October 2021 Newsletter
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 (September) Goldendale, Washington
This year’s last run and camping trip took us to Brooks Memorial State Park near Goldendale on highway 97 in South-central Washington. Five of us decided to leave a day early on Thursday and go to the suburbs of Yakima where Dennis H’s sister has a fantastic home. The group met up in Enumclaw and we took Highway 410 over the pass to Yakima. Getting to Yakima was a fun run except for one little problem the group had with some elk on the way down from the pass. It was not catastrophic, and we all made it to Yakima with our bikes and bodies intact. Egos, on the other hand, might have been a little hurt.
Time wise, the trip on Friday to the camp site was relatively short. We did not take a direct route on Highway 97 but went through some back country including Klickitat Canyon that provided lots of interesting turns and views. Even though the writer grew up in Southeastern Washington, this trip introduced him to a lot of new and interesting territory. Early arrival allowed us plenty of time to get to camp and get set up including setting up a canopy to protect the snack table from possible rain.
The campsite is next to Highway 97 but the highway noise was not an issue. It is also located adjacent to a Greek Women’s Monastery that has a bakery and deli that provided the group with a huge array of snack food like baklava, biscotti, koulourakia, and more. The monastery kept our snack table well supplied.
There is a lot of great riding in the area like Klickitat Canyon that I already mentioned, roads through the Horse Heaven Hills, the Columbia Gorge and the Stonehenge Memorial which is only 24 miles away from the campground. Unfortunately, most of us didn’t explore the area on Saturday because by that time the rain had arrived. For most of us, Saturday was spent either in our tents, or under the canopy around the snack table telling stories and enjoying jokes and snacks. One couple of riders did take a short ride in spite of the rain, but got back to the camp by the afternoon.
Attendance was lower than we expected. Nine members made it to camp along with five guests despite the fact that twenty three people had signed up. The main reason why several people didn’t show up was probably because of the weather forecasts of rain for Saturday and Sunday. We were short two members to have a quorum so no official decisions were made at the meeting. We had a short meeting where members were updated on upcoming club activities and meeting venues. From there, the group rode the twelve miles down Highway 95 to Goldendale where we had dinner at The Dirty Cowgirl Restaurant. Food was good and we were actually eating inside! Unfortunately, the ride back to camp was wet.
On Sunday, the rain was not as constant as it was on Saturday, and the ride home was not extremely bad. There were only a few showers along the way. Most of the riders used State Highway 14 to go west along the Columbia Gorge toward Vancouver. All in all, despite the rain on Saturday, it was a great weekend. Riding to and from the campground gave us a lot of twisty curvy roads, and most importantly, we again were able to get together and enjoy the camaraderie that BRMC provides its members.
Group photo - Goldendale, 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
Respectfully, please complete your 1st & 2nd vaccination 2 weeks prior to attending any “live” club event or wear a mask.
October 2nd - Portland and Seattle area day rides
October 6th - Portland Meet & Greet, Eagle, Portland
October 13th - BC Meet & Greet
October 16th - Monthly membership meeting, West Linn, OR
October 20th - Seattle Meet & Greet, The Cuff, Seattle
November 3rd - Portland Meet & Greet, Eagle, Portland
November 6th - Portland and Seattle area day rides
November 17th - Seattle Meet & Greet, The Cuff, Seattle
November 20th - Monthly membership meeting, Burien, WA
October Meeting: West Linn, Oregon
The first hosted meeting in far too long is being hosted by Stan C and Alan H in West Linn (suburb of Portland), Oregon. We are going to try to have a Zoom available for those that aren’t able to attend in person.
The menu will be baked pasta, salad, bread, & a dessert. There will also be bottled water, soda, & hot coffee available. We will not have an alcohol permit, so this will need to be a no alcohol event.
The social hour will begin at 4:00, the club meeting at 5:00, followed by dinner and more socialization until 8:00.
Registration should already be open on the website and will close on Wednesday the 13th.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact Stan C at Treasurer@BorderRiders.com
Board Nominations
As most of you are aware, board nomination are done at the October, November and December meetings with the elections held at the Annual General Membership meeting in January. At this time several of the current board members have indicated a desire to retire from the board. Please give some thought to your ability to serve your fellow club members by serving for a term on the board. Each board position is for a term of one year.
Membership Nomination
Guests that desire to become a member of BRMC must be sponsored or nominated for membership by any charter, active or disabled member. A motion to nominate for membership must be made at any club meeting by the sponsor. Guests are encouraged to ride with the club for a year in order to get to know the club members before they are nominated for membership. Election of new members occurs at the Annual General Membership meeting in January. If you are a guest and would like to be considered for membership please feel free to reach out to a club member and inquire about sponsorship.
Upcoming Birthdays
We have 1 member with a birthday in October. Be sure and help us make him feel special.
