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Next Ride Out for June

Hi my biking lakeschums.  The next ride out is set for Sunday the 20th of June. This one will be another attempt to get up to Llyn Brianne Reservoir…..as last time we tried we were riding in the snow and only made it as far as Sunday Lunch at Llandovery.

So we will be meeting at Hein Gericke, Cardiff Store for a 9.45 departure.

The route will be up the A470, over the Brecon Beacons turning left onto the Defynnog Road to Sennybridge. A40 to Llandovery and then taking the unclassified lane signposted Llyn Brianne.

We will be using the ‘Drop off’ system again, but it is important to be aware of who the tail end bike is. It won’t work unless everyone is aware of how it works.

Some advance news for the July Ride Out ; We will be going to Aberdare Park Road Races. An event not to be missed (and the breakfast in the Hot Pot cafe is also not to be missed).

Some advance news for the August Ride Out, This will be a bit special as we will be accompanying a good friend and ride out regular Francis Maxey on the first leg of his solo charity ride to ‘The Sinai and beyond’.  This is to raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care, in memory of Francis’ life long partner, Kate who sadly passed away recently.

We will be riding with him as far as Stonehenge so please join us for this one.  Support him and please give generously.

Also…,here is a gimage0011ood one.  In Cardiff on Saturday the 12th you can join in on the UK 2010 Naked Bike Ride!  Yes that’s right, the Naked Bike Ride.  The poster states that it is a protest cycle ride against Oil Dependency and a Car Society.

The poster proclaims that you can Ride as Bare as You Dare!  For full details of this visit the Naked Bike Ride web site.

So I hope there is something there that tickles your fancy!

Come and join us……..Come on, you know you want to.

June 11th, 2010 | Andy Smith | 4 comments | Continued
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Ride Out Reminder. Tomorrow!

Runningblade logo A reminder for the Ride Out tomorrow, Sunday the 23rd to Pendine Sands to see the World Land Speed Record attempt…on a lawn mower.

Events start on the Beach today and tomorrow around 2pm with the record attempt taking place approximately 3pm.  There will also be an aerobatics display (but surely not on a lawn mower – unless of course it’s a Fly Mo!).

The public will have access to an area of the beach near to the pits (What?… Sand Pits?) from where the run will start before it heads off down the beach.  There will also be a Cafe set up in the vicinity.

We are meeting at Hein Gericke-Cardiff Store at 9.15 ish for tea toast and possibly a bacon sandwich before departing at 10am. Remember to use the back door.

The route to Pendine will be North along the A470 over the Beacons at Storey Arms to Sennybridge and the A40 towards Llandovery. Continuing along the A40 to Llandeilo before turning onto the Golden Grove Road towards Carmarthan then on to Pendine.  I can smell the seaside chips already !

As Stef and the chums at Hein Gericke are going to cater for us again it would be useful to know how many are coming along on the day.  so could you let me know or give the shop a ring on 029 20665151.

See you tomorrow…..come on….you know you want to !

May 22nd, 2010 | Andy Smith | 8 comments | Continued
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Next Ride Out and some interesting bits.

BSM If I were to be running a ‘Caption Competition’ this would be an ideal photograph to start with!  Any ideas?  Post your comments….I might give a prize.

In this Blog.  1 Next Ride Out. 2 Gravs Great Bike Run. 3 Vintage Bike Show. 4 Euro Tours.

Next Ride Out. The next ride out is scheduled for Sunday the 23rd of May.  Meeting at Hein Gericke (Cardiff) for a 10am departure.  We will be travelling to Pendine Sands to witness the World Land Speed Record Attempt……..on a Lawn Mower!

The current record, set in America at Bonneville Salt Flats, stands at 80mph.  Over the weekend of 22nd & 23rd of May, Don Wales,  the Grandson of Historic British Speed Ace, Sir Malcolm Campbell, will attempt a 100mph run on a ‘sit on’ lawnmower.  The rules state that the  vehicle must be constructed out of lawn mower parts and on the day of the speed run it must be capable of mowing the lawn!

This has got to be worth a look…..and a nice bag of chips from the place overlooking the beach.

Gravs Great Bike Run; Sunday the 2nd of May.

Short notice for this I know, but I have been requested to re-publish the event as there has been a change in the registration fee.  I’ve copied and pasted (hey listen to me…computer geek) the original information about the charity run below. So have a read and support the event if you can.

