Pan Clan Christmas Run

Pan Clan South Central Christmas run (New Forrest)


3 bikes and 4 members attended the Pan Clan Christmas ride out through the New Forrest organised by Peter.

As much as it was a good ride through unfamiliar back roads (including a smidgeon between narrow tracts of ‘snice’ in the northern region) it was disappointing to ride in such a small group having expected a club ride.



The video


With my new toy I guess boring videos of rides are going to become a feature here. Oh, Lord! How boring are these things? Yes, I know. And here's already ANOTHER poor production, a hastily thrown together 14-minute's worth of travel illness. Sheesh. I think less is more - the next will not exceed 3-mins.

I've published the video to YouTube - only my 2nd one and wanted it to last 15-min (YouTube's maximum) to check out upload times and what have you, which were long using my Son's underpowered PC and Virgin's sloath-like broadband. Mainly it is to give access to Peter asnd Terry. If you're easily bored then just give it a miss.



Pan Clan?


Peter and I will ride anyway and joined the Pan Clan to widen our riding experience; to share our own enthusiasm and become more involved in what was billed as a thriving community. It's all been a bit of a letdown, really. There have been rides I've missed and a large, well-organised and executed national event on our doorstep but the frequency of monthly meetings and rides is too low to engender an enthusiasm it seems. Club life is a monthly 'meeting' at the Milburys with optional commute in by bike, sit and chat, and then disperse.

My beefiest criticism is that to be a member you need to own an ST1100 or ST1300 - but there's nothing to suggest you should ride it. I feared a stagnent membership from the off and have not changed that prejudiced perception. My fellow members are all gems - and they DO ride - some on the most extraordinary adventures but as a club it seems to fester and to offer little opportunity to assist the sharing of all that great experience and know-how unless stumbled upon during a chin wag. There are stacks of STs in the area but only 18-20 bikes I know of at the club. There could be loads more if it gave off more energy!

Peter is activly trying to instil a raised level of interest in riding our bikes but the club feels stagnent and dry (the club, not the members). The out-going chairperson did his best it seems and the new one promises an uplift but nothing will happen without energy. Engergy doesn't come cheap.

Barriers


Barriers may include:
  • geographic distribution of our members

  • availability (a big one, I know! ;))

  • their approach to riding (for leisure and touring in the main)

  • attitude to what the club means?

How to build on those?

I can't really criticise my fellow members, I guess. Each of us have circumstances, etc. However, it would be wonderful to generate the kind of participation in club matters outside of the monthly monotony of the Millburys including RIDING. (It would also be great to see more members encouraged to join the IAM Ride for Life program).

Whinge over. Put your actions where your mouth is, Pat...energy.

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