by Fred Jewell, RCB Prez

Here it is, my last monthly column as president (again), and it seems like the year has gone by too fast. I have enjoyed being president (again) of the club; I truly have found some wonderful people in this organization, and I believe we have a most excellent club because of them. I also believe it’s a good time to get some new perspectives on what the club does and how we do it, and having Maggy as president next year is a way to do it. She is going to be great. I know it. Please give her the support you have given me in the past year. We will be going through the motions of electing officers and directors Saturday morning, so if you want to be part of the operations of the club make your presence known.

   Just because the weather is turning colder doesn’t mean we’re not doing anything; we’ve got the holiday potluck/Xmas party coming up on the 2^nd with lots of great raffle prizes and the SCRH toy run and BBQ on the 9^th. Because we want to give our members time to prepare their favorite item for the party, there will be no club ride Saturday. Rest assured though that, weather permitting, we will have club rides in the months ahead, and look for a New Year’s Day ride too, which this year will be held on January 1. (A nod to Mike Miller there).

   Just because I’m not going to be president next year doesn’t mean I’m going to fade away, I’ll be on the board of directors, I’m currently working on next year’s mileage/destination contest, Bloody Marys will still be served at Manchester Beach, and of course I’ll organize the Toy Run/BBQ again. It’s going to be another fantastic year with the RCB, I know it!

   So in conclusion let me say it’s been my honor and privilege to have served in this club, and I hope to see you on the road next year. Get your bikes ready, now is the time to do it. Don’t be one of those who show up at the national rally with cords showing on your tires! Which reminds me, the national is going to be in Redmond, OR and I would love to see us turn out in numbers that will win the #1 club award again. Everyone take care, be safe, and go out and ride as much as you can.

RCBers: Hard to believe but it is time for the Annual Holiday Party! Where did 2023 go?

The party will be Saturday, December 2, from 6-9pm at A&S. We will have our regular meeting that morning at Susie’s with the raffle at the party.

The club will provide ham and turkey from Corti Brothers as usual. Members should bring a dish to share. Feel free to bring your favorite dish, but if you need some guidance you can use the following suggested menu:
Last names A-E:  Appetizers
Last names F-K:  Salads
Last names L-Q: Side Dishes
Last names R-W:  Desserts
Last names X-Z:  Nothing!  Just come and enjoy the party.

As always, elf or other seasonal apparel is strongly encouraged.

See you all on December second!

While Maggie Mini has decided to become our next president, that leaves a couple of positions open.
First is to replace Maggie as secretary (if that’s even possible!), hopefully someone that’s good at taking minutes at the BOD meetings and formatting them properly.
Second, Greg Smith has bowed out of becoming treasurer due to personal reasons, so we do need someone with an interest or experience in maintaining our club’s finances (and to keep Gordy from spending too much!). If we don’t get enough people interested in these positions now I may postpone elections for a month until our December meeting.
Please let me or any other board member know of your intentions towards helping our club run as efficiently as possible in the year to come. Thank you for your support, Fred Jewell (president again but not for much longer)

by Fred Jewell, RCB Prez

If you haven’t figured out by now, I was able to make it to Manchester Beach and enjoy a wonderful weekend with absolutely the best motorcycle club. Becki was able to get around on her wheelchair by herself and had friends over to help, so it worked out for me to leave, but it may have contributed to my “crabby bartender” shtick I portrayed. I do want to thank everyone who helped put on the event, in particular Karl and Heidi, Bob and Terri Rasters, Marv, Ray, Lisa Cornelius, and others I’m sure I forgot. It would not have been the excellent event it was without them.

November is almost here and that means elections! By that I mean the important ones – officers and directors for the club. Maggie Mini has decided to run for president, and I can’t think of anyone better than she for that position. She is an excellent rider with extensive experience with how the club functions through her service as club secretary. That means we will need someone to fill that position, and I hope there is someone out there who will, please let me know. Greg Smith is going to give it his best as treasurer to relieve Gordy, which means there is a director position open, which if no one steps up I will fill that one myself. I believe all the other positions are remaining as is, but I do hear that Heidi is grooming someone for the appointed position of membership director.

November is also the month we plan out the next year’s events, and this year we are going to be doing that at the regular board of directors meeting on the ninth at Pete’s Brewhouse in Folsom. I encourage anyone who wants to volunteer or has an idea for an event to attend. Please realize that space is limited there, and you are on your own for dinner and drinks. The food and service are very good there, worth it just for that.

Bob Findlay was the winner of the tires in the Where’s My Name contest. He had the most raffle tickets of those attending which gave him the best odds, although Larry Campbell was very close. Both members should be very thankful that last year’s winner, Chris Navarrete, who went to every location in the Ride to Eat contest, went to every location in the Where’s My Name contest but was unable to attend Manchester Beach. He is an air traffic controller and often works 6 days and double shifts. Bob did tell me he set out to go to every location this year, but a faulty alternator on his bike (Yikes!!!) prevented him from doing so. He did say the tires helped soothe the pain of having the alternator replaced by a little. Congratulations to him, Larry, and all the others who participated. Now look forward to next year’s contest, which I’m calling Beemer Bingo. Stay tuned for details, I’m still working on it.

