I've 2 full days planned on the GTR.
Saturday - early startand 80 miles down into mid-Wales to Llandrindod Wells for 830 with my RoSPA group www.saparweb.com (http://www.saparweb.com) where 5 of us are doing some riding assesments / tutoring for Powys County Council. The Council provide these days free of charge to residents and I get to ride one of my favorite roads (A483 Newtown to Crossgates) 3 times in one day!
Sunday - another early start and a more local run into Cheshire to Tatton Park, near Knutsford where the NEG is escorting a Cycletta event http://www.cycletta.co.uk/ (http://www.cycletta.co.uk/). 900 lady cylcists doing a 40k ride in the Cheshire countryside. I'll deffintiely have to have the bike cam running!
and then after the Cycletta we're heading south to pick up the tail-end of the Brain Rourke Cat and Fiddle Challenge http://www.cftrust.org.uk/help/events/cat (http://www.cftrust.org.uk/help/events/cat) so we'll have a run over the Cat n Fiddle pass and then head backto Stoke through Leek.
Sunshine as well.. shoulod be good!
Enjoy your weekend too!
P
Saturday 1st October off to RTTW, Sunday off to Skegness and Monday I have my RoSPA assessment ride which was postponed from a couple of weeks ago due to the trainers/examiners family commitments.
My weekend went well.
Saturday in mid Wales and the weather was fab. The Rospa day for Powys county council went well. I had 2 sports bike guys 1 on an R1 and the other on a 1200 Bandit. For the inital assessment the instruction was "Ride as you usualy do, but dont go at warp speed". The R1 guy started off by sticking religiously to the centre of the lane, not going over 55 and missing numerous overtaking opportunites as a result. He then over took a tipper truck by firstly following too close and then pulling out on the approach to a LH bend that was folwed by a near side junction. EEEK
The Bandit rider's moment of the assesment ride was coming accross a group of horse riders unexpectedly. It wa a cross country ride that came onto the man road for a couple of hundred yards. What he didn't see were three advanced warning signs accompanied by count down marker boards! At the end of the afternoon session the R1 rider was making much better use of the width of the road and his riding was much smoother.
The other guy was still not reacting to nearside hazards but he was smoother and slowing down when his forward vision was reduced.
Sunday, and escorting 900 lady cylcists was different! A great atmosphere but a bit of drizzle that made the roads a little greasy. Unfortunatley one participant had a fall and was reporting backpain. The event ambluance crew was soon on site . I was the first "moto" there and helped police close the road for a while. The lady was soon taken to hospital.
Two contrasting days but still good opportunites to enjoy the GTR!
P
Good man Patrick ... I am sure the site of 900 ladies in cycling kit in the wet would be enough to keep most men helping out for the day ;D
Not quiet a wet tee- shirt day :-(