(Posted in LB and X9 forums)
Just had two glorious days of riding - but two very different days, different styles, different strokes etc.
Boxing Day was the London Biker’s Boxing Day Burn-off. Somehow, Deity knows how, I made it to the Ace for the meet time of 10:00, and amidst those who gulped down multiple 'Big Breakfast’s, felt well feasted on two fried eggs on toast - and tea, tea, tea.
I was very ashamed to have the dirtiest bike by far. 
SheWolf (Sherri/Cherie/Cuddles) had contacted Tania, and arranged that she should meet us in East Sheen. Now that’s in my manor, but I don’t know what would be meant by that - but meet us just half-a-fag into arriving there - she did, well done. 
Now the S.Circ to Catford and beyond. OK, by myself I’ll ride the road, I make progress, etc etc, but this was making fast progress, never mind confusing some old dear in her Hillman Minx… Only one naughty noticed (speeds disregarded) and that was just one person just once going the wrong way round a Keep Left bollard. That’s a no-no, that’s a pedestrian refuge and should be sacrosanct. Otherwise full marks!
Oh, Terry let his number-plate act as a bat out of hell whilst exiting Wandsworth - a quick loop and some superglue and all was sorted. Well done the rest for noticing two riders were missing and coming back. Well done superglue for lasting the trip, if my muttered bet had been taken up I’d have lost!
Arrive near (not in) Farningham at the services - obviously no point venturing further, biker gridlock, so we lay up and have a fag or five by the pumps, as one does in France, but not normally in the UK without clueless H&S folks streaming in from all sides. This was a meet, greet and goodbye point for some, and some others may well have been at the right place at the right time (which we weren’t at any point) and missed the plot entirely…
The Ride Begins!
I choose to stay at the back - two reasons:
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I like to be either leading or at the back so I can position myself for myself rather than others - selfish perhaps but definitely safer.
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This was my first LB rideout - and my CVT scooter isn’t up to scratch on mid-range acceleration, so although I will keep up, I’m a bit of an elastic band (rephrase as you wish!).
However, Adam had assured us we didn’t need a drop-off system, and although I chose to be a back-person, I didn’t think of myself as a back-marker at this stage… But as time went on, sensible folk chose to do drop-offs, but didn’t necessarily know I was the rather obvious ‘different’ back-marker - and so came the one ‘drop-off’ of the ride, poor SheWolf (Sherri/Cherie/Cuddles) was left wondering and waiting in the cold, drizzle beginning, murkiness descending. Brave and stout-hearted lady for carrying on, and full marks to the rest of us for not taking refuge in the Pub until she turned up.
The roads thereafter were GREAT roads - but the weather discouraged some from thinking use all the road, who might have now have checked tyre pressures etc…
Suddenly we were in deepest Sittingbourne (I think), and Madscientist did the really decent - proving teas and coffees to a jumble of idiots who couldn’t decide if they wanted tea or coffee! Full marks, especially for having a private parking space for umpteen bikes.
We then set off home - all expect (I think) me went A2 - I chose M20/M25, as I knew it was the quickest for me by at least 30 minutes. Bloody good day, bloody good friendly folk, bloody good blast, must do something similar again in the not too different future.
And then day two - today, with some West London MAG folk. A couple have never been London commuters, and do not do harum-scarum - they’ve never had to. So a different ride, a gentle bimble. Started at the Popes Grotto, who gave us free coffee for an hour before we set off (must give the young lady a ‘tip’ as they say…) and then onto Esher, picking up another chap who should have by our schedule been waiting for 45 minutes, but knows us well and had only been waiting five minutes…
Ryka’s for a pee (that coffee does something…) and then onto Ockley via back roads. Mud, lots of it, but all taken at warm-tyred gentle pace. No mishaps - and then The Inn on the Green at Ockley. Good beer, Great food (not cheap, but very good value!) and more pees later we go via Shere and East Clandon to Ockham. ARRGH! The Haut Boy is closed - the Mucky Duck is now a no-bikers BMW/Merc very swish restaurant, no coffee, no beer!
So we make our own ways home, after a very gentle ride, which hopefully gave one or two a clue about road positioning.
280 miles in two days - almost up to summer levels!
Great riding for 2007 folks, there’s more than one way of safely doing it.
