Magazine of the Thames Valley HOG Chapter

Well here we are, last of your TFTRB

as produced by me. I‟m afraid that our

membership to Thames Valley expires

at the end of this month, so for the

time being, Spencer & I are moving

on.

I have to say that I‟ve really enjoyed

my time as both a member of the

Chapter and also Editor of the club

magazine. It‟s been busy, challenging

and hard work at times, but overall,

it‟s been great fun and exciting to see

my finished work in print on the table

at club night. I‟ve learned a lot about

all sorts of things, just by researching

articles to write and looking for stuff

that I think you might enjoy reading. I

think the piece I enjoyed most was

“Creating Anarchy” which was all

about the bikes and characters that

make up the TV series Sons of

Anarchy.

Hello and a big welcome

to your April club mag.

The observant among you will

have noticed I changed my

profile picture on this page.

Thought I ought to really

since I don‟t have the Harley

any more. Whilst I guess the

plastic rocket isn‟t entirely

appropriate, neither was

keeping the old Harley pic.

Don‟t worry, I‟m sure it‟ll be

replaced by something else

you‟d prefer to look at next

month!

Being Editor is a highly rewarding role

and one I would sincerely recommend

to anyone that has even very basic

writing and editing skills.

Thanks

It goes without saying, this magazine

would not happen without the input

and support from the rest of the

Chapter, and all the words of

encouragement and thanks have been

very humbling.

I would like to extend big thanks to

Don, Pat and everyone on the

Committee for their unending support

throughout the time I‟ve been Editor.

Without such a dedicated group of

people, the task of bringing you this

magazine each month would have

been incredibly difficult. The guidance,

help and encouragement they all

extended has not gone unappreciated.

And not forgetting you lot! Thanks to all

the members that have contributed in many

various ways, including those that have

written articles, been the subject of a piece

and taken photos at events and activities -

thanks to Linda & Bulldog especially.

Inevitably there are too many to mention

each one individually, but thanks to every-

one over the past year and a bit.

Committee Vacancies

Don‟t forget, the Committee still need

some extra people to step in and help out.

They need a membership officer, editor and

an activities officer. Fred and Nick are both

helping out for the time being, but this is

not a permanent arrangement and the

Committee really would like some other

members to give a little bit of their time for

the Chapter. It doesn‟t matter if you don‟t

have any experience as both Fred and Nick

will be able to show you the ropes before

fully handing over. The new editor can have

my MS Publisher templates to get started -

it‟s actually as simple as typing/pasting in

text and slotting in a few pictures! Easy

really... Lol.

In this month’s mag

Big thanks go to those that have made

contributions this month. There is a piece

and photos from the LoH weekend away in

March that Linda has written. Plus thanks to

Sue B for the „Blow your cobwebs away‟

ride to Mudeford. The contributions are

very much appreciated since I wasn‟t at the

events myself. Nick West also put together

a piece from Sunday‟s Jake Spicer Memorial

Ride to JR Hospital. We made it along to

this ourselves since Nij & Trish kindly

extended an invitation and thanks to every-

one for the warm welcome, despite us not

being on Harleys. Nick has also started a

new (and regular) safety piece this month,

so thanks to Mr West for all of this month‟s

contributions.

I‟m hoping there will be plenty of willing

volunteers to put bits together for future

magazines after my departure, so that you

can all have plenty to read about in the

coming months.

Linda has asked me to mention that the

Friday night at the Cider Rally is themed

“Neon Night” so get your best body

paints and UV gear out for glow-in-the-

dark ultra violet lighting.

Yes he‟s back!

Couple of fines have

come in for this month...

Andy Lee for wearing soft boots. His

excuse was he couldn‟t be bothered to

clean his riding boots

Mick Benson for breaking Don‟s notice

board

Fiona for saying on Facebook she‟d get a

fine for saying that Harley rideouts are for

“senior, more sedate riders “

That’s all folks...

Just want to say what a great chapter

Thames Valley is. You can all be proud

that you are part of a strong group with

some great members - a Chapter that

continues to thrive even without a

supporting dealership.

And so that‟s it from me. Time to sign off

for the last time. Hopefully we‟ll still keep

in touch and see some of you around at

the odd event etc. In the meantime, ride

safe and keep the Chapter flag flying high!

Don’t grow up, get bigger toys!

