Legion Rider

Issue No 7- July 2008
Newsletter of The Royal British Legion Riders Branch
Safeguarding the welfare, interests and memory of those who have served in the armed forces. A Registered Charity. Charity No. 219279
Visit the website at - www.rblr.co.uk - join the riders online forum
Disclaimer: The Royal British Legion Rider's Branch (RBLR) Newsletter (Legion Rider) accepts for publication articles and letters written in good faith; however, the views expressed in articles and letters which are published are not necessarily those of the editor of the newsletter or those of the RBLR or its officers or members. This newsletter is published for and on behalf of the RBLR.
Admin & A brief Branch History - June 08 Ctrl+shift click to enter text

Mr John Hawthornthwaite

President

Public Events Advisor

Rick Laing richard-laing@rblr.co.uk
Paul Pollard chairman@rblr.co.uk

Chairman

In July 2004 a meeting took place at The Royal British Legion Village to discuss the possibility of an ex-services motorcycle club becoming an official branch of the RBL to promote its good causes within the motorcycle fraternity. Circumstances took over and this idea was discarded but not forgotten. In late August, Paul Pollard and Graham Barber decided to resurrect the idea and approached some of those who were at the first meeting to forward the idea. The Legion was contacted again with a clear way ahead and an informal meeting was set up in November at RBL Cheltenham where the 14 original members met to discuss how to proceed and to form a committee, 12 volunteered for the first Riders Committee and are still the bulk of the committee as it stands today. It was at this meeting that we formally decided on our name and an adapted set of Branch Byelaws. At the end of this informal meeting, the official inaugural meeting took place and The Riders were officially formed. 2005 saw our first official events an invite to ride into the annual conference at Torquay and be introduced to all the delegates, Beaulieu Motorcycle World and of course our annual Poppy Run, where 11 Riders travelled to Germany visiting Paderborn, Sennelager, Herford and Celle on the fund raising campaign raising 2150 for the Poppy Appeal. November 2005 saw our first AGM at RBL Cheltenham with the Branch having grown to 160 Riders. 2006 saw us out and about again with more events, more rallies, whilst the Poppy Run took 23 Riders to France and Belgium visiting Commonwealth Grave sites and laying a wreath at the poignant Menin Gate ceremony in Ypres, raising 6000. The 2006 AGM was held at the world renowned ACE Caf in London with the Riders joining in their service of Remembrance on the Sunday with our brand new standard on display for the first time and having recruited a further 204 members. 2007 was been a phenomenal recruiting year with 335 new members to September. More events, more shows, the first use of the MDU and participation in Legion in the Community, where we show our support to local Legion Branches by turning up en-masse to help support their efforts. The 2007 Poppy Run run saw some 20+ Riders travelling around the UK, along the west coast and returning south via the east cost and visiting Edinburgh Castle for a wreath laying ceremony, ending in classic style at the ACE Caf. 2008 kicked off with a phenomenal interest in the branch and in May, our 1000th member joined, a serving British Soldier. Our Poppy Appeal cheque of 10,000 was received by Hayley Westenra, on behalf of the RBL at Pall Mall in April and we repaid her in style, by escorting her on a trike with 20 Outriders to The Brits Classical Awards Show 2008. The branch carried out its Annual Memorial Run in May to The National Arboretum. Riders were on the television with the Hairy Bikers and the 2nd National Rally held at Ratcliffe College were all a phenomenal success. The Riders Branch is open to anyone who has an interest in motorcycles and we welcome all new members who wish to support the Legions work our way. The Branch now stands at 1132 and is growing all the time. Our aims are the same today as it was then, to raise awareness of the RBL and how it can help those serving/exserving who are in need of help, to raise money for the Poppy Appeal and to have fun, and as we have since discovered these last two ideals are mutually compatible.

