Magazine of the Thames Valley HOG Chapter
.
FEBRUARY 2015
Hotline: 01753 578616 www.thamesvalleyhog.org.uk
I want to say a big THANK YOU to Doughnut and CJ. After three month of asking our members, you, to send in a few words about your favourite ride/rally of 2014, they are the only two that have taken the time to do it. THANK YOU boys :) A couple of weeks ago, my computer started turning itself off in the middle of me doing something. My computer holds all my information - including the club magazine! So, each time I started it after that, I saved what I could to a memory stick. Then we went to John Lewis and bought a new computer before it went kaput, completely. The cost of a new computer isn’t that bad but, because everything is updated, all my old software wouldn’t work with the new system. Which meant buying all new software. Ouch! Around £1,000 lighter we came home with a new computer with all the things needed to do all the things I need to do. Of course, with the threat of becoming redundant, my old computer decided to behave itself and has run properly ever since. But watch this space - Once I learn how to operate all the new software, lol, the new version of Publisher, Photoshop… the mag will benefit and, hopefully, have a new look! You will see the new Committee on the back cover; I hope you all enjoy your time working for our club! I would like to say, on behalf of all the members, a big thank you to the people who give up their time to do things so that others can enjoy. Fred, Sue B, Shirley, Bernie and Nij - thank you for all the years you gave to making the club work so well for the enjoyment and pleasure of the membership.
Sue
Inside this issue… Front cover:
Ride-Out!
Page 2
Editor’s thoughts
Page 4, 7
Director’s Update
Page 8, 9
LoH - NEW Sue’s Scribbles! :)
Page 10, 11
Heart and Soul Rally
Page 12, 13
Meet the Members
Page 14, 15
Calendar
Page 16
Bernie’s Birthday
Page 17
News and Events
Page 18, 19
CJ’s favourite ride of 2014
Page 20
Doughnut’s favourite rides, 2014
Page 21
Lakeside H-D
Page 22, 23
News, Events and Adverts
Page 24
SofER - Info
Page 25
Photo Gallery
Page 26, 27
Just for Fun
Back cover:
Feb/March Birthdays
Meet the Committee
Diane Earley
4th Mar
Ralph Ward
5th Mar
Happy birthday to both of you! ----------------And Happy 40th Anniversary RUBY, to Dave & Sue Knight
22nd Feb
Thank You ALL who have sent copy for this month magazine: Doughnut, CJ, Sue D, Sue B, Hazel, Don, Tony and Linda, Pat A & Linda
Hi Everybody, Welcome to February’s edition of Tales from the Riverbank. January has been and gone, very quickly. The riding season is only a month or so away and it’s time to start thinking about planning our rally season for the chapter. I have asked the question many times of the members, what events and Rally’s would the members like to attend during 2015? So far, no feedback has been forthcoming. At our last committee meeting we discussed Rallies and have come up with a plan for 2015. Most of us have already booked the Cider Rally on May 1st, always a great start to the year and very well attended by Thames Valley. The Boys’ Weekend away this year will be at the Fenlander’s Rally on July 23rd. July 31st, the Chapter will be going north to the Heart & Soul Rally in North Shields. August 14th is our own SofER Rally in Hickstead. And the last rally of the season, September 25th, is the Blazin’ 20s in Weymouth. Information about booking and attending these events will be posted on the website and on the notice board at club nights. Since last club night we have celebrated Bernie Dodds birthday at the Catherine Wheel in Henley on Thames. I believe around 40 or so members attended which made a great Saturday Social venue for a get together to celebrate Bernie’s Birthday - photos page 16. Thirteen of us drove round to Lakeside Harley Davidson the other Saturday for a day out together, where the staff made us very welcome, as always, supplying hot drinks and doughnuts for everybody - photos page 21. We finished the day off in a local Brewers Fare for lunch and a chat. 4
Back in January I attended the Directors’ meeting in Edinburgh with other Directors and Dealer Principals from around the country. Our journey up to Scotland became a complete disaster for many reasons which I will not bore you with. The bottom line is, we missed our flight and ended paying twice the amount to fly up to Edinburgh later on the Friday. During the meeting, the Marketing team spent some time talking about The Custom Kings project that the Dealerships are involved with. Each dealership will customise a 48 Sportster which will be displayed in their dealership and judged by the public and a team of independent judges. The winning 48 will then go on display at the NEC Bike show in November. Many of you will have seen dealership 48s on Facebook and at the dealerships. Harley Davidson currently have 40.9% of the touring market and a large marketing campaign for 2015 is planned to give riders of other brands a chance to experience riding the Harley Davidson’s range of Tourers. The Institute of Advanced Motorists has joined the list of benefits available to HOG members, offering discounts on Skills for Life training courses. After passing the course you will receive a year’s free RAC cover, a further 7.5% discount on top of the 5% discount you already receive (if you are insured through Harley Davidson Insurance Services) and finally a Patch & Pin from HOG. At this year’s Directors’ meeting, wives & partners were invited to join us for the weekend. Tania, Mike Wilson wife, Ray Shepherd and Hazel spent the day in Edinburgh sightseeing, eating and trying out some of the local bars.
