Another mountain of new faces at Canon for the session on Sunday…. it’s wonderful… we’ve never had so many newcomers all at once.
There were two signing-on sheets and I only have one of them here so I can’t exactly tell you the total number of riders or give you a list of the new names…. but welcome to you all and thank you for coming.
We think it is a result of the message being spread on (i) Reigate Mums Facebook or (ii) NetMums or (iii) something similar.
As a grandad it’s all a bit beyond me.
Anyway, for the first time in our history we’re suddenly at the point where the number of riders outstrips our ability to provide enough coaches and might have to start a waiting list or rationing or something similar.
Coach Paul Wright, the good doctor, was again on duty with myself so we swopped round and as a result he had the big cheeses down on Level 1 while the rest of us ran riot upstairs, so to speak.
There were so many riders for the limbo challenge that it was a good job that it was sunny and that the hordes were all in full-chat mood. Even so, to keep things moving the offer of ‘two lives’ had to be trimmed back to just one and the bar suddenly started coming down at a rapid rate of knots.
Provided the rider is nimble and confident at handling a bike, ultimately the limit is the height of the handlebars above the ground and so quite often it is one of the smallest riders on the smallest bike who gets to win… and sure enough that’s what happened this time round.
I ought to be giving you the winner’s name but things were a bit of a blur and I don’t have it. I got a picture but not a name. Can anyone help?
The next exercise was riding through the ‘street of cones’, one yellow line on each side of the street, just room for three trains, each with an engine ( ie adult) on the front. With so many riders in such long trains and with so little slack for sideways movement I did think it might be a challenge too far, but they managed really well.
Keeping an eye out for what others are doing and steering and braking to stay safe is quite an art and to have it so young is most encouraging…. well done everyone.
When I got home and looked at my planned exercises I find that we never did half of them…. wow… all the better for next time.
To keep things in balance, I should say there were a few moments of blind faith in the limbo where riders headed off with their head already fully down, eyes pointing at the ground, and despite a rising level of warning noise from the crowd who could see what was coming, two bikes and their riders headed into the sandbags, resulting in two almighty clatterings.
Final race – younger riders, handicap, five short laps
1 Alexander
2 Sid Richardson
3 Poppy Bishop
Final race – older riders, handicap, five longer laps, including a two-level hill climb
1 Luke Trewinnard
2 Harry Plumadore
3 Francesca Murray