Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Ulysses Club
of New Zealand
Rotorua Branch
Rotorua Ramblings…… SEPTEMBER 2014 issue 15
With winter almost behind us we had some marvellous rides this month except for our Fish & Chips ride to Tauranga. This ride has been postponed due to weather conditions. However, the rides to Te Kuiti and Hamilton Gardens were in true spring conditions and well enjoyed by those who took part. No doubt we are all looking forward to more of this glorious sun-shine and rides that Mal is planning for the coming months. Our Saturday morning coffee/breakfast meetings at the Lake-front Cafe have been well attended and is a great way to keep in contact with your fellow club members who are not always in a position to join us on the rides. Personally, I had a busy month with family from England visiting, but they have now all departed and I am trying to get back to normal again and hope to join all the rides that are being planned. The Ulysses Club Branch at Lake Macquarie have been contacted and we have agreed to exchange our monthly Newsletters as a way to keep contact for now. Our monthly meeting this Sunday at usual time(7 pm) at St Johns and hope to see you all there. Safe riding,
Peter van #8136
To open Branch website, click onto: www.ulyssesrotorua.org.nz
EDITORIAL CO ORDINATOR’S COMMENT
Next Branch
Meeting
Sunday 28 September
2014 at
7.00pm
It would probably be the wish of many motorcyclists to ride Route 66? Many have done it, and all have really en-joyed the experience. Andrea and Stuart have just returned from this 14 day Route 66 Ride and are now sharing their story with others. To read their story, just click: EASYRIDER Ulysses Club of NZ now have a Face-book. Click onto FACEBOOK and check it out. Now maybe is the time to sign- up to Facebook?
2013-2014 Rotorua Branch Committee Co-ordinator: Peter van der Maat 349 3021 [email protected] 021 972 535
Secretary: Bruce Quedley 347 8659 [email protected] 021 616 736
Treasurer: Hartley Gray 348 0555 [email protected] 027 229 6407
Newsletter: Tony Baker 345 7607 [email protected] 022 345 7607
Committee: Bruce Roe, Graeme van Praagh, Mal (Axle) Bain, Jan Matthews, plus the above.
LAKESIDE CAFÉ & CRAFTS On the Lakefront, Memorial Drive, Rotorua. “Where we meet every Saturday morning at 10:30am”
Our hosts: Colin & Norma Craig
Can you imagine what happens when they come to traffic lights
and as they arrive, the lights change to red !!!
This has to be seen to be believed. A car that parks and finds you after shopping?
http://www.youtube.com/embed/rgN8MOrss40?rel=0
The ride for the “Impromptu Run” on Sunday August 17th was decided at the Lakefront Café by Jack, Mal, Flash, Hartley, Tony & Marlene that we would set-off for a coffee at Okoroire. First stop at Okoroire, there was no Eftpos or coffee! So we sat in the sun and watched the push-bike race from the north-facing hotel deck—very pleasant it was. How much more relaxing it would have been for the riders if all the push-bikes had had engines? The next decision was, “Should we go to Tirau or Wa-haroa”? The majority said, “Lets go to Waharoa to the Kaimai Cheese factory and Café for lunch” - great! After a very nice lunch, and our purchases of “Blue Vein” cheese, it was back to Rotorua via Matamata. Thank you guys it was a great ride, a bit cold over the Mamakus, but very sunny and pleasant on the way home. Tony & Marlene
********************** Morning folks, It’s been a pretty good month in terms of rides this month, we’ve had a few neat rides. One postponed ride to Tauranga for fish n’ chips. Then there was the North Island Remembrance Run to Taupo, the Te Kuiti run for lunch, and the Hamilton Gardens with a packed lunch. Thanks to those that came on the rides, we really en-joyed your company. Lynda and I are heading to Auckland today, catching up with a few people and one of our grandson’s tenth birthday. We will try to make the monthly meeting on Sunday. I have no run planned for this weekend, but you know how we roll, you can get your heads together on Sat-urday at Lakeside Café and have a casual ride, as they all are, on Sunday! Whatever you decide, have a good weekend. Cheers & ride safe, Mal 'Axle' Bain #8688
RIDE REPORT
For Sale on Behalf The following motorcycle gear is for sale on behalf of a retired biker friend: 2 x Nazran Cordura motorcycle jackets, size L 1 x Nazran Cordura pants, size L 1 x Nazran Cordura pants, size XL. 1 x KBC motorcycle helmet, size 53—54cm. For inspection and prices of above, contact:
Tony Baker 022 3457607
Ulysses #2436
BITS AND PIECES
Neil & Joyce Lithgow’s new contact details: 1A Althorpe Ave, Althorpe Village, Pyes Pa, Tauranga.
