DFW Meeting-Thursday, December 14 (canceled. Look for upcoming Jan 1 ride info)

[SideCar]

Edited with restaurant info:

Well, another year is about to close out and it would be great to have a large gathering to celebrate the upcoming holidays.

Meeting is canceled, but likely to be replaced and improved with a Polar Bear ride on Jan 1. Look for the thread on that soon.

[Valkpilot]

+1

[Capt. Speedo]

Speedo and Chris

[Serk]

For me it really does depend on where it is.

While I do love to ride, juggling work, wife working and 4 kids enters into the equation as well... =\

Edit - scratch that, I won't be able to make it. 12/14 is the premiere of  Star Wars The Last Jedi!

[Houdini]

Depends on where the meeting is.

[BnB Tom]

 I am a 'most likely to be there'... Oh...  WHERE!!??

[RainMaker]

+1.  Recommend bringing a gift under $10 and do the exchange.  If not, we'll have a door prize.

[Bosman]

Serk,
What is your biological age?

[Serk]

Serk,
What is your biological age?

45 for a few more days, why for?

[SideCar]

Got 5 so far and building.

Still open to ideas on centrally located places or I can just choose one of our go-to places.

[BnB Tom]

Would it be inappropriate for a local chapter to post notice of our meeting on the main board??

I was just thinking (I know, I know) we might have a few N. Texans who 'shadow' the main board but aren't active on our local board...  just saying.


 

[rocketray]

that would be me..I'm out east in Sunnyvale and the traffic is insane anymore--the only direction I will go anymore is East out of town on I-20/Hi-way 80 on the bike

[SideCar]

I get that rocketray. If I didn't live in the metromess, I don't know that I would go into it often. We have folks N, E, S and W inside and out side DFW. Hope we can catch up with you on a ride sometime even if you don't make a meeting in town.

[mugmarine]

 I haven't been in several years myself. I refuse to ride in that dallas crap. I will drive the car but coming from Lake Texoma area the construction on the highways is ridiculous. Disco Dave has helped me with information a few times which was greatly appreciated. I will try to make more of an effort to attend if possible. Im a definite shadower of the vrcc board and enjoy reading daily.

[Serk]

Would it be inappropriate for a local chapter to post notice of our meeting on the main board??

I was just thinking (I know, I know) we might have a few N. Texans who 'shadow' the main board but aren't active on our local board...  just saying.
 

Another suggestion if we're gonna try to actively boost participation - Start posting the meetings in the various VRCC and Valkyrie related Facebook groups as well.

[SideCar]

In the absence of new suggestions, let's go with one of the places suggested at a recent meeting.

Baker's Rib BBQ https://www.bakersribs.com/grapevine/. It's at 1720 TX-26, Grapevine, TX 76051, just down the street from Grapevine Mills and Bass Pro towards the corner of TX-26 and Bass Pro Drive. Official meeting time is still 8:00, but as usual, folks will start getting there to eat around 7:30.  And, don't forget the fried pies if they haven't run out!

In a surprise move, my wife let me know that she had purchased Star Wars opening night tickets for the whole family over a month ago so I will not be able to attend Thursday's meeting. I know you guys and gals will carry on the holiday spirit while I watch the evil empire take over the galaxies.

As suggested, I'll cross post this to the main board. If you are a regular on facebook, please feel free to post it there or other places as well.

Remember to RSVP here to have folks hold a seat for you, but even if you don't, come on out to see folks and talk motorcycle smack.

Also, I edited the top post so it's easy for new folks to find the restaurant location.

[Houdini]

+ 0

Am I the only one that remembers the biggest boost in meeting attendance was when we stopped having every meeting in Grapevine?  The first meeting away from Grapevine was the Blue Goose in Plano and we had 26 attend, we had approximately 30 at the BBQ place in FW near Billy Bobs, Po' Melvins was always well attended.

The traffic between Allen or anyone in the North East corner of the Metromess and Grapevine is a nightmare and is in no way convenient.

