Calgary Motorcycle Club hits a Milestone / Wade Youngman & Kevin Cholowsky

In this episode of Think Bike, host Lianne Langlois celebrates the 115th anniversary of the Calgary Motorcycle Club (CMC) with tour director Wade Youngman and social media manager Kevin Choloski. They discuss their personal journeys into motorcycling, the club's rich history, community activities, and the importance of safety and membership engagement. The conversation highlights the club's evolution from a dealer-run organization to a community-focused group, emphasizing the camaraderie and shared passion for motorcycling that has kept the CMC thriving for over a century.

Takeaways

• Wade has been riding for 55 years, inspired by his family.
• Kevin started riding at eight, influenced by family dynamics.
• The CMC was founded in 1911, not 1926 as previously thought.
• The club has evolved from dealer-run to community-focused.
• Safety is a top priority during group rides.
• The CMC organizes various events, including poker runs and historical rides.
• The 115th anniversary celebration included a meet and greet, poker run, and show and shine.
• Membership requires participation in meetings and rides to ensure a good fit.
• The club values active members over just collecting dues.
• The camaraderie among members is what makes the CMC special.

Sound Bites

• "We had a huge display of old memorabilia."
• "We had nothing but positive comments."
• "We don't want to just take people's money."
• "Safety is definitely a priority."
• "We treat it the same way, like Wade said."
• "The people are what keep it all going."

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to the Calgary Motorcycle Club's Legacy

05:38
The Origins and Evolution of the Calgary Motorcycle Club

10:21
Activities and Community Engagement of the CMC

13:18
Celebrating 115 Years: The Anniversary Event

18:59
Membership and Safety in the CMC

25:09
The Future of the Calgary Motorcycle Club