BlueLady has got me thinking...............

[squirrelciv]

Oooer ! Wots going on here then ?
Havent been on for a while as my comp has had a few Hiccups !

Anyways I agree with Steffan....so there !

And why dont a few people do as we have done at Llanthony Priory !
Find a tidy camp site with decent pub nearby and have a "Get Together".
I know we have done this in November,and Easter but being a little boisterous there are not too many people around to upset !
Of course not everyone can turn up all of the time.
I for one have had to miss out on a few things this year due to one reason and another.
On the whole it is a very good crowd,when we do get together we have a bloody good time no matter how many in attendance.

Jethro

I think that's the crux of my point. As a club we don't have to organise formal get togethers. They put too much responsibility and cost onto an unrewarded few especially with the H&S side of things.
What this small band of riders can do (and is very good at if you ask me) is arrange to meet up adhoc or at someone elses organised get together.
I may not get to many meet-ups, but at least I know there will be a friendly face when I get there. Take this years Dragon for example. No one knew I was going to go (including me!) but I can roll into the campsite and have a beer (or was it a large G&T ) stuffed into my hand before the tent's up!

Like I say Bill, if you want a get together, find a site, post a place and date here in plenty of time, and some of us will turn up. SteveD is a sure bet

[Andy M]

No one knew I was going to go (including me!) but I can roll into the campsite and have a beer (or was it a large G&T ) stuffed into my hand before the tent's up!

If you can remember which it was you were doing it wrong  Have to try again next year 

Andy

[Bill Rutter]

I now consider myself well and truly told. I s'pose it's time to put up or shut up 
I'm off to get my thinking cap on. ( or dunce's depending on your point of view  )

[Bill Rutter]

SteveH, I've just fired off an email to the VMCC asking for info (and dates) for next years Speed trials). Once they get back to me I can get something sorted at the Bat & Ball. A nice excuse to pop over there for a nights camping and session in the pub next weekend methinks.

[Steve H]

Bill, sounds good

[guest288]

I'd just like to say that although my bike's still in pieces so I havent been able to come along to any get togethers, as soon as its built I'd like to pop along- I'm an Essex boy and I'm not sure if anyone's near me but even so, I tend to prefer the lo-fi non organised things. And you all sound like such a nice bunch of loonies that I'd like to be able to say that I genuinely belong to the throng. 

[Mart]

"I genuinely belong to the throng." 


You will need to bring your own throng as we're choosy about what we wear

[squirrelciv]

"I genuinely belong to the throng." 


You will need to bring your own throng as we're choosy about what we wear

I'm not choosy! Mind you this armadillo skin one chaffs somewhat!

[Julian217]

I must be the most useless  'member' on here.  Most of the time I have nothing to say, but when I do its generally along the lines of  how do I fix  x ?   So just a taker. though I did once offer some advice on how to remove SRX carbs having messed them up so many times myself.  And I've never been to a rally.
However I do ride an SRX every day, I used to have a landrover, I have some solar panels and I darersay I could develop a stove festish if I ever went camping.
If there is a meet in Essex I might be seriously tempted.......
Here's an idea, sadly a cliche, Boxhill anybody?
Julian.

[002]

I once had access toa Box ona Hill !!!!!!!

Doesnt happen very often  :

Most Pleasureable it was too !!!!


I'll Get Me Coat

Jethro

[beeman]

I've been watching this thread for a while and have been thinking of what the club means to me. I must admit I am a taker rather than a giver. This however is not why I like the club.
I have struggled financially, and personally, to attend many of the meets over the last year, my job means I work most weekends and the family claims the remainder. In fact I have only had about 4-5 weekends off this year, including holidays.
The thumperclub is more than a meeting club. for me it is a motorcyle club where the members use their bikes either for racing, commuting, renovating or just for fun. The only connection is that they enjoy bikes. there is no real committees and politics there is no real budget. That is how I like the club. its aims are vague, read non existent and as for a mission statement ha ha!
Although I enjoyed stafford I felt uneasy that it was becoming a focus for the club rather than a bit of fun. this is not to belittle those who organised and set up the stands etc. and I was a little proud when we pi**ed on the other larger clubs to win the prizes. maybe we will do it again maybe we wont, does it matter will it alter my riding or membership of the club, not really.

My biggest problem is I dont have a landrover, I do have a small collection of stoves. so I may still be allowed to stay.
What I mean to say is that I have enjoyed the club, I still get lots from the club and hope to do so in the future.
Nothing stays the same, people move on, circumstances change. I have always change bikes from time to time depending on what I need them for and the money I have in my pocket. Like wise the club will do the same, I feel as graham and some of the founding members appear to move away from the centre of the club for understandable reasons so others must fill there place. It is not about takeovers but evolution. If the active members feel a more forum based club suits them so be it as long as the ethos remains I wont complain.
There is still room for meets and ride outs. Perhaps a section for informal outings and meets could be put into the main menu so these can be seenby other members.
In the past steveD have met and we have had a days riding or gone to bike meets, could this be a way for the club to go.
I don't know the answers but feel that the club has lots to give.

So ends the sermon on the mount.

keep on riding
beeman

[bullet350]

although i'm not a member, i've got to second beemans point; its a club without the bulls**t.

i was looking at one club based around brit bikes and cafe racers. it had more rules than switzerland and excluded anyone who didn't have a brit cafe racer.
is it me or is than a bit crap? if you don't have £5k to spend on a cafe racer thats too nice to use everyday then you're not good enough to meet with us! P**S OFF!

i'd rather meet with people who take bikes fit for the landfill and use them for continental jaunts (you know who you are).

i want to meet people who are a bit odd (land rovers are a good sign), people who just want to have a laugh and generally dick about.
by their nature people like these (us) don't plan anything, ever! its wednesday and i haven't even thought about what i'm doing this weekend, apart from not working.

anyone agree?

bullet350

[guest27]

Wednesday - it is the weekend, or it is if you are a business consultant..   Rule One: Never book a meeting on a Wednesday, it ruins two weekends.

R

[Bill Rutter]

The thing is (and I suppose I should quantify my original post as the purpose of it seems to have got lost in the mists) is that BlueLady tried to get membership of the club without much in the way of interest despite trying more than once, and was reluctant to turn up at a rally without being welcomed beforehand. As a club are we happy to let prospective members slip away? And, apart from this, Steve's forum, is there much else to woo people? I too like the relaxed feel of the club, but that was never my point. Surely more events would lead to more members (but again that brings us back to the issue of finding organisers) I just get the impression that the TC is a gnat's wotsit from shutting up shop.
                                                        I imagine that somewhere in all this I am subconciously mulling over the idea of joining a more established club with a varied events calender- there are a few pretty good ones in the South-East to choose from.
                                                      I shall, of course, still keep up with TC comings-and-goings by "lurking" on here, and will almost definately carry on attending the Annual Rally as a member for as long as possible.

[squirrelciv]

Well Bill you could have a very good point. As a club, we aren't the best at self advertising it's true. It must be said though that most of us here aren't that way inclined anyway.
I'm judging the mood from those that have replied and what I feel from the meetings we've had in the past, but most here are day to day riders and although they like a meet up with some beer involved, they're not that bothered about club membership.
What we've got is a great forum to chat, get help, have a laugh and arrange a meet up if we want. True, it's a little inward looking, but I've never heard of anyone being actively 'excluded'.

Heyho. So what's it feel like to be part of an exclusive little club then?