Graham Barber vice-chairman@rblr.co.uk Pete Bradley secretary@rblr.co.uk Anna Simmons treasurer@rblr.co.uk

Vice Chairman Secretary

Regional Reps
North: Paul (Paddy) McCreanor north@rblr.co.uk Midlands: Andy (Ivor) Downer midlands@rblr.co.uk East & Overseas: Karl Harvey east.overseas@rblr.co.uk Wales & Ireland: Ian McLauchlan wales.ireland@rblr.co.uk South & Forum: JJ Jarvis south@rblr.co.uk

Treasurer

Welfare Officer
Lynnette Francis welfare@rblr.co.uk
Dave Bowen/Tony Carr pr@rblr.co.uk
Tony Lewis sponsorship@rblr.co.uk

Sponsorship Coordinator

National Events
Bob Anderson Events@rblr.co.uk Mike Baxter

Postal Address

The Royal British Legion Riders Branch (BR 3542) 20 Higher Wood, Bovington, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 6NF

National Recruiting

mike@rblr.co.uk

Contact Number

07866 481843

National District Rep

Tony Dadson recruiting@rblr.co.uk

RBL Contact Details

Legionline (call charged at local rates) www.britishlegion.org.uk Disablement Pension Claims 7236 Compensation Claims 7236 Disability Section 7249 Careers Advice (Freephone)
Pete Bradley webmaster@rblr.co.uk

Newsletter/Web

Martyn White Membership@rblr.co.uk Lev Leverett/Chris Smith merchandising@rblr.co.uk

Membership

Merchandising
Alex Poole alex@rblr.co.uk
If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?

www.rblr.co.uk

Welfare & Forum

Welfare

Following a survey in 2005 of 6,000 people of varying ages in the UK, the Legion identified some changing needs in our ageing ex-service population, and has responded by introducing some new services with more on the way. The first one was the introduction of Poppy Calls a handy man (employed by the Legion) to carry out minor repairs which will assist the elderly and disabled to maintain their independence in their own homes. The survey mentioned above identified that of the 2.1 million veterans aged 75 and over, 18% said they were experiencing difficulty in maintaining their homes. The Legion is seen as a trusted provider of caring services to people who need assistance, which is an important factor in this day and age when vulnerable people cannot be too careful of whom they invite into their homes. The aim is to have approx. 48 Poppy Calls Vans up and running throughout the country by 2010. There are currently six on the road with a further 12 planned by the end of this year. Examples of minor repairs include: Fixing curtain rails Tacking down carpets Putting up shelves Changing light bulbs Changing tap washers Installing security devices such as locks, door chains & spy holes Small repairs Moving furniture Turning Mattresses Minor aids and adaptations in conjunction with Occupational Therapists. This service is available to all those who would normally qualify for RBL assistance under the Royal Charter. The next service is Benefits and Money Advice. As we are all aware there are a lot of people who are in debt and are reliant upon benefits to survive. So this service is being developed in partnership with the RAFBF and Citizens Advice Bureau. Trained staff are based in the Citizens Advice Bureau premises and only deal with serving and ex-service personnel. These staff are able to perform Benefit Health Checks to ensure that the client is in receipt of all the benefits that they are entitled to as well as provide advice on how to deal with debt. These trained staff will contact creditors to negotiate reduced repayments, or get certain debts written off as well as assist the client to make themselves bankrupt. In counties where this service is not yet available, there are dedicated staff at Pall Mall who provide this type of advice. Anyone needing Benefits or Debt advice should contact their local County Office. Another service is Civvystreet although this has been in existence for sometime; a new web site was recently launched specifically for serving and ex-service personnel who are seeking re-training and training grants. Once registered on the site, Civvystreet identify the clients circumstances and needs and provide appropriate services from their member organisations. Those people registered on this site have access to specialised e-learning packages and can put organisations and individuals in touch with a wide range of funding opportunities for learning and development. If you are looking for a re-training opportunity log onto civvystreet.org.uk Further services to be launched are; the Health and Wellbeing Activities, as this is not a service that the TRBL is set up to deliver, it will be done in collaboration with other Agencies. Another one is called Time Banks. Time Banking is a new concept for providing people with a community mechanism under which they can have the opportunity of helping other people and receive help and support themselves in return. I will provide further information as these services are developed. Please direct any enquiries to me via welfare@rblr.co.uk. Until next time

Sarah Poole

Branch Member
The government tells us that we are eating too many pies and dying of Heart disease, then in the next breath theyre telling us we are living too long and therell be no more pension money left for us. I wish theyd make their minds up.
I was reading this book today, The History of Glue.

I couldnt put it down.

Whats in your Box?

So whats in your box?

