As you may or may not know, I own a motorcycle. A Honda GL1800 (actually an 05, despite what others may say, lol). Goldwing.
I started off riding about 7-8 years ago on a Honda Helix, moved up to a CB100, then a GL1000 Goldwing and finally in 05, my 1800. All that time, I was a member of a Goldwing group called the Gold Wing Road Riders Association. I have been a member ever since. costs about 50 bucks a year and with my membership, Im invited to chapter and district events around the country as well as a mag subscription and I get some big towing coverage for my bike, car and any car I (or Marcie) ride in.
While I've been a member, Ive been involved in three groups. The first one was a Chapter up in northern MN and we rode weekly during the summer. The second was a very active group in Fargo and we rode twice weekly and they had many more rides during the summer and monthly meetings throughout the year.
The third group I finally got to meet tonight. There are only a couple of chapters here in Wyoming and I haven't been to a meeting in quite a while. I have been on their email list for about 6-12 months and have been meaning to make it, but they were a couple of hours away. Now, they are right here in the area I live in. So yesterday I got an email about tonights meeting, looked up the park where they had the picnic and I dropped by. Sat by myself for a few minutes, but then people started coming up and introducing themselves and I was able to meet quite a few people and shoot the breeze for more than 2 hours. They were having a pot luck and I didn't bring anything, but everyone kept telling me to get a plate and fill up; so I just went up and had a couple of glasses of sweet tea.
There are a few reasons why I like to go. Lots of bikers slam the GWRRA for their chapter meetings where they sit and don't ride. Well out here, its hard to get together for a ride anyways and they have to have a monthly meeting and its fun just to spend a few hours BSing with friends and meet new people too. Some chapters are just set up in towns where group rides aren't really a viable option due to work schedules (shift work) and such. Tonight we set up a ride to go down to Colorado for a 2 day color ride. Sounds like a beautiful ride, but I won't be going.
I like taking group rides too. Something that just makes it more fun and memorable to be riding with others. Unfortunately, I don't have a CB on my bike yet so I can't hear the other riders and passengers talking to each other, but still just the ride itself is the main part of the experience.
The only bad thing is that its now getting towards the end of the riding season (in theory) so not much in terms of group rides are really being planned. Will have to wait until next year to ride with the group.
Now I just gotta get a plan in place for my bike for the winter....not too sure what to do. No storage available in town so I might end up building a make shift storage shed for the bike on our patio for the winter....hmmm.