Ulster Section Journal News - February 23'
Hello everyone hope you are keeping well, welcome to February’s section news, and as always, I would like to extend a special welcome to any new members, and hope you enjoy the many ride outs and weekends away throughout the coming year.
The month started with a run from Corrs Corner Hotel up to County Tyrone, eight members headed off led by Jack Hunter ending at the Omagh Folk Park where unfortunately a limited menu of tea/coffee and crisps were the only refreshments available.
Tuesday the 7th of February saw the first monthly meeting of 2023 take place at Corrs Corner Hotel and it was great to see around fifty members in attendance. It was our pleasure to have as our first
guest speaker of the year, Leanne Dawson from the Children’s Hospice in Northern Ireland which is the club’s nominated charity for 2023.
Leanne started her presentation with a very moving video, narrated by the singer, Sam Smith, telling the story of a local family with two young children, a boy and girl, whose young son was diagnosed with Leukodystrophy. This is a disease that affects the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system. She explained how the Hospice were able to help the family in so many ways to cope with the heartache caring for someone so young to deal with this dreadful disease. Towards the end of the video it was revealed that their daughter was diagnosed with the same disease, a family’s worst nightmare I am sure you would agree.
There will be lots of opportunities throughout the year to donate to the charity with special runs, barbeques, prize ballots and of course the photographic rally, details of which are on the website. If you cannot attend any of these and you wish to contribute, please contact any of the committee members who will gladly accept your donations, thank you in advance.
Eleven members of the club turned up at Corrs Corner on Sunday the 12th of February and were led by Michael Chapman on a run to Kilbroney Country Park. On the way home they managed to stop at one of the photographic points nearby courtesy of Jack Hunter, only eight more to get.
The following Sunday seventeen members gathered at Corrs Corner for a trip around Mid Ulster, the weather forecast was for dry but cloudy and for once it was correct, Spring must be on the way. On the way the group stopped off at Garvagh Forest, where Northern Ireland’s only Egyptian style Pyramid is located. Built in the 1800s, it is said that Lord Garvagh took inspiration for his pyramid after he embarked on a grand tour of Egypt, and he had intended The Vault to be his final resting place. Unfortunately, he died in France in 1840 and was never buried in the mausoleum. After visiting the pyramid, the group made their way to Nico’s café in Ballymoney for lunch before heading homewards.
The last Sunday run in February saw 14 members gather at Corrs Corner on a bright sunny morning and it was great to see Tom and Mick who made the long trip up from the South to join us. The group set off with Jack Hunter at the front and myself at the rear through Toome, Bellaghy, Coleraine, to our lunch stop, The Lakes Café at Moorbrook, Castlerock. After lunch the group set off for home stopping at Beardiville Arch just outside Portrush, which is one of the Photo Rally points for this year to facilitate members wishing to enter the competition. If you wish to look at all the photo points check out the club website where you will find details of how to enter and entry form.
Just a reminder that there are several items for sale on the website, you can find these by clicking on the “Buy Sell Wants” tab on the homepage.
Take care and ride safe.
Brian Simpson
Social Secretary mailto:ulster.social@bmwclubuk.net
Regular Meets
1st Tuesday except January, July & December, 20.00: Corr’s Corner Hotel, Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim.
Sundays, 11.00: runs from Corr’s Corner throughout the year.
Wednesdays between September and May, 11.00: runs from Corr’s Corner
Tuesdays between May and August, 11.00: runs from Corr’s Corner
Wednesday evenings May to end August, 19.00: run from Corr’s Corner
All runs are weather dependent.
The month started with a run from Corrs Corner Hotel up to County Tyrone, eight members headed off led by Jack Hunter ending at the Omagh Folk Park where unfortunately a limited menu of tea/coffee and crisps were the only refreshments available.
Tuesday the 7th of February saw the first monthly meeting of 2023 take place at Corrs Corner Hotel and it was great to see around fifty members in attendance. It was our pleasure to have as our first
guest speaker of the year, Leanne Dawson from the Children’s Hospice in Northern Ireland which is the club’s nominated charity for 2023.
Leanne started her presentation with a very moving video, narrated by the singer, Sam Smith, telling the story of a local family with two young children, a boy and girl, whose young son was diagnosed with Leukodystrophy. This is a disease that affects the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system. She explained how the Hospice were able to help the family in so many ways to cope with the heartache caring for someone so young to deal with this dreadful disease. Towards the end of the video it was revealed that their daughter was diagnosed with the same disease, a family’s worst nightmare I am sure you would agree.
