The POTOMAC AREA ROAD RIDERS (PARR) is one of the oldest motorcycle clubs in the greater Washington, D.C. area. Now over three decades old, PARR first began as the VIRGINIA FOURS. It was named after its members living in Virginia who rode new, ground-breaking Honda 750cc, 4-cylinder motorcycles. The club met at Fort Belvoir and by the late 70’s the membership had evolved to include members from Virginia, Maryland and D.C. and a wider variety of motorcycles. The club had twelve members.
In the early 1980’s, the club’s name was changed to the POTOMAC AREA ROAD RIDERS to reflect its broader range of riders. A logo was then created that included all three jurisdiction’s flags. The club also became a charter member of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and a Virginia corporation. The club had found a new meeting place, the Stoneybrooke Park Community Center in Alexandria, VA. By the mid-80’s its membership doubled and the PARR newsletter, the Spoke ‘N Word, was created to keep members informed of events, activities and each other.
In the mid-to-late-80s, PARR’s culture centered around open motorcycling events for the local motorcycling community which raised money for PARR’s operating expenses and its annual December holiday banquet. Open events included Poker Runs (many of which were charity runs supporting various organizations). The New Year’s Day Polar Bear Run was also created and became extremely popular to area motorcyclists who wanted to start the new year out with a ride. PARR became well-known among riders for superb Poker Runs. Long-time PARR member, Dick Merrill, is credited with laying out a significant number of these popular runs. PARR also had “closed runs” (rides open to PARR members only) but they were few and attendance was low. The closed runs were usually weekend camping trips to southern Virginia or West Virginia. By the late 80’s regular scheduled rides, open to non-PARR members, were established (currently the 1st Sunday and 3rd Saturday of each month), generally runs between 4-6 hours, exploring winding, rolling country roads.
In the early 90’s, PARR joined with the Olde Dominion Chapter of ABATE of VA to institute the first Law Ride Charity Poker Run, conducted as part of National Police Week. All the proceeds from the run supported the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial Fund. The Law Ride Charity Run operated successfully for eight years with significant participation of law enforcement officers from all over the country.
During the 90’s, PARR continued to host several Poker Runs each year, in addition to the popular Polar Bear Run. But by the late 90s, there occurred a proliferation of both new and specialized motorcycle clubs as well as motorcycling events promoted by charitable organizations. This began to erode PARR’s supporting-rider base. From 1996 to 2000, typical Poker Run attendance figures dropped from the 120’s into the 80’s. Given the costs and member-efforts needed to conduct Poker Runs, and the narrow profit margins driven by lower attendance, PARR was compelled to reduce its number of Poker Runs. After a few years of even lower attendance, PARR Poker Runs came to an end.
At the same time that open runs were ending, a new PARR culture was forming that specialized in closed runs of 2-4 days in length. Mike Wascak, who has served in all PARR officer positions including president, conceived the idea of exceptionally well-planned rides through spectacular areas while staying at notable and interesting locations. Mike spent most of the Winter and Spring each year planning “Endless Mountain Tours"( EMTs). These were usually four-day rides through the Poconos, the Alleghenies, the Laurel Highlands and the Susquehanna Valley areas of Pennsylvania as well as the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. The first Endless Mountain Tour was held in 1997. These rides quickly garnered a large PARR following – often having a ¾ mile long formation of 30 riders.
By 2002, PARR had established a permanent location for business meetings at the Jewish Community Center in Fairfax, Virginia and had developed a comprehensive web site. PARR’s popular Polar Bear Ride was PARR’s only open run. Unfortunately by 2007 PARR was forced to discontinue its infamous Polar Bear Ride due to the continued decline in ridership and having been sued by a rider involved in a minor accident.
Today (2011) PARR classifies itself as the Premier Motorcycle Touring Club of the Washington Metro area. The club holds six tours each year -- one each month beginning in May. The club’s website: www.PotomacAreaRoadRiders.org contains all information about the club including: schedule of day rides, multi-day tours, the Spoke N Word newsletter, meeting schedule, photos of rides and places visited, a forum for members and visitors to post comments, and a host of other details regarding the club and its membership.