CHAIRMAN`S LIP Training News LIVEIndia – LAND OF WONDER

ON TWO WHEELS – CHELMSFORD & DISTRICT ADVANCED MOTORCYCLISTS
Chelmsford & District Advanced Motorcyclists
Registered Charity No. 1111635
Affiliated to
Group No: 7251 Registered Charity No. 1111635
Affiliated to
Group No: 7251
40• November/December 2014
CHAIRMAN’S LIP
Training News
LIVEIndia – LAND OF WONDER
Dams & Ice Cream
www.cadam.org
Issue 40 • November/December 2014
Chairman’s Lip…
The CADAM Committee
Chairman
Jonathan Harman
[email protected]
Membership Secretary
Dean Scrivener
[email protected]
Webmaster
Sam Fleming
[email protected]
Vice Chairman
Craig Stone
[email protected]
Chief Observer
Dennis Kitteridge
[email protected]
Committee Member
Phil Draper
Treasurer
Chris McEvoy
[email protected]
Training Co-Ordinator
John Stevens
[email protected]
Committee Member
Mick Gowlett
Group Secretary
Tony Metcalf
[email protected]
O2W Editor
Mark Anstey
[email protected]
Committee Member
Nipper
When on a club run, be it an evening or
a weekend event, speed limits must be
observed. We have no exemption and
advanced riding does not need to involve
higher speeds. When approaching hazards
appropriate care must be taken. On clubs
runs you are running as CADAM and under
the IAM banner.
Outside there are few signs of
winter proper, yet the shortest
day will soon be upon us.
The evening shroud of darkness
will start to wilt, as natural light
grows ever stronger. A lot like
Cadam then...
Committee Member
Jon Stansfield
OUR AIMS
Chelmsford and District Advanced Motorcyclists
(CADAM) is one of many groups across the country
whose aim is to improve motorcycling road safety by
helping people prepare for, and pass, the Institute of
Advanced Motorists (IAM) Advanced Motorcycling Test.
Our group is affiliated to, but not subservient to,
the IAM. However, because we share the same aims,
we often seem to speak with one voice.
CADAM is run by volunteers and serves the districts
of Essex in and around Chelmsford. As well as helping
people to pass the Advanced Test, we run the group
as a club, so that once you have passed, you will still
want to stay on and take part in our other activities.
We provide:
Structured instruction to prepare for the IAM
Advanced Motorcycling Test.You can choose a course
that runs on Saturdays or one that runs on Sundays.
These courses are designed to take even relatively
inexperienced riders and raise their riding to IAM
test standards.
Ho! Ho! Ho! Festive greetings and welcome to the
latest edition of O2W. Sadly, in this latest issue you will
find no festive give-aways, pop up Christmas trees or
brightly coloured string masquerading as tinsel. Just fact.
Fact.
Machine control days to increase your machine
handling skills. These sessions are held off the public
road, so we can explore your capabilities and those of
your machine in safety.
Social runs over challenging routes (no motor-ways,
thanks!) to interesting places. Weekends away to ride
some new roads, normally out of Essex.
Monthly group meetings, often with a talk
from a speaker on an interesting topic to do with
motorcycling.
On 2 Wheels – This newsletter, keeping you up to
date with what’s happening.
Want to know more? Call our general enquiries
number 07790 656 687 – or just turn up at a meeting
and introduce yourself to a committee member!
Future Events – listings and directions
can be found on the back cover.
Do not bring this into disrepute. Also the
Marker system will be used. Anyone not
familiar with this system please speak
to one of the run organisers who will run
through this for you.
Thanks and safe riding.
Jonathan Harman,
Chairman, CADAM
An interesting insight
into the Vulcan bomber
and the Vulcan
Restoration Trust.
So, a very warm welcome to our
latest Associates. One of whom
is a lady, so welcome Sarah
Harris. Welcome too, to Kevin
Harris (a relation perhaps...??)
Steven Swainbank, David Ginn,
Srinivasan Sampathkumar (1
hope that I pronounced that
correctly!) and finally Peter
Street. I say this every time and
will say it again (and again) as I
cannot emphasis how important
this is: Please engage with your
Training Team and Observers at
every possible opportunity.
Congratulations to our latest
test passes: Nick Kinna, Jonathan
Stansfield, Graham Smith, David
Appleford and Phil Cross.
Between them, David and Phil
may have set a Cadam record
– as both took and passed their
tests on the same day. No mean
feet in itself and passing their
respective tests should not be
sniffed at either! Good work
you two!!
Jonathan Stansfield deserves
another mention for lunging at
enthusiasm with both hands.
Hot on the heels of his riding
boots and recent test pass,
Jonathan can now be found
smoking one of Cuba’s finest
Montecristo No 2 torpedoes,
from the comfort of an equally
extravagant
smoking
chair
around the Committee table.
Well done that man!
On a personal note, having sat
around the Committee table
from day one; from the presiding
perch it is pleasing to report that
without a shadow of doubt, you
now have the strongest, focused
and most committed –
Committee. However, that
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is not the nod to engage cruise
control. It is the nod to you – to
take a seat and bring with you
your bag of ideas, inspirations
and two wheeled passion to the
big table.There are no additional
joining fees, so what are you
waiting for? Select a lower gear,
check what’s behind, get your
view and go for it..! Having
passed the hazard and safely
regained nearside - you know it
makes sense!
Behind the Cadam iron curtain,
your Training Team have been
working unbelievably hard these
autumn days and nights. Not
only with everything training
and representing Cadam at
conferences; but particularly
with regards to their own (and
ultimately your) development
in their quests to achieve
the IMI National Observer
Qualification. Dennis Kitteridge
was the first to be scrutinised,
followed in quick succession by
John Stevens and Nipper. Three
out of three at the first attempt.
Another first for Cadam! Well
deserved congratulations you
three! Very deserving, as I know
how much time and prep they
put in to achieve such peerless a
standing. But, don’t just take my
word for it, for it has also been
mooted about the corridors
and ivory towers of the Big
House. By example we set and
by example we lead…
So what else has been happening
beneath the wheels of Cadam?
Issue 40 • November/December 2014
October’s Group night took
off with an interesting insight
into the Vulcan bomber and the
Vulcan Restoration Trust. The
history, preservation and home
of Vulcan XL426 at Southend
airport followed a brief insight
into Operation Black Buck
during the Falklands conflict.
