Mike’s Typo

Been reading too many National Enquirers - scanning for appropriate news for this journalistic effort (really).  NY Times version would be more like: “SCHOGsters do it again - Mountain Mystery Ride is Over-The-Top Success.”  Ok.  I’ll keep my day job.

Fact is the SCHOGsters did a tremendous job putting on a hell-of-a-party last Saturday.  The weather was fantastic.  The ride was fantastic.  The food was fantastic.  The band was fantastic.  And, there were tons of vendors, including my personal favorite: Blanco Basura.  Did I mention the event was fantastic!  It was all for Jacob’s Heart.  And, when the dust settled, the SC Hog Chapter was able to lay more than $5,000 on them.  I had a lot of fun (maybe too much) playing auctioneer and trying to sell two VIP ticket packages to the 10.5th Anniversary party in Milwaukee.  Despite my amateur efforts, we raised almost $1,000 for Jacobs Heart with those two packets.  I just swooped in and had fun.  Lots of tireless effort went into putting this awesome event together.  Hundreds of people rode the ride and we had nearly 1,000 bikes roll in that day.  Neighbors loved us!

A big thank you to the SCHOGsters.  You made us all proud.

Details from the 10.5th are starting to leak out. I noted two events of interest for the big Milwaukee 10.5th celebration. HOG is sponsoring the Wall of Ink. You complete a registration form and provide an 8×10 of your tat and you are entered in the Wall of Ink. The photos will be displayed Thursday, August 28, at Miller Park. Another new event to this year’s 10.5th parte is the Ride-in Bike Show. With 18 categories, your bike should fit somewhere. This might change what I ride east. The show is also Thursday, August 28. Staging is 8:30-10am; judging is from 10-10:30a. Seems pretty painless. This is also a HOG deal sponsored by Dunlop tires.

Login to the HOG Members-Only to see more info.

Whether you’ve been naughty or nice (and we’ve been keeping a list), you are cordially invited to a HOGster Only shopping night, tonight, at Santa Cruz Harley. No cordials, but we will have wine, cheese and assorted other light snacks. Heck, we’ll even leave the Christmas music on! Or, perhaps we can “can” Willie Nelson singing Silent Night for a couple of hours.

The event is for SCHOGsters and any other BADD HOGs. But, feel free to bring a friend. If we get a good turnout, we’ll make this an annual get together that we can all look forward to.

When: Tonight! Thursday, December 20 (Only 4 more shopping days!)

Time: 6 - 8pm

Where: Santa Cruz H-D

Attire: Whatever you typically spend the most money in!

RSVP: Aw, skip it - you’re too late for that

Why: It’ll be fun. Also, 30% off anything in the store and up to 50% selected Christmas stuff (bikes excluded - you knew that)

It’s your evening. Let’s all get together and have a great couple of hours shopping, saving money & socializing.

The Vet’s Toy Run was a big success. Again. The weather cooperated. Lots of bikes. The parking lot was at capacity. Neighbor’s nerves were frayed. But, it was for the kids. Lots of toys for kids this Christmas.

The SC HOGsters did it again. They won the participation award with 55 members showing up for the Toy Run. Way to go SCHOG! Hmmm. By my unofficial count, that’s more than the Vets had there. Oh, did I say that? Rewind.

In the end, it’s the kids that won.

Whether you’ve been naughty or nice (and we’ve been keeping a list), you are cordially invited to a HOGster Only shopping night at Santa Cruz Harley. No cordials, but we will have wine, cheese and assorted other light snacks. Heck, we’ll even leave the Christmas music on! Or, perhaps we can “can” Willie Nelson singing Silent Night for a couple of hours.

The event is for SCHOGsters and any other BADD HOGs. But, feel free to bring a friend. If we get a good turnout, we’ll make this an annual get together that we can all look forward to.

When: Thursday, December 20

Time: 6 - 8pm

Where: Santa Cruz H-D

Attire: Whatever you typically spend the most money in!