There will be lots of opportunities throughout the year to donate to the charity with special runs, barbeques, prize ballots and of course the photographic rally, details of which are on the website. If you cannot attend any of these and you wish to contribute, please contact any of the committee members who will gladly accept your donations, thank you in advance.
Eleven members of the club turned up at Corrs Corner on Sunday the 12th of February and were led by Michael Chapman on a run to Kilbroney Country Park. On the way home they managed to stop at one of the photographic points nearby courtesy of Jack Hunter, only eight more to get.
The following Sunday seventeen members gathered at Corrs Corner for a trip around Mid Ulster, the weather forecast was for dry but cloudy and for once it was correct, Spring must be on the way. On the way the group stopped off at Garvagh Forest, where Northern Ireland’s only Egyptian style Pyramid is located. Built in the 1800s, it is said that Lord Garvagh took inspiration for his pyramid after he embarked on a grand tour of Egypt, and he had intended The Vault to be his final resting place. Unfortunately, he died in France in 1840 and was never buried in the mausoleum. After visiting the pyramid, the group made their way to Nico’s café in Ballymoney for lunch before heading homewards.
The last Sunday run in February saw 14 members gather at Corrs Corner on a bright sunny morning and it was great to see Tom and Mick who made the long trip up from the South to join us. The group set off with Jack Hunter at the front and myself at the rear through Toome, Bellaghy, Coleraine, to our lunch stop, The Lakes Café at Moorbrook, Castlerock. After lunch the group set off for home stopping at Beardiville Arch just outside Portrush, which is one of the Photo Rally points for this year to facilitate members wishing to enter the competition. If you wish to look at all the photo points check out the club website where you will find details of how to enter and entry form.
Just a reminder that there are several items for sale on the website, you can find these by clicking on the “Buy Sell Wants” tab on the homepage.
Take care and ride safe.
Brian Simpson
Social Secretary mailto:ulster.social@bmwclubuk.net
Regular Meets
1st Tuesday except January, July & December, 20.00: Corr’s Corner Hotel, Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim.
Sundays, 11.00: runs from Corr’s Corner throughout the year.
Wednesdays between September and May, 11.00: runs from Corr’s Corner
Tuesdays between May and August, 11.00: runs from Corr’s Corner
Wednesday evenings May to end August, 19.00: run from Corr’s Corner
All runs are weather dependent.
Ulster Section Journal News - January 23'
Hello all, welcome to January’s section news, I hope you are keeping well and as ever a special welcome to any new members, hope you enjoy all the club has to offer.
Our first outing of the year took place on New Year’s Day 2023. Fifteen members plus one guest, Adam, who joined the club later that day, met up at the Albert Clock in Belfast on a cold (5 degrees) but dryish morning. Led by our Chairman Roy and myself bringing up the rear we headed off leaving Belfast at 10.30 through Doagh, Cairncastle and on to Ballygally car park where we met up with a few other members. While having a break before setting off we mingled with several hardy souls who had taken part in the annual New Year’s Day dip in the Irish Sea, I must take my hat off to them. Soon it was time to head off passing through Cushendun, Ballycastle and Bushmills finishing at Creative Garden Centre where we were met by a further seven members for a well-deserved lunch. While we were having lunch the rain started meaning a slightly dampish run home, but it is the winter, so we got off lightly, most importantly it did not spoil the day as everyone that took part seemed to enjoy the day.
Sunday the 8th of January saw six members turn up to Corrs Corner for our usual Sunday Run. Today Jack Hunter led the members with Jonathan Montgomery at the rear, to the Lakes at Moorbrook Lodge, where warm refreshments were the order of the day although chilly the weather was mostly dry.
With the weather forecast predicting a dryish day with some showers six hardy members turned out on Sunday the 15th for a run out to Roe Valley Park Limavady led by Jack Hunter with Roy Eland bringing up the rear. After the lunch stop, they headed home managing to miss most of the rain.
A special shout out goes to Robert Taggart who set off to join up with the Scottish Section at their weekend in the Rob Roy Hotel. Robert battled through some challenging weather but had a great time and made it home safe and sound, a true biker.
Our new Assistant Webmaster, Tony Molloy has been working on some changes to the website so hopefully you will have a better experience navigating the site, thanks Tony for your input.
On a damp Sunday morning the 22nd of January, Jack, Michael, Adam, and Robert turned up and headed towards Cushendun only to find that the local coffee stop was closed. Following a short discussion, it was decided to travel to Biddy’s café in Ballyvoy. They then travelled to Cushendall via Orra hill with their progress being somewhat hampered by low cloud and snow at the highest point then home via the coast road.
