H.O.G.® Chapter 6655
CONTENTS Features 10 - Captain Newbie 12 - NEC Bike Show 14 - European Tour 3
Regulars 2 - Director’s Cut 3 - Secretary’s Update 5 - From the Front 6 - Between the Covers 7 - Cangen Cymraeg 8 - Cockers Bits 9 - Ladies of Harley 18 - Charity Update 19 - Pete & Duncan’s Pump Stop 21 - Mencap 23 - At a Glance
February 2014
Official Newsletter of the Great Western Chapter
Page 2
Director’s Cut
By Barry “Bazzzzer” Aggett Hi All, There appears to be no let up in the weather as the rain continues to shower down on us. I hope you’re storing some for the inevitable drought we’ll be having during our scorching summer!
I guess many of us are not clocking up loads of miles at this time of year, unless your name is Andy RKK Kendall or Mark Chinnick, or you have heated vest and pants or enjoy extreme riding events like the Iron HOG ride. No, for most of us, this time of year, is primarily about planning, checking out what’s going on and trying to balance what we would like to do with what’s affordable and we have time for. With that in mind, I hope you’ll agree we try to put on a good mix of minor to major events. Once again, I encourage new members to get involved, believe me it’s the only way to maximise the fun. I’ll leave Cockers to go into all of the details of upcoming events but I would like to draw your attention to a couple of them. First up will be the GWC Birthday Party on the 7th March which we will again hold at Riders of Bristol. Nothing elaborate, it’s more about chewing the cud and just having fun. The other event I would like to mention is “Hogs in the Hayfields 7”. I know some see this event as being aimed at campers, so may dismiss it out of hand if living under canvas is not your thing. As a Rally committee we took this on board and appreciate other Chapter members could have a similar view. So, in response, I encourage you to visit our revamped rally web page and you’ll notice a section on “accommodation”. You’ll see a list of local B&B’s and a Premier Inn, which is just 1½ miles from the Cleve rally site, so you won’t miss all your creature comforts from home! Some may then say, but I’ll have to drive back to my cosy bed, so cannot have a tipple. Not true, if you stay at the Premier Inn, because we’ll be putting on transport to take you back there. Not only that, you may even get a free ticket if you’re lucky enough to be pulled out in the monthly draw. But, you gotta be in it to win it. So please come along and support your Chapter rally and, even better, if anyone can spare a bit of
time, please get involved in the preparations. Contact Tony James for any queries. It was great to welcome Lisa O’Brien and her son John from Mencap, Keynsham Branch, to our Cross Hands club night in January. Lisa gave a detailed presentation to explain their current activities and the potential ways GWC could help in supporting their needs. Not only through donations, but by interaction with service users at events and maybe drawing on skills from our members’ daytime roles. Unfortunately, the meeting at St Mary’s of the Mencap Chepstow Branch, had to be postponed until February due to a bereavement. January was the Directors’ meeting, held near Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, which was a good opportunity to hear about the latest developments in Harley Davidson and to debate exciting topics such as the new Chapter Charter and by-laws. I can envisage you skipping reading at this point so, to bring you back into focus what about the new “Skull With Wings” back patch as shown on page 43 of issue 4 of H.O.G. magazine? I can assure you there were a few Directors, including me, who thought this patch could cause grief with MC’s in the UK, so my intention is to advise you to give it careful consideration before purchasing. However, since the Directors’ meeting, we have been informed that this design has been withdrawn from EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa) markets until further notice. In fairness to H.O.G. it was designed as part of a new branding image and with a global market in mind. Lastly, I thought I would keep my photo with long hair for a bit longer, but it must be confusing to anyone picking up the mag who doesn’t know me and is thinking “he’s a bit young to be a director”! Also, I guess I could throw down the gauntlet and ask if any of the blokes have a picture with longer hair, all fancy dress photos excluded! For full details of all our events please visit the website as this is being frequently updated as events firm up and if you find anything missing please remind us, we’re only human! Barry “Bazzzzer” Aggett Director Email: baznjac@gmail.com Home: 01291 620371 Mobile: 07907 351650
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Secretary’s Update
By Yvonne Roberts
Greetings to all from warm and sunny San Diego, 6,000 miles away! As I write this, it’s 12 noon on Sunday January 19th, (8.00pm UK time). Forcing my mind to focus on what’s been occurring in the Chapter back in the UK - On January 8th, Peter and I picked up Bazzer for our usual trip over to St Mary’s Golf Club, Pencoed, to meet up with our Welsh friends for their Cangen meeting. January is one of the few months when the second Wednesday falls before the second Tuesday. The meeting was well-attended, considering it was so close to the festive season. As usual, Greg and Andrea had beaten us, to be first there, and had already ordered their food! Bazzer’s meal-deal entitled him to a free pudding – spotted dick! They say a picture is worth a thousand words!
From the left: Big Al, me, Peter, Tony, Jane, Bazzer, Stephanie, Anita, Chris, Andy, Mark and Greg. Here is a round-up of our meeting: Bazzer started off by welcoming the 2014 Committee, even though it’s the same trusty faces! Duncan bravely attended, despite suffering from the effects of ‘flu’. He was complimented on the tidiness of the meeting room! Most of the meeting was taken up with planning for 2014. For those of you who like advanced notice, our September Club night at the Cross Hands will be on September 16th, as the room is unavailable on September 9th, and our 2014 AGM will be held on December 9th at the Cross Hands. All the Committee Members gave a brief summary of their priorities for 2014, finishing with Bazzer’s own priorities. He hopes that the Chapter will continue to evolve naturally, but wants to keep all the activities we plan, fresh and interesting. He also intends to keep in touch with Andy and Adrian, Assistant Directors of the Black Mountains Chapter. Peter put forward proposals to improve our current system of collecting payments from members. We agreed that he and Anita should firm these up for our next Committee meeting.
Next up was our monthly GWC Committee meeting on January 11th at Riders. Before we got down to business, Jerry kindly took this photo of your 2014 GWC Committee.
Duncan kindly offered to host our 11th GWC Birthday party at Riders and the date for this event was later confirmed as Friday March 7th. Looking further ahead to December, we agreed that we should find, for our members, a more convenient venue to hold our Christmas party, now that the Black Mountains Chapter is up and running. We also agreed that this (Continued on page 4)
Page 4 needs to be arranged as soon as possible, so Anita will investigate suitable venues and report back at our next Committee meeting. Anita gave a brief outline of all the other GWC activities planned for 2014 which are now on our website. The Committee was pleased to hear that our membership for 2014 is looking very good. If you attended our January Club night at the Cross Hands, you will know that the Committee agreed to monitor the attendance of members by the re-introduction of a signing-in book. The date of our next GWC Committee meeting is February 15th. A full copy of the minutes is available on request to me, Yvonne Roberts.
Graham Meader, who is Mark Meader’s brother, from Swindon.
To save on travelling time, we try to arrange all our Chapter meetings at Riders on the same day. So there were two other meetings which followed on from our GWC Committee meeting – the Rally Committee plus volunteers and after that, the Gurzel’s meeting. We were delighted that a total of 24 members turned up for the Rally meeting, which was chaired by Tony James, our Rally Coordinator. It was great to see some of our newer members keen to volunteer their services, as well as the usual gang. Preparations are well underway, with Tony sorting out the bands and some fresh ideas to mix with the tried and tested ones. As a result of our meeting, Chris has created a brilliant Rally page on our website, which is very informative. We discovered that we have a coach driver in our midst, (Gerry Holmes), who has generously stepped up to drive the minibus we plan on using, to ferry people between Cleve Rugby Club and the Premier Inn on the Saturday evening. Great for those people who prefer not to camp. The date of our next meeting was fixed for March 15th. Our Club night at the Cross Hands was wellattended, with Sue Stokes and Jackie (Queenie), Aggett kindly reminding members to use the signing -in book on arrival. Bazzer welcomed Lisa, the representative from Mencap, who gave a presentation about the work of the Keynsham branch. This was followed by Tony Yendle handing round a winechiller for a collection in lieu of the usual raffle. This raised £114 which, together with the raffle at St Mary’s, makes a total of £139 for Mencap. Thank you to all concerned.