I realize that Grapevine is convenient for the organizer and a few members, but not for all members.

[Serk]

+ 0

Am I the only one that remembers the biggest boost in meeting attendance was when we stopped having every meeting in Grapevine?  The first meeting away from Grapevine was the Blue Goose in Plano and we had 26 attend, we had approximately 30 at the BBQ place in FW near Billy Bobs, Po' Melvins was always well attended.

The traffic between Allen or anyone in the North East corner of the Metromess and Grapevine is a nightmare and is in no way convenient.

I realize that Grapevine is convenient for the organizer and a few members, but not for all members.

At the risk of kicking up a kerfuffle, I agree...

I'd much rather see an alternating switch from east side to west side instead of almost all meetings happening around D/FW airport... Plano is about as far west as I'm able to venture on a week night, and that's pushing it...

Having said that, while I'd like to see that, and I miss hanging out with ya'll, it's not something I feel strongly enough to make a big deal out of it, and  have just kinda quietly stopped attending.

(Please take this as constructive criticism and not an attack. If I felt THAT strongly about it I'd step up and start organizing meetings myself... I am thankful that we still have some folks willing to do so!)

...and even if the location was optimized for me, between work, 4 kids having swim/choir/homework, Star Wars movie premieres, not sure how often I'd be able to make it anyway, sadly...

[Valkpilot]

I turns out that I probably will not be able to attend either.

Not because of that but because of the general low indicated attendance, why don't we consider postponing and get together for a NYD ride?

Everyone will have PHSD (Post Holiday Stress Deflation) and be jones-ing for a ride.

[Randal]

+1, Should we arrive closer to 7:00 like past meetings?

Randal

Valkpilot, did not see your post until after I posted mine.
I will go along with the flow, either way.....

[RainMaker]

I agree with ValkPilot. 

The New Years Day Ride (Solar Bear Run) sounds like a better idea with the friggin' Star Wars stuff going on plus the Christmas shopping for us guys starting about a week later. 

I'm working on NYE until midnight so I'll down a few NoDose and be there for a ride.  Might blow the dust off of the bike, too.

With 5 4 3 people coming to a Thursday night meeting, the ride sounds a lot better.

RM

[SideCar]

Thanks for the comments, Serk, Houdini and others. No kerfuffle here. That's why we ask for suggestions every month. I've ridden to VRCC (and VSG) meetings all over the area and don't really care where it is as long as people can get to them. I really don't care where they are as long as the folks who want to be active can reasonably get to them.

We used the suggestion we got last month and didn't get any this month until now. This month's spot came from a suggestion made at one of the last two meetings.

First, let's handle the question of this month. If RM is a no-go, that drops the RSVP number to 3 (and a maybe). Not a great turnout, wherever it is located.

Randal, Ron, Chris and Tom - We're going to kill this one officially for lack of numbers, but feel free to get together if you want to. I'll update the thread at the top.

Second, re the new year's day/polar bear ride, it's usually had good turnout and is a great idea. I will be out of town, so will need someone to take charge to make that happen. Whomever would be willing to do that, please post it up in a separate thread and as the suggestions went earlier in this thread, please cross-post to FB and the general VRCC thread to try to catch folks who don't hit the Texas regional board.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

[rocketray]

as a side note..Bakers Rib franchises go for some $800k as I understand it..plus you have to work as an understudy for a couple of years..the one in Grapevine grossed some $2.5 million last year and won some big award as the best restaurant around as I recall.their food is awesome--the meats are equaled by the sides which is unusual...with some humor some 30 years ago the original owner--one of my patients--opened up in a failed hot dog stand and I in a home converted into a doctors office by some optometrists both in Pleasant Grove--he did very well on his move to Deep Ellum and multiplied--I ended up in  Sunnyvale and have also been successful and satisfied but he certainly made a lot more money--he recently purchased a prime property in Sunnyvale and hopes to open a high end restaurant here--there are none--anyway..try his "Q"--it is awesome!!