Sadie

Well... has it arrived yet? The riding season that is, it’s looking good to me! Just last Sunday I led my first ride out of the season to blow out the cobwebs down to Mudeford Quay in Dorset. What a fantastic day for riding, not too cold at 9:30 outside SportsAble, just a bit chilly! By the time we were ready to leave Chieveley after the second pick up, the ride was up to 31 bikes, an absolute great turn out for the first ride of the season, keep it up people! It was also great to see plenty of you for the Easter Toy Run to the John Radcliffe Hospital. The first of the Poker runs took place last Wednesday at the New Leathern Bottle in Warfield. 21 members attended the evening which included 1 new member, Kevin from Marlow, who came along with his parents, his father is a Trike rider, a warm welcome to them. We had one member turn up on his bike well done Nick & Debs shame about the wet journey home.

Welcome to the April edition of Tales from the Riverbank.

Dealership rumours

There are so many rumours about a new dealership for us being spread around at the moment, mainly coming from other dealerships as you visit them. I have heard these tales myself but I have nothing official from HOG as yet. I would love to be the bearer of such great news and be able to introduce a new dealer principal to you all. Committee

We still have vacancies on the com-mittee which requires volunteers to fill. I need a Membership Officer, Editor and Activities officer. One very nice lady has come forward to offer her services to the club from July, can anybody else step forward to volunteer to help run this great club of ours? Please contact Pat or myself for more information.

Memberships

March club night was well supported by 73 members and three new Harley riders who I hope will be joining our Chapter. Thames Valley Chapter membership subs are due shortly and as I mentioned in last month’s magazine, for the fifth year running we have been able to keep the cost down to renew your membership. Single Membership is £25. Family Membership is £30 - which consist of 2 Adults + 2 Minors under 16 years. Fred will have your renewals in the post to you shortly, may I remind you to fill in the application form he will be sending out as part of your membership renewal. We know you filled one out last year and the year before that and your information may not have changed, however this information is required by HOG and it gives them and us a chance to keep our records up to date. Many people change their mobile numbers and E-mail ad-dresses and forget to inform us which means we cannot keep you up to date with news about the club and what’s going on.

Mileage Challenges

The Miles for Fun Challenge has taken off really well with a large number of members signing up for the challenge already. Nick still has a box full of cards which he would love to sign the rest of the chapter up to, so that they can be included in the challenge. The HOG Mileage Chapter Challenge is also going great guns, we have 49 members signed, still a long way to go to get everybody on the spread sheet so keep sending your informa-tion over to me, we need you to enrol to be included.

Sale

Tonight is our ‘Bring and Buy’ sale evening and this also includes some of our Merchandise stock which we need to clear to make room for new stock. The items that are in the sale are now marked down at cost price to clear, please take the time have a look at the stock that Shirley has with her there are some great bargains to be had.

Cider Rally

I have heard from Moggy at Bridgewater HOG that they still have Cider Rally tickets available and plenty of space for camping. They do have rooms available off site at local hotels, for more information go to the Bridgewater HOG website for an application form. Friday night at the Cider Rally is Neon night! A chance to wear some of those 80’s tops that glow in the dark, I’m sure some of you still have those 80’s tops in your wardrobes!! Sat-urdays night’s fancy dress is an open evening for you to wear any fancy dress you like which gives you a large choice. Our very own Clive Skinner is leading the ride down to Sand Bay this year via a suitable pub for lunch I hope, details will be on the calendar soon.

Ticket news

SOFER Rally tickets are plentiful at the moment, please contact me at club nights or at Thames Valley events to purchase your tickets, still at £30 each including camping on site. Tickets for our birthday celebration in June are available tonight from Pat & Barry.

Lastly, as this is Sadie’s last magazine for us I would like to thank her on behalf of the committee & membership for her time as Editor of what has been a great magazine, thanks for your hard work over the last 15 months and I hope Spencer and you enjoy your new bikes. Please carry on supporting your club at events and ride outs, we have a great thing going on at Thames Valley and a great membership to do it with. Here’s to a fantastic summer and celebration year!!

Ride safe and have fun!

Don Wibberley

Director

This month my piece includes my account of the day’s events on the rideout to Mudeford at the beginning of the month. My own adventures started a day earlier as you’ll soon find out! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the read and all the photos that were taken on the day by everyone (more can be found in the galleries on the website). Please make a note of the change to the Saturday Socials - see below.

Saturday Socials We were going to meet at The Pack Saddle for the April Saturday Social but it has apparently been burnt down! So in order to bring the date back to the 2

nd Saturday in the

month we are going to miss April’s social and revert to 11th May instead!! Many of you may have either seen or ridden past The Great House by the bridge at Sonning a few times before. It has a fantastic garden next to the river which should be great if the sun comes out. So that is the venue for our next social.

