10 Year Bash

Hi Folks,

As you may or may not be aware 2011 is the forums 10th Anniversary. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] thread on forum history.

As such I was wondering if there was any mileage to be had in organising a 10th Anniversary meeting.

It doesn't have to be a ride out. I was thinking more on the lines of a social gathering for Sunday Lunch at a central location.
Where you could turn to on the bike if you wish, or with the car and your partner & children.
I think fragmenting it down to regional meetings would kind of defeat the object and dilute the affair. But it's open to discussions.

I am aware that we are very much a national forum and have members from all four corners of the UK and everywhere inbetween. This would mean some members having to travel a long way to a central meeting point and may very well be off putting.
So, although I've broached the idea as a lunch meeting, day out sort of thing, it could still be run as a weekender too if support is there. A mix and match sort of thing, those from afar over-nighting and those closer to hand day tripping.

We already have a fairly busy year with the "Something for the Weekend" ride outs and meets, but I feel this is something just a little different and perhaps special.
It also provides an opportunity for those a bit wary of coming on a large group ride out for perhaps the first time to meet up and test the water so to speak with other members ~ ~ Faces to names and all that.

August is initially looking free. However, if we do make this a social and not a ride out and use of cars comes into play weather may not be such a problem and dates / timings can be seasonaly adjusted.

Of course this idea may never leave the ground. So I've made a poll to gauge interest in the first place. Further options can be added to the poll at a later time if required should the idea take off.
I would appreciate if you not only vote in the poll, but also add your thoughts , views and ideas as a reply to this thread as well.

Thanks for taking the time to read, I look forward to your thoughts.

Regards
Tel

By the by,

"Central" is meant to suggest central mainland Britain (not England). In an attempt to make it fair for all to get to from all over the land. Of course, there will be members lucky enough to be close to the centre point geographicly by pure chance of where they live.

A quick Google revealed Whalley in Lancashire to be Britains centre point.

Just thought you'd like to know

I'm interested, having been here for something like 8 of those 10 years.

In terms of central, perhaps somewhere that is central based on forum members' locations makes sense?

Ah Ha !

When you say "on forum members locations" are you going on first past the post or AV ? . . . I'm sorry I'll ban myself for politics talk

Either way we'd finish up in central Scotland with the size of the Clan Cats

We have quite a few members from very far south . . . Kent, Devon etc . . . we also have a goodly few in Scotland . . . we are never gonna please everyone . . . some are gonna have to travel a mighty distance.
That's why I went for centre GB . . . . . John O'groats . . . Lands End . . . . Dover . . . . sorry don't know Nth West and all inbetween . . . . have to battle to the same spot.

I could be up for something, even though I have only been a member three years or so I have had my Thundercat for 11!

Glad you is up for it Radar . . . .

. . . But it matters not if anyone was yamaha-thundercat customer zero zero one in 1996 or got the cat five minutes ago really . . . we are ten years old as a forum . . . many fora have fallen by the wayside . . . some bigger forums (no names) have folded through lack of use . . . we have managed to survive thanks to the good people here.

Just thought a lunch might be a nice thing to do by way of celebration

Well so far . . . 11 positive votes Nil against, looks promising . . . . . .

What would be your "room" acceptable price per night accomm if you were to over-night or price per person per night ?

Still people, you have voted for, thank you for that , , , , , but there are many more that have look see and not voted or commented.

Whether you voted for . . . or just looked and thought , naahhh . . . .

I'd still value your opinion . . For or Against . . .

As I said in the first post "Please don't just vote" . . . . Give me some feedback please . . . ta

Is it worth an 'all points bulletin' to registered members, either via PM or an e-mail shot?

It's a thought the en-mass email (not sure PM can be done that way ) news letter is also an option I suppose , but I'm not very good at the latter and I wouldn't wish to be an email pest with the former . . . if that makes sense

Could well be interested, it will all depend on date ETC


Davie, pretty well up north

I think it's a great idea. Have bike, will travel...

Watching with a fair amount of interest, Depends on dates, commitments etc etc

I kinda wanted to see if the idea would float before getting to deep into dates. With 16 positive and no negative votes so far (at time of posting this) it's looking quite good for a go.
As I mentioned in the first post though, 2011 is already quite busy with the "Something for the Weekend" ride aways, however August looks reasonabley clear being inbetween Big Mac and ToL as it stands.

Having looked at the calendar two weekends stand out in August ~ 20th & 21st or the following bank holiday weekend of 27th 28th & 29th. (school holidays are around this sort of time too aren't they ?)

What do you all think to them dates ? . . . Keeping in mind that the latter of those two sets of dates is the weekend DIRECTLY before the ToL ride away.

