Page 34 - Riding On Autumn 2022
P. 34

Bill Vann Ride








        As reported in the Summer Riding On, the last of the Ulysses
        Club Founders has Ridden On. Bill Vann was the Patron of the
        Manning Valley Branch (NSW) and he and wife Rita were/are
        well loved by all Branch members. The Manning Valley Branch
        were devastated by the loss of their beloved “Old Bill” and on
        short notice put together a memorial ride for everyone to give
        honour and grieve their friend and Patron.
                                                              $IWHU WKH SLW VWRS DW :DUGV 5LYHU  WKH SURFHVVLRQ PRYHG R໤ DQG
        On the 11th December 2021, around 70 members from around   UHWUDFHG LW¶V SDWK EDFN WKURXJK *ORXFHVWHU  .UDPEDFK DQG RQWR
        the Mid-Coast area, assembled at the Taree Service Centre (a   Nabiac for lunch.
        7KXUVGD\ JDWKHULQJ VSRW IRU 09 PHPEHUV  DQG VHW R໤ IRU RQH
        RI %LOO¶V IDYRXULWH ULGHV  7KURXJK 7LQRQHH  .UDPEDFK  *ORXFHVWHU   At the Nabiac Hotel during lunch I got to meet a fellow by the
        with a pit-stop at Wards River. Wards River was where my   name of Greg Housgo. I learned from Rita that Greg was the
        brother, Stephen, operated his cafe and Bill always liked to stop   person Stephen Dearnley mentions in his book “The Ulysses
        DQG HQMR\ D FR໤HH                                     Story” on page 13, “one of my idiot mates from the Moto Guzzi
                                                              Club wandered around wearing an ‘old man’ rubber mask and
        Bill’s wife Rita was the guest of honour and she was   making weird noises.”
        FKDX໤HXUHG E\ 5RVH 1DVK RQ D KXJH µ%RRP¶ 7ULNH  5LWD ZDV
        resplendent wearing Bill’s vest which appeared to have a   Even though Greg was a bit younger than Bill, they were
        hundred metal rally badges covering decades of his adventures.   good friends and attended most rallies together. Yet another
        5LWD PXVW EH D YHU\ ¿W    \HDU ROG DV WKDW YHVW ZDV YHU\ KHDY\   interesting biker within Bill’s life.

        Representatives from Gloucester, Forster, Mid North Coast   I’d like to thank Branch President, Mick Simpson and his
        joined with Manning Valley plus we welcomed NatCom    FRPPLWWHH IRU RUJDQLVLQJ D ¿WWLQJ WULEXWH WR D JRRG IULHQG DQG
                                                              great Ulyssian.
        Treasurer, John Osbourne, who also attended.
                                                              May Your Lid Never Skid in Heaven Bill, Ian Parks
                                                              #11735 #DM39



























        RIDING ON 34
   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39