One of our own, Andrew Lubran
kindly surrendered an evening –
November’s group night in fact;
to give us an insight into his
experiences of touring Bharat
Ganarajya. India to you and
me. India is the seventh largest
country by area and the second
most highly populated. Andrew
clearly has two passions (three if
you include Cadam..!) India and
motorcycling. Therefore he has
combined both to operate and
offer motorcycle tours to and
including the Himalayas, Goa
and Beyond to name just two
(I think I counted eight on his
bright and informative website
– Live India). If you like the best
of Indian cuisine dished up with
your two wheeled exploration
and some of the best cultural
sites India has to offer; then this
is right up your street. The icing
on the cake is not being astride
the latest adventure bikes from
the well established German and
Austrian houses, but old school
motorcycles built by Royal
Enfield - the 350 and 500 Bullet.
Time to start filling out your
2015 diaries: January’s group
night is a presentation on a
former transport café in north
west London that first opened
its doors in 1938.
February’s group night will
be hosted by ‘Sorrymate’.
‘Sorrymate’ is a motorcycle (and
cycle) accident claims specialist.
In the world we live and ride
in, it matters not how well
trained we are or how many
qualifications and certificates
decorate the wall of one’s
latrine. If someone is going to
drive out from a junction, right
in front of us, then the sad fact
is – they are going to drive out
from a junction, right in front of
us! Whilst we can do everything
we can to be seen and attempt
to minimise the risk (and
never, ever do nothing on the
approach to a junction...) we are
far from immortal. So February’s
group night is a given, as this is
important stuff that could assist
us in the future should any one
of us be unfortunate to require
this kind of assistance.
March group night is traditionally
our annual AGM and 2015 is
no different. However, it will
be followed up by an evening
of First Aid training. This is
something different and another
given. Again, any one of us, our
family, work colleagues, friends
or someone suddenly taken ill
or collapsed in the street right in
front of us – could need medical
assistance. Our help.
Mick Gowlett is already busy
thumbing through the pages of
holiday magazines and testing
Google’s knowledge, as he
plans your UK and European
excursions for 2015. So keep
em peeled on the forum!
On the subject of trips away,
pending the thumbs up from
the employer - as this will be
another 5 day raid - I hope to
be in a position to offer my final
Chairman’s Battlefield Tour (although by the time we leave
Blighty we will be under the
command of a new Officer :)).
Being the final tour, I have saved
the best till last, so this will be
a belter! I hope to visit sites
relative to both WW1 & WW2.
The ‘must do’ hopefully being to
spend a day exploring, inhaling
the shear horror, numbness
and sadness that still lingers and
hangs over the site of one of the
Nazi’s most horrific war crimes
carried out by Der Führer
Regiment of the 2nd Waffen-SS
Panzer Division Das Reich on
June 10th 1944...
Finally some road safety
trivia this month:
Dying to get to work? Ten or
more of us are each week. More
than 30 people die every week
on UK roads – a third of them
driving for work.
Despite UK road deaths falling
to their lowest level, a total of
1,713 were killed last year on
our roads, 21,657 seriously
injured and there were almost
200,000 total road casualties
last year.
Motorists are suggested to
adopt the “COAST” road
safety principles – a checklist of
measures which can save lives and
reduce casualties on our roads.
Concentrate – focus on the
driving task and avoid distractions
such
as
mobile
phones.
Observe
–
Read
the
road
actively
and
scan
for vulnerable road users’
Anticipate – Expect the worst
and be prepared, it’s a win, win
situation. Always think – what if ?
Space – always leave at least
a two second gap between
you and the vehicle in front
on a dry road. In the wet this
needs to be at least doubled.
Time – Don’t rush – plan your
journey and allow yourself
plenty of time to think, plan and
act – rushing can lead to poor
decisions and a possible collision.
The hazard perception section
of the driving theory test has
been recognised with a national
road safety award for its role
in reducing the number of
accidents and potentially saving
hundreds of lives every year.
The Prince Michael International
Road Safety Award highlights
that the introduction of the
hazard perception test in 2002
could account for an 11 percent
reduction in accidents. Every year
around 1.5m hazard perception
tests are taken as part of the
theory test, with an average pass
rate of 85 percent for the hazard
perception section.
Those living in Exeter are more
likely to break the legal speed
limits than those anywhere else,
a new survey suggests.
The Masternaut poll of 2,000
motorists also finds that drivers
speed more in a company car
than they do in their own vehicle.
The telematics provider’s research
found that Exeter topped its
‘speedster’ league table. Well over
eight in 10 (84%) residents of
the Devonian city confessed to
breaking speeding laws.
The penalties have not deterred
drivers in York though, the
survey suggests. As many as
64.9% of its drivers admit to
speeding here, while Leeds
(60%), Leicester (58.9%) and
Oxford (58.1%) make up the
top five.
Cardiff drivers seem to be the
most careful with only 23%
admitting to breaking speed
limits, the report found.
“Merry Christmas and
have a safe and very
merrious New Year!”
Safe riding.
JH
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www.cadam.org
Issue 40 • November/December 2014
Training News
with JS
CADAM is going from
strength to strength;
as from November we
have our first three
National
Observers.
Dennis, Nipper, and JS
all passed their IMI tests
in November to achieve
this qualification.
Considerable preparation needs
to be applied to achieve this
level, as the test consists of
the following:All candidates are tested by a
Staff Examiner (a paid employee
of the IAM, and in our case, Jon
Taylor , who wrote “How To Be a
Chief Observer Dennis Kitteridge,
Cadam’s first official NOB!
Better Rider”) and he observes
how an Associate is normally
dealt with by the candidate on
a training day, including briefing,
riding,
slow
manoeuvring,
Observer demonstrating and
de-briefing. The candidate
then has to ride in front of the
Staff Examiner on a route of
their own choice, including all
three types of roads. Here the
candidate must achieve a score
between 24 (the highest score)
and 30 (still extremely high out
of a possible 120!!). Then the
candidate is subjected to an
hour or so of questioning on all
aspects of observing, including
IAM procedures, complaints,
HTBABR, Roadcraft,
C o m m o n
Confusions and
Full Control.
Trust me, this
is a gruelling
test, lasting
around
5
hours! When
Jon tells you
that you have
passed you feel a huge
sense of achievement, and relief
that you have maintained the
high standards that are now
associated with CADAM.
It was amusing to be at the
“Congratulations to
Jon Stansfield &
Nick Kinna”
November Group Night when Tony Metcalf
presented Dennis, the first test ‘passer’, with a
humorous surprise award following his success; it
was a lovely walnut plaque with a brass door knob
on it - get it - a “Nob” award! Dennis is a modest
man and he had no idea it was coming; his face
was a picture!
