Here are some brief descriptions that might help you follow the ride reports:
DamTour – Self-guided tour of 20 designated dams – 8 in WA, 8 in OR and 4 ‘bonus’ dams in neighboring states. The season is March through September. You get a pin for each state you complete and an awesome crystal award if you get all 20. We are determined to get the crystal this year! Basically, we ride to each dam whenever we want, along whatever route we want, and take our picture in front of it holding a numbered placard received with our registration. (If you look real close at our placards you’ll notice that Steve and I are on them.) (http://damtour.com/index.html)
WingWA – Self-guided tour where we ride, again whenever and however we want, to designated locations and take our picture in front of their sign. This tour includes a wide variety of locations throughout Washington – 5 locations in 5 different categories (“Green Washington”, Zoos & Wildlife, Gardens, General Stores, and Chinese Food) plus another 12 bonus sites (Marinas & Boat Launches). We turn our photos in at the banquet in October and the more pictures you turn in the more tickets you receive for a variety of raffle items. (http://www.wingwashington.com)
RCMC Grand Tour – This is another self-guided tour put on by a group out of Portland. For this one we have April through September to ride to designated locations and have them stamp our “passport” book. There are 19 “checkpoints”, 14 in OR and 5 in “nearby” states. Checkpoints net you opportunities to win an item in their sweepstakes. (http://www.rose-city-mc.org/RCFrameset.html)
Rides – This is what we generally call an organized event, a planned ride with lots of others. This is what I mean when I say “we have a ride this weekend”. Versus “We’re going for a ride” which means we’re just going out to tool around on the bike. We have a ride or event almost every weekend from now through October.
Chapter “…” – Chapter ride, Chapter event, Chapter mtg all refer to our Gold Wing Touring Association (GWTA) chapter. Not having enough to do 😉 we recently joined a group of Gold Wing riders. There are monthly meetings, weekly rides, business meetings and, along with other GWTA chapters, campouts and a variety of events. (http://www.auburnvalleywings.org)
We Love Our Wing 
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