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A HOG® Rally is a lot of fun! It is a benefit of being a HOG® member and is exclusive to members and their guests. It is an event for members put on by members. It is a volunteer effort planned, organized and run by HOG® members under the supervision of a HOG® Regional manager from Harley-Davidson.

In 2010 I served as the Volunteer Coordinator for the Delaware/Maryland State HOG® Rally. I am currently serving as the 2012 Site Coordinator. As is the standard for HOG® events our goal is to “Ride and Have Fun” safely and legally while abiding by the rules of our insurance liability policy. Event activities and entertainment are paid for by registration fee’s and sponsorship/advertising. Collecting sponsorship and advertising money is not 100% reliable so the amount of people that pre-register for the event dictate the budget for the event. The event is geared toward HOG® members who plan to enjoy the entire event which is usually a three day affair.

These events are restricted to HOG® members and their guests. Riding under the influence is not allowed. I would venture to say this is not an event for locals to come for the day and check it out or spectate during the bike games. On site registration is discouraged because the event staff will plan the event based of the money collected in the form of pre-registration. If a small number of people pre-register there won’t be much money to hire bands and other quality entertainment. If a lot of people show up at the rally to register on site there is a good chance that money will not be spent on the rally. It will probably go into a savings account. The key to having a good budget to work with and offer quality entertainment is pre-registrations.

If you are a HOG® member then I say you really should be taking advantage of this special member benefit. It is a party being put on by your fellow HOG® members for you! A group of HOG® members worked for the better part of a year to create a unique and fun rally for you! Don’t expect the usual bike week crap! This is not a profit driven event with hundreds of vendor filled tents selling you everything from pink goggles to chrome cup holders! The event is not meant to generate income. We try to spend all the money we take in on making this the best event for you. There will be games, rides and entertainment. You’ll make new friends and have a good time. Go ahead and get involved or plan to attend a few rallies. I’m hoping to attend three this year!

Tags: 2012 MD/DE HOG® Rally, HOG® by Jay Green
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Just past St. Michael’s on Maryland’s eastern shore is a gem of a destination known as Tilghman Island. Diana and I were introduced to Tilghman Island in 2008 when friends took us on a ride to Harrison’s Chesapeake House for crabs. Harrison’s Chesapeake House is awesome and we have always wanted to return and stay overnight. The chance to return arrived… Diana organized an overnight trip for our H.O.G. chapter this past Labor Day and we were happy to discover that Harrison’s has a special celebration called Buddyfest every Labor Day weekend. One week previous to our trip Hurricane Irene swept up the east coast damaging coastal properties from North Carolina up to New England. Although half the roof was taken off the deck bar and restaurant at Harrison’s, Buddyfest was still on! We were told that Buddyfest usually attracts a much bigger crowd but many people (not us) canceled their Buddyfest visit to the shore.

Diana led our trip with sixteen First State members on eleven Harley-Davidson motorcycles followed by one mini SUV. We arrived at Harrison’s mid afternoon on a warm sunny day. We parked our motorcycle in the unpaved lot in front of Harrison’s among pick ups, cars and other motorcycles. We checked into the friendly establishment who had set us up with a block of hotel rooms near the swimming pool with a spectacular view of the Chesapeake Bay.

Diana immediately set up shop at the deck bar and restaurant and ordered crabs with pitchers of Yuengling beer. We commadeered two picnic tables and placed them end to end. We ate and drank while another group of bikers wearing cuts featuring a one piece RC patch took over the dance floor and bar. There was a live band and everyone was having a good time including a native Indian man who looked as out of place among the bikers, tourists and locals as a black sheep. Some of our friends decided to enjoy the buffet inside at the more formal restaurant.

After gorging ourselves with a seafood feast from the Chesapeake waters we put on our bathing suits and regrouped at the swimming pool. Summer was basically over and it was just warm enough to enjoy a sunset swim while sharing pitchers of Yuengling and chatting about riding. From the pool in front of our cottage like rooms we had a great view of the bay and the festivities at Harrison’s. It was a perfect evening but still early.

We put on dry clothes and regrouped again at the inside bar where I made the mistake of getting involved with several shots of Jack. The bartender at Harrison’s was a nice women but what she considered a shot was more like a small drink in most bars. Definitely the biggest shots I have ever seen. We sang karaoke, danced and laughed for several hours before calling it a night. I do wish I called it a night before the shots.

If you like fancy motels on crowded touristy beaches then Tilghman Island is not for you. But if you like a low key laid back festive atmosphere where you can put on a bathing suit & sandals and hang out in a comfortable picnic-like setting then I highly recommend you stay the night at Harrison’s Chesapeake House. Make sure to say “Hi” to Captain Buddy Harrison and make plans to be at the next Buddyfest!

Click here to see all the pictures.

Tags: HOG®, Trips & Places To Go by Jay Green
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In order to attend the Williamsport HOG Chapter’s annual River Rat Poker Run we have to make a common choice: take the highway and get there fast, or take our time and enjoy the backroads.

