2015 Annual Rideout Winner.

[DJ123]

Originally Posted by Matt-EUC

I needn't remind you that I also put in a bid for this year, because nobody else had at the time.

What I meant, was that an AR abroad would mean less people likely to attend. I meant more accessible than that, not more accessible than this one.

Sorry that I wasn't clear enough.

No, i remember that. Our bid was in place, just not public knowledge yet.

AR abroad was said tongue in cheek, hence the ?! at the end. Not sure i'd have the funds or time to go and scout out a location & route without deciding to not come back!

Its the internet, everything is interpreted as people read it. Which often isn;t in the same manner as the writer had in mind.

[DJ123]

Originally Posted by L3nny

I'm glad you appreciate me making the trip. Not sure if I should tell you it took me an hour and a half to get home or not 😊
I think the location this year was perfect. Probably within 2 hours of about 50% of the UK population and still rural enough for some quiet roads.

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

If people make an effort, no matter how big or small, it's always appreciated.
Hitting the 200+ mile tank range on the way home then

I think most people consider AR10 to have been their favourite. So, another Wales AR might be a good idea.

[DJ123]

An AR is more to do with the people than anything else. The bikes, location & route are by the by. The reason this years AR was a good one for all that went was because of the people who were there!

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by daddyjob

Doesn't matter where it is, it depends if people can be a$$ed to go. This years AR was in Central, Southern England. Close to the M4, A4, M3, A303 & A30.
M4 goes to the M5, which joins the M42 & M6 (North & Wales)
M3 joins the M25 and every motorway the joins onto there (South East, Kent, Essex, London, East of the country & North as well)
A303/A30 goes right down to Cornwall (South, South West

So i think the transport links were great, more the lack of interest from people needs to be addressed.

LOM2 made a trip down from Newcastle to join us & Lenny came from MK. The rest of us were probably within an hour or 2 of the location.

Many people are happy to moan about it but not actually get up and put something together. The reason we put a bid on for this year was because no one else had. We took it upon ourselves to continue a tradition this forum has had going on for years.

I made the trip north to last years AR, and I'm glad I did, despite it being nearly an 800 mile trip including the rideout. A lot of people moaned about it being so far North, but it was well attended.

This year circumstances just meant that I couldn't attend & I'm sure that's the case for a lot of us, certainly in the EAR.

Your location for me was fine, just the timing, which will always be the case for the numbers that attend.

At least we had an AR this year, so thanks for Organising it, whatever the turnout

[Mark_h]

AR10 was pre-facebook. There was lots of activity on the forum. I'd guess 90% of .ORG posts come from the same 10-15 people these days so in reality we really don't get the foot-fall we used to get and the world has moved on.

As Job says people having a good ride and a few beers is what it's all about. Some of the best "group" rides I've been on have been 3-4 people a made up route and the strangest lunchtime pub you can find. No prima-donnas, no grief just folks who like to ride bikes on great roads.

Well done Job. Lets see if anyone else has the balls to give it a well though out and planned go next year.

[Ch00]

Just out of curiosity what were the numbers?

[admin]

Originally Posted by daddyjob

An AR is more to do with the people than anything else. The bikes, location & route are by the by. The reason this years AR was a good one for all that went was because of the people who were there!

Absolutely

Originally Posted by Ch00

Just out of curiosity what were the numbers?

Attendance thread had ~25. There were about 15 when I got there Saturday evening. No idea about the ride.

[Littlepeahead]

Lots of people had other stuff on this weekend. I was working, Bear got married, it's the first weekend of the school holidays I believe, a few regular AR attendees are currently bikeless thanks to accidents or mechanical failure. Maybe it's time to move away from the idea of an Annual Rideout and just encourage all areas to organise more rides at which other geographical groups are made to feel welcome if they fancy joining in.

Well done on organising. I'd be interested to see The route too.