This page describes patches and decals that were or possibly are available for the Honda Pacific Coast PC800 motorcycle rider community.
Editor’s note: I am preserving Leland Sheppard’s PC800-related content after his passing. This is one of his pages that I felt the PC800 community would want to have preserved. Leland may be on his final Iron Butt ride but he is not forgotten.
Lemmings Non Sumus
First available August 20, 2001
“non sumus” is Latin for “We are not” so “Lemmings non sumus” is “We are not lemmings”. In essence, lemmings are little rodents who by their basic nature are followers – even to their own demise / destruction / drowning, etc. Many (not all) bikers are lemmings in style, dress and the motorcycles they ride. PCers are not lemmings and proud of it!
The Lemmings Patch was created “because we like it”
* Simple and attractive
*Traditional PC colors
*Unique shape (PC trunk / butt)
*The Message
For a more detailed, “scholarly” and humorous summary by Professor David Sigsbee, see below:
From: David L. Sigsbee
To: Wayne Cc: ipcrc@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 8:16 AM
Subject: Re: PC800: Lemmings non sumus?
Since PC800 owner Harry from Montana uses the phrase “lemmings non sumus” in email signature to this group, I presume this is a PC800 related topic.I have a Ph.D. in Classical Greek and Latin (AKA Classical Studies) and as with all classicists, my professional obligation is “to strive to be error free and to identify error in others.” How’s that for pompous and obfuscating? Professional chest thumping aside, let’s look at the quote.
Lemmings are small rodent like animals of either of the genus lemmus or the genus dicrostonyx. The plural nominative case ending (i.e., the subject/predicate nominative case ending for lemmus) is lemmi. The plural nominative of dicrostonyx is dicrostonyches.
Lemmings is the English plural of the word lemming, and it comes from lemmus, which appears to be a Late Latin word that refers to these animals.
Dicrostonyx appears to be made of of the Greek elements dicr- “forked,” “ost-” bone, and “-onyx” claw. So the latter term is something about a “forked bone claw” animal, which makes no apparent sense to me, but then I have never seen a lemming of the genus dicrostonyx or any other genus for that matter. [Many scientific words don’t make sense unless you were there when they were created. As a good example of this, consider “mastodon.” Etymologically it means breast (mast) and tooth (odon). Doesn’t sound much like a big, hairy elephant kind of creature. Apparently, it was originally named for a nipple like projection on the teeth.]
Now what is grammatically correct? Hmmm. What language, what grammar, and who says so? Without getting off onto flights of imagination about what correctness is, I would say the following”
“Lemmi non sumus” = “We are not lemmings” is correct Latin.
“Dicrostonyches non sumus” = “We are not lemmings” is also correct Latin, since the Romans were not averse to using Greek words taken straight into Latin.
The problem with these two versions is that it is fairly unlikely that anyone will know what you are talking about. “Lemmings non sumus” is a sentence with a Latin verb (sumus=we are) and Latin negation (non=not), while the word lemmings is an English word used as a predicate nominative in a sentence that is otherwise Latin. But since the Romans were willing to use Greek words in Latin, wouldn’t they also be willing to mix English words into Latin? Probably yes. The closest contemporary situation is the mixture one encounters with Spanglish, where the elements of English and Spanish are brought together. So this means “We are not lemmings” in a language I guess we could call Latlish.
So, as a somewhat intelligible phrase and a fun thing, “lemmings non sumus” is really a great statement and most people will figure out what it is about (if they have any vestigial memory of some high school Latin).
David L. Sigsbee
Office: xxx xxx-xxxx
The University of Memphis
Home: xxx xxx-xxxx
Classics Section Fax: xxx xxx-xxxx
Foreign Languages and Literatures Dunn Hall, Memphis, TN, 38152 dsigsbee@memphis.edu
Embroidered patch is 4 inches x 3.5 inches
UPDATE: As of June 2012, the Lemmings Patch is once again available and the price is now $8.00! [Editor’s Note: I am unsure if the patch is still available or not…]
Contact the patch seller:
Harry Mitchell
4510 13th St. So.
Great Falls, Montana 59405
IPCRC Patch
First available March 20, 2002. This is the official iPCRC patch as determined by a vote of the membership in November and December 2001.
Todd Skar of Green Bay, Wisconsin was its prime designer following the iPCRC membership’s many recommendations.
This is a round 3.5 inch embroidered patch.
Contact Harry Mitchell (address above) for more information.
Pacific Coast Ride Patch
First available July 26, 2004
This is the “unofficial” patch for the annual September Pacific Coast Highway ride.
It is a joint product of Leland Sheppard and Harry Mitchell.
To wear this patch you don’t have to have been a PCH participant — only to promise to do it — some day.
This is a round 3.5 inch embroidered patch.
Contact Harry Mitchell (address above) for more details.
Body by Tupperware Decals
These decals were conceived and designed by Lee Barker, reknowned ex-PCer from Redmond, Oregon.
After Lee moved on, Dean Williams handled these for several years.
After Dean moved on (from the decals only – he still has his yellow PC, Nata Harli),
Harry Mitchell graciously agreed to take over handling of the decals.
Harry Mitchell’s address is listed avove.
If you have questions, please contact: Harry Mitchell [Editor’s Note: I am unsure of if Harry Mitchell is still in production or not. Try emailing him or sending him a letter in the mail.]