The Megaphone. July Mailing address: - PO Box 1714 Toowoomba Q Welcome all to the first Megaphone from the Committee.

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1 1 The Megaphone Ulysses Club Darling Downs Branch July 2015 Mailing address: - PO Box 1714 Toowoomba Q 4350 Welcome all to the first Megaphone from the Committee. The first few weeks, as with any new committee have been a learning curve though it has been an enjoyable one. Achievements have been made and things are looking great for the next 12 months. We have much to do and plan as a committee over the coming months so the support and suggestions from members will be greatly appreciated. I must post a big thank you to John and Elaine Paulger, Lyndon Pelly, Bear and Julie Faulkner, Ken Krimmer, Bluey Olsen, Linda Carey and Russell Murray for their commitment to our branch over the previous year. Your continued advice and support is invaluable to our new committee. You are all held in the highest regard by our members and your contributions to the branch will not be forgotten any time soon. Thank you all.

2 2 Branch Committee 2015/16 I would like to welcome Linda Carey-Secretary, Ray Naumann-Treasurer, Kat Campbell-Davies-Webmaster as well as Russell Murray and Owen Bailey as committee members for our 2015 committee. The role of ride coordinator for the time being is a shared committee role. Over the next month or so, most members will be leading and directing rides somewhere over the hills and far away. As a group we all feel privileged to be representing our branch and will do the utmost to see, we as a branch, and as Ulyssians move in a continued direction that stays with the national directive and keeps it fun and inclusive for us all along the way. We will post a group committee photo once we end up in the same place at the same time. Committee contact detail Neil Needham, President, Ph , president.ddulysses@gmail.com Linda Carey, Secretary, Ph , ddulysses@gmail.com Ray Naumann, Tresurer, Ph , ray.naumann@icloud.com Kat Campbell-Davies, Webmaster, Ph , webtech.ddulysses@gmail.com Russell Murray, Committee, Ph , russaine@bigpond.net.au Owen Bailey, Committee, Ph , owbailey11@bigpond.com

3 3 Sponsorship updates for Many thanks to the Applegum Inn for your continued sponsorship and I also welcome Michael and Bec Hayes and wish them all the best as the new proprietors. Boyd Yung Motorcycles, the continued support you provide is very much appreciated. We hope that there are event s in the future in which the sponsored can support the sponsor and vice versa.

4 4 New Sponsor. The Sausage King, Gray s Modern Meat Mart. Thank you Mark for coming on board as a sponsor of our branch. I hope we see you out and about on your bike at some stage. Presidents Blog. Things have been rather full on since the new committee nomination, lots of time spent ing surrounding branches trying to arrange meet and greets, many hours with Kat sorting templates and the like. Many hours have been spent also by Linda and Ray getting a foothold which I appreciate greatly. It is my intention to get around as many surrounding branches as I can over the coming months to share ride calendars and idea s with the view of a lot more inter branch interaction rather than just what we share on events such as the Somerset Memorial ride. The feedback I am receiving thus far is all positive and suggests to me many other branches are on the same page. Friday the 3 rd July I attended the Ipswich Branches information night. I was warmly welcomed by Ado (Adrian Pamenter President) and the branch and also met the President of Redbank Branch, as well as Mt Lindsay and Mousey