A low speed tumble on a recent trip to France and Belgium last Easter had me emptying the contents of my bikes tool kit all over our guest houses breakfast table, as Pete and I set about making his bike safe for the trip home. After fixing the bike and making the temporary repairs I had done at the side of the road a little more permanent I thought it might be worth while passing on some of my experience from touring and enduro racing to allow everyone to have the right tools on their bike to get them moving again should you have a minor spill or breakdown. Modern motorcycles if maintained correctly tend to be reliable beasts but carrying some basic tools and a few useful spares will save you waiting at the side of the road for recovery and possibly missing the ferry home and the inconvenience of waiting for the next ferry (2 days Portsmouth/Bilbao). So besides your credit card what else is useful? This is the minimum that I carry on my R1150 GS Adventure and XR400 when out and about on the mountains. When I did my solo overland trip I carried a lot more kit. A good place to start is the tools that come with the bike. Replace them straight away with better quality tools in the same sizes. The last thing you need when you have had a minor breakdown on the dash back to the ferry, is to struggle with naff tools. I tend to add the extra tools I need to service the bike to my bike tool kit as and when I need them (a spoke key for example). This is a habit from the good old days of riding British steel and from racing when the difference between not having the right tool and pushing the bike was dependant on the tools you carried with you. One of the most important things I carry is a spare nut & bolt kit. It includes lock wire, washers and common OEM sizes and many other nuts, bolts, chain O rings, a spare link, cable ties and such in a wide variety of sizes but mostly the sizes used on my bike. I carry this on both my street and dirt bikes. The most likely failure you are going to suffer on a well maintained motorcycle is a puncture. You will need a good set of tyre levers. It is a myth that you need huge levers. I carry three 250mm levers and have used them to remove hundreds of tyres. A minimum of one spare tube for the largest wheel on your bike as it can be used on the smaller wheel if you are really pushed. A puncture repair kit and remember to change the glue regularly as it goes off with age. The GS has tubeless tyres but I still carry a tube because I have never had any luck with those tyre repair kits you can buy in accessory shops. A means of inflating the tyre, I carry air cylinders and the adaptor (dont loose the mesh that goes around the cylinder. It stops you getting a cold burn when its used) a mountain bike hand pump that pumps on both strokes and on the GS I have the luxury of being able to use a 12 volt compressor. On the dirt bike I have managed to finish an event by cable tying the tyre to the rim. Not recommended on the road but on knobblies the cable tie fits nicely between the tread pattern and the stiff tyre wall will take the punishment if the speed is kept down. Dont wait until you have a puncture to practice the skills necessary to carry out a puncture repair. Practise and it wont seem so daunting when it happens to you. Spares to be carried: Clutch and front brake lever Bulbs Fuses Chain link Spare cables these can be pre positioned on the bike to allow a quick change if youre racing but keep the end covered I use the fingers cut off rubber gloves and cable tied in place. Spare spark plug Spare weak part for your particular bike, only experience will let you know what this is. (On the GS the spark plug/coil can breakdown)

My Tool Kit (see photo on page 4)
Items to include NOT shown in photo: Tow rope (I use a one inch wide nylon strap which you can use to tie the front wheel to the centre stand to stop the bike falling off the stand when removing the rear wheel) Instant Aluminium and/or steel. Loc-Tite (Blue Loc-tite nearly everything on the bike before you leave) Tape, Gaffers. Wire, steel lock wire (excellent for stitching plastic panels together) and electrical cable Feeler gauges. Oil Hand cleaner but the gloves are there. Mole grips Hope this helps - Ride Safe
QM & Committee Member

Fat Boy Straps.

THE IMPORTANT BIT. The cost is 14.00 per set this includes P&P. I can order them individually but to keep the costs down I would like to place an order when I have 5 confirmed orders. Please indicate whether you wish RBLR or 3542 straps (Photos on Page 13) I will need cash (Cheques made payable to PHA Pollard) up front prior to placing the order and the address to send the monies to is 12 Grosvenor Road Crownhill Plymouth Devon PL6 5EH As you can see by the pictures they are a standard popper size i.e. 10mm across the male bit and you will need to check your poppers to ensure that they are not an unusual size. Unfortunately my leather man cannot get odd popper size so you will just have to buy a new waistcoat with the right ones Also as you can see the poppers only do up one way. If your vest does up the other way - womens? - please indicate and I will make sure that the poppers are put on the correct way. Thats it
A father is someone who carries pictures where his money used to be.
The Royal British Legion - Riders Branch
Adult: A person who has stopped growing at both ends and is now growing in the middle. www.rblr.co.uk

Lest We Forget.

