Rotorua Ramblings October 2016 To open Branch website, click: www.ulyssesrotorua.org.nz EDITORIAL My GL1500 has had very little kilo s put on the clock over the last 12 months. This has been mainly due to several reasons: Shifting home to a retirement villa, not very conducive weather for riding in over the winter, as well as a change in Marlene s health being diagnosed with dementia. David Coy s Thursday rides have been fantastic, as Thursday s suit me and that the rides are within the time-frame for taking Marlene to her daycare facility. The bonus has been that this extra spare time has given me the incentive to give my GL1500 a major clean-up and it sure looks a million dollars! All panels have been removed, repaired, polished, replaced and polished again! New front tyre and front and rear brake pads. I also fitted a new Motobatt (SLA) battery fantastic cranking speed. It is now a dream to ride just like new again. Tony B. #2436 ROTORUA BRANCH MEETING Sunday 30 October. 7pm St John Rooms COORDINATOR S CLAPTRAP COORDINATOR S CLAPTRAP Hi, fellow Ulyssians, our Coordinator s meeting in Wellington was well worth the trip. It is always a great moment to meet your fellow Branch Presidents, and to talk about the processes and progresses that each branch is experiencing. The main topic for discussion was membership not just increase it, but to maintain it. Other topics of importance to the club were raised, and dealt with. It is important that you all know that there are three National Committee members retiring at the AGM in Masterton, and you should all consider your own ability in maybe standing for these vacancies and having a guiding hand in the future of the Club. You should also know that at least one position will be available in Dunedin in 2018 also. The ongoing advancement of Ulysses is dependent on ideas and stewardship from us all. Service on the National Committee is hugely important, but not especially onerous, please, all of you, consider your ability to serve. Also, due to Ulyssian Magazine timing, the date for our own AGM has had to be set. On April 30 th we will have our own Branch AGM. All names are welcome for all positions on your Branch Committee. If National is a bridge too far, what about local service. I have been informed that when I am unable to attend our coffee mornings at the Lakefront Café, the Ulysses banner does not get displayed, It is not difficult or time consuming to erect, or to dismantle. I would not like it to be the flag that confirms that I am in residence, like the Union Jack at Windsor Castle informs the British public that Queen Elizabeth is there! The banner is to show that our Branch members are present, and are proud to be there. If necessary, instructions can be given. Let s be proud of our Club! The better weather is now here ( well, for most of the time ), and your runs are being organised and advised as often as possible. The organisation of rides is the lifeblood of Ulysses, and it would be good that each of us could have input into this. Think about putting forward ideas, destinations, routes, dinners, overnighters, etc., for consideration and action. We are nearly at the end of 2016, only 7 weeks to go. Pam & I will have our end of year function at our home, probably on the weekend of 17-18 December. Can we please discuss this at the meeting. See you all on Sunday night, cheers, your coordinator, Cheers, Flash 1
It sounds as if your Branch has a few new members joining, well done! I hear that an Australian Coordinator was in our town for a couple of days, managed to have a chin wag with your Secretary. I hope trans-tasman relationships were promoted. In a couple of Thursdays, one of your lunchtime riders is having a Venison lunch for Xmas sounds like a damn good event. Speaking of Xmas, I haven t heard any gossip about your own Xmas celebration. I can t believe that this will go past with no disgraceful activity. After your Gisborne overnighter, I would bet there are more such rides on the way! That success should be continued. November birthday celebrations would appear to be Jim Bolten, Paul Shaw, Sean Wilson, and Flash s Pam! Happy partying! 