Joe Rider volunteers for Motorcycle Awareness Week, 14 - 21 October 2017

We need riders to wear a JOE Rider vest and ride your normal routes all week, During Motorcycle Awareness Weekfrom 14 - 21 October.  

 

The JOE Rider campaign is to raise awareness of motorcycles and scooters on Canberra roads, and this year the campaign is again supported and being held by the Councils surrounding the ACT. 

 

The MRA ACT is supporting the rider awareness campaign by radio and media information, asking other road users to look out for and report their sightings of JOE, by emailing to joe.rider@internode.on.net all week. To run the campaign successfully we need your support to be JOE Rider - as before, all you need do is wear a JOE Rider vest.

We know many of you have the vests from previous years - please get them out of the shed and wear them for the 14 - 21 October. If you'd like a vest to wear for the week  please contact us on committee@mraact.org.au. We have a range of zippered (no more flapping) vests as well.

Please also promote the campaign by displaying the poster at work, on intranet sites, FB pages, websites etc 

Many thanks

Jen Woods

VP MRA ACT

 0448 336 111

jenwoods@internode.on.net

 

 

Funeral Service details for John McCauley

G’day all,

We received this email from Allison McCauley, whose father John McCauley died on the weekend. John was a member of Ulysses for many years. The funeral will be at Mitchell on Wednesday 4 October and it would be great if some Ulysses members are able to attend. Details are below.

"My Dad, John McCauley, was a member of the Ulysses Club for many years. Sadly Dad passed away on the weekend, and I wanted to invite anyone that knew him in the Canberra Branch to attend the funeral. Or in fact anyone that wanted to say farewell to a fellow motorbike rider. All motorbikes are welcome, I will be riding one of Dad's bikes. Now that I've moved to Canberra, I'll be joining up once I get my act together.”

Funeral Service Details
3.00pm Wednesday 4 October 2017
Norwood Park Crematorium
65 Sanford Street, Mitchell ACT 2911

Everyone is welcome to join us to celebrate and share stories of John McCauley following the service
4.00pm at Ainslie Football Club
52 Wakefield Avenue
Ainslie ACT 2602
Please sign in at reception and they will direct you to the function room.

Thanks,
Ian

Ian Paterson
Editor
Rural Business
Mob: 0427 291 728
Skype: iansallypaterson
Email: ian.paterson@iinet.net.au

National Memorial Ride to Cordeaux Dam - 10th September 2017

Only a small turn out for this year’s ride to Cordeaux for the Ulysses Club National memorial day commemoration.

Jenny only came to say hello and then headed home to recuperate after her visit to meet Vladimir and Uri.

The usual run up the concrete to BP at Marulan for morno’s, however Trevor peeled off at Goulburn.  Arriving at Cordeaux the numbers were down a little from other years, but still a good turn out. 

The service was very capably conducted by the President of the Macarthur Branch. The Ode was recited, one minutes silence observed, all to remember those who have ridden on before us.

After the service lunch was served, for a gold coin donation, courtesy of the Macarthur branch.

A big thank you to all the good people who make this day something special.    

DP

• Darryl Palin                  GL1800
• Garry McCurley             VFR1200
• Neil McRitchie               GTR1400
• Trevor McLeod               FJR1300
• Looch                           Triumph Rocket X
• Kim Nichols                  Tiger  1050
• Jenny Carlin                  (flying visit)

Vietnam Adventure (Kim and Ron)

Do you have a sense of adventure? Is your idea of experiencing a country one where you are up close and personal with the sights, sounds and smells and get to taste the dust (literally)? If that sounds like you, then riding in Vietnam with Slow Cruze Tours is the place you need to be.

Sue and Colin are fabulous hosts and tail end Charlie's and their Vietnamese team of River, Mr Tum and Jeow are excellent. River is the ride leader - a wheeling / dealing so called ladies man. Mr Tum drives the support vehicle and carries the cold beer, water and luggage. Jeow is their mechanic who can fix anything from a sticky throttle to a busted tyre. 

My bike was a 125cc Honda Master 3. Nice wide bars, electric start, 5 normal gears, nimble, shaky, filthy and plenty of rattles but nothing fell off - it's a Honda. Ron’s bike was a 150cc Asian made Benelli. Circular geared which took some getting used to - down down down but not so far down that you go through neutral and hit first from 5th (just sayin). Luckily, this bike also had a kick start so when the battery went flat (which it did) he could still get it going again. You could not ride in this country on a bigger bike - you need to be nimble and quick. At 60km/hr you feel like you are flying along anyway because you are going faster than everyone else (except the ruthless and selfish truck and limo drivers).

Let s start our adventure with the Vietnam Road Rules:
•    Keep right
•    If something pulls out of a side street or shop and they are in front if you, they have right of way - don't expect them to look - even if they cut you off
•    Beep beep beep - the Vietnamese only look ahead and listen behind so its customary and polite to let them know you are overtaking them, besides that they are usually on the phone, holding a baby or two, holding something larger than their bike, or having a smoke or a chat while riding
•    A beep behind you means you are being overtaken so hold your line
•    Approaching a blind corner - beep beep beep
•    Dog/pushbike/oxen/toddler - beep beep beep
•    If a truck/van/car is hurtling toward you on your side of the road - keep right
•    If a truck/van/car is hurtling toward you and they flash their lights - they aren't going to give way so be prepared to get on the verge, duck into a driveway or stop and have a minor panic attack as your life flashes before your eyes
•    If a storm is coming, it will be a short lived massive dump so just drive into someone's house to wait it out. No problem.
•    There is no wrong direction - just go. Stopped at an intersection? Just ride on the wrong side until you can cross over - no problem, just beep beep beep.
•    Do not assume you have right of way - there is no place here for road rage or attitude - leave it at home
•    Don't be timid or hesitate - trust your skills.
•    To quote our hosts - “roads in Vietnam are comparable to a river - always go with the flow for a safe and happy journey”
  