[BnB Tom]

...Randal, Ron, Chris and Tom - We're going to kill this one officially for lack of numbers, but feel free to get together if you want to. I'll update the thread at the top.

Aw Crap!  

 I was planning on bringing everybody a great Christmas gift...  ME!

BUT, obviously it's a good idea to postpone til next year. 

  Hope everyone has a Wonderful and Safe holiday!   

                              M E R R Y   C H R I S T M A S   E V E R Y B O D Y 

[Houdini]

So .... after realizing I came off a little harsh and had a call with Gary to discuss, come to find out he is choosing a central location because no one is making any location suggestions for meetings.  I'm going to make a few now, Blue Goose in Plano and PO' Melvins in Irving.  I think someone more familiar with Denton should make a suggestion for that area, maybe Mugmarine and others in the Nor' West will attend.  Fort Worth is too far for me during the week but a weekend ride there would work, but someone make a suggestion for FW for the westerners, us easterners don't get to have all the fun.

If no suggestions are made all of the meetings will continue be in Grapevine.  Speak up people.

[Valkpilot]

At one time I started collecting member locations so that we could better plan meeting places.  Maybe it's time to revive the effort.



I've got Westsider, Chauffer, Sidecar, Rainmaker, Big Ed, Valkpilot, Buzzkill, Hollyday, Disco, Baron, PlaneCrazyGal, Timbo, Yoda, Brew1brew, BnBTom, Houdini, and Christbiker already on the map.

Chime in folks with a name and area, so I can add you.  (PM me if you're shy.)

The centralization of meetings was always well intentioned to attract the (then) active members based on where we seemed to be concentrated.  Grapevine worked well because of a wealth of restaurants.  

Of course, centralization disenfranchises those on the extremes.  Moving to the outskirts disenfranchise those in the opposite direction.

And a final consideration is:  There just ain't that many of us left.  In the old days you could move around the metroplex and still have a decent turnout every time.  This isn't an argument for not moving around, just a recognition that attendance will seem puny.

[Serk]

Serk is in Rowlett
Based on his earlier post in this thread rocketray is in Sunnyvale (Hey, gotta pad those east sider numbers however I can! )

[mugmarine]

 I live in Pottsboro, which is all the way up 289. I know im a ways off and it is hard to attend certain areas in dallas, especially when im not used to that dallas driving. I attended bone daddys for a few meetings but dam near got run over so never again to ride that crap. Ill just drive the vehicle. I will strive to attend if its possible. Saturdays for riding or anything else is always out since im in the boating business and marinas.
  Thanks

[Valkpilot]

Serk, rocketray, mugmarine, and Randal all added.

[BnB Tom]

  Pottsboro would be a good direction for a Sat. AM ride - maybe on the way to a lunch?

[Randal]

Thinking about a possibility in Denton, has the group ever tried Metzler's?  http://places.singleplatform.com/metzlers-bbq/menu

Randal

[RainMaker]

I was all ready for a ride to Kendalls but they aren't open that day.....

Where ever we are going, we do need to check and make sure the restaurant is open.  Don't ask me why.

[Serk]

Don't ask me why.

...why?   

[Capt. Speedo]

Speedo is at Hillcrest and LBJ

[Valkpilot]

Speedo is at Hillcrest and LBJ

Added.

[BnB Tom]

BnB Tom  -  SH121 @ Legacy - Frisco

[Bosman]

Bosman is at Hillcrest and Arapaho

[Valkpilot]

Updated:

[Capt. Speedo]

Old map.
Or I am about to relocate?
Did you click send before save?

[Valkpilot]

Old map.
Or I am about to relocate?
Did you click send before save?

No.

I'm using a single image file stored online so that when I upload a new one the "old" one updates too.

You are approximately where you told me you lived.  An intersection of two highways is not very specific unless you want your marker exactly on that intersection so depending on the zoom level I was at when I placed the marker, it may appear to move when I zoom out to show the entire membership area.

The whole idea is to show where members are grouped, not to pinpoint their exact locations.