H.O.G.® Chapter 6655
INSIDE
February 2013
Official Newsletter of the Great Western Chapter
Features 7 - Tips for Winter Riding 10 - Two Guys, Two Weeks & 2000 miles 13 - Sammy Millers Motorcycle Museum 16 - ‘Visiting the Valleys’ Ride-out Report 17 - Hogs in the Hayfields 6
Regulars 2 - Between the Covers 3 - Director’s Cut 4 - Secretary’s Update 5 - From the Front 6 - Ladies of Harley 6 - Cangen Cymraeg 7 - Cockers’ Bits 9 -10th Anniversary Events 14 - Pete & Duncan’s Pump Stop 18 - Orchard Trust 19 - At a Glance
>> Two Guys, Two Weeks & 2000 Miles
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Between the Covers Hi and welcome to the February edition of RoadHOG.
To get things moving I’m looking for the following for future articles: ‘The Early Years’ Anything from the early years of the chapter.
‘A View from the Back’ I’m looking to put together a compilation of views In this issue we see and comments from pillions, why did you become a the riding season kickpillion, what you like and don’t like and how you inoff with a write-up from teract/communicate with your rider, etc. Just email Greg Payne from the me a paragraph or two and I’ll do the rest. You can first ride-out of the year even opt to remain anonymous if you want to mainand there’s also a tain harmony with him/her in front. great article from Andy ‘Kenny’ Kendall aka RKK for those of you who consider heading south for the winter. Mark This is a new year and hopefully it’ll provide plenty of opportunities for us to get out on our bikes and Editor maybe produce an article or two to share our experiEmail: macockwell@yahoo.com ences (hint!). If you are considering submitting an Mobile: 07900 496711 article then drop me a line. For those of you have an idea for an article but are unsure how to submit it then see the guidelines below. Again, any questions then please feel free to contact me. You can also find these guidelines on the ‘RoadHOG Mag’ page of the GWC website.
(Note: Views expressed in the articles are not necessarily the views of the Editor)
RoadHOG Contributors Guidelines 1. All articles must reach the Editor on, or before, the deadline of the 20th of the month. 2. Articles should be submitted as 2-column, Word documents in 10 point Arial font, the Editor on request can provide a blank document conforming to this format or a copy can be downloaded from here. The Editor may reformat articles, as deemed necessary. Articles should not be submitted as PDF documents as they cannot be formatted to fit the magazine page size. No photos, cartoons or jokes from the internet please. 3. Photos can be submitted either embedded in articles, in which case they should be limited to a maximum width of 8 cm at a resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch), or as separate JPG/JPEG files. If the submitter of an article provides separate photos and wishes them to be placed at specific points in their article they should insert the file name of each photo at its required location. If no locations are specified then the editor will place the photos at their discretion. If the number and size of the photos makes it impossible for them to be submitted by email then the editor will advise on reducing the size of the photos or the use of a file hosting service, such as DropBox or SkyDrive, to deliver them. 4. The Editor will send an acknowledgement of receipt to each person who sends a contribution to RoadHOG, so that they know it has been received. 5. The Editor will contact the contributor should there be any issues such as length of article, suggestion to include photos, or notify of a delay in publishing due to number of pages in a particular edition of RoadHOG. 6. Only GWC members and Riders can submit contributions, including adverts, to RoadHOG.
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Director’s Cut
By Barry “Bazzzzer” Aggett
well done to them, I hear 11 bikes enjoyed a very scenic ride in very cold conditions. Must have been Hi All, the ones who had heated gloves for Christmas or The year is flying by al- the posh crew who have heated grips as standard; ready and as I write this don’t you just hate some people! Whilst on the subarticle the snow is over 4 ject of rideouts I’m pleased to see 3 of the guys from Cangen Cymraeg have put their names forward for inches thick in the garden (100 mm for any of Road Captain training, which will obviously help us our younger members!), to deliver more Welsh-based rides this year. We will so perhaps my decision also be sending two from the English side. to take the Fatboy off the Our first temporary monthly meeting night at the road when I did for some Ship Inn went well (no feedback to say otherwise?) maintenance was a good one. In case you’re inter- and it was business as usual at St Mary’s. ested, it is progressing as you can see in the photo below. At this stage I think there is more on the gar- I attended the Directors’ meeting on the 19th Januage floor than on the bike! I would like to say it’s ary at Stratford-upon-Avon. Luckily the road condibeen fun but I think that will start when it’s going tions were just about ok for the journey, albeit I had back together. The big frustration is corrosion when a detour due to the M48 Severn Bridge being closed you’re trying to get it apart. Some joints laugh at for days due to ice on the road surface. penetrating oil, even a bit of heat, so then out The meeting was hosted by Marjorie Rae and was comes the grinder to split the nut! well attended by Directors from all over the UK and one from the Dublin Chapter. I thought I would be the youngest serving Director there but I was beaten by someone who had been in the role for 5 days. Longest serving was 9 years! I won’t bore you with all of the details now as I can use it to fill one of our meeting nights! I’ll keep it brief, honestly!
