Uninvited to ride with the BMW owners group

[Duckeater]

Ha!! I had to share this e-mail with all you true hooligans that I got from a local BMW chapter that I have ridden with in the past:

Subject: Re: 2nd Saturday ride


Hello Ron, I hope to make the ride but to be honest with you all the "ride" that was held on the last Sunday in January seemed more like a race to me for some folks. I'm a charter member of the Russian River BMW Club and we used to ride at a pace that kept most of the riders together. I could not figure out why some riders rode so fast that they lost sight of the rest of us. If a person wants to ride fast and leave everyone else behind why even show up to ride with a group? If you've got something to prove go to a track day class at Infineon Raceway. I've done that at Willow Springs, Laguna Seca and Sears Point.
No doubt some people reading this will agree and some will disagree but I know that a group ride should be fun and not put pressure on riders who may be tempted to over extend their abilities to try and keep up with the hot shoes out front. Thanks, Hans

[Duckeater]

Ha!! I had to share this e-mail with all you true hooligans that I got from a local BMW chapter that I have ridden with in the past:

Subject: Re: 2nd Saturday ride


Hello Ron, I hope to make the ride but to be honest with you all the "ride" that was held on the last Sunday in January seemed more like a race to me for some folks. I'm a charter member of the Russian River BMW Club and we used to ride at a pace that kept most of the riders together. I could not figure out why some riders rode so fast that they lost sight of the rest of us. If a person wants to ride fast and leave everyone else behind why even show up to ride with a group? If you've got something to prove go to a track day class at Infineon Raceway. I've done that at Willow Springs, Laguna Seca and Sears Point.
No doubt some people reading this will agree and some will disagree but I know that a group ride should be fun and not put pressure on riders who may be tempted to over extend their abilities to try and keep up with the hot shoes out front. Thanks, Hans

...and my response:

Greetings Hans,

I assume you are talking about me in your e-mail below. I can appreciate what you said about riding with the group, and for that reason will likely not be attending very many rides with this group in the future, or at all. I like to ride fast, faster than most people I encounter and for that reason I am heading to the track where riders are there to ride at an elevated pace. That being said I do like to 'stay with the pack' on some occasions, and run at my own pace on others. I am confident that Al asked me to be out front for the very reasons mentioned above, and while I did leave the pack, I was very conscious to let the pack catch up at intervals in order to not lose any one. I have attended a few rides with this group in the past (and others), none of which you attended until the ride you mention below. No one has ever complained before, as most are willing to ride within there own comfort and ego level. I apologize if you felt "pressured" as you have stated in the e-mail below, and can assure you that any pressure you felt was of your own creation and not put out on the group by myself or others.

sincerely,

[briank]

I agree with Hans......

[DirtMcGirt]

i agree with bucket

[HockeyFan]

[Duckeater]

Oh, I forgot, there are no real hooligans on this site anymore. just a bunch BMW riding

[WYD OPN]

Hell....I get uninvited to everything, riding or not.....

[MisterX]

Hell....I get uninvited to everything, riding or not.....

But you will always have a special place in our hearts...

[jarhead]

The Beemer crew out of Bentonville are good to go!, just as you said the "Fast " guys and girls lead out and hold at predetermined locations. It is always a good time. However, I met some of the Little Rock chapter or whatever they are called of the "Triumph Riders of America" in Eureka Springs for a ride. We weren't 30 minutes into the ride and I had the leader or "senior" of the group pull up next to me and told me to settle that "Thing Down" at first I thought he was just kidding but when when we stopped for gas he came back and asked if I understood why? I just told him, "completely" and went on my own.

[Duckeater]

The Beemer crew out of Bentonville are good to go!, just as you said the "Fast " guys and girls lead out and hold at predetermined locations. It is always a good time. However, I met some of the Little Rock chapter or whatever they are called of the "Triumph Riders of America" in Eureka Springs for a ride. We weren't 30 minutes into the ride and I had the leader or "senior" of the group pull up next to me and told me to settle that "Thing Down" at first I thought he was just kidding but when when we stopped for gas he came back and asked if I understood why? I just told him, "completely" and went on my own.