Another major step forward is that the Training
Team are pleased to welcome Phil Draper on
board as he has now reached the required standard
to become a Cadam Group Observer. Well done
Phil, your rapid achievement shows once again that
commitment and hard work pays off, and you have
displayed plenty of that!
Since the last O2W we have had no less than 4 test
passes. Congratulations go to Jon Stansfield (who
has now gone on to become a Trainee Observer),
Graham Smith, David Appleford and Phil Cross.Well
done Guys, I know that you all know that learning
doesn’t stop here - in fact, it never stops! I am so
pleased to see some of those that have passed their
tests still attending the theory sessions; well done,
you know it makes sense!
Tony Metcalf and I attended the IAM National
conference in Birmingham, and it was a day well
spent. It was interesting to learn all that is being
done to maintain the IAM’s position as the premier
Road Safety organisation in the UK. In fact, for
the first time for some time, IAM membership
numbers have actually increased over the last
couple of years. It was here that I bumped into one
of the IAM’s instructors for next year’s skills days
at Thruxton and Goodwood. Andy has promised
to give me early warning regarding the dates so
7
www.cadam.org
print the way it should be...
that I can let CADAM know
asap in the hope we can get a
decent group together for these
excellent track training days.
as though Jon was teasing us,
he took so long to get to the
offending slice - and then he
completely missed it! He didn’t
notice and just carried on
eating as though it was perfect!
We were all in a terrible state
and it was actually a relief
when Jon asked what we were
all looking and laughing at. Great
stuff Nipper, well done!
JS
Polite Re
m
de
min r:
e
R
:
Our training sessions are
becoming easier to coordinate as both Associates and
Observers are much better at
signing up these days. Thanks for
that, it makes matters so much
easier for me. During these te Remind
li Well that’s allerfor this issue, but
winter months, training sessions
Po Please
visit the
training
pagethe
online
and here’s a thought
are 09.30 for 10.00, and don’t
until
next,
sign up for future training
forget, it’s never too late torides
let andfor
you
to
ponder
classroom sessions,
and please, if you find yourself
me know by text that you have
unable to attend at short notice,
contact JS on 07900 554 415
had a last minute change of plans.
on: Have you seen Nipper’s new
bike? It’s beautiful, practical, and
savagely fast.There may be other
riders who own such bikes, but
there are very few who can get
the best from them; Nipper has
got what it takes because he
knows what old Voltaire said,
“With Great Power Comes
Great Responsibility”.
Issue 40 • November/December 2014
WHEN ONLY
THE VERY
BEST WILL DO...
or one of the training team, so
as they aren’t left waiting
wellfor you. Many thanks
CALL THE
PRINT & DESIGN
COMPANY WITH
ALL THE ANSWERS!
Pol
ite
totalmotorcycle.com
r:
de
in
Our rideouts are still very
attended, almost regardless
of the weather. I recently led
one to Dobbs Weir and in the
River’s Edge Café there, Nipper
pulled a really funny wheeze.
Jon Stansfield popped out for
a fag, and when his breakfast
was delivered to the table in
his absence, Nipper flew over
to Jon’s table,
took a big bite
out of one of
the toast slices
which he then
hid under the
top slice. We
all saw this and
you can imagine
the tortured
tension
as
we all waited
for Jon to
discover
the
half eaten toast.
It was almost
Nipper’s nippy new ride!
t: 01268 573486
9
www.i-print-4u.com
www.cadam.org
Issue 40 • November/December 2014
What you tend to get is either people so far away
that you can’t see their faces, or you can see their
faces but they are either pulling a gurning type
expression or they are looking pretty hacked off
at your ignorant display of rudeness for having
photographed them without asking.
Not many of us are natural David Baileys and we
tend to feel uncomfortable photographing people
we don’t know and want to get it over and done
with as quickly as possible, preferably without
them noticing. With a large dollop of luck it will
turn out ok.
Well, as you no doubt know, it won’t.
The camera can be a wonderful way of building
bridges of friendship and understanding between
people, cultures and nations or it can be tool that
causes discomfort and disrespect. It all depends
upon you and how you use your camera. I take
What Asian children love is a bit
of chat and laughs….it’s very easy!
it here that you have not ridden deep into
somebody else’s culture in order to insult them.
Therefore let us put these indiscretions down to
misunderstanding and lack of information, and let’s
put them right, now.
I’m talking here primarily about the East, from
Turkey across to Vietnam and most places south of
this line.These cultures are fundamentally different
from our own and require more thoughtfulness
when photographing.
Firstly, get off the bike, take off the helmet
(especially closed face ones), smile and say hello or
preferably use the local greeting to your proposed
subject or subjects.
Move slowly towards them so as not to not freak
them out and make some small talk as to why
you find them so interesting. ie…nice plough!
What time is it? …How far to Timbuktu? Is this
A wonderful way of building
bridges of friendship
Land
of
Wonder
Oh, and great photographs!
CADAM’s November club night saw an
enthralling visit from Andrew Lubran of
LIVEIndia.co.uk with a fascinating and
inspiring introduction to some of his
group trips to India and the Himalayas.
Along side the success of his bike tours
are amazing opportunities to capture
‘real’ Indian life on camera. Here is an
insight by Andrew, to capturing that
‘moment’ and recording memories.
So, there you are, after days of riding out into
the middle of nowhere, you finally arrive, and
it is stunning. There in the fields are a group of
ladies working away looking fantastic against the
spectacular backdrop, so without dismounting
from your bike you pull out your do-it-all compact
camera, point it at the nearest one to you, and
while looking avidly at your screen to make sure
it is in focus, bang, you squeeze it off. Sorted, on
the road again with a great picture to show your
mates once you get home, right? Well er, wrong!
11
www.cadam.org
your brother? That’s an amazingly large bullock!
….Whatever. Use sign language if necessary but
remember a genuine smile says it all.
The point of this is to show you are a human and
that you are friendly and sociable. This alone will
immediately build a rapport.
If you don’t want to take the conversation
any further, then at this point you can pull out
your camera, indicate you would like to take a
photograph and then on receiving the nod, raise
it in front of you while continuing to smile at your
subject, and take the photo. With the ice broken
you can now belt off another couple of informal
shots on the back of it.
Issue 40 • November/December 2014
Next thing is to flip the screen around and show
your subject the photo that you have taken, they
may want you to have another go. They may want
to have another one taken with both you and them
in it. They may want you to photograph their dog.
All this can take a few minutes but in that time
you will have represented your country and
your culture in a very positive way that will be
remembered for years by the inhabitants of this
small village. As you ride away, you and they will
feel a warmth in your hearts that something
beneficial has happened to bolster international
understanding and friendship between nations.