Anyway, back to Chapter stuff. The January RoadHOG was a seamless introduction by our new Editor, so thanks to Mark and also Tony Yendle who took over the RoadHOG logistics whilst Pete & Yvonne were in the USA. You will notice we have introduced some RoadHOG guidelines which are aimed at making it easier for you to submit articles, so please take some time out to write something. I’m sure as a reader you don’t want to hear from the same people all of the time. The first rideout of the year award goes to the “Visiting the Valleys” team on the 13th January, so
The first of our 10th Anniversary events is now behind us, so a big thank you to Martin Rich and the guys at Riders for kicking off our celebrations. The next event will be in April and then it’s really non stop till the end of the year, so get yourselves involved. I’m sure there will be plenty of classic memories to be had, which will be talked about for years to come. Take care and ride safe. Barry “Bazzzzer” Aggett Director Email: baznjac11@o2.co.uk Home: 01291 620371 Mobile: 07907 351650
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Secretary’s Update
By Yvonne Roberts
we hope will be ready for distribution in a few weeks time. When they are ready, I plan to bring I’m writing my report them along to our Club nights but, if that’s not 6,000 miles away in convenient for some of you, please let me know Palm Springs on a sunand I’ll arrange to leave your t-shirt at Riders. ny day, with a view of our heated pool and For the latest information on our GWC Merchanpalm trees, against a dise, please look at the Merchandise page on our backdrop of mountains Chapter website, where you will find the details of and blue sky. We’ll be prices and how to order our range of t-shirts, getting out and about on our hired Street Glide sweatshirts, and fleeces, which all have our GWC later to take full advantage of the lovely weather. logo embroidered on the front, as well as all of our patches and pins. Thanks to Tony Yendle for kindly stepping in to sort out the distribution of the January issue of RoadHOG in my absence, and for taking this photo of Dean Marks, a new member, who was welcomed at our January Club night at the Ship.
By the time you read this we will be back home to the winter and our 10th Birthday celebration at Riders will have been and gone! So one of our ten events down and nine to go! We may be far away, but with the wonders of modern technology, Baz and crew have been keeping us informed of what’s occurring in the Chapter! Baz passed his first test as our Director with flying colours, by successfully finding an alternative venue for our Bristol Club nights for January, February and March. We hear that about 50 of you turned up at the Ship for Club night and that there was also a good turnout at the Cangen Cymraeg Club night too. We wonder if anyone failed to read the numerous messages about the new venue and turned up at the Cross Hands – I guess we’ll never know! I gather you were as generous as ever in the raffles, by raising £82 at the Ship, and £51 at Cangen, a total of £133 for the Orchard Trust, thank you. On our return to the UK, I’ll be busy ordering the 10th Anniversary commemorative t-shirts, which
Sorry that there is no summary of our last Committee Meeting (January 12th) - sadly, this occurred while I was in the USA. Back to normal next month! I am available at Club nights, and you can also contact me by phone on: 01225 751017 or by email: yvonne.s.roberts@gmail.com I look forward to seeing you on our return to the UK. Ride safe and keep warm. Yvonne Secretary
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From The Front
By Alan “Big Al” Stokes M4/Junction 35. Hi Everyone
At the time of writing this article the first Welsh ride-out of the year has been successfully completed. Many thanks go to Ian Mead and Si Griffiths for planning and executing that one. Also thanks to Greg Payne and Darren Sharp who helped out on the day. The feedback I have received has all been positive, although I believe it was cold on the day. A good hot meal and drink were needed at the end of it. Unfortunately I was unable to attend this one. A wedding party the night before rendered me not fit to ride on the Sunday morning. Going to bed at 03.00 a.m. seemed like a good idea at the time. When will I learn, probably never I guess. January saw me attend both club nights and it was good to catch up with a few of the Welsh lads and ladies I’ve not seen over the Christmas period. I must say the food at St Mary’s is very good and the 2:1 are great value for money. Flamesy looks like he is having yet another midlife crisis and turning into a suede head (for those old enough to remember), fully decked out in 1970’s tasselled loafers, jeans with turn ups, a checked Ben Sherman shirt and Pork Pie hat. What next a Scooter? Perhaps Darren Sharp will lend him his lol. I think he has lost the plot about what bikers tend to look like lol. Still, it made my night.
At the time of writing, the meeting and start times need to be confirmed. Please refer to the website for the latest information. This is a Level A ride of circa 100 miles. Sunday 24th February 2013 – Sharp & Hard ........ at the Rear “The Cotswold Cruiser“ This ride will take you through the beautiful Cotswold villages and their stunning scenery. The route features sweeping biker thrilling bends and there is something for everyone to enjoy. The plan is to meet at Michael Wood Services M5 (Northbound) for 10.00 a.m. Please be fuelled up and ready to depart on the Filling station forecourt for 10.30 a.m. Taking in such places as Andoversford, Bourton on the Water and Moreton on the Marsh it should be one not to miss. All the details of the route are published in full on the website. Come along and enjoy a great day out. This is a Level B ride of approximately 120 miles. For 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:
Anyway onto the forthcoming rides:
Level A - Short and easy below 100 miles round trip.
Sunday 10th February 2013 – Greg Payne
Level B - Fine for average riders but may be a bit longer.
“Coastal Meanderings”
Level C – Can include some complex sections This will be a medium length winter ride which will but mainly a longer duration. take in a route which hugs the coastal roads of South Wales. The route has to be fully confirmed. Until the next time, have fun and ride hard. Currently the planned start point will be McDonalds by the Premier Inn, Coldra Roundabout M4/ J24. The ride will roughly take in Newport (past the Transport Bridge, only one of two in the UK), Alan “Big Al” Stokes Cardiff, Penarth, Barry and Porthcawl. Here there Assistant Director & Head Road Captain will be a lunch break and maybe a chance for an ice-cream. The return trip is planned to go via Port Talbot, Maesteg and Bridgend, finishing at McDonalds
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Ladies of Harley
By Jane Scott Hi Ladies,
Well at the time of writing this article it’s a snowy hello from the Forest of Dean. We have had a good 6 inches here, so of course everyone has been panic buying as if there is no tomorrow. We did try to build a snowman but apparently it’s the wrong snow. I did get caught by my granddaughter to pull and push her on the sleigh, great fun had by all, which did give cause for a large glass or two of caramelised vodka just to warm up of course. Well Ladies what’s there to report on this month? Of course a good time will have been had by all at the GWC 10th Anniversary party at Riders. I expect there will be plenty of stories and pics to follow in next month’s magazine. Our first Gurzels meeting went ahead at Riders so we have been re-united for our Hogs in the Hayfields Rally, with plenty of ideas floating around the table. Plans are in the making and it’s going to be a “good un” girls. I would like to mention that this is a ladies event, but every
Cangen Cymraeg Hello to all my new readers and hope you are well and looking forward to the new riding season which kicked off on the 13th January with an excellent ride hosted by Ian Mead and Si Griffiths. Special thanks to Darren for turning up as the obligatory Road Captain. Cangen’s club night on 9th January was reasonably attended, though there were quite a few absentees. Assisting Bazzer on the night were Committee members Jane Scott LOH and Head Road Captain Al Stokes who received a warm welcome. Bazzer outlined the forthcoming events to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of our chapter with a request to support as many events as you can, as a lot of people are working hard to make every event a success.
