Newcastle Lower Hunter Branch PO Box 131CARDIFF NSW 2285 www.ulyssesclub.org/branches/lowerhunter newcastlelowerhunterulysses@gmail.com Branch Social Meeting: 2nd Saturday of the Month Edgeworth Bowling Club 6pm for Dinner & 7pm Meeting YOUR COMMITTEE President - Brian Fitzpatrick - 02 4958 8669 / 0419 017 368 Secretary - Lynne Fitzpatrick - 02 4958 8669 / 0419 200 232 Treasurer - Kathy Parker - 0408 277 398 Quartermistress Judy Booyse 0414 663 818 Committee - Garry Hughes - 02 4972 0065 / 0428 497 137 Committee - Terry Shepherd - 02 49282433 / 0401365323 Committee - Shane Pratt - 0408 982 204 Committee - Chris Parker - 0405 221 788 Web Master - John Beddoe - 0418 651 547 As this will be my last report as President, I d like to reflect on the last two years of my life in the NLH Branch. Lynne and I have had a wonderful time meeting new people and more so, meeting the long term senior members. The Branch as I see it can only get better. With the new committee taking charge, I m sure they will have the determination and stamina, as myself, to carry on for the members of the Branch. I ve enjoyed travelling with my lovely wife Lynne, Branch Secretary. We met while travelling and probably will to the day we die, riding along at the back leaving our (my) snailtrail. BBQ s, coffee mornings, weekends away, toy runs, Australia Day BBQ s, and memorial rides have been just some of the events we have attended over the last two years. We attended the Newcastle AGM event, our first ever, but not our last, a real eye opener. Hopefully we will get to the Fraser Coast AGM event. I d also personally like to thank John Evans, a true gentleman and a friend, for his help and guidance. Also, Denis Paulin, National President, for his role in keeping the Branch together for everyone to enjoy. Also, the great guys who give up their time to do special events, you know who you are, thanks guys But, most importantly, I d like to thank the members of the outgoing committee for their time and effort over the last 12 months. Brian Fitzpatrick # 51598 Thanks to Edgeworth Bowling Club Home of the Newcastle Lower Hunter Ulysses Branch
Do you have something to contribute to our newsletter??? This is your newsletter and we need your contribution. If you have been on a good ride or trip away, write a short story, send in some photos and let us all know about. Please send all contributions by email to: newcastlelowerhunterulysses@gmail.com. This month, we wish Happy Birthday to: Robyn Pratt Jennifer Rosewood And Happy Anniversary to: Robyn & Shane Pratt Sue & Garry Hughes BRANCH RIDES and EVENTS We would like to remind our members that all official Branch rides and events are posted in our ride calendar and, unless otherwise stated, all rides leave from Hexham McDonalds.
14 April From: Your Home Edgeworth Bowling Club 7pm for our monthly social meeting followed by Branch 2012 AGM 15 April From: Your Home Coffee Morning at Tides Café, Swansea 22 April From: Hexham McDonalds Singleton 12 May From: Your Home Edgeworth Bowling Club 7 pm for our monthly social meeting June Social Meeting and June Long Weekend Don t forget, the June Social meeting will be held on the 1 ST SATURDAY OF JUNE, 2 JUNE 2012. A trip to Shoalhaven Heads has been planned for the June long weekend. You will need to book your own accommodation direct with The Heads Hotel at Shoalhaven on 02 4448 7125 (ask for David, Karen or Michelle). Cost is $40per head per night or $45per head per night with breakfast (bacon, eggs, toast). The rooms will only be held for us until 30 April, so if you would like to go, make sure you contact the hotel to make your booking soon. After 30 April the rooms cannot be guaranteed for Branch members. Once you have booked your accommodation, please let Garry Hughes know you will be joining the weekend away either by phone on 0428 497 137 or by email to hughesgw@bigpond.net.au. Have you been somewhere and have a story to tell or photos to show? Send them to us for the Newsletter by email to newcastlelowerhunterulysses@gmail.com. We need them no later than 10 days prior to the next Social Meeting
CHRISTMAS IN JULY The Branch is going to North Haven for our Christmas in July celebration on 21-22 July 2012. Dinner will be 2 courses at North Haven Bowling & Recreation Club at a cost of $27.50 per head. Payment for your meal must be made prior to the weekend. We have contacted Haven Waters Motel & Suites to arrange accommodation which you must book yourself direct with the Motel either by telephone 6559 9303 or by email to reservations@havenwaters.com.au. Make sure you tell them you are with Newcastle Lower Hunter Ulysses. The tariffs are as follows: Single $80 Double $85 Twin share $95 Terrace Suite (double) $100 One bedroom apartment (2 people) $108 Two bedroom apartment (4 people) $155 The cost for a cook your own BBQ breakfast is $9 per person. This includes sausages, bacon, eggs, bread for toasting, juice, condiments. Please let Shane Pratt know if you are attending the weekend and also if you require the cook your own breakfast. Shane s phone number is 0408 982 204 or by email to rkbundy@bigpond.com. Payment will be required as follows: Hotel Accommodation - direct to the hotel. Dinner $27.50 per head - pay to the Branch no later than 14 July 2012. Breakfast - $9.00 per head - pay to the Branch no later than 14 July 2012. AGM EVENT 2012 The 2012 AGM Event has been and gone. From all reports, it sounds like it was a great week. Here are a couple of photos.