This Officer reminds me very much of a gyroscope - always spinning around at a frantic pace, but not really going anywhere
Caseworkers & Badge Guidelines
Whats involved in being a Welfare Caseworker?
Well first of all you apply to your regional office and get invited in for an interview. This was formal in terms of the application and security clearance but informal in terms of the interview, for example, why are you interested in becoming a caseworker was asked, to which I replied well you are very short of them in the area I reside and learning more about what was available for applicants broadened my knowledge and understanding, which I can pass onto my clients. Once you are security cleared you are invited to attend a two day training seminar which will familiarise you with the relevant forms that should be completed; what financial details are required, details of benefits claimed, grants etc. plus personal circumstances of the said individual and what help they are requesting, e.g. electric scooter; purchase of white goods, debt payment and counselling, etc. It also widens your knowledge as to what the legion has to offer in terms of respite breaks and what benefits or grants they can tap into and the checks they can make into ascertaining that the applicant is receiving the correct benefits, pension, etc. There is an awful lot of help available from the county office; and the knowledge factor will grow with time and experience of completing the relevant forms. The county office is just a phone call way to verify any details and check out inconsistencies. The two trainers on my course were very informative, courteous and had a general interest in making sure all candidates were comfortable with issues raised. My fellow candidates did not just include legion members but also some from employment agencies, citizen advice bureau, etc. We also had some role play in completing forms and that in itself, whilst it appears quite a menial task, takes some concentrating in getting the right details down, especially financial figures and thats when you have the information readily available. In reality applicants applying for help do not have readily to hand their service papers for verification or complete knowledge of financial matters so it is a case of teasing this information out of them as far as you can and hoping that the county office can verify the service details for entitlement for help from the information you have collected. A case worker can always go back to obtain more details but when you are visiting it can be an hour and a half to two hours just to obtain sufficient information to complete the form and make the applicant feel valued. How many cases you are invited to take on depends on who applies for assistance and how many caseworkers there are available in your area. Since January I have completed 5 applications for respite breaks at Somerset Legion House in Weston-Super-Mare (for ladies aged 80+) and assisted with 1 application for financial help for debt (for a 21 year old suffering from post traumatic stress disorder). I find it fascinating learning what the older service generation have been through; and also despite the hardship they are now suffering how isolated some of them feel. There are new dimensions of hardship with the trauma of what is happening with our younger service. The range of hardship is formidable. The county office run regular yearly updates and I liaise regularly with my fellow caseworkers. Some of the more difficult cases may involve the presence of two case workers so all the relevant details can be ascertained. With the Riders biker nights in Weston, I have told the ladies who hope to go on respite breaks at Somerset Legion House about them and if they are in residence at the time, would hope to get them across to meet the guys and girls collecting monies on the promenade for the poppy appeal (so we come full circle). I can also put my experience forward as evidence for Continuing Professional Development for my chiropody registration.

