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  • February 25, 2020 3 min read

    Hello all,

    I hope 2020 is being kind to you all thus far and that you were able to retrieve your bike covers from wherever storm Ciara had decided to leave them for you in and around your surrounding neighbourhood! When you’ve seen a dayglow yellow Oxford Protex cover wrapped in the Sycamore tree at number 32, well it’s a conversation starter, that’s for sure.

    It’s been a good start for the group with two test passes (as I write this) for Jonathon Tullet and Nick Deeming – well done both.

    Save for all those who experienced the Banshee like wraith of Jane during the fire drill at Banstead, Jonathan is the only other person I know who, in his Bluetooth connected ride to Wales with said lady, has experienced what it is like to have the non-verbal communication of shrieks and sharp intakes of breath as you do an eight vehicle overtake in your car (or maybe that’s reserved just for me). At least you didn’t suffer not knowing your left from your right!

    Congratulations to Mark Jaffe who also achieved a First in his re-test.
    Thanks also to Richard Bowden-Doyle for entertaining a large audience of LAMkins with his tails of travelling to China. I was unable to attend, but I look forward to the book signing and the DVD. Thank you to all who donated to the Chair’s charity at this event, we have many a kind and generous soul.
    Apologies for all those who attended Tatsfield on 18th January and had hoped to ride. Various events leading up to our scheduled start date meant that we elected to cancel Observed Rides and well done to all of you who did go out in the end even though it was much later in the day.

    One of the plus sides (if there can be a plus to not riding) was to see Iain Muir-Nelson get hit several times with a Baseball bat (see Helite vests if you want to know more).

    As a group, and as mentioned at the AGM, from now on, should temperatures be forecast to be 5 degrees Celsius or lower, the group will not offer Observed Rides; we will not cancel an event and instead will run a classroom based activity instead.

    Obviously how you get to the venue is down to you, please think before you get on your bike.

    You may have seen from a recent Mailchimp that after three and a half years, Dennis and Jill have decided to turn in their oven gloves, with March Banstead as their last time behind the curved counter.

    Thank you so much for your support over the years and I am sure several of us carry around the fruits of your labour in our internal storage compartments AKA our squidgy middles!

    For now Mark and Helen will continue, but it’s more than a two person job and if you know of anyone or fancy a spell in an apron, then I am sure they would be most grateful for your help.

    There are two events of note available on the shop for you to spend your hard earned cash on, the Norfolk Training weekend 24-26th April, 2020 is live and I would recommend this to any associate. For your money, you get two (maybe three) whole days of training with a different observer each day and on Saturday evening you can enjoy one of the funniest and lighter sides of LAM.

    October sees our first full members’ weekend away in a while and there are still spaces available to enjoy the Metropole Hotel, Llandrindod Wells. A lovely hotel with good food and service and access to some of the finest biking roads available in the UK.

    Both these trips will require you to pack your motorcycle for two nights away and what better to help you with this than the handy article found within.

    Steve Pratt, the observer of the month has his own tips for packing for trips, NOT just because he needs to carry his inflatable goat but because his partner has packing her own bike down to a fine art – she puts everything in his top box!

    Finally, just a quick thank you to all who helped and attended our first Bluetooth comms changing (AKA radio training) and for Aidan for scouring You Tube and solving just what is “universal pairing” and really finally, we need ride leaders for events, so don’t be shy, if you know a great destination, why not lead a ride? Speak to Trevor, Charles, Niki, Paul W, Ed or Andy T and they can let you know what it’s all about.

    Ride safe, stay warm, and don’t forget to feed the cat for number 32 whilst they are away skiing (what you thought you’d got away with it?)

    Paul

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