Wakefield MAG July 2008 Newsletter

Dear Wakefield MAG member,

Welcome to the Wakefield MAG e-newsletter. If you can’t attend our Wednesday meetings regularly, it’s the next best thing to keep you up to date with what we are up to.

CONTENTS

1) FYP Rally Report
2) Ganton Gathering
3) Yorkshire Pudding Rally
4) Forthcoming Events

1) FYP Rally Report

Wakefield MAG once again hit the Farmyard Party en-mass with well over twenty members in attendance, including twelve of us who rode in on the advance party from the Grey Horse on the Thursday evening. We had an eventful journey there when Jason's back wheel snapped a spoke and the tyre promptly deflated (luckily we were stationary in a lay-by on the A64 at the time, otherwise it could have had serious consequences). Fortunately, with the help of a tin of tyre weld, courtesy of Chas, he managed to limp it to a nearby garage, get a lift to the site, then get it fixed ready for the ride home on Sunday. A first and long awaited outing for Sue's trike also - the 'Menstrual Cycle' has finally hit the road, and quite splendid it looks too !!!

As we were not marshalling till late Friday afternoon, we spent Friday lunchtime in the pub in Helmsley Square (as we have done for the past few years on the trot), and very pleasant it was too. The weather this year was much better than last year, although it did start pouring down on the Saturday afternoon and well into the evening. However, it didn't dampen the spirits, we all had a brilliant time, and this years FYP was an absolute cracker. Young Jason was treated to the Rally Virgin humiliation of being ridden around the site on Sue's trike, wearing only a Ra-Ra skirt and feather boa, not something we normally do, but he was secretly looking forward to it, and would have been very disappointed if we hadn't done something for him, and Wakefield MAG doesn't like to disappoint it's members !!! Check out the photo's on this web site !!

A most splendid effort by all the Wakefield MAG members who did a tremendous job marshalling in the Blues tent, including three new members who have never marshalled before. The marshalling shifts went like clockwork and there was a nice chilled out atmosphere on both Friday & Saturday night (both marshals & rally goers I hasten to add). A huge thanks to all of Wakefield’s volunteer marshals, giving sterling service as always. The FYP is MAG’s premier fund raising event and it is the unpaid volunteer marshals that make the rally as successful as it is !!! Well done to all.

It will be a while before the official figures are released, but we do know that over 6,500 tickets were bought before the event, and there were a large number of people buying tickets on the gate on the Friday and Saturday. I'll let you know what the event made for MAG in due course, but all the indications are that it was another bumper year, and long may it continue.

2) Ganton Gathering

The next MAG rally in Yorkshire is the Ganton Gathering, to be held at Wold Farm, Ganton in North Yorkshire on 18th - 20th July. The Ganton Gathering promises to be a small, chilled out traditional rally, with all the proceeds going towards the MAG Foundation charity. Our allocation of branch tickets have been returned, but if you still want to go, tickets will be available on the gate for £20.

3) Yorkshire Pudding Rally

The Yorkshire Pudding Rally is nearly upon us, being held on 1st - 3rd August, at the new site (Hesley Wood Scout Camp, Chapeltown, North Sheffield). Preparations have been going really well and one of the last things to organise now are the marshals rotas. If you are planning to come to the rally, the offer of a marshals shift (or two ?!?) would be very gratefully received. The event is now officially sold out but we still do have a small allocation of marshals tickets. So, if you missed out on tickets, volunteer to marshal and you will still be able to enjoy one of Yorkshire MAG's finest events.

The marshals forms will be circulated shortly so if you would like to marshal at the YPR, do let me know and i'll submit your details. Remember also, now that the YPR is under the MAP umbrella of events, it is subject to the same excellent marshals package, namely:

• 1st 4 hour shift: £4.00 food voucher.
• 2nd 4 hour shift: £4.00 food voucher and a Yorkshire Pudding marshals event T-shirt.
• 3rd 4 hour shift: £4.00 food voucher and a refund of your ticket price (£15).

4) Forthcoming Events

Forthcoming events for July and beyond:

• Sat 12th July - Brum National Demo West Midlands MAG annual Brum Demo, now in it's 31st year - Meet at the Hare & Hounds, Lickey Road, Longbridge (next to the old Rover plant) at 12:00 for a 13:00 start. Run as per previous years will make it's way to Centenary Square in Birmingham. The theme for this years demo run is the National Proposals for Road Charging. As this run is a demo run, 75 branch points will be awarded to any Wakefield MAG member who attends.
• Sunday 13th July - Wakefield MAG Treasure Hunt Our popular annual Treasure Hunt. This years Hunt will leave Stork Lodge Tea Rooms, Thornes Park, off Thornes Road, Wakefield at 10:00. Question pack and map available upon registration from 09:30. Run finishes back at Stork Lodge and the winners will be judged on the basis of a combination of best time and most correct answers.  Prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd and a booby prize for coming last.  £1 p.p. to enter (to cover cost of prizes) and enter as a team or an individual (if you are confident enough with your navigational skills). Previous years events have been an absolute hoot !!! Hope to see you there.
• Friday 18th - Sunday 20th July - Ganton Gathering A new fund-raising event for the MAG Foundation (see above)
• Sunday 29th July - Vintage Japanese MCC (Yorkshire) Show at Lotherton Hall Wakefield MAG have again been invited back to the VJMCC Show at Lotherton Hall. We will be hosting the Yorkshire MAG Stand which will be manned by members of Wakefield MAG. All of Wakefield MAG are invited to attend but if you intend to enter your bike in the show, it must be Japanese to be eligible (old or brand new, it doesn't matter, so long as it is Japanese !!!). If you are going, do pop over to the Yorkshire MAG stand and say hello.
• Friday 1st - Sunday 3rd August - Yorkshire Pudding Rally At the new site: Hesley Wood Scout Camp, Chapeltown, Nr Sheffield, South Yorkshire (See above)
• Friday 15th August - BIRT BBQ Following our fund-raising efforts for the Brain Injuries Rehabilitation Trust (BIRT) earlier this year, we have been invited to a Summer BBQ on Friday 15th August, starting at 7:00pm, at Daniel Yorath House in Garforth, as a thank you. We are specifically invited to attend on our bikes so we will be organising a mass ride-in nearer the date. More details in next months newsletter.

That's all for this month and I hope to see you all soon.

Ride Safe
Steve Travis
Chairman
Wakefield MAG
0772 078 4734

Wakefield MAG meet at the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield at 8:30pm every Wednesday. New (and Old) faces are always welcome.