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Ulysses Club Waikato Branch meets 7.30pm at the Waikato Commerce Club 197 Collingwood

Street, Hamilton on the first Monday of the month except January. Visitors Welcome. Evening

Meals available from 6.30 pm except Public Holidays.

Waikato Ulysses website: www.ulyssesclubwaikato.wordpress.com/ This Newsletter plus other information is available on this website.

ULYSSES CLUB – WAIKATO BRANCH

Newsletter, September 2016

Coordinator’s Comments

It’s great to see some sunshine at last and blossom on the trees shows us that Spring is in the

air. The Remembrance Run and Service in Taupo on Saturday was a cold and at times wet

event but well attended by fellow members from many different branches. It’s always a thrill

to me to be able to catch up with old friends many of whom have attended the branch rallies

held around the country.

Tom Jones 90th Birthday was celebrated with a luncheon at the Classic Car Museum, this was

well attended with visitors from Whakatane, Thames Valley, Tauranga and Rotorua in support.

Tom cut the cake and blew out the candles not 90 of them due to the fire risk, but just two

candles, one on the figure 9 and the other on the 0 ! Sunday around 30 bikes completed the

90 kilometre ride round the outskirts of our great city. Thank you David for the well organised

events to support Tom’s 90th birthday.

Don’t forget the Sunday breakfast at 9.00am. The Cook Tavern is the venue. It is very pleasing

to see our branch members supporting the events, rides and enjoying the fellowship that

Ulysses Club provides.

Regards, Des Chiles #2650

Checking progress of the Ulysses

25th Anniversary Tree on the banks

of Lake Taupo at Riverside Park,

following the Remembrance

Service – Des, Jimina and Lorraine

– all looking good.

And the sun was shining too!!

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THE REMARKABLE TOM JONES TURNS 90

Waikato Branch held two events to celebrate #81 Tom Jones’s 90th birthday in August, a lunch

attended by over 70 at the Classics Museum Jukebox Diner and a 90 km ride at 90 kph max speed.

Twenty-five riders, including Tom’s grandson Mark, accompanied him on the loop ride around

Hamilton. Remarkable effort from a remarkable Ulyssian; few 90 year olds would be capable of

riding a two-wheel 750cc bike this distance with no problem.

The lunch incorporated the regular Thursday Lunch ride by the Whakatane / Waikato group, and

members attending from Whakatane, Rotorua, Tauranga, Thames Valley and other branches

travelled up to 200 kms, and weren’t disappointed. The Classics Museum Diner laid on great

refreshments, and speakers told about Tom’s huge contributions over the years, both within and

outside Ulysses.

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We were fortunate to get mild, dry weather for the Ride on Sunday 14 August. The route started

and finished at the Classics Museum and followed an anti-clockwise loop around Hamilton;

Temple View, Airport, Matangi, Puketaha, Horsham Downs, Horotiu, Te Kowhai, Whatawhata and

Dinsdale. Tom took it all in his stride, no problem. Grandson Mark on his 750 Aprilia joined us;

how many grandchildren have been on a ride with their ninety-year old grandparent?

Considerable effort using Google Maps and trial runs was made to get the route to be exactly 90

kms. Riders were asked to re-set their trip recorders to zero at the start, and wouldn’t you know

it, hardly anyone recorded exactly 90 kms at the end, and there was a range from 88 to 92 kms.

Tom was Hamilton (now Waikato) Branch Secretary for over two decades and in addition did many

of the hard yards behind the scenes running long-established annual iconic events such as the

November Pureora Back to Basics Rally and the March Child Cancer Cambridge to Hamilton Toy

Run. His Odyssey Medal award was very much well-deserved.

Tom spent his career in the hydro-electric construction industry finishing around 1990 as

Construction Supervisor of Huntly Power Station with over 500 craftsmen and other staff reporting

to him. At the lunch, Brian Connew, still working at Huntly, told the amusing story of how Tom

was known by construction staff as THE EYE. On his regular rounds to check on progress Tom

would very often pick up on small details where recent work wasn’t perfectly lined up or similar;

staff knew they had to keep to exacting standards or THE EYE would inevitably catch them out and

require some re-work.