Welcome also to Mary’s husband, Peter, (Pedro) Thornton, who all neatly illustrate the wide geographical spread of our Chapter. I am available at Club nights and you can also contact me by phone on: 01225 751017 or by e-mail: yvonne.s.roberts@gmail.com P.S. For the latest information on our GWC Merchandise, please look at the Merchandise page on our Chapter website, where you will find the details of prices and how to order our range of t-shirts, sweatshirts, and fleeces, which all have our GWC logo embroidered on the front, as well as all of our patches and pins. Ride safe and enjoy, Yvonne
Welcome to four new members: Steve Howells from Secretary Ross-on-Wye, Mary Thornton from Bradford-onAvon,
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From The Front
By Alan “Big Al” Stokes money if used properly. Hi All
Well that’s my latest diatribe complete; I hope it’s provoked you into action (he laughs). So that just So here I am again, ponleaves me to cover what forthcoming rides we have dering as to where my to look forward to. literary ramblings will take me for this month’s Sunday 23rd February 2014 – Ian Johnson & article. With the January Team blues fully entrenched, I find myself lacking inspi- “Gate Crashing Gloucester Docks” ration for producing yet Meeting at Severn View Services (Aust) M48/J1 at another written masterpiece. I’ve taken to staring 10.00 a.m. Please be fuelled up and ready to depart out of the window in the hope of finding some kind for 10.30 a.m. of divine encouragement. Nope, that’s not helped, still blank. Being greeted with the sight of yet anoth- This weekend's ride will take you through South er dull, bleak January afternoon, featuring a torren- Gloucestershire on mostly 'A' roads. It will take in the picturesque town of Chipping Sodbury and on tial rain storm, is not what is needed. So far this into the Cotswold Hills. The ride will take in Nailsyear it seems to be a reccurring theme. Where is worth with its great views. Weather permitting, it will the winter sunshine and cloudless blue skies? Not include the ladder from the bottom of Nailsworth and here, that’s for sure. From where I’m sat, it’s not looking good for getting out on the Harley again this on up to Minchinhampton Common. This hill has a series of tight hairpin bends which are great fun to weekend. More heavy rain forecast …. Grrrr!! Well that’s unless I fancy getting the Harley covered in all ride. From the Common the ride will make its way to Gloucester Docks for a well-earned Lunch/ manner of street crud. Looks like it might well be a refreshment break. trip out at some point on the Rice Rattler to satisfy my two wheeled urges. Maybe even the car!!! The return trip will leave Gloucester and head down Anyway, that’s enough of that and time to focus on the A38 finishing around the Thornbury area. Here a positive note. The bad weather has meant I have we can say our farewells and head for home. been able to get the Harley stripped down and give This ride is classed as a Level B ride of approxiit a thorough well-deserved clean. For those of you mately 80 miles. that don’t have your pride and joy covered in a wellknown protective coating, then now would be a Sunday 9th March 2014 – Greg Payne & Team good time to get your hands dirty. Like me, you “Cross Border Incursions” could get out in the garage, crank up a bit of Iron Maiden and attack those hard to get at areas. The plan is to meet at McDonalds, Coldra RoundaThere’s nothing like bruised, scratched and cut bout, A48 Langstone Road, Newport at 09.30 a.m. knuckles to know you’ve done a proper good job. Please be fuelled up ready to depart at 10.00 a.m. Whilst deep cleaning my own trusty steed, I was surprised at how many additional pieces of chrome This ride will travel from Newport to the market town I’ve added over the years. I’m not sure why I should of Ludlow, Shropshire. We will ride west on the M4 for 1 mile leaving at J25A for Cwmbran via the be surprised with the money I’ve spent but I am. Still, my advice is, where possible, strip them all off A4042. Then we will pick up the A465 Abergavenny and get at those hidden areas. I was amazed at how and onto Hereford and the A49 to Ludlow. There will be a fuel stop at Ludlow (69 miles). Parking will be much muck and grime had accumulated and I am at either Tesco's or the Feathers Hotel (comes very meticulous with my beast. So what to use? There are numerous cleaning products out there but recommended) for lunch. I favour Harley’s own spray cleaner and engine brightener for the bulk of the work. I tend to use S100 on the paint work as it leaves a glossy deep sheen. A tub will last for a very long time. They are all quite expensive products but good value for
Leaving Ludlow will be via A4113 and onto A4112 via Kingsland. Then the A438 to Talgarth and onto the A470 through Brecon. The ride will finish at (Continued on page 6)
Page 6 Tesco's, Upper Boat on the A470 which is 2 miles from the M4. This is a Level C ride of circa 152 miles on mostly A roads. Until the next time, have fun and ride hard. Alan “Big Al” Stokes Assistant Director & Head Road Captain
Between the Covers Hi All, Welcome to the February edition of RoadHOG and may I say roll on the good weather or any weather that doesn’t consist of rain, fog or frost.
For those last minute updates please call the “Hotline” on 08444 994508 and please keep a check on the website for changes. Please see below some guidance details of the rides: Level A - Short and easy below 100 miles round trip. Level B - Fine for average riders but may be a bit longer. Level C - Can include some complex sections but mainly a longer duration.
GWC’s newly-adopted charities. Well, I think that’s about all I have to say for this month but before I go I’d like to thank Wayne Honey for this photo of his first bike??? “I remember when you used to get borders on your photos.”
Firstly I’d like to start by asking any Chapter members that would like their business cards to be displayed in future issues to drop me an email. Just send me a jpeg of your business card and I’ll include it whenever space becomes available. If I already have a jpeg of your business card then let me know if you still want it displayed, otherwise it will be dropped. Now on to the riding. We’re currently at that time of the year when the weather has a tendency to take the pleasure out of riding. However it is an excellent time to start planning for the tours you’re going to undertake and rallies you’re going to attend. I know me and Mrs Cockers already have ours sorted. As part of your planning ,consider the possibility of taking some photos and writing an article for your Chapter’s RoadHOG magazine. The whole process becomes a lot easier if you know you’re going to do it beforehand and, if you have any questions or just want some general guidance, then email me or drop me a line. So, what is in this month’s edition? Firstly, we have the usual articles from the Committee, keeping you up to date on all things GWC. Next we have the final article from Neil on his, almost one month, European tour (thanks Neil), then Phil Blake’s amusing Road Captain’s course write up. Finally, we have RKK’s three kings article with some nice photos from Motorcycle Live at the NEC. This month also sees the first article from one of the
Mark Editor Email: macockwell@yahoo.com Mobile: 07900 496711 (Note: Views expressed in the articles are not necessarily the views of the Editor)
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Cangen Cymraeg Well, hello to all my readers (new, old, infirmed, cranky, know-it-alls which just about covers most of you) to my ramblings, connected loosely to Cangen Cymraeg.
By Greg Payne and which has lapsed. This should provide a guide to current members and their guests.
