Hello, my name is Slobi and I received the Most Improved Rider award, for 2022 riding season!!

This is very special award for me, and I am very proud of it.  Since I joined the group, in 2021, I was hopeful that one day I will be worthy of getting this award. Riding a motorcycle become a huge thing in my life and the award brought so much happiness to me, and a desire to improve my riding abilities even more!.

Riding was introduced to me 7 years ago when I was riding on the back of my friend’s bike. I loved it but right away I knew that I didn’t want to be a passenger. The following summer I took a motorcycle course and got my class 6 in 2018. My first bike was a Suzuki Marauder 125. I was driving it for a couple of months and realized that I need a bigger bike. Soon after, I bought a Honda Shadow 750 and was much happier with that bike. Of course, life then got busy, and I didn’t ride as much as I wanted to.

In 2020 I visited Cycle Works Edmonton, and after meeting Jay, who showed me the amazing Indian Scout 60, I didn’t take much time to come back and order one!!  After my Scout arrived, I was connected with IMRG 1904, by Jay, and that was the best thing ever! So much so that in 2022, I upgraded my Scout 60 to an Indian Chieftain, to give me the power and comfort I wanted, after getting some kms under me. I love my Chieftain so much!

I joined IMRG 1904 riders’ group as an inexperienced rider. During the last two season my riding has improved a lot. Riders in the group have contributed to that a lot! They have really supported me, given me invaluable feedback on my riding, and encouraged me to have fun and trust myself. The group members were always patient with me on our group rides and I was always felt safe and secure riding with them.

Riding in the group is a special feeling. You have a strong sense of belonging, to be riding with a group of riders that are great riders and people. Riding in the group requires specialized knowledge of group riding rules, how to be safe, and ultimately carries a big responsibility to be mindful of my own riding and care for other riders as well.

Riding in the group has many other benefits as well! There is a lot of fun and socializing during our rides.  Making new friends, developing a strong sense of connections with your group members and heading out on new adventures that you may not seek out on your own!.

My advice for a new rider is to be a patient, practice a lot, ride whenever you have a chance, don’t give up, be open to suggestions and advice from other riders and ask questions about anything you are not sure about. It’s ok to be scared as well, I am still scared at times! The best result will come with practicing repeatedly.

My favorite riding experience, to date, is hard to single out because we have had so many awesome rides this last season and every single one is special on a different way!! But… I would share my WCIC  2022 Revelstoke ride.

The night before leaving Edmonton to travel to Revelstoke to ride, I was still deciding whether I would ride my Scout or Chieftain… which I was still a little scared to ride. After reaching out to other group members, I made my decision- Chieftain will be. I knew I would be supported by my riders’ group. I rode 700 km in one day and with that huge bike… it was an amazing experience!! Our Road Captains helped with my riding position, in the group, and made sure that I was safe all times. I can honestly say that without support from all our IMRG 1904 group riders, I don’t know if I would have made it, on my new, much bigger bike. After we arrived, I felt so proud of myself and extremely thankful to my rider’s family for helping make that moment possible!

Hello my name is Sharon

I’ve always loved motorcycles. I loved everything about them, the look, the sound, the effortless motion they offered. My first “bike” was a red and white molded plastic ride-on toy with “realistic” engine sounds if you cranked a handle on the gas tank. I was 4. I used to ride that down the hill in the front yard pretending the plastic exhaust pipes were foot pegs and wishing down to the bottom of my soul that it would just keep on going and going…

In my young 20’s I got my first actual street bike, a Honda Rebel 250. It was blue. Though it was fun around the city I was always looking for a 6th gear that was never there. I sold it after a few years. In 2019 I was going to buy a motorcycle one way or the other! I went to the 2019 Edmonton Bike Show where I met some of the IMRG 1904 group members and fell in love with a red Indian Scout. So, I booked a test ride, showed up, and rode a Scout. Then I sat on a Chief, that was it!! I was going to buy a Chief Dark Horse! I loved the Dark Horse look in black. But I needed hard, locking saddlebags so our dealer representative, Jay immediately guided me to a Springfield Dark Horse. I love my bike!

I first rode with the group for the 2019 Toy Run. I met so many amazing people that day! So welcoming! They didn’t know me at all, yet just after I arrived, there I was with antlers taped to my helmet, a part of the group… I was hooked.

The thing that struck me about IMRG 1904 is how people who start with only one thing in common become like family. I love you all! Our group is solid, welcoming, and comfortable for a lone woman to ride and hang out with. I see nothing but good things for our group in the future as new, and different members join us for our rides and other activities.

Fun facts about me: Though I hide it well, I actually do have a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from the U of A, 1989. I used to be very athletic.  When I was 13 I played on a mixed community softball team out in the country. One practice, most of us brought our dirt bikes. The RCMP showed up, we scattered, and that was the end of practice. It was also the end of riding our motorbikes to ball, but we all had a great story to tell on the school bus the next morning!

File this one under “Who Knew?”: I have a YouTube gaming channel called Gaming After50 featuring a zombie apocalypse survival, horde, crafting, building, game called 7 Days to Die. There is a motorcycle (and a minibike) in the game! I currently upload 2 long form videos and 1 short video per week, it’s a lot of work but I enjoy it. I also enjoy the creator community that I’m part of, mostly older gamers, a few of whom also ride.

