Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

For a few eyars I rode on lamost every ride the club offered.

I was always so impressed by our ride leaders and looked up to them.
Slowly, I imagined I may be able to do this and started to understudy the ride eladers from the shadows.
I wrote down their briefings, then re-wrote them, fine-tuning a bit here and there.
I made mental notes on what worked, what was good, whats was bad and slowly built up a profile.
I was amazed at all the background planning that goes on beofre the day of the ride.
What I loved most about group rides was:-
1- All I had to do was pay my bucks and pitch up on the day

2 – very little repsonsibility for me, just pitch n ride

3- did not have to worry about the route, just follow the back wheel of the bike ahead, stop when it stopped, pee when he/she pee’d, drink then they drank- so easy

4- did not have to worry about fuel stops, the leader had that in hand- refuel when they refuelled.

5 – did not have to worry about food, ate when they ate- restaurants seemed to know we were coming, parking was arranged, menus were simplified, drinks were fast, or we were warned to order fast.

6 Safe, we would ride at our own pace, and if someone had an ‘off’ someone know what to do and how to do it.

Clearly there was tradecraft here and it had been learned on the job.

So  I started to write it all down and gradually the BMWMCC Ride Leader Course took shape over  50 or more rides, studying the craft of my leaders.
First JR Rossouw with his famous unforgettable family oriented Gravel Seekers rides, then Geoff Russell and John Carr and Ian Verhulp and Dave Higgs and Warren Ellwood and others taught me most of what I know.
 

At some point I watched them and imagined myself in that role.
I wanted to give back a bit of the huge amount the club had given me.
 

So I simply stepped up, took on the responsibility myself and offered to put a ride together, there was no shortage good sage advice and it worked fine, I came off the first few rides with only a few scrapes and dents to my ego, and lots of “Note-to-self” pointers.

Now, years on , I’m accustomed to being a ride leader, and hope one day to be as good as my mentors.
The ride Leader course is full of good info to learn the trade craft and I’m looking forward to seeing those trained ride leaders step up and put rides together.