These Are Wombats (2nd edition)

The first ever WOMbat Corea meeting has taken place. It was not a resounding success, but it was pretty frikin' cool. We took a two day ride. Gimhae-Miryang-Changnyeong-Haman-Tongyeong-Mireukdo on saturday. rad rad rad rad rad. magnificent. top of the pops.
 
Let's start with the minutes of the first ever WOMbat Corea meeting. There are only two official positions in the WOMbat heirachy. Minister For Propoganda is the ever fabulous Sean Costello, look out for his newsletter. The second position is a rotating 'Ridemeister'. This position entails being 100% in charge of the organization of the next months ride, and ride from the front. I am unilaterally designating a third position in the heirachy of WOMbat and that is of 'Ridemeister's Bitch'. Ridemeister's bitch will have to be aware of all of the planning, route, destination, stop times and places, take responsibility equal to that of the Ridemeister but ride from the back and take none of the glory.
 
Having unilaterally created this position, I am also unilaterally designating myself for the position of Ridemeister's Bitch for the september meet in Jirisan National Park, at which Sean Costello has been designated Ridemeister.
Lisa has been designated Ridemeister for the October ride to Mungyeong.
  

These Creatures Are Wombats

WOMbats are to meet on the 2nd weekend of every month. This is up for discussion, and this discussion takes place at the previous month's meet. It was raised that special events, like festivals and suchlike might be up for attention on a different weekend than the 2nd, and also that they may fall on the second weekend and we may want to avoid them like the plague.

Lisa suggested having T-shirts made, it was agreed upon in principal. A logo has not been agreed upon, I have strongly suggested the one from our fridge and dad's permanent marker, but not having had a sample copy with me no decision was made. I will attempt to attatch a sample to this blog.

It was also discussed that if we were to accrue many new members that a back-up car could be organised on a rotating schedule. Said back-up car would carry our luggage and tools and be there in case of any emergency. I did raise the point this morning, and I think it is a vaild one, that bacon and eggs for breakfast were in such rabid demand today that it almost qualified as an emergency in its own right and should be dealt with by the 'Car Person In Chief'. The role of 'Car Person In Chief' could, in the future, be combined with the role of Ridemeister's Bitch (There's some food for thought).

Many beers and bottles of soju and gashiogapiju were consumed during the meeting over the course of a few hours, 2 dakbaeksuk and fresh mussles. According to my meticulous note taking there were three further points raised. 1) Dues will be postponed until next spring (April). At that time we will see how many members we have and try to attain a consensus on how much, when and what they will be used for. 2) May hurts videfaks kaesoct minister sleot ridemeister morth. And 3) a unilateral announcement that somebody named 'Building' was drunk and was unhappy that he had not yet that day had sex.

I am quite certain that the last two issues were discussed in the latter stages of the evening and as soon as i figure out what in hell they mean I intend to have them raised, discussed and dealt with at the september meet.

Today's ride was a rite-off. It was pure bullshit from go to whoa. It was so stinking hot and there was so much traffic on the road and everything just went to shit from wake up to put down. the less said about it the better. That said important lessons were learned, they will be further discussed. An A.A.R. (After Action Review) took place at which they were noted by the Minister For Propaganda. A repeat of today's shamozle doesn't look likely at any time in the near future. 95% for yesterday's ride, 75% for accommodation and food, -14% for today's ride . Everything duly weighted and arranged I give the inaugural WOMbat Tour a 6.5 out of 10. But I am a notoriously fussy prick when it comes to organisation, and as August's Ridemeister on my own shoulders it rests.

Big cheers to everyone who showed, double big cheers to Rick and Stacey who were last minute inclusions. I believe I speak for everyone when I say that we were all thrilled to have you guys, your experience, organisation, input and earthiness. Round peg in a round hole.

Last of all, my dream would have been entirely fulfilled had the old man been here. Get your arse and your big green BMW on a boat, this is your baby too.

Bonzo

Wombat Photies II

 
 
 
  

Wombat Photoies

 
 
 
  

Wombat Corea In Earnest

It’s been a while since the last blog now and 4 reasonable rides on 4 consecutive weekends have taken place. Busted-arse tour (already blogged about), Gadeok-do, Goje-do and a super 3-day extravaganza through Suncheon, Jirisan Mountain Range and Gayasan National Park. To boot, “Wombat Corea” as a living and breathing motorcycle riding club is about to come into operation. Plans have been discussed, format arranged and dates set. We are now looking for interested members of the Weiguk and Corean community who would like to take part.

