Medora Oh,Medora
Level 4
Master Tour Rider
What does it mean to you?
Well, Here is what it means to a very proud
Master Tour Rider
Craig Dockter
September 1, 2008
79949. Just another number on an odometer to everybody else in the world, but to me it will always be one of my best memories. Let's start at the beginning. Once upon a time I owned a motorcycle. I was young and in the Navy. To make a real long story real short... boy meets girl, boy gets out of Navy, boy sells motorcycle, boy marries girl and for the next 28 summers threatens to buy another motorcycle. Finally, in the spring of 2005 I didn't really buy one, I sort of inherited a non-running Goldwing 1200 Aspencade that quite a bit of money, time and work restored to running order.
I'm much older now and I had a goal of being the safest rider I could be. I had heard of the ERC, experienced rider course, and wondered if I could gain enough skill to pass it. I rode about 4000 miles that riding season, 2005. In the off-season I was introduced to the GWRRA by Ralph and Darlene Jose and promptly introduced to our chapter educator Gary Carlson. Gary enrolled me in rider education as a Level I rider. Over the next 3 summers I rode, mostly with our chapter, sometimes out on my own and progressed through Level II and Level III. During those summers I took (and passed) 3 ERC classes, 2 CPR and 3 first aid classes and bought first aid kits to carry on the motorcycle. I met every requirement to reach the top of rider education, Level IV, or Master Tour Rider, except one. I did not have the 25,000 safe miles. My safe miles started counting when I joined GWRRA in 2006.
On Sept. 1 , 2008, I reached the pinnacle of rider education, Level IV. Appropriately, at a town called Summit, South Dakota while returning from the GWRRA region E rally, and riding with 8 other members of North Dakota Chapter D. At Summit we stopped and had quite a celebration with hand shakes, picture taking and horn 'toots'. Thanks again to Ben and Jan, Keith and Marsha, Keith and Joanne and Mike and Char. It's very fitting that I was on a Chapter event ride when I crossed that 25,000th mile. I could not have done it without the rides to rallies (1 Wing Ding, 3 Region E, 1 MN district) and the North Dakota district 'Wings to Wing' rides (2 of them) and the Wednesday and Friday chapter rides. And I especially could not have done it without our chapter educator. Gary schedules the ERC courses, schedules and teaches the first aid and CPR classes and maintains the paperwork. In other words, while I get to wear the patch, a lot of people helped me earn it and I want say a big 'THANK YOU' to Chapter D.
So, on September 1, 2008, on I-29 at a town called Summit in South Dakota I officially earned my blue-bordered Level IV patch with gold number 6953. It may not be the most earth-shattering news, but I join the 6952 people who are ahead of me in making it to the top of rider education. I achieved a goal, passing the ERC. I've also gotten a lot more. The friendship and experiences of riding with other people who make safety a top priority. As far as being the safest rider I can be? Well, that's a work in progress and hopefully will be for many more miles, and years, to come.
Way to go Craig
Gary & Arlene Carlson