Reports of Section Runs and Meetings for August to
December 2009
With
any photographs, just hold
your mouse over any of the thumbnails to see the
caption, click to see a full sized image, then
press your browser back button to return.
Charity
Auction night, Christmas Dinner, Boxing Day run and the New Days run
The
Charity auction night in November was the best yet with over £400 being
raised - this figure was increased to £450 by a very kind donation. The
money was forwarded to the Wales Air Ambulance, our charity
for
the year. The Christmas dinner took place on the 14th December with 70
people booking places. The whole evening went off quite successfully
and most of the trophies were also presented, with Jim Codd travelling
all the way from West Wales to collect his. The Boxing Day run
to the Lamb and Flag at Wick took place with a good sized
turnout,
despite the weather, which turned out not to be as bad as first
thought. Likewise the New Years Day run to the Green Dragon at
Llancadle, which saw some nice sunshine.
Sunday 25th October 2009
- NACC run, 3rd Severn Vale Saunter
Our
section fielded quite a few members for this run which started from the
small vilage of Ham, near Berkeley Castle. Barry C(Suzuki FZ), Terry
P(NSU Quickly), Glyn J(Suzuki), Jack M(Honda 50), Terry H(Yamaha
Camino), Ray B(New Hudson), Bill P(New Hudson) and Alan W(Honda) - I
think I've got that lot right and if not then apologies. The day was
promised to be dry with patchy sunshine - oh, how the weather
forecasters told porky pies on that score. When we arrived there was
some glorious sunshine, despite the rain that we had left behind in
South Wales. However, by the time that everyone had signed on and were
ready to set off, the sky had blackened and it was drizzling. It
remained like that for the rest of the event. A group of us set off
following Barry on the Suzuki and headed for Sharpness docks. For the
life of me I can't see why the event takes that route, as at the docks
all we do is to follow a loop and then backtrack out of the area again.
On
the approach to the docks loop there are two sets of railway
lines that cross the road in a curve from left to right. To negotiate
these, as any motorcyclist knows, it is essential to cross them at
right angles so as not to get the bikes wheels caught in the tracks.
Two years ago, on the first of these events Alan W was thrown off his
bike by these lines. I didn't go to this event last year but was told
that a lady was thrown off her bike also by these lines. This day a
similar thing happened and it involved me. I was riding just
behind and to the offside of Terry P on his Quickly and as we
approached the railway lines we both slowed down and Terry turned right
into the lines, which meant that I had to go right also - I crossed
three ok and then found a car coming towards me and that I was now in
the middle of the road, so I took the last railway line a bit too
straight and I was on the floor in no time with the bike heading along
the road on it's side. All a bit of a shock to the system, I must say -
but as luck would have it, no-one got their camera out to record my
ignominious slide down the road. Several of the lads collected the New
Hudson and straightened the handlebars for me and after a few minutes I
was ready to go again. My right hip was hurting a bit, but my
over-trousers had taken the brunt of my slide, so I missed any
possibility of gravel rash - but had some severe nappy rash. As
we set off, we came across the first group heading back after riding
the 'loop'. The bike seemed ok and only the right-hand pedal seemed
bent.
However,
as I rode, I noticed a distinct wiggle from the
back wheel, just as though it was buckled. After a few miles there was
a loud bang and the back tyre gave up the ghost, probably tweeked by
that railway line and no doubt the tyre was the cause of the wiggle.
