Who We Are!
The Border Riders Motorcycle Club “BRMC” is a not-for-profit 501(c)(7) organization for gay men who like to ride motorcycles and who like to go camping on their motorcycles. Our membership spans the Pacific Northwest with the greatest participation in the Portland, Seattle and Vancouver B.C. areas. We are one of the largest and longest-running gay motorcycle clubs in North America. We welcome like-minded guests to our Meet & Greets, day rides, and to our monthly meetings and summer campouts with a sponsoring BRMC member.
Table of Contents
All the news you need to know about the BRMC
Victoria Day Weekend Recap By Peter M.
Photos By Peter M.
June Meet & Greets Portland and Seattle
Plus
Members’ Birthdays
The BRMC 2026 Calendar of Events
Non BRMC Motorcycle Events
Request for Pictures & Closing Comments
Victoria Day Weekend Recap
Dispatches from the Greek House
Victoria Day Weekend 2026
Can there be an exception to a tradition? Does an exception reset a tradition, a new beginning perhaps? An exception doesn't have to be permanent, but an exception may make some fear a tradition is being left behind. During the president's speech to welcome attendees Dennis commented that the change from a traditional campout to a gathering at the Creek House is not necessarily permanent, circumstances will be re-examined when planning Victoria Day weekend 2027.
I have attended club events less than a year. Sometimes it feels a lot longer because there is a lot of club history, stories and camaraderie shared between members. For those unfamiliar with the club's longevity, it is 57 years. I believe that is an impressive fact that needs to be stated because it deserves respect.
I have learned about the significance of the Victoria Day weekend, this was my first. I have learned that for many years two different campsites hosted the weekend campout and that it requires an incredible amount of planning and logistics to set up and dismantle the camps, plus all the work required during the weekend. I understand now the discussions during the club events I attended. At the time I did not make the connection until I started reflecting on my involvement with clubs when I lived in Ontario. It's a lot of work to make events happen and sometimes it's the same core of people making it happen. That is not unusual.
When viewing some of the archival information it is clear the Victoria Day weekend has been a highlight event, historically it attracted a large number of participants. Imagine the work required to accommodate and feed large numbers, but lots of smiles are on the faces in the pictures I've seen. There were fun events, such as slow speed motorcycle skills, a special ceremony to bless the motorcycles, not with an aspergillum and holy water, but with a fleshy wand discharging recycled water. I know, I know, sometimes one has to improvise. The pictures and videos show that in the past there has been friendly warmth shared between attendees, perhaps necessary because mother nature didn't always provide it? Again, sometimes one has to improvise. I understand some campouts have been cold and wet, some very hot, requiring minimal clothing, and sometimes to access the campsite there was snow to dig through. That's dedication and of course anticipation for all the fun.
I have learned the Victoria Day weekend includes a tradition of remembering members who have passed away and in memoriam their name is added to a tree, joining the names of other members. It's a wonderful gesture. One of the trees has fallen over and in time it will become part of the forest floor, back to the earth, the fate that awaits us all. This year there were no names to add and that was one of the considerations for the change from a traditional Victoria Day campout.
Last October when I first visited the Creek House I learned that it is sometimes referred to as the official unofficial BRMC club house, or should that be, unofficial official? I don't know. The Creek House is in fact Dennis' home. Thank you Dennis for opening your home to us. For those who have not been there a creek borders the property, hence the name. The property suited the weekend well, there is lots of space for motorcycles, I counted thirteen, a truck and trailer, tents, cars, and the house provided amenities a campsite does not, such as hot showers, comfortable spaces for socializing, a fully equipped kitchen, an outdoor hot tub, and most important, WiFi and charging stations. Hosting this event at the Creek House saved the club on the campsite fees.
I set up my tent close to the creek because I wanted to fall asleep and wake up to the gurgling sounds. Too Hollywood perhaps, too idyllic? I can be sentimental. Instead, bird calls woke me at 5 am, every morning. But I am a planner! I would roll over to reach for my ear plugs strategically place the night before. I love birds! I saw a Common Grackle. Well, I didn't know it's common.
