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The IAM Aims To improve the standard of driving (and riding) on the UK roads. The Advancement of Road Safety.
sam SOLENT ADVANCED M OTO R C Y C L I S T S
The Administration of an Advanced Test.
MAKING
progress
December 05
INSIDE p5 Throttle control
p8 Rockies Tour
p10 Not a Race
£342
p14
collected for Hampshire Autistic Society (HAS)
Route 66
o the original aim of a “£200 Ride” to raise money for the HAS - started with the idea that we all would contribute £1.00 per member.
S
donations. In all, we had about 30+ riders (pictured above) and we believe that some 72 members contributed.
On the count-up; one member put in £30, another donated £25, plus loads and loads of £10 and £5
Absolutely fantastic and a great social day for those who joined in for the ride down to Gosport.
p15 Photo shoot
Registered Charity No. 1097558
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S A M S O L E N T A DVA N C E D M OTO R C Y C L I S T S
December 2005
The High Way code but not as we know it!
START THE NEW YEAR WITH SAM , `THE E `SIGNET ROOM` AT JAN 1st LUNCH IN TH ALRESFORD. SWAN HOTEL` NEW 11.30 SQUARE TO LEAVE AT MEET in WICKHAM OF SOME 20 MILES. FOR A SHORT RIDE ENT, THIS IS A FAMILY EV ME. SO ALL ARE WELCO ISH. EL BY CAR IF YOU W YOU MAY EVEN TRAV IT WILL D TO ABOUT 35, SO PLACES ARE LIMITE ED BE 1st COME 1st SERV R YOU AVAILABLE SOON FO THE MENU WILL BE . UR CHOICE OF FOOD TO PRE-SELECT YO H WITH GERRY GOOC BOOK YOUR PLACES o.uk ON gerrygooch@tiscali.c or phone 01329 832416
200 Not Out Hi, The SAM Membership has now reached 200+ members and the group activities are getting more varied and interesting. With the increase in numbers comes the need for more involvement from the membership. Associates need Observers, Social runs need Run Leaders, Club Nights need presenters, this Newsletter need articles and Events need organising.
Please remember that the SAM Committee and the SAM members that are observing, arranging, leading, organising for the Club are volunteers and are giving their time and efforts to support YOU, not only in your quest to be an Advanced Motorcyclist but also to enjoy the events. Please don’t just sit back and let others reap the benefits of helping the Club - Get Involved . Ed
Q u a l i t y M o t o rc y c l e A c c e s s o r i e s Our objective is very simple to provide the best products at the best prices with unrivalled customer service
A d v a n c e d M o t o rc y c l e I n s t r u c t i o n “As good as training gets”
www.GOBYBIKE.com PA G E 2
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Membership Secretary s the year draws quickly to an end I have been looking back at my first 3 months as Membership Secretary. We have had another good year and membership has continued to grow, especially from our Training Sundays. As of 12 November, we have 229 club members made up of 132 Members and 93 Associates.The year started slowly with an average of 3 new members per month and then leapt to an average of 10 once Training Sundays started in April through to the last session in October.We are about to get our first 2 corporate members from Ford UK as a result of our growing reputation but we do lose people through the year for various reasons. A short questionnaire for all is included in this edition of the Newsletter will attempt to improve our continuing appeal so please take the time to give us your views and fill in the
A
Paul Nol
form.. Returning it either to me or to any Committee Member. Like everybody else, we are not immune from rising costs. Postage and stationery are but two of the increases that the club has to face and so I have been looking at ways of saving us money on the Membership side. Currently SAM membership runs from the last day of the Mouth in which you join and so I post out a whole host of renewals every month; my thanks to all those who respond quickly but about 25% require a “final demand” to jog memories incurring more postal costs. One way of reducing this is to implement Direct Debit payments and to move everybody to one fixed renewal date, this is currently under investigation; so watch this space. Enjoy your biking, and have a great Christmas.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND OTHER CONTACTS Chairman:
Gerry Gooch
01329 832416
Vice Chairman / PR
Colin Backhouse
02380 871642
Secretary:
Rex Brittian
01489 784398
Treasurer:
Godwin Calafato
02380 253109
Membership:
Paul Nol
01425 472021
Chief Observer:
John Goodson
02380 692959
Press Officer/Web Master:
Kevin Parsons
01329 280902
Events:
Mark Bowley
02380 675979
Social Rides Co-ordinator:
Ian Cooper
02380 410690
Skills Co-ordinator:
Colin Backhouse
02380 871642
Regalia:
Kate Davies
01962 840954
Newsletter Editor:
Nigel Grace
01425 472021
IAM Headquarters Chiswick 020 89969600
www.solent-advanced-motorcyclists.co.uk
December 2005
CHAIRMAN’S
chat
ell, what a few months it has been. Whilst you lot have been out enjoying your bikes, I W and the committee have been working away behind the scenes doing our best to ensure that SAM runs along smoothly. So what have we all been doing? Nigel Grace has handed over the Membership Secretary’s job to the capable hands of new coopted committee member Paul Nol who has many years experience in computer networks and systems. So perhaps that is probably why he rides BMW K1200 LT with everything on it bar the kitchen sink. Hilary Thompson now has a very busy private life and has retired from the committee after several years of very good service to SAM.Thanks for all you efforts Hilary. Regalia Sales are now in the hands of another new co-opted committee member Kate Davies. Kate rides a Kawasaki 636 and like Hilary is a very keen track-day rider. Kate has also taken on the new position of, `Financial Administrator` for Club Nights and Training Days. The SAM newsletter `Making Progress` has surely been a highlight of the year and our most sincere thanks are due to Nigel as Editor and to Kim for the outstanding design and artwork of the quarterly publication that must surely be the envy of every other club in the country.We are planning to refurbish the MDU over the winter months ready for use on the 1st April and Graeme Smith and Kim Formhalls are working on new graphics for the panels. Paul Nol helped Graeme with the photography of members on their bikes in action. Sorry, but no Page 3 girl is to be included. That is unless someone would like to volunteer! The IAM will be 50 yrs old next May and SAM will be doing something to celebrate this occasion. Several ideas have been suggested and the Bargate Centre in Southampton, the BBC and Meridian have each been approached. Mark Bowley is planning another trip to France next year with a bit a Belgium and Germany thrown in for good measure. Roger Coe has been working in the Sunday Social Runs for 2006 but has had to hand it over to Ian Cooper to complete, but we will still need more volunteers to lead the rides, so please do just that, or risk getting your arm twisted in the process of persuasion. Chris Robinson our Training Officer has had an outstanding year and has already set up a full program of various Training sessions together with the Sunday Free Assessed Rides for 2006 that will commence in May. Chris Robinson has also found it necessary to stand down as Training Officer and his place will be taken by Colin Backhouse as Skills Co-ordinator. John Goodson our Chief Observer is snowed under with new associates and is busy placing them with both new and old Observers to commence their Observed Runs. Rex Brittain our secretary continues with a steady stream of secretarial duties including a weekends at the IAM National Conference. The list of his work is almost endless. What is most important is that SAM is thriving as a result of all this hard work and more and more riders continue with their membership even after they have passed their IAM Advanced Motorcycle Test. Things have never been better at SAM thanks to every ones efforts. Safe riding is Sam’s priority, but we intend to enjoy ourselves whilst doing it. Happy riding to you all.
