Chapter Rides

I love to ride.. most everyone knows that.  One of the many various reasons I belong to the CMVA is being able to ride with my Brothers and Sisters.  Sadly, not everyone 'rides'.  I mean we all have motorcycles; that's a given.  But for whatever reason, it just seems that we rarely ride, at least as a group, large or small.  I've been in since Early '18 and sadly, I can count on two hands all the 'group' rides I've been on with my Chapter.  I'm sure there have been several I missed due to being out of town.. but.. I don't recall any.    I've put together a few myself as has Dutch that had 1-2 dozen folks on it.  I've put together many that have 1/2 a dozen on them.  As I really look at this, if I don't count the ones I and Dutch put together...  I can count them on one hand. One has to think .....wonder ....  WTF?

Doesn't matter if it's during the week or weekend, most folks won't show.  Most have a busy life or previous engagements, but... again ..... something seems wrong.  As of late, I've been instrumental in a lot of breakfast and lunch rides the last year or so, but most can't attend since these rides have pretty much been during the week.  But the small group that usually goes .....  consistently make it. Yes, the majority of them are retired, but that's the point.  They actually show up.   I've considered putting together some bigger rides on the weekends but for me personally, life has gotten in the way.  We travel out of state, often.  Travel out of the country, few times a year.  Then throw in weather, conflicts, you name it... well...  those rides rarely happen, if at all.   But in all fairness, I'm just one person.  We've got approximately 40 full members and several support members that could put together a ride.   I've seen where a few have tried but for the most part, they flopped.  I've seen where a few do some last second requests, but they flop (they are usually just bar runs/meets anyways). We've got an Auxiliary; they could do it.. never seen one put together by them.  It just doesn't happen?

That all being said, I have my own definition of a 'RIDE.'   What it isn't in my mind is a dozen or two bikes meet up in a Walmart or Buc-ees parking lot, then head twenty miles down the Interstate for a lunch stop or Bar stop. Sorry, that's not a 'RIDE', in my opinion.  Nor is rolling into say SWG for a dozen folks, all from various directions to drink and eat as a group.  Meet up, roll out for 50-150 miles on country 2 lane roads, now THAT is a ride. Head down the road fifty miles for a lunch stop, then back a different route, that's a ride. The ultimate would be head out on Day 1, stay overnight 150-200 miles away, then ride around the next day, overnight stay, back on Sunday... or a 2 dayer, out on day 1 with overnighter, and then back. Now THAT would be awesome?  That's... a RIDE.

In the meantime, I'm content for days like today where we grab a bite at a destination which is twenty miles away as the crow flies, but turn it into a 75-150 mile day... wandering through the countryside.  We are in East Texas so lets use it to our advantage?  Heading west towards Dallas county is absurd in my mind...   fuck concrete.

Lets RIDE!