Other Coming Events Elsewhere

(Check our Web Page for further details on events listed below)

Otematata North Otago VCC Wee Wheelie Wander

Waimate Bushtown Steam Up

Wellington / Wairarapa / Wanganui

Vintage / Veteran Tour

5th March 2023

11th 12th March 2023

12th - 20th March 2023

Taupo Lake Taupo Country Roads Rally 10th - 12th March 2023

Greymouth 40th Annual West Coast Scenicland Rally

Wanaka Wheels at Wanaka

Oamaru Gerald Lynch-Blosse Motorcycle Rally

Taihape Highland Fling Rally

25th March 2023

7th - 9th April 2023

15th April 2023

21st - 23rd April 2023

Ashburton Ashburton Plains Rotary Car Rally 30th April

Chairman: Alistair Day (Nola) 6886108

Vice Chairman: Colin Hawke (Glenys) 6889955

Immediate Past Chairman: Ashley Milliken (Evelyn)

Secretary: Pauline Young (Wayne) 6861833

Treasurer: Nola Day (Alistair)

Club Captains: Gavin and Michelle Munro

News Letter Editor: Les Rzepecky (Helen)

Clubroom Convener: Krystal Munro

Parts Manager: Barry Smith (Lynette)

Librarian: Barry Barnes (Carla)

IT Officer: Shannon Stevenson

Committee: All of the above and John Lester ( Mary )

Identification and Certificate: Alistair Day, John Lester, Colin Hawke.

Swap Meet:

Chairman: Colin Johnstone (Trish)

Secretary / Site convenor: Michelle Munro (Gavin)

Treasurer: Nola Day (Alistair) 6886108

Ground Convenor Barry Smith ( Lynette)

Committee: Gavin Munro (Michelle)

Krystal Munro

Lex Westoby

Sandy McMillan

Alan Patrick

Mark Cunliffe

Mathew Jack

I'm sitting here at the Burt Munro Rally Site, The rain is coming down with a slight southerly breeze but I have found a nice sheltered site so have time to write this. The South Canterbury participants at the National Rally were Russell Dale on his 1911 Abingdon King Dick, Veteran Class Margaret Dale on her 1924 AJS, Vintage Class Lex Westoby on a1936 Royal Enfield Model C, Post Vintage Class Neil Manchester on his 1962 Matchless 650, Post 60 vintage Class Barry & Carla Barnes with a 1979 GS850 Suzuki sidecar, Post 80 vintage or Combination Class. As a result we had someone in almost every category. We all travelled down on the Friday, because we all took part in the Southland rally which was held on the Saturday. 126 entrants in all VCC classes, a really great rally, and the back country roads with very little traffic, made riding enjoyable. I was lucky enough to get second in the motorcycle field tests, and Barry Barnes got third, so the South Canterbury members were off to a good start.

Sunday was the Field tests and public display for the National motorcycle rally contestants being 130 odd from all over NZ. I watched Margaret Dale compete and thought she did very well. Tests being guessing the distance a gate opens, Margret was bang on! The second test was a high speed slalom wiggle wobble. Bit of luck required there? And the third test was the old rope on a post with a weight in the middle, and complete a revolution keeping the weight off the ground, once again Margaret completed that OK. That meant I had big shoes to fill. What I didn't know was that the gate distance was adjusted by the gate keeper so I was about 6 inches out in the old money, Oh dear, Best go as fast as I can on the next test, Not to Bad, then test three, which I managed to complete OK, I just pulled really hard on the rope like a skier. We had made up a branch team consisting of Russell, Neil, Barry and myself to compete in the Inter Club Challenge and that was the next event. This consisted of a relay race. From two riders at one end of the grounds to two riders at the other end, passing a baton once the bike had stopped moving. In our first heat we got second so qualified for the final, and in the final we got off to a great start but the Southland branch pipped us to the flag. Second overall from 7 branches was still a good result. And then the rain started, so we made our way back to our accommodation to get ready for the evening meal and Quiz being held at the club rooms.

Monday was rally and time trial day starting once again from the club rooms, so with 130 bikes it was a busy place, with bikes starting at 45 sec intervals, on three routes. I tried to make things easy by picking 30mph as an average speed but with no speedo it was a bit of a lottery, as I think a lot of people chose that speed. With all three routes converging and leaving at different places you had to keep a good eye on your rally sheet. We all ended up at the Riverton Rugby grounds for lunch. There was a route to take you back to the start but most made there own way back.

Prize giving and dinner was at the Ascot Hotel, a grand affair. Russell Dale got second in the Veteran Field tests, I managed first in the Post Vintage Field tests, and got first overall in the same class. Also the South Canterbury branch got second in the Teams event so a great success for the Branch members. All of our bikes ran well although Barry was experiencing some problems with the running of his bike but I think it was more brain fade than bike problems, turn the kill switch on and push the choke in Barry.

I have stayed on down here to compete in the Burt Munro Challenge riding another club eligible bike my “1981 Waddon Rotax”. I will get to see most other events on my Yamaha SR500, we will see how we get on later in the week. From the Saddle.

Last month I reported reading “John Britten” by Tim Hanna, and am pleased to report that one reader was impressed enough by my comments to take the book out.

I also referred to the book “On the Road” which I have since finished and have to say it covered our motoring history in the latter part of the 20th century very well indeed. It disappointed me that a lot of the illustrations were taken from original publicity material and were American or English in origin with no specific link to New Zealand. I did the writer a disservice though in accusing him of labelling a 1922 Buick a 1916 model. That howler was actually in the other book mentioned Great Book of Automobiles and was actually not the only captioning error I spotted in a brief look at this tome. Its 630 pages do have an immense number of illustrations to be fair. As the Swap Meet rolls around I will be again seeking to offload duplicated Library material at bargain prices. These can all be purchased before hand or in the case of magazines, taken away free, for no charge, without having to pay anything!

Speaking of magazines I took a number of motorcycle magazines from the library down to Invercargill where the motorcyclists staying in the holiday home hired for the duration of The National Motorcycle Rally had the opportunity to peruse them instead of watching the goggle box in the few periods of spare time we had over a super weekend. They are a resource available to anyone anytime who might be doing the same sort of thing.

Barry Barnes Librarian

Wanted

Short articles and/or photos of events attended by VCC members when taking their special Marque vehicles to events other than VCC events.

Les Rzepecky Editor