Gerry Gooch SAM Chairman. PA G E 3
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CHIEF OBSERVER’S t i r a e h t ’ n d REPORT DEC 2005 You di ... me. Here we are fast m o r f approaching Christmas and it only seems like yesterday that we were embarking on another seasons Sunday training, which we have had a good response for throughout the summer. would again like to thank all of the observers who have given their time for these training days, also to thank Chris Robinson for his sterling work towards the training. I would also like to thank those that have given their time to assist with the talks, taking names and allocating the attendees to observers without your efforts it would be very difficult to be as successful as we have been with the training again this year.
I
Since our last newsletter we have had some members who have undergone observer training, most of them are now qualified observers. They are Colin Backhouse, Colin Hitchcock, & Colin Penman with two who have completed their hours but have yet to complete the test papers. We
also held another observer training day in early October, from which a further four are now undergoing observer training.
We have also had a good number who have passed their tests since our last news letter, the list is in date order and the names are John Kennedy, Mark Haydock, David Field, Simon Petit, Kevin Woodcock, Roger Patrick. Ian Parkes, Ed Mann, Russ Symes, Kim Formhalls, Rex Brittain, Kevin Thomas, Chris Eveleigh, Steve Thompson, Simon Young, Paul Middleton, Daniel Murrey and Neil Davies. Congratulations to all of you. It is also with great regret that I let you all know that one of our examiners Phil Pentelow, has ceased being an examiner both with the IAM tests as well as our own advanced plus tests. I am sure that I speak for everyone in wishing Phil all the very best in the future, on a personal note thanking him for his dedication and hours spent with SAM members/associates. Finally I have been notified today that one of our new members who passed his test this summer, has had a nasty tumble on a track day coming off at around 100mph on a bend. He has broken his elbow in 7
is out on h ber went ip em sl m ot n M d A SA shop, di om a local had fr e s h ie e od om go h rival at to get a few boy. On ar position Motorcycle etc, naughty , having selected the s er h at le al stand tr de eu into his si n e g y selectin ad put th h lt u e ic h ff leg g di in e h k som thin trapping is off his bike y laid over ur tl bo n ge gh ei ke n he stepped bi him his take, the r is fo m y e ig il B th ck . u down ks. L Apart from Bungee hoo e bike up. h e at th th ft li as under the im oblem w , helped h ly other pr at the on th e th walking by ed t is gh al he re in, he thou vestigation e Bone. obvious pa ts. Upon in wn to th n do pa t is h gh ri g job etc le ir had torn is h pa ospital, re torn into H , ce ad n h la k bu hoo , Am phone call Emergency . ow With the were to foll in In it - to W have to be ou od (Y ri pe ry te ed Lot r a limit the National n version fo 90 and success of out it’s ow g r between in be br m u n to e is on M West ck SA pi ik ) it mple think M e are very si e that you The or sc e . - the rules th st g based on d Plus Te in ce be an is , so dv th ry A te 0 10 ive the Lot his secret results of e her th ot t o os h (n attained on l to an E-mai of as agreed h e r in L te om t et .c ec sl et New the Subj btintern e score on ewsletter@ .n m sa to just put th d n ired) and se details requ
WHOOPS.
. Good Game e m a G Good
places and was originally told that he may never ride a bike again, the latest news is much better for him and he hopes to be back on his bike after a couple of months. So get well soon and hope your recovery maintains its good progress.
newsletter, as I must close and get sorted for my trip to NEC tomorrow. Please take care on the roads especially now winter is with us.
John Goodson
Well that’s about it for this
David and his wife Caroline have informally `Adopted` two young Indian women who now also have children of their own.When David visits them in India he always hires a 350cc Enfield motorcycle that costs him just £4.00 per day! Running the children to school with one sitting on the petrol tank and the other on the pillion is common practice. Of course, as David says, this is all done at a very slow speed as no protective clothing is worn for the trip. In fact David and Caroline normally ride in shorts and flip flops! ..Oh dear me. Kick starts and 6 volt lighting were the norm for the earlier Enfields and you can now buy a new 350cc model in India for some £760.00. But there is now available an electric start 500cc model but this is little seen in India due to the high cost. In January of this year David enjoyed the 350cc model that he hired so much that he bought it and then shipped it home to Fareham and it now stands in his garage waiting to be formally registered in England.
RIDE A 350cc ENFIELD for £4.00 per day CLUB NIGHT 11 OCT 2005 by Gerry Gooch lub night on Tuesday 11th Oct was a tremendous success with 35 or more members sitting enthralled as they listened to David Hardy talking to us about his numerous visits to India over the past 10 years.
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PA G E 4
David explained all about travelling in India by bus and train that is ridiculously cheap quoting something like 80p for a 5 hour train trip in 2nd class with no windows in the carriages. Being asked to film his `adopted` daughters grandfathers funeral in its entirety including the placing of the body into a waterlogged grave that had to be supported by some quick drying cement was quite daunting but all was recorded for the family records. David is off back to India in January 2006, so no doubt he will hire another 350 and continue with his riding trips into the deepest parts of the India that he loves so much. Thank you David for giving us a really great evening.
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THROTTLE CONTROL After four years of deliberation, anticipation, and trepidation I finally dusted off my dog tags, my license, my head and went racing again. I have often wondered how I would fare in the extreme world of motorcycle racing, given the knowledge I now have compared to the riding I used to do. n the past I would ride as hard as I could until my whole world was one of survival reaction following survival reaction following either a crash, a third place and/or soiled underwear. It’s not the best way to race and at the time I had only just completed a level one course with Keith Code. It had made a difference but more practice was needed. I never got the chance. In 1996 I crashed and was run over by the rider behind while leading the race. I broke my back and hung my dog tags up.