Thank you Ray & Tania for a great day out in Edinburgh. Hazel xx 5
News Ticket sales for the SofER rally have now topped 700, only another 1300 to go. The planning of the Rally is now in its advance stages. At our last meeting we were able to view the final design of the new patch and pins for the 2015 Rally and take a look at Tee shirt designs with the new patch and SofER logo printed on them. It’s all looking very exciting for 2015. The camping area is known as The Runway at Hickstead and when you see it you will be amazed at the size of the area allocated for camping. We should be able to get all the chapters and their members camping together. Reading Harley Davidson
I have just recently managed to call over to the site of the new Dealership in Reading, to see how the site is progressing and also try out the George Pub opposite, which is due to have a major redecoration and refit next month - just in time for the opening of Reading Harley Davidson! As you can see from the pictures, the steel frame is now up and the concrete floor slabs are laid. At this point in the construction you can get a good idea of the size of the building and how it’s going to look when finished. The roofing sheets were due to be fitted at the start of last week to cap the structure off and start to make the building water tight. 6
Project for Gopher
“What can I say?” At last club night I asked for your help to construct a downstairs toilet at Gopher’s home to help with the process of getting him back home with Lynn, from hospital. I am amazed at just how many people have come forward with offers of help and donations of building materials to get this project off the ground. To date, Gopher’s front garden has been dug up by Bernie Dodds & Chris Smith to install the new sewer pipe from the house to the main drains. Mick Friend has started moving pipe work ready to install the new loo and basin. Ray Shepherd has been building walls and putting door frames in to form the new, downstairs bathroom. Nick has been sorting the electrics out and has been overseeing the project with Frank, who came to us to help. So many members have come forward with materials and to offer their time and their help. This has been a great response which I can only thank each and every one of you for your kind help. A great team effort! “Well done Guys”
Don Director
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Hey ladies! Welcome to the LOH page :-) I'm Sue Dodds and as some of you may be aware I'm your new Thames Valley Ladies of Harley Representative. I'd just like to thank Don and the committee members for accepting me.... WOW, what an honour! HUGE thanks to Sue Brown for her tremendous support and encouragement over the past four years, it's been great fun. Well done girl x I will do my utmost in the role and continue to fly our flag. Well, there was me thinking January would be a quiet month for the Club - and a good chance to start the diet ... wrong :-) Early January, on a pretty cold, blustery Saturday morning, the Road Crew met at Stafferton Lodge to discuss and plan this year's riding calendar (after a hearty breakfast of course) - of all the riders that attended, one came on her bike, well done Toni! It snowed quite heavily for a few minutes during our meeting... Sue B braved the weather to take a pic in the car park. (See photo gallery - Ed) You can check out all the upcoming ride-outs, socials, rallies etc on the website calendar. Later that evening the ladies, that were able to attend, met up to enjoy a New Year dinner, also at Stafferton Lodge... we had a wonderful evening, plenty of laughs, more than enough to eat and great company. Good fun was had by all..even our lovely, young, blushing male waiter lol. We also had the opportunity to say goodbye to Sue B (in her LoH role) and as a token of our appreciation, Linda (Jammie) presented Sue with a gift from all the lady members and a touching poem that she'd written time to get the hankies out. Well done Linda for organising this & thank you Sue B for booking & arranging the evening. LoH are very fortunate (especially on our lady exclusive events, lol) to have our photographer Jammie to capture such special moments, often with help from innocent onlookers :-) :-) 8
Oh yes, even though it wasn't a LoH event (although he'd probably like it to be ;-) ) my hubby, Bernie, had his 56th birthday on Sat 24th Jan, and after he posted an "open" gathering at a Henley pub on Facebook, he was blown away when so many dear friends joined us in celebrating the day - thank you! The nights are getting lighter & I'm starting to smell spring in the air (unlike him indoors, who can't smell a thing ) Not long before we'll be back on our bikes, whether it be front or rear seat :-) More good news is that it won't be too long before our new dealership in Reading opens either .. whoop whoop Girls : a date for your diary - Sunday 26th July (while some of the boys are away, the girls really ought to play) please try'n keep this date free‌ more details to follow. If you have any ideas and suggestions for venues, activities and socials etc I'm always at club night for a chat or drop me a line ladiesofharley@thamesvalleyhog.org.uk Am looking forward to seeing all that can make it on Saturday for the next social at The Royal Oak , Knowl Hill, near Maidenhead. Bye for now, Sue x ps Sue B, do I wash the LOH flag & if so at what temperature (ha ha) WOMEN WHO BEHAVE SELDOM MAKE HISTORY ;-) Ladies, if you wish to be included in the LoH email list for updates, upcoming events, ideas etc, please go to our Thames Valley website : http://www.thamesvalleyhog.org.uk/ ... then click on "Ladies of Harley" scroll to the bottom of the page & click on the pink envelope to join ‌ I promise I won't bombard you ! ps Thanks, Lee White, for your time in setting this up. 9
