VOG Report

VELOSOLEX OWNERS GROUP

AUGUST 2022 RUN

You’ve had 2 months reprieve hearing about the fun and adventures of the “Society Of Lengendary E.Steemed X.Troverts.” (Solex Group) and now we’re back at it again. We haven’t been idle over the past two months with a visit in June to an amazing collection of 1950’s and 1960’s classic American cars in Ferry Rd plus in July a trip to the Wigram Fire Station where we had a very informative and interesting tour of their facilities there. We were lucky enough to be shown through the mobile command unit and have a hands on experience of the jaws of life machinery – wow these are extremely heavy and how the fire crews can hold these above their heads for so long cutting their way into crashed motor vehicles beats me. They do a fantastic job. Now to the riding. There was a group of 11 hardy riders turn up on the morning of 9th August rearing to go on a ride on a “Balmy” 7 degree morning, but unfortunately it ended up that only 10 were able to ignite their engines. One of the team’s newer members Dave Malcolm was unable to crank his beast into life but not from the lack of trying by the team mechanic Dave Backhouse who was also the leader and organiser of the August run. I think the real reason Dave didn’t want his bike to start was so that he could join me in the warmth of my car as backup for the day, but mind you he earned his keep as my navigator. It saved me from driving “one handed” and “one eyed” as I looked at the map and route instructions. The riders all seemed to enjoy themselves cruising along bike tracks and parks all within the Woolston, Radley and Linwood areas. Dave M and I as backup had an extremely difficult job catching up with the riders on a lot of occasions and at one Photo: Peter Crew stage were totally geographically challenged with where they had got to but all was not lost – a phone call from Dave Backhouse