by Erick Mott
"Sundays are fun days" — that's what my wife says to our young kids. And if you're lucky, Sundays start early with Saturdays and so on. I think her parents used to say the same thing too.
We both grew up in motorcycle families (hers more active than mine) in different parts of the world, and motorcycles helped to bring us together in 1999. My early experiences started when I was 12 with a Yamaha 60 that was purchased for $250 with paper route earnings. Things progressed from there with more dirt bikes over the years, amateur racing, and eventually getting comfortable on the street. Northern California is an amazing place to tour, and I can't wait until Labor Day weekend to participate once again in the annual Range of Light Gypsy Tour.
On August 18th, the Oakland Motorcycle Club (OMC) celebrated its 100 year anniversary. A century — that's quite an accomplishment for any organization to thrive. I recently joined (after more than 5 years as a guest) because of the history, exceptional rides, nice people, camping, and family that have been members for a long time; generations of riders from my wife's side. The OMC and motorcycles have been good to me, and our kids will learn early that riding safe with others is the only way to go. Here's an excerpt from an article in the Oakland Tribune, that says it all:
"It's really a social club," said member Mark Norris, a member from 1963, hugging old friends as they arrived at the party. "My father-in-law's father-in-law belonged to the club. There are a lot of father-son members. See this little girl?" he asked, pointing to a photo of a 2-year-old girl on a toy motorcycle. "She's the next generation of the club. Her aunt and uncle are members, her father, her grandfather — that's me — and her great-grandfather and great-great grandfather were members, too."
Done right, motorcycling can make the world a better place! Maybe we'll see you on the road or trails.
Your comments, ideas and links?