Do you like surprises? Vietnams got me!
•    potholes you could disappear in, on most roads
•    Roads made from slabs of concrete, with skatey gravel marbles on most corners
•    Water buffalo in the middle of the road
•    Brown cows, also in the middle of the road
•    People just wandering along
•    Dogs, chooks, ducks and small children running out at you
•    Ladies in long dresses and pointy hats on push bikes
•    Riders from all over the world that don't dress for the slide (because it's stinking hot and they are bulletproof - in Vietnam they remove gravel from wounds with a scrubbing brush after they give you just codeine)
•    Road works, road works and more road works - there's nothing like the smell of fresh tar being mixed in a drum over a fire on the side of the road
•    Cultivators towing trailers
•    Motorcycles carrying items that stick out, like panes of glass, rolls of carpet, gardening equipment, oxy acetylene bottles, livestock, laundry, and every possession the rider owns.

Do you like Asian food? The food in Vietnam is fragrant, cheap and fresh. Beer (advantageously spelt Bia in Vietnamese) is cheap (often just 15000 dong or 85 cents) and different from the south to the north - some we tried included Bia Saigon, Huda, Tiger and LaRue. If you love Beer, Baguettes and Pork, you'll be in your element.

The people are friendly (except for the crusty old bat that followed me down the street hitting me with a hand fan trying to convince me to buy it - or was she driving out an evil spirit, I'll never know) and honest and the kids will stop you to practice their English. The ravages of war are still apparent, extensive vegetation damage can still be seen, and birds were not often seen - the tragedy of it all and hearing of the rights and wrongs that occurred on both sides was chilling and sobering, and sometimes heart-warming.

Highlights - Hoi An Ancient City - food, shopping, luxury hotel, swimming pool. Lak Lake - stunning vistas, local show of Vietnamese customs. Cruising the Perfumed River in Hue, Phang Na / KeBang National Park - world heritage listed, amazing caves - worth the trip up the mountain if you are able by foot to the Paradise Cave and the River cave trip by boat is amazing. Fabulous mountain scenery along the road from south to north.

Lowlights - the humidity, the use of glossy, slippery tiles everywhere, unexpected ridges and items for you to stub your toe on, dust, crazy traffic - silver limo van drivers are the worst. 

Gary Mac once told me that the Ulysses Club is a broad church - and our tour group was an eclectic bunch. Most were smokers and big beer drinkers so that was something of a running theme each afternoon - we even had two blokes that had given up smoking take it up again! Of course we joined in on the beer to a degree - but this isn't really our thing so the advice here is do your own thing, and we did.

If you are a coffee drinker you're all set, but if you only drink tea bring your own tea bags and a travel jug. Get on the Chan Muoi - a salted citrus drink that is my new favourite flavour. Bring an old top sheet too - most hotels do not supply them. If you only drink wine, forget it. Personally I was looking forward to opening a nice Aussie Shiraz on my return home.  Ron and I spent $700 AUD for the two of us on this trip as most things are included, except for dinners and whatever you choose to do on the free days.

For us, this trip was a bucket list tick off. We had a ball and would recommend it to skilled riders with a few years riding under their belt - any off road skills you have will serve you well here, as we spent a lot of time up on the pegs - and those with a sense of adventure who aren't afraid of being dirty and sweaty every day. Remember there is a shower, air con (sometimes even a swim), good company, great food and a cold beer at the end of every day.

Kim and Ron Tito

Ride to Crookwell (or How I learnt to love the Wind) 3rd September 2017

Waking up to grey sky I considered a ride to Crookwell -  Home of the world famous potato festival or staying in bed.  After much procrastination I layered up, watched water fall from the sky & plotted a route north that missed all the rain clouds, arriving in time to hear the rider’s briefing. Well I would have except I still had my earplugs in.

So our small band or riders -  6 hardy souls - ventured north, picking up one near the bandit territory of Murrumbateman. Then a fascinating journey to Boorowa by which time the sun was out and it was quite warm. However the digital ordering system at the cafe was not working and the temporary analogue system (pen and paper) was not up to the task but eventually order was restored.

At this point Glorious Leader asked if Chas or I would write the ride report. We took pity upon GL as while the RO2 editor asks us once a month at the regular meeting where was the report, GL would probably experience a more daily interrogation.

Anyway I volunteered with the proviso that I did not have to use any facts. So we gathered again and headed into the long and winding road complete with 40+ kph winds, so dodging branches and movement of the bike across the road. The Rugby road is in reasonable condition and was an enjoyable ride and fortunately most of the wind was from behind.

Arriving in Crookwell we once again regrouped.  As the others entered the bistro, I decided to continue on and dodge the gathering dark clouds.

1230. End of time with group.

I did carry on to Goulburn and refueled at about 15 cents cheaper than ACT, and just dodged a rain cloud as I left. Overall except for the wind and threatening rain a nice ride. Was told that they also missed any rain, so luck all round.

Mike

• Alan Munday          FJR1300
• Les Robinson         Triumph Trophy
• Neil McRitchie        GTR1400
• Trevor McLeod        FJR1300
• Garry Cashmere     BMW K1300
• Mike Kelly              BMW R1200 RT
• Chas Towie            Honda ST1300