The pub is child friendly if anyone wants to bring the family http://greathouseatsonning.co.uk and the lunch menu looks pretty reasonable too http://greathouseatsonning.co.uk/documents/BarMenu2013.pdf Remember - the Saturday Socials are open for everyone to attend, whether on your bikes or in the car. See you at Sonning from 12.30 for the next one! Ride Safe!

Sue LOH rep ladiesofharley@thamesvalleyhog.org.uk

The sun came out and at long last I felt able to rescue my bike from its long winter’s hibernation. I think she might have been up for a trip out before I was, but those who know me are aware that it has to be at least 12 degrees C with the prospect of some sunshine before I feel inspired enough to make the effort.

My first ride of 2013 led us to the Oxford toy shop (the dealership) where after convincing myself that 'I was worth it' and with a little persuasion from Nij and Trish, I treated myself to a new leather jacket. Now this in my mind was ok, as I had never actually bought myself a brand new jacket before, they had always been pre-loved on Ebay and, as I hadn't been riding for the last four months, I decided I deserved it.

Ride to Mudeford Quay, by Sue Brown

After leaving the Oxford toy shop wearing my new purchase, Dave and I rode onto Henley for a coffee and then on towards home via Marlow, but sadly I didn’t get that far! Just outside Marlow I noticed that the bike felt really heavy and wasn’t responding properly, so I stopped and looked down at the rear wheel only to see that the tyre was flat

At this point I was cursing the huge pot hole that I landed the bike in at Henley and was convinced that this was the reason for me being stranded. Ok, so what do I do at 5.30pm on a Saturday afternoon? I know I have ‘recovery’ so I phoned Carole Nash who informed me that I had up to a 2 hour wait. The next problem was where do I get the bike recovered to and what was the chance of it being fixed by the ride-out the next day?

I know I thought, I would phone Nij who would know what to do. He said that I could get the bike recovered to his house and he would see if he could find a new inner tube and would try to fix it that evening. Dave rode his bike home and returned in the car, which was fortunate as the less than 2 hour wait turned into more than a 3 hour one, so at least we had somewhere to sit and wait in the warm while the AA man stopped to have his tea break! Nevertheless, Nij was still ready and willing to get my ride back on the road when we arrived at his house at 9.15pm. Once the bike was on the ramp Nij announced that I had picked up a 2 inch screw and that I would need a new tyre if I was going to ride the next day. Luckily for me he also just happened to have a new spare white wall tyre propped up in the corner of the garage. So after interrupting Nij and Trish’s Saturday evening, Dave gallantly offered to ride my bike home in cold while I drove the car, arriving home at 11.15pm after an expensive day out! I am still glad I went to the dealership first and bought my jacket though because if I had picked up a flat tyre first it wouldn’t have felt justified and I can’t take it back now cos I have worn it.

So as Nij had made the effort to get me back on the rode in time for the long awaited first official ride out of the season the least I could do was make the effort to get up in time. I am so glad I did as the ‘blow away the cobwebs’ ride was a huge success. We had not had any rain for a few weeks and salt was proba-bly still on the ground but despite this, 18 bikes arrived at SportsAble ready to be led along the motorway to pick up the 2nd batch of 13 bikes at Chieveley. Linda did a head count and recorded 40 people, eagerly waiting a trip to the seaside. It was great to see some new faces too, so a big welcome to Chris and Andy (think there must be a nickname for him in there somewhere for turning up in his summer sneakers rather than riding boots) I know there was another couple of gents too, so if I have missed giving you a mention come and make yourself known so that I can get your name in the mag next time.

It was also a pleasure to meet Toni, a new lady rider who Sue and Malcolm invited along. She had only picked up her brand new Anniversary Heritage the day before! So all 31 bikes set off along the A34, via some beautiful undulating roads to Romsey, where we stopped to re-fuel the smaller tanks and stretch our legs.