I did ride to Riders for our GWC Committee meeting and, not having ridden for weeks, rediscovered the joy of motorcycling. However, the Glide looked distinctly dull as the previous week I sprayed ACF 50 on the wheels and shiny bits to combat the effects of salt I am going to apologise on the roads. This leads me nicely on to tell people (I from the start as interest- know most riders know of it, but humour me) what ing content in this article ACF-50 is. is hard to find ,but bullshit is easy. Since my last artiACF-50 (Anti Corrosion Formula) is an aerospace cle, the only item of note I could remember was the product and is approved for ferrous and non ferrous th Cangen meeting on the 8 January at St Marys which metals, including electrical systems and electronic was sparsely attended, probably due to people not components. liking rain (hey this is Wales). At one stage the atIt is a VERY sophisticated type of “thin film” water tendees were myself, Andrea, Bazzer, Peter and displacement product designed as a corrosion preYvonne with an hour to go, but slowly others turned vention and inhibiting compound for the harsh enviup making it a proper meeting. ronmental conditions associated with aircraft operaBazzer discussed various topics, one being the priction, with the added advantage that it will stop existing ing of entry tickets to the Euro Rally, St Tropez which, corrosion and is slow to deteriorate (has a 12 to 18 at 90 euros for 3 days per person, to my mind month active life). It is also a very efficient penetrant seemed extortionate. The headline acts of Bonnie without loosening structural attachments, and an exTyler and Eric Burden (without his Animals), comcellent lubricant without having any high pressure bined with the ticket pricing, I feel will not entice a full lubricants, wax, silicon or Teflon additives (which ac® house of H.O.G members to the rally. However, I tually seal in moisture, thereby aggravating and perknow that GWC members will party in style and we petuating the corrosion process). It is pro-active, neiwill rock Holiday Marina. ther passive nor waxy, and is compatible with most As regards St Tropez, I have planned routes for plastics and rubbers and is EXTREMELY ECONOMIrideouts from Port Grimaud to Grasse which is the CAL IN USE. location of several perfumeries who make the essencIt will, with regular applications, make maintenance es for well known perfumes. Visitors can purchase easier, make the bike easier to clean as it is excellent these essences at a much lower price than the peron black plastic trim and help to prevent surface/ fumes marketed. structural and electrical corrosion. To use, warm the Another route planned, after a suggestion from Si can in warm water and give each area a light spray. It Griffiths, is to Monaco. However, there could be some will creep and will cover all but be careful on brake disruption to road access due to the Monaco Grand calipers or it will creep onto the brake pads. Also, use Prix taking place 2 weeks later. a rag and spread it over the areas sprayed. Under the tank and hidden areas it will last for a year (at least a If I could take this opportunity to ask whoever is comyear in plugs and switches). Exposed areas i.e. forks, ing on the Chapter ride down, to let me know by email front of engine, wheels and calipers can be re-treated with your mobile number and persons attending. as necessary. You can tell if it is still active because On a riding note, I was unable to attend the first com- any water will bead on contact. bined rideout with the Black Mountains Chapter to Hope this explains what ACF-50 is and it can be Saundersfoot ,as I was recceing my rideout to Ludbought at Riders (O.K. Dunc) don’t forget to ask for low. However, seeing the pics and Facebook comdiscount as it is about £15 a can but it will last several ments, it looked like it was a success. Looks like winters. Chinnie and RKK are back in competition for the most rideouts award. That’s it folks see you at the next meeting. Just to keep you informed, it was decided that at all meetings a register of attendees will be kept. This was a practice which used to occur some years ago
Greg Cangen Cymraeg Rep.
Page 8
Cockers Bits
By Anita Cockwell Hi All.
I thought that my article was going to be short this month but, when I started to look at what was going on this year, or already arranged and fully booked, I thought differently. Hopefully that means there’s still a great deal on the horizon for you to enjoy. But only you can tell me if that’s the case! So in krona …..kronolodg….chronological order (thank goodness for spell checker!)
tickets can be posted back to you when they are issued around May time. If you don’t provide this then you will need to collect your tickets from the tagging tent on arrival. Don’t forget the raffle draw too. Buy your tickets now before the rush and have a better chance of winning the monthly draw prize (the cost of one rally ticket refunded). Only names of members purchasing tickets in the preceding month are entered into the draw, so with a smaller number of members buying tickets in February, get yours now to lower the odds! Tony and the rally team are also looking for volunteers to help with duties such as setting up the marquee the night before and to take the marquees down on the Sunday morning, along with a number of other vital activities which make the rally so organised. So please put your name forward to help in what you can and remember “many hands make light work”!
Our very own Chapter Birthday Party!! Friday 7th March. Yes, like everyone else, we get older and more mature (mmmm?) with each passing year and this year we are 11! So, to celebrate this occasion come and join us at Riders (Brislington) on Friday 7 th March from 7.30pm to 11.30pm, and you’ll be happy Contact Tony on his email syston@btinternet.com to hear there’s no ‘dress code’ (yes, yes, I know you Peaks, Lakes and Dales, June 26th – 30th. Sorted! only wear dresses on the weekend). More details to Fenlanders (East of England) Rally, 24th July – follow but just make sure this date is in your diary. 27th July. Rally tickets are £30.00 with booking Boys only Weekend, 4th – 6th April. Sorted! forms available from the Fenlanders Chapter webSt Tropez Rally, May 4th – 15th 2014. A fantastic site (www.fenlandershog.com). If you intend joining scenic ride down, to take in the St Tropez Rally in the main group ride down can you let me know Grimaud, lead by Greg Payne and Ian Johnson. please. Details of route and suggested hotels to stay in can Thunder in the Glens Rally, August 21st – 26th be found on the GWC website. If you haven’t already August. Rally tickets are on sale now from the Dunadvised me that you are riding with Greg and Ian, as edin website (www.dunedinhog.net). I did ask that by part of the group ride, can you please do so asap so the 31st January you advise me if you were joining we can gauge group size. the official Chapter group ride to the rally, which will Pre-registration for rally tickets is now open until necessitate an overnight stop (there and on the reApril 23rd, with a H.O.G® member ‘full’ event ticket turn journey) but, if you haven’t, don’t despair! Let being €90 plus rally pack being an additional €40. me know asap. The only niggle may be that the acGo to www.hogeurope.com to buy your ticket and commodation the group is staying in is full but there find full details of the rally. Due to the cost, many will be others nearby. Further details of route and GWC Chapter members may only purchase a ‘day’ overnight stays etc. will be published soon. ticket for whatever day takes their fancy, or none at And that’s where I’m going to stop now as I don’t all, so please don’t feel you have to purchase a full want to mention Christmas quite yet! Although mayevent ticket. I’m sure there will be enough of us be next month’s magazine! around to make our own entertainment. Cheers All Somme Tour, 30th May – 1st June. Sorted! Anita “Cockers” Cockwell “Hogs in the Hayfields” (our very own rally), 20 th Activities Officer – 22nd June. Tickets are on sale now from Tony James. Please read the application form fully as Email: accockwell@yahoo.com you’ll see that, along with your payment, you must Mobile: 07702 073361 provide a self-addressed, stamped envelope so that
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Ladies of Harley
By Jane Scott
Hello Ladies, Well another month into the year and at first I thought “what am I going to put in my article?”, however it’s filled out quite nicely. As there seems to be a little confusion on becoming a Lady of Harley can I just mention the procedure. On joining H.O.G®, whether as a Full or Associate member, please don’t assume you automatically become a Lady Of Harley, you have to tick the YES box on the form above the name and address box details. If you’re not sure whether you’ve done this, it may be best to either login to your online H.O.G® account and check, or ring the free phone number that is on your H.O.G® card and ask the question. If you phone, you’ll need your H.O.G® GB number, so have that to hand. The article that I was going to put in this month’s RoadHOG, regarding the route from pillion to a rider, has been delayed until next month as I have passed this over to our Safety Officer Mr Kendall (Senior). Andy is currently awaiting some more information from Avon and Somerset Police, regarding Bike Safe and Bridging the Gap courses. This will all make sense, I’m sure, once he has everything in place. Sorry girls, the wait is just a little longer which, in some respects, won’t hurt due to the time of year. It seems as though we have adopted the word “fresh” for 2014 so, at the Cross Hands meeting, I did ask the question of who would be interested in having a coffee and a natter on a Saturday. To my surprise, there was some response, and several ladies came forward with suggestions – thank you all for that. This of course means that I can now say we are holding our first ‘Coffee and a Natter’ at 12 midday on Saturday 1st March at Almondsbury Garden Centre 51-53 Over Lane, Almondsbury, Bristol BS32 4BP
I know this date and location won’t suit everyone but it’s a start. Of course we will have to cross the bridge to have coffee with our Welsh ladies too; that’s to be arranged. Gurzels update – we now have a total of 9 and, as they say the only way is up! There is still time to join us at our next meeting at Riders on 15th February at approximately 1:30pm; meet in the café. The LOH weekend is still in planning mode, if you have any workable suggestions let me know. I’m thinking roughly around the same time as last year, with some ladies having come forward and requested we go back to London. What’s your thoughts on this? NOW FOR THE LADIES THAT RIDE Saturday 5th April Meet at Riders (all fuelled and ready to go) 10:00am for a 10:30am departure. Steph will be Road Captain for the day and we’ll be taking the scenic route through to Marlborough for lunch and a natter. Come on Ladies let’s make this more than the famous 5 this time! Before I sign off for the month I would like to send Get Well Wishes to Carol Howerd. I hope you’re feeling a little brighter xx Well I think that’s all for this month with a few dates to put on the calendar.
