On Two Wheels – Chelmsford & District Advanced Motorcyclists Chelmsford & District Advanced Motorcyclists Registered Charity No. 1111635 Affiliated to
Group No: 7251 Registered Charity No. 1111635 Affiliated to Group No: 7251
49 • July/December 2016
Chairman’s Ramble Training News The IAM & Me From the Peak District to Paschendale The Bit on the Side Keeping Tabs 2017 CaDAM Planner
“ Your CaDAM needs
”
www.cadam.org
The CaDAM Team Chairman Tony Metcalf chairman@cadam.org
Membership Secretary Graham Smith membership@cadam.org
Vice Chairman TBC vice.chairman@cadam.org
Chief Observer Dennis Kitteridge chiefobserver@cadam.org
Treasurer Chris McEvoy treasurer@cadam.org
Training Co-Ordinator Doug Prasser trainingcoord@cadam.org
Group Secretary Ron Priest groupsec@cadam.org
O2W Editor Mark Anstey editor@cadam.org
Committee Member Phil Draper Committee Member Mick Gowlett Committee Member Nipper Committee Member Peter Mathews Webmaster Sam Fleming webmaster@cadam.org
OUR AIMS Chelmsford and District Advanced Motorcyclists (CaDAM) is one of many groups across the country whose aim is to improve motorcycling road safety by helping people prepare for, and pass, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) Advanced Motorcycling Test. Our group is affiliated to, but not subservient to, the IAM. However, because we share the same aims, we often seem to speak with one voice. CaDAM is run by volunteers and serves the districts of Essex in and around Chelmsford. As well as helping people to pass the Advanced Test, we run the group as a club, so that once you have passed, you will still want to stay on and take part in our other activities. We provide: Structured instruction to prepare for the IAM Advanced Motorcycling Test.You can choose a course that runs on Saturdays or one that runs on Sundays. These courses are designed to take even relatively inexperienced riders and raise their riding to IAM test standards.
When on a club run, be it an evening or a weekend event, speed limits must be observed. We have no exemption and advanced riding does not need to involve higher speeds. When approaching hazards appropriate care must be taken. On club runs you are running as CaDAM and under the IAM banner.
Machine control days to increase your machine handling skills. These sessions are held off the public road, so we can explore your capabilities and those of your machine in safety. Social runs over challenging routes (no motorways, thanks!) to interesting places. Weekends away to ride some new roads, normally out of Essex. Monthly group meetings, often with a talk from a speaker on an interesting topic to do with motorcycling. On 2 Wheels – This newsletter, keeping you up to date with what’s happening. Want to know more? Call our general enquiries number 07432 560 987 – or just turn up at a meeting and introduce yourself to a committee member! Future Events – listings and directions can be found on the back cover.
Do not bring this into disrepute. Also the Marker system will be used. Anyone not familiar with this system please speak to one of the run organisers who will run through this for you. Thanks and safe riding. Tony Metcalf, Chairman, CaDAM
Issue 49 • July/December 2016
Chairman’s Ramble There has been a sizable gap between the last issue and this one and a lot has happened. Jonathan
Harman
until you have passed again.
and John Stevens
2. IAM Surety said that Advanced Riders weren’t any
have resigned from their respective roles in the club.
better than the general population in terms of accidents.
I thank them on behalf of the club for all of their efforts.
They put it down to the fact that some members passed their test many years ago and may have lost their edge
Douglas Prasser has taken over as Training Co-ordinator
a bit and that, on average, IAM members travelled many
and the new mentoring process seems to be working well.
more miles than the average biker.
The mentoring process was brought in as a result of
3. On the basis that some Associates never sit the test,
feedback from a survey conducted with the Associates.
it is proposed that they could elect at the start of their
Ron Priest has stepped up to the mark to become Group
training to be assessed by the group. The assessment
Secretary. We have a Marketing Sub Group consisting
will be carried out by the Local Observer Assessors and
of Mark Anstey and Graham Smith. If anybody has any
reviewed by the IAM.
suggestions as to how we should market the group, please do not hesitate to put your suggestions to them. This year
If you feel that you may have become a little rusty, talk to
we have been working with Cannon’s Motorcycles in
one of the training team and we will organise a refresher
Braintree and that has worked very well. We also attended
session. We have two full members refresher days
Ongar and Epping railway and secured a new member.
included in the calendar for next year. Alternatively, you could resit your test. If you don’t pass you will still be a
The summer has been and gone, but so far the winter has
member of the IAM because the original test pass stands.
been kind to us and only one of the club’s activities has
Another option is to sit the “Masters” course. One of the
been cancelled due to cold weather.
groups at the conference said that if their members don’t attend a refresher course in the year they can no longer
October has been an interesting month. Firstly the
attend group rides until they do! Somewhat harsh I feel.
Observers have all received training on the IAM’s new “joined up” training system, where the Observers,
Finally, please give some consideration to the appeal on
Associates and, more importantly, Examiners all use a copy
page 21 of the magazine. At the moment a fair percentage
of the same training materials. We have been getting our
of the Committee is made up of Observers. It would be
first Associates to be trained under the updated system.
nice to have some non-Observers on the committee. It would also be great if we could have someone on the
At the IAM conference, a number of draft suggestions/
committee that isn’t a man, so that the ladies in the club
observations were discussed:
can be represented. It would also be helpful if we could
1. An new class of membership called a Fellow that will
have someone on the committee in their 20’s to help us
involve being retested every three years. It will cost £10
attract younger members.
more per annum, to pay for the test. It will also carry a number of other advantages; one of them potentially
Finally it only remains for me to wish you all a very Merry
being lower insurance premiums. The downside is that if
Christmas and a Happy and prosperous New Year.