It really is as simple as that.
Now here are a few extra tips to think about.
Let’s face it, it is the women who we want to
photograph generally because they always look
so much better than the men. So let’s talk about
that first.
Women like to look good in photos, so if they are
dressed up for the market, a festival or some other
occasion there is a good chance they will be happy
to be photographed.
If they are covered in sweat and grime and in their
work clothes, then chances are
they won’t be up for it.
subject is in view of neighbouring men she will
glance around and say “no thanks” to a photo for
the reason that the men will say to her husband or
father, “I saw Fatima out there posing for photos
from some European dude on a motorbike” and
she will get told-off.
In some circumstances such as photographing a
lady selling fruit in the market you can get away
with making eye contact with a smile and lifting
your camera to show her. She will either shake her
In Asia it is considered
immodest for ladies to pose for
photographs for men or with
men. Therefore if your female
Traditional ways of getting about!
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head or ignore you which means “OK but do it
quickly and be on with you, I’m working.”
Asian women are generally very happy to be
photographed by another woman as long as she
is polite about it ie, follows the aforementioned
procedure. If you are travelling with wife or
girlfriend then get them to break the ice and then
you can get in there over their shoulders and
photograph discreetly.
In some circumstances where the man or lady is
very poor, or sick of having their photo taken, or
dressed up to be paid for photos, they will ask
for money. This is usually done by rubbing the
fingers together “Fagin” style once they spot the
camera. There is nothing wrong with paying, and
you can get great shots this way, as once you have
agreed to pay them the subject will pose for as
many photos as you like. In Asia this will cost you
between 50p and £1 for the round. Basically just
nod your head and say OK, take your shots then
give them the cash in local currency. This is the
going rate so don’t be bullied into giving more and
don’t pull out big wodges of notes but have the
right change ready in your hand and be sure to say
thank you in every case.
Bear in mind that in Asia men and women don’t
touch, so shaking hands with women is generally
a no-no. Also the man/woman comfort zone
distance is much greater than in Europe so keep
around 5 feet away from women at all times and
they will feel comfortable. If you are a woman then
there is no problem, you are considered a sister
and will be encouraged to make physical contact
as the ladies will want to look at your hair and
jewellery and talk with you if possible. They will be
also be happy for you to photograph them.
Children love being photographed by and large
so you won’t have to try too hard, just remember
to kneel down to get to their height but don’t be
tempted to hand out sweets, pens, money etc as
Issue 40 • November/December 2014
this gives them the impression that we are there
to be taken advantage of and also encourages
them to be beggars as it looks like they can earn
without effort.
What Asian children love is a bit of chat and
laughs….it’s very easy!
Men are generally easy to photograph too
following the above courtesy guidelines.
If there is a religious festival going on, or a
cremation for example then please show a little
respect and check with a local that it is OK to
photograph before blasting away. It is worth
thinking about turning off your flash if it is going to
disturb the atmosphere.
So, in summary, taking photos of exotic locals should
not be a case of, shoot them from a distance while
they are not looking and try not to meet their eyes.
It should be wow, these people look great, OK I
am going to engage with them as a human before I
take the photo and see what happens.
Check the background. Is it cluttered or ugly.
Move your position to adjust for it.
Remember, the more you put into a photograph,
the better it turns out, simple as that.
Think about how you would like it to look and
work towards that, smiling all the way.
If you agree to send a copy of a photo to the
people in it at the end of your trip then you will
be providing them with an image they will always
treasure, so remember to do that.
Lastly, let your camera be the catalyst to
open the door to wonderful opportunities of
communication with other cultures and let it be
the source of happy encounters on the road with
the overwhelmingly charming people who inhabit
this incredible world.
Andrew has been a pro-travel photographer for
20 years supplying images for a huge range of
publications and websites as well as being a
contracted Lonely Planet Images photographer
since 1993.
Andrew currently owns and runs LIVEIndia
Motorcycle Tours specialising in taking small
groups deep into the cultures and landscapes of
India. Visit liveindia.co.uk or www.facebook.com/
motorcycletoursindia for more information.
Here are a few travel photography tips to help
make sure that your images turn out the way you
want them.
Firstly, forget using your zoom. Use your feet and
get up close, really close, fill the frame with your
subject. If you just want their face then fill the
frame with their head and shoulders.
Have a quick glance at the sun and by moving your
position ensure it is falling onto their faces.
Don’t fiddle. Take the pictures quickly and take a
few in succession.
The first shot is inevitably formal and Asians don’t
like to smile for formal photos but as soon as the
first one is done and everyone relaxes, it is the
time to take the really good images.
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Issue 40 • November/December 2014
by Dennis Kitteridge and Phil Draper; making up
the crew for the mornings early flight to Germany.
The time on my wrist says 0342. Looks like I am
first up then. We meet up by our bikes having had
breakfast and at 0530, taxi along the M20 to the
Euro Tunnel, where we catch our early morning
flight to Calais.
The skies above Calais greets us with considerable
more sunshine as we ride through France and
Belgium. Even with the suspension set on comfort
and musical notes wafting up from the fairing, I am
finding the continuous dull slab of tarmac tedious.
Not helped by the fact that no sooner do I engage
cruise control I have to disengage as yet another
lumbering lorry moves into the lane to (crawl)
pass a stable mate. The fact that Corinne and I
only rode this long ribbon of motorway 2 weeks
ago to Ghent - probably compounds the matter.
A Game of Tennis,
A Dam or Two,
Forgotten Heroes
& Some Ice Cream!
No sooner do I close the garage door
and am greeted by the first drops of
rain. Nothing unusual there then. In
next to no time we reach Danbury and
the big GT is already washed in a coat of
Mother Natures crud.
It’s mid afternoon as we ride through a tunnel
of sun and cloud as the equally dull familiarity of
the A12 and magic roundabout sets in. Heavy
clouds hang low and motionless over the magic
roundabout and the QE11 Bridge. Suddenly the
wind cracks the whip and a giant invisible hand
shakes us violently from side to side and we rock
to the accompaniment of rain and hail. Thankfully
all lanes are running, as my head is full of doubt
as being able to keep the big GT sunny side up in
these winds should we have to stop up here. The
M20 is a little more friendly as we arrive at Days
Inn at the Maidstone Services - the muster point
for Cadam’s Dam Buster Raid to Germany.