Take Care
Jane x Contact details for any questions, moans or queries Email: janescott61@hotmail.co.uk Mobile: 07894 086626
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Captain Newbie to you Sunshine
By Phil Blake get hold of Fred, go for the phone, there's a text from Fred: "In bar got your room key" what a hero! Why employ people who barely speak and read English? Slide into the bar, find Fred, retrieve my room key, dump my gear and return to the bar. This should have been a clue about the style of the course, as we don't ride our bikes till late in the afternoon. This allowed much scope for drinking that evening. Most of our fellow students had gone to bed by 10 which left Bridgwater and Scotland still drinking till midnight (apparently this is normal).
Saturday morning appeared with glorious sunshine and far too early for my liking! Get to HarleyDavidson UK HQ and find the free coffees, start caffeinating myself - sweet. The course starts, three Scottish instructors and Marjorie Rae, Goddess of all things UK H.O.GŽ.It all starts with the usual Newbie reporting again, finally reconnected to the round the room introductions - which chapter, why real world via BT new Infinity (the length of time it you want to be a Road Captain and your objective takes to install). The contractor turned up and profor the weekend??? This is hilarious, most people ceeded to mangle up my phones. At one point I were getting almost spiritual, like I want to serve my heard him talking to someone on his phone saying chapter better and other stuff. It really was flagwhat do I do with the blue wire? That was the clue, waving time and time to sing songs. It gets to me, you are either bomb disposal or in the shit. Five I'm screwed so go with the truth. I was pissed up on days later we are fixed. a beach and face-booked Moggy "wanna be a Road Anyway, I was signed up for the Road Captain Captain?" My objective? Holy cow, I'm on a 5 year course on behalf of the Bridgwater Chapter - what a mission to explore strange new worlds and seek out different way to spend a weekend. I made the fool- new civilizations and to boldly go where no man has ish mistake of having a fairly fixed idea of what to gone before. Marjorie Rae had her head in her expect (idiot). Friday night arrives, the bike is load- hands, not sure whether she was laughing or crying ed, say Cheerio to the Lovely Mrs B and set off up and the instructors put me down as a troublemaker. the M5. Now, due to some excessive miles this Now on with the course. It covered many aspects of year, one ear has started to whistle on its own being Road Captain - planning the route, avoiding (damn you Vance & Hines) so we are experimenting trouble spots like tricky junctions, roadworks, etc. with some earplugs. Found some Auritech earplugs This is all noted on a form (hmmm looks suspiciouson Amazon, which claim to filter all the harmful ly like a method statement). So, my first question noise and allow you to still hear horns, Sat Nav, etc. was about liability, cos the way this is starting to Sorry guys, I've checked and they don't do a set to look, it's like something I'd do at work and get paid filter nagging women! Anyway get to the Premier by the hour? Harley states that the role of Road Inn, park up, lid off and try to get the earplugs out. I Captain is nursemaid to you lot, which was not what didn't know earplugs could swim! There I'm stood in I was thinking the role was. I thought generally I was the car park trying to stuff sausage like fingers into organizing a good day out for fellow bikers. But it my ears to retrieve said plugs. After some light pan- was Safety, Safety, Safety, then the enjoyment of icking, inspiration dawns - pliers! Rummage around everybody else. Firstly, there was planning of the in the pannier, fish out the old multi tool and proroute: this should be ridden or driven at least three ceed to yank the bloody plugs out - what a relief! times with the last ride to check whether any part of Head to check in and get served by some foreign the route has changed: for example, the local counguy whose command of English is not great, excil hadn't been out and dumped tons of loose gravel claiming that I wasn't booked in. Excuse me? Tried on any part of the route (fat chance). They covered Moggy's name (Bridgwater Chapter’s Director) then (Continued on page 11) Fred's. Ahh! yes Mr Cornish, he's checked in. Right,
Page 11 topics like someone turning up drunk, a slow rider, a fast rider, an "I've done it all before" rider, a novice rider and even a trike using the second man drop. Hmmmm sounds a lot like a risk assessment? Now, don't get me wrong, it was all interesting stuff and valid but I felt it had switched from bike club to being corporate and that just didn't feel right. So, at lunchtime I chatted to Marjorie about it and she so wants it to be bike club but the inescapable fact is Harley is a huge business that needs to sell bikes. So part of the Road Captain's role is to make sure that happens, that owners enjoy their machines in safety and free from idiots. Lunchtime finishes, back into the graveyard shift - that time after lunch, where you're full of food and someone is gently droning on, sending you off to that all important power nap. But no, straight into second man drop and the buddy system. Most people have come across second man drop but I'd never heard of the buddy system. It's handy for a few bikes and it's quick, you simply keep an eye on the rider behind. If he sees you turn, keep going. If you can't see the rider behind, pull in till you do. It relies on 2 things everybody staying till the next rider arrives and making sure that rider is the right one. So eventually the instructors say it's time to ride. It's nearly 5pm, it's been glorious sunshine all day, we walk out of the building to lovely black clouds - bugger! We are trying the Buddy system out, its a disaster! First, it doesn't help that you've been in a classroom all day and I'd checked out and secondly it pissed it down and the roads got slippery real quick. The outcome was inevitable, we all got lost. I was leading a group, got to a tricky junction, couldn't see anyone so rode straight on. Thankfully, we had an instructor with us and he pulled us over and set us right but, as we rejoined the route, no one had waited. One guy had a Harley behind him for ages, stopped to direct him and he sailed past. He was a local and not part of the class!! We get back to HQ and the instructors say it never works with 20 odd bikes. Day 1 finished, get back to the hotel wet and ready for a shower and a beer. That night not too much beer, switched to cooking lager, nothing too strong as we are riding first thing on Sunday. Sunday morning back to H-D HQ 8.30am (and not on overtime???) straight into the classroom, split into three groups with an instructor each. First ride is the re-try of the Buddy system but with only 6 riders - it works - superb. Sunshine and paying attention really helps! The second ride is to practice the second man drop. Everyone gets a go at the front, you follow the instructor and select safe points to drop the riders behind at junctions but first you have
to give your speech. Now this is the "Harley cover mine and your ass speech". We set off again, same route every time but broken down so each of us has a go at the front and at the rear. Now each time we stop, the same speech has to be done and Gordon our instructor is playing the idiot rider, the novice, the drunk, the know-it-all, etc. I get the drunk and being a Scotsman he played it far too convincingly. Got through my speech and then have to deal with him. The bottom line is, if you turn up drunk, Harley's advice is, because you are endangering yourself and the other riders, if you won't bugger off then I call the Police, so BE WARNED! Unlikely on ride outs but ,consider some rallies you've been to and how much you've drunk the night before... I'd stuck my mitt up for this section as it included the junction where I got lost the night before and I wanted see if I could find a better spot to drop someone. We set off, 1st junction a doddle, the 2nd Junction is the tricky one and there is really nowhere sensible to drop someone but I spot a small cross-hatch area just in front of the traffic lights. That should do. We're crawling along, just tweaking the clutch in traffic, I try to point at my head then at the road for the guy behind my bike to stop. I'm trying not to stall while riding one handed in slow traffic and he stops in a car park just down the road. I think I was waving my arm a bit too much :-). The next junctions go a treat, we pull over, have a quick chat, then back on the road for the next trainee. The next section has a real life problem, we are riding along and pass someone who's allegedly broken down from one of the other groups. As the two groups collide, the guy leading has no idea where to leave anyone as he is passing dropped riders from the first group! Eventually we catch up with the instructor of the first group, wondering where everyone has gone? It turns out to be a real break down and this is where your Marshal comes in handy. Our group is brought back together and we head back to HQ in the pouring rain for lunch. After lunch we return to the classroom and review the morning's riding and debate any questions that have been written up on the board. Liability and filtering were two of mine. When filtering on a ride, how do you feel about it? Me - what's the point of having a bike and not filtering? The questions finished, we've all passed and it's finished by 3pm. So be warned: no drunks, no idiots, no fast riders, no slow riders and no "know-it -lls". So, as I know some of you and have seen most of you, the rides are likely to be fairly small or non existent and I won't be there as I'm a self confessed happy idiot... Phil Blake
The Three Kings go to Motorcycle Live at the NEC It was on a cold dark winter’s morning that I got up at the crack of dawn to meet up with Mike Ludwell and Neil Prescott at Michaelwood Services on our way to visit Motorcycle Live at the NEC on our three Road Kings. We had the obligatory full English breakfast then set off on the motorway, it was quite an ‘interesting’ ride on account of my accidently getting ACF-50 onto my brake discs the previous day and having almost no brakes at all, but hey who needs brakes anyway, they only slow you down! Fortunately, by the time we reached the queues at the NEC I had about 50% braking restored, note to self…. Keep ACF-50 well away from brakes!
