By Dave Pelletier
Spring Greetings! I say this because on the 20th begins SPRING!!! So far, Phil, the Groundhog has been right. Damn Him!
Well, the cold of winter makes us all appreciate the warmer days of Spring all that much more!
On the 9th, we turn our clocks AHEAD, bringing on a 7:06 am Sunrise and a 6:45 pm Sunset! Better days are coming!
On Saturday, the 1st, myself and several other members attended the Yankee Beemers Spring Bash in Sturbridge, MA. This year, the YB celebrated their 40th year as a Club. Congratulations to them!
This got me thinking about our own Club. Checking with our resident historian, Carl Saccoccio, the Ocean State BMW Riders became a club in 1993. This makes us 32 years old!
As each club is different in their own ways, our club is unique as we are the only one, to my knowledge, having weekly breakfast meet ups. As our breakfast attendance can be up to half of our membership, this means that we are a group of retirees. Henceforth the acronym ROMEO. (retired old guys eating out!)
Our club also differs in our riding style from other groups as we generally do not get involved in the larger group rides like some other clubs do. This is because the general consensus is that we are more comfortable riding alone, or with just a “few” other riders that we know and are comfortable and confident with their riding styles. We have also found that riding in larger groups can be challenging, even dangerous, especially when it comes to traffic lights and stop signs at intersections.
To some, this might indicate that we are “snobby”, not wanting to have many tag along, but, I don’t feel that this is the case. Many of us are just more comfortable riding in smaller groups and meeting up at a pre-determined destination.
Such is the case with the National Rallies. We arrive alone, or in small groups of maybe 3, taking different routes, and get together at the rally site, where the camaraderie begins!
Thankfully, we have been getting a few newer, and younger members, who will understand our principals of safe riding, and not feel that they are purposely being excluded from any “group rides”.
As I have stated at a past meeting, when the weather breaks and the days are longer, I hope to schedule a ride for dinner at different restaurants throughout the state, where we can all meet up for a good meal. More on this at the April meeting.
At this months meeting, March 10th, I will bring up any interest in grabbing cabins at Americade in Lake George, NY. This years dates are May 27 – 31. If you have an interest and cannot make the meeting, contact me @ 508-493-5004 or my personal email: davpell@comcast.net.
Remember, safe riding, and the “Cage” operators, and not yet used to seeing motorcycles back on the road!
Rubber side down!
Dave Pelletier, Pres.