Dear friends,

I must extend to you all an apology about the confusion in our diary concerning events for August. At the recent meeting of the club committee we realised that we had nothing to propose for our normal Monday evening club meeting for August and decided not to proceed with one. What we had not realised that this did not match the entries in the club diary on our web site which announced that there was to be a club meeting on Wednesday 9^th of August (changed day) and an evening ride out on Monday 14^th August. I cannot remember the circumstances which led us to put those dates in the calendar.

My sincere apologies to any members who turned up at Bilton tonight (Wednesday 9th) and found nothing going on. As far as I am aware, and I stand to be corrected, I do not believe anyone is planning to lead a ride out on the 14^th of August – but an offer would be welcome. The diary on the web site will be changed to avoid further confusion. I believe that the events listed from August 20th onwards will go ahead as planned, all being well.

I do apologise once more if you have been inconvenienced by this muddle.

Sincerely,

Doug Masterton

Chair, Harrogate Advanced Bikes.

Dear friends,

The regular club meeting scheduled for the evening of Monday 14th August at Bilton Cricket Club has been cancelled.

When the remaining year’s programme was discussed at the recent meeting of the club committee, it was felt that attendance at an evening event in the middle of August would  be low. In addition, it had not been possible to identify a speaker or activity for the evening.

The next evening meeting will be held on Monday 11th September and details will follow later.

Sincerely,

Doug Masterton – Chair of Harrogate Advanced Bikes

Dear members,

Following the meeting of the HAB Committee that was held on Thursday 3rd August, I am pleased to inform you that Paul Dresser has agreed to take on the role of club secretary. Committee members are very grateful to Paul for being willing to undertake this important responsibility. We are pledged to offer Paul all the support that he may need.

Paul can be contacted via secretary@harrogateadvancedbikes.co.uk

I would also like to use this opportunity to thank sincerely Dave Dickinson, our former secretary, for his conscientious contribution to our work.

Sincerely,

Doug Masterton

Chair. Harrogate Advanced Bikes

This month’s weekday ride out starts and finishes at Café 59 (A59 just west of Bolton Abbey roundabout).

Meet from 9.00 for a 9.30am start.

From Café 59 the route goes passed Bolton Abbey then east to Pateley Bridge, turning north up Nidderdale to How Stean Gorge.

Coffee stop at How Stean Gorge Café

From Lofthouse we’ll take the minor road over Pott Moor to pick up the A6198 towards Leyburn then north west to Reeth.

After Reeth the route follows the minor road left of the B6270 and over the fells to Askrigg.

Lunch at the Crown Inn, Askrigg

The return journey will take us to Hawes then the Oughtershaw fell road down Wharfedale to Kettlewell before turning right near Grassington on the B6265, through Embsay and back to Café 59.

Length is about 102 miles.

The ride out will be lead by David Haywood.

Hope to see you there!

The family of Dave Dobson, whose funeral was held recently, have invited anyone who might wish to make a donation in his memory to do so in support of The Brain Tumour Charity.

Donations may be made via the Just Giving web site. To do so – Click Here

Sincerely,

Doug Masterton

Chair Harrogate Advanced Bikes

Post Script At their meeting on the 3rd August 2017, the HAB Committtee agreed to make a club donation of £100 to this charity in memory of Dave and in appreciation of all the valuable contributions he had made to the club over many years.

Dear friends,

Our monthly Sunday Ride Out on August 20th is going to try something that is different for us and I wanted to give you as much notice as possible. Please put it in your diary but also begin to prepare. It will take the form of what is termed a Navigational Scatter ride.

The idea is that you decide which part of North Yorkshire you would like to ride around, sort out your map and plot your chosen route. The ride will start at 9:30 a.m., at our normal rendezvous at Asda in Harrogate, then proceed via up to a maximum of 7 locations you choose from a list, including one on a list of compulsory places (shown as C1 to C4 on the map). You also plan to end up in the middle of the afternoon, (3:00 p.m. onwards), at the McDonalds’ café, St James’ Business Park just off the Harrogate by-pass where you will check in. The business park is next to the junction between the A658 and the B6164. The total mileage that you will cover will depend upon the route that you choose but is likely to be between 130 and 150 if you go for seven locations.

