Report of V.M.M.A. Inc.

Visit to The Lord Brassey Lodge No. 180

Tuesday 2nd August 2005

Return to Reports 2005

Reported by Drew Webber

Four bikes left the Tooradin meeting point for the blast down to Leongatha Masonic Centre to present Wor. Bro Jim Sage with his VMMA name badge.  Not before Matt and Drew announced that they were not going anywhere until they had had coffee!

W. Bro. Jim Sage at 94 years young, newest member of the V.M.M.A. 

Standing around in the main street, coffee in hand was pleasant, and discussion ensued as to time and distance matters, and that the coffee had eaten up most of the “Padding” time budgeted for the ride, but if we got on the go promptly we would still make it in time.

 

“Yep, just gotta fuel up” Matt informed us.

 

Expletives followed, then questions as to what precisely had he been doing while waiting for the rest to arrive, talking to folk too slow to get away was the generally accepted opinion.

V.M.M.A. members with W. Bro. Jim Sage. 

After fuel, and while donning helmets the last thing to be heard by the Colonel and Drew was the advice from Matt: “Keep the pace up” and with that the party was off….at speed - Colonel leading, Drew in second, darkness and bugs third, Matt and Dennis somewhere behind that.

 

The four bikes arrived at exactly 7.30pm with their riders unhurriedly changing and meeting up with the local lodge members and VMMA members from as far a field as Stawell.

 

All in all there were 13 members of the VMMA made it to Leongatha for the presentation, 6 bikes in total (and obviously a car or two) and we were most happy to have our patron M. Wor. Bro. John Wilson to be there as well, flying the V.M.M.A. flag.

 

It was a great pleasure for all of the members to have the opportunity to see the Wor. Bro. Jim working very well in the lodge, performing a demonstration 3^rd degree.  All in attendance agreed that they would be happy to be getting around under our own steam, let alone being such a great and competent presence in the lodge, if fortunate enough to make it to 95 years of age.

 

Upon retiring to the south we were privileged to see a presentation of a 50 year jewel to a local member, and then to see Mal present his Grandfather, Jim Sage, with his VMMA name badge, thus making Jim the oldest member of our motorcycle association. Jim took the opportunity to inform the gathering that while he doesn’t ride any more, he used to have a BSA that he piloted about the place – back in 1929!

Mal presented his Grandfather W. Bro. Jim Sage with his V.M.M.A. name badge. 

After the formalities were ended, with Dennis winning a plant in the raffle, and then at odds as to how he was going to get it home on the bike, it was time to saddle up and head off.  Cashy and his Ducatti joining us for the low level flight back to Tooradin.

 

Beautiful night for a ride, cold but clear, no traffic, just the riders, the road ….. and suicidal wildlife.

 

Just outside Korumburra, a fox thought that it would be a great career decision to find out if it could get across the road at the same time as Brian was occupying that specific piece of tarmac.

 

While the fox made it, he only missed becoming a new and bloodied part of The Colonels machine by a matter of a bit over a foot, the event may have resulted in Brian sitting a little higher in the saddle as well, but that is only an observation!

 

Other than that, an uneventful trip.

 

Great night, great fellowship.