2024 Wassup?

[Mr Gazza]

2024 is a rather blank looking canvas so far.
The departing management declared the Weekender finished as an annual event.
I find that personally quite devastating and I'd like to hear from anyone with aspirations to pull something together for the future.
It's probably true that the format had become worn out and it is certainly true that Mike was worn out with it after doing such a splendid job for so many years battling so many set-backs.
One factor that I'm sure has put some folks off is the rising costs of hotels, so we're looking for a new approach to an annual club event/get-together.
I'm on the lookout for serious workable suggestions.

I have a large red gazebo that was donated to the club by the late great Capo and also a collection of large and small club banners and flags, which are free to loan for events.

A couple of events which always had a good UKMOC presence have disappeared, the Fenman in Wimbotsham and the East Kirkby Buell and Italian day.
It is very unlikely to ever see the Fenman again and East Kirkby depends upon someone in the Buell club taking the baton from Mr and Mrs Jessop who have done a fabulous job over the years.

Please post up dates for events and shows that would appeal to us for a meet up.

Let's fill that calendar up..

[stopintime]

World Ducati Week

THAT would be an epic club event!

Long'ish ride, but also possible to attend by plane and on foot/bicycle, rented moto, rented car. It's a thing everyone should do at least once. Geoff organized it in 2010 (and again later). That was my first and I haven't stopped yet. 14 summers.

[Mr Gazza]

For sure that will go on the calendar when the date is announced.
Slightly different proposition now though.
Geoff has gone, who of course used to organise trips to WDW.
And Capo too, who is also sadly no longer with us!
Also we are no longer affiliated to DOC which alters the perspective from the UKMOC point of view.

New blood needed!

[stopintime]

DOC means little - usually half price for tickets - around £40 saved. Compared to the total.....

2009 I said "let's go". Geoff then booked a villa. We all made our way by different routes and met in the villa pool.

The important day is when a person says "ten beds booked, 4000km including alps or fly there. Either way - beers Thursday afternoon by the pool".

Times are different now, I know, but it's not that hard to say "let's go". Adjustments along the timeline.


Anyhow.... I hope there will be long and short rides. It's good for us.

[Ron1000]

Maybe like a yearly meet further north to allow for bigger groups. Lake District? too far north? Glamping pods and two/three days on the bikes, sounds ideal.

[Mr Gazza]

No I'm sure we won't miss DOC Lars, and I hope I didn't appear to be pouring cold water on your idea, just hoping someone would be able to pick up the baton after Geoff and Stuart.

Ron that might have legs, I'm interested already. Would glamping be cheaper than a hotel?

[stopintime]

No worries this kind of projects are almost stone cold dead by themselves. Prices, brexit, wars, corona are very destructive.

I've kept the ball rolling in "my" club - offering a more or less plug & play experience, but even so it's little interest. I guess life can be worth living without a ride to the alps and/or Misano, but for those who really want to go..... it might not be that many years left.... closed roads, stricter noise laws is high on the green agenda.

FWIW; I can describe the preparation (bike, luggage, rider), suggest routes and hotels for those who shouts "I'm going" loud enough. It won't be a pre-packaged guided journey, just sharing my experiences. However, if it so happens that we meet in a bar along the way - I promise I WILL do my best to drink you under the table.

[Ron1000]

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

No I'm sure we won't miss DOC Lars, and I hope I didn't appear to be pouring cold water on your idea, just hoping someone would be able to pick up the baton after Geoff and Stuart.

Ron that might have legs, I'm interested already. Would glamping be cheaper than a hotel?

Normally glamping is significantly cheaper than hotels, depending on glamping site, sharing etc etc. They are however becoming more popular so prices could vary and might need to book well in advance.

Nothing a wee bit research and forward planning wouldn’t fix.

[the lodger]

A get together can be done cheaply. The Kawasaki Triples club have an annual weekend meeting at the Rugby Club in Fleetwood , Lancs.
Folks either camp or pitch their caravans on the rugby field. Plenty of B&Bs locally for those who dont fancy camping. As far as I know the camping is free as its subsidised by booze sold in the clubhouse . Basic food also sold in the clubhouse .

[Nasher]

Gaz, I know we've had this discussion in Private, but I don't mind everyone knowing my feelings about the previous weekenders, and I'm sorry if they upset some.
I never have got to one, partly because of the distance involved from down here on the South coast, and the unpredictability of the weather for a ride of that length, but Yes, I can see they were well organized and the effort put in by those involved is to be commended.