Even though the weather is starting to change, we still have lots going on in the club. The Fall Colors ride is going to be the club ride, there will be a Day After Thanksgiving ride, the club Holiday Potluck is coming up, as well as the toy run and BBQ. The road goes on forever and the party never ends! (Who did that song?)

by Fred Jewell, RCB Prez

   It’s the first of October and I’m getting this month’s column out a little later than I’d like. I generally pride myself on being on time for most things. However, the past 10 days or so have been a bit more difficult than usual. After multiple trips to the doctor and many, many x-rays, we now know my wife Becki has a broken fibula AND tibia due to a condition called Charcot foot. (Look it up if you’re really interested), but it may cause me to miss attending our annual biggest event at Manchester Beach. She says go, but I’m not feeling right about leaving her alone. I won’t know for sure for a few days yet, but rest assured, the Bloody Mary bar will still be there in the very capable hands of Lisa Cornelius and Jack Weiglein. This year, due to our Saturday night menu featuring Mexican food, there will be Margaritas available too. The raffle for the set of tires for those who participated in the Where’s My Name contest will also be conducted by Gordy. A good time will be had by all, I’m sure.

   Elections will be held in November for officers and directors, and I urge anyone interested in the fascinating world of club operations to let us know so we can get you on the ballot. I have been asking people to take the helm of this club away from me and have been met with thunderous silence. If no one steps up, then I will give it one (AND ONLY ONE) more year. I do enjoy being president, but I also do other things for the club, and I’d like to concentrate more on them.

   I’m going to keep this column short this month, hopefully I’ll see you all at Manchester Beach.

Days are getting shorter, let’s get those rides in before the weather does its thing and puts us on 4 wheels.

by Fred Jewell, RCB Prez

I can’t believe it’s getting to the last few weeks of summer already, and that means we’re getting ready for our annual campout at Manchester Beach in October. In the meantime, however, we have the Gypsy Tour, happening over the holiday weekend that I know a lot of our members enjoy. It’s a well-run and interesting tour of Northern California, but it does involve camping, which leaves me out. Our club meeting is on the same holiday, Saturday, which means either Ray or Rick will lead a (much simpler) ride depending on the temperature. If it is relatively cool(er) out we’ll go to Granzella’s via the Capay Valley, or if it’s hot, we might end up in the foothills somewhere. Routes are already on the club rides section of the website, check the forum for updates.

September also means that the mileage (destination) contest is drawing to a close in a couple of weeks, so get those pictures in to my email or phone by the 15^th. This is your chance at a set of tires for your bike, installation included donated by Randy at A&S, which is nothing to sneeze at (if that’s your idea of fun). It is a raffle so the more places you go to the better your chances of winning.

As I’m moving along in my second presidency of this most excellent motorcycle club, I often think of Gary Stofer, president for many years before my first stint, and the things he helped me with in becoming president of the first club I’d ever even been a member of, let alone leading one. That being said, as much as I enjoy being president, I would really like to see someone new and energetic come take the reins of the club, I would help him or her as much as I can. Pay and benefits commensurate with experience.

Gary had many pearls of wisdom he would occasionally drop on us as he saw fit. One I recall in particular was when I was complaining about the weak horn on my 1100 RT and wanted to install a louder one, and he said bad idea, you don’t want aggravate drivers as you are extremely vulnerable in a road rage situation. The pearl he dropped on me was if you have time to think, react and hit that hard-to-reach horn button, you have time to avoid the situation and let the driver go on their way. I don’t think I’ve hit the horn but a couple of times since then, and I never replaced the stock horn on any of my bikes.

Last month’s trivia question answer is Kingfish, a side band of the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir I got to see in concert a couple of times in the mid-seventies. Here’s a non-musical one for this month: On what date did the 20^th century begin?

The weather’s great, let’s ride!

by Fred Jewell RCB Prez

August is almost here and we’re welcoming our intrepid travelers back from Alaska, not much the worse for wear, save for a little mud. Well, a lot of mud. (Just ask Al Morrison). Ernesto kept us updated regularly on his Facebook page with lots of pictures and eloquent descriptions of the day’s events. Many thanks to him for doing that so well, it kept my mind at ease from worry, knowing everyone was safe and well. It certainly appeared that it was the ride of a lifetime for those who went, and that it was well planned and well led by our own Octogenarian Roger. I have to say I’m very proud of Roger, he’s been trying to get this ride together for a few years and he finally did it. It almost made me yearn to go there myself, the scenery was breathtaking, but the tales of mud and gravel stop me right there. It shouldn’t stop anyone else from trying though, especially if mud and gravel roads don’t bother you. (Ask me if you don’t know my answer to riding in the dirt).