A sucking chest wound is Natures way of telling you to slow down.
Guidelines Cont. - Stafford Classic
yourselves but to the Branch in general. If you are unaware of the reasoning behind these guidelines please contact your Regional Representative for further clarification. Branch stand took no prizes although Rays Harley should have taken reddest bike in show, had such a category existed!!! Saturday was a very busy day with a constant stream of people filing past the stand (being located next to the bar and restaurant certainly saw to that!!!!) Although quite a few people expressed an interest in signing up, very few people actually seemed to be carrying bank details with them to be able to fill in the direct debit form on the membership applications, however quite a few went away saying they would sign up on-line and there were one or two who intended to transfer membership on-line too. We also had a couple of the chaps from the CMA (ex-marines I think) pop around to the stand for details. At one stage a bloke with a camera and tripod seemed to be taking a keen interest in Bobs Honda, taking great pains over the detail of the photographs he was taking. It didnt take Bob long to realise that it was the editor of Classic and Motorcycle Mechanics (Maniacs?) Magazine. It turned out he was interested in possibly publishing an article about Bobs bike and he went away fully educated in all aspects of the Riders Branch and its good works! Hopefully a good contact for the future!! During the course of the day we were visited by one of Staffordshires Poppy Appeal organisers and the Chairman of the Leek Branch. We were also visited by Jimmy Torrance, Doc, and Gordon Duffy who took a turn on the stand to enable us to have a wander around the show and partake of a bit of lunch! During this time we also took the opportunity to seek out Nick Mowbray, the gentleman who organised our space at the show so that we could thank him in person. Saturday drew to a close, and with all the punters having left the halls we packed up and made our way out to be collected by Val. After a quick freshen up it was decided that the evening meal would be an eating out affair, followed by a visit to Stafford RBL. Dave knew of a very good Indian restaurant not too far away. After three days hike and a fresh pack horse and just around the next (dozen!) corners, we made it to the restaurant. After stuffing ourselves on the finest Indian cuisine served up by the only eastern European Indian waitress in the world, we made our way across town to the legion. After a couple of pints a little forgetfulness began to creep in (at least for Ray who couldnt seem to remember if hed had his pudding!) Much smart thinking seemed to be the order of the evening and hence the idea of the non attendance rally was spawned; look out for such an event not happening anywhere near you soon!! It was agreed that after the evenings activities it would be wise to hail a taxi to get us back to Dave and Vals. It was upon boarding said taxi that a new word to describe a larger built person happened to be coined! Bob found that being Svelte he found climbing in the back quite easy however Ray (grandad) being Svat found this a little more challenging!! Sunday morning again greeted us with the sound of sizzling rashers, eggs and bangers and the smell of coffee wafting around the house (although some were awake before this; Mr Marrins chain saw was heard by several in the house during the early hours Fed and watered we made our way to the show ground courtesy of Vals little green Rover (I doubt the suspension will ever be the same again after transporting us all over the weekend!).

Paul Pollard

Chairman The Royal British Legion Riders Branch BR 3542

Who are we?

An Official Branch of the Royal British Legion; the Royal British Legion Riders are all motorcycle enthusiasts. We can be found participating in Military Events, Motorcycling Shows and supporting the communities in which we live work and play. The Royal British Legion Riders Branch was formed to support the aims and charitable efforts of The Royal British Legion and all members are encouraged to play an active role within the branch at Local and National level, with the emphasis on being pro-active in getting together with other branch members in their geographical area. We aim to raise awareness of The Royal British Legion, and to raise funds for the Poppy Appeal.
Ride Safe All, Rubber Side Down, Paul Pollard - Chairman The Royal British Legion Riders Branch BR 3542
Stafford Classic Bike Show 26th 27 April 2008
Finally managed to get to the show ground on Friday night at about 1730 after wending our way through a very congested M6 and found Ray Marrin and Bob waiting patiently for us. We emptied the car (RBLR Midlands Support Veh!) of all the kit and transported it all upstairs to our stand area. Within about 10 mins the stand was set up and all that was left to do was to call Val who was our chauffeur for the weekend. Dave already had the barbeque going flat out with burgers, sausages, chicken and a cool box full of beer sitting at the side. An evening of banter, sandbag dragging and lantern swinging ensued until the wee small hours! On Sunday we all awoke to the aroma of a full cooked breakfast and coffee, cooked up in plentiful quantities. Just as we were finishing Ray Cooper rang to say he was at the show ground. So we upped sticks and made our way there. We spent the first hour or so of the morning sorting out details such as the bike details forms so that the machines could be judged and took it in turns to have a quick look around the main hall to see the other club stands so that we could decide who we would vote for the show prizes. Unfortunately the Riders

