5^th July 2009 – Progressive Ride

 This was a brilliant idea, originating from the President, enabling inexperienced club members to be schooled in ride etiquette and those more experienced to practice it. Those riders who had not led a ride previously did so under the watchful eye of the more experienced members and the whole group practiced corner-marking, safe waiting procedures for the marker at roundabouts and corners, as well as the string of pearls and finally the penultimate rider sounding his horn as an indication to the corner-marker that the ‘tail-ender’ was about to arrive. This was a very worthwhile ride that benefited all and will, no doubt, help in keeping the Club’s safety record intact.

The attendees (Peter B, Alan L, Ron O, Brian Burling, Mark (Hon. Sec), Rex (there is only one!) and the undersigned) all respectfully greeted the President, as per the photograph, and that really set the tone for the day. Peter B, who gave the instruction as to how the ride was to be conducted, was asked wouldn’t the new ride leaders get lost replied “How could they get lost, if we don’t know where we’re going?” There was no real answer to that and everyone duly humbled by such a powerful intellect quietly mounted their ‘bike and followed Peter in the direction of the Peninsula. In due course Peter gave way to Brian B who led the ride magnificently until it looked as though he might be getting lost passed the baton rapidly to Mark who thought better of it and gave way to the undersigned. I remember seeing a sign for Red Hill and knowing that “Coffee, was at eleven” headed for Dromana which was just as well because by the time we reached there my Ride-Leader’s signals were resembling some form of manic semaphore. Rex took over, after refreshment, leading us up Arthur’s Seat and on to Sorrento for lunch. En route the back-markers Tiny/Peter/Alan all stopped just to see what the rest of the ride would do and I’m most happy to report that we all stopped – and in sight of one another – which is exactly how it should. It was a good fun ride with all the usual banter and bonhomie - just as it should be. We lunched at Sorrento back beach café called “The Little Rip-Off” and then headed back along the coast road through Mount Martha to our respective homes – in time to see St. Kilda just scrape a win. Congratulations Tiny on an excellent idea for a ride.

 Nick Swales