At the end of this pragraph is a link to a pdf file of the map showing the approximate locations and names of the places you can choose to visit. You can use whatever route most interests you and no account of the mileage you have covered or the time you have taken will be recorded or taken into account in order to decide the winner. This not a race. Your route must include stops for rest and refreshment. At the ride briefing you will be given a list of questions, one for each of the locations on the map. To find the answers you will have to stop and look round at each location you have chosen. The challenges will not be obscure and the rider with the most correct answers will be declared the winner. There will also be a similar question for each of the ‘compulsory’ locations. At the one that you choose to visit you will be able to find the answer. What you will also need to do is to have a scout around and, taking account of the kind of questions on the list, decide what other two or three questions might also have been asked for that spot and identify the answers. These will be used if a tie break is needed to identify the overall winner. The prize will be the fame and glory of having won!

Link to the Map August ride out

This ride out has been inspired by the way that the Welsh National Rally is organised, an event that Andy, Bob and I have enjoyed over a period of more than ten years. It is a super excuse to ride in beautiful countryside on interesting roads and I am sure it will be just as much fun in North Yorkshire. While it might not have the same camaraderie of our normal ride out it is great fun to go entirely at your own pace on a route that you have constructed yourself. It is also just the sort of ride that might tempt your erstwhile pillion passenger to come as well.

Please give it a try. Andy Pratt, assisted by Bob Hill, has planned this ride out and I am very grateful to them both for the hard work put in.

  I look forward to seeing you there.

Doug Masterton

Chair – Harrogate Advanced Bikes

Friends,

Please may I remind you that Sarah Sillars from IAM is to speak at our club meeting on Monday. I am sure that what she has to tell us will be thought provoking and that she will be able to address issues that you may wish to raise.

I hope that you can make a special effort to attend and that there will be a good turn out for this meeting. Please do your best to come. The meeting is at Bilton Cricket Club and starts at 7:30 pm.

Sincerely,

Doug Masterton

Chair, Harrogate Advanced Bikes

Please arrange to meet 9.15 for a 9.30am prompt start from Asda lorry park Harrogate (full tanks and empty bladders), From Harrogate we head north to Ripley then minor roads through Kirkby Malzeard, West Tanfield, Catterick Garrison and on to Richmond.

Coffee stop at the Seasons Restaurant in The Station complex.Continue north from Richmond crossing the A66 after Gilling West and on to Staindrop. West from Staindrop to pick up the B6278 over Stanhope Moor before arrive at Blanchland on the Northumbrian border. 

Lunch at the White Monk Tearoom in Blanchland 

Return journey heads north east from Blanchland to join the A68 heading soutth to West Auckland before joining the B6275 towards Piercebridge and the A67.Left on the A67 towards the southern outskirts of Darlington, taking the Croft Road then turning right to join the B1263 near North Cowton.Turn left on B6271 at Storton towards southern outskirts of Northallerton then south on A167 to Asenby and the Helperby road. Turn right before Thornton Bridge to Boroughbridge.

 Route finishes at Morrisons car park in Boroughbridge Total length:  167 miles approx.

 Fuel stop/s if required in Richmond (approx. 45 miles) and on the A68 (approx. 100 miles) 

Ride out leader:               David Haywood Tail End Johnny:               John Blanchfield

The midweek ride on Wednesday 12th July will once again be lead by John Blanchfield. 

Evening fellow riders John has kindly agreed to co-ordinate another midweek ride for those of you lucky enough to not be working on Wednesday. Meet at rear of McDonald’s at St James retail park Knaresborough then head off for coffee at Nunnington Hall. From there we cross the Howardian Hills to the lunch stop at Smiles cafe Pocklington. Return home skirting York, through Easingwold and back to St James retail park. Total mileage is approximately 110m.

Meet at 9.30am with a full tank and empty bladder for a 9.45 departure !

Don’t forget that you are welcome to put a ride plan together. If you require assistance or further info please speak to Andy Pratt or any of your committee

Dear friends,

Please remember to put our monthly meeting on Monday 17th July into your diaries. Sarah Sillars HAB Chief Executive has agreed to come and talk to us and I hope as many members as possible will be present.

Sarah asked if there were any issues that we wanted to raise and after taking soundings amongst the committee I have sent her the following:

1. The long-term future for volunteer observers delivering a flagship product like Skills for Life for IAM.
2. Strategies for volunteers to contribute to raising awareness among the younger generation of two wheel users.
3. Evolution of the environment of road usage if and when automated driving becomes widespread and, in particular, how attitudes to motorcycle use might change in such a scenario.
4. The growing community pressure to extend speed limits almost everywhere, whether or not they contribute to greater road safety.

I am sure that the meeting will give us the opportunity to talk about many key issues with Sarah even if she is unable to respond to all my suggestions.

Please do your best to come along to Bilton Cricket Club for 7:30 pm.

Doug Masterton

Chair

Harrogate Advanced Bikes