The over night temperatures during the weekend were colder than seasonal, but probably warmer than at a campsite? I don't know, but happily it did not rain all weekend. The sky was clear which made for fantastic star gazing. Thank goodness for the extra blanket and sleeping bag borrowed from the Creek House. Additionally I went to Walmart to purchase jammies, which were actually sweat pants and a hoodie, and because I don't have hair I slept with my BRMC toque gifted to me by Dale. He came to the rescue because I had forgotten to pack mine. What can I say, sometimes I'm delicate. Thank you Dennis and Dale, your thoughtfulness made a difference!
An advantage to the Creek House is the short distance to Yakima. Shopping trips were possible, such as purchasing meats for the Saturday BBQ dinner, eliminating the pre-purchase and transporting of supplies to a campsite. Socializing around the BBQ while tending to one's steak was fun! When some went shopping, others went on day rides. The Yakima River Canyon has magnificent cliffs, a high desert landscape, winding river scenery and little traffic. With little traffic who would have thought to encounter a state trooper, but someone did. Apparently the trooper was generous and only charged 5 mph over the speed limit, and only the lead rider. Too bad it was overcast because the colours in the canyon add to the experience, as I had seen last year. The ride included a donut stop in Ellensburg, great with morning coffee, or anytime!
Others checked out the trails near the Creek House. I was told it was fun until rocks the size of baby heads littered the path. The analogy gives one a solid mental image, if you are able to replace baby heads with rocks. Off-road riding does sound fun but I have not taken the time to learn, and now I'm too old to start a new hobby which requires a lot of falling down with a motorcycle in order to accumulate decent skills.
On the way to a day ride the group was split in two while navigating the crazy traffic through Yakima. I don't remember how but we managed to stop at the edge of a traffic circle next to the interstate. Obviously not a safe place to stop. Jerry blew out his lungs yelling through his helmet trying to point out that we should move. Thank you Jerry! After moving to a safe location the road captain blew a gasket trying to communicate with the other half of the group but was unsuccessful. We learned he hates technology and blamed it on that. We continued without the others.
The ride included scenery of rolling hills, brilliant under the afternoon sun. Parts of the road included some tight twisties with good pavement, elevation changes, and no traffic. Roads with tight twisties is one of the reasons I have a motorcycle. We stopped in Bickleton for a break, a charming village with a main street that is reminiscent of a spaghetti western movie set, with Starlink. I enjoy places like that because I like nostalgia.
Afterwards we stopped at the St. John's Bakery for pastries and espresso. Both were excellent! The bakery is an odd place, it's run by Greek Orthodox nuns with young rosy cheeks, not the tired wrinkled faces one might expect. They were nice but lacked a sense of humour. The ride to the Creek House from Seattle included a stop at Corina Bakery in Tacoma. Excellent! Highly recommended! I can't pass on a bakery but I couldn't help think, was I supporting the nun's self exile from the world? Oh, wait, considering what is happening in the world perhaps their ignorance better? But they must have cars, they have noticed the gas prices, have they not? Let's move on!
I love day rides with beautiful scenery, interesting places, food, good company and of course, fun roads. It was an enjoyable afternoon but we were a little late getting back, luckily we didn't miss dinner. I think, no, I'm sure, everyone was very worried about us. I discovered a list was started, everyone placed a kind of bet to guess the time when we would return. I suppose Kevin was least worried because he guessed closest to the time we arrived? We could have been somewhere out there, very vulnerable, out of cell phone range. Sigh! <Ed: Kevin won a crisp $20 CAD note for his keen prediction.>
When Victoria Day is hosted at a campsite part of the opening ceremony includes the lighting of the camp fire. Unfortunately a fire ban prevented us from enjoying an outdoor fire but as part of Dennis' welcome remarks he asked Dale to start the fire in the fireplace. Dale pointed a remote at the logs, found the correct button and with a soft, controlled foom the artificial logs came to life with a flickering gas flame. In my opinion an outdoor log fire is best, authentic, the smell, the smoke in your face, eyes watering. The artificial logs of the gas fireplace at the Creek House are the nicest I've seen.
Sometime during the weekend Tom gave a speech that included the importance of tradition, changes that are inevitable, and that we should cherish the memories. He talked about the memorial trees, their importance, and mentioned there are no plans to removed the names from the tree which has fallen, they will become part of the forest as the tree decays. I have seen pictures of the trees and hope to visit them some day.
