How do I get NTHOG chapter rockers and HOG patches?

Why does the group ride in staggered formation on rides?

What if I’m riding in a group, and I get separated from the road captain?

How can I get my event photos posted on the NTHOG web site’s photo gallery?

When are the monthly Officers Meetings? Can I attend one?

How do I get NTHOG chapter rockers and HOG patches?
North Texas HOG rockers (the patch that goes over the top of the large HOG patch), as well as other official HOG patches and merchandise are available from the chapter merchandise officer. Usually that person is on dinner rides, or you can email for more information regarding purchases.

Why does the group ride in staggered formation on rides?
The primary purpose for doing so is for safety. If you ride in staggered formation, you can safely avoid obstructions in the road by moving side to side without interference. Also, you will be trailing a safe distance from the rider immediately in your portion of the lane ahead of you. Plus, your vision and reaction time is improved, due to the larger space around your bike.

Regarding composition of groups, they are generally sized to eight or nine riders per group. The first rider in the group (road captain) rides in the left portion of the lane, with the next rider in the right portion of the lane. The rider on the right then falls back by a full bike-length, plus an additional length of between one-half to one bike-length from the first bike (depending upon other traffic, road conditions, and traffic congestion). The trailing rider never lets their front tire pass unsafely beyond the first bike’s rear tire. The exception being when staging at a stop, when the second rider comes to a slow stop next to the first bike. When riding open highways (away from heavy traffic) you can expand the bike length to a larger distance. Using the example of two bikes mentioned, apply the same rule to the remaining bikes in the group. Using this approach should put you approximately two bike-lengths behind the rider immediately ahead of you in your portion of the lane.

What if I’m riding in a group, and I get separated from the road captain?
Number one: Don’t panic! The road captain will realize that you’ve fallen behind, and will slow down or stop alongside the road to wait for you (if you are all in one group, and not groups of riders). Once you’re back underway, catch up to the road captain at a safe speed - do NOT race as fast as you can to catch up; you’re not going to be left behind or get lost. If you are riding in a group along with other groups being led by road captains, the road captain in the group following you will catch up to you. Let that road captain pull his group around you, then you (and whomever is with you) should fall in at the rear of that group. Until that happens, ride responsibly, just as though you were still riding in your original group, before you got separated.

How can I get my event photos posted on the NTHOG web site’s photo gallery?
It’s getting to the point where digital cameras are getting cheaper to own, and that makes it easier to share photos. However, some folks still use print film cameras, and that makes it a little more challenging to share photos - the only downside to film prints is that they have to be physically scanned into a digital format (which takes more time and effort). We have adopted a single point of contact approach when chapter members want to submit photos, and that person is the chapter photographer. That person will receive your photos, either through email or by you creating a CD of your photos, which you deliver to the photographer. Don’t worry about resizing the photos, as we’ll do that for you - just make sure that you only submit the photos you want published on the web site. We only exercise minimal content control (for patently offensive or objectionable content), and we may decide to dump the shots that are out of focus or shots of the back of someone’s head, for example (those happen a lot when the passenger has a finger on the shutter release button and the rider hits a bump on the road). Otherwise, your artistic talents are left intact for all others to share. One final point regarding content - try to submit photos from NTHOG chapter events, and not personal rides. We do make allowances for memorable trips and events outside of the NTHOG realm, but they are the exception to the general rule. This site is for NTHOG members, and should reflect the interests of its members within the chapter’s activities.

One other reminder, if you decide to email your photos to the chapter photographer: Try to use a program like WinZip to store all of your photos in one file prior to attaching to an email message. It makes it much easier to save one attachment rather than trying to save many attachments, one at a time...

When are the monthly Officers Meetings? Can I attend one?
The chapter officers hold a planning meeting the first Tuesday of each month. The location is published in the monthly HOGazette newsletter, as well as this web site’s Guestbook, and the NTHOG Hotline. Topics discussed are upcoming chapter events, rides, and activities, as well as reports of the operations of the chapter’s leadership. At the end of the meeting, discussion is thrown open to all for any topics that merit chapter attention. Any chapter member is welcome to attend, as the officers are there for your benefit, not theirs. A lot of good rides and events begin as suggestions presented at officers meetings, so avail yourself of the opportunity. You get out of your chapter what you put into it!