To Trike Or Not To Trike?

As a club, the majority of us are seasoned riders with many miles under our belt. We love Being In The Wind and the Call Of The Open Road. New adventures await us around every turn, especially if we're following Tom. He keeps things interesting.

There comes a time in all riders lives when they realize they can no longer handle a two wheeler safely. Most often, this is due to physical limitations we face as we wander through the golden years. Unfortunately, some of us face this earlier in life than we figured on. When we get to this point, most of us find out it's darn hard to hang up our chaps. They've become too much part of our lives to part with.

Oh, I personally know some Gold Wingers I rode with in the 80's and 90's who gave up their bikes and bought motor homes. You probably passed them while they clogged up highways and byways across our great land. But, is this the way we want to go?

I think not!

So, what's our alternative?

Trikes!

In the future, we will undoubtedly see more of our members riding trikes.

Once they begin riding them, they find out that though they do give up the fun of leaning through serpentine turns, there are definite advantages of riding a three wheeler.

First, they will enjoy having better traction on all road surfaces. Increased luggage capacity along with being able to pull a trailer without adversely affecting the handling of the ride are a couple of more benefits if riding a three wheeler.

Trikes are serious machines in their own right. They deserve all the respect motorcycles get both on the road and in our club house.

I enjoy riding with everyone who rides them.

Gray Beard

"Real Bikers"

I like playing with words.

What I like best is words have a different meaning to different people.


Some words have dual meanings. Comedians make a living out of that.

George Carlin is my hero!

Esoteric words have a specific meaning to a particular field and are seldom used else where. Economist talk in terms of utils (units of utility). Electrical technicians measure resistance in ohms (units of resistance). Accountants encumber funds and amortize assets.

Phrases also have different meanings to different people. To a pilot, In The Wind means fighting a head wind. To a sailor, this means a lot of tacking is in order. To a biker, it means the freedom to ride the open road.

However, there is one phrase that troubles me. It's meaning sometimes eludes me.

"Real Biker"

Dah..................

Dat's one I should know.

But, really, what is a real biker?

T T Riders (tavern to tavern) must think it's all about "the look". The machines they ride look like they would break my butt after 100 miles. Their rags wouldn't give me much protection if I went down. But, they look like real bikers, so they must be, don't you think?

Well...

Then there is the Vanilla Bean Crowd. You know who I'm talking about. They ride fine, European machines that cost more to maintain than a panhead. They insist in riding in expensive full leather body suits (the look, you know). It's really fun to see them on a 100 degree day try to act "cool". But, they must be "real bikers" don't you think?

Well...

Then there are those hearty souls who ride with the NLMC. Long riders (Canada, New Found Land or Alaska anyone?). Or, how about those crazies who ride 80 miles on a day that starts out at 17 degrees and ends up in a 35 degree heat wave? Oh, they aren't in it for "the look", unless layers of clothing and gauntlets turn you on. They ride Harleys, Gold Wings and metric cruisers. Nothing special, but durable and solid. They ride with windshield and saddlebags, not necessarily good looking but functional. Can these guys be the elusive "real bikers"?

Hmmm.

I'll have to ponder that.

Gray Beard

Have you ever considered what makes the NLMC such a great success?

What do we have that other clubs don't have?

What do we offer riders that no other club in our area offers?

I pondered this and consulted the great oracle.

Here's what we came up with:

1. We have a club house and put it to good use.

2. We get together around 50 times a year to socialize and take care of business.

3. We ride as a club over 144 times a year, not including parades and honor guard missions.

4. Chef Douton and crew offers great home cooked meals before every meeting during the cold weather months. He packs the clubhouse and we all enjoy a night out together.

5. We support all who serve in our armed forces. We honor our vets. That makes us proud!

6. We are there when our brother clubs sponsor events to help those in need and they support our events. This brotherhood goes beyond the patch we so proudly wear.

7. When one of us faces the misfortune of an accident or a medical problem, club members show up and do what needs doing. No one ever need ask, we're there!

8. We have a dedicated and seasoned e-board that works hard for the good of the club.

9. We have committee chairs that know how to get the job done.

10. The spirit of volunteerism in our club is incredible. All we need to know is something needs doing. When the day comes the job is to be done, a whole bunch of us show up and we end up tripping over each other to lend a hand.

Leadership inspires membership and membership makes us the club that we are. !

