January 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 (December)
Winter time has set into the Pacific Northwest and group riding has been minimal due to adverse weather conditions. But not to be disheartened, and in-spite of not physically being able to get together for our annual Holiday Party, we managed to pull off a holiday spectacular with a group ZOOM meeting where we could all be reminded what each other looked like and catch up on all things to all guys. Photos in the gallery. Happy New Year, everyone!
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
January - Annual General Meeting - January 16th, 5:00 pm - most likely virtual.
Upcoming Birthdays
We have 0 members with a birthday in January.
Nobody - Birthdate
Meet & Greets
Due to Covid-19, the monthly M&Gs were canceled for this month.
Club Business
AGM - Annual General Meeting
Traditionally the club holds the AGM at the Cuff Complex in Seattle in a closed, member only business meeting. This year we won’t be able to gather at the Cuff but will hold our meeting via ZOOM. 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.
Access to the ZOOM meeting will begin at 4:45 with the meeting to held at 5:00. on Saturday January 16th. Social time will follow the meeting and guests can join in the social time. It is anticipated that social time will begin at 6:00. Guests can join the meeting but will only be granted access by the host once the business meeting is adjourned.
REMINDER - During our ZOOM events we need to be aware of our language and actions just as we would in a public place. One of our members is allowing us to use his work ZOOM account and we don’t want to jeopardize our access. Also, we need to keep in mind our fellow brothers and guests. What is funny to one may not be seen as funny by all. This doesn’t mean we can’t have fun but we need to keep the fun in good taste.
2021 Board of Directors
The following members have been nominated and accepted the nomination to serve as board officers for the coming year:
President: Jeff C
Vice President: Alan H
Road Captain: Dennis H
Secretary: John D
Treasurer: Stan C
As only one person has been nominated for each position, a confirmation vote will be taken at the Annual General Meeting.
New Members
As the club was unable to gather during the year we were not able to meet guests that potentially had an interest in becoming members. As such, membership nominations were suspended this year.
Annual Dues
As a reminder, the annual club membership dues are payable in advance of the Annual General Meeting in January. A link to pay dues is on the Members Area of the website. This area is password protected and if you don’t recall the password please email president@borderriders.com If you wish to pay by a method other than the website please contact the Stan C our treasurer to make arrangements. Please pay your dues early so that Stan doesn’t have to work to collect them from you.
Reader’s Corner
A place for you, the reader, member or guest, to contribute.
Tell us about your travels, adventures, mishaps, etc.
To contribute send your story & pictures to President@BorderRiders.com
Nothing submitted for publication this month.
Day Rides
BC’s Day Ride - BC did not have a day ride in November and has no plans for December. Watch our F.B. page for last minute details.
Seattle’s Day Ride - Seattle had a great Day Ride in December - not a time normally expect to get cooperative weather. Five riders showed (including Buck who rode down from the north to join) and we explored southeast King County and a little bit into Pierce County. Weather was in low 50’s, but in 15 miles and only a thousand feet of elevation gain dropped 15 degrees. We had to turn around a little ways past the Carbon River Ranger Station when got to ice and frost that hadn’t melted off from the night before.
Looking ahead to first Saturday in January, not planning a ride:
Portland’s Day Ride - On Sunday the 6th, several members (Dave J, Alan H, & Stan C) and 1 guest (Ryan) met at Paradise HD for their annual foodbank fundraiser. Afterwards, we rode to to Oregon City, waived off Dave J and continued onto West Linn where we took a coffee break and visited for several hours. While there weren’t many miles, there were plenty of smiles.
Motorcycle Training 2021
Team Oregon has agreed to the date I requested for the 2021 motorcycle skill classes. I have scheduled these classes to coincide or to not conflict with other events we already have planned for the 2021 riding season.
The schedule is listed below. I will let you know when registration opens and how you can register once I get that detail worked out. Meanwhile, contact me at Treasurer@borderriders.com if you have any questions.
FYI, all classes are for 2 wheel motorcycles only, sorry.
Saturday, June 5th is the Rider Skills Practice Class. This will be an afternoon class. This class is appropriate for an endorsed rider with 1+ years riding experience. This class is a great way to shake off the cobwebs acquired during the non-riding months of winter.
Sunday, June 6th is the Advanced Braking Clinic. This will be a morning class. This class is appropriate for an endorsed rider with 1+ years riding experience. I have yet to take this class and am looking forward to it.
Monday, August 23rd is the Advanced Rider Training Class. This will be a morning class although there is an online portion to be done prior to the class. This is the Monday after the August Campout tentatively scheduled to be in Oregon. The ART class is appropriate for an endorsed rider with 2+ years riding experience.
The ART class is a prerequisite to the Cornering Clinic. It was decided that we would take the ART again this year and then take the Cornering Clinic in 2022.
Saturday, October 16th is the Precision Maneuvering Clinic #1. This will be a morning class. The PMC-1 is appropriate for an endorsed rider with 2+ years riding experience. This is the same weekend as the October Meeting, happening in Portland.
Sunday October 17th is the Precision Maneuvering Clinic #2. This will be a morning class. The PMC-2 is appropriate for an endorsed rider with 2+ years riding experience. This is the same weekend as the October Meeting happening in Portland. The PMC-1 class is a prerequisite for this class.
From the Handlebars of the President
Happy New Year! A new year has begun and I am looking forward to another year of events with my BRMC brothers and guests. Time will tell what events we can have but your board is working behind the scenes to keep the club going and to plan events for us. We are hopeful to be able to have some camp outs this summer.