5 5 the President of the Lockyer Branch. It was very interesting to see another branch in action and I was very impressed at the 50+ in attendance. Monday the 6 th July I attended the Lockyer Branches information night. Thanks to Alan (Mousey) Gray the President and the members whom all made me feel most welcome. Again it was good to observe another branch in action and to see all the members having a good meal and a great time. A special ride which is listed in the calendar that I also want to mention here is the 26 th July, a Sunday ride meet and greet with the Burnett Branch. When I first approached Ellie Hays the secretary I suggested a shared meal at the pub they hold monthly meetings at. Ellie contacted me a few days later offering that they put on a BBQ lunch for us, $10 a head, burgers, salad, soft drinks and sweets. I have spoken again and told Ellie that it is a great idea though I need numbers so I don t mess her around. So please, if you are interested in this meet and greet let me know, I need the feedback by 20 th of July. Let s support another branch, they will inevitably support us in return. A new initiative at monthly meetings. As a start to a fund raising campaign to hopefully pay for or at least heavily subsidise our pre Xmas family day and Xmas Party catering costs, at the next monthly meeting 22 th July we are holding a raffle, a Support the sponsor theme. This month will be a BBQ meat tray from the Sausage King valued at $40. Tickets will be $2 each or 3 for $5. All profits go towards our family day and Xmas party. The raffle will be drawn at the conclusion of the meeting. Should this prove popular we will look at doing the same each month and possibly making it into a multi draw raffle. Bring along some change for tickets. The meat from The Sausage King is well worth a little flutter. At the meeting we will also have a limited number of Darling Downs Branch 7cm round stickers available at $2 each. These have been paid for out of my pocket this time whilst on sponsorship hunting runs around town. Should they prove popular we would look at doing a larger print run with all profits going into the branches kitty and also look at making our own Downs Branch commemorative stickers and patches for future big events.

6 6 Ride report for Saturday 27/6/2015 ride to coffee. 11 bikes and 13 people turned up for a short ride to Cobb & Co for coffee on a pleasant Saturday morning. We went along West Street to Stenner Street and down the hill via Flagstone Creek Road. Then turned west and came back past Helidon, turning right on to Postmans Ridge road we then came back up the hill via Murphy s Creek. It was then straight down Ruthven Street to Bridge and Lindsay Street to Cobb & Co where we were met by 5 other branch members. The company, coffee and food were good and the service was great. Thanks to those who came along and supported the morning and made so enjoyable and thanks to the staff at the café for their prompt and kind service. Thanks to Bear for leading this ride. Jimbo s weekend ride, 4/5 th July. I have not received a ride update from Jimbo at this stage though the day ride was great and going by these pictures a good night was had by the 25 members in attendance.

7 7 The master Chef! A likely looking bunch. Jimbo s Weekend Pic s continued. Settling In. Here s trouble! Triple Trouble!!!

8 8 The beauty of living out of town. Thanks Jimbo for hosting the weekend, I look forward to the yarns you have to tell. Group riding, tips and advice for new members and guests of our branch. The points I make here are for the safety and enjoyment of all on our group rides. With new members rolling in, 3 last month alone, as well as riders from surrounding branches and guests coming along I think it important to raise some basics that keep our group rides rolling along in a safe and happy manner. 1. Always know who the ride Captain and Tail end Charlie are. If you choose to leave the ride at any stage please let one or preferably both know your intentions so we don t think we have lost you and send out a search party. (I have personally experienced that panic on a ride lead to Esk some time ago only to find the rider had peeled off without my knowledge.) 2. On most rides we use corner markers to signal the change of direction which is particularly important when we have larger groups. Should you find yourself behind the ride leader it is your role to pull up at a safe position, relevant to the corner and direction until the group passes. The Tail rider will signal you to proceed when he/she gets to you. 3. Keep pace with the bike in front of you. Our ride Captains travel at the speed limit and as a ride leader it is always good where possible to have your Tail End Charlie in visual distance. Once a group is broken up it can take some time to regroup which is a problem especially when riding through larger centres or on very busy events such as the upcoming Somerset Memorial Ride. We leave our start point together, we want to arrive together. Should you be leading us on a ride, if you see the group is well separated, find a safe location and wait for the group to catch up and if necessary find out if there is any issue, mechanical or otherwise causing the delay.