(((  Below are the details of the Charity Bike Run in memory of Welsh Rugby Legend, Ray Gravell, which I published on a previous blog page.

I have recently been contacted by a Ride Out Colleague who has sent the following message regarding changes to the registration fee for the event.

“Andy,

Would any of your colleagues be interested in doing this ride?

The organiser has been in touch with me today to say that he is aware that many bikers are baulking at the registration cost hence the low numbers from the UK (120 bikers arriving from Eire, about 15 from Wales). To overcome this little problem he has suggested that bikers turn up on the day and make whatever donation they think appropriate.

Hope this makes a difference and that we have a strong turnout on the day at Parc y Stradey.”

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/In_Your_Area/Wales/Fundraising/Social-events/

Sunday 2 May 2010

Grav’s Great Bike Run is being held in memory of Welsh rugby legend Ray Gravell to raise funds for Diabetes UK Cymru and The National Council for the Blind of Ireland. Starting at Llanelli Scarlets RFC, the 252-mile motorbike ride will finish at Stradey Park Hotel, Llanelli. Entry costs £60 per biker and £40 per pillion.

Contact
Joseph Cuff
Email
wales@diabetes.org.uk
Phone
029 2066 8276  )))

Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Show. Sunday 9th May.

The Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club are holding a Motorcycle Show at Whitchurch High School on Sunday the 9th of May.  Doors Open at 10am.  You must pay to get in, but it’s free to come back out.

The show will be spread over two large indoor halls, as well as trade and club stands both in and out.

1st Class Rider Training will have a stand (and hopefully a sit) at the show so come and say ‘Hello’ and find out what’s new, what’s not, what’s happening and what tastes good with brown sauce on.  I’ll see you there!

That’s about it for now but don’t forget to check out the ‘News’ page on my main web site where I post lots and lots of interesting stuff about bikes and stuff, and some stuff about stuff.

Euro Tours

The plan is to run two more Euro Tours before the end of the year.  One in early July and another in September.  So if anyone may be interested please let me know as soon as you can and I will get the details finalised.

So………Come on……..you know you want to.

April 29th, 2010 | Andy Smith | 8 comments | Continued
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We’re in the Real Radio Charity Auction (and other stuff)

Real Radio Wales Charity Auction. Hi Chums.  Real Raknee downdio Wales are currently fund raising for the Children’s  Hospice, Ty Hafan, in Sully, South Wales. With their ‘Bring a £ to Work Day’ earlier this week and with a Charity Auction

1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff have donated two prizes for the auction which are currently waiting for bids on the Real Radio (Wales) web site.

One prize is for a CBT (Compulsory Basic Training – worth £125).  The prize includes the use of a Yamaha YBR 125cc bike, and the loan of a helmet, jacket, gloves and waterproofs for the duration of the training.

The other prize on offer is a full day of Advanced Training with a Police Class 1 Motorcyclist, (worth £180).  This would normally be carried out with you using your own bike but we can provide the use of a Honda CBF 600cc if preferred.

Both great prizes worth placing a bid for such a worthy cause.  Visit www.realradiowales.co.uk for details.

There are just a few days left to run on this, so place your bids, grab a bargain day out,  and support this worthy cause.

Next Ride Out – Thruxton Circuit.

Just a reminder that the April Ride Out is this Sunday.  An earlier start with an 8am departure from MacDonald’s at junction 32 of the M4, Coryton Interchange.

We will be using the ’2nd Man Drop Off System’ that has served us so well in the past (except last month when I ran out of ‘drop offs !!) So by way of a reminder as to how it works I have put an explanation at the foot of this Blog Post….. but just in case… here is a brief outline of the proposed route for Sunday.

Turn left out of MacDonald’s car park!!!  Okay, okay… we can get that bit right.

M4 Eastbound to junction 18 – Signposted Bath.

A46 towards Bath and then the A4

A4 to Box

A365 towards Melksham

A365 – A361 towards Devizes

A342 towards Andover

A338 towards North Tidworth

A303 towards Andover

To Thruxton off the Dual Carriageway. Into Car Park…join queue at the Burger Van.

Website News Blog

For some time I have been running a News & Views Blog page on my main website.  There are over 60 posts there already covering a whole range of bike related topics.  As this Ride Out Blog generates an automatic email to your inbox, I didn’t want to inundate you every time there was something to write about so I’ve been up dating the website news blog instead.