RSVP: Matt Koch membership@cruzhog.org

It’s your evening. Let’s all get together and have a great couple of hours shopping, saving money & socializing.

Recently I’ve been asked, do you have to have a black pearl Ultra to be in Santa Cruz HOG? Seriously. I’m not making this up. Ok, well maybe I am. But, I’m not going to admit one way or the other if I am. But, back to the question. Seems that Matt (last name omitted to respect his privacy) has a black pearl Ultra. As the story goes Rich (last name similarly omitted for the same privacy thing) goes and wrecks his perfectly good two-tone red Ultra so he can get a black pearl Ultra. At this point, your saying, “Who would want a black pearl Ultra?” Right, that’s the point. But, two guys did. (Three, if you count Ralph Luna - but he was banished to the rainy pacific northwest where people think grey is beautiful. Four, if you count another officer - a more sensible female this time - who just bought a SE bagger. Oh-my-gawd, this is an epidemic!)

I am writing not to embarrass our three current officers and past fearless leader, but rather to debunk the myth that the Chapter takes only members who a) have black pearl Ultras or b) promise to buy anything black pearl within 60 days. SCHOG is an equal opportunity group dedicated to riding and having fun. If black pearl is your idea of fun, then you’re in. Whatever your color, or model choice - no matter - as long as you’re wanting to ride and have fun.

Fun is the word. And, I’m having fun with this. But, really, if you aren’t a SCHOG member, you should think about checking out the group. It’s about 150 new and seasoned riders who get together often and ride a lot. The group is low-key. Everyone is required to check their “politics” at the door. The group welcomes new members with open arms. Lots of people have told me how welcome they felt right away.

The monthly meeting is held every second Thursday of the month at the Peachwood Inn at Pasatiempo. It’s a dinner meeting and always a lot of fun. It’s a great time to meet members. The following Wednesday of every month (so, I think that’s the third Wednesday) is the Chapter’s Dinner Ride. Equally fun with the added bonus of a short to/from ride. As I said before the group is all about having fun and riding. So, if that’s your gig, you should check them out. Here is a link to their site.

BTW. We’ve ordered lots of black pearl. We’ll be ready just in case this whole thing is more than a coincidence.

Congratulations to the Santa Cruz HOG Chapter. For a third year, the Chapter has retained the coveted Bay Area Director’s trophy. Once again, the Chapter won the right to display the trophy for another year by winning the chapter challenges and by bringing the most number of riders to other Bay Area Chapter events. The Santa Cruz Chapter is modest in size compared to some of their Bay Area counterparts, so it’s doubly impressive that they were able to fend off the other envious chapters. Watch out HOGsters, there’s a rumble that the other Chapters are going to be gunning for you! Congrats to a great bunch of enthusiasts

HOG has notified a group of its members that a laptop computer containing membership records is missing. The laptop was first reported missing Aug. 14. (Dealer advisory letter is dated Sept. 19.) The computer’s files contain personal information, including some with driver’s license and credit card numbers. As a precautionary measure, HOG is offering affected members free credit monitoring and identity theft services. Are you affected? The advisory states that if HOG or BRAG members had a credit card and/or driver’s license on the missing laptop they will be notified by mail at the address on file with their HOG or BRAG membership. Not all HOG members are affected. A driver’s license is only on file if the HOG member has rented a HOG Fly motorcycle. Credit card information is only on file if a member selected the Automatic Annual Renewal of their membership as an option and provided a credit card. Not sure whether to feel relieved or violated, call HOG at 1-800-258-2464.

Editorial comment: why is all this personal information roaming around on laptops? There ought to be a law against that!

Harley-Davidson, Inc. got a new ticker symbol: HOG. The announcement was made officially in Sturgis this year. The symbol used to be HDI. Make a note — HDI might not be as good a “buy” as HOG!