I hope you’ve taken some time during these unseasonably warm days for some windshield time!  I know I have.   As we progress into the 2012 season, the first order of business is to update the roster and the email list.   We’re not at all interested in pushing anyone out, but if you haven’t ridden with us in a year or more and don’t intend to start soon, there isn’t any reason to stay on the roster or the email list.   So.. check your email for a message from me.   If you’re planning on continuing to ride with us, be sure to respond to my email and let me know.   More importantly, if you didn’t get the email, let me know quickly as that probably means your information isn’t current with the club.   I’ll be cleaning out the inactive members in about two weeks.

I look forward to riding with you all again this season!

Steve

The fall colors are out and I will be leading a ride to Preble County’s covered bridges this Sunday.    We’ll be meeting at the Frisch’s on State Route 73 just west of I-75.    Here’s a google maps link: http://g.co/maps/9e8j2

Kickstands up at 10:00 am.   Please be a few minutes early for a ride briefing.   I’ll probably be there earlier still for some breakfast.

RSVP’s are appreciated.

Please note, this is a bit of a “photographer’s special” ride.   We will be visiting all of the covered bridges in Preble County and and at least one in Montgomery County.    Plan to bring a sack lunch.   We will be stopping at two or more of the bridges for a break and photography.   This will depend some on the number of riders.  Parking is limited near some of the bridges.   If you don’t want to pack something from home, there is a Subway a little west of our starting point.  A sandwich with condiments on the side travels well in the saddlebags.    I estimate about a 120 mile run.  Not sure what time we’ll be back.  Depends on how long we spend at stops.

The route we’re taking doesn’t have much in the way of fuel or convenience.  Lots of country roads!  Please be sure you’re fueled and ready.  I’ll be pre-riding the route again this week, so if there are any updates on route or length, I’ll let everyone know.

Steve

PS, here’s one of the bridges we’ll be visiting:

I hope you’ve taken advantage of the recent warm weather to blow the dust off your trusty steed and hopefully some of the carbon out of the carburetor!  As warmer weather and with it our riding season approaches, it’s time to be thinking about what’s in store for the club this season.  I also wanted to remind everyone about a couple of things:

First, the reminders (or perhaps introductions):

Please keep in mind that the Southern Cruisers in general, and Chapter 044 specifically, rely on several different means of communication for events, rides and items of club interest.  In case you aren’t aware of them, please check out:

Chapter 044′s website:  http://www.scrc-miamivalley.com.  Here you’ll find the current schedule and pictures as well as links to National, other chapters, and items of interest.  We also offer courtesy links to member interests, so if you as a member have a website you wish to have linked, please let me know.

Chapter 044′s facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/SCRC44.  For those of you on facebook, we post ride information and pictures there too.   If you are a “facebooker”, one thing you may want to keep in mind is that facebook has made some subtle changes to the way status posts are handled.   If you haven’t seen anything from someone on your friends or likes in a while, you may want to check your settings.  Facebook made a quiet change in it’s settings that causes status posts to be hidden for some people by default.   On your newsfeed, go to the very bottom and select “Edit Options”.   Make sure that the “Show posts from all your friends and pages” option is selected.   Facebook defaults to “show posts from friends and pages you interact with most”.   Because of this, if you haven’t liked or commented on someone’s (or some page’s) feed in a two week window, you stop seeing posts from them.

If you’re the Twitter type, you can also follow Chapter 044 on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/scrcmiamivalley This is an echo of the same content posted to facebook.

The Southern Cruisers nationally also relies heavily on the Delphi forums for communications.   Ohio has it’s own forum which you can find here:  http://forums.delphiforums.com/ohioscrc/start You’ll need a Delphi membership, but the basic one is free.  There are sub forums for each of the Ohio chapters and we currently have a discussion going on about this years multi-chapter event.  Check it out!

As for what’s in store for this year, well, that’s still in the planning stages, but here’s what’s up so far:

Multi Chapter Gathering – 2010 was the first year for this event and we had something like five chapters and close to a hundred riders represented.  We’re doing it again this year, although it will be later in the year.   In 2010 it was in July and hot as hell!   This year, the event is tentatively planned for September 18.   Same type of fun we had last year though.  Good food, beverages, and games, both on and off bike!

Blessing of the Bikes:  May 15th.   We attended this event last year as a club.   Lots of food, vendors and entertainment.  It was a great time, even if you aren’t of the faith!   http://www.blessingofthebikesohio.com/

Southeastern Ohio Group Ride:  Member Neal Neato suggested this as an event:  http://www.valueaccessories.net/Southern%20Ohio%20Ride.htm Sunday August 13.  Check it out and let me know if you’d be interested in it.

Beyond these big events, I’m working on putting together an assortment of rides, both to old favorites and new ones.   I can’t do it alone though, and I certainly can’t lead them all!  I’m looking to put together this year’s list of Ride Captains.   If you are interested in putting together and leading a ride (or perhaps more than one!)  please let me know!    If you don’t want to lead, but have suggestions, I welcome those too, even if it’s a vote in favor of an “old favorite”.

Last year, we weren’t able to release the schedule of rides until April.  This year, I want to get it out sooner and start riding sooner, so please get me suggestions and feedback as soon as you can!

One last item of business, Rick Geatty has respectfully declined to continue as Second Officer of the club, so if you have issues that need to be addressed by an officer, for the time being, please direct them only to me.  I expect to install a replacement, hopefully soon, but at this point, I don’t have a candidate.   If you think you might be interested in helping in this fashion, please don’t hesitate to say so.

Thanks for your time everyone!  I feel like we had a decent year last year event with the officer transitions.   I want this year to be even better.   I look forward to riding with all of you!

Steve

Don’t forget!  The Multi Chapter Meet and Greet is coming up Sunday July 18th 2010 in Middletown at the Towne Plaza Shopping Center, home of 044 First Officer Steve Weigold’s Weigold Photography.  We’ll have burgers, dogs and other goodies.  Fun will include motorcycle and non-motorcycle games.  First burgers off the grill at noon.  The event is open to any Southern Cruisers member, guest or anyone else interested in the Cruisers.  Bring a friend and introduce them to the club!

RSVP is appreciated.  Please bring a donation to offset the cost of food and a covered dish would be appreciated.  Contact 044, 179 or 309′s officers for details or to RSVP!

A map to the starting location can be found here! Hope to see you there!