The quartermaster has only two sizes, too large and too small.
Stafford Classic Cont. & The Hairy Bikers
We arrived at the stand and prepared for another busy day. After setting the DVD player and projector up I went to the other side of the balcony to get some pictures of the scene in the main hall, as I did so the lady running the stall opposite ours made mention of the Video display, commenting on how professional it looked!! (Well done to our IT gurus!!!) Ray Marrin took the chance during the quiet time before the bulk of the public turned up to get a few group shots with all of us in using the timer on the camera, which sparked the only incident of road rage weve ever seen involving a sporty mobility scooter. Just as he had set the timer and focus he stepped quickly to one side from behind the tripod and into the path of the fastest scooter on earth, earning him a tongue lashing from the lady piloting it!! Our profuse apologies seemed to do nothing to calm her down even though Ray really could have done nothing to avoid her! Amazingly about two hours later she rode up to the stand, said that she hadnt realised that there was a Legion stand at the show and put some coins in the poppy pot!!! The focus of attention on the stand on Sunday seemed to be Ray Marrins Honda Goldwing, with a stream of people asking how much he would sell it for. Rays repeated answer was that it was not for sale Ill never sell it! He was heard to say on several occasions. In the mid afternoon eventually someone just happened to ask him if he knew what it was worth. About two and a bit grand said Ray, Try nearer xx000 says the bloke; there were only 150 of those ones made!!! Although he wouldnt divulge to the rest of us how much the bloke had quoted, Ray was last seen wandering off with persons unknown, looking to be in a state of shock, and asking rambling questions about train time tables to get home to Surrey. I was a bit surprised and shocked as well, the complimentary insurance that Footman James had arranged for our bikes on the stand at the show didnt come anywhere near what we suspected hed been told his was worth!! We had a few more visitors from the branch on Sunday, notably Alex and Sarah Poole, did you find anything nice for your birthday pressy, Alex? Neil Trinder and Mark Keeling popped up to offer support as well. During the afternoon one of the ladies who organises the content for the editors of the some 14 publications that Moretons Media, have wandered up to the stand to see how we were, we took the opportunity to pass on one of our newsletters and flyers which she is going to show to some of the editorial staff to see if any further interest in the branch can be generated among them. I have to say she did sound quite positive about this, so well see!! Late in the day one of the staff came up to verify the number of bikes we had on the stand we briefly chatted about the show in general and learned that the number of people through the gate on the Saturday totalled around 16,500 and Sunday would probably match that. In the Afternoon the weather deteriorated and there was one of the biggest monsoons going with massive flashes of Lightning and this was to be what most people would end up riding home in!! We dismantled the stand at around fiveish and relayed the kit back to the support veh before going our separate ways. I rode home through Uttoxetter and Burton upon Trent thinking the further I got that I was quite lucky as I had seemingly missed most of the rain! However once I got the other side of Burton the heavens opened big time and didnt let up for the rest of the way. All in all a cracking weekend, thanks to all who came along, and especially to Dave and Val for being the perfect hosts, putting us up, feeding and watering us, and providing transport for the weekend. Thanks to Ray and Bob for your sterling efforts all weekend, and to all those of you who came along to support at various times over the weekend.

Branch membership continues to grow at an impressive pace! 160 new members joined in April & May alone, which equals the number we recruited in the whole of our first year of existence. During May we achieved the 1000th member milestone, and now, a mere month later, we have already passed 1100. At this rate we should double our membership this year. Everyone can join, and everyone can recruit. New members should complete an MS4 application form, and there is a down loadable version on the website at http://www.rblr.co.uk/N_ membership.html. If someone wishes to transfer to Riders from another RBL Branch they must complete an MS7 form, which can also be down loaded from the website. Please make sure all sections are correctly completed and signed to avoid delay, then send them to Membership, RBLR, 20 Higher Wood, Bovington, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 6NF. Should someone be strange enough not to want to join the Riders Branch, but does wish to join the Legion, get them to complete a MEM20 form. Statistically, the average age of Branch members is 45, so come my next birthday I will no longer be younger than the average age. If only I was also the average weight, Id be happy!

Martyn White

Membership Secretary.
Alton Towers - Where the magic never ends, or so the commercial says. Imagine my disappointment when it closed at 7.30. I am married to a Taiwanese lady, and people often ask me if she was a Mail-order bride. I find this very insensitive. The Royal Mail lose Around 2 million letters and parcels each year, and to suggest that I Would trust the delivery of my wife to them is insulting in the extreme. She was sent by DHL next day delivery. The record companies would have us believe that the money made by CD Pirates goes to fund the drug industry. But the money rock stars make From legal record sales ends up in exactly the same place. When they Stop breaking the law, so will I. It really annoys me to see these suicide bombers blowing up people as well as themselves. In my day, suicide was done in a more dignified way, Such as Slicing your wrists in the bath, or hanging yourself from a door with a Belt. Did anyone else feel that Mel Gibsons remake of the classic Life of Brian wasnt anywhere near as funny as the original?

Gordon Mackay

Media Support Wing - Bovington
Having passed the physical, John was asked by the doctor, Why do you want to join the Navy, son? My father said itd be a good idea, sir. Oh? And what does your father do? Hes in the Army, sir.

