Reverse Southern Loop ride - 17 August

[x27]

Hey guys I'll be at Eastern Creek for the 17th so I'll miss this one .

On the upside I'll br representing the South Coast DOC at the NSWDOC ride day at EC, there will be 80 Ducatisti riding plus all the rest showing up in support or to catch up with mates but not actually going on track. should be a huge day Come along if you can or even if he Southern loop isnt long enough ;D come and check out all the Ducs.

Enjoy the Ride Members, see you on the next one....or at the meating on the 13th.

[Scott]

Hi all,
I will be trying to catch up for the southern reverse loop ride this weekend. Can you let me know your approximate time in Berry. I will text my moblile number to Alex.

Scott

[ur10]

Hi Scott,
I don't know if anybody is going to this ride, as most of the members will be at Eastern Creek. I won't know untill Sunday at 10:00am.
If the ride is on we should be in Berry at 10:45- 11;00am
or at the round about in Bomaderry between 11:00 -11:15am.
if you prefer we can meet you near the stock sale entrance on the Kangaroo valley road.
I don't think Alex is comming, but you can SMS me if you like on 0413 884 446. or you can ring me at just before 10:00am on Sunday.

Urio

[Scott]

Thanks urio,
I will contact you on Sunday, will also SMS my mobile to you. I am meeting a couple of other bikes in Nowra on Sunday so I will be up that way anyway, We are only going to Kangaroo Valley for lunch so won't be doing the full loop with you but would like to catch up if you are going. How was the meeting the other night? did you find out if anyone has joined from down here? If they havn't, let me know and I will get them moving.

Scott

[Nev]

well how did the ride go, It was a great day for a ride. Me on the other hand could not ride on the weekend as i now have stitches in my left hand so i was a spectator up at eastern creek. I took a couple of good photos of Dave (ss) and Ross (Tri color) at turn 3? I'll post them on the web site.

[ur10]

Hi All,
I had to attend to some unforseen family commitments on Sunday. But I hope that you had a good time. Hope to see you at the Concorse of Elegance on the 21TH Sept.

Nev, the Concorse of Elegance on the 21TH Sept., what time did we agree to leave W'gong, and did we agree to meet at the Frats?

Urio

[honestjohn]

waited,waited and WAITED, only one other fellow turned up !!!! a new member on a silver 800ss, think his name was steve[im shocking with names],did YOUR RIDE anyway,just in case we missed somebody.its a pretty POOR effort when the person who organised the ride,and had it published on the net doesnt even turn up.Reminds me of a ride organised by the Classic Italian Motorcycle club,several weeks ago,where they had one member[my brother in-law],and the other clubs[norton/triumph/ducati and bmw] out numberred them. SCDOC has serious problems of sustainability if this is going to be the response. Yes im aware of the clash of dates with DOCNSW at EC.How many scdoc went,4 or 5.wheres the other 30-40 members.

[Ride calendar]

Its enevitable John that this sort of thing happens....There are lots of excuses, some of them valid ...and some of them related to apathy.... and generally they revolve around family matters, the weather, clashes of dates etc...but the reality is that motorcycling is generally an individual past time and we are trying to turn it into a team event.....in other words organsing a ride with even with our current crop of 50 memebers is like trying to herd cats.....My takle on this is that people like to belong to an entity like the club but its not prime of mind and basically our purpose is to provide "an option" for when there is nothing else planned. How many guys will tell the missus to "bugger off Im going for a ride" ??.....We are no different than other clubs in this respvcet...I recall the days of the NSWDOC where despite 500 members they got two or three riders show up for weekend ride...despite that they are thriving and after so long are still viable..... we somehow need to encourage poeple to come along....now that my sons Rugby season is over i for one will be able to make more of the organised rides...,,,the warmer weather shortly help us as well.....

To anyone reading this please let us know your thoughts on what will get people engaged and wanting to come out for a ride...I dont have the answers so speak up ad lets me know....