Riding through the New Forest we met with a queue of traffic at Lyndhurst, which gave us a good posing opportunity then onto Mudeford, where the roar of 31 bikes rolling up on the Quay made many heads turn. Most made a beeline for the warmth of the pub for fish and chips, others went to the café while Sue and Bernie braved the elements by having a picnic! Ralph sat next to a couple in the pub who recognised him from a party on New Year’s Eve…. say no more! After a brisk walk around the quay a fair few of us led by Don and tailed by Bulldog left for home via Stock- bridge where we stopped for a warming coffee while others went their own way. Sadly some took longer than others as the fate that became me the previous dayfell to Clive when he picked up a puncture too. Luckily he wasn’t too far from home and by the sounds of it had good company whilst waiting recovery. It remains to be seen if Hayley accepts an offer of a ride off him again in the future. Some say it was a really cold day out and looking at the photos it clearly was but with my heated jacket and gloves I was all nice and cosy... just like some others I could mention who have now succumbed to wearing the heated ‘whimpish’ attire. A big thank you must also go to Don, Bernie and Nick who marshalled us all there in one big group without anyone, even me, getting lost. Well done to everyone for making the ride such a huge success, let’s hope we get many more in this season.

Dates for 2013

(and Magazine deadlines)

May 16th (9th)

June 20th (13th)

July 18th (11th)

August 15th (8th)

September 11th (10th)

October 17th (10th)

November 21st (14th)

December 19th (12th)

Please send your magazine

contributions to editor@

thamesvalleyhog.org.uk.

Don‟t forget to check the

website and forum for all

the up-to-date information

on rideouts and activities.

Started 30th March

Last year Thames Valley did really well in

the HOG Chapter Mileage Challenge.

We‟d like to do even better this year,

which means we need as many of you as

possible signing up. It all started on 30th

March and runs right through until the

end of October. If you haven‟t signed up

already, then please collect a form from

Don or contact him by email:

director@thamesvalleyhog.org,uk.

Remember, every mile counts!

Thanks to everyone that came to

the April Poker Run. The May one

will be held on Wednesday 22nd.

Join us from

6.30pm at the

Pineapple in

Dorney and

collect your

next card. See

page 21 for more

about the Poker Run

Sunday 26th May

Nick West is running a rideout to

Southsea for the Bank Holiday weekend

at the end of May. Meet at Malthurst

Services, which is the BP garage on the

A33 just south of J11 on the M4. Be there

for 9am ready for 9.30 departure. This

will be a nice scenic ride to the coast with

stop(s) as needed along the way. The ride

counts towards your Miles of Fun

program so come along if you can.

Saturday 8th June

Nick West is currently planning an

official club rideout to the Bristol

Harley Davidson dealership. The plan is

a two-part ride, starting at Chieveley

Services and riding to Bristol. Part two

will then be back from the dealership

to Pat & Barry‟s BBQ in Froxfield.

The ride will qualify as part of the Miles

of Fun programme. Road Crew

needed, so please contact Nick if you

can help out.

Sunday 2nd June

Doughnut (Paul Houghton) is organising a rideout to the Goodwood Racing Circuit

Breakfast Club. Meet SportsAble 7.15am for 7.30am depart for ride to this themed Sunday -

The Ultimate High Performance Cars and Bikes with a nod to the 50 years of McLaren and

the Porsche 911. The idea being an early Sunday morning rideout through the quiet roads of

the South Downs, a hearty breakfast in the Historic Goodwood Racing Circuit with special

motoring attractions and like minded enthusiasts and then back home in time to cut the

grass (or Sunday Lunch) or just put your feet up. The circuit opens at 8am and closes at

12.00 noon. This ride qualifies for your Miles of Fun challenge.

Sale on now!

Now‟s the time to grab yourself a bargain! We‟re

currently having a sale of all our current merchandise.

Chapter t-shirts £18

Chapter China Mugs £5

Chapter Flags £20

Flag poles £12

Buffs £12

Keep an eye on the website and forum for news of a

whole new range coming in the future. For current

sale items see Shirley or email merchandise@

thamesvalleyhog.org.uk

HOG 30th Anniversary Pins are now

available from Norscot, Don is

ordering for the Chapter a quantity

for members who reserve them.

If you would like your names added to

the list please email Don with your

name and the number you require, or

see him at club night. Cost is around

£5.50 each.

Saturday 1st June

Once again we‟re support-

ing the Holyport Fayre.

We‟ll have the gazebo and

BBQ plus our usual display

of bikes. Please come along

and join in if you can.

Saturday 15th June

This year the Chapter celebrates its 15th

Birthday and to mark the occasion we‟re

having a big party at SportsAble - it will be

held on Saturday night, 15th June (not to be

confused with regular club night on the

20th).

Robbie will be providing the music this year -

always a great entertainer at Harley Events.

The catering will be a Hog Roast with fresh

rolls and a selection of aalads. Weather

permitting, the food will be served outside

and the evening taken up dancing and

partying in the main hall at Sportsable.