2016-2017 Rotorua Ulysses Branch Committee Coordinator: Gordon ( Flash ) White 027 345 8634 poppagordie@gmail.com Secretary: Bruce Quedley 021 616 736 bruce@quedley.com Treasurer: Hartley Gray 027 229 6407 hartleyandteri@gmail.com Newsletter: Tony Baker 022 345 7607 tbaker@nowmail.co.nz Sheriff: Bruce Roe 027 675 7469 roeswood@xtra.co.nz Runs Coordinator: Hartley Gray 027 229 6407 hartleyandteri@gmail.com Webmaster Tony Baker 022 345 7607 tbaker@nowmail.co.nz Committee: Graeme van Praagh, Bob McKenzie Branch address: P.O. Box 103, Rotorua 3040, New Zealand Branch website address: www.ulyssesrotorua.org.nz Snippets from the Branch meeting dated Sunday 25 September,2016 14 members attended, 10 apologies. Request for End of Year Function venue. Reminder to organize accommodation for 2017 National AGM at Masterton 14 26 April 2017. Ulysses membership drive with a reduced sign-up cost of $10 for November until December 2017. ACC statistics to be distributed to members. Meeting closed at 7.50pm. AGENDA FOR BRANCH MEETING Sunday 30 October 2016 at 7pm Present Apologies Previous Minutes Matters Arising Correspondence In / Out Finance Report Runs Report General Business: Coordinators Meeting Okataina Wairarapa 2017 AGM Dunedin 2018 AGM ACC Levies Update Updated phone numbers ACC Motorcycle Information Stats. Christmas function Any other matters Sheriff Supper 2
Upcoming Rides Wednesday 2nd November Evening ride to Cambridge for tea. Leave Lakefront Cafe at 5.30 pm sharp. RIC: Hartley 021 916645 Sunday 6th November Whakatane Ulysses Mountain to the Sea 2016 Charity Ride. See page 56 of latest Ulyssian. $10.00 registration. Depart Lakefront 10am sharp. Sunday 20th November Ride to Kaiaua for fish & chips. Depart Lakefront 10am sharp. RIC: Hartley 021 916645 Sunday 4th December Ride to Waihi. Depart Lakefront 10am sharp. Sunday 18 December Ride to Ohope. Depart Lakefront 10am sharp. Northland Rally Weekend 7 th 9 th October Four Rotorua members attended the rally - Jack, Bruce, Christine and myself (Hartley). We all travelled up separately, with Jack taking his ute as the weather was atrocious on Friday. I travelled via Hamilton and had rain pretty well much all the way to the Bombay's where the rain stopped and it looked reasonably clear. Unfortunately, by the time I got to Newmarket, it started to rain again. So across the bridge in rain and some gusty wind. I pulled off at Silverdale to shelter under the canopy of the service center and let a heavy fall go by, then headed back out onto the motorway. The spray from the trucks was bad but the further north I travelled the better it got. I checked into my motel and caught up with the others. Johan and Diane from Taupo were staying at the same motel with Johan having come on the Spider and Diane in their ute! I joined in on the Saturday ride which covered some good back roads out from Marsden with the highlight being a visit to the Packard and Pioneer Museum at Maungatapere. There were over 50 Packard cars ranging from 1919 to 1958 and also 60-plus classic motorcycles. Well worth a visit if you are in that area. A good feed was put on by the club on Saturday night and the band was enjoyable. Sunday morning Jack, Bruce and Christine were away by 6am in the morning with myself and Johan and Diane leaving at about 7. We stopped in Warkworth for breakfast. Dry roads nearly all the way back with only a bit of rain at Rangiuru. Home by midday. It was my first Northland rally and it will be on my list for next year. I would like to spend some more time up north and have a better look around. Hartley Gray #6974 3
Impromptu Ride Sunday 23rd October Myself, Mal, Linda and Darryl on bikes and Jack on his trike met at the Lakefront for a bit of a Sunday ride. Linda was back on her bike and newbie Darryl had come along. It was decided to ride to Tauranga for fish and chips at the wharf. We travelled via Te Puke with roads quite busy the closer we got to Tauranga. A lovely meal. Too much food as usual. It was then off to a cafe in Greerton for coffee while we waited for Darryl to attend to some business and then we returned to Rotorua via the Kaimais and through some back roads at Okoroire and back over the Mamakus to Rotorua. Hartley #6974 ********************************************** Some pics found in the archives, pre-mid 1990 s 4
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