Page 7 - Bushwacker Nov 21.pub

bit of auld lang syne followed and it was VERY evident there were a lot of Melbournians glad to be out of lockdown
together!
We joined everyone for Saturday brekkie at the park’s
camp kitchen and then walked to the bakery with those
there for the Vic. Breakfast Club (VBC) brekkie. We
went for the coffee. A ride did go for those on bikes to
finish at the Country Club Hotel for lunch in Yea. Henry
Rokx (Ulysses Club Pres.) and his wife, Marjorie, invited
Sue and I to drive to lunch with them, which we
accepted. We have been to that pub before and
ordered small meals that were s ll big. ALer returning,
Sue and I returned to our unit to rest up, although we
had a visit from the motel’s chooks to our back window!
Dinner was back at the camp kitchen. Because of covid
restric ons, the caterer delivered dinner to the kitchen
where the commi1ee dished it up to the 72 there, with some leLovers going to other campers. One of their
members and his partner provided dance music later in the evening, and the entertainment closed around 10pm
aLer some were dancing on the tables and their branch Pres joined them in singing a version of, “Am I ever going to
see your face again.” Sue and I spent a fair bit of me aLer dinner in the new caravan of a couple of former riding
mates.

The rally was over Sunday. We had breakfast in our
unit and checked out, with a quick diversion to Lake
Mountain where there were snow slurries, and drove
home.

So, was it a be er rally than what we call a rally? I
think that’s the wrong ques on. It was different.

The big difference from what one expects from a rally
was holding it at a caravan park. I didn’t see any
Ulyssians in tents (others were tent camping in the
park) as most were in the park’s cabins or brought their
own caravan.

Although not for everybody, us Ulyssians are ge>ng older—just look in the mirror or pics from 10 or so years ago!
More and more like our creature comforts and regre1ably in too many cases, NEED more comfortable digs than a
hiking tent. Quite a few have commented on this at our own GDR (it was only a couple of years ago since our last
one). So going for cabins instead of a tent isn’t that big a distance. An added bonus is Yarra Ranges branch didn’t
have to get approval from some local council ‘grinch’ either. The caravan park was taking bookings. The rally went
ahead. They had to work in with the Park rules, but they weren’t too onerous as they mostly addressed noise
abatement for the sake of the park’s other customers.
Another difference even from when we were involved, is there was no charge for the rally, and no rally pins, patches,
or other memorabilia. There were no door prizes or raffles. You paid your own accommoda on and meals and the
formal programme centred around dinner on Friday and Saturday nights, breakfast on Saturday (with most likely
some money made), the ride on Saturday (some bikes braved it), and Saturday night’s entertainment. A1endees set
their own agenda outside of that, including whether to join the VBC on Saturday morning.
Its really a ma1er of opinion as to whether it was be1er or not. Rallies have changed as it is. When our branch
started GDRs at Ravenswood, there were a lot of things done then that public indemnity won’t allow today. What’s
important is the rally is a backdrop for riding mates to get together.
- Bruce Jones

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