Tag: Training

…(or not)…..Chips that is….

Largs Ride Out and Training Day

So following on from Saturday’s Road Crew training day, Sunday was a chance for the Road Crew to put into practice with a bigger group, all that had been learned the day before. It was also a great opportunity for new members and those less confident or familiar with riding in a group to come and see how it all works….two man drop off, spacing and the “stagger” while group riding. There was a rumour Director Stevie might be treating everyone to chips at Largs*. If nothing else that ensured a good turn out on our first ride out of the year on what was forecast to be a possibly wintery day.

The Road Crew did a couple of demo’s on the roads around WCHD of the second man drop off, then the group was briefed and assembled to take on the first leg of the ride from WCHD to Port Glasgow. It was with Jigger out front acting as the mobile Sat Nav , Kenny was thrust into the lead role for the first time since officially joining the Road Marshals on Saturday, with Shas on the back- I think we could have got two of her in the Orange Captains Bib when sat behind Kenny on the Road King Special, and the group was led off down the Motorway to exit at the tricky Junction 29 Airport sideroad exit….a bit of a nemesis of a junction for Kenny who managed to miss the turn off entirely on his very first ride out with the chapter nearly two years ago, when also going to Largs!

While he didn’t miss it this time, let’s just say it’s still a tricky one up front and there was a lot of hand swapping going on to point the drop-off at the right spot….luckily the second in line was Davie Fulton who knew the drill here anyway and was very tolerant.

But that wee technicality aside we were off down the backroads towards Houston, Bridge of Weir and Kilmacolm on what was a very agreeable morning for motorbike riding. There was some snow on the higher tops around Glasgow but at road level it was turning into a pretty fine day.

The group arrived safely at Port Glasgow and Connor ( a proper Road Captain) took over as Road Captain for the leg down to Largs. A lot of roadworks around Greenock led to a lot of unforeseen detours and the group became quite fragmented due to some very slow to change temporary traffic lights through the town, but we had a wee pause to let the group come back together and once clear of the works the run down the coast was very pleasant, and the sun even managed to shine once we were parked up at Largs.

Hands up who spotted chapter member Pete Chisholm filming us in the layby as we approached Largs. Hope to see you back out with us soon mate.

Stevie claimed the Road Crew directions meant he failed to locate a chip shop entirely, so there was a lot of disappointment, not least with young Connor who had taken the not insubstantial order for 9 Fish suppers, 3 steak pie suppers, a haggis supper, one deep fried pizza supper, and 10 bags of chips, and knew precisely how much salt, sauce or vinegar each was to have…..

Not to worry rumour has it if we can find a Wetherspoons he will treat us to that next time…..”if”….

*it was maybe just made up.