th - Todd M
New, Old &/or Updated Club Business
Victoria Day Survey
Following is a summary of the responses we received from the survey.
Is this your 1st VD Run?
1 who didn’t come
1 first timer
8 repeaters
How did you hear about the VD Run?
2 E-mail
3 Website
4 Word of mouth
Rate the Campsite, EQ, & Facility. (Avg rating was 1.44)
Equipment needs updating
Great Campsite
Private Campsite
Beautiful location
Having 3 separate camps had us divided.
Good to have the generator avail for ppl to use.
Rate the food. (Avg rating was 1.44)
Easy to prep & serve
Meals were good & simple.
New menu was great, use better burritos.
Great options for diet restrictions.
Fruit Salad was AMAZING, Set the grill closer to the coals for charring.
Food was good.
Pre-cooked options were the best.
Rate the overall experience. (Avg rating was 1.78)
Didn't like the rain.
I'd rather see member ride instead of drive.
Everyone was in a good mood, loved the roach and how Chris squealed.
Great group & men. Felt very welcome as a guest.
Best VD ever.
Great year, great ppl, liked how everyone pitched in.
Party didn't stop due to the rain.
Is there something we did well or something that you do not want us to change?
Easy to work in the kitchen.
Simplification of event was fantastic.
Having the fire going a lot was great.
Everything ran smoothly, organizers didn't seem stressed.
Great team.
Amount of effort & organization needed should be commended.
Love helping in the kitchen.
Keep it up. It's good as it is.
Simplifying the kitchen really helped.
The workload was manageable & we weren't stepping over each other.
Pre-cooked meals were a great idea.
Is there something we could do better or something that you would like us to change?
NO rain.
Make it less complex. Not sure how.
I'd like to see all the bikes parked near the kitchen & not scattered.
Doing things because its tradition is wrong. Anthems, steaks $$, pissing on bikes. (Review traditional events for relevance).
Put a "Bleach" sign on the handwashing station. I saw someone drink it.
Don't run out of water for the coffee.
We have no control over what is cost to get to or from the campout, so this question is only about what you paid the club to attend. Overall, how would you rate the fee you paid to the club to attend?
Expensive = 1
Fare Deal = 1
Good Deal = 3
Very Good Deal = 5
Great Deal = 0
Did you go on any day rides during the VD Run?
5 Yes
4 No
If you went on any day rides, please tell us your thoughts about that ride.
I went on my own ride, and it was very nice and peaceful.
This question is left open so you can provide any additional feedback that will help us improve your experience at our VD Run.
Don't make me explain my ratings to the survey.
Great Job Organization Team. Easier kitchen allows for more interactions between attendees.
Overall, a wonderful campout.
From a guest, I have never felt more welcome in a group of strangers. Thank you!
Better promotional material explaining what you get for $170.
It sounds expensive until you do it and see what you get for the money.
I hope it continues for many years to come.
Replace the rest of the canopy tops. The new ones were great.
Prepare members for a price increase next year as cost will surely increase.
Make sure we understand the cost statements.
Organizers did a wonderful job.
If you did not attend, why not?
I think it is too expensive.
BRMC Rides in 3 Parades in June.
Portland Parade
Chris L, Alan H, Darryl H, & Stan C participated in the Portland Pride Parade. Blue stopped by to cheer us on and visit while we adorned our bikes pride & club bling.
Being up front was an entirely different event. It went quick and we were done in under 30 minutes. The bikes didn’t overheat and the crowd was crazy with enthusiasm.
You should seriously consider joining us next year.
Seattle Parade
Chris L, Richard A, Stan C, Dale C, Ron S, Jeff C, Jeremy, W, Todd M, Michael C, & guests, Greg B & Anas A participated in the Seattle Pride Parade.
It was our first time being able to participate in the Seattle Parade & we already got invited back. Well, I was asked if we were coming back. I’m assuming that was an invitation. Actually, Jeff said the main organizer was excited to have us their so I’m sure we will be back.
Being able to ride in a circle made this parade an entirely different experience when compared to Portland’s Parade. For a variety of reasons, I’m not sure which one I liked best. Such a different experience!
Again, a huge thanks to Jeff C & Jeremy W for making this happen.
