Hog Meeting is set for the first Saturday of every month, at FGHD starting 7 p.m.

Chapter Officers

Director: Michael Norris

Asst. Director: Brent Quickenden

Treasurer: Dennis Laughlin

Secretary: Marcia Norris

Activities Officer: Chris Warr

L.O.H. Officer: Sandy Schmidt

Asst. L.O.H. Officer: Erica Strobel

Road Captain: Merrill Skillen

Editor: Greg Laws

Safety Officer: Joseph Tallon

Photographer: Patricia Tallon

Historian: Greg Laws

Membership Officer: Dennis Laughlin

We are attempting to reorganize and revitalize this chapter, and would like to request all former, current, and prospective members to contact us to indicate whether or not you would be interested in supporting or joining the chapter.

Please contacts Mike Norris at (307)871-4184 or (307)875-2760, or email at

michael_norris32@yahoo.com

I look forward to hearing from you!

___________________________________________________________

TWO WHEELED THUNDER

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE WESTERN WYOMING H.O.G. CHAPTER #5690

JANUARY, 2009 EDITION, VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

Michael Norris, Director

The 2008 season is now behind us and the 2009 season is starting. 2008 was the starting point for the chapter to get formed once again. Our first chapter meeting we had 25 HOG members in attendance and most wanted to join the chapter. We voted in officers and started the process of getting the chapter together. Doing so takes a lot of time and energy and starting in September we had very little time to do all that was needed to have the chapter up and running as others in the USA. This was more of a learning experience in the officer role as we had our setbacks. Some that attended the first meeting lost interest in the chapter and stopped coming, you could say I dropped the ball and we lost out on members for the chapter.

The year ended with an upbeat, after each officer started to understand how to make a chapter work, our membership has gotten bigger. At present time we have 34 chapter members in good standing, 4 of which signed up on our first meeting of 2009. We welcome the Pitt family of Lyman, WY, they have been trying to get information about the chapter for a while and came to one of our meeting after talking to Dennis. The first meeting of the year went off well, we have installed an asst. lady of HOG officer to help the LOH officer as other chapters have done. Please welcome Erica Strobel, She has some good ideas for the chapter and we should all look forward to working with her.

We have also started a newsletter with editor Greg Laws at the helm of “Two wheeled Thunder”, the official newsletter of the Western Wyoming HOG chapter# 5690. This letter will be mailed to every member and will keep all informed of all events, meeting, runs in the area, and other information that the chapter would like to get out to the members. If you have anything that you would like to have printed in the newsletter, please talk to any officer and we will have the article entered ASAP. This newsletter is for the use of all chapter members and if anyone has any ideas, let us know how we can make it better.

The upcoming year is going to be better than the last. On February 7th, 2009, we are holding our next meeting to set down the runs that we will be making for the year. P.O.T. training will be held in Las Vegas on the 3rd and 4th of April. We can have 7 officers attend and we will have to pay our own way to this event. We will have a run to Bear Lake to take place on the 10th, 11th, and 12 of July.

I will need to know how many of you plan to go so we can set up lodging. The state HOG rally is the 16th, 17th, and 18th of July in Lander. I need to check into this to make sure though. These are some of the dates that I have so far.

Always remember that we are in this chapter to ride and have fun doing so, and that we must always conduct ourselves in a manner that will not hurt the image of either HOG, or Flaming Gorge Harley Davidson.

Keep the sunny side up and may all of your rides be fond ones. Mike Norris.

Upcoming Events in the

World of H.O.G.s

There will be a HOG officers meeting on January 17th at the FGHD dealership in the HOG room. All officers are requested to be there if possible.

The monthly HOG meeting will be February 7th, following the Chili cook off at FGHD. The meetings are always on the first Saturday of the month with a potluck at 3:00 and the meeting following at 4:00.

February’s meeting will be to decide on rides for this year so if you would like some input on this, you need to be there.

An overview of the minutes from January’s HOG meeting.

The meeting was called to order after another great potluck dinner at 4:00 pm on the 3rd of January, 2009 by the director, Michael Norris. The next meeting was announced to be on February 7th at 4:00 pm. Instead of having a potluck, it was decided that those able would participate in the chili cook off instead. There will be a membership sign up at the chili cook off as well. It was agreed that officers would be contacted this month to try and get together with other groups on upcoming rides so as to minimize conflicting dates and get maximum participation. Amy, the dealership liaison announced the plans for the Women’s Garage Party listed in the events of this letter and that a brunch would be served by Flaming Gorge Harley-Davidson, the Ladies of Harley, (L.O.H.) would have a table set up for anyone interested in joining the chapter. She also announced the “love of a pet” event to be held on the 14th of February also previously mentioned here. “Motorcycle days” will be June 20th and 21st and the dealership would like our participation in this. On September 19th the Pony Express HOG ride will be coming through town and FGHD is hosting them. They will be having a BBQ as well as other things. There are about 750 riders expected! Mike Norris asked for input on the Bear Lake run. Carmen Pitt suggested that a date be set and stuck to since there is no way to please everyone as to scheduling.

This was agreed on. The Bear Lake run will be on July 10, 11,and 12th. Ways and means of fundraising for the chapter where discussed with such ideas as t-shirt sales, bake sales, raffles etc. discussed. It was agreed upon to make official letters of introduction for officers to enable them to solicit donations on the chapter’s behalf. It was noted that we need to have two MDA fundraising events to meet chapter requirements. Mike notified everyone that primary officer training will be held in Las Vegas on the 3rd and 4th of April. Participants will need to pay their own way as the dealership will not pay for this according to Dennis Laughlin. Erika was asked to help Sandy in setting up L.O.H. activities and any suggestions from other ladies would be appreciated. Suggestions for advertising our activities where discussed and the chamber of commerce, first national bank and the local paper where recommended. The agenda for the February 7th meeting was discussed and it was mentioned that orders will be taken for HOG flags and mounts at that time, minimum of 12 to place an order. Erika suggested that we get Dennis to talk to his mom about placing the HOG flag conspicuously in the front of the building. The meeting was then adjourned.

A word from your editor.

Well it looks like I’m going to be your newsletter editor. You will be pleased to know that I have some experience in this area. With this letter and one more, I’ll have two under my belt. I hope to be able to be a help and a benefit to the chapter with the newsletter and hopefully keep everyone informed as to what is going on in the chapter, what events are in the works, basic minutes of the meetings for those that could not attend and other things of that nature.

We are obviously in the middle of the “no riding season” here in the great white north, (though I did see one brave soul out a few days ago). With that said though, there is no reason that we can’t be getting ready for that first day when the sun shines and it’s somewhat above freezing and we can get out on two wheels for a change. This is the time of year when we need to get our rides planned, make reservations, and get any issues we has with our bikes taken care of,(don’t forget that battery tender), and get to the meetings for planning, and getting to know one another before the riding season gets underway. Speaking of that, the February 7th meeting is for the purpose of getting some rides planned and dates set. Your presence will be helpful, especially if you would like some say in what rides we are going to do this year. You may also have some great ideas for rides that no one else has brought up yet. It is also as I said a great opportunity to get to know your other chapter members prior to getting out on the road with them later this year.

This next month’s meeting is not going to have a potluck, instead we will participate in the chili cook off just before the meeting. It starts at noon and by the way, I personally feel that I have this all wrapped up already, but I still encourage you to bring your best and see if maybe you can get second prize.

This letter is truly a work in progress, so any ideas you have, or any contributions are not only welcome, but encouraged.

Hope to see you at the meeting and until then, here’s praying for an early spring!

Yours truly,