Posted this on another site, thought I'd throw it up here. Just voicing my minor frustration and wishful thinking...

So... you live somewhere near the Columbia River Gorge. Too far from Portland/Vancouver, too far from Yakima, too far from Tri Cities, too far from everything fun to be very consistant or committed. You wish there was about 6 or 8 couples in your area who liked what you liked. Riding and socializing on occassion, without a lot of BS.

What you have in mind is maybe one or two group rides a month with people you know. Maybe hit some roads you don't normally ride or didn't know about. Maybe stop for lunch somewhere along the way. Maybe even have a beer with lunch without gettiing beat up by someone with a bunch of pins on his vest... You'd preffer not to have to pay dues or sew something you don't particularly care for onto your vest... maybe you don't even care for vests... You also don't care to turn your riding and excitement for bikes and biker friends into some kind of a territorial war. Or having to always explain what the patch on your back means. Or long arguments over how to grow the club, or aspiration af being "nation wide".

You got a bike? Cool!
You got a metric? Cool... as long as you can take a little friendly ribbing LOL
You got a buddy who's in the military? Cool
You got a buddy who's a cop? Cool
You got a buddy who's in an M/C? Cool
You've never been to a rally? Cool
You've been to every rally? Cool
Your wife teaches Sunday school? Cool
Your wife used to be a stripper? Cool... especially if she gives free lessons to the wives. (just kidding)
See,,, no one cares. It's aint about that!

Then about twice a year this group gets together at someone's house, somewhere that there aren't a ton of neighbors, somewhere that you can pitch tents or park a few RVs,,, somewhere that you can fire up the Bar-BQ, ice down a tub of beer, turn up the old road music, and swap stories and blow off some steam. No one is forced to do anything, or not do anything, just be yourself. No one is trying to swap wives. No one is trying to score a baggy. No one brought a crack addict girl friend that they met at a bar. No one is trying to get your wife in the sack. It don't matter what you do for a living, because no one is there to bitch about work, or bitch about cops, or bitch about laws, or bitch about anything for that matter. It's all about the good stuff!

Then after a year or two you get pretty close to most of them, and one day your truck won't start. Hey, someone's a mechanic. Or your freezer went on the fritz... Hey someone has a used one their not using. Or,,, the list goes on.

After a couple years, a few of the couples decide it would be cool to go see Sturgis together... or the California Coast, or you name it. So,, you set up your vacation to make that the big trip. Huge memories! And you really get to know your new family.

All this and no dues! No patches! No structure! No voting! No fund raisers for a political lobiest! Whoever had the idea for the ride, is the leader for the day! Everyone is equal! And your life and your family comes first. If you can't make it to the gathering, its no big deal. Catch ya next time.

Oh ya and one more thing... you never hear about what someone said about you when you weren't there. Because gospip is frowned on.

No one is bragging about how they know all about the M/Cs and this ain't a real M/C. Right dude, It AIN'T! No one is puffing out the chest looking for a fight. Or showing off their arsenal. Or trying to turn it into a mini-Sons of Anarchy joke.
 
It's riding. It's pallin around. It's laughing it up. It's what being a biker used to be all about. Freedom to be YOU and share that with a handfull of others like you!

If you could just find it, Right?

I know, right?

You got it MDJ.

I enjoyed this,thank you for sharing.!

2 big thumbs up!!!

There are a ton of bikers on this same journey, some farther along than others. I think I am most of the way there now...

In the 80s ran with a pretty rowdy ABATE chapter that was ran much like an M/C chapter. Had to earn your patch, did the whole patch in party hazing party thing, there was some old school wings earning parties, the whole bit. Moved away from there... kind of fell out of ABATE after that. Couple years back I started missing that type of stuff and ran with a newly started one peice thing that lasted about a year and fell apart... it had an identity crisis. Was going in too many directions, trying to be hard core and low key at the same time.

