I joined the club in 2016 in order to meet riders and find out about this ADV thing. With a lifetime on sport bikes,day riding and commuting, as well as a career in the Marine Corps, backpacking and camping, I thought it was time to bring it all together but needed someone to show me the ropes. Since my first club ride to Death Valley, I’ve trekked to two national rallies, four 49ers, three MOA Weekend Aways, and dozens of South Coaster events. Yes, eventually I even learned a thing or two about riding in dirt! I am in awe of the experience, ethos, and dedication of this club, and as President, I hope to fill the giant shoes left by John C. by carrying on the good work. Specifically, I commit to bringing to life as many of the great recommendations from the member survey as possible.

So I've done some things I'm not proud of, and I've did my time for those transgressions. However I am proud to be a member of this awesome South Coast riders club, which I've been a part of since 2017. I'm aging myself here, but I've been riding off and on for about 45 years on all sorts of bikes, and I've met many great people along the way which eventually led me to this club. I'm looking forward to helping and supporting the club in any way I can, along with the other fellow board members. I hope that each of you can enjoy your time with us - riding, socializing and exploring these wonderful CA (and beyond) roads.

Linda and I moved from Huntington Beach to the IE in the mid 80’s. We gave up being close to the beach, mostly so we could afford our interest in horses. At some point along the way my ortho suggested I give up horses, fortunately I didn’t tell him about the motorcycle. I purchased my first BMW, a 700GS in 2013, soon after traded it for a 1200GS. My first ride with the club was 2018, a ride to Sonora. I met some incredible people. I couldn’t keep up with them, but I was hooked. Probably because I was influenced by all the RT’s on that ride, I traded my GS for an RT. As I recall Tom White was the only GS rider. Now I look around and most everyone has a GS. I appreciate SCBMWR because of the caring people and the detail put into each ride. I stepped up to be treasure for this term so that I can give something back to this club.

Like most riders, I started riding on a mini dirt bike as a young teenager. It was a pull start Briggs and Stratton without gears, as I recall. I dropped that thing in the dirt numerous times. I guess habits are hard to break, as I still drop my GSA from time to time. Ha! Jump forward 30 years, my first motorcycle was a 2006, BMW, K1200 LT. I traded that for a 2013, R1200 RT. Then in 2020, I sold it to buy my current 2015, R1200 GSA. Since my wife wanted to ride with me, she forced me to buy a 2016 K 1600 GTLE. I sure am glad she decided to become a pillion. That GTLE is a great bike! I join the club in July 2020, while on a summer solstice ride heading for ice cream in Palm Springs. From the very beginning, there was so much enjoyment riding along side this great a bunch of like-minded riders! Becoming club member was an easy decision, and doing so has lead me to miles of miles of fun, laughter, camaraderie, and adventure! I have traveled countless roads (both on and off-road), and rode through landscapes that I would never have imagined if it wasn’t for joining the South Coaster’s. It has definitely been a highlighted chapter in my life! I look forward to leading rides and taking advantage of some new destinations this year with the club. Let’s have some fun!

I joined South Coast BMW in October 2019 when I met the club at a motorcycle training course. I’ve been riding for about 10 years in the U.S. and started off with a Yamaha FJR 1000 then switched to a BMW 1200 RT. For the past two years I have been riding a BMW 1250 GSA. Since joining the club, I have met plenty of club members who are welcoming and accommodating to everyone’s needs. I have learned a lot from everyone’s advice and feel more confident when traveling on roads that I wouldn’t have done on my own, prior to joining the club. Since being with South Coast BMW, I have gone on several club rides and enjoy my time on the road and with the guys. As much as I have enjoyed being a club member, I look forward to being a board member and assisting in the planning of our future club rides and creating more memories with the club members.

I bought my R1200RT on 8/29/21 and joined the South Coasters within a couple weeks. My RT is my first BMW and my first touring bike, but I’ve been riding motorcycles on the street for 56+ years and I’ve done plenty of touring on less appropriate bikes. My first cross-country trip was from Southern California to Maine and back on a Harley rigidframe chopper with little more than a change of clothes, a leather jacket, and a blanket. That was 49 years ago and my back hasn’t been right since. I joined the South Coasters for the camaraderie and collective experience and wisdom of the members, and I haven’t been disappointed. I’ve made some great new friends and learned a lot about touring and motorcycle camping. My goals as a board member include adding to that collective experience and wisdom however I can.

I returned to riding last year after a 20 year lay off. Early on, I rode mostly sport bikes. It wasn’t till I purchased my 1200GS that I discovered that I could actually ride longer than 1-2 hours without feeling like a stiff pretzel. After a few rides with the club, I realized long hours on saddle could actually be enjoyable. It was then I was got hooked. I joined the South Coasters in March of 2021. John C. immediately made me feel welcome. I quickly learned that this group really knew how to ride and their knowledge of roads, riding skills, and ability to have fun has inspired me to get more involved. As member of board of directors, I endeavor to collaborate with board members, as well as, fellow south coasters to add more value to the club. There is a lot of great feedback collected from the recent member survey, and with that information, I would like to help the club in any way I can.