Great Weather, Great Route, Great Company, Great Breakfast!
Eight riders rolled out from Haddon Services on a glorious sunny Sunday morning (28th June), heading for a 50-mile route packed with sweeping bends, rolling countryside and one of the more unusual café stops on our calendar – the Silver Apple Furniture Shop in Buckminster, where you can enjoy a hearty breakfast surrounded by quality second-hand furniture!
This ride was all about developing skills as well as enjoying great roads. We were joined by two Associates, with Samir tackling his first PECAM group ride under the watchful eye of Chief Observer Will, while Colin, after several successful rides, confidently headed out solo for the first time. Great progress from both.
There were also congratulations due to Nigel, who, after a little gentle persuasion, proudly pulled on the pink TEC vest for his first outing as Tail End Charlie. Every group needs someone willing to bring up the rear, and Nigel did a great job.
The route itself didn’t disappoint. Skirting the quieter western edge of Rutland, we avoided the traffic while making the most of some fantastic twisty roads. To add an extra dimension, the TomTom was set to maximum elevation, deliberately seeking out every hill it could find. The result? Plenty of climbs, descents and smiles as we bounced our way across the countryside.
Our route took us beneath the magnificent Harringworth Viaduct, brushed past Uppingham, skirted another favourite stop at Wymondham Windmill, before winding through Sproxton and dropping into Buckminster.
Every ride has its memorable moments, and this one certainly delivered. A three-mile stretch of freshly laid deep chippings on a narrow single-track road, complete with oncoming traffic, demanded plenty of concentration, smooth control and good anticipation. Unsurprisingly, it became one of the main talking points over breakfast.
Just before arriving, David had positioned himself perfectly to capture some fantastic action shots of the group arriving—keep an eye out for those on our social media.
The café was wonderfully quiet, meaning instant service and a warm welcome. Whether they were pleased to see us or simply grateful for the custom, we certainly enjoyed an excellent breakfast and plenty of good conversation.
With time pressing on, around half the group chose to head home directly, while the remainder set off on the planned return route. Well… almost! A slight sat nav mishap (let’s call it enthusiastic route interpretation!) produced an unexpected detour. Thankfully, with a little help from Simon, the route turned into an enjoyable discovery rather than a problem, before the group finally dispersed around Market Deeping.
Although numbers were a little lower than usual, there was good reason. Several members were supporting a recruitment event in Baston, while others were waving off Steve as he set out from the ABR Festival on an incredible 18-month round-the-world motorcycle adventure.
Just another reminder that there’s never a quiet weekend at PECAM. Great roads, great company, rider development and plenty happening both on and off the bike—exactly what makes our club such a fantastic place to ride.
Written by Martin Jones