As I draft this article it would be remiss of me not to mention one of our most active members, Jonathan Montgomery. Jonathan has just set out on an epic journey on his Honda CRF Rally, taking in the Elefantentreffen Rally in Germany, a short hop from there to Norway then a meander down to Wales for the Dragon Rally. With temperatures as low as minus six degrees in Germany and possibly lower in Norway and with snow and ice making the journey somewhat interesting, we certainly wish him well and hope he has a safe trip.
With 9 members turning up on Sunday the 29th ride out we decided to make Bushmills Garden centre the location for our tea stop. But first a big welcome to David a new member on his first ride out with the Club also great to see Robin. With Jack taking the lead we set of by a convoluted route via Star Bog, Glenariff, Newtowncrommelin and Armoy to our tea stop. No rain on the outward journey. As we were leaving Bushmills we were met with light rain but this wasn’t a problem, it was the stiff breeze with strong gusts on open stretches of road. 142 miles Corrs to Corr’s with some members from Co Down covering 180 miles.
Can I just say a huge thanks to Jack Hunter for contributing to this article with reports from some of the ride outs which I was unable to attend.
Don’t forget to look out for the points for this year’s Photo Rally and if you can make it the “Summertime Run” on Sunday the 26th of March, details of both can be found on the Clubs website.
Until next time ride safe.
Brian Simpson Social Secretary
Our first outing of the year took place on New Year’s Day 2023. Fifteen members plus one guest, Adam, who joined the club later that day, met up at the Albert Clock in Belfast on a cold (5 degrees) but dryish morning. Led by our Chairman Roy and myself bringing up the rear we headed off leaving Belfast at 10.30 through Doagh, Cairncastle and on to Ballygally car park where we met up with a few other members. While having a break before setting off we mingled with several hardy souls who had taken part in the annual New Year’s Day dip in the Irish Sea, I must take my hat off to them. Soon it was time to head off passing through Cushendun, Ballycastle and Bushmills finishing at Creative Garden Centre where we were met by a further seven members for a well-deserved lunch. While we were having lunch the rain started meaning a slightly dampish run home, but it is the winter, so we got off lightly, most importantly it did not spoil the day as everyone that took part seemed to enjoy the day.
Sunday the 8th of January saw six members turn up to Corrs Corner for our usual Sunday Run. Today Jack Hunter led the members with Jonathan Montgomery at the rear, to the Lakes at Moorbrook Lodge, where warm refreshments were the order of the day although chilly the weather was mostly dry.
With the weather forecast predicting a dryish day with some showers six hardy members turned out on Sunday the 15th for a run out to Roe Valley Park Limavady led by Jack Hunter with Roy Eland bringing up the rear. After the lunch stop, they headed home managing to miss most of the rain.
A special shout out goes to Robert Taggart who set off to join up with the Scottish Section at their weekend in the Rob Roy Hotel. Robert battled through some challenging weather but had a great time and made it home safe and sound, a true biker.
Our new Assistant Webmaster, Tony Molloy has been working on some changes to the website so hopefully you will have a better experience navigating the site, thanks Tony for your input.
On a damp Sunday morning the 22nd of January, Jack, Michael, Adam, and Robert turned up and headed towards Cushendun only to find that the local coffee stop was closed. Following a short discussion, it was decided to travel to Biddy’s café in Ballyvoy. They then travelled to Cushendall via Orra hill with their progress being somewhat hampered by low cloud and snow at the highest point then home via the coast road.
As I draft this article it would be remiss of me not to mention one of our most active members, Jonathan Montgomery. Jonathan has just set out on an epic journey on his Honda CRF Rally, taking in the Elefantentreffen Rally in Germany, a short hop from there to Norway then a meander down to Wales for the Dragon Rally. With temperatures as low as minus six degrees in Germany and possibly lower in Norway and with snow and ice making the journey somewhat interesting, we certainly wish him well and hope he has a safe trip.
With 9 members turning up on Sunday the 29th ride out we decided to make Bushmills Garden centre the location for our tea stop. But first a big welcome to David a new member on his first ride out with the Club also great to see Robin. With Jack taking the lead we set of by a convoluted route via Star Bog, Glenariff, Newtowncrommelin and Armoy to our tea stop. No rain on the outward journey. As we were leaving Bushmills we were met with light rain but this wasn’t a problem, it was the stiff breeze with strong gusts on open stretches of road. 142 miles Corrs to Corr’s with some members from Co Down covering 180 miles.
Can I just say a huge thanks to Jack Hunter for contributing to this article with reports from some of the ride outs which I was unable to attend.
Don’t forget to look out for the points for this year’s Photo Rally and if you can make it the “Summertime Run” on Sunday the 26th of March, details of both can be found on the Clubs website.
Until next time ride safe.
Brian Simpson Social Secretary