December 2020 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 (November)
November too has now come and gone along with the election that it contained. The club had a virtual meeting via Zoom and nominated a slate of officers for the coming year and decided to have the annual Holiday Party virtually. Also, at the beginning of the month some of the Seattle area members and guests did a three ferry day ride and stopped in to visit one of our long time members on Whidbey Island.
Let’s hope for some positive change so that we can gather together again.
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
December - Virtual Holiday Party, December 12th, 6:00 pm
January - Annual General Meeting - January 16th, 5:00 pm - most likely virtual.
Upcoming Birthdays
We have 2 members that has a birthdays in December. Take and moment and wish them a great day!
Peter L - December 2nd
Richard A - December 14th
Meet & Greets
Due to Covid-19, the monthly M&Gs were canceled for this month.
Club Business
Virtual Holiday Party - December 12th
This year our annual Holiday Party will go virtual and be held via ZOOM. Rather than hold our entertaining white elephant gift exchange we will be having an ugly Holiday Sweater contest. Be sure to wear your most festive ugly Holiday Sweater and show off your holiday decor. Members and guests are welcome to join in. An email will be sent out with the link the week of the party. In addition, plans are to create an event on the Runs and Events page of the website that will also have the link.
A brief membership meeting will be held at 6:30. Roll call will be taken and a couple of business items quickly taken care off.
2021 Board of Directors
Club Bylaws state nominations for club officers are to be done at the October, November and December club meetings with the elections held at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Voting is by secret ballot with the person receiving the most votes in each position assuming office beginning at the time of the Annual Banquet.
Officer positions are President, Vice President, Road Captain, Secretary, and Treasurer. Please give some thought to serving as an officer of the club. The current board has agreed to serve another term and were thus nominated at the November meeting. However, nominations are still open.
President: Jeff C
Vice President: Alan H
Road Captain: Dennis H
Secretary: John D
Treasurer: Stan C
AGM - Annual General Meeting
The annual AGM will be held on January 16th. Normally we gather at the Cuff Complex in Seattle to conduct the annual club business and elect our officers for the year. However, given the unknowns with COVID it is most likely that we will move the AGM to the virtual world. Please mark your calendars. Also, this is the time to renew club dues. Please remember that if your eligibility to vote has lapsed that you must attend two business meetings in order to be able to vote at the AGM. If you have questions about your eligibility to vote please contact the club secretary. Watch your email for the announcement of payment of club dues. Dues are to be paid in advance of the AGM and will again be payable beginning January 1st via the members page of the club website.
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 - Unlike the slackers in Portland Seattle did a November day ride. 5 brave riders showed for our ride, not a lot of miles with the ferry rides. It was a little damp here and there and grip heaters were a blessing. Looking back towards Port Townsend from the ferry it looked like we got off the peninsula just in time because a big black cloud engulfed the city. We stopped by Ron’s house on Whidbey for a visit and lunch after. The major event for the day was that we found out during the day that the election had been called.
Looking ahead to December, the weather once again looks favorable for a ride, sunny with a high of 47, low of 38. A lot can change between now and then, but will be planning a short ride. Will plan on getting it out on Facebook and email.
Portland’s Day Ride - Portland did not have a day ride in November. Slackers!
Hopefully we will get lucky with the weather in December & be able to get in a day ride. Be sure and watch our FB page for last minute details.
Motorcycle Training 2021
In the October Newsletter, I requested some input as to which motorcycle skill classes you would be interested in taking. I did not get a single replay to that request. So, I have scheduled the classes I want to take but they will be open to the public as well. The classes I am thinking about taking and the dates are as follows;
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 either the Advanced Rider Training Class or the Corning Clinic, YTBD. This will be a morning class. This is the Monday after the August Campout tentatively scheduled to be in Oregon. The ART & Corning Clinic is appropriate for an endorsed rider with 2+ years riding experience. The ART class is a prerequisite to the CC. We need to decide as a group which one we want to take. I need to get back to Team OR as to which class we want before December 1st. We can NOT do both. Personally, I am leaning towards the ART Class.
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.
I have requested Team OR make these classes available on these dates. I tried to schedule these class to coincide or not conflict with other events we already have planned for the upcoming riding season. It would be very disappointing if we didn’t take these classes since Team OR is being kind enough to plan their summer schedule around these requests.
Send me an e-mail to let me know which classes interest you. Treasurer@BorderRiders.com
Finally, Team Oregon has not yet released their pricing structure for 2021. So, the prices listed are my SWAGS. SWAG is an accounting term meaning “Sophisticated Wild Ass Guess”. The prices listed should be very close to actual prices for 2021.