NEC Bike Show
We were directed into the large undercover hall for parking, which was great, because we needed to remove as much of our bike gear as possible or walk around in it all day. We eventually found our way in and navigated our way around the various exhibits, The Harley stand was really good ,as was the Indian and many of the other Stands.
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There were many interesting trade stands selling everything from polish to full custom built bikes and an outside area for test rides, although we didn’t bother with that. There were also many product demonstra-
NEC Bike Show
tions and people selling guided tours anywhere from Route 66 to Spain, Italy and Africa to name but a few. We all managed to spend a pound or ten on bike related items and pay a couple of visits to the hospitality areas. All too soon it was time to get our bearings and find our way back to our bikes but on the way Mike Ludwell posed for a picture on what could be his next new bike, a scooter! Sorry mate, only joking! It was actually a Moto Guzzi but I missed the opportunity of getting a picture of him on that. We eventually made our way back to our bikes; it was great getting kitted up in the light and dry, and then it was back on the motorway for the unpleasant ride around Birmingham in the rush hour traffic. If only we had stopped in the hospitality area for a couple more hours! To sum up, it was a very interesting day and well worth the time and effort to see. If you get a chance to go in the future it is well worth a visit. In the meantime ride hard and keep the shiny side up! Andy Kendall (RKK)
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European Tour Part 3: The Rhine & Mosel Valleys Once again, mixed emotions over breakfast – sorry to be leaving our friends in Munchweier, but excited to be starting off on a new leg of the journey, with the Rhine, and later the Mosel, the eventual destination. We followed a north-easterly route through a different part of the Black Forest and along more superb riding roads - reminiscent at times of Route 49 in California - to Freudenstadt, where we hooked up with an old school friend who moved there back in the 1980s, before heading on toward Stuttgart.
By Neil Lewis
OJ. Our planned walk round the old city became a very quick zip round on the bike – not to be recommended, as it has a complicated one-way system and some horrible (but pretty) cobbled streets.
From there, it was a slow, sweltering crawl through traffic-crowded main streets out of the city, through the centre of Mannheim and over the Rhine to the Rhein-Neckar H-D dealership, where we received a friendly welcome, ice-cold Cokes and the first t-shirt of the tour (not counting the Morzine Harley Days We failed spectacularly to find the H-D dealership at one!). From there, it was a largely traffic-free and Böblingen, spending almost an hour going round in pleasant ride along the B9 to Worms, then along the circles without ever seeing the least sign of it, so west bank of the Rhine as far as Mainz where we eventually abandoned the search to join the (by had decided to treat ourselves to two nights of luxunow) rush hour traffic into the centre of Stuttgart. ry at the Favorit Parkhotel. This involved filtering for a mile or so before enterAnd what a treat. The tropical-themed pool ing a 3km-long tunnel with traffic lights halfway (complete with parakeets) was so warm you needed along. At least our hotel was right where we exa shower afterwards to cool off, and the biergarten pected it to be, 200 yards straight ahead as we finalserved decent ly emerged into the sunlight once more. Despite this food and a inauspicious start, a couple of cold beers sitting outrange of beers side a cafe just over the road on the Marienplatz in various sizand a fantastic (and huge) garlic schnitzel in the Alte es. Sitting on Hupe restaurant on Adlerstrasse rescued Stuttgart the bank of the from an otherwise negative review. Rhine with a Next morning we set off early in blazing sunshine, litre of beer, heading north and west on a variety of B-roads watching the (German equivalent of our A-roads) until we got to sun set on the Heidelberg. Slightly smaller than Freiburg, this city, river, has a lot which lies either side of the Neckar River, traces its going for it. roots back to the 1100s and is famous for its univerMainz itself is another one of those German cities sity, which dates from the early 1400s. It was also steeped in history, including the remains of a Roone of the early (1500s) strongholds of what eventuman amphitheatre discovered in the mid-1990s ally became the Protestant church. when they (the Germans, not the Romans) began building Mainz-Sur railway station. The Dom (cathedral) in Mainz is awe-inspiring, and in true German fashion is surrounded by narrow streets and cobbled squares full of restaurants, shops and – most importantly – bars.
On this particular day, the history had no chance; it was so exhaustingly hot that we only managed a short walk along the river before we had to find some shade at a tiny cafe and fill up with water and
Over the river is Wiesbaden, where there is another H-D dealership (you guessed it, another tour t-shirt) and a cracking restaurant (bastion-vonschoenborn.de) built in an old fort overhanging the Rhine itself. Another memorable combination of food, beer, river and setting sun.
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Page 15 bars and restaurants, excellent train and road connections and once again the narrow streets and squares that give it a mediaeval charm. We found several good bars down on Rheinallee, all of which had the obligatory outdoor seating right on the riverbank, but our favourite for food (schnitzel, what else?) and beer combined was a tiny place on the main square, in between the Chocobar and the postcard-shop on the corner of Konengasse and After too short a stay it was time to load up the bike Marktstrasse. It was tiny inside, but had three times again and head north, a short (50 mile) day back on as much seating outside on the square and was the B9 running alongside the Rhine. It’s important to perfect for sunny evenings. We ate there both nights get your route right when riding big rivers like this – of our stay. you want to be in the lane immediately next to the On our second day in Boppard, we actually left the river, so in this case – riding north – we needed to bike where it was and went on a leisurely river be on the west side of the river. Heading south a cruise, back up the Rhine as far as Rudesheimfew days later, it was on the other side. Both roads Bingen, returning by train (5 hours on the boat, half follow the river closely, offering great views as you an hour on the train). It was the only day in almost 4 ride along through picture-postcard towns such as weeks away that I didn’t ride, and I have to say it Bingen (opposite Rudesheim, of Harley fame), came as a welcome change. Bacharach, Oberwesel, and Sankt Goar, as far as Boppard. This is classic Rhine: steep hillsides covered in vineyards, rocky cliffs, castles everywhere – high up on towering rocks above the towns, in the middle of the towns, even in a couple of places in the middle of the river itself – and the famous Lorelei rock and mermaid. We’ve spent many an evening since, watching the adverts for Viking river cruises and shouting “Been there ... been there!” at the TV.
