What do you want?

What do you want out of a NW Chapter? Everyone seems to have their own idea, but I haven’t seen any visions articulated here. Is it a social corner for lite chat? A place to meet people, and maybe forge new friendships? A dating service? A place to organize trail runs? Discus land use issues or promote political change? Your own private clique where anarchists and funny lookin’ people need not apply? A place to display your wit and wisdom, maybe start a couple of flame wars?
I see the NW chapter as primarily a place to organize local trail runs. Some OT social chatter is good and healthy by helping to keep traffic flowing. already has Tech Forums, but sometimes a person may prefer to recruit local help for a project or problem. We may at some point want to tackle local land use issue, which again has it’s own forum.
Now we find ourselves stuck in a position where we have a lot of people, who don’t really know each other, divided by fairly long distances. For this Forum to be successful, we need to build some friendships here. And that just plain takes time. For the moment, I’d like to drop the rush to elect a BOD, and just concentrate on getting a few trail rides together, and maybe some meet ‘n greets. I’d like to see us open up the conversations a bit. Allow people to post trail runs or a few OT posts. I’d really like people to feel free to speak their mind, without have to worry about getting shot down. I’d like this to be an inclusive group with newbies, AARP’ers, students, families, posers, drunks, rednecks, Christians, maybe even a few hot lesbians. The important thing is just to get some conversation going here. I have a few ideas for starting some regular trail runs, but for the moment I’d like to hear from the rest of you.

I do not see a rush to elect a BOD. However, has afforded us this forum to organize a Chapter. That was only due to the fact that there seemed to be enough people to meet the requirement to start a Chapter, and it was requested. That initial phase of gathering enough interested people has passed. The next logical step is for the people that can to meet and begin to formalize what was started.

There have been several attempts at other chapters in the past. Usually, enough people show interest, but nobody really acts on it. Rather several get togethers, trail runs, etc... were organized. But the crucial steps never happned.... electing a BOD and making it happen. The whole thing falls apart, as then it becomes more of a venue for get togethers, rather than a Chapter. Once that happens, and it is clear no Chapter is forming, the Forum may be removed.

Unfortunately, there are differing and vocal views as to what people want. Some think we need to get on with what we started in motion. Some want to just organize some runs, get togethers, etc.... Somewhere there is a balance, but we must organize or there is no reason for this forum.

A Chapter is much more than a social or chat, etc... A Chapter will be involved in getting together, trail runs, etc... as well as hosting larger trail runs at some point for . They should also be involved in land use, trail clean-ups etc.... Friendships will build through this process, and the Chapter should become an asset to .

Unfortunately, I see a few people that appear to have some personal conflicts. This puts a cloud over the whole process. Everybody has a choice to make.... be involved, try to make positive change where they can, etc... The perception that some people have that this is any one persons gig needs to be lost. We need to keep our eye on the bigger picture... as a whole, and forming the Chapter.

IMHO, if people have a problem with an individual, they should be able to hold their head up, and be a positive influence. There will always be personal clashes, differing opinions, etc But we should be better than all of that.

The process is already in motion. The interest is there. We need to get on with it. Not everybody will like everything, not everybody will be interested. However, as long as those that are interested are willing to work towards organizing the Chapter, I think that is a good thing.
Glenn