TEAM OREGON ADVANCED CLASS MENU
Rider Skills Practice (RSP) Tentatively scheduled for Saturday June 5th
This is the class many of us have already taken since it is the class I normally schedule every Spring.
RSP is a great way to refresh your riding skills at the beginning of the riding season. RSP is a half-day course to sharpen cornering, braking, emergency maneuvering and vehicle control skills.
RSP is appropriate for an endorsed rider with 1+ years riding experience.
Tuition is $110 & the class runs 4½ hrs.
Precision Maneuvering Clinic Level 1 (PMC-1) Tentatively schedule for Saturday, October 16th
This is a prerequisite for PMC 2
The Precision Maneuvering Clinic (PMC) is a half-day course 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. Track-side chats will help students connect these skills to real-world riding.
PMC Level 1 is appropriate for an endorsed rider with 2+ years riding experience.
Tuition is $110 & the class runs 4½ hrs.
Precision Maneuvering Clinic Level 2 (PMC-2) Tentatively scheduled for Sunday, October 17th.
Successful completion of PMC 1 is a prerequisite for PMC 2.
Participants fine-tune low speed handling skills, making quicker, tighter turns in more confined spaces. This course also features a high-speed weave and brake-and-escape drill.
PMC Level 2 is appropriate for an endorsed rider with 2+ years riding experience.
Tuition is $110 & the class runs 4½ hrs.
Advanced Riding Techniques (ART) Tentatively scheduled for Monday, August 23rd
This is a prerequisite for the Cornering Clinic
The riding exercises are conducted on a go-kart track, providing riders expert instruction on the clean, smooth curves on a closed course. While participants ride at more real-world speeds, this is not a high speed, racing-oriented class.
There is a 2-hour online classroom discussion the night before which includes risk management, crash causation, judgment and impairments, braking, cornering, swerving, transitions, and traction.
There will be 4-hours of range (riding) instruction and track-side chats include cornering, braking, swerving and traction management. Team Oregon coaches will help you improve your curve skills by linking turns and choosing better lines. By the end of the day you will be carving smoother, more precise corners.
ART is appropriate for an endorsed rider with 2+ years riding experience.
Tuition is $200 & the class runs a total of 6 hrs (2-hrs class + 4-hrs track).
Cornering Clinic (CC)
Successful completion of the ART class is a prerequisite to this Cornering Clinic.
The cornering clinic is meant as a quick refresher that focused solely on curve skills. When a rider fails to negotiate a turn, it is usually not the first curve that gets them – it’s the second or third in a series of curves. Participants learn to ride “two turns ahead,” linking multiple curves and choosing the best lines.
Cornering Clinics are appropriate for an endorsed rider with 2+ years’ experience.
Tuition is $100 & the class runs 2½ hrs.
Advanced Braking Clinic (ABC) Tentatively scheduled for Sunday June 6th
Based on the braking clinics offered to instructors and police motor officers, the Braking Clinic (ABC) is a short course for endorsed riders to refine braking skills in normal and emergency situations.
ABC is appropriate for an endorsed rider with 2+ years riding experience.
Tuition is $100 & the class runs 2½ hrs.
If you would like more information on any of these classes, please go to the Team Oregon web-site directly. If you still don’t find the information you are looking for, feel free to contact me at Treasurer@BorderRiders.com and let me see if I can help.
From the Handlebars of the President
Since the last newsletter, we have had an election with a new president elect selected. Due to difference of political opinions all I am going to say is I am glad the election is over and all the political campaigns have come to and end. As with any group we have members and guests whose political views run the gamut and while we may not agree with their viewpoint, we must be respectful and allow them to have a different opinion.
As others, have stated, this was not a typical year for the club. I have missed not being able to go camping with my brothers during the summer. I have missed seeing parts and areas of Washington, Oregon and British Columbia that I may not have been too. But alas the year is winding down and it appears that we may have a vaccine soon. Though it will take some time before it is available to everyone and we will be able to gather again in person.
This past spring and summer when we had to cancel events, I didn’t really think about moving our monthly meetings to a virtual space. The board and I kept hoping that we would be able to have a camp out at some point. In hindsight, I wish we had held our monthly meetings via zoom, if nothing else but to maintain the social connections.
I hope to see all you at the Virtual Holiday Party dressed in your finest Ugly Holiday Sweater!
…… keep the shiny side up!
Vice President Chatter
Howdy Brothers,
I hope this note finds you all well & sorry I missed the Zoom meeting in November. Work has been keeping me busy. In my role at work, I have no choice but to work in the stores when they have a COVID outbreak. As scary as it is, I need to support them & keep the stores operating during these busy times.
