The last MHPVA annual meeting - March 5, 2016

In conjunction with the MHPVA's last annual meeting, former President Mike Mowett prepared and presented Lifetime Achievement Award certificates to long-time members.  Front row, from left, Terry Gerweck, Monroe; Rick Wianecki, Okemos; Mike Eliasohn, St. Joseph; Bill Frey, Grosse Pointe Farms; and John Simon, Portland.  Back row, John Foltz, Hassett; Wally Kiehler, Grosse Pointe Woods; Mike Mowett, Detroit; Bob Krzewinski, Ypsilanti; and Gaylord Hill, Adrian.  Thank you, Mike!  (Photo by Roger Zielinski)

By Mike Eliasohn, immediate past president

What was anticipated to be the last annual meeting of the Michigan Human Powered Vehicle Association was, with a vote by those present that it terminate its existence as a non-profit organization effective Sept. 30, 2016.
The date is when our current annual registration with the state expires.
However, the Michigan Human Powered Vehicle Rally will continue for the foreseeable future, as will this blog and the website.  The 32nd annual rally will be June 18-19, again at the Waterford Hills sports car racing track in Clarkston.  Mike Mowett is the race director and details will appear on the blog and website soon.
But no more annual meeting and no more election of officers, though if someone wants to organize an informal winter gathering in future years, presumably in the Lansing-Detroit-Ann Arbor area, please do.
As previously discussed in this blog, the officers and board members of the MHPVA were "getting up in age," and there wasn't a younger generation who wanted to take over.  Plus, the Michigan HPV Rally could continue without the existence of a formal organization, as long was there is someone willing to be in charge.  (Thank you, Mike.)
Thirteen people attended the meeting in Erickson Hall on the Michigan State University campus.  Our thanks to Tim Potter, MSU Bikes manager, for making the arrangements
Three people brought bikes for "show and tell," which can be seen in the photos.
The first item of discussion was what to do with the $1,781.13 in the treasury.
After much discussion, it was decided, with no dissenting votes, to use that money to do the following for the 2016 rally:
+ Pay the track rental fee and HPRA insurance fee, expected to be $600 and $110 respectively. (Separate vote.)
+ Reduce the entry fee to $10 for the weekend.  In recent years, it has been $30 for both days, $20 for one day.  (Separate vote.)
+ Use all of the entry fee money for prize money, to be matched by the same amount from the treasury, to a maximum total of $600.(Separate vote.)
+ Whatever remains after that from the treasury will be given to Human Powered Race America for maintenance of timing equipment, which is used at all HPRA events. (Separate vote.)
There was discussion about possibly setting aside some money from the treasury to pay the track rental and insurance fees for the 2017 rally, but Mike Mowett, likely to also be the rally director next year, declined.  "I almost would rather have no money to manage," he said. That is, next year he will pay for the insurance in advance, then be reimbursed from entry fees.  Barring a change, the track rental fee can be paid during the rally, directly from the entry fees.

Terry Gerweck brought/rode his latest creation, Just Chillin.   He built it from two Next brand bicycles, parts from a trailer for hauling kids, including the two curved rear stays,  and miscellaneous "supplies" from his "stash. " He's ridden it on several club rides/pub crawls of up to 15 miles.  And, no, the little pink saddle with stars from a little girl's bike isn't comfortable "for my decidedly not little girl arse," Terry wrote, but it 's a color match for the rest of the bike.

There were two items of discussion regarding this year's rally, not involving money. 
First was ex-Michiganian Charles Brown's  suggestion for creation of a sport subclass to the stock class. To qualify, riders' eyes would have to be at least 42 inches from the ground.
His thinking was that such riders are safer when riding in traffic, since they are more visible to motorists than lower bikes/riders, but have an unfair disadvantage when racing compared to the low racers.We decided at the 2015 annual meeting to measure the eye height of riders at the 2015 rally, then decide at this year's meeting whether it would be worthwhile to implement the sport subclass at the 2016 rally. 
Of the 15 stock class entries in 2015, six had an eye height of 42 or more inches. Of those, three were upright bikes, two at 62 inches and one at 57 inches. A Bachetta high racer (I think) was at 47 inches and two Cruzbikes were at 42 inches. 
Of the top five finishers in the stock class, only Daryl Hanger on a Cruzbike, who finished 5th, was at 42 inches or higher. The next two in the sport subclass – had we had it – would have finished 7th overall on a Cruzbike, and 9th overall on an upright.The winner of the stock class was Mike Mowett on his Morciglio M1 low racer, who had the lowest eye height, 27.5 inches. Second was at 36 inches and third was at 30 inches.
But after discussion March 5, the consensus – without voting – was to leave things as-is, that is, no sport subclass. There was lack of enthusiasm for Charles' idea. One person said no one who rides/races a bike that would qualify for the sport class has complained of an unfair disadvantage, so why bother?  Sorry, Charles.
The other discussion regarding the rally was whether to change any of the events.  The consensus was since the MHPVA no longer will be running the show, it's up to Mike Mowett to decide which events to include and the schedule.

Mike Mowett brought his John Morcigio built M1 low racer, on which he won the stock class at the 2015 Michigan HPV Rally over 15 other entries.  But he also rode Terry Gerweck's Just Chillin'  through (below) and around the obstacle course.

Finally, it was time for the vote. The motion was to end the MHPVA's status as a non-profit Michigan corporation as of Sept. 30, 2016, when the current registration with the state ends. Bill Frey made the motion, Mike Mowett seconded it, and it was passed unanimously.  Bill pointed out that the state will keep the registration on file for two years after that. If we don't pay the annual registration fee during that period, then the MHPVA officially will disappear as of Oct. 1, 2018.
The MHPVA was formed as a chapter of the International Human Powered Vehicle Association in July 1984, following the second annual Midwest Human Powered Vehicle Rally, organized by Terry Gerweck and Mike Eliasohn in Monroe. (The rally was eventually renamed the Michigan HPV Rally. It was been held every year since 1983, except for 1989, when we conducted the International Human Powered Speed Championships, and 2009, when we conducted the Michigan Human Powered Speed Challenge.)

Mike Eliasohn brought "Sloppy," his rat rod freak bike to the meeting. These photos were taken Dec. 12, 2015, outside Cycle-Re-Cycle, the non-profit bicycle shop in Benton Harbor, just after assembly was completed.  It's built from the front half of one frame and the back half of another, stretched about 10.5 inches with two sections of bicycle frame tubing.  Cutting, grinding and welding was done by Mike Voth, owner of Precision Welding & Repair, south of St. Joseph. The original goal was a bike that would look cool with whitewall tires. Eventually it may be painted one color and get new tires. (Wheels are 24-inch.)