This year Thames Valley Chapter will be attending the Heart & Soul Rally. The Geordie Chapter have organised this rally since 1997 when the chapter was first formed, with 1,000’s of attendees from all over the UK and Europe. For 2015 they are back with a bang, a new site and a fresh new look to the event but with the same welcoming Geordie spirit. Dates: Friday 31st July to Sunday 2nd August 2015 Location: Percy Park Rugby Club, North Shields, Tyne and Wear NE30 2BE Tickets: Pre-ordered Rally Ticket to include T Shirt and Goodie Bag - £35 or just £30 for a basic ticket. I have included a list of suggested accommodation but hotels are getting booked up so don’t leave it too long. The Premier Inn, Coble Dene, North Shields is probably the nearest hotel. Double rooms are available for £118 plus the usual extras. It is also near to the Royal Quays Factory Outlet shopping centre so ideal for a bit of shopping, girls! If you are looking for a more traditional hotel you may like to try The Royal Hotel in Whitley Bay, Double rooms there are from £80 per night including breakfast, or you can have a room with a sea view for £115 per night. The chapter will be organising a ride out to the Rally - watch this space for more details. To buy your tickets go the www.heartandsoulrally.com We are also looking at attending the New Forest Chapters Blazin’ 20s Rally, 25th – 28th September, Sea View Holiday Park, Weymouth. Tickets are on sale now at £70 per person including accommodation. More details to follow or log onto www.newforesthog.co.uk to book your tickets now. Pat Adams Assistant Director 10
Accommodation with food Dorset Arms Dorset Avenue, Wallsend, Tyne & Wear NE28 8DX www.dorsetarmshotel.co.uk Grand Hotel Grand Parade, Tynemouth, Tyne & Wear NE30 4ER www.grandhotel-uk.com info@grandhotel-uk.com Tel: 0191 293 6666 Hadrian Lodge Hotel Hadrian Road, Wallsend, Tyne & Wear, NE28 6HH www.hadrianlodgehotel.co.uk info@hadrianlodgehotel.co.uk Tel: 0191 262 7733 / Fax: 0191 263 0714 Martineau Guest House 57 Front Street, Tynemouth, Tyne & Wear, NE30 4BX www.martineau-house.co.uk martineauhouse@gmail.com Tel: 0191 2579038 Premier Inn Coble Dene, North Shields, Tyne & Wear NE29 6DL www.premierinn.com Tel: 0870 8506 348 The Newquay Lodge 52 South Parade, Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear NE26 2RQ www.newquay-lodge.co.uk enquiries@newquay-lodge.co.uk Tel: 0191 253 2211 The Park Hotel Grand Parade, Tynemouth, Tyne & Wear NE30 4JQ www.parkhoteltynemouth.co.uk Tel: 0191 257 1406 /Fax: 0191 2571716 The Royal Hotel 13-17 East Parade, Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear NE26 1AP www.royalhotelwhitleybay.co.uk info@royalhotelwhitleybay.co.uk Tel: 0191 252 4777 Michaelcaithness@hotmail.com Tel: 0741 4444 668 11
Tony & Linda Robson
How long have you been together? Linda and I met when we were both 19, just 5 years ago. (only joking, it was 1971!). Linda was a young audit clerk in Newbury and I was a Flying Officer in the RAF based at Thatcham (ground branch so not really Biggles!). Do you have any children, pets? A son and daughter, two grandchildren, a cat, 4 guinea pigs and 2 rabbits. How long have you been riding motorbikes? Forever in my dreams, but bikes proper since Linda bought me a riding course for my 40th birthday. What was your first bike? Honda 600 sports bike. When did you get your first Harley? About 5 years later after progressing (enjoyably) through a series of Kawasaki cruisers. The first Harley was an old Electra Glide sport (predecessor to the Road King) which spat fire and flame owing to a constantly malfunctioning carburettor. 12
What do you ride now? I have two Harley’s – A Heritage and a Deluxe, (I know, I meant to sell one but you know how it is...) a Honda Transalp (on permanent loan to son) and custody of son’s Sportster. How long have you been a Thames Valley member? Since the Maidenhead days – joined HOG in 1998. Any hobbies apart from motorbikes? Yes, I’m mad on all things French (speak the lingo and go whenever I can). Also love history particularly military. Linda shares these obsessions (sometimes under sufferance!) and also is passionate about animals – especially rabbits, guinea pigs and cats! Any special Harley experiences? Really fascinating ride to Colditz Castle in Germany with Oxford Chapter (hiss), fantastic Route 66 trip with son, and many other enjoyable excursions in France and Belgium with TV HOG. Anything else about you that’s interesting/unusual? Now you’re asking! Linda and I spent 18 years or so travelling around at the behest of the RAF, moving house 13 times before settling in Winnersh (so far) when I joined what was then ICL (now Fujitsu). Both of us are now relishing the prospect of retirement in the next year or so, hopefully more time for Harleys! Thanks for the chat!
