OMC 2018 Spring Run This Friday and Saturday June 1st and 2nd

The OGRES MC 2018 Spring Run is this coming Friday and Saturday, June 1st and 2nd. 

Pre-Ride Safety Briefing will be at 8:45 a.m. at the Burger King at Gowen Road and I-84. 

See you there.

Less Than Two Weeks Away

OMC Spring Run

OMC Iron Butt Ride June 29th and 30th 2018

2nd Annual Iron Butt 

Grim is going to do a 1000 mile Iron Butt Ride on Friday June 29th.  The course will be the same one as we have done previously.  Basically it is Boise - Missoula - Kellogg - Tri-Cities - Pendleton.  

It is all freeway riding but the majority of the ride, past Idaho Falls, is very scenic.  

With 30 minute meal breaks and 10 minute fuel breaks, the ride takes 16 to 18 hours.

Liftoff would be at 6 a.m., at Gowen and I-84,  to get an early start and hopefully avoid riding after dark at the end of the ride.

Saturday June 30th would be the leisurely ride home on the backroads from Pendleton to Boise.

Grim will go solo if no one has the "hair" to go with him.

Leader of the Pack - Refresher

Leader of the Pack

Be predictable and smooth.

Have a basic pre-ride briefing outlining rest stops, lunch stop and such.

Designate lead and sweep.

Don’t pull out from any stop until everyone can do so safely.  Avoid “speed racer’  acceleration and unnecessary passing movements.

Accelerate and decelerate slowly and gradually to avoid yo-yo and accordion effects.  This includes initial movements and speed limit signs. 

Allow the group to “bunch up” at controlled intersections when possible before proceeding. 

Don’t pull over until it can be done predictably and with enough room for all.

Don’t pull out until it can be done predictably and with enough room for all.

Go the speed limit or, at most, 5 above depending on road and traffic conditions unless group is previously advised.

Don’t leave anyone behind due to speed or ability.  No reason for anyone to have to catch up.

If all riders don’t make it through a controlled intersection, the group will slow down in the right hand lane or pull over if roadway does not allow.

The Leader’s directions override everyone else unless there is danger involved.

Be predictable and smooth.

 You could be leading at any time depending on traffic, split groups, etc.

A few notes on sweeping. You could become the sweeper at any time.  Unexpected turns, the bike at the back waits, etc.

May 2018 OGRES Motorcycle Club Meeting Report

Gundy, G (MotoCross) Man, Krome, Grim, Rip City and Bomber

All members in attendance met at the Clubhouse at the appointed time.  Present: Bomber, Rip City, Grim, Krome, G (MotoCross) Man and Gundy.  Absent:  Duke and Smooth.

Some time had to be taken to admire Gundy's new ride, cool red and chrome additions to Krome's ride and some changes to Grim's ride.  While we were gawking at the new stuff, the Smithsonian called G-Man and said they wanted the purple....er.....cobalt blue exhibit returned to the museum.

Rip City suggested we go to a premium burger joint over in Caldwell and also that he was going to lead the Club.  We all thought it was a great idea and took off....took off....okay, G-Man is finally ready to launch...took off westbound on Fairview.  We made it two lights before we almost had...you guessed it...a gang wreck.  Unbeknownst to us, Rip City had put a new device on his Indian that made every traffic signal turn immediately yellow as we approached them.  Cool, huh?

At the second traffic signal, Krome thought that Rip City and Bomber were going to roll through the yellow light.  Well, he was half right.  Bomber went through the yellow light, as predicted, but Rip City stopped.  What happened next was some fantastic motorcycle handling by Krome as he locked up his rear brake, slid sideways ominously heading for Indian-land, released the brake which straightened up his bike and went harmlessly to the left of the Rip City Red Indian.  An impressive black cloud of rubber smoke lingered in the air smelling like death.  (Good line, eh?)

You never know when a gang wreck might rear it's ugly head.

The rest of the ride was uneventful as Rip City did an excellent job of leading the Club to the target restaurant.  Yes, he really did a great job.

Grim thinks it was the M & M Drive-in or something similar.  Or Grim is just hungry for a sweet treat.  We all ordered great big burgers except for the one member who likes to be different.  I won't name names but he ordered a chicken burger.  And tots.  And a cotton candy...er...chocolate shake.

We all were "excited" to sit at the stainless steel table, shown above, until we sat down.  Grim's seat was very comfortable but G-Man was afraid his behind was going to swallow his stool so we moved over and took over the tables by the front window.  The food was great and the conversation was mostly geared to talking trash about Duke and Smooth and their ancestry.  We also did talk about motorcycles, women in spandex and how to choose a bicycle saddle.  

We said our goodbyes to Gundy and Rip City and headed back to Boise.  We all wanted to take the back road using Lincoln and Joplin and G-Man said he knew the best way.  Yeah, Grim allowed G-Man to lead again.  Yeah, I know.

Everything was smooth as we looped around and landed at the beginning of Marble Front Road.  We flew down Marble Front Road...and then we passed the left turn onto Mason...then we passed the left had turn onto Wells...and Grim figured G-Man knew another way to avoid the loose gravel ahead.  Grim was wrong.  As we topped the hill, we hit the gravel and all Grim could think about was his new fender and engine guard.  We managed to keep our bikes upright and made it to Middleton Road.  

This is where G-Man went right past Lincoln but was nice enough to point at the turn we should have taken as Bomber, G-Man and Krome went past it.  Grim made the turn, hyper aware, as he had already been "graveled".  We cruised the rest of the way in peaceful bliss with Grim back in the lead.

Krome peeled off for home whilst the remaining trio stopped by Bomber's new digs to check out the site for the OGRES barbecue in September.  Wow, are we in for a treat.  Bomber's new shop may also be in the running as the new OGRES Clubhouse.

Synopsis:  Rip City did a great job leading the Club and G (MotoCross) Man...well...!?!?

Anyway...it was a great meeting and gang wrecks were avoided.  Grim's mouth hurts from grinning as he writes this.

OGRES MC Mandatory Meeting This Thursday, May 3 at 6:30 p.m.

The next mandatory OGRES Motorcycle Club meeting will be this coming Thursday, May 3, at 6:30 p.m.  It will be at the Clubhouse on Fairview.

We will have a short meeting with a review of an important topic and then ride to a local eatery for dinner.

Be there or be square.