Anniversary Patches and Pins to celebrate

our 15th Birthday are in production. The

tickets will cost £17 each and will be

available from April club night.

Shirley, our Mechanise Officer has sourced

for the Chapter a fantastic t-shirt offer. We

will soon have our very own chapter t-

shirts and you will be able to choose your

size, style and colour. You will also be able

to have them personalised with your name

or nick name. They‟ll be available to order

soon, but in the meantime, if you want to

know more then have a word with Shirley

or you can email her

merchandise@thamesvalleyhog.org.uk

Sunday 19th May

Pat & Barry are organising a ride to Wales

next month. It will start from Chieveley

services and be a full day out of riding,

with some nice stops for everyone to

enjoy. Save the date and keep an eye on

the forum and calendar for updates.

APRIL SportsAble Fundraiser - Windsor

Details TBC

Saturday 20th

Harley Night

Ace Cafe, 6pm

Thursday 25th

MAY Cider Rally

Friday 3rd - Monday 6th

Iron Horse Rally

Woodhall Spa, Lincs

Friday 10th - Monday 13th

Saturday Social (open to all)

The Great House, Sonning. 12.30pm

Saturday 11th

Chapter Club Night

SportsAble 7.30pm - 10pm

Thursday 16th

Ride to Wales

Meet Chieveley Services. Details TBC

Sunday 19th

BMF Show

Peterborough Show Ground

www.thebmfshow.co.uk

Friday 17th - Sunday 19th

Poker Run (2)

The Pineapple, Dorney

Wednesday 22nd

The Big Brum Bash

West Mids Ski Centre, Warwickshire

www.bigbrumbash.co.uk

Friday 24th - Monday 27th

MAY cont. Ride to Southsea

Meet A33 Services (off M4 J11)

Details TBC

Sunday 26th

Ireland Bike Fest

Killarney, Ireland

Friday 31st - Monday 3rd (June)

JUNE Holyport Fayre

Gazebo & Barbecue, all day

Saturday 1st

Goodwood Breakfast Club Ride

Meet SportsAble 7.15am for 7.30 depart.

See page 11 for more details

Sunday 2nd

Reading MAG Lion Rally

Gravelly Bridge Farm, Grazeley

Friday 7th - Sunday 9th

Circus Maximus XI

Deva Legion

Friday 7th - Sunday 9th

The Gathering

Drymsynie, Scotland

Friday 7th - Monday 10th

Poker Run (3)

Venue TBC

Wednesday 12th

Beaulieu Custom Motorbike Show

Beaulieu, Hampshire

Saturday 15th - Sunday 16th

JUNE cont. Chapter 15th Anniversary

Party at SportsAble. Tickets £17. See Pat

& Barry for tickets. More details p13

Saturday 15th

Dr B’s Custom Bike Show

Dr Barnardo‟s, High Close School.

Wokingham. 10am to 4pm

Sunday 16th

Chapter Club Night

SportsAble 7.30pm - 10pm

Thursday 20th

Lads Weekend Away / HOGS in the

Hayfields

Cleve Rugby Club, Bristol

Friday 21st - Sunday 23rd

Adams Farm Rideout

Cotswolds. Details TBC

Sunday 23rd

Harley World Ride Event

Sunday 23rd & Monday 24th

Cassington Bike Night

Oxford HD event

Monday 24th

Harley Night

Ace Cafe, 6pm

Thursday 27th

Iron Butt Ride

3 days, lots of miles, all for charity.

Details TBA on website

Friday 28th - Sunday 30th

JUNE cont. Back to the Peaks

Miraj Hotel, Ashbourne, Derbyshire

Friday 28th - Sunday 30th

LoH Rideout with Oxford Chapter

Sunday 30th

JULY Wake the Lakes

Kendal RUFC, Lake District

Thursday 4th - Sunday 7th

Hog on the Humber

Hallmark Hotel, Ferriby High Rd, Hull

Friday 5th - Sunday 7th

Poker Run (4)

Venue TBC

Wednesday 10th

Weekend in the Beacons

Details TBA

Friday 12th - Sunday 14th 10th

SportsAble Wheelchair Push

The Butts, Reading. Bikes needed for

display. Please contact Nij

Saturday 13th

Oxford HD Open Weekend

Saturday 13th - Sunday 14th

Chapter Club Night

SportsAble 7.30pm - 10pm

Thursday 18th

To be... Or not to be...