you fail your test you will be suspended from membership
Tony
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www.cadam.org
Training News with Douglas Prasser Training has been progressing well over the Summer months, with, I’m pleased to say, many of our Associates getting out on Observed rides and by all reports, enjoying their training. Since the last issue of O2W, Owain North, David Braid, Mike Nunn, Andrew Boulden, Bruce Atkinson, Alistair Stevens and Kate Stevens have passed their IAM test and I am especially pleased to report that Kate Stevens has passed with a F1rst, so a special congratulations to her, from all on the training team! Congratulations too to Charlie McLaughlin who has advanced his IAM training even further by gaining his IAM Masters. Very well done Charlie! Over the last couple of months the IAM have introduced their new corporate identity RoadSmart, which has been followed by an update of their ‘training’ syllabus. The Training Team were visited by Shaun Cronin - IAM Regional Quality Manager, to run through the changes. Some of our newer Associates will already be aware of this as they will have received the new paperwork that accompanies the changes. For those of you who have not received the new material, there is nothing to worry about and in essence the training will change very little. The ability to pass the IAM test will still fall to understanding the System, ie IPSGA, but the handbook that many of us have ‘How to Be A Better Rider’ has been replaced with a new Associate folder, simply entitled ‘Advanced Rider Course’. The folder has been devised and updated by a committee of experts across the entire IAM network and aims to simplify and clarify those lessons ‘taught’ through HTBABR - so
nothing has really changed. For those of you that have received your new folder, please ensure that the ‘Documents Declaration’ section in the back of the folder is completed and that the entire folder is brought with you to all future training rides. We have been advised by Shaun that unfortunately, if any associates turn up for training and have forgotten their folder, then due to the fact that the completed disclaimer is a binding document, we are unable to take them out on a ride on that occasion, so don’t forget it! There are also new marking sheets to accompany the new folder. These too are stored in the folder for reference by the Observer on each attended ride. For those of you on the ‘old system’, no need to worry. The training process is still the same and we will be referencing HTBABR in the same way. We will however, be reverting to the new marking sheets (again, similar to those used before), but a little more simplified as they follow the prompt of IPSGA. I’m sure it’ll all make perfect sense when we start using it properly and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Issue 49 • July/December 2016
Tony presents pass certificates to Mike Nunn and David Braid - well done! Charlie McLaughlin is presented with his well deserved certificate for passing the IAM Masters
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www.cadam.org DISCLAIMER – Some of the views expressed in this article are those of it’s author and not necessarily those of CADAM or the IAM. If you’re easily offended then it may be better if you skip this & read something else! I have been asked to write an article by our Chairman as an indirect result of my picture appearing in the IAM RoadSmart magazine. I’m no one special. In reality any one of you could have had a picture of yourself and your bike in there. The IAM are celebrating their 60th anniversary this year and for the motorcycling side they held an event at the National Motorcycle Museum. They produce a weekly online newsletter for groups called ‘IAM Inform’ which goes out to Group officials – it’s a pity that some of this stuff doesn’t get passed on. Anyway for weeks-on-end they were pleading for members to enter their motorcycles to cover every year of the past 60, so I contacted Chiswick & asked if they would like my 1997 ZZR 1100 & sent in a photo. The result was positive & yes they would. I’ve been to the Motorcycle Museum more than just a few times & it’s an easy journey from Essex. I ride a motorcycle and I avoid motorways wherever I can, so I go A120 – A10 to Buntingford & then the brilliant A507 – through Woburn deer park, drop down to the A5 & stopped at the Super Sausage café for breakfast. Then on to Weedon & turn left on to the A45 & follow the signs. You’ve probably worked out by now that I don’t have satnav because the route is in my head & that’s the way I like it for all my journeys.
& The IAM
Me!
Issue 49 • July/December 2016 When I arrive, there is a coned off area and various folk in their brand new light blue RoadSmart polo shirts. When I take my helmet off it’s, ‘hello Colin’, because they all know me & I know them - Dave Shenton, Paul Woozley & Pat Doughty. I position my bike to their satisfaction & go in to register. When Linda spots me she puts down her stuff & we have a kiss & a cuddle. When you’ve been dealing with the IAM as long as I have this is the sort of relationship you form. Maybe it’s because I’m not afraid to speak my mind that I’m reasonably well known to them!!! The day was brilliant. During the day there were 3 forums looking at various aspects of bike racing with Peter Hickman, whom I’d not seen before, Mick Grant & sort of chaired by Steve Plater. There was quite a bit of leg pulling because of the age differences & comparing what it was like in Mick’s day compared to what Peter does now. During one session they showed a video of part of the TT course filmed from within a car driven by a rally driver approaching the sort of speeds you see rally cars doing, with Peter doing a high speed commentary. At the end
he said that he’d given about 10% of what you needed to know to ride that bit of the circuit & as a result a discussion took place on how fast the riders had to think & process the information they see as a result of riding at those speeds. All in all, a most interesting day. So how did I get involved with the IAM in the first place? It started early on a bright & sunny Sunday morning in the autumn of 1987 when I decided to ride to the Bike show at the NEC using the same route as described above. I got there just after it had opened & after wandering around came across the IAM stand. A bearded bloke who I later was to discover was Dave Gunning – the then Secretary of the Essex IAM bike group, took my details. After about 3 hours it was getting hard to push around & since the sun was shining through the roof windows I decided I’d had enough. The queue outside went round the block & I remember wondering how on earth they would all fit in. Several weeks later I received a letter from Dave inviting me to the December
“He said to meet him at the Army & Navy car park at 10am the following Saturday” 7
www.cadam.org club night. The letter said “Please don’t feel obliged to come on two wheels, after all it is December and winter nights aren’t always pleasant or safe for riding and after all it is YOU we want to meet”. I thought to myself that sounded like a sensible club to belong to. When I got there, the Essex barn at Channels was full of people, so I found Dave & he introduced me to the Membership Secretary & I duly paid my £10 annual membership. I also discovered that they were having a Christmas dinner at the White Horse pub in Great Baddow & I thought I’ll have some of that since I could walk there. Again the place was full of people & I found myself sitting next to Paul & Carol John who I found out had been in the club since the beginning. Another couple Dave & Nicky later offered me a lift home. My efforts towards global warming hadn’t come to fruition yet – I was a refrigeration engineer – CFC’s & the ozone layer an all that – so we got serious snowfalls & bitter winters, so I waited till Easter before approaching the Observer CoOrdinator for an Observer & surprise, surprise I was allocated to Paul. He said to meet him at the Army & Navy car park at 10am the following Saturday. By way of explanation in those days there was no Chelmsford bypass & the A12 formed Princes Road & around the Army & Navy roundabout & out over the old viaduct now the A138. The Army & Navy was a large pub with a car park in front of it where the Travelodge, cafes & cycle shop are now.
The following Saturday we went to Maldon, Goldhanger & over the reservoir, did a bit of Colchester and then back to Chelmsford via the A12 so a good mix of roads. I couldn’t make it the following Saturday because I was on call for work so we met on the next one & this time we went to Burnham etc. At the end of that he announced that it was a waste of time doing any more observed rides and to put in for my test. So I’d had 3 rides in a time span of 3 weeks. I said he’d got to be joking – what about all this slow riding I’d heard about which was the opposite of what we’d been doing!!! He said don’t worry Roger, as in Roger Anderson, won’t get you doing figures of eight in a car park he’ll do it in a real life traffic situation which is what he subsequently did. The only reason I think it’s done today is that Staff Examiner Jon Taylor has a bit of a hang up over it but more of that later. Tony probably won’t like that bit!!!
