Today I was mostly...

....getting an advanced riding assesment with UK Advanced.

It was about six hours of hard work but I think I did OK overall. I
certainly learned a lot. Little things, like *really* using the width
of the road and 'when riding up the A600 to Bedford, don't follow the
signs for Ampthill'. Bit of brain-fade there.

I'll find out just how I did when the report arrives. Unfortunately,
I've just discovered that a report form came with the rest of the bumf
and I forgot to hand it to the instructor.

I never realized that there were so many good roads round here.

 

Pixiefest rideout last Sunday, mate. A507 -> Buntingford then return
to Shefford, up the A600 (spooky, eh?) dodged round Bedford and up the
B660 and along the A645.

You should have been there. I didn't know you were local.

 

....and how much bumf you get.

It sounds like you had a good time.

 

Oh, Ta. I get the impression though that I'd have been a vanishing dot
in everyone's mirrors!

I'm not really that local, the Bedford bit was possibly the furthest
point on a route that started in Newmarket, delved into Darkest Essex,
then ran across to Saffron Walden, Buntingford, Baldock and Letchworth
and finally up to Bedford, before returning via Cambridge.

Very nice roads all round.

 

I was having to concentrate on some different lines to usual; the
instructor in my mirrors; a closer eye than usual on the speedo and
finally all the usual hazards.

All this while navigating partly by remembering the planned route,
partly by road signs and, when all else failed, partly by mirror
because the instructor would indicate early to give me advanced
warning of a turn.

Going the wrong way wasn't the end of the world, we just found an
alternative route.

It was broken up into 20-25 minute sessions with a debrief and route
plan in between. We stopped once for lunch and twice at cafes for a
tea break.

So overall I got home feeling a bit weary but I was by no means
totally shattered.

 

All those trees...

Yep, it was a good day for it. Something I should have done years ago.

 

We were all vanishing dots in each other's mirrors, mate. It was
great fun.

OIC. We do like the Buntingford/Baldock section.

Excellent. Well, if you feel like going round that route again, gimme
a shout and perhaps we could do my local bits together, eh?

 

I had a look on their website. It appears that a certain Dave Corden,
who is far from unknown in this parish, is their man in the
South-West.

Even more interesting - they supply tyres. A pair of 010s in
120/180or 190 section which will fit most big bikes for 205 quid.
Very reasonable - and if you are within 25 miles of Buckingham they
will come out and fit them for you - FREE.

And they do part worns (cough) AND they do race tyres too - I might
well be into a bit of that. Thanks for mentioning them, Pip.

 

Yup - Dave and Geoff do the course for the SW - two days theory, two days
riding.
Basically it's the same riding stuff as he does with the UKRM guys, but you
get two days of theory to go with it and assuming you're not a complete
lemon on a bike, you get a certificate (NVQ L2 in motorcycling, I kid you
not), which gives you a reasonablish discount through the Bike Team
brokers - assuming they can find anyone willing to insure you. I haven't
found anyone else to recognise it, so not as good as IAM/RoSPA from that
regard.

Pip pip!

 

Will do!

 

It was actually by Googling for DC that I found them

NP.