Iron Butt 2008

UK Iron Butt 2008 (Brit Butt)
For the uninitiated, the Iron Butt Association (IBA) was formed in the USA (with a name like that it couldnt be anywhere else!) And although the official formation date is a bit hazy it is now an international organisation with over 15,000 members worldwide. You cannot join just by paying an annual subscription, in fact, there are no subscriptions. Membership is gained by completing a fully documented ride that conforms to the organisations rules. Every two years, the IBA hold their Iron Butt Rally in the USA. This consists of riding a minimum of 1000 miles in 24 hours for 11 consecutive days. The number of riders is deliberately kept small and the events are always massively over-subscribed. Being an island the size of the UK it would be almost impossible to replicate that, not to mention very boring having to go over the same ground time and again, however, the third weekend in May saw the very first UK based Iron Butt Rally aptly named the Brit Butt Rally, which is to complete 1110 miles in 36 hours. Unfortunately, its not as simple as just going from A-Z and all points in between. Competitors have to visit Bonus Locations along the way and accrue a minimum set of points as well as the mileage. This year, the minimum points were set at 25,000. In order to achieve this, competitors were issued with their bonus locations in the form of 60 sheets of paper in random order at 2030 on the Friday night, it was then up to them to plot the locations onto maps and/or into GPS units (all must be plotted in order to find the most efficient route). At 0530 on Saturday morning, all riders had to be in the car park and on their bikes ready for the final odometer checks before the start at 0600. The Branch was fortunate in having (originally) 3 riders selected for the rally, however, this number would grow to 5 before the rally was over and didnt they do well! In second place, new member Paul Vandersteen In third place, Paddy McCreanor In sixth place, new member Lee Whiteley In eleventh place, Martyn White DNF, Tony Carr Scarborough and a few smaller bonus locations after Holy Island. I was delighted to discover that I had placed 11th, despite the long stop, and can only wonder what I could have achieved with some warmer clothing. It has made me keen to try again next year, and armed with some heated clothing and a more positive attitude from the start, Ill be back!!

It might look like Im doing nothing, but at the cellular level Im actually quite busy
Photos & Calendar 2008
RLC Bomb Disposal & The Riders - Catterick - June 08
The Riders Branch 2009 Calendar Available soon!
Cardiff Vets Day - June 08
Credit cards are VERY dangerous. Every time I try to use one somebody starts chasing me with scissors.
The National Rally 2008 & 2009 Calendar