“...otherwise you’re just a bloody nuisance”
So we set off down the A414 to Ongar & Harlow. At that time the road to Ongar was a twisty one, but following several fatal accidents, one weekend it was all straightened out as it is today. At Harlow we stopped and he said that it was perfectly safe not to overtake but it wasn’t advanced, so point taken. Then, on to Sawbridgeworth & back to Chelmsford via Hatfield Heath & the Rodings.
Roger phoned me up & we agreed to meet at the Little Chef on the Springfield Road in Chelmsford which now has long since gone. This may cause a few raised eyebrows today, but in his briefing he said if we were in a 30 limit & all the traffic was doing 35 then he expected me to do 35 – otherwise you’re just a bloody nuisance, but if on my own then I was to do 30. As predicted by Paul for the slow riding bit we went up Market Hill in Maldon with all the traffic. We went back to the Little Chef & his debrief was short & to the point – Good enough for a pass, you’re not very smooth but I can see you’ve been out with Paul. That was it – I hadn’t a clue what he meant but as I later found out he had co-founded the Group when he was a Police traffic sergeant with Essex Police along with Paul my Observer and a Richard Clauson in 1982. Kent AMG was the first IAM bike group formed in 1980. We then exchanged social chat & we parted company. Some years later it was Roger
Issue 49 • July/December 2016 who was instrumental in getting me involved with EAMG by persuading me to join the committee & we still stay in touch to this day. I got to know Dave & Nicky better who had given me the lift home and Dave remarked to me one day that we were a bike club but we never went anywhere. He also edited the club newsletter. I’d seen other IAM bike group newsletters and the Norfolk group ran “Group Rides” I thought that sounded a bit formal, so I picked a Sunday when I wasn’t on call for work and told him to put “Social Ride” in the next newsletter. At the club night when it came out he came up to me and said they all wanted to know where we were going. Hand on my heart I hadn’t thought about that bit thinking I could just lead a ride somewhere so since I knew my way around Hampshire reasonably well & he wanted a destination I said, “OK we’ll go to the Submarine museum at Gosport”. I just can’t imagine CaDAM doing that today somehow.
the road signs something satnav users today don’t seem to bother with. If you’re not aware the main exhibit is HMS Alliance, a post war submarine that is mounted on concrete plinths with an entrance and exit cut through both ends of the hull which allows visitors to walk through it & the guides are ex submariners. There is also an extensive collection of other exhibits. On the way home we stopped at the Little Chef again and Dave said that was brilliant, so where were we going the next month?! So then I realized I’d started something! So unlike today where the destination is a café with exception of Mark’s social rides, we would go somewhere meaningful like Dover Castle, the Sammy Miller museum at New Milton, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, a bit nearer to home – Chatham Dockyard so everyone could interact & we would go, by today’s standard, serious distance but although the destinations were always advertised about 3 months in advance in the newsletter – no internet – there was a sort of hard core supporters club that always came along and accepted that we would be out all day long
...Can’t imagine CaDAM doing that today somehow
We agreed to meet at the lay by alongside Moulsham School between the now Tesco roundabout & the Army & Navy about 9am. We’d never heard of the marker system so I’d worked out a route, written it down and had it photocopied. There were about a dozen bikes so I gave them all a copy of the route & we set off. If you’re going that sort of distance and not just to a café like today, you do need to get there in good time, so we took the M25 to the A3, bypassing Guildford – A31 over the Hogs Back to Alton then A32 to the Little Chef, now no longer there, at West Meon. In those days Little Chefs were very accommodating & they would move the tables together and we had the famous Jubilee breakfast. Then onwards to Fareham & Gosport. It’s no big deal since you just follow
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www.cadam.org sometimes getting home quite late & yes we all had jobs to go to the next morning – something certain members of this group keep reminding me of since I’m now retired. Nipper’s father, Peter, along with one of his mates from the Pan Clan, introduced us to the marker system for the first time for a ride to Steventon in Oxfordshire but again as back up provided us all with a route sheet. To be perfectly honest, I’m not a great fan of the marker system even though it seems to be held up as the Holy Grail of group riding today. The IAM magazine in those days was called Milestones or as some wag renamed it – Millstones because it was very car orientated with hardly any bike stuff so there was a call – why could we not have a national IAM magazine just for the bikes. So a committee was formed mostly from members of Norfolk Advanced Motorcyclists consisting of an Examiner, a Group’s former Chief Observer and a few committee members. The Institute agreed to fund it for the first year to see if it was viable then after that it had to be self- funding so the first edition of “The Motorcyclist” consisting of an A4 magazine of approx. 50 pages came out in Spring 1990. However in order for it continue motorcycle members had to subscribe to it at the princely sum of £7.80 for 4 issues including
postage & packing which a lot of people weren’t prepared to do. On a personal front, I promoted it heavily within EAMG & we took about 50 copies. I would ride up to Norwich & see the editor Pete Whitlam & collect them & distribute them myself. It also gave me the opportunity to ask him how many copies other groups were taking & I was quite shocked to discover the Kent group which had a huge membership were taking about 4 so I took a load of extra copies & went to their group night & asked if I could promote it. Politics intervened & the Chairman refused which was odd because he was contributing articles to it and anyway I had be a member of their group. That was easily solved so I joined their group as well & thus got them taking a lot more copies. In those days the Kent Group met at the Kentagon at Brands Hatch and once a year they were able to use the track on a club night. So I thought I’ll have some of that & got to ride a racetrack for the first time. As a result I got to know a lot more folk and participated in their once a year trip to the Ardennes. The magazine folded after about 3 years simply because the membership were too tight fisted to subscribe. I still have copies including the last one that was never published that Pete, now very bitter, sent me thanking me for my support.