Beaverton Parade
Yep, we rode in a 3rd parade in June. DOB Portland invited us to ride with them in the Beaverton Parade. It was the same weekend as the Seattle Parade so Alan decided he would forgo the Seattle Parade and would represent the club at the Beaverton Parade. He might have been the only BRMC person there but before it was done, I think everyone knew who he was. You go Alan!
While Alan went to support BRMC, DOB, & the Beaverton Pride Parade, he also went to see what a smaller parade was like. There is an ongoing discussion within the club as to whether we should be going to large parades like Portland & Seattle or should we be supporting the smaller communities like Beaverton & Burlington. Those smaller communities struggle to put together a full event and they could use the support.
Perhaps this will evolve into a follow up discussion around the campfire at the upcoming campouts.
Thx for doing this Alan
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.
This new committee is made up of Jeff B, Tom C, Richard A, & Blue B. Good luck gents. I look forward to seeing what you come up with.
June Meet & Greets
Portland M&G - Portland’s June M&G was hosted by Mark B & attended by Jeff B, & Blue B. It was a small group but and quality group non the less..
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’s M&G - Seattle’s June M&G was hosted by Dennis H & attended by Chris L. We only had 2 people show up for dinner and the M&G so you know we talked about all the brothers who didn’t attend.
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
A Night on the Road
by Michael C
On Friday May 20, 2pm I had a flat on my motorcycle.
It was on highway 970 ten miles north of Cle Elum Washington. I called AARP for towing assistance. At the time they said that they could do it and charged me about $250 for the tow. After some time, I called again. The agent said that they have no one in my area and to try calling again in an hour or so. I did that. While waiting I even found a place that would fix my flat Dog House Motosports. I called other places and they all said that they could take me sometime next week. But Dog house said that they would come in early and take me first thing.
My phone died about 8pm with still no towing.
It was getting dark and I could not abandon my bike. If I did someone would probably steal it. So, all I could do is try to get some sleep on the pavement by the side of the road fortunately I had my camping gear. I got no sleep so about 4 or 5 am I tried to flag down someone for help. No one stopped.
As it began to get light, I noticed a farm down the hill. I walked there to find pens of very vicious dogs lunging to get at me. I approached the door rang the bell and a lady asked what I wanted. I told her that I was stranded with a dead battery on my phone and if she could call 911. She loaned me her phone and offered me coffee. Those who know me know that I do not drink coffee but she was so nice I did not want to offend her.
I asked her about the dogs. She told me it was for protection because of the bears, cougars and coyotes then proceeded to tell me stories of how the dogs protect her and her live stock. I told her I was from Seattle. She said that Seattle was too violent for her. I had been sleeping by the road next to the wilderness in a potentially dangerous situation.
The local police came. He noticed that my contact info was Ray. He asked about how we were related. This was a tense moment for me. I told him that he was my husband. He was so nice. While waiting for the tow we talked about bikes, His experience with motorcycle cycle clubs mostly negative. I told him about Border Riders. The tow truck came. They were 10 miles away from me. The driver said that he was not busy Friday and could have come yesterday.
We got to Dog house they offered me donuts. I had nothing to eat since lunch the previous day. I was very grateful. Conclusion - I did not have to spend the night sleeping by the side of the road in a potentially dangerous situation. I broke down at 2pm and could have been towed by 3pm. Instead, I was stranded for 14 hours, no food, no toilet paper. Fortunately, I had a small bottle of water.
End of the line at the North Vashon Island Ferry Terminal. Photo by Darryl H.
Get Down with the South Sound Slowdown
By Todd M
The first time I took this route, it was sometime in the late 90's, I was riding a 1979 Vespa P200E, and my only goal was to see where the day took me. I headed south out of Georgetown on Airport way, cut through the valley that was still mostly farmland at the time, and was surprised when I made it to Tacoma and Rustin Way. I took the ferry to Vashon Island and road to the northern ferry terminal and hopped the ferry back to Seattle. It was a great day and it gave me a lot of confidence in my little two stroke machine along my ability to find my way home.
Over the past 25 years, I have done portions of this route at varying times, but rarely in one trip. It's the slow route and I have machines that easily do freeway speeds, but as the freeways fill up and the population expands, I find a lot of these alternate routes are abandoned. They seem to be forgotten strips of blacktop snaking through land that takes too much time. But this makes it perfect for a ride that's not about the destination. When the opportunity came up to plan and lead a ride, this route was my only thought.
