President's Welcome...

Our branch is one of the Ulysses Club’s oldest and consequently we take very seriously the club’s mission: to provide ways in which older motorcyclists can get together for companionship and mutual support. In practical terms, this means we not only like to ride and have fun together but we also have an active social life as branch members and friends.

And of course we welcome new members and visitors. You have to be at least 50 years old to be a full member. If you’re in your 40s you can be a junior member but this carries an added responsibility: you might be called upon to help the older members on and off their bikes!

As well as our regular meetings on the third Tuesday of each month, we hit the road most Sundays and head off into the hinterland in search of the elusive perfect sweeping bend (one was reportedly spotted near Wheeo in 1989 but like most things at Wheeo this was an unconfirmed sighting and has never been repeated).

Most Club Rides are suitable for the average rider, though some longer ones demand a higher level of expertise, experience and endurance. Each month there is a Chomp & Chat ride, a relatively short and easy jaunt aimed squarely at getting to a favoured cafe for a leisurely lunch together.

For those with time on their hands during the week, the Usual Suspects – a group that shares many members with the Ulysses Club – has rides on Wednesdays. We also have the occasional overnight ride and many members make the annual trek to the Ulysses Club’s AGM (to be held in Mildura next year, Maryborough in 2013 and Alice Springs in 2014).

To see what rides are coming up, go to our Ride Calendar on the Ulysses Club’s national website. Most rides depart from a servo on one of the three main highways leading out of Canberra. Details are on the Ride Calendar but contact the ride leader if you have any questions. Of course, you don’t have to wait for an organised ride – you’ll always find another Ulysses member up for a ride!

We do the occasional fundraising event, often with our BBQ trailer, and the money raised is usually donated to the Snowy Hydro SouthCare rescue helicopter service.

We’d love to welcome you to our meetings or rides – so why not come along, meet your fellow Ulyssians and enjoy yourself! You can see from the menu at the side of this page that there is plenty happening. The Members Page is a good place to go as well – here you’ll find Ride Reports and photos and of course plenty more.

Ian Paterson

President 2011/12
Ulysses Club Canberra Branch