I’m sure this has been talked over before, but fun though yesterdays ride-out was (thank you Rosie) it did throw up some difficulties.
There are a couple of issues that might easily be rectified, the main thing is that it’s great that the club has so many people who want to get together at the weekends, go for a ride and have an eat / drink and a natter together.
The difficulties are made worse by bigger numbers on ride-outs, which leads to both a wider range of experience, bikes and needs. I say needs, as some like to have a nice ride through the countryside and take in the lovely surroundings and some want to hoon around and look at the tarmac in front of them. Each to their own, I love being in open countryside and can walk for hours, on a bike, I like a little hoon
It would be easy to say, OK, lets have two different ride-outs, but that would deprive me of the company I like when we stop at the other end. You are a great bunch and I love to have a natter to you all, not just fellow hooners !
As has been said before, I think we should give splitting the ride-outs at the meeting place with the faster riders going on first and all meeting at the other end. On longer meets, we could arrange a meeting point half way or so.
This would make both parts of the ride more enjoyable for everybody, as the newer members won’t be put off by quick overtakes etc and the faster group can keep to the bigger, faster roads and avoid wrist ache etc.
On the second point that yesterday threw up, I would suggest, again on bigger ride outs, that a stopping point about twenty minutes from home be the “official” end to the meet.
With bigger numbers you are bound to get many people wanting to leave the group and head home or elsewhere and it must be hell for the back marker to keep an eye on everybody - even if people tell him (which they don’t always).
If the last stop was say at Shaftesbury yesterday, then those who wanted to go back into town together could, and those who didn’t could turn off. Plus Graeme could relax and have a twenty minute blat at the front for a change.
Sorry for a long post, but I think it’s an important topic.
Over to you…
G