Things improve considerably at the Days Inn. The
staff here have no knowledge of our bookings! I
collect my booking confirmation from the topbox
and hand it over. The staff still look puzzled,
confirmed by the question: “I guess you booked
this in December last year when our computer
was down?” My response. Polite but to the point:
“No, February actually”. They concur that they
have no record of our reservations and reservation
numbers do not match up; but do happen to have
3 rooms available at £140 all in. I explain that we
have already paid at the time of booking which
Squadron roll-call
does not go down well - as am met with a curt:
“No you have not paid”. A game of tennis then
ensues with me reinforcing that we have already
paid and Days Inn returning serve with: “No you
haven’t”. Eventually the tie breaker is that the
only way I would already have paid - is if I went
through a third party such as a travel agent. I then
serve an ace by directing her gaze to the Expedia
name and logo on my booking form - to which
she replies: “Oh – in that case you have paid...”
At least our room was vast and comfortable, if
a little noisy as being both closest to the main
railway line and lorry park of said services. (That
would explain why I heard trains and lorries
reversing in my sleep…)
Jonathan Stansfield was next to arrive, followed
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Issue 40 • November/December 2014
the local petrol station as we come into
land at our hotel.
Its been both a long haul and day - and
it’s getting no shorter as we are now
into evening. We unpack, shower and
reconvene in the hotel and tuck in to a
much deserved evening meal. Schnitzel
diluted with much Weiss Beer....
rejoin the motorway; back
on course.
Soon we roll into Holland accompanied by a
long, long column of trucks, like battle tanks
rumbling noisily towards the front line. A
complicated junction confronts us and I slow
the pace to enable concentrated navigation.
Satnav indicates the slip road to take and no
sooner do I take it, then it splits left and right.
The satnav still indicates left, so we bank round
to the left and then has a change of heart and
highlights the right fork. Committed to the left
there is nothing I can do apart from muttering
a well know word with 2 ‘LL’s’ and an ‘X’ - and
await for it to recalculate. We then skirt around
a town and dodge in and out of some tram
tracks and queue at some road works, before we
Finally we enter German
airspace.
It’s
Friday
and getting on, for late
afternoon German airspace is crammed on the
approach to Dortmund
and is mostly stop, start
stuff. As the threat of
being shot down is all too
real here as it’s illegal to
filter, we rely on patience
to get on with the job. With all lanes clogged as far
as I can see, we divert off the motorway into the
car park of MacDonald’s for some R&R. Refuelled
and with blood recirculating around our limbs, we
rejoin the motorway which now shows the first
signs of afternoon promise as we eventually attain
cruising speed once more. A road sign marking
the exit for the town of Wankum promotes some
discussion and helps pass the time as the road
sign for our destination is still some way off the
radar. After another lengthy spell of mile munching
we are eventually greeted by the first overhead
gantry signs for our weekend retreat - the town
of Soest. We vacate the autobahn and glide the
short distance into Soest, noting the location of
After a full continental breakfast, muesli,
sausages, scrambled eggs, brown seedy
rolls and chocolate nutella washed down
with apple juice, we saddle up and ride
the short distance to the Mohne Dam.
I follow the pre planned route in my
satnav around the waters perimeter, only
to be directed right into a junction with a
’No Through Road’ sign clearly standing
to attention. This should be interesting
me thinks - as indeed the sentry road
sign appears to be correct. We yaw
around and continue, but are now off
our intended flight path, confirmed by
the ‘U’ turn prompts from the screen of
my satnav. A quick reboot and I follow the route
as indicated before me once more - and again it
leads us back to the same cul de sac and indicates
a right turn - along a busy footpath!
We retrace our steps and stop halfway across a
bridge over the lake as there is some discussion
that this was once the original dam. Phil hands
around a bag of sweeties and as the sun begins
to show its face, make the most of the photo
opportunity. However, in my mind no matter
what angle is put on it - this is not the dam. I am
conscious of the days timetable, so will revisit
this one later. Instead we ride off in search of the
Sorpesse reservoir and the Sorpe dam.
Sorpe dam is located 9 miles south west of
the Mohne dam. Unlike its other cousins - the
Mohne and Eder, the Sorpe dam is an earth work
A destination or a
weather forecast?
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embankment construction type of dam and not a
gravity dam. It was built between 1927 and 1935
and at 200 feet was Germany’s highest earth
dam and held back over 70 million tons of water.
Between them, the Mohne and Sorpe controlled
about 70% of the water supplied to the Rhur basin.
We arrive at the Sorpe dam with the immediate
vicinity having a bit of an up market ambience
about it. There was plenty of off road parking bays,
not only all nicely marked out but also decorated
in paved brickwork including two specific areas for
motorcycles only. There is a nice looking elevated
hotel and several elevated café/restaurants on the
opposite side of the road. Leading down from the
road to the reservoir was a system of large white
paved concrete steps with their own in built water
feature and flower boxes. There was then a green
embankment with trees and shrubs leading to a
footpath beside the reservoir.
Issue 40 • November/December 2014
Having refuelled on either Schnitzels or ice cream
washed down with tea, coffee or coke, we walk
the walk along the width of the dam. For here
at the top of the dam is a wide footpath flanked
by a manicured hedge on either side. Due to
the topography, on the morning of the raid the
bombers had to attack along this axis which made
their bombing run particularly difficult. Indeed, the
first bomber made 9 passes before dropping its
bomb accurately on the 10th attempt. (Due to the
dam’s construction only minor damage was caused). At the end of the footpath is another smaller café,
where it was rude not to consume more ice cream!
Our next target was the crash site of Lancaster
bomber call-sign: M – Mother; piloted by Flt Lt
Hopgood. Having done some home work I knew
it was somewhere in a small wooded corpse to the
south of Ostonnen, just off a track from the L745
and below the 44 motorway. Having studied Google
maps I hedged my bets on a particular wooded
area just south of the motorway which was where I
thought was the first place we should look.
However my navigation did not start to well due
to the road further around the Sorpe reservoir
being closed. After much stopping, fumbling about
with the satnav (as we wanted to be going north
and not south) and additional mile munching we
finally reached the L745 south of Ostonnen. With
the 44 motorway a stones throw in front of us and
facing towards Ostonnen, we turned off onto an
unmade track. Not ideal on heavy touring bikes.
Jonathan meanwhile grinning like a Cheshire cat on
his baby GS, takes the lead. After a short section
of the rough, we come to the edge of a wooded
corpse. From memory courtesy of Google Maps,
this should be the place. We just need to find the
memorial. I need not have worried for Jonathan
soon shouts and points towards a well kept
clearing in the corpse and beyond can be seen a
“Deutschland?”
