Burlington Bike Night (Every Tuesday from 5:30-8pm)

[sandros]

Today was a good day to check in on things!

Me too!!

[MotoFreak]

I don't know what possessed me to write in this thread today but for some reason I just had the urge.

The last two years or so I haven't felt the pull to come to bike night anymore. More or less because of the people that are showing up, like some of the ones in this 802 riders group. I just don't feel the "rider connection" with them, more or less based on first impressions and how they act in the street and around their bikes at Donny's. It's different that the group that was around when it first started. Bill, Doc, John, John, mike, mark, Keith, sandy, Brett, Justin, Tyler, Tyler and a few more that I can't remember right now as I right. The days of sitting around talking about racing, roads, bikes, and just being chill seems to have left the venue for me. The maturity level has dropped and with that, I've somewhat faded into the background in the event. I showed up once this year and the conversation that I had heard in the short time I was there just further pushed me away. I'll downright admit I missed the old group that night.

I know not everyone that still attends isn't this way but its just my opinion and my viewpoint on the subject. I've talked to a few people over the years about this and have gotten some confirmation that I'm not the only one that feels this way.

Discuss....

Basically the same reasons I don't attend any Bike Nights out here...street and track rider's in Tucson and Phoenix are very cliquey, and truthfully, a lot of them are "spoiled" by the nice weather. Its like since we can ride 10 months out of the year (yes, it gets cold in Tuc), they can put the bikes away from June to Sept and Jan to March cause it's TOO hot or TOO cold to ride "comfortably". Having to wait 6 months to ride really has an impact on or appreciation of the sport, and it shows.

And the racing scene is the same...I'm almost happy I have to race out of state. The Cali guys at Chuckwalla are awesome, very cool people to race with and spend a weekend with, same as the Arroyo Seco crowd, which are mainly NM and Texas riders. Phx area riders/racers have a superiority complex, it's really strange.
Sadly, all good things must come to an end. I think we had a good run there for a few years with VTBN. Def the best group of riders I've ever had the privilege of riding and spending time with. One for the record books! I'm looking forward to the day I move back, thats for sure. Though, having all this track time is gonna be hard to move away from ;D

[markbvt]

The last two years or so I haven't felt the pull to come to bike night anymore. More or less because of the people that are showing up, like some of the ones in this 802 riders group. I just don't feel the "rider connection" with them, more or less based on first impressions and how they act in the street and around their bikes at Donny's. It's different that the group that was around when it first started. Bill, Doc, John, John, mike, mark, Keith, sandy, Brett, Justin, Tyler, Tyler and a few more that I can't remember right now as I right. The days of sitting around talking about racing, roads, bikes, and just being chill seems to have left the venue for me. The maturity level has dropped and with that, I've somewhat faded into the background in the event. I showed up once this year and the conversation that I had heard in the short time I was there just further pushed me away. I'll downright admit I missed the old group that night.

I totally understand what you're saying, Jason, and in many respects I agree with you. But we've still got a good core group, which by the way has added a few great people as others have left.

This year has been a weird one all around -- everyone's been busy with other stuff, we've had an awful lot of rainy Tuesdays, etc, and so Bike Night attendance has dropped off in general. But we've talked about it and agreed we need to start promoting Bike Night again and bring it back to what it was -- including drawing in a group of responsible riders to balance out the squid element that will inevitably show up. It's a bit late for this season, of course.

But part of the reason Bike Night's personality has changed a bit is because so many people aren't showing up anymore, whether for reasons like yours or because they're just too damn busy with work and their private life. Or because they moved away. It's up to the rest of us to keep things going, and the core group as it exists now is still having a good time. We would definitely love it if more of the former regulars would start showing up again.

Swing by sometime and hang out a bit, and join us in ignoring the squid crew (though they'll stop showing up soon enough as it gets too cold out for them). We'll make Parker behave himself.

--mark

[yesterdayze]

Bell, be honest.... you just miss me

In all seriousness the last year and a half have been torn between work, starting a business and having a baby... I do admit, like Jason said, the vibe I used to feel seemed a little missing the few times I did make it. The guys I consider good friends (you know who you all are) being there kept enough vibe to make it good enjoyable but it had changed. In fairness though it may well be because I haven't had a chance to meet and interact with the new guys.

[catamount]

I don't think anyone should expect that the event will have the same feel 5 years from now as it had 5 years ago. Any group I'm a member of, whether it be my band of co-workers or the baseball team I'm on, has constantly changing dynamics as people come and go, or persist through the struggles and triumphs of their personal lives.

This doesn't make the scene better, or worse. It just makes it... different.