Issue 49 • July/December 2016 Around the 90’s the bike side of the IAM organised a couple of rallies. One was held at Stirling in Scotland using the university as a base in their holiday period so we were able to utilise the halls of residence for accommodation. About half a dozen of us rode up there and got involved for a long weekend. I think it was guys I’d met from the Nottingham Group that introduced me to tequila slammers (grin!) - so they’d come prepared for a good time. Another one was held at Aberystwyth again using the university as a base. As a result of these outings I got to know members from groups spread around the country so I organised a long weekend Friday – Monday for a visit to the Peak District. On the Saturday we rode the Cat & Fiddle pass & in those days the pub was open and I have photos of us congregating around the open fire. On the Sunday, by prior arrangement, two Observers from the Sheffield Group met us at the then Clay Cross Kawasaki dealership & then guided us through the lesser known bits avoiding the Sunday bike hotspots like Matlock which we’d done ourselves the day before. On the Monday we went to Chatsworth House & then we split up – some went home and a few of us carried on up to Scotland for a few days.
a pub in the area of Downham Market. At about 10pm we realized that they had all melted away into the night & we were the only ones left. One of our members had a Yam Exup & was desperate for fuel and luckily the then Esso garage on the A134 in Bury St Edmunds was still open at 11pm. One of the members who lived in Great Leighs gave me coffee at his house at about 12:30am!! and I still had to get up for work next morning. A lot of folk these days seem to think that once they have passed their IAM test that’s it but actually it is merely a stepping stone in one’s development as a rider. Because I had got to know a few members of the Thames Vale IAM bike group, which is a huge group with over 900 members loosely based in Reading, Berks, but covering about 6 counties, I got to find out about Rapid Training because they do the assessment of their Observers and as a result I’ve done several courses with them. In the beginning I mentioned IAM staff examiner Jon Taylor & I had a 1:1 day out with him in April 2004 when he was a Rapid instructor which was excellent. Unlike today, students would meet the instructor at their home address & Jon lived near Kenley in Surrey which meant an early morning ride around the M25. The normal format is after introductions over coffee they set you up with a one way radio so you can hear the instructor but can’t communicate with them. Then they conduct an assessment ride of about 20 minutes, followed by a demo ride on his part with a full police style commentary. Then the day would be spent concentrating on your weaker issues with a lunch stop & then back to his house for a debrief. Several days later you get a full written report. Anyway after his demo ride we pull into a rough station car 11
...the Nottingham Group introduced me to tequila slammers
Unlike today, the IAM bike groups would exchange group newsletters so you got to know what others got up to. We would also go and visit them on their group nights so we would meet at Rivenhall Services on the A12 at around 18:45 & ride up to the Norfolk Group who met in a pub on the A140 on the outskirts of Norwich. I think the furthest we went to was the Fenland bike group that met right out in the back of beyond in
www.cadam.org park where he wants me to do the inevitable figure of eight, which I’m useless at – and still am!!! However, it’s a course and not a test so he explains what to do etc. I’ve done courses with other Rapid instructors & he is the ONLY one who wants this. The really good thing with the radio is that they use it mainly for directions because they tend to follow you really closely & ride in your blind spot so trying to see their indicators is a non-starter so it allows you to ride normally as if someone isn’t following you. I did another course where the instructor lived in Chatham & I watched him sit on his bike & paddle it out of his garage & I thought well if it’s OK for you to do that I can do the same. Because I have a sloping driveway up to my garage I
don’t feel confident nowadays about wheeling it down the slope so now I always sit on it doing just that. I always start it first in the garage to check the electrics because if it won’t start in the road I’m unable to push it back up the slope. He gave me the speed parameters of what he felt were acceptable, so on my initial assessment ride when I left the 30 limit & into the NSL or as we used to call it – the ‘GLF’ sign, I wound it on quite a bit!! He later remarked that I had a powerful bike & I clearly wasn’t afraid to use it’s performance and it was nice to see because they rarely got to see it. We practised the 3 stage overtake & he expected me to ride alongside him at speed so he could see exactly what I saw. On the way home he took the lead and just carved
his way through the rush hour traffic in Chatham so I thought – “When in Rome” & followed closely behind. However now I’m getting to the point where I may have to give up motorcycling because the pains in my joints are getting steadily worse especially on longer journeys Some people I know actually take pain killers when riding their bikes but I haven’t got to that stage yet. I could do with a lighter bike but that invariably means a smaller one & I can’t contor t my body around standard bike set ups hence the alterations & conversions of my current ZZR1100. We’ll see what 2017 brings. Colin Snow
...we would go somewhere meaningful...
Issue 49 • July/December 2016
From the Peak District
to Paschendale
A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away... ok it wasn’t that long ago, and the only Galaxy I saw came in the shape of an Easter egg. This would have been the Easter egg I bought myself, secretly, after a walk down to Matlock Sainsbury’s in a vain attempt to find a miracle cure for the Man flu I’d picked on arrival the night before. Man Flu as we all know is a very real and debilitating illness, rumoured even sometimes to be fatal. If there are any ladies reading this, (and let’s face it, most who do so, will have now already given up reading any further) please feel free to check out this web site: www. manflu.info.org.uk any doubts you may have had as to the serious nature of this illness should be cleared up there. Anyway, I digress. How did events transpire to put me at risk from this terrifying illness you ask? Well, for some reason I allowed myself against my better judgement to be persuaded to leave behind my warm cosy fireside chair, pipe and slippers, and go on a four day weekend trip to a far flung corner of the British Empire in the cold harsh depths of winter. “But Mark”, I said, “Its cold and wet in March in the Peak District, and I have a log burner calling to me”...
Alas t’was to no avail, for I have a wife who by luck of birth and genetics is immune to man flu, and therefore cold weather, wind, rain and even snow hold no fear for my dear Carol. It did then transpire that I found myself accompanied by Carol, on my way to Matlock, Derbyshire for a weekend of beer and skittles, and perhaps even a Bakewell Tart? With Mark, Sian, Alan, Jenny and ourselves heading up t’north, I didn’t take much convincing this will be a fun four days.That was of course before being catastrophically struck down with a dose of the much feared and serious slayer of men... That first evening I stayed in our guest room not venturing out, but spending time instead making my last will and testament, and placing my affairs in order before collapsing into bed for what I felt was my last night before slipping away.
