Sometimes, reminds me of the movie "Wild Hogs" ... LMAO. Hell, I remember back around '09 some friends wanted to start up a riding group of sorts, but that movie was all I could think about. I had zero desire to be part of a fiasco in the making. Two years later I became aware of the Iron Indians (IIRA) so joined up, but it'll still be a few years before I cracked their code, so to speak. By 2014 I was putting together the Fandango Chapter in East Texas, as the founder. I wanted to ride .... and being part of this group gave me a group to connect to. Still for me it was all about the 1/2 dozen of us that rode locally. By 2015 that had started to change as I became more immersed in the association. At the same time, we had a small butt hurt group break off and start their own association, bad mouthing ours. Funny part to me is those 'founders' didn't have their shit together. Weren't bad ass bikers or anything. To me, most were posers and just wanted their own control since they couldn't get it in the IIRA. To this day, they've never truly taken off. They have an annual event and can't stay above 99 remembers... .last I heard it was 75 and that includes many non riders (spouses). To this day I've stuck with the IIRA, though I'm less active in it. Participated in the annual reunions in '11,and '14-'19. Covid caused a bump in '20, I missed the '21 as well as the main event last year..... sort of on the side lines for now. My only complaint.... it's always seems like 'crickets' on annual and regional events... frustrating.
Dual Patched: Back in '17 focused on the CVMA and was patched in by March of '18, as a full member. Been going 100mph with them the last five years attending various National, Regional and State events. Looking for other chapters with events to give me an excuse to put on miles. Still, nothing is perfect and in an organization in excess of 20k members.... every once in a while you come across a flake or two. Trick is to just move on, keep one's boundaries, focus on the success of the masses and one's contributions. I remember back around late '18 or so several chapter members were talking about flipping over to a Veteran based MC and I actually was interested. But thank goodness that all fell by the wayside and here I'm am five years later enjoying the good times with the CVMA. Everything isn't perfect in my world as I type this. I've hinted that via a few posts the last few months... but... all good in the big picture. Still, I'm privy to seeing a 'rerun' of what I saw back in '15 with another organization. Recently, I became aware of more than a 1/2 doz folks bailing out to start their own group. A few MF'd those of us in our organization, pointing fingers. Guessing they don't have a mirror to look to see the actual problem(s)? Hell, I remember when I first met the 'leader' of their new mess, I wondered what their agenda was. I sensed it. First thing they said to me was " I know you don't like me but..." I cut them off with a 'huh? I never said that" and we got along from then on out. I didn't have a problem with them. But I wasn't looking for new friends and .... I had a gut feeling there was an agenda in play. This individual transferred in from another chapter for their own personal reasons, had issues with others in that chapter... and bailed to ours. Then made a power play successfully and ... here we are today. Nothing ....nothing.... was accomplished IMHO during that person's tenure. They bumped heads with a few. Attempted to fuk' over a few. But ... when the smoke cleared, folks survived and they.. this person .. bailed to start another group blaming others.
I guess that's my hang up in these situations. The folks I'm talking about in both instances didn't come up with a new idea. Didn't start up in a new region .. with new people. Like whiney lil' bitches they pointed fingers, blamed others and bailed leaving their patches behind. I became aware of this when my phone started ringing and folks asked me if I had bailed .. and I was like "WTF? Of course not!" I wouldn't have if asked. But ..... wasn't asked. Guessing a few knew I'd see through the BS. Hell, I don't even have a high level of respect for a few that did do it ( not all of course .. but .. select few). Heck, my surprise was a few others didn't go along with them... but .. maybe I underestimated those few. Maybe I've got them 'wrong' in my book. Guess we'll find out eventually if I'm wrong or right.
Guessing things are going to be better... smoother .. more of a brotherhood. More like it used to be before someone's power play ....
 |
| Viet Con |
No comments:
Post a Comment