During the weekend Don displayed a slideshow from some of the thousands of pictures he is collecting to include in a BRMC archive. He gave an update about the archival work he has taken on, which includes collecting and organizing physical and digital photos, collecting artifacts, researching the club's history, working with Wikipedia and digitizing videos from VHS tapes. He is being assisted by his husband Jorge. Thank you Don and Jorge, the club is very fortunate to have you. The slideshow was very entertaining. Tom commented on many of the pictures, his memories of the events, the places, and the people.
The pictures in the archive are wonderful to see, they illustrate an era few have experienced. Times change but I have noticed a common theme in those pictures and in the current state of the club, camaraderie, support and a chosen family. Perhaps those themes are not unique but it is unique how active the club remains after 57 years. My friends and family are surprised at the number of monthly events. They were a little worried when I made plans to move to British Columbia because I would be leaving them, I would be alone here. I am someone who is happy spending time with "me", but I hope I have found new friends. I am enjoying everyone's company in the club.
I believe the weekend was successful, but I can only speak for myself. The conversations, the laughs, the food, gathering over morning coffee, and of course WiFi and the charging stations. Everyone pulling together to help was wonderful. Paco always being there. I just wish he would sometimes be a huggy dog. Sorry, I digress.
Perhaps a new direction is afoot. If it is, I hope we can recognize what we have.
That's how I saw it. Thanks for reading.
Peter
May Photos
June 2026 Day Rides
Portland
No day ride planned for June.
Seattle
Seattle area day ride will be on June 6th and will be a nice loop around Mt. Ranier beginning with a 9:30 breakfast at Charlies Cafe in Enumclaw, 1335 Roosevelt Ave E, Enumclaw, WA 98022. After breakfast, we will circle the big mountain and end up in Tacoma area. Almost 150 miles. So be ready for a full day of fun roads with the club!
June Campout
The June Campout is to Union Creek Campground, about 18 miles southwest of Baker City, Oregon. The campsite is located on Phillips Lake. Nearest services, and limited at that, are 10 miles west at Sumpter, so best bet for services and food is Baker City.
This is our “stretch” trip of the year for distance for most people but gets us into an area of the Northwest that we rarely make it to. For those coming from Western Washington and want to split up the trip consider staying outside of Yakima at Dennis’ place on Thursday or Sunday night – just let him know, you can use floor space so you don’t have to set up a tent.
If it happens to be a warm weekend in the region you can still expect to have comfortable nights as the campground is at 4100 feet.
You can register here, and we will see you there!
June Meet & Greets
Portland M&G
Portland’s June Meet & Greet is being hosted by Jason S on Wednesday June 3rd. You can find us at Steeplejack Brewing - 2400 NE Broadway - Portland, OR. 97232. Arrive around 5:30 for dinner & conversation.
This is a great way to meet club members, learn about the club, & learn about our upcoming events for 2026.
Stay tuned, we’re looking to switch up locations.
We hope to see you there!
British columbia M&G
We are still looking for a member in BC to take the lead on this. Please let Dennis know if you are able do this.
seattle M&G
For the June Meet and Greet in celebration of Pride Month we will get together on the hill at Diesel, dinner around 6, official Meet and Greet starts at 7.
Date is Wednesday June 10th., the address is 1413 14th Ave,, Seattle, WA 98122.
We hope to see you there!
High Mileage Competition
Members are invited to join our annual High Mileage competition! Read the rules in the Members Area.
This mileage competition is open to any and all active Border Riders Motorcycle Club (BRMC) members who choose to compete in the most miles ridden on their motorcycle(s), including 3-wheeled vehicles that have handlebars and a saddle for the use of the rider.
Reader’s Corner
A place for you, the reader, member and/or guest, to contribute.
Tell us about your travels, adventures, mishaps, etc.
To contribute, send your story & pictures to News@BorderRiders.com
Keep in mind, you can write about a trip that happened over the summer. It’s doesn’t have to be something you did last month.
Gear Store
The Gear Store is officially closed until the 2027 banquet. If there is something you need from the Gear Store before then, let a member of the board know and we will get it to you.
From the Handlebars of the President
The kickoff to our annual summer riding season was a success. As always, for Victoria Day the event was dependent on help from those attending, and everyone pitched in. The group effort is not only important to Victoria Day but the ongoing health of the club – we need member participation to continue to provide events.