“Nein,
Blighty!”
small wooden memorial. I breath a sigh of relief –
so this was the right place after all!
Hopgood’s Lancaster crashed here, coming to rest
where the motorway lies. He and his crew were
on the return leg of their journey having bombed
the Mohne dam. However on route to their target
they were hit by anti aircraft fire and by the time
they commenced their bombing run they were
lit up like a giant firework and easy pickings for
German gunners. Their Lancaster was also further
damaged by the blast from their bomb which
bounced over the dam, destroying the power
station on the other side. Hopgood desperately
tried to gain altitude so his crew could bail out, but
his stricken plane was by now too badly damaged.
3 crew members managed to bail out, but the
remainder perished when the aircraft’s wing
disintegrated and crashed at this spot.
Clambering aboard the bikes and following a tad
more off roading - to be honest
not the big GT‘s forte - we
are back on the L745. This time
I have locked the cross hairs of
the satnav on the Mohne dam
and after what seems very short
order atop some billiard smooth
and picturesque German roads;
the Mohne dam appears out of
nowhere on our right. Swamped
with tourists awaiting to embark
on boat rides. As luck would
have it, we are directed to a
secret place with ample parking,
by a parking attendant. He notes
the big GT and Jonathan’s GS
immediate behind and enquires:
“Deutschland?” So, he was as
surprised to note that we were
from Blighty, as we were that he
too was English!
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Issue 40 • November/December 2014
After much deliberation, (although not so as far as
weiss beer was concerned) we order and enjoy an
evening meal surrounded by everything al fresco.
Sunday starts with a slightly earlier but equally
filling breakfast. The menu for the remainder of
the day being a visit Bergen Belsen, the site of the
former POW camp liberated by the British 11th
Armoured Division on April 15th 1945. Between
1941 and 1945 almost 20,000 Russian POW’s and
a further 50,000 inmates died here. On liberating
the camp the British soldiers found 60,000 starved
and dying prisoners, surrounded by the unburied
corpses of another 13,000.
Plenty of room for
ice cream & innuendo!
The Mohne dam was built between 1909 and
1913. Another gravity dam built from blocks of
granite masonry, formed by damming 2 rivers the Mohne and Heve. It was the largest dam in
Europe and held back 140 million tons of water. It
was protected by torpedo nets and anti aircraft
guns. The dam was successfully breached in the
first wave of bombing runs. A 77m x 22m hole
was blown into the dam. The resulting wave of
flood water killed at least 1579 people, most
being foreign forced labourers. Although the
dam was quickly repaired by forced labourers
commandeered from the Atlantic Wall, 11
factories were destroyed by flood water. 114 were
badly damaged and 25 roads and bridges were
destroyed. Although power was restored after
only 2 days, German industry did not get back to
normal production until the September.
Standing at the centre, looking out across the
choppy slate waters of the dam, it was hard
trying to imagine the same scene at 0056 on May
17th 1943. Surrounded in darkness, the sound
of Lancaster bombers reverberating through the
valley walls, getting louder. Their crews desperately
trying to get their aircraft set up for the perfect
bombing run at the first attempt in the darkness.
Once at the right speed and height they had little
time to drop their bouncing bomb before over
running the dam. At the sometime, the Germans
were trying to shoot them down...
Two things which struck me most about the
dam we were standing on where its perfect half
crescent shape and quality of construction, with
no brick or half brick out of place.
Prior to boarding our bikes for the flight back to
the hotel, we take seats at a restaurant come café
with views across the rocking waters of the dam.
Having interrogated the menu we order deserts
and drinks. Dennis with spoon in hand, soon looks
as full as his man vs ice cream challenge. It soon
gets the better of him and he waves the white flag.
Jonathan went for the same ice cream cup and
also returns his to the table. I comment on that
it’s still half full. Jonathan soldiers on and finishes.
It’s a short flight back to our hotel. Showered and
a walk into Soest finds us at a table outside a small
German drinking house in the centre of the town.
We grab the autobahn and find it still sleeping,
for heading towards Lower Saxony are vast open
voids between vehicles. However the German
trio of big engined BMW’s, Audi’s and Mercedes
occasionally remind you that lane 3 is home turf no sooner are they hunting us down and they’re
gone. Corinne breaks radio silence and suggests
we should keep up with a particularly rapid black
E class. I had been resisting the temptation as I
had a passenger and had the other 3 aircraft in
our squadron to consider. However a particularly
splendid section of empty and slightly down hill
section of autobahn suddenly stood up to the
challenge. No sooner had I pushed the throttles
forward, when radio silence is suddenly broken
and a panicky voice dictates we resume cruising
speed to our target. So cruise control is reengaged at around 90 knotts. Eventually we vacate the E45 via a rather tight 180
degree off slip, back over my right shoulder up to
a ‘T’ junction and we bank left towards the town
of Celle. I catch a glimpse of the first road sign
written: ‘Bergen’ – so know we are on the right
heading. Its nice to be away from the motorway
and now we are flanked by trees with large green
hands and fields on either side. Reminds me of
Thetford back home. As we ride through and out
the other side of Celle, we come to a crossroads.
The colour red dictates we stop. Corinne again
breaks radio silence in an excited tone: “Look up
there – look!” Looking up, on the other side of
said junction is a chimney from a building, the top
of which is surrounded in a scaffolding made of
large twigs and doing a bit of maintenance to the
nest is a large Heron! A camera moment without
a doubt, but the shade of green means go as we
make our descent into Bergen.
By the time we set foot on the site of this former
POW camp, the sun above the treed canopy is at
full power and it’s getting hot. I was not sure what
to expect as have listened to various accounts of this place being deserted of bird song. However,
there was plenty of that around us - so far so good
then. In search of shade, we do the museum first.
As imagined this is graphic and hard hitting. The
history of what went on, the written and video
accounts of those forced to suffer and endure it,
along with the accounts of those enforcing the
Nazi regime; made compelling reading. Proof
that there is still more to learn about what really
happened here. From the very first days to the
Nuremburg war trials and the execution of the
‘Beast of Belsen’ - the camp Commandant Josef
Kramer.
I needed fresh air, so it was outside to try and
comprehend the camp layout and the attrition and
death that would have filled and hung motionless
in the air 73 years ago. The bland, barren heath
land only broken up by the many grassed bunkers
which all had the same inscription in stone: ‘Hier
Ruhen? Tote April 1945‘ (Lies Bodies?) Some of
these mass graves contained the bodies of 500,
800, 1000, 5000 and one – the inscription: ‘Hier
Ruhen 9000 Tote April 1945’ The majority of
these being after liberation, when the SS guards
and female SS guards were made to burry the
dead in these graves which they were made to
dig with their hands. The camp was then burnt to
the ground.