The view from the river gives a completely different perspective and allows for a much more leisurely appreciation of all the sights. I’m not normally a daytrip sort of person, but for anyone thinking of visiting the Rhine area at any time I strongly recommend one of these cruises. Needless to say, I took hundreds of photos of castles, churches, ruined monasteries, vineyards and postcard towns and villages.
Our hotel in Boppard was right on the river, with a small balcony perfect for watching the cruise boats on the water and cruising tourists on foot on the street below. There is also a (bigger) Best Western two doors along, that offers discounts to HOG members. My only complaint was that I had to park the bike out on the street, although in fairness it was in a designated parking space that cost me the princely sum of 4 euros for 24 hours – Swansea Council, are you getting the message here? Despite being a relatively small town, Boppard is one of the centres of the cruise-line industry, so it gets pretty busy at times. However, it has plenty of
Overnight, the weather broke for the first time in (Continued on page 16)
Page 16 weeks. Round about 5.30 in the morning I was reminded of some lines from Bob Seger’s Night Moves – “Woke last night to the sound of thunder// How far off I sat and wondered....” Well, there was no wondering involved here; a massive flash of lightning followed immediately by an almighty crash – the storm was right here. More thunder and lightning followed, accompanied by a torrential downpour. Not a great omen for the next leg of the trip later that morning.
of grape-vines. There are so many grapes they are the only thing you can smell as you ride along – not an unpleasant experience. The Mosel also meanders much more than the Rhine, so that riding along is a procession of constant sweeping bends, with few long straights. You get into a kind of lazy rhythm which makes the ride very relaxing – not a route for ‘ton-up boys’.
But by the time we were sitting down to breakfast, the rain had stopped and the roads were beginning to dry out, although it was still cloudy and grey overhead. Our initial route took us a short (15 mile) continuation along the B9 north to Koblenz, specifically to the Deutsches-Eck where the Mosel meets the Rhine. By the time we arrived in Koblenz it had started raining again, and the roads were incredibly slick (so bad that when I put my feet down at a roundabout, my boots started sliding – squeaky bum time!). I noticed a weird phenomenon which I later learned was typical of German roads in the rain – the rain seems to form bubbles on the tarmac, as if the road had been coated with washing-up liquid. It didn’t seem to make any difference to the amount of grip available, but was very off-putting – not sure I want to be riding round on fairy liquid! From the Deutsches-Eck we motored on to the Koblenz dealership on the northern side of the Mosel, then came back to the south side to start following the Mosel river west along the B49. It was interesting to contrast the two rivers; the Mosel is smaller and was a lot quieter, broken up by locks which reduced the size and frequency of river traffic and lessened the current, making the journey much more peaceful and relaxed.
The Mosel valley isn’t as deep as the Rhine, with fewer cliffs and lower hills, but every available inch of sunlit hillside is covered by densely packed rows
By the time we’d covered a couple of miles along the Mosel the clouds disappeared and the sun was back full strength, staying with us for the rest of the day. We stopped at Brodenbach for pizza, then continued on the B49, mainly on the south bank of the river but occasionally having to cross over to the other side, until we reached our next stopover at Cochem.
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Page 17 Unlike the Rhine, we hadn’t seen that many imposing buildings so far today, but Cochem has a satisfyingly daunting 1,000-year old castle which has become a popular tourist and dining destination in its own right. As the restaurant in our hotel was shut that evening, Deb and I walked into the centre of Cochem, stopping to sample the local wine at a hotel-restaurant overlooking the river. The beer was lovely. In the town, we found great seats on the upper balcony of a packed-looking restaurant, surrounded by suits of armour and old weapons, within spitting distance of the mediaeval bridge over the Mosel. I had a gorgonzola schnitzel which was out of this world, accompanied by several ice-cold beers before wandering back to the hotel with the sun setting behind us.
ner that is cheaper but almost as good, but they don’t sell schnitzel in any shape or form. Interestingly, and of great significance if, like me, you don’t like drinking alcohol when riding the bike, in Germany you can get some really good non-alcoholic beers – no, seriously. I still have nightmares and wake up in a cold sweat after my experiences years ago with British non-alcoholic lagers (Kaliber, anyone?) but some of the ones we found were almost as good as the real thing. The things I do for you guys! Next day we continued on up the Mosel as far as Bernkastel, stopping for coffee in a village called Alf and thereby missing a short-lived downpour on the way. The rest of the day was once again blazing sunshine; by the time we got back to Cochem it was so hot that compulsory research was called for. I parked up in a cobbled square more or less under the main bridge, opposite a suitable-looking barrestaurant with umbrella-shaded tables outside and right next to a bunch of Belgian Harleys who were obviously carrying out their own research activities somewhere nearby. It was amusing to watch a couple of Goldwings arriving a little while later, not just for the fun of watching them trying to negotiate the cobblestones but also for the scowl on their faces when they saw so many Harleys filling the motorbike (shaded) parking area and forcing them to park in car spaces out in the sun. LOL!
Now at this stage I think I should point out that, although this was my holiday, I was actually conducting a lot of research on behalf of chapter members, which involved many and varied sampling activities and several heated discussions. The full results may well be published in an academic paper at some And so thoughts turned to home – at least for Deb, future date, but for now the ‘Executive Summary’ who had to get back to work after 2 weeks away. would read something along the lines of: Leaving Cochem, we followed the Mosel on the “Bitburger beer came out favourite, followed by north bank (B416) back to Koblenz, then back on Koblenzer Pils (same brewery, but goes flat the B9 north along the Rhine through Remagen (of quicker and has a slightly metallic aftertaste); bridge fame) to Bonn (where we got lost but eventuErdinger and Paulaner also worth a mention. ally found the H-D dealership – surprisingly small for Gorgonzola schnitzel a clear winner, but various what used to be the capital of West Germany) then versions of Jägerschnitzel (“Hunter’s” schnitzel – Köln, where we also got lost (big-style), got caught made with mushrooms, bacon and cheese in in the mother-father-and-rest-of-the-family of all some versions) was a worthy contender. Don’t downpours (so bad the streets in some places were touch German wine with a bargepole.” flooded to footrest depth – I know because my boots were in the water as we rode through!) and got tanFurther research since getting back to Blighty has revealed that Bitburger is available from Sainsbury’s, that Lidl do a very acceptable German pils-
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Page 18 gled up in the most illogical one-way system I have experienced, where we spent 35 minutes within 500 yards of our hotel before we eventually discovered the unique route to it. Until that point, I had never considered buying a sat-nav, even for the car; I’ve now bought a Garmin for the bike. All ended well, however, as the downpour disappeared and we finished up drinking beer and eating a huge pizza in the old market square near the cathedral, gently steaming in the afternoon sun from a now cloudless sky. The next morning we found the Harley dealership first time, despite the fact that it’s located in what appears to be an abandoned warehouse at the end of a winding lane in the middle of a factory district long past its sell-by date. First impressions can, however, be misleading and we found this dealership to be one of the most interesting of the whole trip, and certainly very welcoming. Finally, it was a short hop to Dusseldorf airport, where we stayed at the Maritim hotel – possibly one of the most luxurious I’ve ever stayed in. The airport control tower was clearly visible from our window, no more than a couple of hundred yards away, but I didn’t hear a single aeroplane throughout our stay. It had a further plus point in that it appeared to be the hotel of choice for all the Emirates airline crews, and they have got to be some of the best looking flight attendants around. I kept getting elbowed in the ribs to stop staring all the time we were there. Next morning, Deb flew back to the UK and I brought the bike home in a more leisurely fashion, which included more rain, four countries in one day, Bulgarian cuisine (fantastic!), more research involving beer and sun-dappled cobbled market squares (and on one occasion, a bar in a supermarket – very strange experience!), and the realisation that the reason why there are no tall trees (where there were trees at all) along the Franco-Belgian border is that none of them is more than 100 years old, which isn’t very much for a tree. But all of that is for another time and another story. As far as this trip was concerned, it had been an epic. Two days short of a month away, 3,486.5 miles door-to-door, 2 rallies, 13 dealerships and 7 tour t-shirts. Might have to do it again next year!