year LBD tries to smuggle in, plus I also received a suggestion from one of our charter members by means of a video. Sorry “blackadder” I don’t think we will be able to use it, as it ain’t quite PC. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE PART IN THIS EVENT THEN TXT OR EMAIL ME ASAP Rehearsals will be starting soon and we will need 100% commitment from you … Numbers for the LOH 10th Year Anniversary event are looking good. It has been decided that this is open to Great Western Members only, which gives us all a good chance to spend some time getting to know each other… plus, we need to remember that it is OUR anniversary we are celebrating. Well Ladies it’s short and sweet this month, if you have any questions, queries, moans or suggestions then please email or txt me using the contact details below. Take Care All. Jane x Ladies of Harley Email: janescott61@hotmail.co.uk Mobile: 07894 086626
By Greg Payne suitably embarrassed but still collected the bottle of wine. Looking forward to the dinner at the Hilton Hotel in October 2013 I tried to reserve a room using the telephone number given and eventually discovered it was a Hilton Hotel central call centre in Florida who could not give me the discounted room rate. You should speak to Lucy Robinson direct on 01454626266 for the correct rate of £50. On Saturday 12th January I attended my first GWC Committee meeting at Riders and was really impressed by Scotties cherry and coconut cake. Oh the meeting went well by the way. Talking to Cangen members, it looks as if quite a few of us have committed to overseas rallies so lets hope the weather turns fair for these commitments. Don’t forget please let me know of anything of interest to the Chapter so I can, if necessary, discuss it at forthcoming Committee meetings.
So long for now, see you on February 13th next Cangen At the meeting we welcomed two new members, Karl and meeting. Allison Ward from Cwmbran. Allison rides her own motorcycle and it would be excellent if we could have another Greg lady Road Marshal/Captain. The raffle was collected by Jenny Roach, ably assisted by Paul’s daughter and guess Cangen Cymraeg Rep. who won the 1st prize? Yup, Karl Ward who looked
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Cockers Bits
By Anita Cockwell
At the time of writing it’s ‘deep and crisp and even’ outside but that has to be better than the constant rain we’ve had for what seems like ages. Hopefully it will have been warm and dry enough for the ride out on the 27th January, which will have been my first ride out of the year (that’s if the leathers still fit).
At time of writing we have not yet attended our first 10th GWC Anniversary event, which is the party at Riders, but I’ll give you a write up of that in next month’s mag. Hopefully all will have gone well (wonder if H-D do a crystal ball?) and we all had a fantastic evening reliving memories of the last ten years whilst holding a glass in one hand and a plate in the other (or depending on your choice, a glass in one hand and a glass in the other!). But I’m sure it won’t have been short on laughs.
The enormous challenge of organising our special 10th Anniversary, Hogs in the Hayfields Rally (did you know th January is, and has been, a quiet month on the activi- this is our 6 year?) is well under way having started almost as soon as the 2012 one finished, but with Tony ties side of things as we all calm down and get over James and the Rally Team fired up, we can expect this the Christmas excesses. Perhaps I should start up a year’s to be extra special. So secure your tickets now GWC Weight Loss Challenge activity each January from our very own Hogs in the Hayfields, Rally Sales cause I’m sure I’d be taking part! Any takers? But as th Director (aka Tony James). Don’t forget that there’s a we are now into 2013 and our 10 Anniversary year, the events and activities will be coming thick and fast. monthly draw where you could be in with a chance of winning your money back on the cost of a rally ticket, True there are still some that need tweaking, or to have dates finalised, but without a shadow of doubt the but you do have to buy it first! Good luck!!. start of an amazing year, so keep on checking the “Mrs Cockers” RoadHOG or the GWC website for updates (I suppose its too soon to be looking at arranging the 2013 Christ- Activities Officer mas bash yet?? Or is it?). Email: accockwell@yahoo.com Mobile: 07702 073361
Tips for Winter Riding 1. Be aware that pedestrians in wet or cold weather don’t always pay attention to traffic, especially when running across the road to avoid getting wet. They usually keep their heads down to avoid the rain, so keep yours up to avoid them.
By Andy Kendall 4. Trees overhanging the road get a little over sapped during summer. In the winter rains the mixture of water and tree sap can form a slippery film, the perfect trap for the unwary motorcyclist.
5. Corrosion during winter can be avoided by washing off the salt and road dirt that causes oxidisation. My first Harley went through 2 rough winters even riding on days when the roads were awash with road salt and the bike did not suffer from any corrosion. To achieve this, I religiously hosed the bike down and gave it a 2. Watch out for car drivgood shampoo and polish. If you cannot commit to ers out there. Many don't expect to see motorcycles on this time and effort and don’t mind the appearance of a the road during the winter time so they'll not be looking dull and oily finish that collects road grime throughout for you. the winter months, then a liberal coating to all surfaces of ACF 50 or similar is recommended. In the spring a Believe me, car drivers don't watch for motorcycles good wash down will again reveal your nice shiny pride during the summer - it gets 100 times worse during the and joy. winter. Remember, bike covers will actually get a little mois3. There is an illusion created by pot holes. Appearing ture underneath them; some covers will trap moisture, like puddles, they conceal their depth…that is until you so keep your bike covered in more ways than one. ride over them. Never assume a puddle is just a pud(Continued on page 8) dle.