Where were we? I had no idea, but was offered a lift back to the start
to get my trailer. Ok, except I didn't have my trailer as I'd come over
in Ray's van and Ray was with the other group. Glyn, who must have felt
sorry for me, gave me the key to his van and one of the Bristol lads,
Vince, offered to take me back to the start to collect Glyn's van so
that I could recover the New Hudson. We pushed the bike into a nearby
field for safety and I climbed on the back of the little Yamaha, which,
although being a 50cc machine, did have a pillion. Thing was that Vince
was not a small chap and I had to squeeze onto about six inches of
pillion seat. Don't know about you, but I hate riding pillion and I did
find it difficult to hang on. Terry said that we did look funny as we
set off down the road - it looked like the bike was doing a wheely and
that couldn't possibly have been the result of little sylph-like me
being on the back, could it? We eventually arrived back at the start
and Vince did say that he felt that the steering was rather light on
our journey. Anyway, I had memorised the return route and after
thanking Vince for the lift, collected Glyn's van and was soon back to
collect the New Hudson. Must say that if things are going to
go
wrong - make a good job of it.
Barry
c also had a bit of bother
with his FZ as it ran out of sparks - or something, and refused to
start at the coffee stop, I believe. At least the trip home was
uneventful - and next year - it's someone elses turn to fall off on the
railway lines - I guarantee it won't be me, as I'll stop at the
entrance to the docks and wait for everyone to return from riding that
loop again.
BP
Sunday 27th September
2009 - Vale of Glamorgan Road Trial
The
day dawned bright and shiny and we had a reasonably good entry at the
start at the Caerphilly Garden Centre. The route meandered out into the
Vale and after 41 miles the lunch stop was reached at the Horseshoe Inn
at Marcross. There was a compulsory stop of 90 minutes before
restarting for the ride back to the finish. The only problem that I
heard of was that which Geoff Harris had with his Norton. A mere five
miles from the finish and the nut came off the engine sprocket which
then allowed the key to sheer - hence no forward motion. Not too many
people spotted the two mistakes on the route sheets - one was
specifyling a left turn to Penllyn 2 and should have read Penllyn 1/2.
That sent quite a few off along the A48 looking for the
non-existing left turn. The other mistake was the phone number for the
recovery - it was my old number that is now on the mobile that my 9
year old granddaughter has, luckily no one phoned it, I believe. From
my point
of view the whole event was marred a bit by those inconsiderate South
Wales
Section entrants who decided that they had had enough at the lunch stop
and decided to go home without telling the organisers. That meant that
the people manning the time checks just sat at the side of the road
waiting for riders that had no intention of coming - shame on you lads
- you spoilt the day. Thank goodness it was only our own section
members
who did this.
Wednesday
16th September 2009 - 6th Evening ride out
The
sixth and last 2009 ride out took place - I didn't count the bikes but
reckoned that we had a goodly number of over 25. We all met at the
Three Horse Shoes Pub at Moulton and luckily enough the weather was
kind to us. It was a lovely evening but must say that there was a chill
in the air though - autumn is coming, for sure. Next thing is to decide
if the whole idea of the evening rides is successful and should we do
it again next year. If we do it next year are the six rides enough, or
even too many? April to Sept inclusive? Do we look for different pubs?
or just change one or two? All food for thought and needs to be decided
by Dec so that we can put details in our calendar.
Wednesday 19th August -
5th Evening ride out
The
fifth evening ride saw around 25 machines turn up at the White Lion in
Ystradowen. The weather was good and we all owe a vote of thanks to our
Chairman Bob J who booked and paid for a curry for us all. Many thanks
Bob, I'd have had a second helping if I'd known. Seriously
though it was very pleasant to be able to dine outside on such a balmy
evening- not very often you can do that in this country. Jean and I
took the Indian for a change, mainly as it's not too far to home from
Ystradowen and I hadn't ridden in the dark on the lights of the bike
before. The problem is that the battery is set to charge at 1 amp, ok
for daylight running but as the lights take around 6amps there is a net
5 amps coming out of the battery. As it happened all was well and the
battery coped well with the discharge on the way home and still seems
to have a good charge in it.
Next,
and final evening ride out is Wednesday 16th Sept at the Three
Horse Shoes, Moulton. It's off the Barry end of the Five Mile Lane,
just in case you're unsure. 7pm, see you there.
Top of page
