If I hadn't have had my hands full of handlebars - I could have used the whole memory card!

As it is, I hardly have any pics of the day. I left the house at 6.30am to get to one of the other riders houses in the city. By 7am we had left to get out to the meet point to link up with a whole bunch of other bikes.

By 11am at road warriors for coffee there had been an accident (she was fine - but her bike was battered a bit) and even more had joined us.

This was my first organised ride as a rider myself, and I was a bit nervous to be honest about if I could keep up, terrified of crashing or embarrasing myself, and generally feeling like a bit of a fraud as everyone I was with were all old hands and had heaps of experience.

Within minutes of meeting everyone though I felt fairly relaxed - they were all nice, so wouldn't be taking the mickey - well maybe they would, but only in a nice way!

Having riden up with the couple from their house I felt that although I'd be at the back of the group and slower than the speedsters - I wouldn't be embarrasing myself. I admit happily that Im a snail ;oD I was happily taking my time on unfamiliar roads - sometimes right at the back and sometimes with others behind me. I loved it! I really feel like it improved my confidence and will definitly be doing the next one I see on the site.
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It was a total blast - I finally got home just before 5pm - exhausted but grinning from ear to ear. I did the whole route - even the twisties, the hairpins and the scarey corners that completley doubled back on you up a hill on bad roads. I'd riden the loop and was about as chuffed as a very chuffed thing!

Woo hoo! Next time with photos!