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February
Mar.
Cont.
Military Air Museum Middle Wallop
Saturday Social Sat. 21st 12:30 The Royal Oak, Knowl Hill, RG10 9YE
Sun 22nd 10:00 Meet S’Able
Club Night
Ace Café
Thurs 18th 7:30
Thurs 26th 18:00
Ace Café Thurs 26th 18:00
March
(Cobwebs Ride)
Committee Night
Contingency plan ;) 28th or 29h if previous ride cancelled
Tues 3rd, 8:00
American Legends Parade Sunday 8th 18:00 Wimbledon Meet S’Able time tba
April Easter Egg Run Sat 4th 10:00
Saturday Social Sat. 14th, 12:30 pm Venue tba
Bilbury Trout Farm Mon. 6th 9:15 S’Able
Cobwebs Ride Sunday 15th, 10:00 Newlands Corner
Club Night Thurs 16th, 7:30
Club Night Thurs, 19th 7:30
Sat Social 11th, 12:30
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Dates, events, ride-outs and activities Details correct at time of going to print. Check the website for updates and amendments www.thamesvalleyhog.org.uk
Club Nights
Entries for your Diary 2015 Cider Rally - 1st -4th May (Club event) Harley-Davidson Euro Festival Grimaud, St-Tropez 7th - 10th May Chill-Out Weekend 22nd - 25th May Ireland Bike Fest 29th May - 1st June Fenlanders Rally
March
19th
April
16th
May
21st
June
18th
July
16th
Mag contribution Deadlines
July 23rd
March
Heart and Soul Rally 31st July - 2nd Aug
12th
April
9th
May
14th
June
11th
July
9th
SofER Aug 14th Blazin’ Twenties 25th - 28th Sept
Check website for Changes / further details on all events 15
An unusual birthday party invitation was issued via Facebook. A video of Bernie, playing his drums, asking for his Chapter friends to join him for a birthday lunch and drink was posted. Around 40 people joined him to celebrate his special day.
Race for Life 2015 Hi Ladies, I am doing Race for Life again this year, my fourth time. It’s a great event, for a great cause, so why don’t you come along and join me on Saturday 6th June at 11.00 am? It's 5k, and it’s held at Windsor Race Course. Don’t worry if you don’t like to run, I’ll be walking. It takes roughly an hour to complete. You will need to register on line at:
raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org
I would grateful if you can let me know nearer the time if you are joining me so we can arrange a time to meet. Thank you, Yvonne Cotsford yvonnecotsford@btinternet.com
Thank you I just wanted to say a great big THANK YOU for the lovely surprise gift that you gave me at the ladies dinner last month. I am not sure what I shall spend the vouchers on just yet but it will probably involve sparkle and bling one way or another It has been an honour being your LoH rep for the last four years and I am overwhelmed at your generosity and kindness.