[honestjohn]

im obviously in a different headspace or planet for that matter.it was always my take on clubs as a form of mateship,common interest and friendly banter. a time and space away from the pressures of work/business and family commitments .not a last resort hangout for social misfits and noddy no friends.a 'option when... nothing else planned'. sounds like a poor basis to maintain any sort of commitment to this or any other club. john

[ur10]

I am the ride organizer for this club not the babysitter.
Just because I don't turn up to A ride it doesn't mean that the ride is off, who ever is there can still go to the event. I don't expect an excuse when any member does not turn up to a ride. Every time I organize a trip I wonder how many turns up but then that is part of the organizing a club outing.

I can not notify everybody that I will not be there that would take 50+ phone calls and beside I don't have contact numbers for everybody.

As I said I had a unforeseen family commitment and I do put family first.

We had a meeting the Wednesday before the ride, How many turn up? 7 out of 53 (five members, one guest and one that joined that night).
I am sure all clubs are the same the only difference is that because our is new and therefore small club is more noticeable.

In future if nobody is there by the starting time you have three choices, either go and do the ride or do your favorite run or go home. If there is a group of members and I am not there, surely one of you can take the lead.

Urio

[The Judge]

Guys...This is quite disappointing but not unexpected to read this string of posts.

I dont know that anyone was taking shots at anyone else so let's call an end to hostilities and the rock throwing and look at the bigger picture..... i.e What practical ways we can get people involved in the club???

There is nothing wrong with a vigourous debate, especially if we get a practical result out of it. However we all have to be thick skinned enough to accept that everyone has an opinion and as equal members everyone should have the right to make their point...hopefully without being offensive or taking offense.

The club is 9 months old with a membership group that extends down to Bega....its the the start of a new club...unchartered territory for most of us...its not perfect ...and we dont have a committee of 10 people or many members who've had previous experience in setting up a club.

Im sure in 5 years time we will still have the same divergent views about what a club is, what it should be, what it should be doing etc etc...blah blah blah...the fact of the matter is that it's a collective of people that share in the spirit and comraderie of motorcycling and riding Ducati's in particular...Pretty simple...not petty politics...no bull....some attend regularly some fit it in when they can...that life...lets accept thats the case and move on!

One thing is for sure....it's clear that everyone joins a club for different reasons.... Other clubs like NSWDOCS which keeps getting quoted are no better or worse and despite their long histories they still have the same range of problems. For example ...By my reckoning DOCNSW have been around for 30 years. They have almost 500 members and its my iunderstanding that only 5-10% of their membership is what you would call "active" or contrubute in any meaningful way...A quick look at their committee members or active members and its basically the same 15-30 people that have been involved for years...

We need to remember that the people that stepped forward and took on the SCDOC committee roles for the club mostly didnt have previous experience in such ventures and to some degree have had to incorporate their club duties into already busy lives ... They stood up because they wanted to contribute and get the club off the ground for the collective benefit of others so lets cut people some slack as we all have lives and loved ones that need attention . We should all make allowances that the personal circumstances of one is not the same as an other.

If you had asked me 7 years ago if DOCNSW would still be going I would have put money on them folding...yet despite the diffrences amongst their membership, political infighting and all sorts of other squabbles...they've continued to thrive...and grow!!!...good on them...they made it a success through the persistance of several key poeple!!!

The same will happen for us...lets keep cool heads and forget about such minor squabbles and concentrate on building what I orginally envisaged which is a represnetative club fior Duke owners on the South Coast...

I'll ge off my soap box now...
Judge Dredd..

[ur10]

Judge, I agree with you and your comments. The Ducati makes me feel younger, I didn't realise it made me act like a Kid, however I needed to put point across. Now that I did, I consider the matter closed.

Urio

[The Judge]

Hi Urio...no worries....in fcat i like it when people are passioanate about their views...especially if it improves things for everyone in the long run...Cheers

[Nev]

So How did the ride go John?
Cheers
Nev

[honestjohn]

didnt lose anybody,caught up with scotts crew at kangaroo valley.felt odd doing the track in reverse,especially the bomaderry to kangaroo valley section,trying in your head to recall which way the roads are going before you attack them.wasnt quite as confident as opposed to coming from other direction.held up halfway out of k v mt towards fitzroy falls,a 4wd ml benz towing a van,burnt out going up the hill.stopped at pie shop and departed ways. john