Randy W - October 24th
Meet & Greets
Portland M&G - Portland’s September M&G was attended by members Blue B, Jeff B, Stan C, & guests Larry B, & Randy G. If you remember the story about the handsome cager from August, well, he didn’t show up so I don’t have anything juicy to report regarding this. :( Portland’s October Meet & Greet will be held on Wednesday, October 6th at the Eagle on Lombard at 7pm. We hope to see you there.
Seattle’s M&G - Seattle’s September Meet & Greet had many members enjoy Chinese food followed by more joining at The Cuff. October’s Meet and Greet is Wednesday October 20th. If you choose to join for dinner it will be at Little Big Burger, 1200 E Pike St at 6pm, followed by getting together at The Cuff at 7pm - remember to bring proof of vaccination to enter The Cuff.
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 October 2nd. Join us for a crisp fall day ride on Saturday with the fall colors changing. We will be doing a 3 pass blast - Snoqualmie, Blewett, Stevens.
Meet at Lost Lake Cafe (1505 10TH AVE) for breakfast at 9:30, that or kickstands up at 10:30. Full tank of gas if you're joining us before you get there. We'll be doing some side roads off of 90 en route such as the original I-90 between Denny Creek and the summit.
Next stop will be Leavenworth which will be into Octoberfest. Brats at Leavenworth Sausage Garten. Another possibility would be to join us there if not doing the I-90 part, should be there about 1:30.
Return via Stevens Pass.
Portland’s Day Ride - Due to the lack of interest, Portland did not have a day ride in September.
The October day ride will occur on Saturday, October 2nd. Stan is leading this ride and will invite DOB-PDX to join us. The route is tentatively a run to Glenwood via the Klickitat Canyon. Watch our FB 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. The entire Gear Store will be available at the October Meeting.
Motorcycle Training 2021 - YAHOO!!!!
The final class of the 2021 riding season is the Precision Maneuvering Class series 1 & 2.
CLASS SCHEDULE
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.
The weekend of the October class is also the weekend of the club meeting in Portland/West Linn. So, if you want to see what we do, swing by Mt Hood Community College (Stark Street Entrance) & cheer us on. Please do NOT enter the range. There is parking just past where we will be mastering our skills.
From the Handlebars of the President
Unfortunately I did not make the run at Brooks Memorial State Park. I was asked to represent the club and speak at the Celebration of Life for Daddy Jeff Henness on that Saturday evening. Daddy Jeff was the security manager at the Cuff for many years and he and his partner own Doghouse Leathers in Seattle. Daddy Jeff was very involved in the leather and gay community in Seattle and I was honored to represent BRMC along with members of Seattle Men in Leather, the Imperial Court of Seattle, SEA-PAH, the Knights, as well as other clubs that were represented and spoke. As is BRMC tradition for members and friends of the club, I led three cheers for Daddy Jeff.
I was planning to go over to the camp on Friday and then return on Saturday but everyone at the Meet & Greet said I was crazy to go for just one night. Especially with the wet forecast for the weekend. Finally on Thursday evening, after looking yet again at the soggy forecast I decided to stay home. The forecast was calling for heavy rain on this side of the mountains Friday morning and all day on Saturday on both sides. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not just a fair weather rider but having to ride that far in continual rain to show up wet and cold in Seattle I decided wasn’t wise.
I will not be seeking re-election next year. I have decided that I have served more than enough time as club president and prior to that a couple years as treasurer that it is time for me to step back and be a member. I have enjoyed my time as president but it is time to step back and let someone else fulfill the job. I know for the last couple of years I have said that this is my last year and I have been talked into serving for another year. However, this year I am serious…..I will be stepping down. So please consider who you would like to be club president year.
…… 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
I was accused of a theme of scheduling the bulk of the weekend trips next to busy highways this year. September was one of those, but the way the group site was situated the noise from the road wasn’t very noticeable. People even said they would go back to Brooks Memorial again, the campsite had a comfortable and private feel to it, showers were across the highway in the main campground, but why go to the showers when you could just step out of your tent with a washcloth and soap? We’ll have to go back sometime when can really enjoy the riding that’s in that area.
I’m working on the schedule of runs for next year, should have the listing for the October meeting at Stan and Alan’s.
Enjoy our fall days of riding, without falling!
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
When you read the minutes of the BRMC August meeting that took place at Brooks Memorial State Park you will see that I am among three officers who are not running for reelection. In my case, I am getting to an age that requires me to start making some lifetime changes. I am not leaving office because I do not like the work I do as Secretary. The fact is that I like this job and it is the reason I have been doing it since 2015. However, I am at a point in my life that I am going to have to make some big changes, and I need the time to prepare for these changes. I also realize that learning a new job can be daunting, and that is the reason that I am willing to be the new Secretary’s back-up-man for a year if the new officer should like the help so that he can have some time to make the transition into the job. Despite the need for me to make this change, I plan on remaining a proud member of the Border Riders. The brotherhood in this club is very important to me, and I want to remain a part of it.
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 - West Linn, OR
November 20th - Club Meeting - Burien, WA
December 11th - Club Holiday Party - Bow, WA
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