Thanks Slider

by Gary Klinker

Here we are already in August. The training season is half over. Our classes are going very well. Our two new Rider Coaches are active and doing a good job. More good news is that we have two more candidates interested in joining us next year. They have both met with us and shadowed a class. One has past experience as a Rider Coach when he was in the military.

The trip to the Black Hills in June for a week of riding was a great chance to get away and have nothing to do but ride beautiful roads. Shawn and I, along with two friends-John and John, had nothing on the schedule but to ride and see friends in the area. It provided a lot of good practice of our skills and gave me a chance to do some coaching via our helmet communicators. They work fine for conversation but proved to be a safety factor when I came around a hairpin curve on Iron Mountain Road and found a dumbass car driver stopped in our lane facing us. That was about the only close call we had. If you are going this month, it will be a lot different. The traffic, especially other bikes, will require extra attention to what is going on around you. We want everyone to come home safely.

Now I suppose you are wondering about the title this month. Last weekend I taught two BRC2 classes. Both went fine and there was a wide variety of bikes in the two classes, eleven different brands or models among the twelve students. During lunch on Sunday, I sat with one gentleman and just was chatting about riding. He has been riding a long time and said his wife likes riding a lot, has been doing it since she was very young. They are preparing for a long two-up ride through the western states. Her father recommended that he take the BRC2 as a way to brush up on his skills before the trip. During the conversation between bites of my sandwich, he said her whole family rides and mentioned a club name. I said I knew several members of that club in Iowa. He then said she grew up in Spencer. Then I said that was where they lived. I said Chopper Charlie and Slider. We stared at each other with surprised looks. He tended to use Slider’s given name when he told me Slider was his father-in-law. How cool is that!! Thank you, Slider for sending us a BRC2 student. I hope to keep in touch with Mike in the future. He only lives about forty miles from us.

Looking ahead to September, Shawn and I are planning to ride to Meeting of the Minds in PA. With newsletter deadlines as they are the reports of that will probably show up in November. Stay tuned, it should be a great meeting this year.

Ride Safe,

Gary