A few years ago, an engineer came to our house to give advice about solar energy. He noticed the

bikes in my shed and we started talking more generally. He mentioned that he had spent most of

his life working in Hydro, and I said you might know a mate of mine in the bike club, Tom Jones?

“Tom Jones”, he exclaimed, “he’s A LEGEND”.

It’s highly likely that turbines and associated generating equipment that Tom was responsible for

installing several decades ago are still providing the electric power we use today; worth

remembering when we switch on the lights or boil the jug for a cuppa!!

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Christine Kyd, widow of the surgeon who saved Tom’s life 25 years ago, sent a message

congratulating Tom on reaching this grand age, along with the Queen, and the sad news that her

husband Bob died last year at the age of 73 from cancer. It was Bob who told Tom when he was

discharged after two months in Waikato Hospital following a crash with an out-of-control car, that

when he first saw him he was in such a bad way that euthanasia looked like the best option, BUT

“you looked like a fit old bugger, so I thought I would give it a go!!”. Surgeon Robert Kyd would

have been impressed with the outcome of his efforts in “giving it a go” all those years ago; he has

passed on but his good works live on!!

A privilege indeed to spend time with a remarkable Ulyssian on his 90th birthday.

David Coy #4412

TAUPO REMEMBRANCE EVENT – SATURDAY 13 AUGUST A wet morning discouraged many from riding to Taupo for the Annual Remembrance Event

organised by Auckland Branch. Surprisingly, numbers attending the formal presentation at the

Taupo Events Centre on Saturday afternoon were on a par with the usual, many having the good

sense to travel by car.

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PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOS 12 POINT CHALLENGE Topher has organised an interesting 12 Point Challenge. Visit Honda Hamilton plus any 11 others

before end of August: Waitomo Aero Club, Te Kuiti Railway Station, Mangaokewa Rail viaduct,

Pukemiro Bush Tramway, Mercer Airport, Putaruru Timber Museum, Tokoroa Kart Track,

Matamata Airport, Ngongataha Railway, Classic Flyers Museum Tauranga, Karangahake Rail

Bridge, Pureora Crawler, Fletcher Bay Coromandel, Tangiwai Disaster Memorial, Mangaweka DC3.

Social at Ruakura Campus Club on 3 September for ALL members regardless of taking photos.

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Date Destination Leave From Leave Time In-Charge

Sun-21-Aug Breakfast The Cook 9am David

Thu-25-Aug Thursday Lunch Ride Ham East cycle track 10am Lyn

Thu-1-Sep Thursday Lunch Ride Ham East cycle track 10am

Sat-3-Sep 12 Point Challenge Social Ruakura Club 6.30pm Topher

Mon-5-Sep Club Night Commerce Club 7.30pm Des

Thu-8-Sep Thursday Lunch Ride Ham East cycle track 10am David

Sun-18-Sep Breakfast The Cook 9am Rosalie

Sun-25-Sep 500 Miler Rototuna BP 7am Jim

Sun-25-Sep Distiguished Gentleman's Ride see Hamilton Motorcycle Centre for details

Mon-3-Oct Club Night Commerce Club 7.30pm Des

7 to 9 Oct Far North Rally Marsden Point

11 to 13 Nov Pureora Back to Basics Rally Pureora Neville

CONTACTS: David 021 168 1413 Topher 027 246 6172

Norm 027 244 4022 Lance 027 476 8422

Jim 021 901 557 Goose 027 439 0039

NOTE:

Check Branch website for latest updates - www.ulyssesclubwaikato.wordpress.com

Waikato Branch Events

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NEW MEMBER: NAME: Noel Richmond

OCCUPATION: Semi retired (whatever that

means, though most mornings find me sitting in

Violets Café drinking coffee and chewing the fat

with the workers heading off to work).

NICK NAME: None, though I’ve probably

often been called plenty of other names.

FAMILY: Married to Raewyn for 41 years, two

married daughters (Nic – London, and Ness –

Hamilton) 1 grand daughter (Frankie – London)

and 1 grand dog (Molly - yep can’t believe it, but

that dog is treated like a human, and I’m sure, believes it is one).

INTERESTS: Fishing, Running, Touring, Photography, Rugby (Go the Chiefs, and Go the All

Blacks).