Page 8 Make sure your garage has plenty of air circulation. Mine has plenty of gaps around the door and frame. If you garage is sealed or draught free, every change of temperature will coat your bike in condensation and corrosion will creep in.
riding in our summers, if last year was to go by, you have to be aware of what is known as the Wind Chill Factor. Wind Chill Factor At just 20mph an actual temperature of 40⁰F will feel like 30⁰F and at 60mph the same temperature of 40⁰F will feel like 20⁰F. When the temperature drops to 20⁰F and you’re pottering along at 30mph the temperature feels like 1⁰F; and at 50mph it’s a bone chilling -3⁰F. To stay warm, dress warm! To entrap insulating air warmed by body heat dress in loose fitting, light weight, warm clothing in several layers with your leathers being the top layer. In extreme cold, rain gear as the outer garment will keep wind from passing through and help keep heat in.
6. It is NOT a good idea to start your bike once in a while. Let it run for a short time and then shut it down. A moderately driven engine, making only short runs and seldom getting thoroughly warmed up, is likely to accumulate an increasing amount of water in the oil tank. In freezing weather this water will become slush or ice and if allowed to accumulate too long, may block the oil lines and cause damage to the engine. If the engine is driven frequently and enough to get the crankcase thoroughly warmed up, most of this water is again vaporized and blown out through the breather. Water mixed with oil for some time, forms sludge that is When a rider becomes cold, concentration is reharmful to the engine and causes undue wear of variduced and accidents will occur. ous working parts. Below is a chart that will help you all to understand the 7. Get a good leather motorcycle jacket, helmet, gloves Wind Chill Factor. and boots. There are two categories of motorcycle riders; those that have fallen and those that haven't fallen Note: for wind speeds under 5 miles per hour, there is no significant wind chill factor and for wind speeds yet. above 45 miles per hour the wind has no further appre*An interesting statistic regarding what we should be ciable effect. wearing. Sliding along the road at 50 mph, Denim will Take time to read these tips and let’s keep the Chapter wear through within 4' (feet), Kevlar will wear through statistics of serious accidents at zero. within 18', but leather will take 86 feet to wear through. Ride safe and ride to arrive. 8. On the subject of clothing. In winter you have to layer up especially if you are going to be riding all day. I Andy always keep a few more layers of clothing in my panniSafety Officer ers should the temperature drop or, in my case, because of my age, I feel colder. A common mistake is to Email: andy.kendall@virgin.net walk outside your home before a journey and think it is Mobile: 07905 397474 a mild day and dress down. For winter riding, or even
Page 9 entertainment, and a special rideout encompassing our bridges. See the special Rally page on our website for a booking form. Tickets - £25 for weekend, £18 for Saturday, now on sale from Tony James
Our 10 Anniversary Events in 2013
Event 6 – Rhayader Riding Weekend, July 11th to 14th Baz will lead a ride to Rhayader on Thursday July 11th, and there will be a planned ride for both Friday and Saturday, in the spectacular scenery through the Elan Valley, as well as evening entertainment centred round the many pubs in Rhayader. We advise you to book your accommodation a.s.a.p., if you plan to join us, as most hotels and B&Bs are quite small. Details for camping can be found on our website on our 10th Anniversary page. Please inform Yvonne Roberts if you intend coming : yvonne.s.roberts@gmail.com as we need to know numbers for planning the rides and the entertainment. The numbers are growing!
Event 1 – 10th Anniversary Celebration at Riders on Event 7 – Treasure Hunt, (sometime in the summer) This will be a fun event, riding to venues around Bristol, Friday January 25th including lunch at a suitable watering hole. More details to Been and gone! follow. Event 2 – Night Ride, (possibly in April) Tony Yendle and Andy Kendall have devised a ride of approximately 300 miles, covering 10 counties: Glos, Wilts, Oxon, Bucks, Greater London, Surrey, West Sussex, Hants, Dorset, and Somerset, starting in Bristol around 8.30pm on a Friday and ending at Riders for breakfast on a Saturday morning. The date will be flexible, depending on the weather!
Event 8 – Charity canoe trip on the River Wye, and BBQ/camping at the Orchard Trust, Saturday August 24th Nige is working with Bill on this event. The approximate cost of canoe hire per person for a 2 person canoe is £15. We hope to run a competition to raise money for the Orchard Trust, and end up at the Trust for a BBQ & camping. Please think about pairing up in readiness!
Event 3 – Boys Only Weekend Away, (date to be announced) Peter, Baz and Nige are putting together the details of this trip. The plan is to leave from Riders on the Friday morning, ride through the New Forest to Lymington to catch the I.O.W. ferry around midday. From here, riding via Alum Bay and the Needles to stay overnight in Shanklin. Saturday morning ride on scenic roads to Fishbourne where we catch the ferry to Gun Wharf, Portsmouth early afternoon and check into our hotel. The evening’s entertainment will be in a nearby club. Ride home on Sunday. The approximate cost including ferries, and accommodation, will be around £150, with a maximum of 25 bikes for this trip. You should have received full details by e-mail.
