Learning Something New Everyday

by John Reblin

Ugh, this weather needs to settle down. One day it appears spring is in the air, and the next day snow is flying. Welcome to Wisconsin. The colder days gives me some time to get caught up with work and doing things like write this article without feeling I am cheating myself out of being outside. It also is giving me some time to look over my bike, making sure the lights and fluids look good, along with checking over the rest of the basic maintenance items. A more in depth TCLOCK inspection to make sure the bike is ready to roll. I am hoping this year to get some miles on. I was not lucky last year with my bike needing some much-needed maintenance and with the Covid stuff going on, parts were hard to source through normal channels. Time will tell.

I also am planning on getting over to the local school parking lot to set up some small markers and work on my muscle memory and familiarize myself on where the controls, levers and other switches and things are on the bike. I also like to practice some small diameter turning, along with practicing some braking maneuvers including some high-speed stops before putting on a lot of miles on the road. I am also considering an advanced riding class to work on improving my skills and to give me a better chance in traffic to avoid a situation that could cause harm.

I was able to attend STEAM this year in Springfield, Illinois and got together with some really dedicated people in the rights movement. The nice thing about this trip is that it was close, only 4 hours or so, and the facility was really good.

This was my first time going to STEAM as Executive Director, since last year we hosted which made it familiar territory for me. I had a great time and learned a lot. There were some interesting sessions and with all of us getting our bikes out, one of those sessions was one on making sure you are adequately insured. Dropping terms like uninsured and underinsured made my eyes roll back in my head, but it made me realize that I need to make sure of my coverages. Mike Hupy did the same type of discussions at one of our conferences, so it was a great reminder that even though we have mandatory insurance in our state, not everyone carries it, or it may be inadequate coverage. It is another way to keep you covered if something bad does happen and was a great reminder to check our policies.

Another great breakout I attended was about off-road riding and how to set up an area for a dirt track or course. As I was sitting there during the discussion, it took me back many years ago to when I started riding. Growing up on a farm we had space and my dad got us kids a little Harley M-50 to cruise around the fields. A lot of hours were spent ripping around the cut hay, or up and down the driveway which was pretty long. It was a great start learning about traction, handling the bike on different surfaces, and a lot of fun. It is something many young people don’t get a chance to do any more. Even if the parents want to do it, the lack of off-road riding areas are hard to find. As we look at getting the younger people into motorcycles and riding, this is another tool similar to the BUILD programs that get younger people into working and building motorcycles in after school organizations.

I also participated in a round table discussion with other Executive Directors and we discussed different things going on within our organizations. It was a great way to peek into the workings of other states to see how they deal with things and made me realize that we are doing things ok in Wisconsin. We had some good discussions, and I picked up a couple of ideas that I want to discuss with others within our group.

I did not get a chance to attend Steve and Seven’s breakout because of conflicting schedules but I will be joining him in a few days at our Future of Motorcycling Summit in Brookfield. I did hear good comments about his presentation, and I know they both did a great job sharing what they know. I also was not able to see Jen Abraham help out in the MRF Rep Training breakout, but I am sure like Steve and Seven, it went well.

It was also great to spend some time with Rocky, discuss things going on in DC, and plant the seed about getting him back into Wisconsin at one of our conferences again. I think the membership really appreciates seeing and hearing what Rocky has to share about the workings in Washington DC, and his relaxed way of presenting the information goes over really well.

Rest assured, the entire group that attended STEAM was there to learn a lot and will be able to further their leadership skills in our organization from attending this conference. If you are interested in attending the 2023 STEAM conference, it is April 21-22, 2023 and is being held in Bismarck, North Dakota. Pencil in the date and talk to Steve Panten about a scholarship if wanted.

On the way home it was still dark out, and while driving down the freeway it appeared that headlights were approaching me from the traffic going south. As seconds clicked by, I realized the semi driver either misjudged the curve, was distracted, or fell asleep and entered the area between the two sides of the freeway quickly slowing down to a stop in the soft soil as I drove past. It was just a reminder that we all need to be paying attention on the roads, you never know what the another vehicle is going to do.

I was recently able to participate in a meeting with the Wisconsin DOT and The WAVE group to discuss our concerns with autonomous vehicles. It was a good meeting, and I shared that motorcyclists need to be recognized by these vehicles so we can continue to operate on the road. I hope to be able to continue pushing and offering concerns about how we can remain safe on the road as these vehicles and other technology continues to be created.

There is much more going on, meetings, zoom calls, and meeting with different groups that sometimes it is hard to keep it all straight. I have some great help to keep me on track and covering for me when I am not able to make something or just need that friendly face in the crowd. Elections are coming up soon with District Directors first up. If you are thinking for running as a write-in candidate or as a BOD Member-At-Large, please reach out if you have any questions to either myself or any of the incumbent board members. The more people running for our statewide positions makes us a stronger organization and fresh people on the board brings along with it a new perspective.

Remember, Ride Your Own Ride

John