Distinguished Gentlemens Ride 2015 Ride Report

Simon Whittaker gave a quick presentation promoting the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride at the September branch meeting. 

His news was : "On Sunday the 27th of September, we are going to don our finest threads and motor along in the 2015 Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride to help find a cure for prostate cancer. Why? Because over 1,300 men a day die of prostate cancer worldwide, and that’s something we aim to stop. Your donation will help The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride reach its goal of $US3 million to fund research into a cure for a disease that claims far too many gentlemen each and every year."

So while many members set off on the ride to Landra Castle a few Canberra Branch Ulyssians joined the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride.

Some wore tweed or their dapper best and while there were few monocles to be seen, there was many a pipe (unlit), more than a few flat caps and a significant number of open face helments with goggles. 

I arrived early at the Grease Monkey in Braddon and as the morning progressed an increasing number of well dressed riders on some very smart machines  steadily swelled the ranks. Many paused to pose for a photo in front of a wall with a large dapper gentleman logo before parking up in what was a rough count of some 120 motorcycles and scooters ( as dapper as their riders).

There were many familiar faces amongst the dapper throng including local Ulyssians Genelle Mills, Mark Mitchel, Allan Sjaarda, Col Whittaker and many others.

Genteel Ulyssians

After some spirited acapella renditions from a barbershop twelve the ride set off to weave through the streets of Civic and thence to take in the sights at Mt Stromlo (for a meet up and genteel speechifying) and a loop of the arboretum where many a moustache was twirled.

Finally we all headed off to Kingston Pub for a final bit of speechifying, fundraising, food, conversation and perhaps a reviving ale (low alcohol of course).

All in all a well dapper'd turnout for a very good cause. Well done Simon (and the Whittaker clan).

The Canberra Times was one of the media outlets attending and provided a most supportive report the following day!

Gary Mac Esq.

PS - there's a further fundraising ride on the 10th October (the Blue Tie Ride) - details on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/896834033736231/ 

Pink Ribbon Ride and the start of Motorcycle Awareness Week 2015

Pink Ribbon Ride 2015

The MRA ACT is organising the Pink Ribbon Ride again -  meeting on 24th October  at Old Parliament House, the ride will go to Bungendore to a BBQ in the park. 

The MRA ACT would love to see heaps of bikes  and riders wearing pink in support of the ride. 

Motorcycle Awareness Week 2015

The 24th is also the start of Motorcycle Awareness Week, and the Joe Rider motorcycle and scooter rider awareness campaign will be held all that week.

Bikers Breakfast will be on Friday 30th October.

Ride to Iandra Castle - 27 September 2015

It was a typical Canberra still-a-bit-cool-but-sunshiney-day as we left Nicholls and headed down the Barton, picking up Marilyn on her BMW at Yass - note to blokes: girls on motorbikes are just waiting on the side of the road there to be picked up, so always keep your eyes peeled.
We stopped at the Post Office for coffee in Boorowa, and met up with Trevor who came to say hello - it was great to see him coming out for the ride and a catch up. We discussed the dirt road that leads into Iandra Castle, and the fact that we would have to park on the grass so all were advised to take it easy. Andrew was on his new beast and balked at the prospect of dirty old dirt and having to spend all day Monday polishing his new ride, so it was agreed we would all beat him there and throw dirt at him on entry to make the washing worthwhile.  Our plan was doomed to failure because we all knew that none of us could beat him there. Leaving Trevor in Boorowa, we set off through Murringo, on to Young and Iandra Castle (Mount Oriel Homestead).


On entering the grounds, Andrew remarked to me that the demographic was just about right - in fact he boasted that he and I were probably the young’uns on the day. When we had a look at the stables, a gentleman with a walker said to me “I asked if there was anyone in there, and all I heard was neigh”. This proved to me that all old blokes are funny, even the ones we had come on the ride with. It was great to meet other like minded Ulyssians on the grounds from the Blue Mountains branch.

The castle exterior was magnificent - the expert tasked with restoring the property in the 1900’s was a pioneer of reinforced concrete work. The interior was amazing, with maids and servants quarters, fine dining rooms, a billiard room, beautiful ornate woodwork, stained glass windows, and a magnificent wooden staircase. There were also many other items proving the amount of foresight the owners had - filtered water for the house supply which was recycled from the roof run off, conduit for electric lighting throughout, a gas making plant, a 20 line switchboard which served the household, a septic tank the size of a two car garage, and a Crossley Gas Engine generating 110 volts of direct current to the main house, stables and cottages. 
 
Peppered about the grounds were bewildered small children asking their parents lots of questions about quaint things like toilets with chains you pulled from cisterns on the wall, hand pumps for water, the pianola and massive old radios the whole family sat around - imagine! There was also a couple in period dress with a Penny Farthing you could sit on for a photo - Daryl and I were both concerned that we wouldn’t be tall enough to ride.

We headed back to Young for some well earned lunch at the Wilders Bakery. After some discussion, we chose the same way home as Nat and Gary wanted to stop and witness the wonder of baby Clydesdale foals on the way, and those with other interests, like washing the remains of creamy yellow bugs off their bikes before they went hard, ploughed on to home.

Thoroughly enjoyable - thank you ride leaders !