Photo by Darryl H.
We met up in Georgetown. The neighborhood has changed a lot over the past 2 decades. It's no longer the "The place you go to disappear", it seems the place to be seen. The Magic Wheels Motorcycle Club is no longer there, the Vespa/Lambretta shop is long gone, though the yellow vespa on the old shop is still perched on the roof. But the corner of S Vale and 13th were humming with people. Darryl H, Andy N, Rainer K, Bob P, and I met up at All City Coffee. We all knew rain was coming that day, but we were willing to take a chance. We mounted up and headed down Airport way.
Airport way is long and splits Boeing Field to the west and the rail road tracks to the east. Boeing field had been there since 1928 and is the original airport serving King County until 1944 with the building of Sea-Tac. Airport way continues around the southern edge of the airport and connects with East Marginal Way S. This gave us the opportunity to cut through Allentown. A small community in unincorporated king county that skirts the Duwamish River. Crossing the Allentown Bridge, we turned on to Interurban Ave S.
Interurban Ave S. is the route of the original commuter train that connected downtown Tacoma with Downtown Seattle. It was used as the main mail route for the small farming towns through the valley. It was killed off in the post war push for freeways and was repurposed as roadway that plugs in to the West Valley Highway.
The West Valley Highway begins in the modern industrial area of the North Valley and it eventually crosses the Green River. There, the rider is rewarded with two-lane farmland. The road cuts along the west side of the small towns of Christopher, Auburn, Algona, Pacific, and eventually rounds to Sumner. We followed Valley Ave E to fife where we stopped for lunch at the Poodle Dog Restaurant. A leftover diner form a time when Pacific Highway was a part of the original Highway 99 route.
Whale watching on the Point Defiance to Vashon Island Ferry. Photo by Darryl H.
After lunch, we had a decision to make. We knew the rains were coming and none of us were looking to be caught in them. We decided to keep pushing forward. We headed through downtown Tacoma and over to Ruston Way and eventually Point Defiance. We got on the next ferry and were greeted with the site of a grey whale off the port bow. The whale breached and slapped it's tail. The boat erupted in applause. The ferry was short, 15 minuets, and we found ourselves on the curvy backroads of Vashon Island. Not a fast route, but a lovely curvy one that took us through some wooded roads with views of Olalla and Southworth across Colvos Passage.
The ride ended at the Vashon Island North-End Ferry Terminal. I had just missed to boat to Southworth and we were a half hour to the boat to West Seattle. We talked for a while and the ferry to West Seattle arrived. Everyone got on except for me, I was heading west and had to wait for an hour and a half for the next ferry.
As I sat at the ferry terminal, it began to rain.
It was a great day of a slow and steady ride down some of the South Sound's original roadways. Thank you to all who showed. You helped make it a great day.
June Day Rides
BC’s Day Ride
There was no BC day-ride in May
Seattle’s Day Ride
See Todd’s write up of Seattle’s Day Ride. It’s titled “Get Down with the South Sound Slowdown” & is located just above this entry.
Portland’s Day Ride
There was no June Day ride for Portland.
Gear Store
The Gear Store is closed until the 2023 Banquet. We are taking this opportunity to seek new items to spruce up the gear store. If you know of any gear we once had that you’d like to see us bring back, or new items you’d like to see us make available, contact our VP. Chris would love some suggestions.
“PDX/SEA Annual Hook-up Ride Rescheduled for Saturday 7/2/22 has been canceled.”
We heard from many people that the weekend was already a busy 4th of July weekend and that they would not be able to attend. Since we have 5 weekends with events we decided to cancel this event and give the organizers a break.
2022 July Campout
The Details
Each year we have one trip that is a stretch, and this year it is Lost Lake east of Tonasket Washington. It’s a little shorter than going to Kettle Falls which we did a few years ago. I know it is a long haul for many, but it gets us to ride areas that we don’t normally get to ride. Some people choose to not do a day ride or do a short day ride because of the saddle time getting to and from. Just remember this, these roads are likely in fairly good condition and twisty as they haven’t gone to the expense of straightening them out yet and the traffic should be minimal. If you/re looking for it on a map, it is a little bit north of Bonaparte Lake Resort.