MOREE MUSTER - 4 to 6 MAY 2012 This is the 10 th year for the Moree Muster and the Cotton Country Cruisers plan to make it special. Put the dates in your diary and keep an eye on their website for more details as they become available: http://www.ulyssesclub.org/branches/cottoncountrycruisers/ PORT STEPHENS MEET &GREET - 18 to 20 MAY 2012 It s on again this year. It s close to home so come along and have an enjoyable weekend. If you can t make it for the whole weekend, it s not too far to go just for dinner. All details including the registration form can be found on the Port Stephens Branch Website: http://www.ulysses.org.au/branches/portstephens/upcoming_events.htm COFFS CAPERS - 1 to 3 JUNE 2012-01-09 Coffs Capers will be held to coincide with the Wintersun Festival this year. More details available from the Coffs Coast website: http://branches.ulyssesclub.org/default.aspx?alias=branches.ulyssesclub.org/coffscoast Have you changed your email address?? Don t forget to let the Branch Secretary know your new email address so you can continue to receive emails from the Branch. The Branch email address is: newcastlelowerhunterulysses@gmail.com If you wish to update your details on the members page of the Branch website, you must contact the webmaster, John Beddoe, direct. John s email address is: johnbeddoe@westnet.com.au
Ants Across America We ve received information about a trip to USA in September 2012 which you may be interested in. Please refer to the flyer attached with the newsletter for all details. We played poker!! A big thank you goes to Bob Croft and Wally Thurgood for doing all the ground work in organising our poker run and the fantastic prizes. Thank you also for those members that helped by manning the stops along the way to hand out cards. The poker run was a fundraiser for the Branch. Thank you all our members and friends who participated and helped raise $778.00. What a fantastic effort! There were around 16 prizes on the day with first prize going to John Madden who won with a full house. John chose the full face helmet donated by Newcastle Kawasaki as his prize. Thanks to Edgeworth Bowling Club and all businesses and members that donated prizes including: Port Performance Graeme Morris Motorcycles Newcastle Kawasaki CC Leather Newcastle Harness Racing Club Brisan Motorcycles Chris Watson Cessnock Bunnings Hardware Glendate Reeds by the Creek John Hunter Deb & Dallas Relf
AND, we went to Mooney Mooney... Another great day for a ride saw about 10 bikes, with a few new members, head through Buchanan, Millfield and Wollombi to Laguna for morning tea. Unfortunately Laurie had some problems with his bike and had to leave us at Millfield. After coffee and shopping (there s a curios shop there) at Laguna we hit the road again following the old Pacific Highway to the Mooney Mooney Club for lunch. If you re hungry, have a burger, they re huge (the photo doesn t do it justice). The ride home after lunch returned along the old Pacific Highway with everyone peeling off as they got closer to home.
You don t need a Harley to pick up chicks... On the farm lived a chicken and a horse, both of whom loved to play together. One day the two were playing when the horse fell into a bog and began to sink. Scared for his life, the horse whinnied for the chicken to go get the farmer for help! Off the chicken ran, back to the farm. Arriving at the farm, he searched and searched for the farmer, but to no avail, for the farmer had gone to town with the only tractor. Running around, the chicken spied the farmer's new Harley. Finding the keys in the ignition, the chicken sped off with a length of rope hoping he still had time to save his friend's life. After tying the other end to the rear bumper of the farmer's bike, the chicken then drove slowly forward and, with the aid of the powerful bike, rescued the horse! Happy and proud, the chicken rode the Harley back to the farmhouse, and the farmer was none the wiser when he returned. The friendship between the two animals was cemented: Best Buddies, Best Pals. A few weeks later, the chicken fell into a mud pit, and soon, he too, began to sink and cried out to the horse to save his life! The horse thought a moment, walked over, and straddled the large puddle. Looking underneath, he told the chicken to grab his hangy-down thingy and he would then lift him out of the pit. The chicken got a good grip, and the horse pulled him up and out, saving his life. The moral of the story? (yep, you betcha, there is a moral!) "When You're Hung Like A Horse, You Don't Need A Harley To Pick Up Chicks" Arthur Davidson in Heaven Arthur Davidson, of the Harley Davidson Motorcycle Corporation died and went to Heaven. At the gates, St. Peter told Arthur, "Since you've been such a good man and your motorcycles have changed the world, your reward is you can hang out with anyone you want in heaven". Arthur thought about it for a minute and then said, "I want to hang out with God." St. Peter took Arthur to the throne room, and introduced him to God. Arthur then asked God, "Hey, aren't you the inventor of woman?" God said, "Oh, yes." "Well," said Arthur, "professional to professional, you have some major design flaws in your invention: 1. There is too much inconsistency in the front-end protrusion. 2. It chatters constantly at highh speeds. 3. Most of the rear ends are too soft and wobble too much. 4. The intake is placed way too close to the exhaust, and finally, 5. The maintenance costs are outrageous." "Hmmm, you may have some good points there," replied God, "hold on." God went to his celestial Super Computer, typed in a few words and waited for the results. The computer printed out a slip of paper and God read it. "Well, it may be true that my invention is flawed," God said to Arthur, "but according to these numbers, more men are riding my invention then yours".