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www.cadam.org Meanwhile Carol watched telly. The next morning it was clear to all I had survived the night, to which I experienced a mixture of surprise and disappointment, and to celebrate my survival I walked down to the town in search of sustenance and potions, which is where our story began. However, armed with a whole card of Strepsils and Benylin Cough Syrup I carried on like a true soldier and went on to enjoy horizontal rain, snow and extreme gale force winds whilst working our way up to the Cat & Fiddle. Rain by the way that came at you from any, and all angles, which seemed to penetrate where no rain had penetrated before. We did indeed have a fantastic four days though, visiting Crich Tramway Museum, interspersed with some great rides around the Penines. An Italian restaurant and even a beer festival combined with local pub food and a Bakewell Tart all went into the mix to form what was a most memorable weekend. It was whilst partaking of much ale that we all agreed we should follow the success of this trip with another and preferably soon. This is where Carol and I mentioned a hobby of ours in frequent visits throughout the year to Belgium and France touring the battlefields. Something that we also added
to the mix was the fact we spend one day touring the Ypres Salient on bicycles, as this is a very good way to get into areas that are out of reach for motorised transport. Yes I know some will say there is no place a GSA can’t get to, but these places are also accessible by the Gendarme so stick with pedal power for some of the most interesting places to visit. After perhaps some initial surprise about the idea of cycling mixed in with a motorcycle trip, I soon had the gang hooked on the idea aided no doubt, by the fact we were attending a very agreeable beer festival. I did though, skate around the fact that it was a 28-mile journey. I put up a smoke screen made up of kilometres, a journey bordered and marked out by numerous Cafes’ and the fabulous Belgium beers available on our ride, plus for good measure mentioned all the Belgium chocolates you could eat! The next morning we met for the last breakfast and even after sleeping on it they all seemed keen to start the ball rolling. After a fabulous ride home on brilliant roads led by Mark I began to realise just how much organising these things take and the expectations to satisfy. The first thing I decided was that if this trip was going to be
Issue 49 • July/December 2016 universally popular we should go for three days to bring in some element of powered touring on the way to Ypres and the way back, this was to be a trial run for a CADAM trip for 2017, if my guinea pigs felt it might be well received. There are some lovely roads in northeast France and Belgium and I needed to try and bring some into our route to and from the area on our trip. First thing first was to pick the next available date that we could all be able to fit in. This was the third weekend in August and I suggested three days, leaving
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www.cadam.org Friday morning and returning Sunday evening. This in my opinion is the minimum time span to spend in the Ypres Salient, which will give you a taster of what there is to see. You will though only scratch the surface and you do have to be selective when choosing where to go and places to visit. We stay at the Hotel Ariane, which also has its own memorabilia on display, and a wealth of information on the area in which you are staying. All the staff are fluent in English and that tends to be the same around town too. The Ariane also hires the cycles and here’s the good news, some of them are electric which they can cross hire from another business in Ypres if you need more than three electric cycles. They do though only assist, and are not permanent drive. Carol and I have
now done this cycle route five times now and only once with the electric versions. Look at me, if I can do it anyone can! Taking into account we were going with four athletes I made sure Carol and I had electric this time. With the dates agreed I booked the three rooms at the Hotel and we all individually booked the Eurotunnel. This we did all on the same night for an agreed time slot which because it was booked well in advance seemed to work well and we all had the same arrival time and departure time. Embarkation - All leave cancelled The day had arrived and we all met at junction 11on the M20 at the allotted time, which is the last junction prior to the Eurotunnel, well everyone except Carol and I. We were 30 minutes late, a fact that Sergeant Major Plant discussed with me at leisure whilst I refuelled. There’s not too much that can go wrong moving from Junction 11 to 11a, so we all arrived at the check in together and I made sure we all got the same train by contacting a member of staff on arrival. In practice we were put with a larger group of motorcycles so I don’t believe there would be too much of a problem keeping together, which is important on a tight time frame. Each recruit was issued with his or her new uniform, and after a trouble free and prompt crossing we arrived in Calais 35 minutes later. The whole trip so far from North Essex for us had
Issue 49 • July/December 2016 taken just under 3 hrs. If you are going straight to Ypres, that will add about 70 minutes to the total, we were going a more scenic route, and visiting a few places on the way though. I also gave everyone an itinerary with all destinations flagged with sat nav co ordinates so that if there was a problem and we became split up for whatever reason the tour could still go on. It was also important in my opinion that there was no time frame to stick to, except for the Menin Gate ceremony, more on this later. That way we could take as long as we like and stop anywhere that anyone thought looks interesting. At the end of the day I told everyone, as you have not been before you won’t know what you’ve missed should we not cover the entire itinerary. This made a worry free relaxed few days, which began with a stop at a memorial to a later conflict. Wormhout – Pas De Calais – WW2 Memorial SS Division war crime The direct route is via the A16 signed to Dunkirk and Brussels then leave at junction28, the A25 to Lille leaving at junction 16 for Wormhout. The memorial is between Wormhout and Esquelnbecq. I used the co ordinates readily available on the Internet but in practice this placed it about 2 km off to the south. Luckily we had been there before
and I managed to recognise some of the farms and other features to bring us all to the correct spot. We also arrived there using a TOMTOM 400, which has a feature where it plots a winding nonmotorway route, which was quite good. I May 1940 the 144th Infantry Brigade of the 48th Infantry Division was holding the road south of Burgues on the road to Wormhout during the retreat of the British Expeditionary Force’s retreat to Dunkirk. Having exhausted their ammunition and being over- run by superior forces the British troops surrendered expecting to be treated fairly under the terms of the Geneva Convention. At this point The SS Division had also picked up French troops and a Belgium soldier looking after a nearby ammunition dump. The troops had become increasingly alarmed at the treatment of wounded prisoners as the SS had been shooting wounded stragglers on the route to the barn. There were nearly 100 men crowded into a very small barn when the SS started to throw in stick grenades killing many of those inside. Due to the bravery of two men, Seargeant Stanley Moore and CSM August Jennings who flung themselves on two of the grenades the SS realised this was going to take too long.They then ordered the men out in small groups and shot them. Despite this a few did escape but a total of 80 were murdered. There is a re created small thatched barn, which acts as a focal point of the memorial, the same
...a re created small thatched barn, which acts as a focal point of the memorial...
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www.cadam.org size and design exactly where the original one was. There are also other memorials around the site. The last survivor Burt Evans died in 2013 and his was a miraculous escape where he lost an arm in the massacre. After this rather sombre stop we head off to Lijssenthoek, which was the cemetery for the main casualty clearing station near Poperinge.
lines. It is through this path that many of the Allied troops marched to the front line never to return. The Stone panels bare witness to the 54,395 Commonwealth soldiers lost in the Salient with no known grave. It was found the design was too small, and a further 34.984 were listed at Tyne Cot. Another anomaly is the fact that the New Zealand government did not want their dead listed here and so they have a memorial at Tyne Cot, the reasons for this are lost in the mists of time.
