This belongs in a FAQ.
Joining the Vampires requires a few things.
You need to be a competent rider.
You need to demonstrate a commitment to the club.
You need to get to know current club members, and become "family" with them. By this I mean make friends and a little beyond that - to be accepting of personal foibles and quirks, the same way one does with family members.
Nitty gritty:
Start showing up at vampire rides and meetings. Typically we'll want to see you riding for a few months before formal pledging begins. When the time is right you'll have asked a member to vouch for you - this should be someone you've been riding with and become friends with.
The club will see if there are any objections from other members at this point... if a month goes by without objections you are then assigned another member to give you guidance - to "mentor" you for a minimum of 9 months. During that period you need to make it to club meetings every month, help with club events (you might not ride for an event but help with cooking/cleanup, etc). Your mentor should be calling or meeting with you regularly during this period and letting you know where you're doing well and where other members are having concerns.
If your conduct during pledging meets standards you would become a Vampire sometime after the 9th regular meeting. If there were problems during the pledge period you might decide to withdraw, you might have your pledge period extended to deal with the problems. Your mentor should be keeping you up to date and offer you guidance to fix problems while they are still small.
Joining the Vampires requires a few things.
You need to be a competent rider.
You need to demonstrate a commitment to the club.
You need to get to know current club members, and become "family" with them. By this I mean make friends and a little beyond that - to be accepting of personal foibles and quirks, the same way one does with family members.
Nitty gritty:
Start showing up at vampire rides and meetings. Typically we'll want to see you riding for a few months before formal pledging begins. When the time is right you'll have asked a member to vouch for you - this should be someone you've been riding with and become friends with.
The club will see if there are any objections from other members at this point... if a month goes by without objections you are then assigned another member to give you guidance - to "mentor" you for a minimum of 9 months. During that period you need to make it to club meetings every month, help with club events (you might not ride for an event but help with cooking/cleanup, etc). Your mentor should be calling or meeting with you regularly during this period and letting you know where you're doing well and where other members are having concerns.
If your conduct during pledging meets standards you would become a Vampire sometime after the 9th regular meeting. If there were problems during the pledge period you might decide to withdraw, you might have your pledge period extended to deal with the problems. Your mentor should be keeping you up to date and offer you guidance to fix problems while they are still small.