GM3 Idle banter and random drivel thread

Kilted Ginger"
As the title says, all the crap of the day, chat, ramblings, sarcasm, and anything that doesn't fit in the other threads which are stickied Here
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26th -27th June, Beinglas campsite, B&B, sc lodges, wigwams must be booked, tent pitches are pay on arrival.

[dyzio]

I'm sure that wherever it'll be, the organisers will make sure the route and everything else is great.
For me, after GM1&2, the rideout has some specific roads, like the Kinloleven loop or the ride through Glemcoe, massive grin factor.

As Lissa said at some occasion, if someone wants to come to the GM, he/she won't mind doing a few extra miles.

Originally Posted by xXBADGERXx

Invite only ?

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by petevtwin650

If GM3 is more p!ss-up biased than riding then we will take a long hard look at whether it's what we want to travel nearly a 1000 miles for.

I'm going to agree with Pete here. I looked up how far I travelled just to get to the campsite it was 494 miles there. I dont want to ride all that way to sit in a pub / around a table / around in a field and get drunk, I can do that at home quite nicely or in my local pub.

I want to get out and explore and ride my bike.

Is it worth polling the masses i.e. the people that are actually likely to attend to get some idea of who would like to do what / go where ?

Might leave a clearer picture of what everybodies requirements are then ?

I don't mind, I would rather do more riding than drinking, especially if we were somewhere I have never been before(Lowlands/borders whatever you call them). It was the other spearies bad influence on me last time.

Couple social beers would be fine.

If you need any help, or thinking about putting it more north/north east, we are happy to do some scouting for you.

The roads maybe a little more east of the GM are nice, Cairngorm area?

Braemar, Tomintoul, Dufftown, Aviemore, Granton on Spey, Newtonmore etc?

Roads aren't too busy and also lovely roads and views.

Them locations are easily accessiable for the Spearies, and would be happy to help by doing some scouting.

Stradders you could meet us for some runs if it is in that Direction?

Cheers, Sally.

[dizzyblonde]

Surely though, this 'social gathering' that people seem to get annoyed at, happens anyway. After all there are plenty of folk that travel to the AR or GM looking for a great ride AND ride rather a long way to get to it( I know its usually a 300 mile trek to where ever either are from here) , then spend the evening getting rather sozzled round a campfire, right? ... and no, I drink very little too BTW.

Those that don't like that sort of thing reserve the right not to take part....I spent the AR tucked in a corner away from it all and slept soundly all night in a tent on my own with lots of sillyness going on around me......it is possible.

I couldn't give a monkeys what goes on this year, I've had rather a lot of things to deal with that these events have helped me get over. Quite frankly arguing over who likes to socialize and who prefers to ride this and that is stupid at this point.

After all, Quedos has taken it upon herself to start organising the event in advance, so give her a chance, and let her get on with it.

And in my usual style I have the right to throw my toys out of the pram and say I'm washing my hair...then turn up without notice

the GM2 was a victim ( northy will correct me) of its own planning - we shorten it so that if we had any delays like we had on GM1 we would still be okay time wise. it ran smoother hence the early back - and that was also to allow those to get food seeing as on site facilities were not as good a previous. and that we hoping to do a get together over food.

yes i was spitting feathers but it wasn't organised as a social event over the riding

rideouts delayed - better than having how many people pull out of the sunday rideout at GM due to excessive alcohol consumption the night before?
There are BIG similarities to both GM's regards to the alochol consumed. - that is an individuals choice which will be respected AS long as they respect everyone else. the thing with the social aspect is that everbody has different ideas which must be respected.

I have ideas and plans of how i would like to go and this will need to be discuss with the group. we have the expereince of 2 GM to draw upon and this will be invaluable.

There will be no poll for the time - otherwise it will drag on BUT that not to say we may have one later. I am not alone in making these decisions there are a group to ensure unbiased views and a range of riding skill and abilities when assesing routes

Me Scary - hmmm

It can be a ride-out AND a social gathering surely. Everybody should be allowed to get whatever they want to get out of the weekend. So long as if drink and a party is on your agenda, you don't disturb those who have an early bed on their agenda, with respect for each other we should all be able to enjoy the weekend.

First GM was a great ride-out, but we still got drunk and had a party (much to the annoyance of the camp-site staff ). At 4am on the Sunday morning I was falling off a stool sitting with a group of folk, under the gazebo having downed the best part of a bottle of malt, but because we didn't disturb anybody that was OK.

The first GM ride-out was too long and we had to cut it short at the Green Welly. The second was maybe too short, but was a reaction to the previous year. The people who organised the route must be thinking that they are damned if they do and damned if they don't. The organisers try hard, but it will take a few years to get it just the right length.