07 562 3419 (H) 027 249 3877 (M)
Please send any news or gossip you may have, or dates that you think may be worthwhile to include in the Newsletter (including birthdays) to: The Editor, [email protected]
One of the hundreds of Tee shirts Andrea and Stuart saw on their trip
What is happening with “Axle’s” Suzuki! Flat battery at the Remembrance Run, broken rear suspension (nothing to do with Lynda?), and wiring insulation disappeared. Time for a new one “Axle”! What does Jack have that others don’t have, to get all those females on the pillion of his trike? They all get off with huge smiles of satisfaction, so he is doing something right. And now I hear Bruce is trying the same thing, taking different pillions for test rides. As long as you two keep bringing them back!! Good to see Andrea and Stuart back safe and sound from their Route 66 experience. I hear there have been quite a few runs lately – not bad for winter time. Keep it up Rotorua Branch! And I hear Flash has finally applied some cleaning product and elbow grease to his Suzuki – almost shiny again! Don’t keep looking back – that’s not where you are going!
NOAH THINGERTOO SAYS :-
Photo taken at the North Island 2014 Remembrance Ride From left: Secretary Jim Galt, Jim Founeaux, Nicky Bright, Murray Hawke, Peggy O’Neal, Val Otway,
Robert Bissett (President of Auckland Uysses Branch)
Once again, another very special ride - “The 2014 Remembrance Ride” - held on Saturday 9 August. North Island motorcyclists arrived Rotorua at 11:00am where most lunched at the Lakeside Café. The mass of motorcycles on the paved area in front of the café was a “sight to be seen!”. The Remembrance Parade left the Whakarewarewa Carpark at 12 noon, riding the Broadlands Road, through Reporoa, to regroup at the Taupo AC Baths Carpark. It was then a ride around the outskirts of Taupo arriving at the Great Lake Centre where the Memorial Service commenced at 2:00 pm. Eric Foley piped in “The Remembrance Book” which was carried in by Cameron Paul. Cameron’s fa-ther Peter Paul was killed on a motorcycle in 2012. Val Otway took the Remembrance Service with the above Ulyssians reading the names of those 378 Ulyssians who have passed away over the last 26 years. There were about 400 motorbikes and a count of just over 500 seated in the auditorium. It is with sadness to report that when Bruce and Christine were walking to the evening function after the Remembrance Service, Christine slipped on the footpath, went down onto her face and ended up with a broken nose. Christine is at home, with a very painful nose. We wish you a speedy recovery Christine and do not walk on slippery footpaths again.
To read, and see more pictures of Stuart and Andrea’s
travels on Route 66, go to their Blog:
http://pixieon2wheels.wordpress.com/
An impromptu run to Te Kuiti for lunch initially attracted six riders and two pillions, but one, an outsider on a BMW didn’t come because of the ETA 4.00pm return. We headed out in great weather, with Peter Van as RIC. A welcome comfort stop at Whakamaru then the one hour haul to Te Kuiti. Even with the sun out, riding through forest and sheltered areas, the roads were damp and the temperature noticeably down. Cruising into Te Kuiti @ 12.45 we opted to stay at Tiffany’s for good value bite to eat for lunch. We left around 1.30, headed to Otorohanga to fuel up, where we encountered heaps of other bikers enjoying the good weather. Back on the road, after passing through Kihikihi our Suzuki starting handling a little strange, bit like a flat rear tyre. We pulled over to find the left rear shock had fallen apart!!. Luckily, Jack Butterworth, Tail End Charlie as usual, came to the rescue and gladly allowed Lynda to travel as pil-lion on his super comfortable Honda Trike. On to Putaruru, stop for an ice cream or coffee, then back over the Mamakus and home. “Thanks Jack for your assistance, Lynda really enjoyed her ride home”. Another enjoyable ride with good company on a sunny winter’s day. The following week I sourced a second-hand shock from Ian Anderson, motorcycle wreckers in Rotorua.
Mal “Axle” and Lynda Bain #8688 and #8687
The ride to Hamilton Gardens was a little different in that we decided to take our own lunches. This went down really well with riders and partners either making their own lunch or purchasing something from Lakeside Café before leaving. Bruce Roe and Christine opted as RIC and headed up via Mamaku to pick-up Jack Butterworth, with myself and Lynda, Gordie, Johan Hamer from Taupo, and proposed new members from Rotorua, Jacques and Yolandie Vosloo in tow. JB hooked-up with us to run as TEC. Another great sunny winters day took us to the main gate of the gardens where we parked our bikes and trikes, sat on the grass edge, and enjoyed our lunch and each other’s company. Ian and Les turned up from Taupo and joined us for lunch. We then parted and headed across to Waharoa, where we called into the Kaimai Cheese Company for a coffee and bite to eat. Upon leaving we said our good bye’s, as you do, and continued on our separate ways home - three to Taupo and the balance to Rotorua . August hasn’t been a bad month as far as rides go. One ride on August 3 was cancelled due to rubbish weather, but two good rides, plus the Remembrance Ride to Taupo was thrown in for good measure. “All good, can’t wait for summer”.
Mal “Axle” Bain #8688
For Your Information
Discussion was had at our Branch Meeting on Sunday where Safe Group Riding
was discussed. Below is a follow-up of this discussion with a “Quick Tips” sheet
included in the EagleRider pack given to Andrea and Stuart at the start of their ride.
Please note: The diagram below relates to riding on the right side of the road—as in America!
The staggered 1 second rule still applies whether you are in America or New Zealand—maybe not India?