Charity Update
Just a short bit from me this month. Our Cross Hands Club Night saw a great presentation from Mencap Keynsham, from what I heard – I was unwell so couldn’t make it. I hope that it has given you all a flavour of what we are going to be working our charity butts off for over the coming 2 years! Unfortunately, the Chepstow Mencap team had to postpone due to bereavement so hopefully you’ll see them this month! I am still working on a charity activity plan for this year and aim to get this agreed at our February Committee meeting, after which you’ll be able to find it on the updated Charity Page of the website. That’s my next job – to give our Webmaster some new content for this web page so keep an eye on it and you’ll see some new content shortly. As I said in last month’s article, please, if any of you have any suggestions for fundraising or would like to help me with any activities, do get in touch – you know how to find me (and if you don’t my email is stephanieann.evans@talktalk.net or call/text on 07983 259752. One request – if any of you have contacts with big companies, that would be willing to offer a significant raffle prize, please would you have a chat with them and let me know how you get on. Or, if you prefer, let me have the contact details – who they are, how they know you – and I will go with my begging bowl in hand! Many thanks Stephanie Charity Coordinator
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Pete & Duncan’s Pump Stop dealership has closed and, in November 2013, they opened a brand new shop on Morena Boulevard. I use the term “shop” loosely, as it’s one of the largest we have been to. It dwarfs the Las Vegas dealership, which always boasts that it is one of the largest in the USA. This massive space has been gained by their completely gutting and refitting an empty factory – actually the original Howard Hughes Helicopter Factory, built in 1937.
By the time you read this, either on paper or in the e -mag version, we’ll be back with you in the UK winter. However, at the moment it is 26ºC and very sunny at our condo in Golden Hill. But hey, this is San Diego, a city where the sun shines most of the year.
While this weather is fabulous for us, it appears not to be to the likings of everyone and our neighbours have been complaining that it is too hot for winter and it should be a cool 20ºC! They do have something of a point, as it hasn’t rained here since early December. As a whole for California, 2013 was the driest since 1976. Already there is water rationing, particularly around Sacramento, the State Capitol.
Yesterday morning we got a message that every Saturday morning there is a free pancake breakfast at the store, live music and a Riders Edge course for new riders. So, a free breakfast and a look around the store was irresistible. As you walk into the building – wow, it’s vast and so many new bikes on sale. I’ve never seen so many, with multiple copies of every single Rushmore bike/trike available.
This afternoon, in San Diego, is a bit special - the whole of the harbour area becomes a mass of people – all out to watch the 33rd annual procession in the City, in celebration of Martin Luther King Day, which is tomorrow. This time last year, coincidentally, we were also here in the City and watched the whole event, sitting outside a bar on the water-front, In addition to these, there were another 20 or so with a few beers! “pre-owned” bikes and a rental section as large as So, what’s the Harley-Davidson news from San Diethe downstairs area of Riders. As you would expect, go? Well, since our visit last year, and also the 2012 (Continued on page 20) GWC California Tour, the Little Italy branch of the
Page 20 another massive area was dedicated to clothing, seems perverse to me. Anyway, I’ll report back on helmets, wall-to-wall accessories, plus all the Harley the riding in next month’s RoadHOG. life-style knick-knacks that you don’t see in the UK. Now for Duncan’s Tip of the Month: Leaving the retail area through double-doors, you enter the 20,000 sq. ft. service area, just amazing. Over the winter months, Holly and myself have been The décor of the whole facility is designed to honour putting some of the Harley-Davidson FXRG range to the test and, to be honest, we are both amazed by all the branches of the military and civilian lifeit. savers. Very poignant is a display remembering 9/11 and the impact on American lives. I have been riding in all weathers with an FXRG The object in this leather jacket. My first thoughts were how good photo was donat- would it be in the wet weather and then how warm it ed by New York would be? So, I decided to go for a ride one day City to San Die- when we were getting some serious rain, which we go H-D. It is part have had plenty of. Well, what can I say? It does exactly what it said on the tin: I was completely dry of column 405, when I returned, after an hour of riding in heavy rain bottom of floor 43, in the south- with my Riders work shirt not showing any signs of water – amazing. east corner of what was once I then thought I would ride one frosty night, and the the South Tower following morning, to see about warmth. So, with of the World again only my Riders work shirt underneath the Trade Centre. jacket, off I went. Yet again, I was amazed how the Yvonne and I windproof system cuts out all the cold air and, with visited Ground the added removable Primaloft jacket liner, I was Zero back in Occompletely warm. tober 2005, and saw all the dev- Then it was Holly’s turn: same rain, same cold and astation that had again a very impressed motorcyclist. occurred, but also marvelled at how St Paul’s ChapFXRG riding gear is the most durable and functional el, the oldest church in NYC, and directly opposite gear available and is designed to enhance comfort the east side of the WTC, was completely undamand performance It is also built to last and comes aged with not so much as a broken window. In the with a limited life-time warranty. aftermath, the Chapel became the focus for people waiting for news of loved ones and for the placing of If you are thinking about a new jacket, then this is flowers, photos and messages. After reading only a certainly worth considering. Both Holly and I are still testing the jackets so, if you would like any feedfew, of the many hundreds of heart-breaking messages, you just had to take a deep breath and walk back on them, pop in and we can talk all day about how impressed we are with them. away. Before leaving the dealership, we had a chat with Safe riding our buddy from 2012, Garrett Grosch, the Rentals Manager (he was also cooking all the breakfasts!). Peter and Duncan@riders He has reserved me a 2014 Street Glide Special for our 10-day rental from next Thursday. As is the Harley-Davidson way, the “Special” is unique to the USA market. As far as I can see, it is mostly “special” in that it has what we get on our Tourers as standard, such as ABS braking, remote locking. However, it has different paint, plus one very big difference in that it is fitted with the larger ‘Infotainment’ screen and SatNav, which is only found on the Electraglide Ultras in Europe. So what’s the logic, in terms of marketing, of not giving customers what they would undoubtedly prefer –
Page 21 community outings develop the social skills and independence of our members. Radstock and Keynsham Juniors
Keynsham & District Mencap Society About Us
We run 2 specialist youth clubs for older children with disabilities. The clubs provide a wide variety of age-appropriate activities for teenagers in a safe and supportive setting. The teenage years can be tough for any youngsters but are especially difficult for young people with learning disabilities. Our Juniors clubs enable their young members to try new things and access community facilities in the same way as their peers, but with the additional support that they need to do so safely. The Juniors Clubs run residential short breaks which, for many children, is their first opportunity to stay away overnight without their parents.
