February 2021 Presidential Residential Musings
Yes, I am still at home, though buoyed by the prospects of vaccines and pandemic stats trending downwards.
Well, and good. We have passed through February’s cold weather and can be hopeful for Spring, even though it was snowing today. If you are not itching to ride already, you will be, soon. Word has it that even snowbirds are beginning to be sighted migrating northwards.
Your fellow riders have launched a couple of special interest groups (SIGs)in the last few weeks. You can check out the Weekday Camping SIG, and a new Navigation and Basecamp SIG is forming. There's one for Rider Skills Development (everything from MSF to Closed Course at DCTC to full-on track days) with a meeting on the calendar in the first week of March. The RSD SIG intends to have a training event every month during the riding season. There are plans in the works for another group that will feature backroad and off-road riding.
The Hiawatha Rally has been officially moved to September for 2021. You will be hearing from Steve Deglmann about volunteering, and more. Watch the website, too, for more details. If you registered for Hiawatha 2020, your registration is good for 2021. You won’t have to pay again.
Late in August, Steve Reese will again host the Grand Marais Campout. More details are on the Event Calendar, and a ride from the Cities will be planned. Or, you can ride from Michigan with Steve…
The MOA and RA national rallies are scheduled, along with a number of MOA Getaways. SteveEliasenhas motorcycling events planned at Big Snow Resort in Michigan. Things are shaping up for a good riding season. Maybe ThomRieckwill get some decent miles in this year.
The Board is striving to keep the Event Calendar up to date and useful for all of us. Let us know if you learn of an event we should have on our schedule. The Mileage Contest Results for 2020 have been posted, too. Front page news.
We are meeting pretty regularly, though still virtually, these days. Next meeting will be on Thursday, March 11th, a year since we met at Broadway Pizza last. Adam Benedix and Paul Phillips were instrumental in getting us together on WebEx for Board meetings and Zoom for membership meetings. Attendance from Colorado, Arizona, Willmar, or Florida is new and kind of cool.
Paul’seCammpresentations are attracting some national attention, too. The SIGs are holding some Zoom planning meetings too, as they get organized. Like you, we would rather get together live and in person, and that will come back. Our beloved Broadway Pizza will disappear as the new Port ofMinneapolis development takes off, but Tim Schwartz is looking for a meeting venue for the future, somewhere mutually inconvenient for everyone. Send your ideas to Tim.
The website Swap and Sell Forum is always available for your use. If you are seeking gear, or have some that you want to convey to a new loving home (away from yours), check it out. A board member can help with posting there, if you need assistance.
By virtue of your club membership, you are eligible for some discounts at our local BMW dealers (Leo’s, Moon, and Richfield), at Simply Ride (formerly Simply Street Bikes), and at CycleNutzonline. Ask about club member discounts when you shop these vendors.
We can also get discounts on Alps Mountaineering camping gear, when calling them directly. If you want to shop for camping gear, talk to Steve Handeland, or me, first, about preserving our prized club discount with Alps.
Please let a board member know if you find other discounts that we can share.
Phil Stalboerger joined our club board this year for a two-year term. He is also serving as Midwest Regional Coordinator for BMW MOA, and will run in this year’s election for the MOA National board. If you think having a Minnesota club member on the national board is a fine idea, Phil should get your vote.
Do you like to get up early and browse our website? Well, you can sleep later on Saturday, March 20th.ClubExpresswill be doing site maintenance, and our site will be unavailable for about four hours, starting at 1205 AM, Central Time.
(Please do not call board members to complain about the website on March 20th; you have been warned.)
Stay safe and healthy, support our local motorcycle shops, check your battery tender.
Let's get together on the road this Spring.
Yours, residentially,
greg