August is also the time for the annual Tahoe Chill campout on the 18^th through the 20^th. There is a sign up for it on the front of the website; this is important as to estimate enough food and beverages for everyone. Hopefully, the bear will like other people’s campsites better than ours this year, just don’t forget to say “hello bear” if he does visit ours.

I have it on very good authority that, if you are playing the “Where’s My Name contest, or even if you’re not, you should not miss Mendenhall’s Museum of Gasoline in Buellton. The contestant stated that there is a huge amount of land speed record memorabilia, and the owner is a wonderful guy named Mark. I’m going, even though being the administrator of the contest, I don’t participate, but it sounds like a great day ride destination. And speaking of the contest, I also have it on good authority that our club ride this Saturday will be going past Jewell, CA on the way back from the oysters. Great way to earn 12 tickets, enjoy a ride to the coast and partake of a dozen oysters.

Last month’s trivia question was easy, (at least to those of us old enough to remember Johnny Horton) so this one is a little harder to get without the use of Google: I was going to send them off to Alaska with a song called “Wild Northland”, so who did that song, and why would I be associated with it?

The weather’s great, let’s ride!

by Fred Jewell RCB Prez

THE RAIN IS GONE! Finally! Aaaannd, here comes the heat. It’s looking like Saturday we’ll be riding into 104-degree temps, that is, unless you decide to participate in the annual Ride ‘n’ Bowl in Yerington, where it should be significantly cooler. The lunch destination in Genoa (Nevada, not Italy) should also be a decent temperature with shady spots to eat really good homemade sandwiches.

Speaking of shady spots, our poker run went off (although with a hitch or two) but ended up at Mike Ledbetter’s estate for lunch, drinks and games. Mike is a very gracious and generous host, and he deserves a round of thanks from all those who were there. I certainly had a good time cooking for everyone, and I’m hoping next year will have an even bigger turnout.

Our coterie of riders will be going north, to Alaska (north, the rush is on) soon after the holiday weekend and we wish them all well and good riding. I’m expecting daily reports on how it’s going; it sounds like the ride of a lifetime and some of us who can’t make it will want to live vicariously through them.

I’m starting to get more pictures of member’s motorcycles at sites from my Where’s My Name contest now that summer is in full swing. Please check the forum for my post about some corrections to a few site descriptions. Unlike last year’s contest, I haven’t actually been to many of the sites, so I went off Google earth for them.  Mea culpa. I am hearing of a possible group ride to several of the local sites in July. Stay tuned for details, but here’s a chance to gather 6 tickets in an easy day’s ride.

Easy trivia question today: Whose song did I reference above?

By Fred Jewell RCB Prez

 It sure looks like my karma with the weather continued last month with the poker run being postponed, but this Saturday it’s looking as if we’re finally getting the cooperation we need. If you signed up last month there’s no need to sign up again for this Saturday, we’ve got you covered. If you haven’t yet, please do so as soon as possible so we know how many to feed. I’ll be doing the cooking, so you know it’s got to be good.  

 I’m starting to get some texts and emails from members with their contest pictures of the locations, and I’m expecting a lot more now that the optimal time for riding is here. There are enough local sites to visit that you could gather a half dozen tickets in an afternoon if you don’t feel like exploring the rest of California. One member has already found the sprawling metropolis of Jewell, CA, so I know others can too and earn 12 tickets for the privilege. If you have sent me an email and I haven’t responded right away, please send it to my phone, along with your name and the location. A lot of emails ended up in my spam file last year. 

 I’m going to call this next section of my column “Things I Learned From Gary Stofer”. If you never had the good fortune to know Gary, he was president of the club for something like 9 years, and was truly the glue that held the club together, and a (mostly) very even-tempered guy. I succeeded him in my first tenure as president as I got the feeling he was glad to be finally handing the reins over to someone else. Which brings me to the first thing I learned from him, and that is you don’t campaign to be re-elected, you campaign to find someone to replace you. That being said, I would gladly step aside for anyone else wanting the position! The next thing was as president, you’ll never please everyone, so don’t try. Just do what you think most people would want to do, and if someone complains, maybe they could be president next! I did hear him say more than once “This job doesn’t pay enough to take your crap” or something like that. Gary had a very strong opinion on replacing your weak sounding horn for a louder one, something with which I completely agree. The point being that if you have time to think, react, and reach for your horn button, you have time to avoid the situation. If you’re using the horn in retaliation for some perceived wrong done to you, you should realize that you’re in a position of extreme vulnerability on your bike, so discretion is definitely the better part of valor. Just let them go on their way.  

 So let’s get going now that the time and weather are right. Go somewhere you haven’t been to before. Ride a road you’ve never been on. Ride until you’re lost and have to use your GPS to get home. Travel, get out of your comfort zone, you’ll be surprised at how much fun you’ll have.

Due to the weather, the Memorial Poker Run will be after the June club meeting on June 3rd instead of the May meeting.