But, for the size of group we are, currently over 700 active users, and probably 50 or 60 regulars, the main club event of the year being attended by just @1/2 dozen members and their other halves probably says a lot about how well it was targeted in terms of location and content.
I don't know what the answer is, but I'm not sure continuing with the same format will get any more support.
I'll have a cogitate on it.
I am however a miserable bugger that struggles in social situations, so others may feel differently.

As for events to meet up at down here, or even to attend as a club with a stand, we've also lost our local shows where we would have been welcomed with open arms if we'd wanted a small stand.
For example, the South Hants Vehicle Preservation Society used to put on a big autojumble and show at Butser every year, but can no longer afford the liability insurance.
I loved that show, but it was just a 20min walk from my house.
Other similar local shows have all gone.

Some of the bigger events are still on.
There is only one bike jumble at Ardingly currently on their calendar:https://southofenglandeventcentre.co...opy-copy-copy/
But it's usually a good event with a hall full of club stands.

Actually the ELK promotions website says they have 3 events there this year along with other locations: https://www.elkpromotions.co.uk/

The Netley Marsh Eurojumble sometimes has club stands: https://www.netleymarsheurojumble.com/

There are lots of events at Beaulieu associated with the national Motor Museum.

There is also the possibility of meeting up at the Sammy Miller museum in the New Forest for one of the events: https://sammymiller.co.uk/events/ or just on another 'normal' day.

[Mr Gazza]

Ron, I'm looking forward to hearing what you can find out about glamping in your proposed area, it might just be the new take that's needed?
I've heard there are a few such sites local to me, but not sure what numbers they cater for? I get the impression that they tend to be rather isolated for that "get away from it" experience? Always tended to not pay much attention to it due to the silly made up word for it, but I'll look into it in Norfolk.
I've also had the idea to try a static caravan or lodge type camp for some years, there are still a few on the North Norfolk coast that have not yet been washed into the Sea!

Nigel, Thanks for the suggestion, it's worth further thought, but the day UKMOC start rolling up to a meet with caravans is when I leave!

Thanks for your thoughts Nasher and for speaking your mind. You confirm the need for re-inventing the Weekender/National meet. As for a long ride and the unpredictability of the weather, I recall the ride to the Cumbria Weekender. Grumpy and I stayed on the North Yorkshire coast for a night and crossed Yorkshire to Cumbria on day two. It was a monsoon all the way across. A day of riding in pouring non stop rain! I bought new gloves half way, as the sodden old ones were definitely not going back on when they turned inside out coming off.. Fun though.
Thanks for the other suggestions too. I hope you'll remind us nearer the dates and we'll see if we can rustle up some support. I was introduced to Sammy Miller by Jim Reynolds many years ago and have always wanted to go to his museum.

[Ron1000]

With regards the glamping thing. I’ve organised quite a few of them for the bikers I go on runs with.

They almost always follow the same format > find a glamping site we are happy with > hopefully close to a pub and amenities > work out how many to a pod > book and away we go.

A classic example of that would be: applecross on the NC500 > has eating, drinking, washing facilities and a local pub that serves food > usually 2 or 3 to a pod and acccess to excellent riding roads. Cost wise applecross is cheap, circa £90pn for 4 people so typically I book for four people even if it’s only for two / three people. This gives you the luxury of extra space for gear and so on…the pods are usually quite tight anyway so four people and gear is impossible imo, three and gear is tight.

Applying that to the Lake District: the costs are higher, circa £90pppn and would strangers want share?…details to be fleshed out at a later date I’d suggest > location is a tricky one for me to select best area, only ever ridden through the Lake District once and that was coming home from three days of MotoGP at silverstone, sleeping in a tent in a tent, so was rather Looking forward to home more than the views tbh. On the plus side the Lake district seems to have an abundance of very nice sites available.

But certainly I think it’s very do able with the knowledge in this group. Someone is bound to have the local knowledge to help select a decent area with decent amenities and allow access to good roads for day trips.

The only issue I foresee is a happy medium for the distance travellers. I initially selected the Lake District based on top of ‘Scotland downwards reasonable distances’. But looking on a map the south of England is a fair old trek to come upwards, maybe top of wales is a better meet point.

Side note: anybody from the very very top of Scotland, arrangements could be made for you to travel to the central belt and meet up with myself (or the rest the Scotland contingent) and then travel as one group the next day.

Anyway let me know your thoughts.