I
But time has a funny effect. You forget the pain, the anguish and the repair bills.The look on your wife’s face and that of your family and friends. Nah, that’s not true - you choose to forget. Anyway, this weekend I found myself at a wet (but fast) Snetterton racetrack for a six-hour endurance race. One of the other instructors at the Superbike School had a spare Suzuki GSX-R600 with a stock engine and asked if I would join him and Matthew Hartley, also one of the school’s instructors, for a bash. This was going to require consistently fast laps over the whole six hours to get anywhere. Look at it as a very long track day being in the fast group from beginning to end. An ideal scenario to practice the techniques I have learnt over the past four years and see how hard I could ride before my own survival reaction barriers came into play. I learnt a hell of a lot about my own riding and that everything Keith has taught me is spot on. The biggest barrier to fast laps and also to smooth road riding is how well you use the throttle.Yes, it sounds really simple doesn’t it? You get on the throttle as soon and as hard as possible and that drives you hard out the corner and down to the next set of bends at the highest
by Andy Ibbott
The biggest barrier to fast laps and also to smooth road riding is how well you use the throttle.
speed - right? Nope. That may well be your plan but traction and the type of corner you are in and how many errors you made on the brakes will play a part too. Look at the pictures. One rider is well off line while the other can track tightly. Now look at the throttle position pictures, which one goes with which? Let’s get one thing straight from the off. Too much, too little and just plan neutral throttle positions will all have the same effect - they push you wide. I have experienced the first and last of the two but I always used to think that if you shut the throttle the bike would tighten up, not run wide. Until I discovered that on a closed throttle I would add more lean to help the bike stay tight. Hmm, more lean on a closed throttle is asking for trouble. The front end is already loaded because the closed throttle adds more of the bike’s weight to the sharp end, and then add more lean! It’s a wonder we get away with it. Still, that’s just one of the things that made itself so apparent at the weekend.
quote direct from ‘Twist of the Wrist’ is: Once the throttle is cracked on it is rolled on evenly, smoothly and constantly throughout the remainder of the turn. And that can mean as much or as little as three to ten millimetres of travel with your throttle hand. Doesn’t sound like a lot but it’s enough to let the bike hold a ‘good’ line.And lines is something we look at in depth next month... Getting it on as soon as possible is the key to stability.There is a really nasty bend at Snetterton called the bomb hole. You enter it over a change of surface that has a lip on it that drops you into the hole on a, at best, slightly positive camber. The bike loads up in the middle and goes light on the exit where the camber flattens off. It’s horrible and has a certain fear for me. It was the corner that resulted in my first big crash and a trip to hospital with several broken bones and concussion. Every time I went through there in the first 30 minute session I would close the throttle on the way in, stall in the middle and then gingerly get back on it on the
exit.This is the worst thing to do as the bike loads badly, the front end pushes and it doesn’t cope with the lip too well.All this made me tense on the bike, which made the feeling ten times worse.The bottom line is simple - the tenser I was, the more off the throttle I was and the more likely I was to crash! It took halfway through the second session before I could bring myself to crack the gas on the way in. Crack, just enough to get the carburettor slides open, and transfer weight to the rear. About two millimetres of throttle cable. What a difference! The lip was still there but it didn’t feel half as bad as it did in the first session. It was as if someone had smoothed the track out! In the middle of the turn the bike would now hold it’s line making me feel more confident. And at the exit I was carrying more speed so the off camber section didn’t last as long.All this because I was scared to use a tiny bit of throttle cable on the way into the corner. Get it on as soon as possible and you will find a new bike underneath you, one that handles well and doesn’t scare you as much any more.
The ideal throttle control, and I PA G E 5
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John Pickerings bedroom?
“SAM CLUB NIGHT ORGANISER” Mark Bowley, current Club Night Organiser, will be standing down at the next AGM in May 2006. We therefore require someone with flare, imagination and who is selfmotivated and willing to take up this post. Our idea is to seek a replacement as soon as possible in order to give the new organiser a good handover period with instruction in the support he/she will get from the Committee and Membership. Our requirement is for a good mixture of Speakers; from Dealers and Manufacturers and a few purely social fun things. (Skittles, general get togethers etc). Once the forthcoming events programme has been worked out, the membership need to be kept informed by way of the SAM Announce system. The new organiser will of course join a dynamic Committee with lots of new challenges and an ever increasing SAM membership. If this looks like the sort of thing you could handle please contact the undersigned and we will arrange a meeting to answer questions and give you help in making a decision. Rex W. Brittain Group Secretary SAM Tel 01489 784398 E-Mail rex.brittain@tiscali.co.uk
Ear All About It By Gerry Gooch amage to our hearing can be irreparable.The persistent roar of the wind whilst riding a motorcycle can be quite deafening - literally. Normally, if we find ourselves somewhere noisy, we put our fingers in our ears or cover them with our hands. But of course we can’t do that when we ride our bikes, so instead we insert plugs into our ears before we set off.
D
But how much difference do these ear plugs really make. To help us understand about airborne acoustics let us first consider that motorcycles make, say for example, 90dB of noise. These “dBs” are actually a mathematical logarithmic value and are a ratio of pressure versus volts. This means that you can’t say that when one bike is twice as noisy as another that it puts out 180dB of noise. Because twice the noise level (quoting dBs) will actually be 6dB more, i.e. 96dB! Simple isn’t it! So how much effect, or “attenuation”, do ear plugs actually have? First of all it depends on how well they fit your particular ear and of course how well you insert them. Remember also that a well fitting crash helmet is essential to keep the noise down. So don’t forget, size really does matter! A Howard Leigh MAX ear plug can give a nominal attenuation of 34dB. Now consider that you are cruising down the M27 at 70mph being subjected to, for example, 105dB of acoustic noise. Plugging your ear could reduce this down to 71dB ! But remember that funny logarithmic scale and consider that half of 105dB is 99dB, half of that is 93dB, half of that is 87dB, half of that is 81dB and half of that is 75dB that is only 1/32 of the noise outside your helmet, pretty quiet eh! These are of course ideal figures, but you can see that ear plugs make sense and that it is sound advice to use them. Note. The noise levels and attenuations mentioned are all general, as to discuss the actual attenuation achieved by plugs over the different frequency bands of speech and wind noise would probably fall on deaf ears anyway! PA G E 6
December 2005
The Call of the VFR -
by Alvin Wilby
Started with a charge up the Wye Valley (pretty, but that red mud is really slippery), then cross country to my chosen guest house - “Bikers Rest” in Dolgellau. Run by bikers, so it was nice for a change not to be treated like some leather clad leper. Didn’t even lose their sense of humour when I got road grime on the bedspread. (Apparently mountain bikers are even worse - they take their bikes into the bedroom with them - not quite sure what happens then...) nyway, no one in at first, sunny day, dry roads, forced to kill some time by riding round the valleys of Snowdonia (tough, I know, but someone has to do it!).
