I had an enjoyable time participating as a judge at a motorcycle police riding competition that was held recently in an exurb of Washington, DC. I got to spend two days interacting with about 100 motor officers from various jurisdictions from the states of Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, as well as the non-state District of Columbia. The officers represented U.S. Government agencies, as well as state, county, and city jurisdictions.

So there I am… right there in the thick of the action, watching skilled riders go through courses during the competition, and also enjoying discussions during “down time”.

I know some gay men who would be thrilled to have that opportunity. Me?
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On Saturday, I was fortunate enough to serve as a judge again for the largest police motorcycle riding competition in the United States (so I’m told). This year, it was held 70 miles south of where I live. It was a long ride down there, but I rode with skilled riders from my club, who also served as judges. Got there safely in 90 minutes.

Over the next few days, I will write about this event and share some photos. It will take me a while to crop and edit the pictures that I took to post them in the cop gallery on my website. When the gallery is completed, I will announce it here.

It was nice to meet a regular visitor of this blog who came all the way from Seattle to vacation on the East Coast, including spending a day at this event. He and I have exchanged several email messages. It is wonderful to put a face with a name.

I also met another regular reader of this blog with whom I had not communicated before. A cop from a Virginia PD came up to me and said, “are you that booted dude guy?” Not quite knowing what that was about, I asked, “what do you mean?” To that he replied, “I read your blog. It’s informative. And that Guide to Motorcycle Police Patrol Boots is awesome!” Seriously, a cop told me that he thought my guide about police boots was awesome. Wow! (Nice cop, too. We had a great conversation about his work.)

It was a great event. Very well-organized and efficiently run. There were fewer entrants this year than in years past, and no one knows quite why. Oh well, it was great for those who were able to participate. These cops have riding skills that are — in a word — awesome!

Life is short: enjoy awesomeness!

I had a crazy-busy weekend, what with replacing one of my decks, building an entry ramp for a senior pal to make it easier for her to get into her home, and lots of other stuff. Fortunately, my partner was feeling better, so I felt comfortable enough to leave him for a few hours to help some friends practice for a big event that they will be entering next week.
I enjoy watching such skills and the camaraderie with my friends.

Check back in about a week or so for more photos during the real event.

Meanwhile — life is short: help the cops when you can.

Took some time yesterday to watch some local motor officers do a demonstration of their riding skills, as they prepare for a major competition in two weeks.

Here’s a friend showing what I need to remember to do: look where you want the bike to be, not in front of you or where you’re going. The bike will go where you look.
Here’s another one demonstrating the same skill.
Here’s a view of one of our local motormen relaxing on his bike. Nice dress instep Dehner boots with half-sole and Vibram 100 lug soles.
Here’s a wider view, same cop.More Practice: And my friend finally got new boots — his old boots were beat up badly. Nice Boots, MC!Life is short: respect what trained motor officers do — not only in skilled riding, but in serving us every day.

Over time, numerous search engine questions have directed visitors to my Guide to Motorcycle Patrol Boots, but with questions that until now have not been addressed. Questions have been about the parts of a patrol boot — shaft circumference and closure, foot design, and sole — and if and how those parts can be customized to fit specific interests.
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A guy by the name of Greg submitted a comment on a recent blog post titled “Watching Cops Compete“, where he asked,

I am thinking about attending a motorcycle cop competition as a spectator. I like looking at cops and I am quite serious about photography (as an art form), so I thought those events might be fun.

Do those events typically welcome civilians to just go and watch? Are there specific events that you recommend?

My reply (with a little bit more):
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The county in the state where I live has a rather large police force, including a motorcycle squad. I have had the pleasure of being escorted by these officers on some official rides, as well as ride with them on their off-time when they join rides that my club sponsors.

When my local county motorcops show up in uniform to escort a ride for us, I look at their boots, and I’ve been disappointed with what I see.
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