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The month’s training ride was held on Sunday as usual and despite the changing clocks causing havoc with sleep patterns a core group of 5 members and one friend gathered to enjoy (or not) slow riding practice.
Sarah kindly agreed to do a write up and that will follow this post.
My thanks to Stan for setting up the course and leading a short ride after.
David Pengelly
ChairmanReport by Sarah Leskinen-Keel
Finally a dry day and a ‘back in the saddle’ slow skills training session and ride about in Devon. Our tutor for the day, out early as all cones were present and correct by 9am despite the clocks having sprung forward an hour, was Stan. He, David and Si presented the rest of us with a masterclass in slow speed skills round a figure of eight, brief stop and then slalom. It was then up to the rest of us to show how much it is possible to improve under some excellent tutelage. Frankly, the less said about me the better; I knew I needed this session on my new (to me) bike but really…more practice, practice, practice (as David would say) is sorely needed. My thanks to Rob for noticing my wheelbase is longer than others which makes it a little more challenging so I have now added that to my lengthy list of excuses. Stan commented on the commitment of participants and improvement over the session with both Rob (pass holder) and Jane (just 1500m under her belt since passing her test) both ending the session really well. Then a blind spot/shoulder check reminder and really useful demonstration of how little you can see just over your shoulder and the difference to your view that a nose pointing to a mirror can make.
So, the classroom work (or at least Maer Car Park, Exmouth) over we left the dogs, horses and long stay campers who we had been entertaining (and picking up a possible new member) and set off for a ride round. Stan chose an interesting route considering our practicing; lots of speed limit changes, slow riding, a few tight bends and a few progressive stretches. Stan also showed us his ‘barely bronze’ (his words) ride so that Si could practice his tutoring observations and feedback. Failing to set off at a green light was the highlight leaving us all peering round to see what he had spotted that we hadn’t! A very good reminder of why we must always ‘ride our own ride’; group riding can bring risks, the Information, Position, Speed, Gear and Acceleration (see what I did there?) that you decide is right for you may not be what I think is right by the time I get to that bit of road.
We finished the ride in customary style with coffee, more sausage rolls (thanks David) and for those aspiring to diabetes Cadbury cream eggs (thanks!? Stan), a chat and a bit of Roadcraft themed feedback on our rides/the day. I’m sure we all enjoy motorcycling for different reasons and enjoy different kinds of biking, for me progressive is perfect but being able exercise complete control at walking pace or absolutely stationary with feet still on the pegs is a display of great technique the mastering of which is (and will be for me) massively confidence boosting. Thanks to Stan for leading, David for sweeping and everyone else for being there.
P.S. If someone can show Rob how to change the clock time on his dashboard he’d be pleased to hear from you! I’m sure it’s a question many bikers are asking.
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