Author Topic: State director profile - Denise Dickenson  (Read 1354 times)

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State director profile - Denise Dickenson
« on: April 14, 2014, 07:54:22 PM »
Nicky Zarras | Managing Editor

This column is to honor the State Directors whose drive and personality improve the quality of life of their state’s MSTA members

Meet Oklahoma State Director Denise Dickenson

Nicky: What prompted you to join the MSTA and how long have you been a member?

Denise: I’ve been a member since 1998 after coming across the National STAR in Eufaula, Oklahoma. I had been riding my 1996 Nighthawk for about 2 years and my dealer mentioned there were demo rides going on down at the Lodge. A couple of friends and I rode down to see what was up. BMW and Honda was there but only BMW would let us do demo’s. Honda said we had to be a member of the group that was hosting the rally. I started talking with the folks at the rally and they sounded like it was a very good reason to travel to different parts of the country. I don’t remember the couple but I made the comment that I would be at next year’s rally whereever it was located. The other couple wouldn’t travel that far but I signed up later that year and showed up the next year in Taos, New Mexico and have only missed 1 STAR since that time. I was hooked on traveling by motorcycle and meeting new folks from around the country.

Nicky: Tell me about your first bike? What motorcycle do you ride to events now?

Denise: My first bike was a 1969 or so used Honda Trail 90 that my parents bought me for my 14th birthday. In Missouri you can’t ride legally at that age but since I lived on a 1000 acres I could ride anywhere on it plus there were miles of dirt roads that I could ride.

I think most people know what I ride currently; it’s a 2001 Yamaha FZ1 that I bought in May of 2001 to replace my 1996 Nighthawk which had 65,000 miles on it. I fell in love with the FZ1 and was putting 20-25k on it a year. In February 2012 I officially turned over 200,000 miles and my dealer hosted a party in my honor. I’m now at 220,000 miles and it still runs fantastic and I’ll be traveling on it as my work schedule allows.

Nicky: How long were you a member before you became a State Director and what prompted you to volunteer for the position?

Denise: I honestly don’t remember what year I became the state director but they were in need of someone in Oklahoma and I was playing with web design at the time and created the Oklahoma HSTA web site.

Nicky: What were your goals for your state once you became a State Director?

Denise: I would have loved to be able to get riders together for lunch rides or rides to events but Oklahoma riders are so spread out that it just never happened. The folks in northeast Oklahoma were not willing to ride to the flat lands of central Oklahoma when they had the great twisties of Arkansas almost at their door steps.

Nicky: What does it take to be a State Director in respect to time and effort?

Denise: I know that a lot of states that have great roads and more members seem to have no problems putting together rides and events. I’ve tried to at least represent the club when attending events but would love to see someone up in the northeast step up and take it over.

Nicky: What do you find to be the best way the members can help the State Director?

Denise: Offer to put together a local ride that will encourage others to ride to a part of the state that they may not be familiar with.

Nicky: What is one of your best memories as a State Director?

Denise: My best memories are just meeting all the great folks at all the different rallies and STAR’s each year.

Nicky: What one recommendation can you make to MSTA members who are thinking of becoming a State Director, Assistant Director or Co-Director?

Denise: Volunteer to take over as State Director even if it’s only for a year. You might find out that you can make a difference where others cannot.

From all of us at STAReview and MSTA we thank Denise Dickenson and her fellow Oklahoma MSTA member staff for all their efforts at making Oklahoma a great place to ride.