The group consisted of 25 bikes, plus five pillions. This was a social ride open to all EKAM members. We were returning to the four-star Metropole hotel in Llandrindod Wells. Great food, a swimming pool and sauna and better rates than a Travelodge. The Metropole is situated in Mid Wales, with roads and scenery as dramatic as any in France, or Scotland, just minus the high mountain passes. Hardly a pot-hole to be seen. (see pictures).
At the hotel for the weekend there were over 100 bikes from four bike clubs. The largest was Thames Valley Advanced, they were on an associates training weekend. It was good to catch up with other IAM riders and officials.
The main riding group set of together from the M4 Oxford Service Station, on Friday 10 May, minus the weekend organiser who broke down on the M25 and returned home, but joined the group in his car and became a pillion on the Saturday ride out. Sadly, one rider filled up his bike with diesel and he and his brother waited together for RAC breakdown which turned up over 12 hours later. They arrived at the hotel at about 4 am, Saturday. Interestingly another rider made the same error last year, but managed to sort it out before riding off from the fuel station. The only other mechanical problem during the weekend was a puncture which was sorted.
The riding routes were organised by John B. Riders were split into two groups, coasts and curves and lakes and hills. The groups switched around the next day. John B and Steve W led the rides. I was offered a pillion ride by John B on the Saturday. This was my only my second pillion ride in over 50 years. The sense of not having any control was at best interesting and at worse terrifying. Though it was great to still be able to join one of the rides over the weekend.
And the weather? Well, it was mostly good to great with just a couple of short Welsh downpours.
More on the trip next month but meanwhile here’s a nice aside…… [Article by Charles]