Event 9 – UK Tour Go East, the Road Less Travelled, September 5th – 8th We will be riding approximately 100 miles per day, on country roads, spending the first night in Lincoln, via Melton Mowbray and Grantham. Day 2 will take in the local HD dealership, the Lincolnshire Wolds, a lunch stop at the Petwood Hotel, WW2 base of the Dambusters, and a visit to the Battle of Britain Flight, spending the night in Skegness. Day 3 we’ll head towards Rutland Water, and the Sycamore H-D dealership, spending the night in Market Harborough, before riding back home. Details to follow soon! Event 10 – GWC 10th Anniversary Dinner at the Hilton Hotel, Aztec West, October 26th We are hoping that people will dress up for this key event. The cost of a ticket for dinner and disco will be £30 per person, with hotel accommodation at £50 per room for B&B, including use of all the hotel facilities. Afterwards, there is an all night bar for residents. Rooms can be booked now by calling Lucy Robinson on 01454 893436
Event 4 - 12th Benelux Rally, Silverlake Beach, Mol, Belgium – Flemish Kempen H.O.G. Chapter, 20th Anniversary, June 7th- 9th Just to remind you that Chris is planning to lead a GWC ride, leaving Bristol on Thursday June 6th crossing to Calais on the Eurotunnel Shuttle, and leaving Silverlakes on Monday morning, June 10th returning on the Eurotunnel rd Shuttle. You will be most welcome to join him. See our 10 th Ladies Only Weekend Away, November 23 Anniversary page on our Chapter website or contact Chris Jane has arranged for a trip to London on November 23rd/24th, the cost is £145. We hope all of you ladies have for full details. sent in your deposits of £30 as the deadline was Jan 31st! Event 5 – 10th Anniversary Rally at the Hayfields, June Baz, Nige, Dave Norton, Chris Harding, Tony Yendle, 21st – 23rd Peter and Yvonne Roberts, the Planning Group This will be held at Cleve Rugby Club, with loads of great
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Two Guys, Two Weeks & 2000 Miles On November 20th a cold wet winter day, I met up with Mike Ludwell near the Compass Inn Tormarton to go off on a winter biking holiday to Fuengirolo in Spain. When we met it was heavy drizzle, which turned into heavy rain and by the time we arrived at our refreshment stop at Southampton Harley Davidson we were soaked. We had an hour and a half to kill, the staff were bemused at us going to Spain this time of year. We went on to Portsmouth and found the ferry terminal and Mike seemed determined to go into the wrong check in. He had thought we were going with Condor ferries and not Brittany Ferries. Oops!! Who knows where we could have ended up! We got on board without incident and found the cabin, not bad! Then it was time for a few beers to counteract the effects of the sea sickness! We also met a married couple on a BMW Enduro bike going across to tour Morocco for six weeks, lucky buggers!
By Andy Kendall (RKK)
maybe he saw a pretty woman? I retraced my steps back around the one way system to no avail so I sent him a text and headed on to Toledo alone. We met back up at the hotel and, after unpacking, decided to go up into the old walled city part of Toledo on the bikes. It was a really nice place but not really designed for Harleys with very hilly, narrow slippery cobblestoned streets, oh and did I mention that the Sat Navs would not work because of the narrow streets and high buildings, but it was all good fun!
We finally got underway; the crossing was fairly rough and luckily they couldn’t tell who was staggering around from the rough sea and who was staggering due to the BEER! We arrived at Bilbao and then had a brisk 50 mile journey in the dark to our planned overnight stop at Vitoria Gasteiz. The following day, it was up and onwards to our apartments in the resort at Fuengirola, 320 miles away. We took scenic roads, avoiding the busy toll roads. Our apartments and the resort were great; they had everything there including a bar and a restaurant with entertainment nearly every night, what more could you want after a days riding. . . Well, Happy Hour!! You order one drink and get two!! We certainly took advantage of that!
The following day it was up early for the 360 mile scenic journey to Madrid avoiding the toll roads. It was a really good ride down and we even had a fellow Harley rider stop alongside us at some lights inquisitive as to where we came from and were going to; he was amazed when we told him. We arrived at Madrid in the afternoon rush hour, definitely NOT for the faint-hearted! (And all those dammed scooters!!) We had a look around town on foot to take in the sights, get food and some drinks, although not necessarily in that order! The following morning we took an open top bus tour of the city after which we set of to Madrid Harley-Davidson for a look around, and then on to Toledo. I can’t really say what happened next, Mike was following me one minute and the next was gone;
The next five days were a series of rides; some right up into the mountains - some with reasonable roads with crash barriers, others extremely narrow with tight hairpin bends with really big drops if you got it a bit wrong! It was great fun negotiating the hairpin bends with the Road Kings’ footboards scraping the road and overtaking lorries and coaches with very little room for error. Thank god for ABS!! (Continued on page 11)
Page 11 On one of the days we went to Gibraltar, the queue for customs was long but quick moving so we had our passports out ready - mine was in my mouth. After we cleared customs, we both stopped to put them away and this policeman was waving furiously at us to move on. It was only later that we realised we had pulled up on the airport runway around five minutes before a large aircraft landed.
alty working into their normally closed lunch time and, at the end of that, charged him 20 Euros, Wow! On their suggestion we headed back into the mountains, again, to a place called El Chorro, we were going to a reservoir with a café overlooking it, what a ride that turned out to be. On leaving, as we had no idea where we were, we just put the resort into our Sat Navs and, to my surprise, it told us go on UP the mountain! Mike was leading, when we got somewhere near the top we reached a ‘T’ junction, Mike went right but my Sat Nav wanted to go left! I followed Mike, the road got steeper and steeper downhill and at the same time much narrower, then it turned into a gravel road and just when I thought things could not get any worse we had to ride over a flooded narrow bridge with no safety barriers. Turning back was NOT an option, it was far too narrow, and if we had had an accident there we might still be there now!
We went around the caves and saw the monkeys, I think Mike wanted to get a picture of one on his bike but his spare helmet would not fit her! On the way back we took a look around Marbella but we were ever conscious of the time looming towards ‘Happy Hour’ and our customary one or two drinks, it was a hard job but someone had to do it! The following day, whatever day that was, it was back up into the mountains on the narrow twisties. No crash barriers, rocks on the road, great big holes in the road and a bloody great drop but it was worth Another day we went outdoor Go Karting. I got every second. We really put the bikes through their creamed but could not understand why. Then Mike paces. confessed to being an ex Go Karting champion! After the Karting session we headed off into the mountains, again, to Tolox (NO comments please)
Another day we went over to Malaga HarleyDavidson as Mike had a minor problem, his neutral light and horn had failed. They managed to repair the horn but the neutral light was a faulty module which was not in stock. They sorted his bike straight away, made us free coffees and treated us like roy-
(Continued on page 12)
Page 12 Spa. After our week at the resort it was time to make our way back to Bilboa but we only had two days to do it which made for some long hard riding.