Kim

CTX1300 - Ron Tito
F700GS - Kim Moorey
F800GS - Marilyn Starick
FJR1300 - Andrew Campbell
FJR1300 - David Robinson
GL1800 - Daryl Palin
GS1150 - Les and Julie Robinson
ST1300 - Chas Towie
ST1300 - Peter Arday
VFR1200 - Gary McCurley and Natalie TeBay
VT750C - Colin Wilson

Club Ride To Goulburn's Green Grocer on 20 September 2015.

As the weather was warm and sunny with no wind it was a very good day for riding motor cycles.

After the ride briefing we headed off to Bungendore for morning tea then onto Tarago, Windellama,  Gundary Plains, and after grouping outside Goulburn we rode to the Green Grocer for lunch.

On completing a very nice lunch we rode to the nearby Caltex were some refueled their bikes.Then we rode out of Goulburn along the Gurrundah Road taking the Old South Road to Breadalbane.

After Breadalbane we rode along the old Hume Highway through the Cullerin Range to Gunning for afternoon tea.

Following afternoon tea we said our goodbyes and rode home.

The whole day was very enjoyable for the following two reasons:

1) non eventfull riding with an interesting mix of motor cycles while riding through beautiful Australian bush country side, rolling green farm land dotted with cattle, sheep, horses including a number of very cute calves, lambs and foals;

2) great conversations with very nice fellow riders over cups of coffee, tea and lunch.

While everyone who attended the ride made the day most enjoyable, I would like to thank Peter for his contribution to the day.

Garry. 

The riders were:

• Garry McCurley & Natalie TeBay - Honda VFR1200,
• Andrea Lanagan - Suzuki Boulevard,
• Peter Arday - Honda ST1300A,
• Mick & Kipper Beltrame - Victory XC,
• Mark Morey - Triumph Bonneville,
• Andrew Campbell - Yamaha FJR1300,
• Mark Mitchell - Honda VFR800, 
• Les Brown - BMW 1150GS,
• David Johnson - BMW F700.

Distinguished Gentlemans Ride 27 Sept

Simon Whittaker gave a quick presentation at this months branch meeting. 

His news:
"On Sunday the 27th of September, we are going to don our finest threads and motor along in the 2015 Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride to help find a cure for prostate cancer. Why? Because over 1,300 men a day die of prostate cancer worldwide, and that’s something we aim to stop. Your donation will help The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride reach its goal of $US3 million to fund research into a cure for a disease that claims far too many gentlemen each and every year."

So if you aren't riding to Landra Castle and you aren't Decide and Riding why not don your tweed ( known far and wide for its safety values (note:liberty with truth taken here)), perhaps a monocle, a pipe (unlit of course) open face helmet and goggles and get along to a well dressed ride against prostate cancer. 

Ride details are provided after registering.... 
https://www.gentlemansride.com/rides/australia/canberra

Call for volunteers for a BBQ 26 Sept

Jen Woods has been contacted by Andrew Barber from CMC seeking a club to provide BBQ support for a Suzuki Ride Day - so if we can get a few more people it means that the BBQ volunteers might be able to volunteer for a test ride as well..the old many hands principle!

Jen's minimum crew is 4 people for two shifts – 8 to 12.00 and 12.00 to 3.00. (that includes set up and clean up). More means that the volunteers get a break, maybe a test ride and the joy of volunteering is a shared joy!!

 

If you can help please contact Jen on 0448 336 111 or jenwoods@internode.on.net

Ride to Young 6th September 2015

The day started out somewhat overcast as we met at Caltex Nicholls but there’s no disguising the fact that Spring’s approaching. The light’s changing and the blossoms are blooming.

Ride briefing over, we settled at a ‘not too fast but not too slow’ sort of pace up the Barton Highway headed for our morning tea stop at the Rollonin Café in Bowning. Being old and infirmed, most (if not all) of us parked over the road from the café avoiding the sloping gravel car-park like the plague.

We settled down to coffees and teas with some members electing for a morning snack (adorned with a litre of spray-on cream) and it was here that Marilyn joined us resplendent in her new motorcycle ‘onesie’.

Coffees/teas and snacks consumed, we mounted up and headed for the Burley Griffin Way, after which we turned off through Galong, onto the Kalangan Road, right onto the Boorowa-Harden Road, and then a quick left onto the Moppity Road. Some beautiful scenery around here as we rode some ridgelines, with green paddocks, canola fields, and new lambs to keep us entertained.

Arriving in Young, we all headed to Wilders Bakery for lunch. For the gastronomes out there, I had the Steak and Kidney Pie, which was very pleasant. 

A quick trip up to the main petrol station and then an onward journey home via Kingsvale Road and Harden rounded off a very pleasant and relaxed day.

Thanks to all who came and shared their company.

Andrew


The Crew:

• Andrew Campbell                               Yamaha FJR1300
• Gary McCurley and Natalie TeBay          Honda VFR1200
• Mick Beltrame and Kipper                    Victory XC
• Mark Mitchell                                     Honda VFR800
• Darryl Cullen                                     Suzuki GSX1250S Bandit
• Glen Jones                                        Moto Guzzi California Custom
• Gary Thomas                                     Suzuki DL650 V-Strom
• George Attard                                   Triumph ST1050
• Marilyn Starick                                   BMW R1200RT
• Sandy Fisk                                        Honda Deauville
• Ian Cuthbert                                     BMW R1200RT