Tom & I met with the Primary Officers of the former Golden Gate HOG Chapter associated with (Golden Gate Harley-Davidson) last night as they had expressed interest in joining our Chapter.  What a nice group of people!  They are on top of their game; they’ve just attended the HOG Primary Officer Training Program, they keep detailed books and minutes – they have done a great job.  Of course, our San Francisco Chapter has not operated with that level of organization or formality, but that’s only because we had wanted to take some time to allow our customers to get back to the core goal of any motorcycle club, and Tom’s theme mantra – Just Ride!

 

After getting to know each other over the course of a few hours last night and the assorted emails that have been exchanged back and forth, we all agreed that we are a good fit for each other.  It is a good time for Dudley Perkins Co. to sponsor a Chapter that can benefit from all of the features of a true and structured HOG Chapter, and we have individuals with tons of interest & experience, but have lost their sponsoring dealership. It just seems so simple – we need to make it official and proceed with all of the benefits membership in a HOG Chapter can bring all of us.

There are some formalities we need to clear up with Harley-Davidson related to the final closing of the Chapter tied to the closed dealership and submitting any changes related to ours.

 

• Name Change (back) - Dudley Perkins Co. had hosted one of the original HOG Chapters way back when (1980’s).  At that time, our official Chapter name was the Golden Gate Chapter (with a nickname of the FogHogs – although, that was never officially recognized).  When we chose the Golden Gate Chapter name, there was not yet a dealership with the same name – or any dealership in Marin for that matter.  When we moved to SSF and were hoping to establish a fresh start, we thought it was a perfect time to let the original Chapter name go to the dealership of the same name.  Now that they’re closed – we can get the name back.  Doing so is pretty simple paperwork issue, but it does allow for the Chapter to retain and continue to use an assortment of items that have been issued with the Golden Gate Chapter name referenced. 
• Patches - Dudley Perkins Co. would offer any current member of the San Francisco Chapter a Golden Gate Chapter patch in exchange for the SF Chapter patch, free of charge.
• Dues - The Chapter would adopt a $24 annual membership fee which would be payable in advance the beginning of each year.  Dues go to covering Chapter costs ranging from website hosting, subsidies for events, officer training, … The list goes on, but you should know, its really good value for the money.  More importantly, there would be no cost to anyone until January of 2011 for the 2011 calendar year.  Basically, you’re being offered a 6 month free trial membership!  And all new DPC bike customers will get membership with bike purchase.
• Meetings – We’re working out logistics that will accommodate the needs and locations of the Chapter’s membership.
• Officers – The primary officers of the old Golden Gate Chapter are more than willing and able to continue in their capacity with our Chapter here.  They are all great people and we’re sure you’ll be excited to meet them  There are also a handful of other available positions – lots of people can be involved at all sorts of levels! 
• Save the Date: the Transition Party – The wheels started turning last night, thinking caps are out & the particulars are being worked out as I write.  We’ll get that information out to you as soon as we have it, but we’re aiming for Saturday, August 7^th.

We’ll soon post the names and bio information on some of the key individuals who have helped make this happen.  In the meantime, please let us know if you have any suggestions or questions.

April 8th 2010 My wife and the Easter Bunny reminded me that I’m long over due in the Rants and Raves land. Well, that being said, I’m putting fingers to keyboard, even if I do prefer pen and paper. Janet says that when I die she’s going to give out goodie bags with all the pens, paper, rulers, pocket knifes, flashlights, colored marking pens, records and cassette tapes that I’ve collected over the last fifty-three years (I knew I shouldn’t have thrown out those plastic toy soldiers!). It’s just hard to break old habits, but I have gotten better and thinned out the herd of books and pocket knives, and it wasn’t easy I tell you. You get so used to having those “things” that you think you can’t live without them, but after a few months of being without them you wonder why you had them in the first place. Now I send my old books to a couple of guys in the Army, one who is currently in Nigeria (and that’s after a tour in Afghanistan), and the other who was in Afghanistan and is now back home and studying for his degree while still in the Army. They really appreciate anything and everything you send them, and like true brothers , they share with the rest of the unit. So far the cigars have been the most appreciated item sent. If you ever want to feel good about doing something for someone else, adopt a soldier and show them that someone back home cares for them, their fellow soldiers, and the thankless job that they always seem to get, yet perform without a second thought. And yes Bryan (82nd Airborne), I’m overdue on the cigars to you, but Moms just sent me you new APO addressee so keep an eye open for a care package! For any of you out there in the audience who are Vets, we will be hosting a “Harley Heroes” traveling Veterans Affairs van with staff who will review all of the benefits that are available for you. And we’ll be cooking some burgers and dogs for you and I promise not to burn them, so mark your calendar for May 15th! Keep on sloggin’ through it – our thoughts and prayers are with you all, and can’t wait until all of you can come home and do some riding with all of us! Best wishes always, TP

January 16, 2010 Yes, 2010 – hard to believe that another year has come and gone. The older we get the faster it goes, or so it seems at least. I don’t know about you but I am darn tired of all of last years doom and gloom, so as much as is humanly possible I resolve to push the D & G back to the farthest recesses of my mind, and just keep on keepin’ on as they say. Doesn’t do any good to get caught in “the swirl of the bowl” anyway – we are all in this boat together so let’s just keep rowing forward and eventually we’ll get through this mess. Take a look at “the350project.net” and you’ll see that we really can have a positive impact on each others lives. Support anything and everything local! Ok, enough preaching – I’m on to our 2010 Calendar of Events which is way overdue, but have no fear, we will ride! Onward through the fog. TP