At its core the club and its members will be a gathering of Weiguk (and English-speaking Corean) motorcycling enthusiasts who want to get together and ride regularly, but I would like it to be more than that. I envision a club where, in the shorter term, we can:
Meet new people with similar interests.
Share tips on good rides and places to avoid.
Help each other out mechanically.
Share information on good, reliable local mechanics and ones to avoid.
Longer term Weiguks can provide help and information about living in Corea in general to newer residents who may have problems and queries about their new adoptive land.
Simply have a good vibe and camaraderie between members.

In the longer term I would like to:
Hold events in the community at large, i.e. show and shine, publicized charity runs and such like.
Get involved in a ‘Geumgangsan Ride’ like the one that was held in North Korea a few years ago.
Be financially supportive of active members who incur large bike and riding related expenses, i.e. theft, accident, mechanical.

Here is the guts.

Regular club activities will include an overnight ride and a meeting:
-One weekend a month, usually on the evening of the second Saturday, a regular Wombat Corea meeting will be held (meeting = dinner and a piss up. Meetings will also include a vote on next month’s destination and any other pressing issues).
-The chosen town or city of the meeting will be the destination of that month’s regular ride.
-This meeting will be held in a different town or city every month.
-The meeting destination will be chosen by a simple majority vote and usually be within an easy day’s ride of active members hometowns.
-Meetings will be held 12 months a year, (Exceptions will be made for snow, extremely heavy rain and typhoons, expect for much shorter rides Dec through Feb).
-Membership will come in two forms, Active and Passive.
Active members only will have voting rights on any issues decided by the club.
Active members will be asked to commit \20 000 a month to the treasury. The money raised will be used for any purpose (for the benefit of active members only) decided on by a 70% majority of all active members. These purposes may include:
Financial buffering of larger trips. For example, paying the ferry cost for active members and their bikes should we decide on a Jeju Island tour, paying for the return transport of active members bikes should they irreparably break down on a scheduled event and suchlike.
Paying for alternative activities on the days of scheduled tours cancelled due to inclement weather. For example go-cart racing, clay pigeon shooting, bowling, tucking out at the Outback Steakhouse or suchlike.
Financial support of any members who incur large and unexpected bike related expenses on or off tour like accidents or theft. This would not be to wholly cover member’s costs, but simply to cushion the impact, which can be quite devastating especially given the lack of accessibility to motorcycle related insurance here in Corea.
Any other expenses of active members deemed worthy by a 70% majority vote of the active members.

Passive members will be asked to contribute \20 000 each time they join a tour and meeting organized by Wombat Corea.
Passive members will be kept abreast of all tours and events organized by Wombat Corea and invited to participate in all inclement-weather events.
Passive members will have their accommodation organised and be eligible for transportation fees should their bikes breakdown on an organised tour.

Membership will be by invitation, decided on by a 70% majority vote of all active members.

I would prefer to see as many people as possible become active members of the club, but obviously for people who work most Saturdays or Sundays or people who have other commitments on weekends it would not be worth an active membership. But with a view to encouraging as many people as possible to become involved, passive memberships will be made available.

Finally, the notes written here are ideas in embryo only and club charter and so on will be discussed and decided upon at our first meeting which will be held on the 12th of August at a destination yet to be decided. My suggestion would be Tongyeong. Good riding round trip, Goje Island tour one way, number 77 (40kms of beach road) the other.

Let me know. 010 9856 4452 or wombatcorea@gmail.com

Gadeok-do was given a thrashing the week after busted-arse touring took place. Gadeok-do is a tiny little island between Jinhae and Goje-do. It was good and the weather held out for us, but the island was a lot smaller than we imagined it would be. We rode 4 full hours and never got out of third gear. It would have been a lot more fun on a scooter. It was tight and twisty, uphill and downhill and there was no traffic at all. We enjoyed the ride and it was relaxing by all means. That said; it isn’t super fun to negotiate a 750cc Honda magna for 4 hours at under 40kmph. Parky learnt the importance of motorcycling in long pants when she rested her bare legs up against one of the 4 glowing hot pipes of the magna. Luckily we were within 40 metres of a place that sold live crabs and we got some serious ice on it straight up and it is looking pretty good now.

The next weekend was a magnificent ride to Gujora Beach on Goje Island topped off with pinya coladas at sunset and general magnificence. That was followed up by last weekend’s three day extravaganza through the afore-mentioned places. It is enough to let the photos do the talking for the both of them.