ABOUT SALTIREBLUE MCC
Our Aim | Club Structure | Our Members | Membership Fee | GLME | Our Name
SaltireBlue Motorcycle Club was founded in August 2007 by three gay bikers from Edinburgh and Glasgow. Our first club run didn't break any records for distance. It was just an afternoon ride from Aberfoyle to Stronachlachar.
After admiring and photographing the view across Loch Katrine we continued our journey to the end of the road. At Inversnaid, on the east shore of Loch Lomond, we decided to stop for some refreshments before turning our bikes around and retracing our route back to Aberfoyle.
Our Aim
The aim of SaltireBlue MCC has always been clear. We want to share the enjoyment of motorcycling in Scotland with other Scottish lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender bikers.
Being a Scottish motorcycle club we appreciate the large distances which separate some members. So we try to be imaginative with our diary of events. We want to ensure that there is something which caters for as many people as possible.
We often have one-day bike runs which set off from Stirling, Perth or Gourock. Half-day and evening bike runs are popular during the summer, when it stays lighter for longer. Members also combine motorcycling weekends with other events, for example a bike rally or a music festival. A variety of accommodation is also considered for trips away. Camping, youth hostels, B&Bs and budget hotels. So there is something for everyone's budget.
Due to our modern lifestyles we understand that it is not possible for everyone to bike at the weekend. So we encourage members to arrange bike runs for weekdays when they're available.
Club Structure
The structure of SaltireBlue MCC is simple. We do not have a president nor do we have a committee. When setting-up the club the three founding members decided that we should focus our energy on going motorcycling rather than sitting in meetings talking about it.
Of course some SaltireBlue MCC members have to perform necessary administration functions for the club. In December we have an annual meeting where we discuss the past, present and future activities of the club. All club members are invited to this meeting and as SaltireBlue MCC is an inclusive club we want all of our members to actively participate in it.
Our Members
SaltireBlue currently has 29 members across Scotland (August 2010). Our membership includes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender bikers, plus heterosexual members who are at ease motorcycling with us. We ride a diverse range of motorcycles from 250cc to 1600cc machines. Some are new to biking and have only recently past their tests, whilst others have been motorcycling for more years that we care to remember.
Living in Scotland we know that we don't often get great weather. So when the sun shines we want to take full advantage of it. That's why SaltireBlue MCC promotes the use of the web, email, SMS texts and telephone, so that members can notify each other about bike runs at very short notice.
We like to think that this approach is more appropriate for the 21st Century than sending out a photocopied monthly diary of events by post. As a result you'll find that there is at least one SaltireBlue event taking place somewhere in Scotland during most weeks of the year.
In addition, by using electronic methods of communication, SaltireBlue MCC members are helping the Club achieve its goal of being a paperless organisation. This is the reason why you will never find a PO Box address for the Club. If you want to contact us, simply send us an email.
Membership Fee
As SaltireBlue MCC is a non-profit organisation we are keen to keep our membership fees as low as possible. Currently it costs £12 per year for someone to be a member of SaltireBlue MCC.
As we are a paperless organisation, we do not incur large postage costs nor do we have to pay for expensive PO Box numbers. The money raised through Club membership fees is primarily used to pay for the services provide to SaltireBlue MCC by our internet service provider. Some of the money is also used to pay for our online payment facilities.
We are sorry, but we DO NOT offer reduced membership fees for the unwaged, students or for couples who may want to join SaltireBlue MCC.
Gay And Lesbian Motorcyclists in Europe [GLME]
The Gay and Lesbian Motorcyclists in Europe was founded in 1989 by six gay and lesbian motorcycle clubs across Europe.
The main activity of the GLME is to organise two annual motorcycle 'camps' for around 150 bikers. The first camp takes place at Ascension weekend, which is usually in May, and lasts for 4 days. The second camp is one week-long and is held at the end of August.
Member clubs of GLME take it in turn to organise these camps. They find good locations and arranging bike runs and evening entertainment. Individuals can participate these GLME camps by being a member of an affiliated GLME club.
In 2008 SaltireBlue MCC applied to the GLME Federation to become a new member club. We were thrilled when this application was unanimously accepted. As we are an official GLME club we can also offer members a wider range of motorcycling experiences with the opportunity to participate in the two annual GLME camps around Europe.
Our Name
When setting up the club we decided to give ourselves an abstract name. We thought about the 2003 debate held in the Scottish parliament, when politicians tried to decide which shade of blue should be used as the background for our national flag.
Their conclusion was that an azure - or Pantone 300 in the international colour code - should be the background for the white Cross of St Andrew's, or "Saltire" as it's more commonly known.
It didn't take us very long to rearrange the two words and for SaltireBlue to be born.