So if you visit the website and click on the ‘News’ link in the list on the left you might just find something of interest.

I’ll be posting an index listing on there so you can browse at your leisure.

Hein Gericke Sale Now On.

A big thank you to Stefan and James at the Cardiff Hein Gericke store for the tea and Bacon Toasties they did for us at the start of the Wootton Bassett Ride Out last month.  Cheers Chums, enjoy your lie in this Sunday as we won’t disturb you for the early start for Thruxton.

But you should still go and visit them during their normal opening hours as they are having a Sale.  Running from the 16th of April until the 3rd of May they will give you a massive 20% off, (and you might also get a cup of tea whilst you are there). So grab yourself a bargain. First Class kit, worn by 1st Class Riders.

The Drop Off System.

Here goes….  At the start of the ride we will nominate a lead rider (usually me) and we will nominate and identify a tail end rider (usually someone else!).

The way the ride operates is that the positions of the lead and tail end bike never change, so you shouldn’t overtake the lead and you shouldn’t need to drop behind the tail ender.

If the route we are travelling takes us straight ahead we simply follow the road ahead, without turning off.  If we need to turn left or right I wil indicate to the rider behind me to pull in somewhere safe, but also visible to the rest of the following group.  This ‘drop off’ rider will point the way for the rest of the group, to turn either left or right accordingly.

It is important that the ‘drop off’ rider remains in position until the tail end bike arrives and the tail ender will allow the drop off to pull out in front of him and re-join the group.  If we are passing through a town with several sets of traffic lights or on longer, faster stretches of road it may be some time before the tail ender arrives if the group gets spread out, but it is important that you wait, as if you leave your junction before the tail ender comes along then the group will break up as the followers will continue straight ahead past the junction where they should have turned.  (This is what happened last month – someone left their junction too early and the remaining riders didn’t have any direction to follow.)

When it works, it works well, as you don’t need to keep the bike in front in view, or put yourself under pressure to play ‘catch up’ as you know that there will be someone waiting ahead to show you the way.

This system allows for easy travel even in areas which are new to us, as you simply follow the route taken by the leader and should all end up at the tea stop or eventual destination together.

Easy…go straight on unless someone tells you otherwise.  If you are the one showing the turn off point, wait until tail ender indicates for you to move on.

We’ll try it again this Sunday!

So come on and join us……come on, you know you want to.

April 16th, 2010 | Andy Smith | 0 comments | Continued
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Next Ride Out British Superbikes. 18th April.

spacerspacerWooton Basset3Were you there?  This picture was taken at the Wootton Bassett Charity Run for the Afghan Heroes.  A fantastic event that so far has raised over £102,000. Over 10,000 bikes took part.  It was the longest queue for a burger van that I’ve ever seen!

Next Ride Out. The next ride out has been set for Sunday the 18th of April.  To the British Superbikes Race Day at Thruxton Circuit, near Andover.  Saturday is the practice day but Sunday is the full race programme.  Tickets are £22 in advance via the British Superbikes web site, or £26 on the gate on arrival.  Parking is free, but just note that last time I went it was parking in a field so you may need a pad or support for your side stand to stop it sinking.

As Thruxton is a 2 hour ride if we take the Motorway it will need to be an earlier start if we want to go cross country, to get you money’s worth of the racing.

So as I can’t expect the Chums at Hein Gericke to get up too early for this Ride Out the meeting point will be ‘Old Faithful’  The Golden Arches Restaurant (McDonald’s for those who don’t know) at Coryton Interchange at junction 32 of the M4 for an 8am departure.

For those who want to go for a ride but don’t want to watch the racing then Stonehenge is just up the road and is well worth a visit (Yes…. I know….just another pile of old stones, but these are standing up.  Ooooooh !)

The Euros.

Thanks to those who joined the recent Euro Trip to Belgium.  Fab riding through some fantastic countryside and oh yes, of course a bit of food along the way!  Monsiuer Le Tommy’s cafe saw us pay a visit again.  So if you missed this one join us on the next one coming soon. The next one will be based in Arras and taking in Ypres, The Menin Gate and surrounding areas. Details will be published soon.

Good Food Guide.

I’ve been asked many times for some guidance on where to eat when out riding and if I could do a Mr Food’s Good Food Guide. Well here it is….. Yes, Food is Good!

So join us…go on… you know you want to!

April 4th, 2010 | Andy Smith | 4 comments | Continued
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