The last morning before the ferry I got locked out of my hotel room as the room card would not work. I scoured the hotel but there were no staff there whatsoever so Mike went behind the counter and got all the spare room cards we could find and tried the lot! Finally after half an hour I was set to kick the door in, when Mike remembered there ware emergency details outside the hotel so he went outside and got locked out! We called the manager who wandered in another half hour later. I still hadn’t loaded up my bike, because my bags were locked in the room, nor had any breakfast. When we finally got going we had to ride hard and fast to make the ferry.
down to our cabin, or I would probably have met Huey! (There were plenty of diced carrots around!) When I did finally feel well enough to go to bed the sea was tossing the boat around like a cork. I had to wedge myself in the bunk just to stop myself sliding from side to side.
We finally got back ashore in Portsmouth and parted company. Would I do this again? You bet I would! There was so much more we had done, most could not be put into this article! As the saying goes, what goes on tour, stays on tour. That said I could be bribed with a pint or two to divulge more, you never know.
Andy Kendall (RKK) & Mike Ludwell (Mr Ben) We filled up with fuel and rode non-stop for the whole tank of fuel, filled up, had a coffee and rode on again! It was cold even with the heated clothing! “Remember, keep the shiny side up” Upon reaching Bilboa the Sat Navs, bless em, took us to a quaint little harbour with tiny fishing boats but was a bit too small for a bloody great ferry so we went blindly on and after half a mile we could see the top of the funnels in the distance. We boarded the ferry and had the customary pint or three, purely medicinal obviously. We set sail and it was a very rough crossing. I could not face going
Page 13
Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum I got a call from Andy Kendall (RKK), late on a Saturday night in mid December, asking if I fancied a ride with him and Mark Chinnick the following morning. The plan was to meet at the Compass Inn and then take a more or less direct route to Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum.
By Keith Swarbrick
ders. From the side, it looked like an early aircraft style engine. Not too practical these days, and would be interesting to ride around my estate (Emersons Green). I reckon that bottom cylinder would be knocked off on the first speed bump. Not many Harleys on display but a couple of very
I got woken by a call from RKK at 7a.m. on Sunday morning to say Mark had dropped out (well it wouldn’t count towards his ride-out tally anyway) and the weather forecast wasn’t great. With neither of us wishing to back down, due to a bit of rain, we met at Sainsbury’s Emersons Green and headed south, guided by RKK’s trusty Sat Nav. The ride down to Salisbury was dry and quite pleasant but a few drops of rain thereafter. Perhaps it was the damp that affected the Sat Nav or maybe somebody had set it to hiking mode. We proceeded down numerous narrow roads and tracks in and around the New Forest, meeting horses, sheep and even a herd of hogs (4 trotter variety), before eventually arriving at Sammy’s around midday. First stop was the tea rooms; they also serve food which must have been good, as most of the tables were reserved for lunch. Anxious to see the bikes we just had a quick coffee. The entrance fee was reasonable, from memory £6 or so per person. The museum is really good, not only lots of bikes but numerous artefacts such as helmets, tools, clothing, petrol pumps, etc. Bikes are roughly split between road and race and begin with some of the earliest models I’ve ever seen. Highlight for me was a 1912 Verdel with bicycle size tyres.
nice early Indians. Another bike of interest was a race V8 Moto Guzzi, compact but awesome. If you haven’t been before I would certainly recommend it, there is ample parking, and excellent facilities. It’s also a great area for biking though probably best in the sunshine. Be sure to allow at least a couple of hours to see everything, you won’t be disappointed. Keith Swarbrick This bike had an amazing engine, at first glance from the front, an early V-twin. On closer inspection another cylinder, and then another ... In total 5 cylin-
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Peter & Duncan’s Pump Stop If the weather here is freezing cold and snowy up in the surrounding Santa Rosa, San Jacinto and San Bernadino mountains, your riding options are really limited to the desert highways in the locality, particularly as the riding distances to most other places are huge, unless you fancy a 100 mile blast to Los Angeles or 80 miles to Riverside. When Spring reaches the mountain tops, the Palm Springs area offers one Well that’s it, the escape to California done and of the very best rides in California, involving a dusted and back to the horrors of winter in the traverse of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto rangUK. At least, I guess that’s how it’ll be, when we es, before dropping back to the valley after mile are all reading the February issue of RoadHOG. after mile of twists and turns. This was on our “To At the moment, we are still enjoying the final days Ride, Must Do” list. Did we? No chance, with the of record January heat in Palm Springs, until we biting cold winds and snow up there. return the Street Glide to San Diego HarleyDecent day rides were therefore limited to our Davidson and hop on the plane back to visiting Joshua Tree National Park and the exHeathrow. traordinary Salton Sea that is a natural fast food stop for birds migrating south. Although the sea is of high salinity, because of evaporation, some 4 million fresh-water Tilapia appear to thrive and provide dinner for the Pelicans, White and Brown Herons, and Snowy Egrets.
Having mentioned ‘warmth’, you might be surprised that we have also had about 5 days of truly cold weather and, on a 3 day trip to Las Vegas, the temperature on The Strip was -2 degrees, so pretty much as cold as anything back home. While Vegas is always fun to visit, our plans to On our last Saturday here, we attended the local ride there (across 4,000 foot mountain passes “Palm Springs Chapter” of H.O.G. and met some and the Mojave Desert) were completely scupfriendly people including this guy, Steve Rand. pered by the freeze and we ended up having to drive, rather than ride.
