The Start and First Years of the Wolverine Chapter
T.N.T.
Yes T.N.T. is what set off the formation of the Wolverine Chapter of the AMCA.
It stands for Thursday Night Thunder, and is what would take place nearly every Thursday at 5pm sharp way back in the late 19 hundreds to early ought ones and twos and continues yet today. Nice summer weather of course.
Sometimes only 2 or 3, but other times a dozen would show up at Smitty's (Steve Smith) house and leave promptly at 5pm.
Don't be late! Ask me how I know. They didn't dilly dally and would be gone in the wind. Gitten out of Dodge. Usually North to get out of Kalamazoo, but then East or West or whatever direction the group wanted to go. Augusta, Orangeville, Gun Lake, Shelbyville, Hopkins, Allegan, Gobles.
Normally a 50-to-100-mile loop and end up back in Kazoo at the Hi-Lo. Eventually the Hi-Lo went under, and we would meet at the Center Shot. That worked out good and we could park our bikes out back and leave the door open so we could keep an eye on them from our table. Norm and his cook Big Mike would make some dog-gone-good food. I especially liked the mac n cheese with lots of Polish sausage in it. But alas, the Center-Shot went under too. Hmmm? The Club-Car was next.
For the most part we were all on Shovelheads at first but began riding older sickles.
Panheads became more common and Indian Bob (Pelfresne) an Indian. Larry (Seedorff) his BSA. And Flatheads began to infiltrate the ranks.
By this time some of us had joined the River Valley Chapter AMCA, but Jerry Seibert wanted to start our own chapter in Southwest Michigan. So, with the help of the National AMCA, Jerry took on the task to develop the Wolverine Chapter. And I believe in the spring of 2008 the Wolverines were born.
8 AMCA members were needed to comprise the new Wolverine Board of 2008. Jerry Seibert - President Denny Owen -VP Shari Seibert- Sec. Dennis DeHaan- Tres. Directors were: Steve Westveer, Jeff Maile, Dan Lumis, and Bob Pelfresne.
In 2010 a new Board was elected: Lynn Stiemsma= Pres. Dennis DeHaan=VP Lynette Stiemsma= Sec Linda Smith= tres Directors were: Steve Smith, Steve Westveer, Tom Summers, Jeff Maile
Elwyn Engelter served as our editor of the News Letter from the beginning.
Submitted by Lynn (Geez) Stiemsma
Yes T.N.T. is what set off the formation of the Wolverine Chapter of the AMCA.
It stands for Thursday Night Thunder, and is what would take place nearly every Thursday at 5pm sharp way back in the late 19 hundreds to early ought ones and twos and continues yet today. Nice summer weather of course.
Sometimes only 2 or 3, but other times a dozen would show up at Smitty's (Steve Smith) house and leave promptly at 5pm.
Don't be late! Ask me how I know. They didn't dilly dally and would be gone in the wind. Gitten out of Dodge. Usually North to get out of Kalamazoo, but then East or West or whatever direction the group wanted to go. Augusta, Orangeville, Gun Lake, Shelbyville, Hopkins, Allegan, Gobles.
Normally a 50-to-100-mile loop and end up back in Kazoo at the Hi-Lo. Eventually the Hi-Lo went under, and we would meet at the Center Shot. That worked out good and we could park our bikes out back and leave the door open so we could keep an eye on them from our table. Norm and his cook Big Mike would make some dog-gone-good food. I especially liked the mac n cheese with lots of Polish sausage in it. But alas, the Center-Shot went under too. Hmmm? The Club-Car was next.
For the most part we were all on Shovelheads at first but began riding older sickles.
Panheads became more common and Indian Bob (Pelfresne) an Indian. Larry (Seedorff) his BSA. And Flatheads began to infiltrate the ranks.
By this time some of us had joined the River Valley Chapter AMCA, but Jerry Seibert wanted to start our own chapter in Southwest Michigan. So, with the help of the National AMCA, Jerry took on the task to develop the Wolverine Chapter. And I believe in the spring of 2008 the Wolverines were born.
8 AMCA members were needed to comprise the new Wolverine Board of 2008. Jerry Seibert - President Denny Owen -VP Shari Seibert- Sec. Dennis DeHaan- Tres. Directors were: Steve Westveer, Jeff Maile, Dan Lumis, and Bob Pelfresne.
In 2010 a new Board was elected: Lynn Stiemsma= Pres. Dennis DeHaan=VP Lynette Stiemsma= Sec Linda Smith= tres Directors were: Steve Smith, Steve Westveer, Tom Summers, Jeff Maile
Elwyn Engelter served as our editor of the News Letter from the beginning.
Submitted by Lynn (Geez) Stiemsma
Bob Pelfresne
Steve (Smitty) and Linda Smith
Lynn (Geez) Stiemsma & Jerry Seibert