No other club can offer this and none ever will. We are that special and all of us have a
hand in it!

Bottom Line:

Each and every one of us help make the
NLMC the great success that it is!

Gray Beard

Gray Beard knows, "Iffy can be good"

Gray Beard has heard the word, several times, at our club house.

The weather this Sunday is iffy.

It's hard to plan a ride when the weathers looks iffy. Yet, our intrepid Road Captain, GPS Tom, does a good job handling this iffy thing. When weather looks threatening, he checks Doppler Radar and heads for the sun. Sometimes a little rain is involved, but without sun and rain, we'd never see a rainbow!

Tre has a saying, "If you don't ride in the rain, you don't ride"

That works for Gray Beard.

Sunday, he headed out ready for what ever the gods of sun and rain had to bless us with. But, guess what? Sunday, iffy turned out to be great! Riding with several brothers and sisters over beautiful, winding country roads was just the tonic his aging gizzard needed to really feel good! After enjoying the ride, he was ready to put the feed bag on. Of course, he wasn't disappointed. Our Road Captain always sniffs out where the good eats are at.

While enjoying a good and peaceful meal, Tre defoliated in public! She let it be known, one of our brothers went wide when leaving the D&D parking lot at the beginning of the run. Our teacher of how to ride rubber side up, Tom, held class right then and there. With a lamb gyro going limp in his hand, Gray Beard listened to Tom enlighten one and all how to pull out of a parking lot. Smiling, Gray Beard nodded, realizing he was, once again, spot on.

The ride home was relaxing and uneventful. A small stretch of 395S was lightly traveled and allowed us to roll along briskly. Good enough! We don't want carbon build up, do we?


Banquet Report

Great Food
Great Turnout
Good DJ
Good Drinks
What more is there to say?

Well......

Gray Beard ended his evening early, knowing he was going to ride the next day. Listening to other riders at D&D the next morning, he found out several of our younger and more viral members shut the house down. Good Going Guys!

Our group came dressed comfortably and ready to party. Road Captain Tom, was dressed to the hilt (who would expect any less) and his long suffering wife Donna looked stunning. We can be proud of all our club sisters, as they really looked good and had a great time!

Bob Douton won the Presidents Award. Talk about a guy that works hard for the good of the club! His meals pack our club house on meeting nights during the cold weather months!

Laughter was the predominant sound of the night

Charlie Kay won the coveted Dauntless Rider Award. He earned it the hard way, with his head! He is also able to wear the distinguished upside down deer with a broken leg pin! Good Going Charlie!

Could it get any better than this?

Yup!

Charlie was presented with a special pin and medallion for all the great things he has done for our club this past year. Most folks aren't aware of a lot he does because he's one of the guys that works behind the scenes. He doesn't like to bring attention to himself. That he was the only one who got a standing ovation for the night was really right way to let him know how we feel about him.

Good tunes kept things festive and Judy did a great job with the raffle.

Charlie cleaned up there too!

Mrs. Gray Beard won a "Dash Board Duster". Gray Beard is still trying to figure out how women think. Why didn't she go for the S90, or the quartz lamp, or............

Well, that's the way it was.

We owe our banquet committee chairperson, Judy Moran, a standing "O" the netime she joins us at our clubhouse. Steve and his wife Elaine were active all night long making sure things went smoothly. Gray Beard is sure there are others who pitched in and thinks we should all let them know how much we appreciate their service.

Ride Free Ride Safe Ride Often

Gray Beard

Gray Beard Seeks Enlightenment

I got this straight from the Great Oracle:

Question: "Oh great one, what is in our future?"

Oracle scratches his bald head, then piously responds:

"As far as the NLMC is concerned, it's in for the greatest year ever! An experienced e-board is in place and appointments are being made based on members' willingness to serve for the good of the club and the individual abilities they bring to the table."

"The club will have no problems filling chairmanship positions in charge of committees that serve the needs of the club and volunteers for these committees will be plentiful!"

"The proven administration of Jim Moran will start it's new term with membership roles at an all time high and they will continue to grow through the upcoming year."

"A great time will be had by all at the club banquet this coming Saturday and also at the club's Christmas Party"

The Great Oracle finished with, "Everything about this club will just get better and better!"

I felt a glow of warmth overcome me.

I knew all was going to be well with our club.

I offered many thanks and left on my putt, smiling and pondering: "Now, if the can just get it right in Washington!"

Gray Beard