A
Parked up next to Snowdon - usual bike effect - all the tourists (including young pretty female ones!) come over for a chat. In the car, I’m just a fat old bloke... Note the towering (as in Pisa) elegance of the combination tank bag. Can be quite restful leaning on it, except when a crosswind gust on the M4 got it airborne on the way down. Perhaps I’ll go for a slimmer version next time by leaving out some of the changes of clothes will make for a more aerodynamic, if more fragrant, holiday. Despite all the fuss about Chief Constable Wossname, no sign of excessive cameras or police presence - but cattle grids and sheep make for great traffic calming measures. Next day was even sunnier - so forced myself to go and do all the valleys of Snowdonia again (tough, I know...). Ended up running short of fuel (VFR is definitely towards the “Sports” end of “Sports Tourer” when it comes to tank capacity).
some decent stuff in later, & all returned to sewing machine perfection. Day after, with sincere apologies to my trusty steed, I played traitor and went to mess around in a 4x4. (200 acres of Welsh mountainside, 1 in 3 tracks, ponds, etc etc. Almost as much fun as biking.) Then off to Lake Vyrnwy. Rather elegant shot of the evening sky reflected in the deep glossy black of the best looking VFR on the planet, don’t you think?? The Lake shuts at 5pm by the way. Well, I guess the lake probably doesn’t, but any hope of a coffee, ice-cream, tea and bikkies vaporizes just before arriving at 5.05pm. Momentary sense of humour failure, offset by the sight of the road which climbs away in to the hills. Charging up the hill at perfectly legal and sheep friendly speeds is very rewarding, topping out at 1,800 ft above sea level! Don’t think I’d want to be up here in winter - it’s pretty bleak even in September.
in
And then to Dinas Mawddwy. Might not sound much - but you lose 1,200 ft on one single track 26% gradient hill! No photo of that impossible to stop - but an awesome hill.
Well, OK, there was one, which charged me £1.08 a litre. I suspect it was paraffin cos the VFR almost didn’t start the next day and ran as rough as I’ve ever known it. Put
And then off home the next day p******* down all the way home. The oversuit doesn’t do a bad job except the rain puddles on the seat in front of you, to give you a damp crotch (well, that’s my story, anyway).
There are Snowdonia!
NO
garages
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VFR is definitely towards the “Sports” end of “Sports Tourer” when it comes to tank capacity.
You lose 1,200 ft on one single track 26% gradient hill! No photo of that impossible to stop Thought all the luggage had gone in easier coming back - but discovered that’s ‘cos I’d left bits behind.The owners of the guesthouse put it in the post without any fuss (can’t recommend them highly enough - food’s good as well, though’ if I’d stayed a few more days, my leathers probably wouldn’t have fitted!). So that’s the end of my attempt to save you from an overdose about Nigel’s BMW in the newsletter. Hope to see more of you all on Sunday’s, if I can ever stop my company making me travel on Sunday afternoons. All the best (even to those with BMW’s). PA G E 7
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ROCKIES TOUR : Denver, Colorado - Jasper (Canada) & back July 2005 By Lee Snook ur first bike tour in the US: 13 days, 4300 miles, an ‘Wings. In 2 weeks there was only one ‘incident’: Steve, our unfortunate number of dead prairie dogs & 3 comfy tour ‘leader’, noticed a 4 inch tear on the rear tyre on the Goldwings... The conditions varied from the (100 º F) 2nd last day (well, actually his wife did on the morning postsearing heat of mid-July Wyoming to some cold torrential Starbucks pre-ride check); he was convinced it was the cattle grid of the previous afternoon, but we rain while riding through the Ice fields up to Goldwing is all knew he’d popped one too many prairie Jasper. Along the way there were occasional black bears (well, large furry things always on the perfect dogs before getting to the Little Big Horn and that finally it had caught up with him. It was, the outer edge of vision), rodeo grounds, RVs touring after all, the Indian way. He didn’t like the and road-trains, endless vistas, empty (I mean machine for sound of this, but after a very gentle ride to ‘empty’) landscapes and wonderfully deserted highways under very ‘big’ skies ... and a the American the nearby Honda dealer - yes, only 6 miles away, believe it or not - a new set of tyres surprising number of foreign languages roads. were fitted before lunch. picked up on the radio as we passed the main trunk / long-haul trucker routes.Amazing how distracting It was a truly memorable tour and there’s little doubt that CB radio is when you’re listening to the prattle of Russian (after some very long days on the prairie, as it were) the truckers... Yes, there were a few ‘twisties’ through Goldwing is the perfect touring machine for the American Yellowstone, Banff & Glacier National Parks, but not so roads - especially when you choose the Interstate to save tight as to become as hazardous as our encounters with time, relax a little, hang your feet up on the pegs and switch wayward elks and herds of long-horn sheep ... to Cruise Control.The RT now feels like
O
Being July there were always a few bikers in the motels & hotels, so plenty of scope for swapping stories and route advice. Had time for a rendezvous & eggs benedict with some Guatemalan BMW bikers in Lander,Wyoming (they were heading east to Minnesota) and a get-together in Nelson, Canada with an Edelweiss tour group (the tour guide is a pal of mine); seeing all the RTs and GSs made me realise how small they were in comparison with our
a little toy in comparison. (Well, they are toys, aren’t they?) By the way, I’m reliably informed that Honda will be introducing airbags as an optional extra on Goldwings from next year. No kidding. And, no, my call sign is not Bunny Rabbit and if we were in Baghdad on the 4th July it wouldn’t surprise me one bit.
DIARY OF EVENTS 06 Dec Mon Jan Sun
26 1
Sun Tue Sun Tue Sun Sun Feb Sun Tue Sun
8 10 15 17 22 29 5 14 12
Sun
19
Tue Sun Mar Sun Sat Sun
21 26 5 11 12
Tue Sun Tue Sun
14 19 21 26
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Wickham - Old Vehicle Display 11.00 Start SAM Social Run - Wickham to the Swan Hotel at New Arlesford - Gerry Gooch 11.30 Start SAM Social Run - Winchester SAM Club Night SAM Social Run - Wickham - Simon Young SAM Committee Meeting SAM Social Run - Ower SAM Social Run - Meon Hut - Mark Sabin SAM Social Run - Winchester - Mike West SAM Club Night SAM Social Run - Wickham - Paul Nol Tiffins Midhurst SAM Social Run - Ower Nigel Grace - Burton Bradstock 0930 Start SAM Committee Meeting SAM Social Run - Meon Hut SAM Social Run - Winchester - Hilary Thompson SAM “Making Progress” publication day SAM Social Run - Wickham - Gerry Gooch East Sussex 10.00 Start (prov) SAM Club Night SAM Social Run - Ower - David Charlton SAM Committee Meeting SAM Social Run - Winchester - Paul Whyte
Apr Sun Sun Sun Tue Sun Mon Tue Sun Sun May Mon Sun Tue Sat Sun Tue Sun Sun Sun Sun June Sun Sat Sun Sun
2 2 9 11 16 17 18 23 30 1 7 9 13 14 16 21 28 28 28 4 10 11 11
SAM Social Run - Meon Hut BSB Brands Hatch SAM Social Run - Wickham - Dave Barrett SAM Club Night SAM Social Run - Ower - Rex Brittain BSB Thruxton SAM Committee Meeting SAM Social Run - Meon Hut - Paul Nol SAM Social Run - Winchester - Darren Mansfield BSB Oulton Park SAM Training Day - Man-handling your Motorcycle SAM Annual General Meeting IAM 50th Year Events IAM 50th Year Events SAM Committee Meeting SAM Social Run SAM Social Run BSB Mallory Park WSB Silverstone SAM Training Day - The Police System of Motorcycle Control SAM “Making Progress” publication day SAM Social Run BSB Knockhill
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December 2005
The Sparrow Fart Run s another mild, autumn day dawned over the West Meon Hut on Sunday 9th October, the little group of 6 sleepy SAM riders gathered in the car park of the deserted Little Chef... and stumbled around trying to find each other in the fog! “Haven’t you lot got anything better to do at this time in the morning?” asked our leader, Mike West. Well, the “Sparrow-fart” mystery tour had seemed like a good idea the night before, but at 7.30am with cold, slippery roads and wet, misty visors we were all beginning to wonder whether perhaps we’d gone a little crazy. Having made the effort to get out of bed and to the meeting point on time though, it seemed a shame to back out now. So after a quick briefing and applying some extra demisting treatments to our visors, the intrepid explorers got kitted up and headed out on the 100 mile trip to Dorchester. Sadly, we were down to 5 by the time we reached our first junction, as poor Roger wasn’t well and had to head for home. Happily though, he’d let on earlier that he’d had a great breakfast only yesterday at the greasy spoon we were heading for, so at least we all knew we could look forward to what lay ahead! With hot sausages, bacon and eggs in mind, we sped keenly down the single track roads across open country and through woodland all the way to Stockbridge, then joined the A30 for a blast, before following Mike up roads so small and muddy they could easily have been mistaken for farm tracks!