Now I'm starting to realize that I'm part of the largest club there is. Riders who are who they are. No patch, no rules, no BS. The "chapter" is the few you ride with when you get the chance. The "club house" is where you are at the time. Everyone is their own President and their own Road Captain and their own Sgt at Arms. Your dues stay in your pocket. You got your own back, and the back of your buddies when they ask for it. It may not be that impressive to others, but you don't do it for that reason so it really don't matter!

When I look at it that way,,, there are about ten guys (and their old ladies) that we ride with at least once a year. Maybe one day we'll get them all together at the same time for a rollin thunder, but if not. It's all good!

Sounds like Cyclefish to a T (o:
I'm also a member of another forum - The Yorkshire Bikers - and we just come together for ride outs and events or the occasional socialising. No exclusivity, just dip in and out as you wish, ride or meet or do events - or do all of em if you've a mind to. Sometimes there are only half a dozen on a ride out and other times there are many more. If you've not been around for a while you might get a call or message to see how you are but no strops about letting the side down. If you're stuck with a problem there's usually someone on around to help. It's one of the great things about biking meeting all sorts of cool folk whilst being able to get out and about and blow away the cobwebs. All things that have already been said on this thread. I for one am proud and happy to call myself a biker and be part of this very eclectic and interesting group.

Ride safe guys - rubber side down (o:

Well yes and no... I dig cyclefish! But how many can I just decide tonight to ride with tomorrow? Kinda not gonna happen, right? It's a kick ass forum! But different than a small group of guys you ride with...

I bit the bullet today and created a page... we'll see if works.

https://sites.google.com/site/columbiarivergorgeriders/ />

It will never ever be anything like cyclefish. It's just basically an advertisement, and calendar. If and when it takes off, the page will probably fade away into oblivion...
I dig my morning coffee time, surfing cyclefish, chatting, but this is an attempt to gather riders in MY area.

I think I about have it done... first "meet n greet" next Sunday! We'll see how this all goes! Wish me luck!

Me, My wife and a few friends were in the area yesterday. It was an impromptu ride. We went east from Seattle to find sun, then decided to go south. We went down to the Maryhill memorial (Stonehenge) and then west to Vancouver before heading North. Fun ride just for fun...

Ya it's awesome! And even better if you know all the side canyons off the highway stuff!

Good idea. I tend to ride alone because I don't care for rules and dues, etc. I quit riding with a few people who's idea for a Sunday ride was to go Bar hoppin, town to town. I know that there are a lot more riders in the NW part of the state than in the gorge, and still very few a person cares to socialize with. Still at times another bike along would be ok again. I haven't always been anti-social. Ride Safe, Ride Often.

LOL I totally hear ya Jdub! I think that Wild Hogs and SOA got a lot of "groups" started! Those are great shows, but they are "shows". Like many things in life, they always seem cooler on TV! There's a big difference between spending an hour watching some guy with a full patch back tattoo go blow up a rival club's gun warehouse, and actually LIVING it! (And I'm sure it's just make up and fake explosions anyway LOL) Very entertaining, but I don't think they intended it to be a recruiting add.

I'm a little bit more realistic... I'll admit that hearing or seeing the club roll through, really fires up the old itch. But I like my warm bed and peace and quite! But I am willing to bet that I'm not the only one who would dig a little group of riding budies who fully understand the seperation between having fun a few hours on a few weekends, and the full meal deal!

And I hear ya on the bar-hopping thing! A good cold beer on occassion is awesome, but with some it seems to be the only driving force! I am also not into anything that is so damn top heavy and rules/procedures/traditions heavy that it end up being all about that stuff. I have no deep seeded desire to be bossed around or follow someone's stick-man leadership. ITS ALL ABOUT THE RIDE with me!

I love riding with my buddies, but have no desire to be part of a club. I ride with the guys I ride with, because I respect them, they respect me and we like each others company, not because they passed an initiation and/or someone made them part of my group.

That being said, I'm always looking for friends to ride with. Let me know if you get a ride organized in the PNW.

Road dog... its all pnw. Check my page sites.google.com/columbiarivergorgeriders/ read the about crgr stuff and maybe we will see you out there.