Again these dates are only first mooted suggestions and not in anyway set in stone. I'm well open to suggestions both on dates AND venue.
There is also October & November before we start to head into the silly season which is Christmas time.

I'd love to hear discussions from the shop floor. After all the forum belongs to you guys and gals. Where and When are we most likely to achieve maximum possible convienience for the good and benefit of our community members ?

Regards
Tel

Scottishs teachers go back (to the best of my knowledge) on Monday 15th with the kids going back on Wed 17th.

I'm up for making it a family affair but it would need to be the first weekend (possibly 2nd) to allow that for us.

Any suitable venues with facilities in-house or nearby to keep kids happy?

If that can't be done I'd probably still try and come along.

Cheers
Rosco

The trouble with August is that's holiday season. I'm possibly away for 2 weeks in mid/late August and couldn't then go straight out for this.

If it's not a bike ride-out then how about later in the year - October? Close the season, come in the car/train if you want or the braver bikers come on the bikes?

I know it's tough to get a consensus, so I'll watch and see how it develops.

Simon's on scottish hols so I'm off early August for two weeks.

Not got anything planned for late August yet so I'm a possible. Good idea though, if only we could book the weather.

How about Leeds? Central and on the main north and south routes? Plus pleanty of hotels.

just outside leeds there is a great biker cafe (the milkbar at sherburn) would be ideal place to meet

could be a bad time for me college shut down major maintenance will check on date on Monday as we have to cover all college close
how about staying in a travelodge near a pub or event
events paint balling / go karting / off roading / green laning / ride out
places i can only say of things in the midlands for family's
Alton towers white post farm chatsworth house Gulliver's kingdom camping in matlock B&B
places to eat spring water cantonese all you can eat for £16.50
winner city cantonese
pete

Hi all, Given this a little thought having voted for and then failed to comment. The surf and turf venue as many will know will be Richmond in North Yorks. This is pretty much a central location being approx 200 miles from london & Glasgow and about 50 miles ATCFs from the geographical centre of Whalley. Mevsyd ladyfriend owns a pub in the town, and for the S&T has offered us b&b accom. @ £30.00 per night, I'm sure if we spoke nicely to her she would do it for the same price. The pub is in a central location, has its own carpark and stables (for bike parking) and the town itself has many other pubs restruants, b&bs etc. I realise that I might be accused of bias seeing as I only live about 15 miles away, but as somebody said in a previous post, wherever its at some members will have to travel long distances and others short. Tes

Oldcat - I think that this is going to be one where you just have to bite the bullet and pick a date as any date is not going to suit everyone - holidays, work etc etc.
Terry's suggestion also seems to make good sense - well to me at any rate!

Thank you all for your input so far

Tez, yup I also thought of the S'n'T venue but didn't want to be cheeky and push me luck. Twas me that mentioned that no matter where it is staged someone is gonna be lucky and be close by , that's just the way the penny drops. It can be an advantage too as we'd have a close contact to hand in the area.
My knowledge of the area up that way isn't so great, so didn't realise it was that close by to the centre point.

To all that have mentioned the date could be problematic, as I mentioned before it can be moved to anywhere between now and the end of the year really. We just need to pick a date best suited to the majority that doesn't clash with any of the other events. Open to suggestions.
As billyw points out doing things by committee can drag on so it may well be a bite the bullet and just nominate a date and go for it.

Cards (pete), some good suggestions there also, however was thinking more on the lines of a gathering of the clans than an adventurous group day out sort of thing. That said though if members would like to do a theme park or any of the other activities you mentioned , then why not indeed

I suppose the background idea of this is to get not just the regulars to come along but also give the newer and more recent members and licence holders the opportunity to come along and not feel worried or pressured about a group ride out. Rather an ice breaker event to meet and greet and put faces to names and characters.
It also may give some of our partners the chance to meet the group and see just what our attraction is to the ride away events and make earning brownie points and leave passes for them that bit easier to get in the future

Keep the ideas rolling in and perhaps lets hear form some of the newer members and their thoughts on this.

Cheers
Tel

Me and Robcat would definitely be up for meeting up and distance wouldn't be a problem. It would be nice to have the chance to meet up with the group again and I would even ride up on my Ninja depending on the weather. Rob thought he had replied to this thread yesterday but it does not seem to have saved.

Linz and Rob

Sounds like a great Idea .

Good idea Tel. Don't think I would make it tho.
In fact due to possible work changes I may miss most of the rest of this years rideouts.
Could be shipping out to Singapore in the next 6 weeks so BM and TOL will be out for me as well. Might make BC before I go.
Find out end of this week.

Sorry to hear that Davie Boy we'll miss you. But whilst out in Singapore you'll be saving lots of pennies for next years annual "european road race" Yahoooooo