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Luckily the sun had burnt off most of the fog by this time, so at least we could see where we were going. I have to say, it’s the first time my R6 has encountered such bone-shaking terrain and it showed its surprise by shaking out one of the screws holding the fairing on, so by the time we arrived in Dorchester my bike was rattling away as if there was someone trying to escape from inside it! Having reattached the flapping panels and all refueled ourselves and our bikes, we rode off into the countryside again for more challenging twists and bends (including a few slipping rear tyres on loose gravel and debris) en route to try our hands at Zig Zag Hill... which was unfortunately closed! Thank goodness Mike had
SAM Club Night SAM Social Run SAM Committee Meeting SAM Social Run BSB Snetterton SAM Training Day - Advanced Cornering SAM Social Run SAM Club Night SAM Social Run MotoGP Donington Park SAM Committee Meeting BSB Oulton Park SAM Social Run SAM Training Day - Aims of Advanced Motorcycling WSB Brands Hatch (TBC) SAM Club Night SAM Social Run BSB Croft SAM Committee Meeting SAM Social Run SAM Social Run BSB Cadwell Park SAM Training Day - Making Progress Safely SAM “Making Progress” publication day SAM Social Run BSB Silverstone
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his GPS with him, so we made a short detour and rejoined our planned route a little further down the road. The last leg of the journey led us through the New Forest and past lots of ponies, cattle, cyclists and walkers. Plenty of hazards to keep us concentrating right to the end of what was a tremendously fun ride. Rob and I would both like to thank Mike West, Roger Coe, Larry Staines and Steve Davies for making us feel so welcome on our first SAM ride out. Great roads, great company, great fry up... What more could you ask for a Sunday’s entertainment?!!
Petra Willoughby
SAM Club Night SAM Social Run • All Social Runs are conducted SAM Committee Meeting in line with the Club SAM Social Run Guidelines Doc 10 and Doc 11 BSB Donington Park GP • Full details are announced on SAM Announce shortly before SAM Training Day the run Observer Training • Full details are also available SAM Social Run from the Run Leader or Ian Cooper - Social Runs Brands Hatch GP Co-ordinator SAM Club Night • We cannot guarantee that the SAM Social Run details of the run will not be changed before the event, but SAM Committee Meeting every effort will be made to SAM Social Run adhere to them. SAM Social Run • Please check if in doubt with SAM Social Run Ian Cooper -Social Runs Co-ordinator 02380 410 690. SAM Social Run SAM Club Night SAM Social Run SAM Committee Meeting SAM Social Run SAM “Making Progress” publication day SAM Social Run SAM Club Night SAM Social Run SAM Christmas Social Event SAM Social Run PA G E 9
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Good Questions & Universal Truths H
ello everybody, the theme of this rambling article is, if we aren’t supposed to eat animals, then why are they made of meat? Actually it’s not, as my dad used to say “always fight fire with fire”, which is probably why he got thrown out of the fire brigade. No it’s the contradictions in my life that puzzle me, one moment as happy as when I saw six men punching the mother- in- law. My neighbour said “Are you going to help?” I said “No, six should be enough.” The next moment I am off buying a Triumph Daytona 650, it’s got a chain! Not a bit of shaft drive in sight. That’s on a par with the first person to look at a cow and say, “I think I’ll squeeze those dangly things here and drink whatever comes out”. I
just couldn’t help myself once I had set my eyes on it’s gorgeous lines, you know that look women get when they want sex? Me neither, but a test ride later I was well and truly hooked. Now two months and four thousand miles later I am a very happy biker although still confused as to why mineral water that has trickled through mountains for centuries has a use by date? I mean, what do people in China call their good plates, probably Daytona 650, as you can see from the picture it’s clean enough to eat off, although you never know where to look when eating a banana do you? Daytona Colin Going round the bend near you.
Not a race but an experien ce by Larry Staines such a challenge to the senses. Only on a bike could the images of New Zealand, Provence, southern Spain and a Swiss pass be so imprinte d on my memory. For me biking would be incompl ete without such experiences outs ide of the congested roads of sout hern England. However, I also need a bike for the daily commute, wee kends away, and club runs. It should be light and nimble for the commute and minor road twisties, economi cal to run, accept hard luggage, comfort able for riding 500 miles per day with a 250mile tank range. My Yamaha TDM (900) does all that. It’s light, deliv ers 55-65mpg, has great mid range torque, and is as nimble as a trailie but capable of comfortable longrange touring. My philosophy of travel?
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he grass tussocked hills slip by as I prepare for the next sweeping right-hander. The pass widens and the landscap e transforms to a jumble of mysterious rocky outcrops. No wonder they filmed Lord of the Rings here. Lavender, then wild thym e, perfumes the air as we make our way to a wild upland landscape and then funnel down into a twis ting narrow road, which affords head y
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views of the deep gorge below us. From the sun baked plain with vine s and olive groves we have gain ed height into a landscape of rivers and valleys. The terrain opens to a broad vista overlooking a barr en landscape and we feel the presence of a soaring bird. The eagle glide s effortlessly across our field of view and then swoops down toward an unseen prey. Concentration is critical proceedi ng
from one hairpin to another . Tumbling through the gears I lean into the bend and power on to the next hairpin. We reach the top of the pass, and then, whi lst descending a tapestry of hairpins , the huge glacier that feeds the Rhone suddenly appears beside us. I am indeed privileged that my passion for biking has allowed me to experience these wonderf ul landscapes. Only on a bike cou ld I be so close to a landscape with
Air travel is a just a mea ns of transportation The quickest journey from poin t A to point B is the domain of the car driver. Bike journeys should be as long as possible to maximize riding plea sure Life is not a race but an experien ce. .....and pictured left is my “pride and joy” on the Grossglocknerstrasse in Austria this summer - heaven!! Anyone for Norway next year?
