Hello!

We are PA-I. More correctly…
GWRRA - District of Pennsylvania - Chapter I (the letter)
In order to tell you about us, we need to tell you about Gold Wing Road Riders Association.

WHAT IS GWRRA?

GWRRA (Gold Wing Road Riders Association) was established in 1977 by Paul Hildebrand and Shirley Stevens-Garcia. We are NOT A CLUB; rather we are a not-for-profit SOCIAL ORGANAZATION. Our motto, “FRIENDS FOR FUN, SAFETY AND KNOWLEDGE” says a lot about our goals.

GWRRA is an international organization with members in all of the 50 U.S.A. States and several other countries. Headquarters are in Phoenix, Arizona.

STRUCTURE:

The National office of GWRRA appoints Districts, and Districts appoint Chapters. Guidelines and information are passed down from National through the Districts to the Chapter Director whose job it is to keep the Chapter participants up to date on all that is happening and, in turn, pass participant information upward through the proper channels.

In a nutshell… National is the head – District are the arteries - Chapter participants are the heart and soul of Gold Wing Road Riders Association.

We (Chapter I) are one of 21 Chapters in the District of Pennsylvania.
Because of the unique structure of GWRRA you JOIN the organization and have freedom to PARTICIPATE in ANY chapter.

PA-I HISTORY

In 1981, Bill & Peg Zortman bought a Honda Gold Wing motorcycle and joined GWRRA. They rode alone and with friends attending BMW rallies until being introduced to the phenomenon of a GWRRA Chapter in 1985 while attending the Gold Wing Road Riders Association International Rally in Knoxville, Tennessee. There were no chapters in the Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania area so they started one.

GWRRA PA-I was Chartered on January 6, 1986 following a “kickoff” meeting in the Blueroom Restaurant held during a major winter storm and attended by 59 people. Of those 59 hardy souls, six were Region and District officers (Bill & Betty Kitchin, Region B Directors; Leroy & Teeny Hake, PA State Directors; and Danny & Peggy Travis, PA State Safety Coordinators). Six were GWRRA members (Bill & Peg Zortman, Vaughn & Sharon Tapper, Dallas (Bud) & Charlotte Douthit); and the rest were there to see what it was all about.

Bill & Peg Zortman accepted the post of Area Representatives (now known as Chapter Directors) and Vaughn and the late Sharon Tapper were appointed as their assistants. During the first year there was much to learn. The new chapter traveled a lot and quickly grew into a large, happy family.

In that first year, a Chapter logo was created by member Bud Howell with input from all the chapter participants. A Chapter Banner was put together by chapter participant Nancy Rash. Nancy also sewed the denim vests on which the new chapter participants hung pins and sewed patches.
They were a camping chapter. Most hauled a “TraveLite” popup behind their Gold Wing Motorcycle. As chapter leaders changed they morphed from camping to moteling then back to camping again. The one thing that has never changed is the camaraderie and the fun the PA-I people have.

WHAT DOES PA-I DO?

We ride. We have ice cream rides. We have camping trips. We have picnics. We travel to interesting places near and far. It might be an evening ride to see bats fly out of a cave or a daytime ride to see eagles soar. It could be a weekend camping trip, a week long “Big trip” or even something like the multi-week tour at one time made to Montana with stops in all the most interesting places.

We join with other PA Chapters at their events and at our PA District Rally each year where the location and the theme may change but the bottom line is always FUN.

We meet and travel year-round in all weather. If it’s not good for riding the motorcycle, we use other means of transportation; but we still go, do, and see. We travel as a group or simply meet at a predetermined destination.

There are GWRRA guidelines; but only few hard and fast rules. The Chapter Staff takes care of all the business with input from the participants; and all you need to do is participate and enjoy. We now have variety of Chapter wear, items, and sources for vests; but wearing them is optional unless you become an officer.

The only thing about which we are serious is SAFETY. There are free seminars and hands on training available to GWRRA members. We are constantly learning new things about motorcycling and a broad spectrum of other subjects as well.

HOW CAN I BE A PART OF GWRRA PA-I?

To be a participant of Chapter I there are only two criteria… be a member of GWRRA and attend PA-I functions. We might suggest you also bring a good sense of humor.

Come for a gathering, a ride, or any Chapter I event. We’d love to meet you.

Our Gatherings (we don’t call them meetings) are normally short, informative and fun. We are still centered in Reynoldsville with participants coming from many surrounding communities.

Why belong to GWRRA?

There are many benefits to becoming a GWRRA Member.  As a Member you will enjoy camaraderie and fellowship while enjoying the comfort of belonging to the largest family of Gold Wing/F6B and other touring motorcycle owners.  We like to share our pleasure in the freedom of riding motorcycles with others like ourselves. Our Members strive for improvement by attending GWRRA live, video and webinar safety workshops.  We offer an emergency towing and roadside assistance program called Rescue Plus. This is a benefit that ensures peace of mind, day or night.  Among our 60,000 + skilled and dedicated Members can find the answer to almost any question regarding the Gold Wing! Your special Membership Card signifies your membership, along with many other benefits such as; discounts at touring motorcycle dealerships, designated hotels, campgrounds and travel agencies. As a Member, whenever you need help traveling, our Gold Book Directory connects you with your nearest friends, worldwide.  Our most important benefit is sharing how to safely enjoy motorcycling in more ways than you thought possible.  Belong to GWRRA!

HOW DO I JOIN GWRRA?

You can obtain information and join the GWRRA by visiting the GWRRA website through one of the links that we have under the "Members" button at the top of any Chapter I website page. Once you join GWRRA, we will be notified of new members in our area, and of course you can contact us. You are also invited to visit any of our "gatherings" or events to check us out first if you would like.

Come see what we’re all about….

Look on our homepage to see when and where our current gathering are held.