Love Sue
XXX
2014 was a good riding year for me especially considering I had a Heart Op in the March which did not hamper the plans I had made to cover all the countries that make up this great Island of ours. I covered a total mileage of over 8000 miles by the end of the riding season, my best to date. These miles took me to the following places:- The Lake District , (Boys Weekend) England. In Scotland, the fantastic TiTG Rally, and in Wales the now regular Paul Major, aka Slippy, weekend away. And lastly, my Favourite Ride of 2014 goes to the Ireland Bike Fest Rally in Killarney. It all started with me purchasing a new Glide in March so as to do some serious touring. This is the heaviest bike I had ever ridden or owned and was going to be a test of my strength for long journeys after my operation. The Glide did not disappoint; it carried me and Di in comfort over some of the best roads and views I’ve seen anywhere. It’s not called a Glide for nothing, It’s easy to ride and to live with - an absolute pleasure! We rode with another couple, Paul & Julie, which is a great thing to do, sharing miles & memories. Our journey was blessed with good weather, which is always a pleasant bonus, and upon arrival in Killarney we met up with more good friends from the Thames Valley Chapter. To add further to this, the Irish hospitality made the Rally a great place to be, and the beautiful Irish scenery was diverse and breathtaking, which can only stay with you. So all in all a Win/Win of a trip, and year. Bring on the 2015 riding season! CJ - Life is No Dress rehearsal -
My favourite rides 2014: Early June 2014 On our way back to Dublin after a great Ireland Bike Festival we took the R440 through the Slieve Bloom Mountains near to Kildare. It was a fantastic motorcycling road, winding up through the forest on what seemed like freshly laid tarmac as smooth as silk, not a car in sight, the smell of pine forest and so very, very peaceful.
Then, in early September, we went on Hadrian V-Twin’s Alpine Adventure which included a few days to visit The European Bike Week in Faaker See. We travelled along some incredible roads with the amazing, contrasting scenery of the stunning Alpine passes, all forests and green fields, against the breathtaking Dolomite mountains, all rocky and colourful. Both Fantastic experiences.
Doughnut. Editor’s note: How strange that both ‘Favourite Ride’ reports chose Ireland, and both sent in the same photo! It must have been really special.
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nickwest@chilternelectrical.com
Hi, To all Chapter Members.
Do you work in a company that would like to be associated with SofER? The South of England Rally (SofER) will take place on 14 -16 August 2015 at the International Show Jumping Ground at Hickstead, West Sussex. For ten years, SofER has been the biggest H.O.G.速 Rally in England and the new venue shakes off all sorts of limits we had outgrown at the old site. Detailed plans are underway for a 2015 rally that is designed to exceed the expectations of record numbers of Chapters from the UK and the continent. Included in those plans are new and significant opportunities for corporate sponsorship. Such sponsors will have unprecedented access to a unique and vibrant audience of thousands, as well as the opportunity to associate their brands with the global icons of Harley-Davidson速 and H.O.G.速 Many Chapter members in 1066, Hogsback, Thames Valley and Oxford work in companies that might appreciate the association. Are you one of them? If so, let us know by emailing info@sofer.uk.com <mailto:info@sofer.uk.com> in confidence and we will arrange to come and explain exactly how we can help each other. One way or another, we hope to see you there!
Dik Gregory, for the SofER Organising Committee
The lone bike in the car park at the Road Crew meeting, in the snowâ&#x20AC;Ś
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World’s Smartest Woman The airplane was about to crash, and there were 4 passengers left, but only 3 parachutes. The first passenger, Rick Perry said “I’m the governor of the great state of Texas, and I have a great responsibility, being the leader of millions of people, helping lead our state to prosperity…” etc. So he takes the first parachute, and jumps out of the plane. The second passenger, Hillary Clinton, said, “I am the future first female President of the United States, and I am the smartest woman in the world.” So she takes the second parachute and exits the plane. The third passenger, Billy Graham, says to the fourth passenger, a 10-year old boy scout, “I am old and frail and I don’t have many years left, so as a Christian gesture and good deed, I will sacrifice my life and let you take the last parachute.” The boy scout said, “It’s okay! There’s a parachute left for you. The ‘world’s smartest woman’ took my backpack.”
PRIMARY OFFICERS
Don Wibberley DIRECTOR
Pat Adams Asst. Director
Nick West Asst. Director
Email: director(assistantdirector)@thamesvalleyhog.org.uk
Club Venue: SportsAble, Braywick Sports Ground, Maidenhead, SL6 1BN
facebook.com/groups thamesvalleyhog
youtube.com/user/ tvwebmaster1
Colin Wilkins Treasurer
Sue Moyler Secretary
Third Thursday of every month
Email: treasurer/secretary@thamesvalleyhog.org.uk
COMMITTEE
Sue Dodds Ladies of Harley
Sue Knight Editor
Lee White Webmaster
Chris Smith Membership
Barry Adams Activities
Toni Charles Activities
Linda Friend Photographer
Chris Earley- ‘CJ’ Photographer
Email any committee member at (position held)@thamesvalleyhog.org.uk