(Continued on page 15)
Page 15 pride and joy, clean off any corrosion protectant, check the battery and fire her up. So I thought I would list some simple checks to help. 1. If you have used any corrosion protectant, make sure you remove it with the same cleaning product; it will not come off with any other. Only wash it off by spraying on the cleaner and hosing it off afterwards. Rinsing it off well is important. Do not use a sponge. If any dirt has stuck to the protectant, you may scratch your bike in doing so. 2. If you have had your bike on an Optimate, your battery should be ok. Check the charging lights on He came over straight away to say Hi to us. Despite the unit - if they do not show fully charged, switch over 30 years of living here in California, he didn’t the unit off on the wall, as this will reset it allowing have a trace of an American accent. Before he emi- the battery to be topped up further. If your bike has grated to the States, he previously served with the an alarm, it may be in sleep mode. Don't worry, by Horse Guards. Now he’s a Funeral Director, which switching the ignition on this will reset it. Just have is undoubtedly good steady business in Palm your alarm fobs to hand. Springs, with the many geriatrics living here, and the plethora of stroke and cardiac rehabilitation centres, 3. When you are ready to start your bike, if it has a carburettor give the throttle 2-3 turns allowing fuel to and dialysis facilities. be squirted into the cylinders. If your bike is fuel inWhen we arrived, the Chapter Director, Kurt Davis jected, leave the throttle alone. Crank the engine was giving a presentation on the do’s and don’ts of until it fires up - DO NOT rev it and make sure the group riding. It all sounded rather familiar! Interest- oil light goes out, It may stay on for a few seconds ingly, in relation to trikes, which are not uncommon longer than normal if you have not started the bike over here, they don’t have to be at the back. Indeed, for a while. Allow the oil to circulate around the enthey can even lead from the front. Of course the gine until warm, before revving, to avoid any long roads are very different over here and second man term damage. drop pretty much irrelevant. If you have any problems or are unsure please feel What we found rather amusing was that while Great free to call me or any of the team. Western sometimes struggles to maintain its rideouts in the face of snow, storms and gale-force Hopefully by now the sun has started to come out, winds, the Palm Springs Chapter doesn’t ride in Au- your bike is ticking over lovely and you’re putting your bike gear on to go on that long awaited first gust because it is just too hot for riders and bikes! ride of the season. So, with Duncan continuing in his usual optimistic Safe riding. vein, here is the tip of the month for February: For most of you the time has come to uncover your
Peter & Duncan@riders
Page 16
‘Visiting the Valleys’ Ride-out Report
By Greg Payne
The big day arrived, machines polished, fuelled, weather forecast checked, excuses written down then torn up and we all met up at McDonalds, junction 35 Pencoed; this being the first rideout of 2013 led by Ian Mead and assisted by Si Griffiths, Greg Payne and Darren Sharp. The hardy souls who attended numbered (or should I say numbed it was a chilly 1⁰C) 11 with a trio from Bristol (well done for supporting). The actual day was sunny and road conditions were good apart from some slush down Pontycymmer way. The route which could be challenging, depending on the weather, headed for Sarn, then up the delightful Garw Valley and on to Rhondda Fawr for a short stop for Mark Chinnick to have his 10 fags and for Ian and Keith Swarbrick to make the acquaintance of a sheep (that’s all I’m saying).
have been the only one in Penrhys). There Ian gave us a history lesson about some holy water from a well and the origins of Penrhys. Also he regaled us with tales of his youth as this was his old stamping ground. Then it was onwards to Porth, Trebanog, Talbot Green, Cowbridge and then to our final stop at the Old Post public
house, A48 Bonvilston for an excellent 2 for 1 Sunday lunch. A big thank you to Ian and Si for organising a first class rideout and look forward to the next Welsh rideout (oh that’s mine) on February 10th which will include some coastal meanderings. After saying their goodbyes we headed down to Treorchy and then up to Penrhys for a cultural stop at a statue “The Lady of Penrhys” (must
Greg
Page 17
Hogs in the Hayfields 6 21st- 23rd June 2013 Tickets on sale now
Here we go again – after 5 fantastic previous rallies, it`s back to the great location of Cleve RFC ("The Hayfields") for "Hogs in the Hayfields 6”. Facilities at the Rally include a spacious camping area, the ability to park your bike securely right next to your tent. Car parking is also available, if you do need to bring an accompanying vehicle. As usual, all bikes/registrants will be tagged on arrival and checked on leaving/re-entering The Hayfields. If camping really is not your scene, there is a selection of Hotels and B & Bs in close proximity to the Rally site. As in previous years, you can expect a very warm welcome from members of the Great Western Chapter, who will be serving free tea/coffee and home-made cakes in the hospitality tent. Here you will also be able to pick up your Rally Pack. Over the weekend you can look forward to some great entertainment with: Live music from Devious, Dave Curtis, Maxwell Hammer Smith and Skimmity Hitchers. Disco with Dave Curtis. Road Captains ride out, Chapter Challenge games, Stars in their Eyes and fancy dress. A return of the infamous, balloon dance, as seen at the Margam Parc Rally, and not forgetting the Ladies of Harley dance troupe ‘The Gurzels’. We are also going to be running the ticket draw again where one lucky member gets the price of their ticket refunded each month. The first draw will be in February drawing one ticket from the previous month sales, and so on until May. Once again we have pegged the price for a full rally ticket at £25.00 and £18.00 for the Saturday only. Both ticket prices include rally patch, pin and goodie bag. All enquiries to: Tony James Rally Co-ordinator Email Syston@btinternet.com Tel: 07940 895921 We are looking to setup a rally committee to help and plan the rally with the first meeting in March (date to be arranged) so please feel free to join us.
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Orchard Trust
Hi Everyone, A round up of our news again for you this month…..