National Rally 2008

This years National Rally was held in the grounds of Ratcliffe College in Leicestershire. The advance party of Roger (Blackdog) Mills, Antony (Fozzie) Foster the rally QM and his family, Albie, Sammy Starbuck, Garry Edwards, Ivor, Cally and family arrived at Midday on the Thursday to set up the site for the Festivities. Over the afternoon a few more willing volunteers arrived among them Terry Wilson and his family, Dee and Katie, and Mandy and Angie. Several hours of graft saw the site set up just in time for the heavens to open, so all work was called to a halt and we set to work demolishing a case or two of Rogerss beer! Day one of the rally dawned, a few more hours of set up and sorting out of goody bags for the masses, and by late morning the first arrivals were riding on to the site, being signed in by Roger and escorted to the camping area by Albie. A big thanks to Mandy and Angie for being on the gate for the whole day to greet people as they arrived! And huge praise to Sammy and Garry for the seemingly endless flow of very welcome cups of tea. The Friday evenings entertainment was provided by Stevie and his mandolin and Creatures disco which kept everyone boogying until the small hours. Saturday morning dawned bright and sunny after Ivor had a word with the big man upstairs and asked him to sort things out! More people were arriving all the time to join the party but the mornings peace and general tranquillity was shattered by the intermittent testing of the college fire alarms, which put several halts on the Branch committees meeting which was being held in the main hall and no doubt didnt please anyone with a bad head from the night before!! In the Afternoon two ride-outs left the site at one oclock after a photo session outside the colleges imposing facade, one to Newarke Air museum, led by Paul Langman and followed up by Sammy Starbuck, and one to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire led by Ivor and followed up by Mark Edwards. During the afternoon on the rally site, those not out on the runs were encouraged to join in the silly games and the pitch and putt golf on the colleges four hole golf course. Albie became known as the Pied Piper of Ratcliffe for his outstanding abilities at entertaining the younger element of our rally goers, getting them involved in all manner of activities including treasure trails and the judging of the bikes for the awards in the evening. The Saturday evening theme was St. Trinians and quite a few people got into the spirit of things with quite a few costumes appearing from bike panniers (some, it has to be said, much more disturbing than others!!!) We werent too sure how the pirate came to be part of the theme, but when approached he asked us if we had ever heard of Pirates of the Caribbean do St. Trinians? Evidently coming to a cinema near you soon!! The evenings Hog Roast was devoured in double quick time, washed down by beer from the bar which was supplied by Alan and Richard and assisted by their excellent staff with all drinks at very reasonable prices. Anyone who was still hungry after the hog roast could fill up at Nickys Snack bar, who along with her girls kept everyone fed with fantastic food all weekend and for amazing value for money!! The party rolled on with an award ceremony with Albie acting as master of ceremonies with prizes for the silly games, distance awards, bike awards, fancy dress prizes and the sweepstake to guess the number of attendees to the rally, which was won by Chris Smith, The Head teachers choice went to a delightful little Meriden Triumph Twin, best custom to a brilliantly painted Rocket 3, first prize for the fancy dress went to Rick Laing, Dee and Katie won the long distance female award, Dee also won the Best bike, Grottiest bike went to Smiler, and unfortunately a beer and Morgans rum-induced amnesia means Ive forgotten to whom the rest of the Awards went! The Hoosemairtes, a local three piece band, gave a brilliant performance over the evening with their own brand of Irish folk rock, keeping the tempo going almost all evening, the beer flowed, the banter rattled back and forth and a good time was had by all!! Sunday Morning awoke damp and drizzly but as we had to clear the site by Midday to hand back to the college, everyone was up helping to clear the tentage, rubbish, mine tape and general clobber that goes to make up the rally site. By lunch time every one had left for home with just the set up crew remaining to finish things off and hand over the site, Shaun, the colleges caretaker was hugely impressed with how things had been left and said that wed left less of an impression than some of the caravan clubs that use the site and that by the time the grounds were mown wed never know that anyone had been there!! In all there were about 300 people attending the rally by the time guests and children were accounted for, making for an excellent atmosphere, which could be enjoyed by families and party animals alike, and if you missed it, you missed out!! I think I can speak for the whole of the Rally Committee when I say that it was a great privilege and enormous fun to help organise this years event. Roll on Rally 2009!!!!

Chairmans End Dit

End of June already and we are heading full speed for our 1200th member. There has been a tremendous amount of activity from all quarters of the UK with many new faces getting out and doing their bit. Fantastic PR with The Hairy Bikers, Hayley Westenra and of course The Weston Bike Nights not to mention our 2nd National Rally which was a HUGE success and a fitting reminder of how much effort members make to ensure that everything is a success. Much has been said about the closure of many bike shows over the summer and as everyone on a personal level agrees it is a great shame, not only for the punter with nowhere to go but also to the little trader who has just watched his bonus disappear in the wind. Whilst it affects us individually, as a Branch there is much more that we can do by promoting the Legion across the country at smaller rallies, obscure events and RBL sponsored shows of which I am happy to say many members are already doing. The efforts of the Regions and individual Counties, is becoming very important in the way we project ourselves and winning us new friends wherever we appear. We are even being asked to join County Committees! The issue of large badges on the backs of riding apparel, has visited us and a set of guidelines have been produced. Some of you are not happy, many agree but at the end of the day our aims as always are to have fun and raise money for the Poppy Appeal. If we can do that without irritating anybody over trivial matters such as these, then we can all agree that is a good choice. On a more personal note it is good to see fellow Riders who staunchly deride all things Harleys succumbing to the lure of a proper motorcycle and becoming the bad bros we all love to laugh at and hey, next time you see me on the side of the road Im having a rest! Ride Safe, Rubber Side Down
Wales & Ireland Regional Rep (and all round good egg)!

Chairman The Riders

They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them

When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say For Their Tomorrow We Gave Our Today

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The Royal British Legion Riders Branch - BR 3542 - Est 2004
The Legion Rider is Designed and produced by Pete Bradley - Photos and articles with permission of Riders Branch members Additional Design and Printing by MSW, HQ Armour Centre, Allenby Barracks, Bovington, Dorset, BH20 6JA RBLR 2008