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SAM Sunday Training 2006 Sunday MAY 7th
Manhandling Your Motorcycle
Sunday JUNE 4th
The Police System of M/C Control
Sunday JULY 2nd
Advanced Cornering
Sunday AUGUST 6th
Aims of Advanced Motorcycling
Sunday SEPTEMBER 3rd
Making Progress Safely
Sunday OCTOBER 1st
Observer Training
Chris Robinson Peter Johnson Kevin Parsons & Chris Robinson Colin Backhouse Steve Clothier Chris Robinson
There are several reasons why you might want to take your Advanced Test ....
Bonjour Mon Amee
...(though if lower insurance premiums are your main aim then you might want to reconsider) but the reason I did it must be one of the most common.
Unlike the family Grace, we were based south of the river in the Latin Quarter among the student population and academics of the metrolops. Not for us the Gucci loafers, I had to be content with a purchase from Rudi’s chausserie on the Rue de Rennes (try saying that when you’ve had a few) but we where no less amazed at the antics of the two wheeled knights of the road. Forget the spineless French politicians these guys are decisive and ride with panache. Some of course are a bit limp wristed and have to cover their YSL suit, or perhaps a Prada handbag under a waterproof duvet attached to the leg guards.
I’ve never understood people who enjoy things they’re no good at hobby artists who are happy to admit that they can’t paint for toffee and yet still find daubing paint on canvas relaxing and enjoyable; creative writers who know they’ll never get their novel published or ‘goof’ golfers who “do it as much for the exercise as anything”. Having enjoyed motorcycling for several years, the question of whether I was any good at it began to bother me and, last Spring, I signed up for the Skills for Life course in order to find out. I confess to mild disappointment after my first observed run. Okay, it was clear that I wasn’t a bad motorcyclist but reality didn’t match my recurring daydream of being told I was a once in a lifetime natural who needed no further training. Still, I reckoned I could do the necessary to pass my test fairly quickly and then be on my way. I reckoned I could just learn the rules and stick to them during my observed runs and carry on as normal at other times. I reckoned without The System of Motorcycle Control.
After my second observed run I felt a twinge of guilt each time I broke a speed limit. After the third, and with a queue of traffic behind me, I’d be muttering “thirty is the speed limit here and at thirty I shall go”. By the fourth or fifth run, and worried by what was happening to me, I found myself thinking “thank goodness I can’t actually afford a BMW” (sorry, but stereotypes are cheap, easy, and fun). Now I’ve passed my test and, yes, I can see that I’ve got to be wary of bad habits creeping back in and, yes, I do hanker a bit after speed but, essentially, my motorcycling has been permanently changed. The thrill of a well planned overtake makes up for a lot (you said it would Gerry, and at the time I didn’t believe you!) and it’s relaxing not having to think of the Police as a hazard. For most people there’s a reciprocal relationship between enjoyment and skill. We tend to enjoy things we’re good at and, as we get better at something, we tend to enjoy it more. So, unless your reason for wanting to train for the Advanced Test is already “to learn to ride a bike well and thereby increase my enjoyment of riding” you’ll probably be in for a pleasant surprise.
Roger Patrick
by Howard King month after Nigel graced the city with his presence, ma femme et moi were whisked through the Chunnel at umpteen mph to the Gare du Nord for a few days pleasure in, what for us, is the grandest and most elegant of the worlds’ capitals.
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The pavement café provides an excellent Heaven is where vantage point for the police are British, th e chefs Italians viewing all this activity , the mechanics and Parisiennes enjoy G er man, the lovers Frenc h and it is all or watching the jostling ga ni se d by the Swiss. of the evening traffic with their ‘snifter’ Hell is where the before dinner.At the police are Ger man, the chefs Britis Sévre/Babylon h, the mechani crossing there were cs F re nch, the lovers Swis s and it is all or gasps of ‘ooh la la’ ga ni sed by the Italians as a scooterist . pulled a wheelie for fifty metres or more before landing gently to polite applause. The traffic light Grand Prix wouldn’t be complete without Powerful Pierre on a quad bike, complete with beret and Gitanes from the bottom lip, catapulted from a standstill in awsome style.All of it a first for us troglodytes from Fareham. One cool clear evening near the Champs de Mars, relaxing in anticipation of the lighting spectacular on the Tower, six extra terrestrials in fluorescent waistcoats floated passed our restaurant window on the pavement. They were riding/driving/standing on these strange and very expensive Segway scooters that seem to defy gravity. After the entertainment we had to walk to our hotel because the very terrestrial Metro and Bus service had stopped and taxis can’t be hailed seemingly. Walking can be no less hazardous on the pavements of narrower streets.You are quite likely to have your flies or your shirt ripped open by parked scooter or motorcycle handlebars, as you pass between them and a wall or shop front.Victor Meldrew would have a field day complaining at such thoughtless parking but there is just nowhere to park on the kerbside. Small wonder monsieur Le Maire Bertrand Delanoe contemplates banning two wheelers in the older parts of the city. Some off street parking wouldn’t go amiss but they’d say it would cost too much I suppose.We’ll have to return next year for an update!a
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Grumpy Old Biker Is the average of SAM members getting older or is it just me? It could well be me, but I do think that members seem greyer and a have rather more wrinkles than they used to. Take the newsletter editor as an example!! But seriously, we need to guard against complacency if we are to avoid becoming a bunch of sad old of bikers. So, how might we test this thesis? Perhaps we should calculate the average age of members; maybe do a count of the number of retired members; then we could consider the accident statistics and work out the age of bikers most in need of advanced training. ow don’t get me wrong, our committee continue to do excellent work in the many areas such as Sunday training, gaining new members and helping associates achieve green badge status - hats off to them for that - they deserve to be very proud of their record. But we must avoid becoming selfserving as a club and find a way of appealing to younger members. According to www.hants.gov.uk, in 2003, the number of two-wheeler casualties amongst the under 45 age group was about five times that of the over 45 age group. Yet the majority of what we do seems to attract the over 45s.
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That got the Grumpy Old Biker thinking; perhaps IAM discourages some younger associates. Well, the IAM certainly has a pipe and slippers reputation in some quarters but it has also crafted policy to make Associates feel like second-class citizens at times. I will give two examples of this. Firstly Associates joining with points on their licence. Now I am just a grumpy old biker, so what do I know? But I would have thought that the more points you had on your licence, the more you could potentially benefit from advanced training. Not according to the SAM experience of IAM policy during the last year.. If you have more than 6 points or so, it seems that the IAM say you cannot be trained for the advanced test. You have to wait. What is that all about? Particularly at a time when our then President the Duke of Gloucester had a whopping 9 points on his licence. You may recall that he accumulated
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a further 3 points before eventually resigning as President. Two sets of rules, it would seem. My second example of disenfranchising Associates relates to the AGM, how we set policy and the lack of respect we show to our Associates when doing this. When it comes to the important decisions - the ones which have to be voted on - we take pains to exclude Associates from the process. What this does is to perpetuate the views and opinions of the longer-established members and run the risk of alienating our Associates. This brings me back to my original point, not only are we all getting older, but we seem to have mechanisms in place to discourage younger blood. So what can be done about this? We should all get on our bikes and do something to reduce the average age of members. Perhaps you know of a younger biker who could benefit from some advanced training - drag him or her along to the next meeting, make them welcome and hook them up with other younger members (mmm maybe that’s taking the point a bit too far, we need to work on that). Oh well that’s enough ranting for now. Ride safely and have an outstanding Christmas.
