Well, that was embarrassing.
Took a bit of a tumble around an icy corner and inexperience meant I braked instead of riding through it.
Won’t do that again.
Thanks to everyone on the ride for their help getting me back on my feet- sorry to have interrupted proceedings.
I’ll be back another time once I’ve got a bit more experience.
Cheers,
James
That’s why I was a big girly wuss and bailed on you all: I know my limits and icy BFN roads are well out of my comfort zone! Hope you’re ok and there’s not too much damage to either you or the 'bike? And hope to see you back out soon, but maybe in less challenging riding conditions x
Thanks Janey.
Other than my pride taking a massive dent I’m fine- bit of a scrape on the knee.
I would have walked away if I had bought proper trousers but I didn’t.
I have good gloves, boots, helmet but stupidly didn’t get trousers- I’m fixing that before I go back out.
The bike is fine- a few scrapes.
Knocked the wind out of me though.
Definitely want to avoid doing that to myself again.
Hasn’t dented my desire to get better at biking but certainly I was being optimistic to think I was ready for today.
I stopped for 30 mins for a drink as suggested by the guys and then got back on the road.
I am really glad I did it- it was initially a bit fraught but I eventually got comfortable.
I am going to be sore tomorrow.
and that is precisely why i haven’t taken the bike out today.
dude dont feel too sorry for yourself, experience or not you stand very little chance on ice. next time you’ll join a rideout hopefully would be in better weather conditions 
Thanks silveR6
Fair play, we all live and learn by our mistakes.
I’ve done many!
Don’t beat yourself up about, like the others have said.
My rule is below 5c I’m not going out, if I hear my neighbours scraping ice…forget it
The joy of owning a car, why risk it!
Yep I’m a semi fair weather biker… Oh I hate wind too.
Hope your not to sore tomorrow.
Glad you are ok mate. Remember how you manage to do it, to not do it again. And no trousers? B…ch please…
Link about injury statistics.
R
Thanks for organizing such an action packed ride Tim.
Well done James for getting back on and riding home, hope yer bruises heal quickly.
cheers Tim, nice to see everyone, good turnout considering the weather.
dont sweat the tumble hogtrumpet, you got away with it so learn and move on, straight to the shops for some trousers!
ride safe folks.
Cheers Tim, great to see so many out…glad to see you made it home okay Hogtrumpet…don’t let it worry you…turns out that was the iciest corner on the ride and it could have happened to anyone of us… see you soon for another ride when it’s a little warmer 
Eeesh. Sorry to hear about your off James. As said, get back on the horse and put it down to experience.
Thanks people.
I’m not glad it happened but given it did and I walked away with several valuable lessons.
I’ll definitely be back properly equipped in the better weather.
James
As I have always said it’s not if but when you come off
Hopefully it will not happen again for a long time
As for wind try windeze from boots
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Pin
I survived 2013 - but we won’t go into too much detail in case Mrs Art pops in :w00t:
Day started a little different when I had the opportunity to head shake and have words with two of the Mets finest driving on a seriously under inflated tyre. Their most original excuse being ‘we have to do a walk round visual before driving a patrol car and it was fine when we left the Abbey Cafe just round the corner’ - that old chestnut.
Good call from Tim, didn’t notice any gravel, mud or too much wetter but there was enough ice about to keep us on our toes. Then there was the biker babe stalking us for most of the day with some proper big biker to biker waves. What the day lacked in miles it made up for in drama.
Hogtrumpet - Had I known you was going to get your knee down on that bend you could have borrowed my textile trousers and armour. I didn’t need them for the line I took
Glad no one was seriously hurt. I didn’t ride today as I was heading over the North Downs and anticipated ice after reading the accident reports for the Wimbledon Common area never mind the real sticks.
Am I wrong for thinking something that looks like sausage, Yorkshire pudding, and lamb’s lettuce is deeply disturbing?
Bangers, mash and onion rings. Didn’t care too much for the green scenery, the rest was tasty, very very tasty
Hmm where to start I wonder …
Hogtrumpet glad that you are ok and that it was more of a learning curve ~ok learning straightycurvy bit ~ at least you didn’t end up in the vegetation … cant see how anyone could do that and if they did I’m upset that I missed it 
Seriously well done for braving the conditions and turning up know its not how you planned your day and WELL DONE for getting back on the bike straight away ( know you didn’t really have much of a choice ( for those not aware most recovery companies will not recover from accident scenes unless through a request from insurance companies )…
My day started off in great style to be coming off the m25 onto the m40 to see a load of debris across the road and a Volvo facing me with a very startled bunny styled driver at the wheel … So stopped to see if injury and to help with the shocked driver ( no injuries ) Await those finest H.A.TO to make safe …
So trying to deliberate if to take planned route I decided to as couldn’t think of any alternatives
To the confusing moment of Who is waving at me on the opposite carriageway of the A40 … OOH its her Janey lol after she bailed out for the days adventure in exchange for central heating ( at least I didn’t call you a bloke lol )
On up past Pinewood Studios bit white on the road but seemed reasonable ( definition of reasonable to be slightly altered by those behind me )
To then see the person behind me disappear from view and in that same brief second see what I presumed was roadkill in centre of lane so alter course to see its a complete cats eye has been dislodged from the road and these are not small ( 
and have a steel base( old style )
So the day was shortened and the furthest we made was Beaconsfield Services and the onto the Coy Carp in harefield where we braved the elements and sat outside …
Think the coppers could not have been better and any more jovial from comments like …“Oh you lot are brave coming out today” which my reply was “no Just stupid”
To when exiting the ambulance telling us that Hogtrumpet was more worried about what we were going to say to him that anything else …
But considering their day had consisted of dragging cars about etc think the chance of a full blown bike accident with ambulance in attendance had their curiosity sated and turned up in force …
Cheers all and Happy New Year …Oh well time to don the Bike gear again as Time to see if I get to play On SERV duty this evening …
Was good to see many faces brave the elements today (new and old)
Here’s to a great 2014… Bring it on !!
and top marks for road retaliation
and the mighty pie of flakiness side view
and the difference in food presentation ( or shall we guess which got dropped )
So that is where my knee went!
I’ve been missing part of it all afternoon.
A consolation is I’ve received much comfort from Mrs Hogtrumpet (including some lovely pasta) and Scarlett O’Hairy the English Bulldog has tried licking my scab several times already.
Lovely.
I’ll spare you all the gratuitous wound picture.