The year is quickly ending, and I am sure, like most of you, I am tired of this lock down but its what we have to do. It’s looking like we will have another opportunity to get together for the December Zoom gathering, I hear “ugly sweater contest”? That will be interesting to see what people come up with!
Well, not a whole lot to report out on my end, Jeff keeps telling me how we need to transfer the gear store to me, but that has yet to happen. Seems kind of senseless to move it now with nothing happening with the club, maybe after the first of the year, guess we will see……
Anyways, I hope to see you all “virtually” at the December Zoom gathering!
Be well, stay healthy and safe!
Road Captain Rumblings
In spite of not having any camping trips this year we have been able to get together for a number of small rides and the training that Stan set up; so not all was lost to Covid. Hopefully the next few months will bring sunny weather on all the first Saturdays of the month to continue to have more socially distanced get togethers.
There are a few of us that ride most of the year, and for those that don’t I hope you can get out from time to time and get a little ride in to keep your skills polished so that May doesn’t come around and trying to remember all the little tricks. Remember with winter riding to watch for wet leaves, wet painted stripes and crosswalk markings, and frost in the shady spots to keep the shiny side up.
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 want to thank those who showed up at the November meeting for your input regarding the 2021 budget(s). Per this discussion, I have nearly completed the budget that represent the BRMC having no activity happening in 2021. This was a request based on a dismal projection for COVID activity in 2021. I am simultaneously working on the budget that has us opening back up in April for business as usual henceforth. I believe I will be able to have a draft of both budgets completed & ready for your approval shortly after everyone renews & pays their annual dues. The budget is member driven meaning how many members we have will impact the budget, so renewing and paying quickly helps me a lot.
With regards to the Annual Dues, there will be a reminder in the January newsletter to register so be ready. Registration should open around January 1st & it would help me bigly if we were all registered & paid by the 10th. If you are one of those people who prefer to pay by check, you may mail this check to me now if you’d like. Please mail it to my home address, not the club address. My home address can be had by e-mailing me and asking for it or by looking at the roster on our web-site. I promise not to cash this check until after the new year so feel free to mail it early. Send me an e-mail when you mail this check so I can be on the look out for it. I will respond with an e-mail letting you know when it arrives.
If anyone has a specific question for me, as your Treasurer, please feel encouraged to reach out to me and let us have a discussion. Otherwise, stay safe, stay healthy and let’s get together as soon as it’s safe to do so.
Secretary Thoughts
It was good to see all the guys who showed up at the November BRMC business meeting on Saturday the twenty-first. Seventeen members and one guest showed up. Besides being a good turn-out it also provided the members and guest present to have some socializing after the meeting. The most important business we did was re-nominate the 2020 officers for the year 2021. I had not planned to run again, but given the circumstances we are living with, I decided it was probably better for the club that I continue doing the work of the Secretary. That way we will have some continuity in leadership until we are able to begin meeting in person like in normal times.
Thanks to Don Wilcox the Zoom meeting went well. That is good since the club will be meeting virtually for as many months that it will take until the pandemic is under control. I hope that we will be able to have local Day Rides this coming year like we did this year. At least this last year we were able to ride and socialize with a limited number of our club brothers. Obviously it isn’t the same as when we were all able to meet in one place and spent a whole weekend enjoying each other’s company. I know that we are all waiting for that to happen as soon as possible. Until then, be safe and try to join us when we are able come together on line.
2020 Calendar of Events
January 18th - Annual General Meeting - Seattle, WA
February 15th - Anniversary Banquet - Seattle, WA
March 21st - Hosted Club Meeting - Michael C home - Seattle, WA
April 18th - Hosted Club Meeting - Dan S home - Oakville, WA - Cancelled
May 15th thru 18th - Victoria Day Camp-out - Cancelled
June 14th - BRMC rides in the Portland Pride Parade - Cancelled
June 26th thru 28th - Camp-out at TBD Campsite (Seattle Area) - Cancelled
June 27th - BRMC Booth at Capitol Hill Pride Festival in Seattle, WA - Cancelled
June 28th - BRMC rides in the Seattle Pride Parade - Cancelled
July 17th thru 19th - Camp-out at Jeff and Tim’s outside of Mount Vernon, WA - Cancelled
August 14th thru 16th - Camp-out at Union Creek,OR - Cancelled
August 29th & 30th - 2-day Advanced Motorcycle Training in Portland, OR
September 18th thru 20th - Camp-South Grandy Lake by Concrete WA - Cancelled
October 17th - Zoom Social - watch your email for details
November 21st - Virtual Club Meeting - watch email for details
December 12th - Virtual Holiday Party - watch email for details
2021 Calendar of Events
January 16th - Annual General Meeting - Seattle, WA
February 20th - Anniversary Banquet - Seattle, WA
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