The Grumpy Old Biker. Disclaimer: Grumpy Old Biker is a periodic column written for the SAM newsletter. It is highly unlikely that the views expressed here are in any way representative of the IAM or SAM.
Good Excuse
Biker riding through town on his fast sportsbike. He’s going around a bend when he rolls up on a police car. The blue lights come on and out rolls the police car. The biker thinks, “He’ll never catch me in that car” and takes off. Several miles later the policeman is still behind him as he pulls over. The policeman walks up to the biker and asks for his license. Then the policeman says, “OK. I’ve had a crappy day, and I’m ready to head home. Come up with a good excuse for speeding away from me and I’ll let you go.” The biker looks at the policeman and replies, “The old lady left me last week for a policeman. I was afraid it was you and you were trying to bring her back.” The policeman hands him his license and tells him to have a nice ride home.
THE NEW MOT by Andy Whitlock
I took my ST1100 for its MO T today to Bernie Leigh’s in Totton only to be told that as I had 1 calendar month left on the old certific ate I would loose that remainder as the ‘new’ rule is 28 days. Apparently Bernie’s are already using the new computerised MOT system, which is going to be introduced everywhere soon, and if the new MOT test is more than 28 days before the expiry date on the old cert then the new cert MUST be valid for 1 year from the date of the test. Also, the information from the test is passed via com puter to the local constabulary (among others) so they can instantly check if a vehicle has a valid MOT, so no more boo king tests early to allow tim e for repairs before the old MOT runs out! I guess the full details on the new computerised MO T system would be available from the DVLA, or maybe a bike repair shop?
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The Gynaecologist A successful gynaecologist decides to fulfil his life’s dream: give up medical practice and become a motorcycle mechanic. So he gets out of the medical business and enrols at a mechanic’s workshop with Harley Davidson. After many weeks of training comes the final examination, taking apart and then re-assembling a randomly chosen Harley engine. He grabs his tools and sets to work, but soon he gets worried: while he is still working on the valve-covers, everybody else is already busy with removing the cylinder heads. He falls more and more behind, and as he is just starting to put it all back together, everybody else is already finished. He manages to put the engine back together, barely in time before the exam ends. Because it took him so much longer than everybody else, he goes straight to the tutor to ask how he performed. “Well,” the tutor says,“out of one hundred possible points you scored 150.” “But how is that possible?” the ex-gynaecologist asks. “Well, it breaks down to this: You get fifty points for correctly taking the engine apart.And you get another fifty points for putting it back together perfectly.” “And what did I get those additional fifty points for?” “For doing it all through the exhaust.”
...watch your speed!!!
The Mechanic A mechanic was removing a cylinder head from the motor of a bike, when he spotted a world-famous heart surgeon in his shop. The heart surgeon was waiting for the service manager to come take a look at his bike. The mechanic shouted across the garage, “Hey Doc can I ask you a question?” The famous surgeon, a bit surprised, walked over to the mechanic working on the motorcycle. The mechanic straightened up, wiped his hands on a rag and asked, “So Doc, look at this engine. I also can open hearts, take valves out, fix’em, put in new parts and when I finish this will work just like a new one. So how come I get a pittance and you get the really big money, when you and I are doing basically the same work?” The surgeon paused, smiled and leaned over, and whispered to the mechanic: “Try doing it with the engine running!”
December 2005
The Cotswolds There & back By Ian Cooper I had thought about going on a ride for a few weeks then I went with some of the others to a great weekend down at Portsmouth Honda where I got to try a few of the bikes of my choice as possible replacements for my present Aprilia, and I’m still not that sure but three are now reduced to two. us turned up, John gave his brief and nyhow I digress I started to as there were a couple of new chat to John Goodson on the members there I thought it only fair Saturday saying that I was down to warn them of John’s riding style again tomorrow and he said that he and not to get to close on the run was not due to the ride he was as they may end up in the back of leading next weekend to the him. We set off prompt Cotswolds and asked at 9.30am for the start if I would be going at Sunny weather of a windy ride through that point I didn’t villages and towns, the know what was dried us out first of which was happening at home so I was a bit vague as to from an earlier Stockbridge then on to Wherwell this whether I would be downpour on unfortunately this is there, so I came home where we had our first and asked a bit what was a and only incident with sheepish what was going on and it turned brilliant ride with one of our party having a spill on a tight bend out that although my resulting in the right son was playing in his good roads and hand foot rest, break first rugby match lanes, pedal and front break there was going to be lever being broken off his cousin, her and scratching the fairing and boyfriend, Penny and his sister pannier, so not a very good start to going to watch so I asked if I could a promising day the only good point go on the run, then we had planned if there is one then it is that he was to go and see my father with a not hurt in any way only in his birthday present for his partner pride. He wanted us to carry on for and got onto the subject of bikes as the rest of the ride so after helping per norm and he asked if I would him to get recovery sorted the rest take his bike to work for a couple of us carried on for a very enjoyable of days to give it a run and get ride through Saint Mary Bourne and some charge into the battery so my on up to Basingstoke, Pangbourne mind working quite fast for me I right up to Cheltenham through suggested that I could take it on the some really torrential rain for about next SAM run up to the Cotswolds 4-5 miles then it cleared up and at the weekend, to which he said after a stop for a bite to eat in that I could so I took my bike over Tesco’s and a refuel we set off back to his place later in the day and home and apart from a detour swapped it for his Ducati ST4. created by the local police force The next day came and I was with no detour signs ( good job looking forward to the ride for two Brian had his SAT NAV) it was reasons; First, the chance to ride a incident free, with sunny weather to sports tourer (as I would like a dry us out from the earlier Blackbird) and secondly, I had downpour in all a brilliant ride with volunteered to go tail end Charlie good roads and lanes, thanks John I for the first time. will be on your next run for sure. Sunday came and there were ten of
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Route 66 by Phil & Tricia North
If you are looking for a relaxed time where you might find someone trying to burn a doughnut on the concrete floor of the bar on his Kawasaki Ninja or you want to swap heroic stories owner over a pint or three this is the only place to be. No we’re not talking about the road across the US of A, we are referring to a terrific hotel which caters specifically for motorcyclists of all shapes and sizes. he Route 66 Bikers Hotel and Campsite is to be found on the outskirts of the village of Bussiere Poitevine which lies midway between Poitiers and Limoges in the Haute-Vienne region of central France and is run by Harry who, by his own admission, escaped the rat race of life in England and for the last 2 1/2 years has been realising his ambition to set up a biker friendly hotel for the touring motorcyclist. Harry is a former skydiver and has 4 bikes of his own, 2 Harleys, a BSA 650 Golden Flash (still used to run into the village to collect bread) and a Francis Barnett Falcon. The BSA and the Falcon both reside in ‘Harry’s Bar’ (which also doubles as overflow parking!) while the Harleys are relegated to the common bike park!
