After counting all ballots, resolving all hanging chads, and taking into account those whose votes may have been frustrated by the weather the results of the election are final and hereby certified. All hail the new Chief.

President: Mike Robles

Vice President: Gordy Olson

Treasurer: Scott Moseman

Secretary: Rand Olson

Newly Elected Board of Directors: Al Morrison; Karl Weiland; Bob Highfill; Bob Brown; Ray Nuguit; Rick Kilton; Marv Lewis; Ken Caruthers

Returning Directors: Mike Harvey; Ray Trujillo; Bob Rasters

This will be the last time you will have to indulge my musings in the President’s Corner. We now look forward to El Jefe Robles’ remarks.

You, however, can consider my current state of mind on motorbiking, riding and life in the RCB Newsletter. In that regard, I want to give a shout out to Larry Klein for taking over the Newsletter until health issues got in the way. Larry, we hope you are doing well.

A couple times while President prospective members approached me to ask whether the Club did anything other than the monthly meetings. Knowing all we do I was flummoxed. The lesson is we need to be better about letting others know we are an active riding Club. To that end I want to reiterate a pledge made at the member meeting Saturday morning. Please send me photos of your adventures, camp-outs, a great restaurant, a fabulous brew pub, etc. for the Newsletter. If you send me three or more photos for the Newsletter (hopefully with at least brief comments about where taken and circumstances) I will buy you breakfast. If you send me a ride report (however brief), a review of the latest farkle or equipment, tech tips, riding tips /lessons from the road, camping/camp site suggestions, recommended rides and restaurants, or anything else you may be pondering I will buy you breakfast. The Newsletter is a place where we can share what we are doing and thinking with one another and prospective riding buddies. My e-mail address is jacklau@comcast.net.

Also, keep an eye on the calendar and Forum for new events and details on currently scheduled events for 2019.

Many thanks for your support, and best to Mike and the other new Officers and Directors.

Jack

I hope your holidays were exceptional.

When I agreed to run for President I warned everyone work would interfere with Presidential duties, but I would do my best to avoid conflicts. Unfortunately, work commitments conflicted with RCB obligations more than I’d hoped for. Work commitments in 2019 look worse so it’s time to hand the Presidency to someone who can attend Board and member meetings consistently.

We are going to hold an election at the member meeting on February 2. If you are willing to serve as an officer or Board member please send me an e-mail so I can add your name to those who have expressed a willingness to serve. We really are interested in people with new ideas and a willingness to commit a few hours a month to RCB affairs. Currently, the slate looks like this:

President: Mike Robles; You?

Vice President: Gordy Olson; You?

Treasurer: Scott Moseman; You?

Secretary: Rand Olson; You?

Board of Directors (7 positions open): Al Morrison; Karl Weiland; Bob Highfill; Bob Brown; Ray Nuguit; Rick Kilton; Marv Lewis; Ken Caruthers; You?

Returning Directors: Mike Harvey; Ray Trujillo; Bob Rasters    

It has been my privilege to be your President. Thanks for all your support.

Jack

RCB 2019 Calendar of Events

January	5	Monthly Club Meeting/Ride
February	2	Monthly Club Meeting / Elections	8 AM Susie's Cafe
	2	Greg Peart Talk	A&S after member meeting
	14-17	Airheads Death Valley	Furnace Creek – Death Valley
March	2	Monthly Club Meeting/Ride
	1-3	Whale of a Tour / Mendocino	Sea Gull Inn - Mendocino
	30	Proposed Tech Day	Rancho Murieta
April	6	Monthly Club Meeting/Ride
April	26-28	Coast Ride / Hwy 1	Morro Bay
May	4	Monthly Club Meeting / Memorial Poker Run
	24-26	49’er Rally	Mariposa
June	1	Monthly Club Meeting/Ride
	7-9	Spring Fling	Lewiston
	13-16	MOA National Rally	Lebanon, Tennessee
	21-23	Nevada Outback GS Camping and Ride	TBD
	28-30	Chief Joseph Rally	John Day, Oregon
July	6	Monthly Club Meeting/Ride
	18-21	Top O’ The Rockies Rally	Paonia, Colorado
August	3	Monthly Club Meeting/Ride
	16-18	Tahoe Chill	Camp Richardson, South Lake Tahoe
	30 to Sept. 2	Range of Light Gypsy Tour	Must ride it to know.
September	7	Monthly Club Meeting/Ride
	6-8	Mt. Lassen Camping	Lost Creek Group Campground, Mt. Lassen National Park
October	4-6	Monthly Club Meeting Manchester Beach	Manchester Beach KOA
November	2	Monthly Club Meeting/Ride
	17	2020 Planning Meeting
December	7	Monthly Club Meeting/Ride
	TBD	Christmas Party	A & S

 

Proposed Rider Skills Improvement Day – Thunderhill Raceway Park

It’s appropriate I finally am getting round to writing Thanksgiving morning. I take a minute to get on the soapbox. The Club only is as good as members are willing to volunteer to organize and run events. Similarly, if the Club is not doing an event you would like to have happen, speak up. We are open to almost anything.

Many thanks to those who have volunteered this year.