On the subject of people being able to have a **** up if they want to, I think a pub near to the campsite where people can go and be rowdy is essential, so long as those people remember where they are when returning to the campsite! The pictures of Stuartyboy's drunken dancing from the first GM were priceless, we want people to be able to do that, but he couldn't have had that much fun and made that much noise at the camp-site.

Also, I know we always try to give a variety of options, but maybe both organisers and attendees need to have a think about the accommodation. If you want to go to bed at 9am and get a peaceful nights sleep, don't share a bunkhouse with 10-20 other folk, go to a B&B or find a quiet spot away from everyone else for your wigwam or tent. If your planning to come and drink and have a good time, make sure you also go somewhere appropriate to do so away from people sleeping. At GM2 I was in one of three wigwams right at the top of the hill and never heard a thing, if going back to a wigwam village the quietest wigwams could be "on special request". I didn't sleep at all well in the bunkhouse at the Peak District weekend, which is why I rigidly stuck to camping when the Wales weekend two weeks later was being arranged. I didn't go in the end, but my plan was to pitch the tent away in a far corner somewhere so I had my own wee bit of space to slope off to when the time came for sleeping (I say slope off because camping with mates has taught me the more you advertise that you want peace to sleep, the more you attract beer fuelled practical jokers who want to let down your air bed!).

I think being based in a town such as Pitlochry or somewhere in the Borders would be advantageous as it gives people lots of accommodation options and lots of pubs and nightclubs if they want it. The SV Ecosse Rideout of the Stuartyboy works because it's based in Aviemore.

I also agree that the Sunday ride-out needs to be a mid-day start, and I for one will be buying a disposable breathalyser and taking it with me (yes, I know they are not 100% accurate, but they are better than guesswork and counting pints vs hours).

That'll be £0.03, my rates are higher than Tigers

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

The people who organised the route must be thinking that they are damned if they do and damned if they don't. The organisers try hard, but it will take a few years to get it just the right length.

Also the bigger group you get the more time it takes to herd up the cats so that they get fuel etc etc etc.

I really enjoyed GM1, despite the long day in the saddle. For me I had travelled along way to get there so I was going to damn well make the most of it.

I didnt go last year so I shall not comment on that.

Just to me it seems to need to find a happy medium between wanting to ride and wanting to socialise. Personally I'd not want to sacrifice riding time for socialising. I dont view the GM as a social event in the same way I might do the AR for example. I'm travelling a fricken long way so I want to make the most out of it when I get there, for me that means cutting back on the drinking and making sure I am fresh and rested for the next day.

I personally felt like I had plenty of time for nattering at GM1. But then that might be because the group was smaller ?

I do for one realise that not everybody will think like me and that some might want a more AR styled weekend. I have no problem with that whatsoever, just as long as I know its going to be that way in advance then I can work around it.

As for location I have done the borders before. Albeit in the car, cracking roads and scenary to. But I also liked the remoteness / empty roads of Glencoe as well...

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

I dont view the GM as a social event

I view the GM as a social event.

The Ecosse troops could ride the GM route every day and still be home in time for tea and medals, so for a lot of us it's all about the banter (specifically about how fantastic Scotland is). So, part social event and part showing off then.

We can't please everybody so I reckon we should aim to please as many of our guests as possible (Ralph, KitKat you are not a guests!) with a searing combination of great ride and superb social. Over to you Abbey.

Originally Posted by Quedos

please use this thread for ideas etc etc and attendees

1) Breakdown cover is a good idea.

Can we leave it there? There are some other trifling details to finalise, like where we're going to have it.

I'm throwing Immervoulin in. 9 miles north of Callander, just outside Strathyre. They've got space for 60 tents and all the washing, shopping and food prepping areas you could wish for. It's wigwam free zone, which is disappointing, but there are B&Bs nearby and, crucially, a public house where Stuartyboy can dance and Sally can make a lot of noise.

I'm thinking we head north for the rideout and end up back there with the nearby Duke's Pass still to be done. That way peeps who want more more more can go do it and thems as want a sit down can stack it and head for the showers. This (I'm theorising wildly) might allow the timings to go to complete rat**** without leaving us in the middle of nowhere, thus allowing us to plan a longer ride in the first place. It also removes the Glasgow M8 filtering GP for Lowlanders/Sassenachs/Jonny Foreigner and means MBK doesn't have to cross the Kingston Bridge.

Look, they've even got a picture of a motorbike on their website, so they must love us.



Anyway, just an idea.