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There is minimal plant life here, so as a mark of
respect visitors place stones on the graves of
these forgotten heroes. There are more lizards
scurrying about than stones and it takes an age to
find just 2 small stones. I place one on the site of
the first mass grave of 1000 we come to and the
other at the head stone of Anne & Margot Frank.
We retrace the 150 miles back along the autobahns
to our hotel. The autobahns are now fully awake
and more akin to the M20 in places. Back at the
hotel for a quick shower and an evenings walk into
town. Is a shorter walk this time as we stop at
a nearby restaurant and order dinner. Our food
takes a good proportion of the remaining evening
to arrive on our table, but is worth the wait as is
very good indeed. Its Monday, it’s the Eder dam and its the best ride
of the trip. The satnav guides us away from all but
the smallest of towns and provides on a plate,
narrow country lanes hemmed in by fields and
ancient farmhouses, valleys of varying shades of
green, narrow rough tracks in and out of forests
and wide sweeping bends not too dissimilar to
the legendary B500. Undulating fields of pastel
greens sewn together to make the larger picture,
sprinkled with perfectly spaced modern day
windmills standing to attention, motionless.
We stop on our final approach to the Eder dam
in a small, pretty town. We dismount in empty
parking bays adjacent to a posh looking hotel,
its face decorated in a thick olive green beard of
rich ivy. Directly opposite is a large lake flanked by
trees bearing their full summer clothes; complete
with a narrow, square timber tower wearing a
pointed hat of grey tiles; rising from the still waters
- and that’s it. Hardly a car passes, there’s not a soul
about, the only noise is from birds touching down
and rippling the lake. Tranquillity lives here.
We arrive at the Eder dam just as Phil’s stomach
dictates it’s lunch. Phil is soon wrestling with a
Issue 40 • November/December 2014
rather large German sausage, complete with fries;
whilst Dennis proclaims his tuna salad is the best
he has ever tasted and – more than expected.
The Eder dam is a hydroelectric dam spanning
the Eder river. It took 6 years to construct and
construction was completed in 1914. It was 25’
higher than the Mohne, but not as long. It held
back 200 million tons of water and was the largest
reservoir in Germany. Submerged under the
reservoir are 3 towns and the original river bridge.
Believing the Eder dam was impossible to attack it
had no anti torpedo nets or anti aircraft guns. Only
2 guards with rifles patrolled the dam. The Eder
was breached in the raid and water emptied at the
rate of 8,000 cubic meters a second. It produced
a 6-8m tsunami which travelled 19 miles causing
widespread destruction and 70 deaths. However
a figure of 749 has been cited by non German
sources as the number of foreigners killed in
POW and labour camps just below the dam. The Eder, like its Mohne cousin, appears as another
lesson in engineering and architecture constructed
with just sweat and the human eye. It looks a smidge
less imposing than the Mohne, for the towers of the
Mohne appear more menacing and aggressive. The
Eder has more curvature injected into its form, so
is slightly more crescent shaped as it curves away
into the abyss of a heavily canopied forest on the
opposite bank. The Eder also appears a lot less
popular than the Mohne, as I guess the Mohne
took all the limelight from the film? So there are
no hoards of tourists here, just us and few others.
Another feature distinguishing the 2 dams is that
from the Eder you can actual trace the route that
the flood water would have flooded along into the
Ruhr Valley - not so the Mohne.
The rain clouds had been gathering for a raid of
their own and no sooner was Eder behind us,
when the first drops of rain started rattling against
the big GT’s screen. The rain suddenly stopped as
quickly as it started. However it did not last as
taking the quickest route back, once established
on the autobahn, it really came down.
Chewing the miles behind on his little GS, Jonathan
was having problems of his own. His fuel situation
was eating into his reserve. Having all throttled back
to conserve his fuel, 8 pairs of eyes were scanning
through the darkened funnel of gloom and spray
– for the first signs of services with fuel. Thankfully
we did not have to wait long – or so we thought.
Running out of fuel was not a problem – I could get
a 5 litre container of fuel in each pannier to bring
back. However, running out of fuel on the autobahn
in these conditions would be the problem...
We rolled up onto the forecourt of the motorway
services. Jonathan’s fuel cap opened wide, gasping
for fuel. Fuel nozzle rammed home, trigger
clenched tight, we waited for the torrent of
fuel to flood the little GS’s tank. Instead of this
precious source of momentum, we were greeted
by much arm waving from the Manageress who in
the pouring rain did her best to explain that the
computer controlling the pumps was down and
no fuel could be drawn.
There was even ice cream made to look like
pepperoni pizza and spaghetti bolognaise! Despite
our best shot (and it was rude not to try!) none
of us could trump Jonathan’s strawberry Sundae
from the night before. His foot deep glass rammed,
complete with stiletto heel, had us all beaten.
Tuesday brings us around to the tone of rain
hammering down onto the hotel roof. Much is the
same for our 11 hr flight back home. The rain is
relentless and has no intentions of surrender. At
a German service area we are approached by a
Polish rider on an NTV with knobblies. Transpires
he set out from Poland yesterday and is heading
for Plymouth – and is having bother with his
satnav. He fires off many questions, asking how
we are navigating? Are we all using satnavs? What
types and do they work? He then rejoins the
rain, shortly returning with his Garmin which he
promptly hands me in sealed in a sandwich bag.
He explains he is making slow progress as his
Garmin keeps directing him off the motorway
and asks me to look at it. (Er….me??) After short
Permission to say ‘Cock!’
Interrogating the satnav, I plotted the shortest
route to the petrol station that we had been
feeding from in Soest. Was it do able? Would the
little GS get its pilot there? It was a short distance
from the next motorway exit which was not that
far, but with a teaspoon of fuel not touching the
sides in Jonathan’s tank - it was miles away.
A short while later we found the answer, as we
all came to a stop at the local petrol station. Tanks
replenished, a quick shower and it was back into
town for the last night of our Raid. We took seats
at the same restaurant as the previous night,
followed by our final skirmish at the local ice cream
parlour.To be fair, I have never seen so much of the
stuff either on display or displayed on the menu.
Jon’s foot deep
Sundae had them
all beaten!
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interrogation, the culprit is identified as the ticked
box for ’avoid motorways’. Having put him straight
we resume our flight of 4, in search of friendly
skies and Calais. Sometime later we roll into
another service area in Belgium and no sooner do
we deploy side stands, when rolling in behind us is
our Polish friend on his NTV. This time he can be
seen wearing smile and greets us with a nod.