Greg Peart for the Mendocino B&B Ride.

Marv (for storing our trailer and stuff) and Ken for the Memorial Poker Run, and Bob Highfill for hosting the feast after the Poker Run.

Rick and Mike for the Spring Classic.

Scott for the Nevada Outback GS Ride.

Gordy, Lynell, Steve and Jenny for the Tahoe Chill.

Ralph for cooking at Mt. Lassen.

Just Bob for cooking Saturday dinner at Manchester Beach (for about 80 people). Ray Trujillo for coffee and b’fast fixins’ over the weekend.

Capt. Ken for monthly rides.

Bob Brown for membership and Karl for keeping Club finances straight.

Ray T. and Steve for the raffles.

Officers and Directors for their time and help behind the scenes.

Personal thanks to Mike for filling in for me when work interferes with Presidential duties.

We had a great turn out for Manchester Beach. The weather was perfect.

A special thanks to Just Bob and Terri for smoked brisket, chicken and fixins for dinner Saturday for about 75 people.

A special thanks to Ray Trujillo and Nancy for coffee, fruit, bagels, etc. in the morning (early morning).

A personal thanks to Larry Campbell for his Shake n' Bake.

Cheers!

Jack 

The Annual Fall Colors Ride for 2018 is this Sunday, October 21 and will include Ebbetts, Monitor, and Sonora passes, with a lunch stop at the great Mountain View BBQ.

We'll meet at the Ihop at 2525 Iron Point Rd. in Folsom. Arrive by 7 or earlier for breakfast before departing at 8 AM.

It'll be a 350 mile day and take about 8 hours, with stops for breaks and lunch.

Ride Often, Ride Safe

Jack

We are closing in on the 2018 Fall Classic aka Manchester Beach - the club's biggest event of the year. Our member meeting for October will take place Saturday evening after Fred's Bloody Mary's and an awesome dinner planned by Just Bob, followed and upstaged by a raffle (over $700 spent on raffle prizes) and beers around the campfire. 

Please sign up so we can have an accurate count for food and beverages.

Cheers,

Jack

A few intrepid RCB’ers elected to camp at the Lost Creek campground in Mt. Lassen National Park. Many thanks to Ralph for treating us to tri tip, bakers, corn on the cob and salad for dinner Saturday. Thanks also to Bob Highfill and High Road Rentals for sponsoring (paying for) dinner Saturday.

Friday dinner however was an eat what ya brung affair. After a smorgasbord of freeze dried meals were consumed, critiques of the meals were exchanged. The rating system became: (1) Pretty good; (2) Decent; (3) Its fuel; and (4) It’ll make a turd. MRE’s also were debated. For the uninitiated, a MRE is a Meal Ready to Eat developed for the military. While select MRE’s are reported to taste pretty good, I’m advised and now warned they cause a concrete plug after a week, requiring a jackhammer to do your business.

We all know proper hydration is critical for good health. Water with malt and hops is a campfire staple to assure full hydration. What is one to do when at 2 am one’s liver and kidneys have put that water to good use. The unimaginative will do a Lomcovak to get out of their tent to make room for further processing. The seasoned camper however will make use of a modern indispensable tool – the zip lock bag. An added benefit is it makes a warm pillow. Forgot a zip lock bag? A Gatorade bottle will work in a pinch. Just don’t buy lemon lime or you might grab the urine bomb by accident.

Camp often, camp smart mi amigos.

Thoughts / Suggestions / Insults / Welcomed / Appreciated

Jack

RCBers:   The 2018 mileage contest will be ending soon.  If you are NOT planning to be at Manchester, then I will need your final mileage by October 1.  Send me an e-mail with your closing mileage so I can calculate your total.  If you ARE coming to Manchester, you can give me your mileage when you arrive.

We will announce the winners at the club meeting on Saturday.  You do NOT have to be present to win.

Remember:  If you do not get me a final mileage I will not be able to calculate your total mileage.

Good luck to all!

Cheers, Gordy

I was thinking about the “wave” motorcyclists have been exchanging for decades. Some can barely be perceived while others make Gomer Pyle seem restrained. I always have wondered why the wave started. Way back before paved highways and interstates and motorcycles were less dependable than today maybe it was a way of saying all is good, You? - as you passed going in opposite directions. In the Hells Angels bad boy era, perhaps it was a way to signal affiliation in the same way today’s gangs have colors.

Whether you ride alone or in a group, riding a motorcycle is a solitary act. As we ride, we are exposed to the vagaries of weather, road conditions and our own sense of awareness, strength and vulnerability. All of this is unique to each of us based on our own perceptions and psyche as the ride unfolds in front of us.  

A motorcycle is just a static object until a motorcyclist puts it in motion. A motorcycle must be in a relationship with a rider to fulfill its design purpose. More than any other form of locomotion, a motorcycle, once in motion, becomes a part of who we are in that moment. So as we approach on the road as motorcyclists, I wave and have for five decades. For me, the wave is a sign you are not alone, we are part of like-minded individualists, and we have each other’s back as we engage in the triumphs and hardships of our ride.   

Thoughts / Suggestions / Insults / Welcomed / Appreciated

Jack