Unfortunately, it was a cool weekend and we never had an outdoor fire – a week later the daily highs were in the high 70’s with lows in the fifties rather than the overnight lows in the high 30’s for cold tenting.
I look forward to seeing many of you on the upcoming events and maybe even a few new faces.
Dennis H.
President
president@borderriders.com
Vice President Chatter
Join us at Union Creek Campground this month!
Ron S.
Vice President
Road Captain Rumblings
Gentlemen, Some fun events coming up this month. Camping in Eastern Oregon, day riding around Mt Rainier in WA and meet & greets in Seattle and Portland areas.
See a brief description of the June camping run near Baker City, Oregon in this newsletter for more information. Just before the camping weekend those who have registered will receive a bit more detailed information about the weekend.
Meet and greets are a fun way to meet some club members and find out what we're about. Please remember anyone is welcome to come to meet and greets whether they ride or not so feel free to bring friends, partners, moral support etc.
Seattle's June meet & greet is on Wednesday the 13th at 6pm. Meet us at Diesel Bar on Capitol Hill to honor Pride Month. 1413 14th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
Portland meet & greet will happen at Steeplejack Brewing Company Wednesday, June 3rd 5:30pm at 2400 NE Broadway, Portland, OR 97232.
See everyone there!
Dale C.
Road Captain
Treasurer’s Ramblings
Secretary Thoughts
A Brother’s Birthday
We have three brothers with a birthday this month:
Ian M June 8th
Mark B June 28th
David F June 28th
Take a moment out of your day to send birthday wishes!
2026 Events
June 6 - Day rides
June 19-21 - Union Creek Campground near Baker City OR
June 27-29 - Team Oregon motorcycle skills classes
June 30 - July 5 - Special camping and riding event in central OR
July 17-19 - Coho Campground near Montesano WA
Aug 1 - Day rides
Aug 14-16 - Sutton Campground near Florence OR
Sep 5 - Day rides
Sep 18-20 - Ruckle Park on Salt Spring Island BC
Monthly Meet & Greets
BRMC members will be available for interested individuals to meet and learn more about the club and how to get involved. For locations and times, check out the following list of times & location. Watch our FB for last minute details or changes.
Portland: Meet & Greet - 1st Wednesday of the month, now a moveable feast! 5:30pm at a restaurant in the Portland area. Watch the newsletter and/or Facebook for last minute details.
Vancouver BC Meet & Greet - The club is looking for a host for this event, please contact Dennis if you are interested.
Seattle: Meet & Greet - 2nd Wednesday of the month, 6 pm at someplace new. Watch the newsletter, website or Facebook for exact location. We usually meet for dinner at 6 pm followed by the M&G at 7.
Member & Guest Non-Sanctioned Day-Rides
In addition to the club's monthly M&Gs, local rides frequently happen on the 1st Saturday of every month. Additionally, members & guests going on an impromptu day-ride, or to some other activity, will post their plans on our FB page so others can tag along. Again, watch our FB page for last minute details or changes.
To learn more about local event’s, impromptu events, or to check status on any event, check out our FB page or email the Road Captain at Captain@BorderRiders.com.
Hey, did you notice that trend? Yep, keep an eye on our FB page for last minute changes and details for all events.
Contributions of Photos & Stories
Please feel encouraged to send us your photos of our activities to News@BorderRiders.com. Please be aware that often your email client or and/or our storage system might downgrade the file size/image quality.
Club Archives - We are working hard to consolidate the digital archives. We recently added over 4,000 new photos going back to 2004, but there are still lots of gaps.
We need your help!!! Please consider scrubbing your image archives and submitting them to the club in the original size. This will help us complete the picture. (You will be given instructions on how to upload them to our Google Drive.)
Create folders if needed and include the year and month first, then your name. Event name is helpful but not required. For example:
2021 03 Seattle Day Run – Don Pics
2025 01 Don Pics
2025 02 Don Pics
Also, if you do anything interesting outside the club, we’d love to hear about it. Send us a short story with some photos and we will try get it into the next newsletter. It doesn’t have to be motorcycle related to be interesting. We are very diverse.
If you have photos and stories to share, please send to news@borderriders.com