We are really pleased that the Great Western ChapWe also run a club for 5-11 year olds to enable this ter has chosen us as joint Charity of the Year. We younger age group to make friends and enjoy out of look forward to meeting many of you and working school activities of the same type as Cub Scouts, with you over the coming months. Brownies etc. The activity programmes are devised To help you get to know us I have set out some de- to give younger children, with additional needs, the tails of our activity clubs. opportunity to make new friends and try new things. For many of our young members this is the first time Thursday 18+ Club they will experience social activities outside of the This is a weekly social club for adults, that meets family or school setting. once a week for a variety of different activities. We have dance sessions, sports, games nights, bingo, Super Saturday Club cooking, karaoke and everything in between. In ad- The children at Super Saturday are able to thrive dition to the base activities, members are also able and flourish in this supportive and fun environment. to book onto trips out into the community, to the Our young members have been able to enjoy spepub, bowling or out for a meal. The club is thriving, cial activities with their friends whilst their families with a membership of 72, a dedicated staff and vol- benefit from the regular respite that the Club prounteer team and a waiting list for places. This Club vides each Saturday morning. Weekends can be is at the heart of our provision for adults and our long and hard work for parents and very isolating club members can access the other opportunities and lonely for children. Our Super Saturday is dethat we offer, such as residential holidays, day trips signed to give the children a fun place to go and give parents and carers a break.
and additional social activities. Adults with disabilities can be very socially isolated. Our clubs and activities ensure that they have regular, purposeful social contact in a supportive and inclusive setting. The activity programme of the club and the off-site
In May of 2013, 22 children from the club were able to go on a once in a lifetime trip to Euro Disney, thanks to local choirmaster Grenville Jones and his Super Dream Appeal. (Continued on page 22)
Page 22 We organise 3 holidays each year for the members of 18+ club. In 2014 we are visiting Bluestone Park in Wales for a weekend in June, Hengar Manor in Cornwall for a week in July and Hoburne Naish in New Hampshire for a week in September. The holidays are all supported by our volunteers. For many of our members this is the only opportunity they have to go on holiday. The holidays are always popular and are talked about long after!
Fitness Club and Football Club Many adults with disabilities have additional issues with ill health and poor mobility but are unable to take part in mainstream sports and exercise classes. It is vitally important that there is specialised provision available to them. Our Monday night Fitness Club for members, who are aged 16+, continues to prove very popular, with 25 members and no spare places. Our Tuesday night Football Club is proving very successful and its members are enjoying taking part in local disability league competitions at Strode College, Street.
We attend Millfield Mencap day each year at Millfeld School in Street. The school organises this wonderful day and runs over 50 different activities for people to try. Our members have done everything from trampolining, rock climbing and bungee run to dance aerobics, badminton and basketball. Mencap groups from all over the South West are invited to attend and the day provides a wonderful opportunity to meet and socialise with other groups.
Race Night Friday 14th March, 7pm Saltford Hall, Wedmore Road, Salford
We are holding a fundraising Race Night on 14 th March at Saltford Hall. There will be races shown on Other Activities a big screen and guests will be invited to place bets In addition to our weekly clubs, we also organise on which horse they think will win. There are cash holidays, residential breaks, day trips and additional prizes for winners as well as an opportunity to ‘buy’ activities. a horse at the start of the evening in an auction. Horse owners will also win a cash prize every time their horse wins a race. There will be a licensed bar and raffle. Entry is £3 and tickets must be purchased in advance. Bets are £1 each. Guests must be 16 or over. We would love to welcome any GWC members that would like to come along. To purchase tickets please contact the Keynsham Mencap office on 0117 9865659 or email helen@keynshammencap.org.uk.
In September 2013 the Special Olympics GB were held just along the road from us in the City of Bath. We arranged 2 trips to visit and watch the games and what an amazing time we had! The whole atmosphere was fantastic and our members really enjoyed spectating and were inspired by the athletes we met.
I look forward to keeping you informed about what is going on within all our clubs. I hope to meet some of you soon. Laura Jefferies Activity Manager, Keynsham & District Mencap Details for the Chepstow and District Mencap Society will be included in a later issue.
At a Glance - GWC Activities Calendar Contact Anita Cockwell if you have any other events you would like to see listed. Tel: 01761 471385 or mobile: 07702 073361 or e-mail: accockwell@yahoo.com For further details on any event listed visit “What’s On” on the GWC website. Date
Event
Organiser
Committee Contacts Sponsoring Dealer Duncan White 0117 9588777 Director Barry Aggett 07907 351650
Details
Asst Director/Treasurer Peter Roberts 07540 164157 Asst Director/ Head Road Captain Alan Stokes 07766 237242
February 11th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
Cross Hands Hotel, Old Sodbury
12th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
St Mary’s Hotel, Pencoed
23rd
Ride Out
Ian Johnson
“Gate Crashing Gloucester Docks”
25th
Natter Night
Bazz Aggett
Ferry Inn, Beachley
March
Secretary Yvonne Roberts 01225 751017 Webmaster Chris Harding 07801 562011
7th
Activity
Cockers
GWC Birthday Party at Riders
9th
Ride Out
Greg Payne
“Cross Border Incursions”
11th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
Cross Hands Hotel, Old Sodbury
12th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
St Mary’s Hotel, Pencoed
23rd
Ride Out
Big Al
“Bikefest to Burnham”
25th
Natter Night
Bazz Aggett
Ferry Inn, Beachley
Editor Mark Cockwell 07900 496711
4th – 6th
Activity
Pete and Baz
Boys Only Weekend, Devon / Cornwall
Photographer/Historian Tony Yendle 07787 551612
8th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
Cross Hands Hotel, Old Sodbury
9th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
St Mary’s Hotel, Pencoed
22nd
Natter Night
Bazz Aggett
Ferry Inn, Beachley
27th
Ride Out/Activity
Stu & Jane Scott
“A Rumble With Old Rosie”
April
May
Activities Officer Anita Cockwell 01761 471385 Safety Officer Andy Kendall 07905 397474
Ladies of Harley Jane Scott 07894 086626 Charity Co-ordinator Stephanie Evans 07983 259752 Cangen Cymraeg Rep Greg Payne 07976 913004
4th – 15th
Activity
Greg Payne
St Tropez Rally
13th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
Cross Hands Hotel, Old Sodbury
14th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
St Mary’s Hotel, Pencoed
27th
Natter Night
Bazz Aggett
Ferry Inn, Beachley
29th – 1st
Activity
Andy Kendall
Somme Tour
10th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
Cross Hands Hotel, Old Sodbury
11th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
St Mary’s Hotel, Pencoed
20th – 22nd
Activity
Tony James
GWC ‘Hogs in the Hayfields’ Rally
24th
Natter Night
Bazz Aggett
Ferry Inn, Beachley
26th – 29th
Activity
Pete & Yvonne
Peaks, Dales and Lakes Tour
3rd
Ride Out
Andy RKK Kendall
“Weston Bike Night – American Power”
8th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
Cross Hands Hotel, Old Sodbury
9th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
St Mary’s Hotel, Pencoed
22nd
Natter Night
Bazz Aggett
Ferry Inn, Beachley
24th – 27th
Activity
Cockers
Fenlanders Rally (East of England)
12th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
Cross Hands Hotel, Old Sodbury
13th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
St Mary’s Hotel, Pencoed
21st – 26th
Activity
Christof and Baz
Thunder in the Glens Rally
All details on GWC web site
26th
Natter Night
Bazz Aggett
Ferry Inn, Beachley
www.greatwesternhog.co.uk
10th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
St Mary’s Hotel, Pencoed
16th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
Cross Hands Hotel, Old Sodbury
23rd
Natter Night
Bazz Aggett
Ferry Inn, Beachley
June
July
Rally Co-ordinator Tony James 07940 895921
Road Captains Barry Aggett, Mike Brake, Nigel Garnett, Simon Griffiths, Paul Groom, Chris Harding, Martin James, Ian Johnson, Andy Kendall, Andy Kendall (RKK), Ian Mead, Greg Payne, Dave Pocock, Stephanie Pocock, Dave Roberts, Mike Sage, Darren Sharp, Jane & Stuart Scott, Alan Stokes, Tony Yendle.
Road Marshals Steve Crook, Paul Evans, Neil Lewis, Steve Link, Neil Prescott, Bryn Wiltshire.
August
September RoadHOG is printed by the Woodside Press