As is tradition for this time of year, I would like to thank all the club members for their contributions to the club this past year. Without your help the club wouldn’t be what it is. I also would like to thank my fellow board members. Though we haven’t been able to have club events since our 50th Anniversary Banquet last February the board has still been working behind the scenes. Who knew when we were celebrating at the banquet that it would be our last in-person get together.
Two major accomplishments last year were both the Portland Pride and the Seattle Pride Parades. By networking with the Dikes on Bikes in Portland, the club was going to be able to ride in the front of the parade. The Seattle Pride Parade had approved BRMC riding as a group behind the Women that Ride but with both parades being cancelled we weren’t able to do so.
This year rather than cancelling our monthly get togethers we will plan to be more virtual. We have two members who have access to ZOOM so we will be having our meetings and socials via that method until we can gather again in larger groups.
…… keep the shiny side up!
Vice President Chatter
Howdy Brothers,
Happy New Year Brothers or should I say, “Here’s to a Happier New Year”?
There are parts of 2020 I really enjoyed and parts of it I despised.
As I look back on most one of the most challenging years of my life, I stay focused on the parts of the year that were most memorial to me, many of which included BRMC; The lunch in downtown Seattle before the AGM. the festive 50th Anniversary Banquet that Chris and Richard pulled off, a day ride where Oregon and Washington brothers met in Willapa peninsula, an awesome vacation ride through Montana and Idaho with my club brothers (Chris, Richard, Dale, Dennis and Stan) with lots of riding involved but equal time spent exploring the communities as well as getting to know each other better, spending two days camping on the Klickitat River with Stan and Kas doing absolutely nothing but sitting butts on the river bank, chatting, and enjoying the peaceful sound of the river, planting a willow tree on Chris and Richards property to celebrate their continued life commitment to each other, a rider safety course where I met new friends and got to connect with some BRMC brothers again, and in the absence of being able to gather in person for club meetings, we stayed connected through Zoom.
With these great memories for 2020, I was able to let go of the troubling times we were experiencing through the laughter that was shared, the ongoing stories that were told, by the breaking of bread with one another, listening to the stories people shared about their past while hearing where they’re heading in the future. 2020 has shown me that I am surrounded by a group of special men who enjoy the feel of the open road on two wheels that have a special bond through the joy of laughter, sharing life experiences and most of all, care enough about each other through the worst of times by staying connected.
I am proud to call each one of you my brother.
Be well, stay healthy and safe!
Road Captain Rumblings
Hoping for a promising 2021.
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”.
I am very close to finishing the 2021 club budgets. One budget represent BRMC having no activity in 2021. This was a request based on a dismal projection for COVID activity in 2021. The second budget has us opening business as usual in April. Part of the budget is member driven meaning how many members we have will impacts the budget, so renewing your membership early helps me a great deal.
Speaking of which, REGISTRATION HAS OPEN SO PLEASE REGISTER NOW. US Membership is $60 for the year and Canadian membership is $47 for the year. I expect registration to close on the 10th. This will allow me a couple days to update the budget accordingly.
If you are one of those people who prefer to pay by check, you should have already mailed a check to m. If you are running late, please text me and get that check in the mail ASAP. Also, please mail it to my home address, not the club address. My home address can be had by e-mailing me or by looking at the roster on our web-site.
Please feel encouraged to reach out to me if you have any questions. Otherwise, stay safe, stay healthy and let’s get together as soon as it’s safe to do so.
Secretary Thoughts
The 2020 Christmas Party was certainly a success! Again, the get together was virtual but that didn’t hold back the members from attending. Nineteen members attended as well as ten guests (An eleventh guest slept through the event). I was one of a group of five who met at the Road Captain’s house for dinner and to join in the Zoom event. Dennis H. and others put together an incredible meal. It was great to be in the company of other humans even though we were masked most of the time. It was even more great to interact with thirty gay men all of whom have a common interest – motorcycling. Most of us were dressed in holiday attire, but I’m not going to pass up the opportunity to commend how Dan S. outdid himself in putting together his wardrobe. (Notice I didn’t say “recommend”.)
As the pandemic continues to rage, we are going to be limited to getting together virtually. I want to urge everyone to join us at the Annual General Membership meeting coming up this month. Again, I want to thank Don W. for the work he has done to keep us all together. We will be electing our officers and making tentative plans for the remainder of the year. I hope to see you then, and until then be safe!
2021 Calendar of Events
January 16th - Annual General Meeting - Virtual
February 20th - Anniversary Banquet - Virtual
March 20tht - Club Meeting - TBD
April 17th - Club Meeting - TBD
May 15th thru 23rsh - Victoria Day Camp-out
June 13th - BRMC rides in the Portland Pride Parade
June 25th thru 27th - Camp-out at TBD Campsite (Seattle Area)
June 26th - BRMC Booth at Capitol Hill Pride Festival in Seattle, WA
June 27th - BRMC rides in the Seattle Pride Parade - Cancelled
July 16th thru 18th - Camp-out at TBD
August 20th thru 22nd - Camp-out at TBD
September 17th thru 19th - Camp-out at TBD
October 16th - Club Meeting - TBD
November 20th - Club Meeting - TBD
December 11th - Club Holiday Party - TBD
Meet & Greets
(November’s M&G have been canceled due to COVID-19)
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
Contributions of Photos & Stories
If you have photos and stories to share, please send to news@borderriders.com