Poperinge and Lijssenhoek A large site with over 10,000 burials, which for most of the war remained out of range of the largest German artillery, and unlike other Cemeteries the vast majority are known. In Tyne Cot, which is the largest Cemetery in the world 70 % are unknown, due to the front line location. We go to Tyne Cot on the cycle ride. One of only two female nurses killed during active service in WW1 is buried here in Lijssenthoek. After leaving here we headed to the centre of Poperinge, which was just far enough away from the lines to give rest and respite and the famous Toc H, short for Talbot House which welcomed all soldiers whatever their rank. You can if you wish stay here in one of the rooms available throughout the year. Another thought provoking place open to the public is the condemned cell with graffiti on the walls from the prisoners held there. One of only three officers to be court martialled and executed was held here. Just to lighten things up we head to Ypres and our accommodation for the three nights and grab a few beers plus a shower before we go to the not to be missed 8pm Menin Gate Ceremony. No trip to the Ypres Salient could be considered complete without witnessing this ceremony. The memorial was unveiled in 1927 and stands on the Eastern side of the town marking where one of the main roads out of town lead to the front
Following the opening ceremony in 1927 the local fire brigade has sounded the last post every night at 8.00pm. The only exception being during the German occupation of WW2, at the end of that conflict while German and Polish troops were still fighting in the town while the fire brigade began their so far unbroken run of last post ceremonies. We returned to the Hotel Ariane for our pre booked meal followed by our fair share of Belgium beer and to discuss what was in store for the next day. Day Two – Bicycle time There are several places to hire cycles and they all seem to be around 20 euros for pedal power per day and 25 for electric boost. For us it’s easier to get them from the hotel and if you require more than their three electric bikes they will arrange this for no extra charge... The route we follow is the RED ROUTE, which is well signed. This guide can be picked up from the hotel or the tourist information centre in the Cloth Hall. You can pick up a guide map too which helps with cafes and points of interest marked clearly, but I would advise the companion book Major & Mrs Holt’s Battlefield Guide to Ypres. This route is mostly off road or at the least single lanes with little or no traffic that I can recall on any of our visits. Make sure you ask for saddlebags, and bring along plenty of bottled water. The only thing that caused us trouble was yours
Issue 49 • July/December 2016 truly had a slow puncture.This though was taken in hand by our team mechanic Alan, whom it turned out loved the feeling of latex all over his hands, and dismissed any attempt to help him clean up all the puncture repair fluid he had balmed himself in. We successfully managed the whole 28 miles all bar a short cut of around a mile due to a huge storm cloud bearing down on us late afternoon. Sadly only Mark and Sian had the experience, and some will say sense, to pack a fold away mac. The rest of us just returned to the centre of Ypres looking like drowned rats, but otherwise remarkably ok considering we had just completed 28 miles of cycling. It takes you close in too many places that are inaccessible on any other transport.To name a few, Hill 60, 62, Caterpillar Crater, Polygon Wood, Tyne Cot and Langermark German Cemetery.
You can’t as they say miss Tyne Cot. It has been built on the old front line and contains three visible German bunkers, one of which has the cross of sacrifice built over it with one panel removed exposing a small area of the bunker within. VC’s had been won here storming the pillboxes. There is also a visitor centre to enable you to gain more information, and as you approach down the path you begin to hear recorded voices reading the names of the dead inscribed on the memorial and contained within its walls. Many of the dead here were buried at the end of hostilities, bought in from smaller cemeteries. But towards the easterly end you can see some of the original burials in their random layout rather than the majority, which are more uniformly in rows. A little later we get to Langermark German cemetery. There is a stark difference between Commonwealth Cemeteries and the German equivalent VKD Cemeteries. There are nearly 45,000 burials here in a plot with most being mass burials, in an area markedly smaller than Tyne Cot. Understandably perhaps, the Belgium Government was very reluctant to give them space on Belgium soil. There are many places we visit on this tour for which space does not allow here.
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www.cadam.org After our return we went into town to a favourite bar of ours where we can all try out the many and lovely Belgium beers they have to offer. Our barman entertained us with his thoughts on unification, Brexit, and in his opinion how long it would be before the Jackboot marched back into town, and would the English come back to save them next time? We had a great meal in Markt 22 where we had reserved a table earlier on our way to the bar. There are many restaurants in the centre of Ypres and during the summer tables are set in the square, which is a very nice place to sit and watch the world go by. Flemish Stew is my recommendation; it’s an important experience of any trip to Ypres, one not to be missed. Day Three After our last breakfast we checked out at 11 am and proceeded to pick up where we left off the previous days tour due to rain. This time on our motorcycles. We did a few areas on this day, which included the imposing Canadian Memorial where the first gas attack of the war took place and the Canadians stood their ground at great cost. From there we headed to Bedford House Cemetery, stopping on the way to view the Welsh Red Dragon monument as Sian is from Wales, and this is large and striking monument to all those of Welsh
decent who served in the Ypres Salient. Bedford House is an old front line Cemetery and is unusual in its layout, which is in the grounds of an old Chateau, which had a moat but was never rebuilt after the conflict. It also contains the casualties from the conflict some 20 years later from the Dunkirk evacuation, which brings our tour in full circle. This gave us enough time to return to Ypres for a meal in the square before heading home later in the afternoon. If you have enough time or the weather is inclement the Cloth Hall has what must be one of the best museums in the area, The In Flanders Field Museum. The date for next year’s Ypres trip is the 4th, 5th, and 6th August 2017. Places are limited, as at the time of publication 50% have already been snapped up. Don’t let the long cycle ride worry you, its been made easy now! Feel free to contact me any time 07814 943 883 or info@ advantage-environmental.co.uk
Issue 49 • July/December 2016
“ Your CaDAM needs
We have a tireless team behind the scenes at CaDAM, but we need your help; New blood with new ideas as well as people to fill vital roles. Generally speaking, no experience is required, just enthusiasm and a willingness to help. We would like to invite all to join the Committee, but also really need to fill the position of Vice Chairman, as your Chairman officially (following club rules) only has a year left in the seat. In addition, we also require a Treasurer as Chris McEvoy is hanging up his calculator in March (at the AGM), after 4 loyal and very much
”
appreciated years. The majority of the committee are also Observers (already giving the club a great deal of time) and for the sake of balance we really should have some of the decisions on Observing protocol being considered by those outside of the rank. All interested parties will be made most welcome. We’ll even get biscuits at the meetings if it means you’ll come! So, what do you say? Please contact any of the committee or simply turn up at the next meeting. We really do need you! Thank you.
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with Inky Ann
The Bit on the Side
www.cadam.org My last column ended at the end of 2014, with the intention of telling you about my 2015 season of the TT and the French Superbike Championship. Instead, with the 2016 TT just finished I’m going to reflect back on what’s happened. Spoiler alert: I didn’t compete in TT2016. During 2015 I was finding that juggling my racing – especially the meetings overseas – and my family commitments was becoming too demanding. As a result not only was my bank account taking a knock, but so was my confidence. I wasn’t a nice person to be around as I was so stressed a lot of the time, and the racing started to suffer. You’d never guess it from my time on circuit, we had some fantastic results, but my confidence went through the floor and I’d stopped enjoying it. I’m not sure what caused this, but I suspect it was just a combination of lots of little things. It culminated in a crystalclear relief after TT2015 that I’d survived. Not that I’d enjoyed it, or done well, but that I’d survived. Something needed to change.