Ride to Stratford-upon-Avon

Sunday 21st

Events, rideouts and activities Details correct at time of going to print.

Check the website for updates and amendments

www.thamesvalleyhog.org.uk

Twelve Ladies of Harley: Pat A, Pat J, Sue B,

Sue M, Mandy, Yvonne, Hazel, Fiona, Shirley,

Debs, Hayley & Linda, are all on the way to

Butlins Ocean Hotel in Bognor Regis.

We have all met for lunch at the

Worplesdon Place Hotel and, as dinner is

included tonight, a light lunch seems a good

idea. The Guildford dealership is on the way,

so of course has to be visited for some early

shopping.

Ladies of Harley Weekend Away 2013

The Sat-nav has taken us to a wet and

soggy Bognor and a slight problem as the

bedrooms are still made up as doubles.

None of us are too keen on sleeping to-

gether, so we waited for them to be sepa-

rated into twins.

As the bedrooms are on different floors,

there were plenty of bottles clinking and

packets rustling when going up and down

in the lifts.

Ladies of Harley Weekend Away 2013

Dinner has been booked for

7.30 - a 3 course affair, with a

few simple choices for starters

including soup and pate's,

several choices for the main

course although no salads or

choice of fresh vegetables. A

young lady is making pasta

dishes while you wait. The

puddings were a bit hit and

miss.

Back to the rooms and get

ready for the 1st social

session of the weekend -

Mandy, Sue M & Pat A's being

the venue. Drinks and nibbles abound!

We are all wearing our Harley Thames Valley

colours tonight and there are plenty of looks

as we make our way to the Centre Stage

Nightclub for music and dancing.

The theme for the weekend being the

60's, we have been entertained by The

Tremeloes, Union Gap & the Move. The

DJ has announced our presence and, to

much cheering from us, where we have

come from too.

Saturday has dawned and it‟s

Debs birthday (we will keep it

a secret how old she is).

Breakfast has been good, plenty

of choices from full English, to

croissants or toasts and young

lady is making fresh omelettes.

The shops at Chichester are

calling! There‟s the open market

and there are sales on as well.

The weather is very cold but at

least it‟s dry. The Irish Buskers

are playing by the town centre

clock and they are very good.

Back to The Ocean Hotel after-

wards and some of us are going to

try our hand at Bingo. Sadly there

were no wins, better luck next

time perhaps.

The 2nd social session of the week-

end is in Shirley, Pat J & Linda's.

Drinks and nibbles all round once

more. We have all made an effort tonight with

our 60's outfits and they look very good.

We are in the Centre Stage Nightclub

again tonight to see The Merseybeats, Ray

Lewis from the Drifters & the Fortunes.

Debs‟ birthday has been announced to

great cheers and applause!

Sunday is here and

although it is bright

and clear, it is bitterly

cold, but a walk into

Bognor along the sea

front has been called

for and, with the

shops being open in

the town centre, we

have been into

nearly every one of

them.

Hayley and Debs

are having a

pampering after-

noon in the spa,

others are going

to bingo and

some just need a

lay down before

the start of this

evening‟s

festivities.

The 3rd social session is at Yvonne, Hazel

& Fiona's, drinks, nibbles and birthday

cake this time. We will be going to a

different night club this evening called

REDS to see the Animals & Brian Poole.

Monday has arrived and possibly the best

weather of the weekend away and

typically we are going home.

Breakfast has been eaten and we are in

the foyer saying our goodbyes – time for

one last photo opportunity in front of the

Ocean hotel logo before we depart.

A great time has been had by all - here's

to the next LOH weekend away!

Words by Linda. Photos by Linda & Sue B

New for 2013 we’re launching our very own Frequent Rider Programme, which is designed to encourage attendance at club rideouts and recognise both riders and pillions for regularly supporting our rides. All you have to do is register, which costs £1 per person for the whole year and start attending qualifying rides (see below). QUALIFYING RIDES All official club ride-outs qualify so long as they are in the ride schedule and advertised either in the club magazine or on the club ride calendar. Entrants can only be credited with the ride-out if they have ridden a motorcycle (thus excluding driving by car to the destination).