HISTORY: Grew up and went to school in Te Awamutu. After school I became a Sparky,

afterwards working on construction sites before moving to Hamilton, eventually starting my own

business. Decided to retire early, 2 years ago (to many other things to do). Earliest recollection of

motorbikes is my dad taking me to the Scrambles at Ngahinapouri when I was about 4. After that

all I wanted to do was ride bikes. Once at High School I had mates with motorbikes, which I’d often

cadge rides on. In 1969 I saw Easy Rider. Wyatt and Billy on their Choppers riding across America, -

I was hooked. Once I left school I got my first bike, (Suzuki 100), we rode all around TA and

districts on that before it made way for a car. However it wasn’t long and I was on a Yamaha XS650

(looked and sounded like a Triumph, but didn’t leak oil and the gangs weren’t likely to flog it).

After that usual story, bike makes way for wife, kids and houses. Ten years ago I realised the itch

hadn’t really left and I was soon on a H-D Deuce (big fat rear tyre, skinny front wheel and acres of

chrome). Four years later I bought a Customised Fat Boy, which I’ve kept adding to (I’ve stopped

now).

BEST RIDES: They are all good rides, but you can’t beat that feeling of riding off to

Wellington to catch the Ferry for another SI tour. A mate and I once or twice a year head south for

a couple of weeks touring about (no plans,

no timetable just riding fantastic roads and

trying to avoid SH1, tourists and too many

pies).

WORST RIDES: Getting off the Ferry

at Wellington and riding north in the

traffic on the motorway and knowing pies,

chips n dip, beer, red wine are not going

be part of my staple diet again for a while.

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COMMERCE CLUB FEE DUE

We pay $10.00 per head pa for use of the Commerce Club each year. Please pay this in cash to

Treasurer Goose at next Meeting OR make a bank transfer direct to Branch Account with Westpac:

Account No: 03 1555 0013109 00 - state Name, Uly number & BF so Goose can easily trace who

it’s from & what for. Thanks.

Pleasant breakfast at The Cook, Hamilton East on Sunday 21 August

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Minutes of August Meetings available at:

https://ulyssesclubwaikato.wordpress.com/newsletters/

Email Phone (1) Phone (2)

Coordinator

Des Chiles jim_des@xtra.co.nz 027 430 1916 n/a

Deputy Coordinator

Paul Coursey pcelvis2@gmail.com 027 434 5809 n/a

Secretary

David Coy dcoy41@gmail.com 021 168 1413 07 855 0929

Treasurer

Lawrence (Goose) Gosnell g.cd@xtra.co.nz 027 439 0039 07 823 0069

Committee

Norm Foster normanjfoster@gmail.com 027 244 4022 07 823 3357

Rosalie Romero dragstar@xtra.co.nz 021 065 4954 07 849 5532

John (Turk) Turkington peglers@orcon.net.nz 027 485 0645 n/a

Gerhard (Curly) van Vuuren gertvv1900@gmail.com 027 457 0382 07 853 0739

Sheriff

Jim Galt jim@franklaw.co.nz 021 190 1557 07 843 3119

Newsletter

David Coy dcoy41@gmail.com 021 168 1413 07 855 0929

Norm: Runs Coordinator Turk: Frankton Thunder & Toy Run

Rosalie: Branch Gear & Raffles Curly: Special projects

Ulysses Club, Waikato Branch Committee, 2016 - 17

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2010 Suzuki VZR1800 M109

Includes Rear Seat Hard Trim,

Cobra Exhausts and a K&N Air Filter

$12,995

2008 Triumph Sprint ST1050

Triumph Panniers

Pack Rack

Oxford battery trickle charger

Centre Stand

$10,995

2012 Honda NC700 XC Only 10,677 Kms

Very Tidy

One owner

Space for a helmet

Recently serviced

$8,495

2008 Honda Transalp XL700 Only 30,453 Kms

Taller Screen

Fully serviced

Genuine Honda side & top Panniers

$8,995

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Items for October Newsletter to David by 20 September please

(Reports, Ads, Pics, Funnies etc)

David Coy, Branch Secretary, 22 August 2016

dcoy41@gmail.com