I started riding and became a member of IMRG 1904, 2 years ago along with my wife, Heidi. As I was learning to ride one of the people who volunteered to ride with me was Chris Weiss, an IMRG 1904 member. I told him that we were planning to buy a couple of Indian bikes and he told me of the group. Chris took both Heidi and myself on a number of rides and I learned many riding skills from his mentorship. I joined up once my bike arrived. Heidi and I always talked of riding and one year I asked her what she wanted for her birthday. She said a motorcycle. I said since we have never ridden how about mutual birthday gifts of the motorcycle safety course. We both took the course and we’re immediately hooked!

We went to a couple of dealerships to check out the bikes and we both decided on Indians. Heidi has a Scout and I have a Chief Dark Horse. There were two deciding factors in our purchase: we both liked the look and comfort of the bikes (able to touch the floor and well balanced) and we both were impressed with Jay Padilla as a salesperson. The first group memories are how friendly and accepting everyone was.

My favourite IMRG memory is the first group ride. It was a quite a feeling to be a part of large group of riders heading down the highway. Certainly had “Born to be Wild” playing in my head. What I find unique in IMRG 1904 is there are no ego’s just people who want to ride and don’t make judgements on who or what you are.

Although I started riding later in life (without revealing age I have been pulling CPP for a few years) everyone in IMRG 109 have been very supportive. One day I was Cycleworks when Mark Bizanz, fellow IMRG 1904 member, was there. He said, “let’s ride”. It was early in riding experience and probably my longest ride to that point was around 50K. Before I knew it, we were in Camrose having a “Timmies”. I must admit it was daunting at first, but it hooked me into more group riding and group events.

My most memorable Indian trip is more of a collection of rides thanks to Shawna Michaud Weiss. Her challenge rides to the Alberta monuments led to many rides to different parts of Alberta on various types of roads. Each one was a new adventure and each one led to more confidence in riding.

When I’m not riding, I keep busy with a post retirement job (I’m usually done by 9:30 am each day) and running a Karate club. I have had the club for about 30 years, and I run classes three times a week. We also have training seminars and tournaments.

When I’m not riding my bike in the summer then I am usually riding in my 1979 MGB that I purchased in 1980!

I’m originally an Edmonton native but moved from Edmonton in 1997 to live overseas In Israel and then relocated to Australia for a couple of years.  Following that we backpacked Asia for a year, before relocating to Orange County California.

When I left Edmonton, population was about 750,000.  Gretzky followed me to California.  I swear, I didn’t talk him into following me.  My roots are still here with family and memories.

I didn’t begin riding until 2007. My first bike was a Triumph Bonneville.  The Second a Triumph 2010 Thunderbird.  At the Progressive Motorcycle Show in 2015 I saw my first Indian and loved the “retro look” of the Roadmaster Red and Cream! That bike is still my favorite for cross country riding!!   In 2020 I added the Indian Challenger, dark horse, to my collection.  My reasoning (excuse for purchasing the bike) was so that I wouldn’t have to remove the trunk from the Roadmaster when the wife wasn’t with me!

I can’t explain why I love the Indian Roadmaster or Challenger.  Every time I stop, someone wants to talk about the bike..their “grandfather had one”, “it’s so retro”, “love the color”, etc.).

Riding the freeways in California sure took some getting used to.  It took me about a year of riding experience before forcing myself to contend with the freeway traffic.  Traffic here is getting worse and as I get older the speed limit signs are making more sense!

When I purchased the Roadmaster, the dealer and I discussed a riding group and IMRG came up.  No one wanted to step forward to start a Chapter.   I was a RideDdirector and Group Organizer of another riding group, so I had experience in running this type of rider’s group.  I offered to found and set up the IMRG Orange County Chapter and so we began to grow!

Over 6 1/2 years I was the President of the OC IMRG Chapter.  During that time, I was in contact with other Chapter members and officers both through Facebook and in person.  A small group of us were constantly a pain in the backside of the National organizer. We were able to get major changes from them allowing Chapters to print their own materials and get shirts printed, etc. from local sources.

I joined the 1904 Chapter in order to keep options for moving back to Canada, but also because I see the Chapter as being a progressive entity in IMRG!  Plus, I actually like you guys!!

Besides being the first (although given the 1904 label) chapter, I think being involved with multiple chapters is a benefit in sharing experiences in how Chapters can work and grow as well as sharing other opportunities that I have had in my other groups.

When I first started organizing and running rides in 2008 my original riding group was about 118.  Today that same group which I still help run has over 4100 members.  The OCIMRG has now grown to over 400 registered members.

My wife and I are taking longer trips now that we are retired.  I also am involved in helping setup and run some of the Regional Indian Motorcycle events. The opportunity helping out with these events takes time (which I have a lot of) and also provides me the opportunity in giving back to the Riding community.

Recently we travelled to the WCIC in Kimberley BC.  From there we continued on to Dawson City Yukon.  The entire trip was over 44 days and 9500 miles and one oil change from when we left Orange County.  The experience was challenging, exhilarating and fabulous! The events we participated in, the people we met and experiences we shared on this trip were unforgettable.

This coming year we are planning on Tucson Rendezvous April 12, Durango Rendezvous June 9-15 and through the US and Canada to ECIC July 4-6 and back to the WCIC.  We might consider a chase vehicle for this trip, just in case.

It’s great being an out-of-town member of the IMRG 1904 as I still get notifications and comments on Facebook from Chapter Members.  In addition, if any members come out our way, we have some great riding areas which I can introduce you to.  This in itself is why being a member of IMRG is effective.  You meet people and have the opportunity to show them your part of the country!

Join me on Facebook if you have an account.  I always appreciate seeing the Edmonton Group and look forward to the Zoom meetings.  Sorry I can’t participate in your Toy Run. I don’t have a set of winter tires for the Bike 😊