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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JANUARY 2023 61 It's time to look back and to be grateful for another year of memorable miles on the road. When I retired in 2016, I was aware of the Four Seasons Motorcycle Club (MC) and would occasionally see members setting out on Thursday mornings for their weekly ride. I guess that was when the motorcycle bug hit me. I had never been on a motorcycle before but it sure looked like a fun way to spend part of my retirement. Over the next 90 days, I took a couple of motorcycle riding courses (which I highly recommend for first- time riders), bought my first motorcycle which was a very tame Honda NC700x, and headed out on my first Thursday ride with the club. Bob Howard turned out to be my mentor and I am forever grateful. He kind of took me under his wing, giving me guidance and tips, helping me learn the basics. I remember that first club ride like it was yesterday; it was actually my first ride venturing out of Beaumont. We were a group of about seven riders and our destination for the day was Pala by way of Lake Henshaw. After that ride, I knew I was hooked. It's been nearly six years and roughly 60,000 miles on the road since that first ride and I am now on my third motorcycle. My current ride is a Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe — quite an upgrade from that first Honda. I still look forward to our Thursday rides for a couple of reasons. First, I just love to ride! Second, I have made such good friends over the years with the club hanging out with my motorcycle buddies. Terry Humble, Tim Mixon, Joe Bert, and Mark Leary are regulars on our Thursday rides. Not only are they my riding buddies, they have become some of my closest friends. In addition to our Thursday rides, the club goes on multi- day rides each year. Over my six years of riding, these trips have taken me to Northern California, Utah, and Arizona, plus shorter multi-day rides to the central coast, Death Valley, and Kernville to name a few; lots of memorable rides shared with Terry, Tim, and Joe. Mark is our newest member, having joined the club about a year ago. I already have close to 5,000 miles on the road with Mark and he too will be joining us on multi-day rides next year. So, what's in store for 2023? We are already talking about destinations for our multi-day trips. I would love to head up the California coast to Northern California. Utah has also been discussed and Arizona keeps coming up. Whatever we decide, our plan is to get in two roughly five-day trips and a couple of two or three- day trips. And, of course, we will continue to go on our weekly Thursday rides. If you are new or somewhat new to riding, like me, or if you are a veteran rider like most of the guys in the club, consider joining the MC. It's all about sharing the love of riding with good friends. Yes, retirement has been good. ~ Jim Ayala The e-Bike Club held its first meeting in November. We decided not to meet in December, since so many people were busy with the holidays. While we are still new and haven't had contact with everyone who will join us, we determined that our immediate goals are to start some fun rides, learn existing bike laws, and explore how to get better bike racks installed at The Lodge, Summit, and Courts. We welcome all who are currently riding in groups to join us. We can include your group and work to meet your needs. We will ride on the first Thursday of the month. Our first ride will be on Jan. 5 beginning at 11 am. Come and join us. For more information, contact Steve Cooley at cooleyaudit@gmail.com or (801) 815-5302. ~ Steve Cooley Motorcycle Club e-Bike Club Rain! Taking shelter near Pinetop, Ariz., waiting for a storm to pass through On our way to the White Mountain range in Arizona