G.R.A.S.S.

A major focus of our Club is to provide a safe riding environment for our members and guests. To maintain this environment, we conduct a Group Riding and Safety Seminar, or G.R.A.S.S., for our members and guests a minimum of four times a year. Attendance at a G.R.A.S.S session is required for all new members within their first year of membership, every 3 years thereafter and is encouraged as a refresher course for all members to remain in good standing. The seminar is a classroom presentation, approximately three hours long, with no riding exercises. It is taught by our Senior Road Captains.

All G.R.A.S.S. classes are held at multiple locations typically starting at 8 AM with a ½ hour social of coffee, donuts, and bagels. G.R.A.S.S. starts promptly at 8:30 AM and lasts until approximately 11:30 PM.

This seminar does not teach members how to ride. It simply teaches new members how our Club rides. This lecture and video presentation consists of five (5) modules:

Top Cats Group Riding Protocol including, hand signals, formations, and parking.
Riding with a co rider (passenger), MC dynamics, adjustments, duties, responsibilities.
Road Captain responsibilities beginning with planning, execution of the ride, and follow up.
Accident scene management (hopefully we never need this one) starting with the incident and including, skills needed, requirements, responsibilities, and hand off to emergency personnel.
Road Captain Training module for Top Cats Rides starting with all planning activities up to and including the ride, day of the ride responsibilities, and Mentoring of all Road Captains.

The schedule for 2015, as posted on our Events Calendar is:

Sun Jan 18: Road Captains and Senior Road Captains only
Sun Feb 8: McHenry HOG and Top Cat Members
Sun May 17: Members and Guest
Sun Jul 26: Pre Sturgis Members and Guest
Sun Oct 25: Members and Guest

GRASS is presented to other local MC organizations upon request, at no cost and, guests are always welcome unless exclusivity is specified.