"The only thing that is constant is change"

[Huffer]

I've tried to engage the 802 riders a little. Some of them are really nice guys and some are not. I think Catamount hit the nail on the head. Things change, sometimes its in a direction more to your taste and sometimes not. Whadda ya gonna do...

[JohnCVermont]

It's been awhile since my last BN post... while it was a small group last night, there was a great deal of thought-provoking discussion. I would like to pick the Elite BN riders' brains on planning 2013 rides, near & far. Excellent topic for future discussions... along with "how to wire heated grips"

I keeping with what Mark, Mr. Huffer and Cat' said above... My attendance has been irregular due to work and a lot of physical training. In fact, I have done very little riding outside of the normal commuting that I do, my first year where I didn't need a new set of tires. :-( I am hoping that will change in 2013... when I change my tires in the spring before inspection.

Yes, things change, but change often follows a cycle....ebb & flow....

One of these days I will get a project bike and/or a garage... I need a place to go to get "quality" advice and guidance.

[Huffer]

Good to see you post again John. Its been awhile. Sorry I missed you at the last Bike Night.

[sandros]

Happy Holidays everyone. Hope everyone is healthy and with family or friends. On another note, sad to see this thread virtually asystolic....

[markbvt]

virtually asystolic....

You're such a doctor...! :-P

Thanks Sandy, happy holidays to you too. Our usual core group is still showing up every week, but it's definitely the off-season. But also part of the reason we haven't been posting here much is that we're all using a group-texting app on our smartphones.

--mark

[JohnCVermont]

Good to see you post again John. Its been awhile. Sorry I missed you at the last Bike Night.

Definitely ... been even longer than that... but ...

Happy New Year Burlington Bike Night !!

I have put the bike in the shed for the winter (just in time I might add) but I hope to make it down to Donny's throughout the winter.

Tonight, I have been called away to deal with deferred tasks from last week due to my furnace failure (simple fix... my furnace guy rocks)

See ya'll next week... I need my Donny's fix.

[catamount]

Thoughts and prayers requested from the BBN crew:

http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...nette-on-NESR)

[sandros]

Given the moratorium on posting here recently, I just came across the above thread about Annette. I'm shocked. Miss you guys. Wish I could roll up on the Duc for a french fry pizza with Mark, Adam and Parker before a creemee ride to Colchester. It would be much better than life down here. And as we are all re-learning, life is far too short to miss opportunities like creemee rides. Enjoy Bike Night guys. You are all so lucky to live where you do and have such a crew of people that are good folks who love bikes like you do.

Now if I could just be lest nostalgic...damn.

sandros

[tsanterre]

I miss bike night! Haven't been in what seems like forever...

I'm going to try to do a better job of making it out, even without a bike this year!

[markbvt]

We actually had a surprisingly good turnout for Bike Night this week despite this spring being somewhat delayed. Hoping for a good season -- and it would definitely be great to see you guys! Sandy, you know you're always welcome up here, so if you need to get away for a bit, come on up. And Tyler, definitely swing by Bike Night with or without a bike.

--mark

[catamount]

Anyone going to Bike Night tonight?



(ducks in anticipation of expected "we've been going all winter" replies)

[markbvt]

We've been going all winter.

:-P

(You did ask for it...)

--mark

[NobodySpecific]

Now that my bike is fixed and nice weather is here I hope to show up a lot more frequently than I have been. Hopefully we have more nights like this week, lots of new faces and plenty of familiar ones as well.

[05RC51]

I'm thinking about going in a couple weeks with a buddy of mine if someone could pm details of where about to meet up that would be cool

[markbvt]

All the info is in the first post in this thread.

--mark

[MotoFreak]

Hows the riding weather boys and girls?!?!

[markbvt]

Finally getting nice. This has been a strange year -- mild winter but delayed spring. The trees have only started to bud in the last two/three days. But this weekend was gorgeous, and this week is supposed to be mostly sunny and in the 70s.

I'm sure it's been nice for a while now down in Arizona!

--mark

[sandros]

Made it to Vermont this past weekend to clean out my grandmother's house but we were way down in Chester. My grandfather built it with a friend when he got back from Saipan in 1945. It was such a bittersweet weekend as the weather was great, my family was all there but we were dealing with so much stuff. Wish I could have been out on the Duc enjoying there roads and weather. Tell Parker its time for an update and some pictures for Freak and me!

[jcbell1007]

We were there early last night but had to leave before BN officially started. Weather was phenominal. Ill try to make more this summer to hang. Need some t road therapy too.

[catamount]

I got there tonight and wondered why there was only 1 scooter and 1 bike. So I left.

I know why now. My pants are hanging up in the shower, getting drip dry.