Sometimes you find a road that’s so good, the only sensible thing to do is turn around and ride it again.
Sunday 10th August saw another of PECAM’s regular Sunday social rides, held on the second and fourth Sunday of every month throughout the year.
Meeting at Peterborough Services, this time we had a relatively small group made up entirely of qualified advanced riders. That gave us the opportunity to dispense with the usual Second Man Drop-Off system and use the Intelligent Buddy System instead – ideal for a smaller, experienced group and a great way to keep the ride flowing.
Our destination was Wymondham Windmill in Rutland, but as ever with a PECAM ride, getting there was at least as important as the destination.
And we had around 55 miles of very good roads getting there.
Heading out from Peterborough, the route took us around the southern end of Rutland Water before eventually finding its way towards Corby Glen.
Which brought us to the Bitchfield Bends between Corby Glen and Grantham.
Great road.
Lovely sequence of bends.
Everyone enjoying themselves.
So naturally, having ridden them in one direction, we did the only reasonable thing.
We turned around and rode them the other way.
Well, it would have been rude not to.
Having thoroughly investigated the Bitchfield Bends from both directions, we continued to Wymondham Windmill for our stop before setting off on a return route that was every bit as enjoyable.
This time we headed through Uppingham and around the northern end of Rutland Water, before making our way towards one of the area’s most impressive landmarks – Harringworth Viaduct.
And apparently we’d established a theme for the day.
So we went under that twice as well.
From there, it was back onto the fabulous A427, one of those roads that seems almost purpose-built for a motorcycle when ridden smoothly and progressively.
Eventually our wandering route brought us to Wansford, where the ride officially finished at The Paper Mills.
With the bikes parked up, the group retired to the pub’s new garden for a very welcome end-of-ride soft drink, a bit of conversation and the inevitable discussion about the best roads of the day.
There were quite a few contenders.
PECAM’s regular Sunday rides aren’t about getting from A to B as quickly as possible. They’re about putting good riding into practice, discovering some fantastic roads, enjoying your motorcycle and spending a few hours in the company of people who rather understand why taking the direct route would be completely missing the point.
Thanks to everyone who joined us for another cracking PECAM Sunday ride.
Bitchfield Bends twice. Harringworth Viaduct twice. Rutland Water from both ends.
We may not always take the shortest route.
But that’s rather the idea.