Time once again to welcome all the new kids on the block. I try to do this a couple times a year to spread the cheer and edumakate all youse recent arrivals.
STOC (ST Owners Club) was started as a joke and off-shoot of the old Denizens Of Doom, arguably the first on-line "virtual" motorcycle club (still active, btw, Google it.) Anyhoo, my son Derek had enlisted a few fellow ST owners and linked them all together via e-mail (PrairieNet, Northern Illinois University link.) He called me at work one day to ask if there was a way to link all the addys so he didn't have to type'em all in every time.
Told him how to do an "alias" and all the rest is
hiSTory.
He started putting together an electronic newsletter called STuff, hooked up with Charlie Woods (STOC #2) and things expanded from there.
After Derek passed, Charlie took over, then Jim Alexander, Don Feyma (st-riders.net) and now Joe Norris at this site.
Several other sites also serve STs and other models (my-mc.com) and several others. Google Pan European for more.
To get a STOC #, send an email to Don Feyma (
don@feyma.org) with your location and real name. He'll enter you into the registry and send you your number. That number plus $5.95 will get ya a double-frappe-latte-creamy-moca-fruity-iced-coffee at $tarbuck$
Also, you
must have a STOC # to subscribe at
st-riders.net, the original liST. STill active but smaller than this site, st-riders was/is the culmination of the original STuff newsletters. More oriented to the original ST-1100 also.
At
this site, click Home and check the list of planned events in the left column. From Home, click Forums and check all the available sub-forums for those that interest ya most. Hard to read every new message but you can customize your interests from mostly technical to mostly folks and everything in between.
So, welcome to the site, newbies. Please join in and be active, contribute as much as ya glean, and enjoy your time here. It's not the only ST site but among the best and most active.
Don't be a one-poST wonder!!
Enjoy, and...
GO RIDE!!!!
<edit, add, 2-14-2012> [-]For folks who've joined since 12-24-2010, ignore all the info about "New Look".[/-] (Deleting info about the changes, it's been over a year.)
<adding> I'm now fond of saying, this site has transcended just motorcycles and has become a virtual community. We have the best form of government ever invented: Benevolent Dictatorship, Joe is the best.
Our Community has developed to the point of helping each other with way more than just motorcycle advice, way more than Derek ever envisioned. Physical help at Tech days, loaner tools, tar changing sites around the country. And personal help, from an overnight bed to money collection, to physical rescue. And prayers, can't forget the prayers.
Community, it's where we're at. I'd like to say I'm looking forward to the 2012 season, 'cept I've already been to three events this young year. Much more to come.
<edit, add, 2-26-2012> Another Arizona RTE today, this time at the Kofa Cafe near Hope, AZ. It's still February but barely. The rest of the country is still in the throes of winter but AZ (and CA) generally have 12 months of riding. There hasn't been near the usual amount of PMS this year as we've all benefited from an easy weather situation; still enuff winter left for that to change quickly.
I have miles to ride before Moonshine, but most here consider it to be the official start of our season. Hope to see a bunch of y'all there. 'Specially for the newbies, if you want a longer ride in April, Casey, IL is the place to be. 'Til next time...
<edit, add, 9-4-2012, just adding STuff> Sitting at The STrayCatt Mansion in Aurora, IL,,, babysitting my grand daughter and generally helping 'round the house. Also sitting close watch on Deba's dad as he is on a decline... Just buried my mother last week, now watching as Paul fades,,, sad times but such is life.
Since poSTing here last, I've been to Moonshine 14 times, plus many more miles following the events around the country. Coming weekend has WiSTOC, hope to get up there if family matters allow. Nothing more to add but feel good about staying in contact with the new kids on the block.
<edit, add> 12-18-2012 Sadly removing references to My-Mc.com and ST1100.org as STeinar has taken down both forums. Waiting to hear from Don when he gets the STOC # data base up and running at st-riders.net. More updates to come.
<edit, add> 1-4-2013 Added Don Feyma's e-mail addy (
don@feyma.org) as the new source of STOC #s.
<edit, add> 5-15-2013 No real changes, but we are well into another season and many more new members (well over 17000 currently) and more scheduled events than ever before. This club is now over 19 years old. We should figure a special celebration for next this time next year.
<edit, add> 12-10-2015. Wow! Falling down on the job. It's been over 2 years since I updated this poST. Good reasons, tho, we are in a sweet spot and there's really nothing more to say.
Still growing with folks coming and going and going and coming. In my own case, a 3 week trip to India last year, with good friends from this site and new friends met there. Fun times.
My life is changing but I'll remain a fixture here. Might not see as much of me as in the paST, but always available if needed. A few of our recurring events remain on my calendar: Moonshine Lunch Run, NATSTOC, and Christmas STOCing are required, and any others I can fit in. I'm moving back to Indiana after the first of the year but they know Internet there so I can still be here.
Call me if ya need me.
2-10-2016
Well the move is complete, I'm now a resident of Vincennes, Indiana. Gotta go back to Kingman next month to get the bike, didn't have room to haul it all.
Posted a copy of Derek's Obit on 2-7. Would have been his 46th B-Day. Time flies.
Glad to see folks still logging on at this site. He left us a legacy like no one anticipated.
Call me if ya need me.
9-8-2016 Wow, time sure does fly. And so did I, to go pick up lipSTick and ride her back to Indiana. Unfortunately, the ride came to an abrupt end on the 303 at US-60 on the west side of Phoenix. A too close encounter with a service truck 'n trailer ended her. I walked away but she'll never roll again. That was on April 1, no joke.
Caught a ride back to Indiana, bought a well used 83 Naked 'Wing, and have been wrenching and riding her ever since. All is good. STrayCatt (younger son) sold his '91 with 102,000 miles, and bought a used '13 CB500-X so for the first time in 24 years, there are no STs in CattFamily garage. But the model bike makes no difference. I often wonder what Derek would be riding now. Regardless, I know what he would be saying to us all...
GO RIDE!!!!
4-16-2017 More updates. Moved again. Another wreck. Old age has reared it's ugly head. But still riding. I expect the essence of STOC to continue for a long time to come
In addition to my 83 Wing, I now have a 2015 NC700X DCT. Could be a good bike minus the small tank. I'll fix that. In the meantime, just more frequent stops. I need'em anyway with my bad back. Took a while, but age is taking its toll. New tack for me: trailering. Carry the bike, park the truck, and Go Ride! Works for me. Truck is a loooong wheelbase Freighliner Sprinter, 2 passenger cab, 6 1/2 foot RV space, and 8 1/2 foot toy box in the rear, room for both bikes. I can live in it and travel/stop as needed. Just got it last week so the interior is a work in progress. Expect to see it at some events this season. My "official address is The STrayCatt Mansion but I'm only there infrequently. My primary port-of-call is in Oaktown, Indiana because of the space, to park this bus and do construction and maintenance. Third spot is back at The CattHouse,which is a great pivot point for touring in the west. Deba welcomes me as long as I do some small chores but, as always, wants to know within a week when I'm leaving again.
Time to get this party on the road and... GO RIDE!!!! Next up: Austin Gran Prix.