QUALIFYING RIDERS/PASSENGERS Riders qualify by reaching the destination of an official club ride-out on a roadworthy and road legal motorcycle (this can be their own, someone else’s, or a rental / loan motorcycle). Passengers qualify by reaching the destination of an official club rideout as a pillion on any road legal bike, regardless of who the main rider is and whether they are in the scheme. RECORDING YOUR RIDES Participants in the scheme can obtain a record card which they must present for signature by the leading Road Captain on arrival at the rideout destination. For safety reasons, it is preferable to do any admin of the scheme AFTER the ride-out has arrived at its destination. This means that the leading Road Captain is not both-ered by administration tasks and hence free to put all of his/her concentration into ride safety before departure. REGISTRATION / CARDS There is a £1 annual registration charge to participants. If any participants fill the first card they can request subsequent cards free in the same year. REWARDS There will be presentations at the end of the year for winning riders and passengers. Prizes will be awarded once all qualifying rides have been completed and winners selected.

OK, so I didn't check the weather just

before I left and wondered why I

was the only one there on a bike!

That was very quickly answered

as the heavens opened! The New

Leathern Bottle at Warfield

offered a dry haven and a hearty

meal to help me forget that I

would soon be riding home in

torrential rain.

21 Members bought cards, including new

member Kevin Croxon. Kevin was accompanied

by his parent who apparently came to make sure

he behaved himself on his first Poker Run.

In case you are STILL puzzled about Poker Runs,

it‟s simply a card game played over 7 months! It's

really a great excuse to get together for a chin-

wag but at the same time you try to improve your hand by drawing a new card each time. All

the pubs we choose offer reasonably priced food

and so if you don't have time to eat before we

meet, you can order when you get there.

Each time you come to a Poker Run, you can buy

a card for the princely sum of £1. I will record

what you have drawn and at the end of the year

you should have up to 7 cards from which to

make a decent hand. Don't worry if you miss a

few, I allow you to buy ONE additional card each

time you come to make up for a day you may

have missed and anyway, it is possible to make a

good hand from only 5 or 6 cards!

At the end of the year, I use standard Poker

Scoring rules to determine a Winner and two

runners-up and very much like a sweepstake, all

of the money taken throughout the year is di-

vided for the prize money. Last year the winning

hand was 3 Kings and provided an £80 prize! Can

you do better? Come and try, you can even bring

your mum and dad if you want

The poker runs are usually on the 2nd Wednes-

day of each month and start around 7pm. How-

ever our 2nd Poker Run in May is AFTER the

May Club Night on 22nd May. It will be at The

Pineapple near Dorney. A real favourite with

Poker Run regulars. (Pics by Linda)

Jake Spicer Memorial Toy Run Oxford John Radcliffe Hospital (14th April 2013) By Nick West As always, Thames Valley had a very good turnout for this ride, the colour theme for dressing up was yellow and plenty made the effort to decorate themselves and their bikes. Sue Dodds briefed the group before lead-ing the ride to H-Cafe where a few more members were waiting to join. Another briefing was given by Nick who then took the ride from there to the Oxford Dealership.

The weather seemed to be largely favourable, with sunshine and only a tiny splattering of very light showers in between. Once at the dealership, members from Rolling Hills and Oxford chapters had already gathered in numbers, enjoying coffee and burgers. Ten min-utes before the off and the marshals for the event gathered to prepare for the run before heading off to their in-dividual marshalling points along the route, while the rest of the masses saddled up ready to set off.

At the time of writing there were no exact details of the number of bikes this year but as the ride rolled past our marshalling area, it looked VERY impressive. As the passing ‘train’ of bikes made its way to the hospital, the police escort allowed each of the marshals to join at the back of the ride from where they had been holding station for everyone to pass safely in one group. By the time the ride reached its destination, the numbers were considera-bly larger than the main group that had set out from Oxford dealership.

After lots of posing for photographs and gathering for the local press, everyone started to filter off, back to Oxford dealership to carry on enjoying the laid-on festivities, food and fun. In closing, please join me in a final thought for all the youngsters who are battling with illnesses at the hospital and especially a moment to remember young Jake, who I never had the pleasure of meeting, but who has inspired us to continue supporting this really fun annual event.

Arrival at John Radcliffe Hospital was slightly earlier than expected, but once all the bikes were parked up along the front entrance, a few of the younger patients were brought down to see the bikes. Hundreds of toys that everyone had brought along were loaded into the wheelie racks ready for distribution to the children in the wards. A few of our riders were treated to a brief tour of the impressive facility and got to meet some of the youngsters that were undergoing treatment.

Hi all, firstly I want to thank you all for your encouragement

and warm welcome to my new position of Safety Officer.

Over the coming months I hope to share some information,

maybe some tips to help keep you safe whether you are

riding as a part of our group or just out with your mates.