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Route 66 was built in 1888, by the Dumas brothers as a hotel catering for hunting parties. The main building consists of 3 stories and the 12 guest rooms have been ‘themed’ by Georgia, interior designer and Harry’s partner and offer a range of surroundings from the ‘Victorian’ room to the ‘1950’s’ and the ‘Oriental’ rooms. The main building fronts onto the road and overlooks the fields beyond and together with the other ‘L’ shaped
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building encloses the main courtyard on 3 sides with the open side leading to the main garden. The outbuildings provide secure parking and also, for guests only, an amazing bar. At the back of the property there is a 4 acre field available for those who wish to camp. I discovered the hotel listed in the accommodation section of the FJR owners club and having visited the website (www.route66hotel.com) decided that it looked too good to pass up. So on 25th August this year we saddled up the magic carpet (my FJR) boarded the fastcat to Cherbourg and a couple of hours later we were motoring south through France bound for one of the most relaxing and enjoyable weekends we have ever spent! After 6 hours and 320 miles demonstrating the art of advanced motorcycling to amazed Frenchmen and keeping an anxious watch on the weather (the forecast for that Thursday was a tad iffy) our Garmin navigated us into the courtyard of Route 66 exactly where the co-ordinates on their website said it would be! We were greeted by an enthusiastic Harry and shown straight to our room to freshen up and unpack. We had been assigned the 1950’s room full of primary coloured carpets and decorated in the general style of that period. Did I say that the bar - sorry, ‘Harry’s Bar’ - was amazing? Imagine a low barn with open rafters and sliding doors on each
side of the building which, when opened, allow the setting sun to shine right through illuminating the length of the bar. Whitewashed walls covered in messages written in permanent marker by previous guests. The rafters, ceilings and remaining walls decorated with an assortment of signs, posters, t-shirts and of all things some fancy dress angels wings and by contrast a demonic skull overseeing the till. There is a jukebox full of music from the 60’s and 70’s pumping out the strains of White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane and to make the moment perfect, Harry pulling one of the best pints I have ever tasted. The hotel also has it’s share of permanent residents including a flock of chickens which are presided over by a massive cockerel called Hercule, possessor of a perfect and very loud ‘cock-adoodle-doo - Harry won him in a raffle in the village! There are 2 small black sheep and a small white cockerel (possessor of an awful cock-a-doodle-squawk) who share the garden with Noiselle, a miniature black pig. Noiselle for her own part is extremely entertaining and endearing and one morning she came into the breakfast room and proceeded to shunt chairs around with her snout while looking for scraps. The whole weekend was blessed with sunshine and various groups arrived and departed, one group from Norfolk turned up on an odd
assortment of bikes which included 2 Harleys, a 1977 CB750 Four and a brace of V-Max’s which owing to their thimble sized tanks and mighty 1200cc motors we effectively grounded on Sunday as there were no local petrol stations open. Another group arrived on a pair of Ninjas and an Aprilia RSV 1000R Factory and were subsequently dubbed the ‘Beach Boys’ by Tricia because when asked each morning at breakfast where they were off to, they always said ‘To the beach at La Rochelle’ (100+ miles away). Each evening when they got back it seemed that they had been distracted by another destination and they never did get to the beach. Sunday evening became the highlight of our weekend when another ex-pat and friend of Harry’s, John Barton, turned up in his 1928 Bugatti (Type 40 I believe) which came 4th in the first ever Australian Grand Prix in 1928. We (Trish, Georgia Harry and I) were each taken out for a spin - we even stopped to collect pizzas from the Pizza van in the village! Our biking excursions for the most part remained local enjoying the surrounding roads which are akin to the A272. There are other places close to the hotel which are worth a visit, including Oradour-sur-Glane which will put your life into perspective and for the more energetic, a wonderful walk through the woods beside a river to the Roc d’Enfer (Stone of Hell). Also within range are the Lascaux caves and the Roque St. Christophe about 90 miles to the south, Futuroscope and Chauvigny about 60 miles to the north, and as previously mentioned La Rochelle and the beach about 100 miles to the west. I will say that if you want a hotel with room service and cold clinical efficiency this is not the place for you. On the other hand if you are looking for a relaxed time where you might find someone trying to burn a doughnut on the concrete floor of the bar on his Kawasaki Ninja (and failing dismally I might add) or you want to swap heroic stories with the barman / owner over a pint or three this is the only place to be. All in all we both had a great time and it seemed more like visiting old friends than staying in a hotel. We SHALL return.
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MDU photoshoot - thanks to all
The Mobile Display Unit is being Refurbished, which includes some
Look what we found! SAM pet rescue... As we had our photoshoot briefing in the Fleming Arms carpark a whining sound could be heard - and no it wasn’t one of us wondering why the Pub was not open for a coffee! On investigation a small puppy was found trapped behind the chain link fencing on the railway line. He obviously felt (like so many others do!) that SAM members were a friendly bunch and would come to his aid!! Two of our group lifted the wire fencing and he was unceremoniously dragged to safety. Steve Floods wife took him to the St Francis Rescue Centre. Dam my Christmas present had not arrived early!! snatched away!!
new photographic panels. Only one problem, lack of good quality pictures!! So on 23rd October, prayers were answered for reasonable weather and a bunch of photogenic volunteers met at The Fleming Arms for a day in front of the camera lens, move over Kate Moss and Brad Pitt. Graeme and Paul brought along their cameras and as you can see from the picture below, lives were literally put on the line to get that perfect shot - don’t move Graeme!! The results will be on the MDU by April, and thanks to everyone who took part. If you were on the shoot and have not yet got a picture CD please contact me via email or phone with your address and I will post a CD to you. Email: studio@kfdesign.demon.co.uk tel: 01425 654557 (daytime no.). Kim Formhalls.
NB:The puppy (one of two who went missing) was later claimed by its owner, the other one has still to be found.
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Know your signs...
December 2005
CAPTION COMPETITION:
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Polo-shirts Black long or short sleeve shirts embroidered with the Club name always available to buy at Club Nights. Sizes XXL to Small Long Sleeves ÂŁ18.50 Short Sleeves ÂŁ15.00 Contact Kate Davies
Tel 01962 840954 P A G E 16
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Design & artwork by KF:D LTD Fordingbridge, 01425 654557
all items to SAM Members