Issue 49 • July/December 2016 I had another race meeting a fortnight after the TT (more later), but then two weeks after that I fell off my SV650S whilst out on a Saturday afternoon bimble and broke my left shoulder-blade. The universe was telling me it was time to hang up my leathers. That took around 6 months to heal properly, in which time I’d moved across the country for family reasons and my weekends were no longer my own – hence why I spent TT2016 as a spectator at home listening to Manx radio and trying to follow the live timing. 2015 was a great year: Fanch and I had really gelled throughout the TT2014 and so we tackled some of the French Championship rounds (part of the French Superbike series) as well as TT2015. I was winding down my UK short-circuit commitments as Simon was preparing to go to the TT with
Photo: © Dave Kneen
his original passenger, Dave, and Simon and his sidecar were now working well together so I was no longer needed as a ‘development passenger’. Simon’s 12 year old son, Caleb, was making real waves in the UK short circuit solo racing scene and Simon was finding it increasingly difficult to be sidecar racer, solo spanner man and father at every meeting. My first experience of racing at the French Superbike championship was at Le Mans in March 2015, somewhere I had spectated many, many years ago when Bradley Smith and Mike DiMeglio were duking it out on their 125s. I found the circuit reasonably easy to learn, but with some technical aspects which made it hard work
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www.cadam.org as a passenger. The FSB atmosphere with TV cameras, pit lane klaxons and so on was slightly surreal but immensely exciting. With a mixed grid of both F1s and F2s there was plenty of track action. The weather was mixed – I remember it sunny but the photographs give the lie to that, but the end result was two podiums: 2nd F2 in race 1, and
Photo: © Dave Kneen
3rd F2 in race 2. To be walking up the steps to the press office and out onto that podium was exhilarating. Those two trophies have pride of place at home now. Fast forward and it was the end of May, time to head to the TT. I was spending the majority of it on my own as my husband had a new job and couldn’t take
three weeks off to be there with me. Traitor that I am, I found it easier to be alone and able to concentrate on the sidecar and re-learning the circuit for the early days, then appreciating it all the more when he was able to join me. My spring had been dogged with mild ill-health and anaemia, leaving me extremely tired, then I developed a chest infection within a couple of days
Issue 49 • July/December 2016 of arriving on the Island. I was exhausted for the full three weeks which made it a tough fortnight. For the French teams, the TT in 2015 was overshadowed by the death early in practice week of Franck Petricola, a likeable young solo racer. That, combined with the awful weather, meant everyone was on minimum
qualifying laps by the time of the first race. Nerves were on edge and none of us felt as prepared as we would have liked. The scrutineers had found a tiny crack on a non-structural weld on the sidecar chassis as well, so we spent hours with a torch going over every single mm of it checking for any other issues. Fortunately there were none, but nerves were jangling.
Fanch and I spent most of Race 1 spectating from Ginger Hall: we clipped the second left-hand bend kerb at Quarry Bends and bent the sidecar rim, causing a flat. “DNF” in the results, but Estelle had done amazingly well and averaged over 105mph making her (again) the fastest ever female sidecar rider there. Deep breath, get everything
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Photo: © Janelle’s Sportypics fixed, focus on Race 2. The weather had picked up and my photographs show glorious sunshine. After nearly hitting a seagull in Parliament Square we quickly caught the machine which had started 10 seconds ahead of us on the road, then on lap 2 we were both caught by a faster machine from further down the order. He came past within half a lap or so, but we stayed with the other machine here nipping underneath, then being overtaken later down the road – dicing the whole way round with me laughing inside my helmet for sheer enjoyment. When we crossed the line – 22nd with an average of 102.74mph, everyone was wreathed with smiles and declared it one of the best races they had ever had. Not once was there bodywork contact between any of the three bikes: what a demonstration of skill on behalf of all the riders. Then, just two weeks later, was what turned out to be my last race: the French championship at Magny Cours. Again an iconic circuit, and one which is very left-hand heavy so had a lot of work required. The weekend was blisteringly hot, literally, and my
hands were genuinely burned and blistered from the metal handholds, even through my leather gloves. The track temperature was over 50°C. I am NOT a hot weather rider, I can safely say, but it was an exercise in concentration and hydration to complete race distance. We didn’t place on the podium in race 1, and DNFs in Race 2 when the chain jumped the rear sprocket less than half a lap from the end, but we were both very happy with how the weekend had gone. So, one broken shoulder-blade, one move across the country, and I was relegated to giving talks and coming to terms with being an ex-racer. I was asked by several drivers to do TT2016 with them, but with no fitness and insufficient race signatures I had good reasons to decline. That, and the fact that the TT falls squarely over the period of GCSEs for my son, who was the reason I had moved across the country. I couldn’t stay away though, and booked a flight over for a single day trip in race week, scheduled to
Issue 49 • July/December 2016 coincide with a practice day for the sidecars. No-one could remember the weather being as constant and glorious as it was, everyone was completing maximum laps in practice and of the 60 teams who made it to the TT, all bar two had qualified. Then the first race was red flagged. This is not unusual, but is a cause for concern, until we heard it was at Rhencullen. It’s a series of bends just beyond Kirk Michael, taking pretty much straight line apart from the fine right (apexing on the garden wall at the cottage), a proper worked left, then instantly into a jump. Anything there was going to be fast and end badly, with no protection or run-off anywhere. The news of the Dwight Beare’s death filtered through the sidecar family within a very short period of time before being announced publicly a few hours later. Everyone was, and still is, stunned. Dwight’s first TT was also mine, 2013, with his dad Noel in the chair. I didn’t really get to know Dwight but I got on well with Noel. This year Dwight had Moly’s former passenger, Ben Binns, in the chair – a very competent and experienced racer. I won’t speculate on the cause, but Dwight’s death shocked the sidecar family and they came together in shared support and grief. On top of the deaths earlier in the year of Billy
Redmaye, Malachi Mitchell-Thomas and Dean Martin, our beloved motorsport was exacting a horrendous toll – then of course Paul Shoesmith was killed later on the day. Surely, SURELY, that would be it? There could be no others? When I visited on the Monday, I had only a few hours to try to see all my friends, but borrowed start line passes and stood on Glencrutchery Road as they set off for their practice laps with a sense that someone had taken a huge chunk out of my chest. This was so wrong – I should have been racing, not spectating, and there should have been a glorious, beautiful, sidecar with two fit young men setting off with the number 26 displayed on the glowing green bodywork. The race week progressed, solo races were won, spats were had, and Friday came with the promise of the second race. Fog caused delays to racing but when the sidecars set off the conditions were good. There were a few retirements, but pretty much all at the pits and those of us who followed it on the radio and live timing were cautiously breathing sighs of relief. I didn’t notice when the Bells failed to progress through Glen Helen on lap 3 – everyone was taken up with the retirements, wondering if the fantastic podiums by Alan
Photo: © Paul Willis
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www.cadam.org Founds and then Peter Founds in Race 1 could be repeated. Within an hour of the end of the race the first tribute photos of Ian Bell, with no caption or explanation, were appearing on social media. To the uninformed, they were simply celebrating camaraderie between experienced racers. To those in the know, it was that appalling sinking feeling of, “Oh no, not another one, surely not another one?”. Then solo racer Andy Soar, whose death was leaked by ITN news via Twitter two full hours before family and friends agreed the official announcement could be made. I thought the ITV4 coverage handled it well – acknowledging the achievements and the death but celebrating the racing. But we had to ask; if someone as committed and safe as Ian could be killed, in reality it could happen to anyone. When you set off on any circuit, or on any road, you always think it won’t be you. It’s always someone else, and never you. Ian’s death was just that little bit too close to home. Again, I knew Ian only slightly from when we had been at the same meetings for the British Championship, Scarborough or the TT. I knew Carl slightly better but he’s a very shy, private man, and I could not with honesty say I knew him well. But sidecars are a family; we support each other, and two deaths of such likeable men within quick succession has been a huge blow. Francois and Estelle, with their respective passengers, had some good results: Fanch & Bruno 19th in Race 1 (Estelle DNF), and Estelle & Freddy 17th with Fanch 21st in Race 2. Estelle won a bronze replica in her second race, and also completed a practice lap in excess of 107mph (2mph faster than in 2015). We have three women I think will be nominated for the Susan Jenness trophy for 2016, all in the sidecars: Chrissie Clancy-Ingpen – passenger to Mick Alton, both Newcomers, with an average of over 108mph and finishes 20th. Also the first ever Australian female to compete at the TT.