Unfortunately some motorcycle riders from our home state here in Delaware don’t know the fantastic backroads that meander along the Mason-Dixon Line that designates the border between Maryland and Pennsylvania. So the choice is made for them. Sure you can make good time on Interstate 70! You can make it there and back in a day and still do the poker run! But do you really want to do it like that? This event takes place at the end of June and that’s a busy day to be pack’n into a hot possibly muggy summer day. There is another way…

Since I’m married to a lady rider and First State HOG^® Road Captain who knows how to connect those backroads along the Maryland Pennsylvania border the choice is easy! I’ll follow the Mrs and take the twisted country roads through meandering hills and rolling farms. I’ll enjoy the ride and arrive in Hagerstown, Maryland in time to enjoy a fun dining experience at Barefoot Bernie’s and grab a few drinks with my friends at the Cancun Cantina West. Maybe I’ll take a dip in the pool at the Clarion Motel before calling it a night. This is the second year Diana has made this a First State Chapter trip and we have dubbed it the Smell The Flowers Ride because we know you can get there and back in a day but we would rather “take the time to smell the flowers” as they say! Since this is a Maryland trip we really call it the Smell the Black-eyed Susans Ride but our Delaware friends don’t get the connection.

If your heading west through Maryland I recommend staying at the Clarion and enjoying the experience at Barefoot Bernies and the Cancun Cantina West. All three buildings are attached making it a great destination since you can have some serious fun once the kick stands are down for the evening. There is usually a big biker bash the same day as the Williamsport HOG^® River Rat Poker Run and maybe that’s more your speed. My speed is get back on those backroads in the morning and enjoy a guided HOG^® poker run through historic battle grounds.

Story to be continued…

Tags: HOG®, Trips & Places To Go by Jay Green
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The Harley Owners Group® V-Twin Win Sweepstakes expires on July 31st, 2011 so hurry up and enter. If you are a member of H.O.G.® you can sign yourself up along with a friend who is currently riding a different brand of motorcycle. If the two of you win, then you both receive a new 2011 Harley-Davidson® Street Glide®. One for the HOG® member and one for the person who currently is riding something that is not a Harley. Click here for contest details

Tags: HOG®, News & Announcements by Jay Green
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During my Directorship of First State Chapter from 2009 through 2011 I incorporated a team approach to decision making. Since I don’t carry the full burden of decison making you may wonder then: what is the role I play? What does a Director do in a team environment? There are many things I do most of which are routine tasks that could be delegated. Most people expect me to know the limits, rules, liability and laws that we have to follow and they rely on me to answer their questions on what we can and can not do. I am an information junky on these sorts of things and kind of enjoy that part of the job; but if I had to choose one key element of leadership that I can not delegate it would have to be “setting the tone”.

The mood, attitude and personality of the group as a whole is affected from the top down. If as the leader I came across as strict and set down a dozen rules and bylaws with penalities the group would take on the same persona. Everyone would become a bunch of cranky mizers, we would not be perceived as fun and our group would not grow. The chapter would become rigid and particpation would drop. Members would quit and the group would not floursih.

The most important thing I do is set the tone. When I am in the spotlight and all eyes are on me I impress upon the organization that our priority is on having fun in a responsible manner. We are welcoming to new people. Making everyone in the group feel special is of utmost importance. We treat everyone like family from the first day they walk in the door. No one is treated like a newbie. The chapter exists for the benefit of the members at large and to that extent the leaders are servents of the group. When the dealership provides dinner for the chapter Diana and I jump up and start serving out the food even though we haven’t had dinner yet and we don’t eat until the last H.O. G. is fed. That attitude of caring for each other and serving each other permeates the whole group and creates a positive environment for everyone. Being appreciative of the support from our sponsor, the participation of our members, the dedication and hard work of our volunteers, the time and effort taken by our officers and road captains is always recognized publicly and leads to greater support, dedication, hard work and participation. The end result is lots of fun for everyone who is receptive to the mantra: Ride and Have Fun!

I strive to set the tone for a responsible, fun loving, caring and appreciative organization that loves to ride their motorcycles. I hope that future leaders of First State and leaders of other H.O.G. Chapters and riding clubs read this and it leads to further success, happiness and participation worldwide.

Tags: HOG® by Jay Green
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I have enjoyed being the Director of First State Chapter for 2009, 2010 and 2011. As Director I formed a board of officers who work together as a team to make decisions that affect the chapter. Putting together the right people doesn’t happen overnight but in the end a close knit group of dependable trustworthy leaders who put the needs of the group before their own is key to a successful organization. Most of the lessons I have learned have been from mistakes and thankfully I figured out this team approach before making any huge mistakes. However I did learn through mistakes to carry this team approach further than I had originally anticipated.

In my first year as Director I made several decisions on my own without consulting with the other officers. The good decisions were of course a non issue such as investing money in a new PA system. I made some bad decisions. The bad decisions could have been avoided had I consulted with my team mates. An example of a bad decision is appointing someone to a leadership position without getting to know them first. 

Through a little trial and error I learned that working together as a team works better than a dictatorship. Not only do you benefit from the input of your most trusted associates, you relieve any one person from having to shoulder the burden of unpopular decisions. There have been several occasions where I brought an action before my team and the team decided to go in a different direction than I wanted. This experience of putting my ego aside and deferring to my colleagues even when I wanted to lay down the law has been one of the most valuable lessons I have learned. There were many times when I wanted to say “we are going to do it this way because I am the Director.” By putting my ego aside, treating all the chapter officers as peers and working together as a team we have succeeded at everything we set out to do.

Tags: HOG® by Jay Green
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