By Kathryn Oak House, the new homes built on the old Offa’s Dyke home site and we only have two empty bedrooms now. Jane and Ella have recently moved into the new homes. Jane originally comes from the Forest of Dean and the move here has enabled her to live back near her family. Jane likes the ponies on the smallholding and the countryside. She also likes having her nails and hair done and going out for tea and cake! Ella is also from Gloucestershire and has come to us from a College in Wiltshire. Ella enjoys working on the smallholding, listening to music and socialising and is excellent at making tea! Kimberley Drive tenants were out and about enjoying themselves in the snow this weekend – sledging and building a snowman, who was so cool that he needed sun glasses!
Our supported living tenants from Kimberley Drive and Morelands are involved in a new venture – they are running a café in Lydney once a week. The Chit Chat Café opened on 10th January and opens every Thursday, from 10.00am to 3.00pm - everyone is very welcome! (The café is in Newerne Street, the main street running through Lydney and is located between Crazy Occasions and the butchers.) Nigel is the newest tenant to move into Morelands and he has been spending time out socialising with Chris from Kimberley Drive – as they are old friends. A disabled access wet room has recently been installed at Morelands. At Kimberley Drive, their cat, Pepper has well and truly settled in! Graham (who many of you met at Hogs in the Hayfields 2012 when he took part in the inter-chapter challenge) often provides the music at any Kimberley Drive With very best wishes to you all from everyone at events – sometimes in fancy dress. The Orchard Trust. The new ‘GWC path’ has been such a success! Students enjoyed viewing progress with its construction and were keen to try out the new path! The students Kathryn have decided that a bench would be a nice addition to enable people to have a rest on the way, so we’re The Orchard Trust going to have one in the ‘lay-by’ and they’ve said Valley Springs that it’s much easier for wheelchairs to get to the Central Lydbrook wildlife area now. Glos GL17 9PP The rooms have filled up much quicker than we thought that they might at Silver Birch House and
At a Glance - 2013 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.
Committee Contacts Sponsoring Dealer Duncan White 0117 9588777 Director Barry Aggett 07907 351650
Chapter Events
Organiser
Details
Asst Director/Treasurer Peter Roberts 07540 164157
10th
Ride Out
Greg Payne
Coastal and Valley Meanderings
12th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
The Ship Inn, Alveston
Asst Director/ Head Road Captain Alan Stokes 07766 237242
13th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
St Mary’s Hotel, Pencoed
24th
Ride Out
Nige Garnett
The Cotswold Cruise
26th
Natter Night
Bazz Aggett
Ferry Inn, Beachley
10th
Ride Out
‘Big Al’ Stokes
TBA
12th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
The Ship Inn, Alveston
13th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
St Mary’s Hotel, Pencoed
24th
Ride Out
Mike Sage
Soaring in Somerset
26th
Natter Night
Bazz Aggett
Ferry Inn, Beachley
Date February
March
April th
Secretary Yvonne Roberts 01225 751017 Webmaster Chris Harding 07801 562011 Activities Officer Anita Cockwell 01761 471385 Safety Officer Andy Kendall 07905 397474 Editor Mark Cockwell 07900 496711
TBC
10 Anniversary
Nige Garnett
Boys Only Weekend
9th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
Cross Hands Hotel, Old Sodbury
10th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
St Mary’s Hotel, Pencoed
14th
Ride Out
‘Big Al’ Stokes
TBA
23rd
Natter Night
Bazz Aggett
Ferry Inn, Beachley
28th
Ride Out
‘Big Al’ Stokes
TBA
8th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
St Mary’s Hotel, Pencoed
12th
Ride Out
‘Big Al’ Stokes
TBA
14th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
Cross Hands Hotel, Old Sodbury
Ride Out
‘Big Al’ Stokes
TBA
Rally Co-ordinator Tony James 07940 895921
7/8/9th
10th Anniversary
Chris Harding
12th Benelux Rally, Belgium
Road Captains
11th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
Cross Hands Hotel, Old Sodbury
12th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
St Mary’s Hotel, Pencoed
21/22/23rd
10th Anniversary
Tony James
Hogs in the Hayfields 6, Cleve RFC
22nd
Ride Out
‘Big Al’ Stokes
The 4 Bridges Rally Ride
9th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
Cross Hands Hotel, Old Sodbury
10th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
St Mary’s Hotel, Pencoed
May
th
19
June
July
th
11/12/13/14th
10 Anniversary
Yvonne Roberts
Rhayader Riding Weekend
21st
Ride Out
‘Big Al’ Stokes
TBA
28th
Ride Out
‘Big Al’ Stokes
TBA
11th
Ride Out
‘Big Al’ Stokes
TBA
13th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
Cross Hands Hotel, Old Sodbury
14th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
St Mary’s Hotel, Pencoed
18th
Ride Out
‘Big Al’ Stokes
TBA
24th
10th Anniversary
Nige Garnett
Charity Canoe Race/BBQ
10th Anniversary
Peter Roberts
Go East Tour
8
Ride Out
‘Big Al’ Stokes
TBA
10th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
Cross Hands Hotel, Old Sodbury
11th
Club Night
Bazz Aggett
St Mary’s Hotel, Pencoed
29th
Ride Out
‘Big Al’ Stokes
TBA
August
Photographer/Historian Tony Yendle 07787 551612 Ladies of Harley Jane Scott 07894 086626 Charity Co-ordinator Bill MacDonald 07989 987189 Cangen Cymraeg Rep Greg Payne 07976 410016
Barry Aggett, Paul Bromhead, Nigel Garnett, Paul Groom, Chris Harding, Martin James, Ian Johnson, Andy Kendall, Andy Kendall, (RKK), Dave Pocock, Stephanie Pocock, Dave Roberts, Darren Sharp, Jane & Stuart Scott, Alan Stokes, Tony Yendle.
Road Marshals Mike Brake, Tony Cole, Steve Crook, Simon Griffiths, Ian Mead, Greg Payne, Mike Sage.
September 5/6/7/8th th
All details on GWC web site www.greatwesternhog.co.uk
RoadHOG is printed by the Woodside Press