When riding in remote areas, be careful not to pass a gas stations without filling up. Also be prepared to use regular gas or carry some octane booster just in case premium is not available..
2022 Advanced Motorcycle Training
Our advanced motorcycle training classes begin this month. I have heard from several of you & there is a variety of nervous energy, excitement, & exuberance around this 1st series of classes. I myself, can’t wait.
The Braking Clinic & the Road Riding Tactics are the 1st classes to kick off this years classes. I can’t think of a better way to work off the cobwebs acquired by the minimal riding season of the PNW Winters.
Registration for all classes via the BRMC website has been closed. However, you can go to the Team Oregon website and register until it’s sold out. These classes are open to the public now and will go fast.
There are still a couple opening for the classes in August. Those are the Cornering Clinic & the Advance Rider Training both happening on Monday the 15th. These classes happen on the Go-Cart track.
The police rodeo style classes, Precision Maneuvering Clinic #1 & PMC #2 are sold out. Those classes are scheduled for October 1st & 2nd. If you’d like to be placed on a waiting list for one of these “Sold Out” classes, contact Stan at President@BorderRiders.com
Refunds
At this point, there are no refunds. We have purchased the classes & the books are closed.
Questions
If you have any questions regarding the 2022 Motorcycle Advanced Training Program, contact Stan via e-mail at President@BorderRiders.com
From the Handlebars of the President
What a busy month June & July have turned out to be. We have 5 weeks in a row with some exciting club event happening. While that doesn’t seem like a problem to some people, I have heard from several members that they would like next summer to not be so busy . I guess some of you need to mow the grass, do some chores and spend some time with your families.
After seeing how many notices I was getting saying someone would not be able to attend the July Day Ride,, I conferred with a couple members & I have decided to cancel the July Day Ride. Trust me, it wasn’t an easy decision but I believe it needed to happen.
I will be more creative about paring the activities for next summer. Feel free to ask me to expand on this at the July campout. I’d love some additional feedback.
I look forward to seeing everyone in a couple weeks. Until then, ride safe & ride often.
Vice President Chatter
What a blast I had riding in the Portland Pride Parade & the Seattle Pride Parade. I want to thank everyone who attended these events and for supporting the club.
Road Captain Rumblings
It was great seeing everyone at Champoeg in June. Proximity to Portland for Pride was great. The campground was huge and signage for the group site was poor. The campsite was a long way to the showers, and I was glad the group site next to us was vacant as it didn’t have much privacy to the adjacent site.
This was a first for this site and I would appreciate feedback on whether it should be added to our “approved “list. As always, provide me with suggestions for future sites that you may find in your travels.
Looking forward to seeing everyone in July at Lost Lake. I know it’s a long haul for almost everyone, but we are a group that likes to ride.
Treasurer’s Ramblings
All bills I am aware of have been paid. All 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 soon.
Secretary Thoughts
Not much to report for the July newsletter. I won’t be able to make it to the July Campout but I’ve a secret someone who will step in for me.
I hope to see you all real soon.
Tom C
2022 Secretary
2022 Calendar of Events
July 9th & 10th - Team OR Road Riding Tactics & Braking Clinic.
July 15th thru 17th - Camp-out, Lost Lake Group Campground near Tonasket. WA
August 15th - Team OR Cornering Clinic & Advance Rider Training.
August 19th thru 20th - Camp-out, Squamish, BC.
September 16th thru 18th - Camp-out, Maryhill State Park, Goldendale, WA
October 1st & 2nd - Team OR Precision Maneuvering Clinic #1 & #2.
October 15th - Club Meeting - TBD
November 19th - Club Meeting - TBD
December 10th - Club Holiday Party - TBD
Meet & Greets
(M&G’s go live starting with Portland’s April M&G.)
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.
Seattle: Meet & Greet - 3rd Wednesday of the month, 7 pm at The Cuff or on the road. Watch then newsletter, website or Facebook for exact location.
Member & Guest 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
Dykes on Bikes Portland has invited us to attend their annual Pride Ride on Sunday June 5th. Visit their Face-Book page for details.
If you know of anything that we might want to post here, please let is know at News@BorderRiders.com
Contributions of Photos & Stories
If you have photos and stories to share, please send to news@borderriders.com