9 9 4. Ride in a staggered position. Riding in a staggered position to the person in front of you not only allows room for error should emergency braking come into play it also allows the group to see further up the road and behind. Staggered riding and also allowing that 3 second spacing add up to safety. It also goes without saying, it keeps you out of mirror blind spots of the bike ahead of you. 5. Know your bike. This really is just a common sense point to us all I am sure. Before a ride look over your machine. Check your tyres and the basics before you leave home as well as having a full tank when you arrive at the start point. Of course mechanical and other issues do arise on the road and should this be the case at any time signal to either the Ride Captain or Tail End Charlie that you have issues and need to stop. We do not leave people behind. 6. Worst case scenario, Should there be, and we all hope there won t, an accident on one of our rides, be it with one of our own or the public, I plead with all members to put your safety first. Get your bike to a safe position off the road and then go to render assistance if it is safe to do so. The Tail end rider will stop in a position to warn approaching traffic. I cannot stress this enough. You cannot help anyone if you end up a casualty yourself. 7. Finally and this goes without saying, Have Fun!!!!!!! Member Items for Sale. If any members have items they wish to sell, me and they will be posted here until I hear from you that the item is sold. (Forget Jimbo s Classic Trailer and camping gear as I have bought it hehehehe.) This is Kermit. I Will have to change my facebook name if she sells. She is a 1982 GPZ/KZ750R1, the old girl has been around the clock several times yet still goes like a trooper. A lot of our regular branch riders may have seen me out on it. New tyres, chain and sprockets less than 2000k s ago, brakes renewed recently and always an oil and filter change around 5000k s, rego until 19/8/15. The old thing like most oldies has the mandatory primary chain rattle that isn t an issue when warm and kept at an idle of about 1400revs. It is a KZ750R1 despite the badges and has matching frame and engine numbers. Kawasaki ran the model for a year as a tribute to Eddie Lawson in the green racing trim. They dressed 750 s and 1000 s in the trim. I would let her go for $2600 with a RWC and 6 months rego. Contact Neil,

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11 11 Ride Calendar, Darling Downs Branch. Ulysses Club Inc. July 2015 September 2015 Date Event Depart Destination Contact 4/5 July 11 July Jimbo s Weekend ride Coffee Morning 12 July Sunday Ride 18 July 22 July Saturday Coffee & Ride Branch Meeting 26 July Sunday Ride 1 August 8 August Saturday Coffee & Ride Coffee Morning 9 August Sunday Ride 15 August Saturday Coffee & Ride 23 August Sunday Ride 26 August 29 August 6 September 12 september 13 September 20 September 26 September 30 September Branch Meeting Saturday Coffee & Ride Sunday ride Coffee Morning Memorial Ride Sunday ride Saturday Coffee & Ride Branch Meeting 9:00am(T) 10:00am 6:30pm 9:00am (D) 10:00am 8:00am (D 6:30pm 10:00am 8:00am (T) 7:00am (D) 8:00am (D 6:30pm Camping with Jimbo, $10 per head, to cover Evening Meal and Breakfast Engine Room Cafe, Railway St. Toowoomba Lunch at The Bearded Dragon Hotel Mt Tambourine. Coffee at the Queensland Auto Museum Hampton Club Glenvale, 564 Boundary St. Toowoomba Kingaroy. Meet and greet and eat with Burnett Branch members, lunch put on by Burnett Branch,$10per head, burgers salad soft drinks and sweets. numbers required for catering by 20 th July Morning Tea at The Barn & Scotty s Garage Engine Room Cafe, Railway St. Toowoomba Lunch at the Quinalow Pub Stanthorpe for Lunch, possible meet with Warwick Branch Club Glenvale, 564 Boundary St. Toowoomba Engine Room Cafe, Railway St. Toowoomba Ulysses Memorial Ride to Somerset Dam Fay s Magical Mystery Ride. Club Glenvale, 564 Boundary St. Toowoomba Jim Pickstock Don Littleford Bear Faulkner Kat Neil Needham Neil Needham Bear Faulkner Don Littleford Owen Bailey Kat Ray Naumann Neil Needham Fay Gregory Don Littleford Neil Needham Fay Gregory Neil Needham Mid-week impromptu rides (Wednesday Wobblers) leave Maccas's (TWBA) at 9:00am every Wednesday. Please note: UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED OUR RIDES LEAVE FROM: - Toowoomba : - from McDonald's car park, Margaret St. Toowoomba (Opposite Grand Central) Dalby : - from Information Centre, Drayton & Condamine St. Dalby (opposite Betros Bros.). Please have a full tank of fuel and an empty bladder when the group rides out from the assembly point. Our Ride Rules are that consideration be given in regards to the safety and enjoyment of other rides around you, including legal requirements. Know who is 'RIDE CAPTAIN', and who is 'TAIL END CHARLIE'. If you intend leaving the group mid ride, please inform BOTH these people.