November 2021 Meeting of the Minds

by Gary Klinker

Training season has wrapped up. The numbers are in, and we trained a total of 245 students. That includes 32 experienced riders who are now endorsed and legal, along with having some training to make them better riders. Riding season is winding down, except for the hardy few who enjoy cold weather riding. For right now my efforts are in pursuit of deer. The past month has been great for riding with the highlight being the ride to Atlanta for Meeting of the Minds (MOTM). This is the annual Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) conference that moves around the country every fall. My first MOTM was in 1990 in Carlisle PA. The most recent in Atlanta was one of the best that I have attended.

The hotel was an excellent facility, and the staff could not have been more friendly and helpful. I guess that is where the term southern hospitality comes from. Fred Harrell from the MRF BOD oversees conferences and events and he did a fine job setting up this installment of MOTM. Rocky Fox, MRF lobbyist in DC and MRF President-our own Hardtail, provided in-depth legislative information and analysis of the situation in DC concerning the Highway Bill and our other main issues, autonomous vehicles, end of life for motor vehicles, and profiling.

A large part of the weekend is the variety of workshops that people can attend. Along with the motorcycle safety ones that I am especially interested in, I attended sessions on the Constitution, the aging demographics of motorcycling, using state crash statistics, and Iowa’s Slider Gilmore doing a workshop on what makes successful people.

The MRFA&E (Awareness and Education) is, like Safe Rider is to ABATE of Wisconsin, a 501C3 sister organization to the MRF. They present workshops on safety, educational programs, run the SMART Trainer-which you saw at STEAM, and provide the Young Activist Scholarships to MOTM for young people between 18 and 30 to get them involved with motorcyclists’ rights. The workshops they sponsor are always interesting and well worth attending.

A big part of MOTM is always the family reunion aspect. Many of the patriots are people I only get to see once a year. I was happy to spend time with good friends and early MRF board members Gary Sellers from Ohio and Lee Richardson from Georgia. Another thrill was seeing Sherm Packard after many years. He was my counterpart in the New Hampshire MRO when I was Executive Director in the early 90’s. Mr. Packard is now the Speaker of the New Hampshire State Assembly. I also met another NH MRF member, Tom Walsh, who is the Chairman of their Assembly Transportation Committee. That is biker power! I also got to see Jesse McDugald, from South Carolina, after many years. He has been a constitutional scholar since the early days when we were all young and fighting mandatory helmet laws.

Recognition and awards are always a part of MOTM, and Wisconsin really shined this year. We were awarded for the most Sustaining MRF members, the most individual MRF members, a Legislative award, and our own Jen Dewitz and Cathy Dial were in the top 10 of MRF State Reps. Congratulations to all!

As always, the ride to the event is a good way to get some more long miles. Again, this year Dave Dwyer and I made the trip by bike. The trip to Atlanta was about a day and a half both ways. From my trip computer it was 2028 miles, moving average was 68 mph (all interstate), riding time was 29 hours and 50 minutes, and max speed was (never mind). When we left Atlanta on Sunday morning, we headed for Alabama to the Barber Motorsports Museum. I had been there before and wanted more. It was Dave’s first time. After riding past the Talladega Speedway-always a thrill for me. We were joined by Kris, a member from Alabama who was one of the many volunteers from Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas that made the event so successful. She drove her car home, got her bike, and met us at the museum. The four hours spent at the museum is never enough time, but we wanted to get north of Nashville before morning traffic. If you have never been there, look up their web site and put it on your “must see” list. While you are in the area, the Motorsports Hall of Fame and Museum at the Talladega track is also worth a stop.

I hope this has given you a flavor for what happens at the Meeting. Everyone in Wisconsin will have a great chance to find out for themselves next year when the event moves to Des Moines, Iowa. Save the last weekend of September 2022 and plan on the short trip to our neighbors. You won’t regret it!

Ride Safe,

Gary