Autumn has officially arrived although with the amount of rain we’ve had over the last couple of months it’s getting harder to tell when our seasons actually change. It is however time for me to disappear on my holidays and therefore I give you my apologies that I’ll not be at St. Crispin’s with you this month.
The change of season may start us considering how much riding we do and what we wear on the bike. I’m not saying that it’s time to start inserting the thermal liners and getting out the winter ‘claw’ gloves just yet, however we may think about casting aside the highly vented garments in favour of the slightly warmer clothing with optional vent panels.
There are still many activities, including social rides and weekends away happening over the next month. The weekend after this September’s St Crispin’s is packed with rides by Mark Spittles, CLAMS and WOBMOB, as well as Welsh Wanders heading off to Wales. Castle Combe skills day is on the 26th September and Dave Hepworth and his team will be expertly developing your road skills in the safer environment of the track.
Moving into early October we have more offerings of social rides by the GNATs and WAGs on the first weekend and this is swiftly followed by the autumn 7Ws, TVAM’s premium Associate Training Weekend, on the 6-8 September. For those not attending that weekend, there are further social rides by SAMs and WAGs before we all gather back at St Crispin’s on Sunday 15th October.
Moving onto St. Crispin’s and a thank you to all of you that have attended in July and August and for working with us to ensure the parking and meeting venue worked well. I’d like to say a particular thank you to Nick Edgley and his band of willing volunteer marshals who have done their best to ensure that we park sensibly and guide us through to the Science Block where we now meet. Without the assistance of the volunteers, we would not be able to manage the process of observed rides, social rides and our courses all running during the morning.
I’d like to make one request of all riders at St Crispin’s. Please respect the cones and barriers that are put out to mark off our area and only use the lane nearest
London Road to ride in and out of our area of the car park. It has been noted that many of you are seeing the opportunity to pass through the cones and use another lane to exit the St. Crispin’s car park. Whilst this may look like a good opportunity to exit quickly, it is not what we have agreed with the school and could potentially cause us an issue going forward. September is going to be a far busier month, with the stage school returning after their summer break, so please respect the area that we have allocated and work with our marshal volunteers to make the day a success for all.
St. Crispin’s may well look different again this month when we’re hopefully allowed to use the temporary canteen that the school have erected at the end of the science block. Having had a sneaky peek inside, it had solid sides and a decent floor and is about the same size as the previous canteen area we had at the other end of the school. Whilst we have been lucky with the weather in July and August for our meetings, I would suggest that this is a good alternative large area for our general meeting and announcements in poorer weather.
Finally, I’d like to make another request for articles for Slipstream. Salli Griffith, our editor, does an amazing job of putting together the monthly magazine that lands on our doormats in time for St Crispin’s each month. This is highly regarded, within IAMRS groups, as the best magazine that any group produces. It’s your magazine and Salli cannot produce this without articles being sent to her by members. If you have been away on a trip, either of your own making or one that the Club has done, taken a test ride on your next purchase or maybe been to an event that you feel the membership would be interested in, please consider writing a small article and sending it to Salli at slipstream@tvam.org so she can include it in an upcoming magazine.
Thanks for your cooperation and whatever you’re doing this month, have fun and stay safe.
Barrie Smith
TVAM Chair