Estelle Leblond, for her 107mph lap, Fiona BakerMilligan, who with her father Tony, achieved a lap of over 110.5mph (1.5mph up on last year’s best speed, for which she won the 2015 Susan Jenness trophy). So I’m left with mixed feelings. I’ve already had some approaches from drivers asking me about my 2017 season. I did renew my ACU licence for 2016 ‘just in case’ and will be doing so again for 2017. I miss sidecars; I miss the family; I miss the camaraderie; I miss when it’s going well. But on the flip side, the grief, the wretchedness of losing, the anger at the unfairness of death while racing is tough. My son has just one GCSE left to complete, as I type, and the mother in me can’t imagine putting him through (again) the stress and strain of me going to the TT, especially since it’ll then coincide with A-levels. But the racer in me hasn’t retired, and is already planning to watch some practice laps, just in case… Anne ‘InkyAnn’ Garnish
Issue 49 • July/December 2016
Keeping
Tabs The Autocom GPS Bike Tracker makes monitoring your prized possession easy and very affordable. After ordering some spare parts for my Autocom intercom, I received an email advertising their tracker unit at a special price. Ooh, I thought, that looks interesting, so I ordered one! It is simplicity itself (despite a few operator-set issues!). The unit itself is nice and compact being about the size of a credit card, with a depth of 16mm. The GPS tracker has no expensive annual contracts and is loaded with security features that include movement and shock sensing, precise location detection and GEO-fence movement restriction. Operating it is as simple as sending a friend an SMS! Your bike’s location can be viewed on a smartphone, tablet or PC. Retrieve the information on demand or automatically stream data over time. The unit continues to monitor
even when there is a loss of GPS signal giving total piece of mind. The Tracker is powered by the bike and also has internal battery backup. Waterproof and dust proof, it won’t let you down regardless of where you and your bike travel to! The Tracker is incredibly simple to install and easy to operate. It uses a SIM card which can be purchased from Autocom or any high street store. (I bought a pay-as-you-go SIM from a high street Vodafone shop. The unit is powered directly from the vehicle’s battery. I wrapped the wires with electrical tape for extra protection before feeding through the frame to position the unit under the seat (I have since moved it to a place less obvious). In addition to movement sensors, the unit can be connected to cover auxiliaries (using the white wire). In other words it can monitor voltage drop if the ignition is turned on and will send an alarm message (if that facility is set). Alarm messages are sent directly to a
mobile phone, with an outline of the alarm trigger and GPS co-ordinates and a link to Google Maps. I mentioned operator issues... Den also bought one, but had issues with it not ‘talking’ to his phone. I then discovered mine was the same - you need to check your balance on the payas-you-go SIM! I had forgotten that the guy in the Vodafone shop advised me that it would need topping up after the initial 30 days! Since then it has barely used any of the £10 credit, (it is charged per text, dependent on the network’s costs). Also due to the slight ‘drift’ of GPS positioning, don’t put your GEO fence area too small or it keeps thinking the bike has moved! Minor learning curves overcome, Autocom were very helpful with advice when I kept getting these alarm messages, but it’s all sorted now. It’s a great, affordable piece of kit at approximately £129 (plus SIM), helps me to sleep at night, knowing my bike is where I Mark left it! 29
GROUP NIGHT
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Ride Phil D.
January
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February
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Ride Tony M.
March
3
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Ride Mick G
April
2
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Ride DK
1800Hrs EVENING RIDE GS
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1
Su 1
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Ride Chris L.
June
Sa
COMMITTEE MEETING
Ride RON P
July
Fr
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5
2
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THEORY
Following the wish of many members to know the full schedule for CaDAM (and subject to occasional
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Tu 10
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Group Night
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COMMITTEE MEETING
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COMMITTEE MEETING
Sa 7
TRAINING
Fr 6
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Tu 3
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CADAM XMAS MEAL
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Th
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August
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We
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Ride Graham S
September
Tu
COMMITTEE MEETING
Ride Darren K
October
1
Ride Doug P
November
Mo
Ride David B
December
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changes), here is the provisional calendar for some of the notable calendar dates. Please remember to 15
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keep an eye on the CaDAM website for changes, additional events and further details. Tu 24
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Theory DK.
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Theory RON P.
Theory Mark A.
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Theory Phil D.
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Theory Mick G.
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Theory Peter M.
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Theory Tony M
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Theory Darren K
Ride Chris L.
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Ride Graham S
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Theory David B
Ride Peter M.
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Ride Alan P
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TRAINING
Theory DK
Ride Doug P.
18 19
COMMITTEE MEETING
Ride Phil D.
17 Su 15
COMMITTEE MEETING
Ride Tony M.
18
Ride Steve P.
17
Ride Mark A.
Sa 14
Ride Mick G.
Fr 13
Ride DK
Issue 49 • July/December 2016
DAM PLANNER
We 25 Th 26 Fr 27
28
Sa 28 Su 29
29 30
29 30 31
29 30
Mo 30 Tu 31
31
31
Y
31