As the season starts I would like to draw your attention to

a few things which might help make your ride a little safer...

1) Our roads have taken a real beating this long and cold

winter. Pot holes are many and deep. Keep a good lookout

and remember that when the roads are wet, puddles can

easily mask a nasty hole in the road surface. When riding

with a group remember to leave plenty of room between

you and the bike in front in case they have to take evasive

action at the last minute.

2) Some of you will be getting your bikes out for the first

time in a few months. Please take a few minutes to check

the basics like fluid levels (Oil, brake fluid etc.) and

especially your tyre condition and pressures. Being stood

for a while, you may have lost some pressure or even

developed a slow puncture.

...and a couple of reminders about riding with our group...

Second Man Drop Off - a system of marking the

route.

1) Please remember that when the second man is dropped

we DO NOT switch position in the staggered formation.

This causes an additional hazard for large groups and is

largely ineffective.

2) Thames Valley HOG do not permit

overtaking within the pack on ANY of

its rideouts. You will be invited to pass

the tail rider if it was previously unsafe

or you were not ready to join ahead

after being dropped-off.

3) Make sure you are at the pre-ride

briefing and that you pay attention.

Your absence or inattentiveness will put

the ride in jeopardy! Be sure to identify

the Tail Rider and his or her marshal (if

there is one).

4) If you are dropped off to direct the

following riders, the only hand signal

you should be making is to point in the

direction of the ride. DO NOT wave

people past; you may inadvertently wave

the last man through. He/she will

assume that you are not quite ready to

rejoin (i.e. stalled or feel that it is unsafe

to pull out in front of the rider) or even

that you have broken down.

5) Be ready to lift from your drop-off as

the ride goes through. Remember, the

rider who has been in front of you until

he was dropped off is now just in front

of the Tail Rider. When you see him/

her, you can be fairly sure that the tail

rider will be next. The Tail Rider will

slow down to allow you to join in ahead

of him/her; if you feel it is unsafe to pull

out in front of the tail rider don't panic.

They know that you are there; they will

ride past and slow down to allow you to

catch up and pass back into the group. If

you HAVE broken down at your drop

off point, they will come back for you!

6) STAY AT YOUR DROP OFF POINT

until you see the Tail Rider. Remember,

if someone has broken down behind

you, the Tail Rider may be delayed for a

short time whilst they assist the rider

with a problem. Eventually the Lead

rider will run out of people to drop and

realise that something is wrong. If you

leave your post, nobody behind you will

be able to find their way back to the

ride and they will effectively be lost!

Please see over the page for the outline

and main points of the safety briefing

that the ride

leader will make

before setting

out. Please

make sure

you still pay

attention at

the pre-ride

briefing as

there will often

be further

instructions or

safety points

you need to be

aware of.

Thanks for your

continued

support,

Nick

Welcome the riders and introduce the crew

Give a BRIEF overview of the route

Identify TWO or THREE view points or hazards

Explain the DROP OFF SYSTEM. Riders MUST stay at their drop off point until the last

man arrives

Use an arm signal when dropped off (Switch off your indicators!)

Drop off will be indicated precisely, but only stop precisely at that location if you are

happy to do so. Alternatively stop as close as you can and consider walking back to

mark the route.

Identify the LAST MAN (preferably on his bike with his vest on)

Explain staggered file or single file to suit road but DO NOT change position in the

staggered file when a man is dropped off

The LEAD RIDER is NOT a part of the staggered formation

Leave at least 4 seconds gap behind the LEAD rider

Close up at stops

No overtaking

7 - 10 second gaps on motorways and dual carriageways between groups of 5 riders

Every rider MUST fully observe the whole group, NOT just the rider ahead in order to

be alert to changes in speed

Use your mirrors frequently

Be courteous to other road users (even if undeserved!)

Leaving the group - Pull over and wait for the last man then signal your intention to

leave

Lost procedure - mobile phone numbers

Breakdown procedures - Last man‟s marshal will assess

Other riders joining but not part of the group

Unauthorised signals

ADVISE all riders that...

YOU ARE DEEMED TO BE IN CONTROL OF, AND RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR

VEHICLE AND YOUR RIDING AT ALL TIMES IRRESPECTIVE OF ANY GUIDANCE

OR INSTRUCTION FROM ANY MEMBER OF THE ROAD CREW.

YOU MUST AT ALL TIMES RIDE WITHIN THE LAW AND OBEY ROAD TRAFFIC

REGULATIONS