The rain finally stops for about 30 minutes as our
train carriage offers us a brief respite. The weather
shows little regard for change when we hook back
up with the M20. The M25 greets us in typical
friendly fashion with all lanes backed up from the
tunnel. Welcome home. At times like this there is
no getting away from the fact that the big GT is
a big girl. Having come this far, this is no place for
careless filtering. We remain seated until such time
as landing sites between vehicles show their faces
and we then carefully thread our way between
friend and foe. Still in ‘rain’ mode, 1st gear and a
whisper of throttle is ample. Eventually we arrive
at the front of the queue and once through the
bore are free again.
Issue 40 • November/December 2014
of the sponge, clothes and polish I carried with me
which include starting off in France having cleaned
on board the train. Great storage with the ‘Pans’
top box and panniers.
The main thing that struck me once again on yet
another European trip was the roads, as for the
scenery which is always a given to be fantastic, I
don’t believe we hit a pot hole anywhere, a couple
of bits of rough road, but no actual pot holes
which causes the bike and your balls to bounce up
and down on the seat.
It really is ‘easy riding’ especially when you don’t have
to concentrate on signs, maps or SAT NAV’s and
all you need to do is following the ride leader. So I
would recommend this trip to all you club members
who are out there and not yet ventured abroad.
My compliments to all, as we all go on well, but
especially to JS who had spent two years working
in Germany and was able to speak the lingo and
did an amazing job ensuring that I got fairly plain
and simple food which is my preference.
Much thanks to Jonathan Stansfield for acting as
Group Interpreter. He made our stay with our
many German hosts easier than communicating
between you and I. The hotel was clean and tidy and they looked
after us, no portion control, and made easy as the
proprietor was English. The beers flowed well and
the conversation interesting.
The View From Those in My Mirrors:
What I didn’t like was that it was not long enough,
but hey-ho, I have to give a thought to ‘er in doors’
who never complains when I am away.
“It’s not easy to lead a ride on roads
you don’t know, when the SAT NAV
does its own thing, so thanks to JH
for organising and leading the ride
over the 1300 odd miles we covered.
As for finding LT Hopgood’s place of
remembrance, which included a short
off road excursion, was amazing.
The Honda ‘Pan’ went well and I still managed to
keep up the CADAM cleaning quality with a little
time spent cleaning when possible by making use
Well, I could go on and tell you how great the
trip was but JH as covered most of it so I look
forward to seeing you on the next trip I am on
Dennis.
with CADAM.”
“I have been thinking long and hard
about your request and as you have
done such a great job, I do not feel I can
add anything more!” Phil.
“As a relatively new associate member
of the CADAM Group I approached the
Dambuster Raid Tour with a degree of
trepidation. Facing an expedition of over 1200
miles led by an Advanced Police Motorcyclist,
and in the company of the Senior Observer and
an experienced advanced rider seemed at first
like a five day continuous observed ride! Other
concerns were my inexperience in long distance
riding, having the smallest bike, and the shortest
fuel range. The team showed no mercy (except
for regular fuel stops), but I soon found myself
coping well and the miles on the autobahns soon
started to rack up.
and the convivial, wide ranging meal time
conversations contributed towards making this
a thoroughly enjoyable and truly memorable
trip. I wish to express my sincere thanks to the
whole team for making me so welcome and the
tour such a success. I would warmly recommend
these CADAM tours to other associate members
in the group. Not only did I get the opportunity
to try out my new kit and practice my German,
but judging by my first Ride Report after getting
back, it also improved my riding skills as well.”
Jonathan Stansfield
The expedition was given a purpose by having a
very definite and worthwhile objective, and the
dams certainly did not disappoint. After seeing
several documentaries on the Dambuster raids
the week before departure, I could almost imagine
the Lancaster’s appearing over the distant horizon
all those years ago. The visit to Bergen-Belsen
concentration camp left me pensive and humbled,
as you stand there on a site which had witnessed
so much suffering, misery, and death. Despite the
fact that these sites are maintained as a lesson
“that this must never be allowed to happen again”,
history continues to be repeated apace in the
Third World and the Middle East.
The ride back from Bergen-Belsen on the
Autobahn gave the opportunity to open the taps
up a little bit, and unfortunately also contributed
to my one and only fuel crisis! A typical “Sod’s
Law” experience, as we had just passed a filling
station when my reserve tank warning light
appeared. Slowing right down to conserve fuel
Sod’s Law struck again, when the next filling station
was unable to dispense fuel due a computer
malfunction. I finally managed to coast into Soest,
our home-base, on vapours and the local Aral
filling station was a very welcome sight.
The excellent German food, massive ice-creams,
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How to Find Us
Club Nights
The Sports Pavilion, Chelmsford Police HQ,
St. Margaret’s Road. 19:30 for 20:00 start
unless otherwise stated. Please refer to
CADAM events listing for dates.
Apologies, but we will need to collect £1.00
from each member present on club nights
to cover the cost of hiring the room.
Guest speakers and the occasional
raffle are being planned for some of the
meetings. For more details or suggestions
for future events, please contact a member
of the committee.
Thank you and we look forward to
seeing you soon.
CADAM What’s On? 2015
Visit the Forum and Events Calendar at www.cadam.org for more details
of all events listed. Check regularly as events are regularly added or amended.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
December ‘14
Tues 9th
Christmas Dinner
March
Tues 10th
Group Night
Your Club Needs You!
The Lodge, Battlesbridge
AGM and Introduction See JS for details
to basic First Aid
Sun 14th
Training Day
7.30pm EPSA
10am Boreham McD
Sun 21st
Social Ride
All other dates for training
10am Boreham McD
If you have any suggestions
that you feel may benefit the
club and its members, then
we would love to hear from
you. That might include
suggestions (or niggles)
about training, club nights,
rideouts or this magazine.
Tues 23rd Theory Night
and social rides etc will be
published once available.
7.30pm EPSA
In the meantime, please
Sat 27th
Training Day 10am McD’s
visit the website for more
January
immediate updates.
Tues 13th
Group Night
Life at the Ace Café
7.30pm EPSA
February
Tues 10th
Group Night
SorryMate! Accident claims specialist
7.30pm EPSA
We are a team of volunteers
and it is important to us that
the club operates to benefit
all members.
If you have any suggestions
please don’t hesitate to
contact one of the committee
at a club night, on a ride
out or via the emails listed
inside. Better still, why not
come along to a Committee
Meeting and get involved.
With your help we can make
riding safer and fun.