SCRC Loudoun VA Featured Member - January, 2021

Name:   Tom Geery

Nickname:   Tank

Marital Status:  Happily married

Location:  Leland, NC

Hometown:  McLean/Herndon, VA

Children:  2 - Conner & Patrick

Age:  67 very soon

Occupation:  Retired

Current motorcycle(s):  2016 Goldwing Audio/Comfort/Nav/ABS

How did you hear about the SCRC and when did you join?
Heard about SCRC from Julie back in 2007 when she was looking for a group to ride with. We both joined in July of that year.

How long have you been riding?
Since I was 16 with a few years interruption when we got married and Julie wanted nothing to do with riding motorcycles (!!!).

Have you ever taken a motorcycle safety course?
Many. Many. Moons ago.

What was your first bike?
71 Yamaha XS650 Twin

How many bikes have you owned?
Too many to count – got into dirt bike riding as well so between the street bikes and dirt bikes, it’d be a lot of work to figure out how many.

Have you ridden with an organized group before?
Not before SCRC.

What modifications have you done to your bike?
Mostly lighting – LED headlights and driving/fog lights; Muth mirrors with turn signals in them; taller and wider windshield for better passenger protection; Progressive Monotube front suspension to replace the wimpy Honda front suspension. There’s probably some more…

What accessories do you want to add to your bike?
Pretty much done, I think.

What is your dream bike?
I’m riding it.

What kind of riding do you like to do — straight-aways or twisties?
I really enjoy the twisties and sweepers and have a blast chasing each other through the turns with another spirited rider.

If you have a nickname, how did you get it? Tell the truth!
It was given to me by the First Officer at the time, Robin ‘Ricochet’ Migala (you don’t want to know she got her nickname!!). Evidently, I reminded her of “Thomas the Tank Engine” somehow – I don’t see it, myself!

What is your favorite riding route?
Say it with me here… Crest Hill, stop at Griffin Tavern for great eats, head over to 211 up over the mountain, grab Ft. Valley on up towards Front Royal (stop at C & C for some great ice cream!), grab Happy Creek out the back of Front Royal on up towards Rt. 50 and then either Mt. Carmel/River Rd. or Blue Ridge Mountain Rd. over to 7.

Do you ride your bike to work?
When I did work I was not allowed to ride to work – had to carry tools, etc. and the company forbade riding motorcycles to visit clients.

What is the fastest you’ve ridden?
Well north of 120.

What is your favorite time of year to ride?
Spring and fall – clear and crisp, cooler and usually no humidity.

Have you ever been down? If so, how were you hurt and what did you learn from the incident?
More than once and once pretty badly. All when I was young and stupid.

Have you ever done an "Iron Butt" ride?
I have done the equivalent of a double iron butt – I didn’t bother to certify the trip but I rode from Mesa Verde Colorado to home in two days, pretty much just over 1000 miles each day.

If not, what is the furthest you’ve ridden?
Been on multiple cross country trips, each around 7000 miles, with folks like Rob & Michele and Mike Rader.

What was the worst weather in which you’ve ridden?
You name it. Probably the worst was a storm that hit us as we were riding out of Cody, WY. We (Rob, Michele, Julie, me) will all remember that one for probably the rest of our lives!

Do you know how to work on your bike?
Very much so. I’m the only one who has serviced and modded it.

What is your favorite road song?
There’s lots of them.

What was your most adventurous ride?
Probably the 2009 Sturgis/Yellowstone ride with Julie, Rob & Michele. The wind, the storms, the lack of paved roads because of summer construction, the fact that it was my first cross-country ride…

What rallies or events do you like to attend?
Mostly SCRC stuff. I’m not a huge fan of major rallies. Not a crowd or crazies type of person.

Is there someone who rides "two-up" with you?
Julie will ride two-up with me, especially on cross-country tours. That said, she does prefer to ride her own bike.

Off the cuff from...Tank
We have embarked on a new adventure with our move to North Carolina and building a new home here. We will (are) miss our friends and the roads of VA/WVA/MD/PA because they are some of the finest riding in the US but we’re enjoying the new phase of our lives very much!