Members evening, with a presentation by Keith Tremeer

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Over Community Centre  |  Tuesday 18th June  |  7:30-9:30pm
Please use this link if you plan to attend

All are welcome at Over Community Centre on June 18th from 7:30pm for our next Member’s Evening. Following a trusted formula, we’ll celebrate recent successes with Observers presenting a CAM wuffler to each new Member, and then the main event: Working & Living in Brazil, presented by Keith Tremeer. Keith offers the following teasing description of his talk –

When Brazil is mentioned talk of football, Carnival, beautiful beaches & the Amazon rainforest often follows. As some of you know, I lived and worked for a substantial period of time in the country, working in the international banking sector. Arriving in 1980 fresh from university, my first 12 months were spent in the heat and humidity of the Amazon jungle, and in subsequent years I worked in a number of places around the country. During that time I got married, became fluent in Portuguese, survived Brazil’s extreme bureaucracy, monthly inflation reaching 60%, monetary confiscation, and no fewer than 7 “economic reforms” and 6 different currencies. I also witnessed the country’s progression from a military dictatorship to a fully-fledged democracy, with the economy opening up to the outside world, and foreign investment eager to participate in the new-found growth opportunities.

During my presentation, I’ll take you through some of the more interesting (and unusual) experiences, both positive and negative, that I had during my 36 years. I’m also trying to see if I can arrange a culinary surprise for participants to indulge in during the coffee break!! I look forward to seeing you there. 
Até logo!!

Full details in the Events Calendar

Evening ride – Wednesday June 12th

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Shaun Digby leads our first evening rideout of the year on Wednesday 12th June! A second ride is in the pipeline, and we may offer more if these events prove popular…. Shaun provides this description of the outing: 

Following the 6:15pm briefing we depart Cambridge Services for Huntingdon & Abbots Ripton before turning onto the B660 – where the enjoyment begins! We’ll be riding on training routes used by regional Road Policing Units. If you are already familiar with them you will appreciate why, if not you will soon understand: bend after bend comes at you! If the weather is kind to us, it will be a true biker’s heaven!
At Kimbolton we switch to the B645 before turning left at Staughton Green for Perry and a break at The Wheatsheaf. Suitably refreshed we continue to the A1, going straight over at the Buckden roundabout and on to Offords railway crossing, then turn for our final destination at Caxton Services

Start point      Cambridge Services, A14     what3words  
End point        Caxton Services, A428          what3words

Briefing   6:15pm             Departure   6:30pm    
Refreshment stop      The Wheatsheaf, Perry

This ride is limited to 12 participants. Use this link to request a place

Sunday ride to Rutland Water (2nd June)

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Using Brampton Hut Services as the departure point (a first for a Sunday ride) ride leader Peter Grant & tailer Phil Duffy are taking a maximum of 12 participants to Rutland Water on the 2nd of June

From Brampton Hut riders head north on the A1, but turn off at the first junction after just one mile). Thereafter they can expect to encounter very light traffic as they follow well-maintained, twisting B-roads through Clopton, Oundle & the Benefields, under the Welland Viaduct and into Rutland. The Rutland Nursery Café offers views of the south shore of Rutland Water. The indoor restaurant offers these breakfast options

The return route is equally scenic as it twists and turns way eastwards through Duddington, Polebrook & Glatton to the B1043 (before the A1 was constructed this was the Great North Road) then heads south to Alconbury. The ride ends where it began back at Brampton Hut, after another one-junction stretch on the A1

Start & end point  Brampton Hut Services (A1/A14)
Briefing 9:20am                  Ride departs 9:30am
Total distance 88 miles     Maximum number of participants 12

Request a place here    |   Events Calendar entry here

Sunday 19th May rideout to Pebmarsh

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This ride will be led by Patrick Ryan & tail-ended by Catherine Ryan

>This 88-mile loop starts & ends from BP Cambridge on familiar roads through Six Mile Bottom & the Thurlows to Sturmer and a brief ride on the Haverhill bypass
After a left turn for Steeple Bumpstead it’s through Finchingfield & Castle Hedingham to the Flame & Grill. Their website modestly describes the venue as set in ‘an idyllic converted stable in the beautiful village of Pebmarsh’

<The slightly shortly return journey first heads north through Sudbury then on to Cavendish and Clare, where the ride turns north onto the B1063 as it meanders its way to Newmarket. The final section of the journey is along the A1303 back to BP in Cambridge. Pillions are welcome on this ride

Start & end point   BP Cambridge (Newmarket Road)
Briefing  9:20am                     Ride departs  9:30am
Total distance  88 miles        Maximum number of participants  12

Use this link to request a place    |   Events Calendar for full details

A talk by Keith Tyler: 40 years in the Marine Industry

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Members, Associates & guests are all warmly invited to our 2nd Members & Associates Evening of 2024. Following the format set earlier in the year, CAM Member Keith Tyler has prepared a unique presentation on his 40 years in the Marine Industry at 2nd Members & Associates Evening of 2024. This event takes place on Tuesday 21st May, from 7:30pm at Over Community Centre. Keith provides this outline of his presentation:

“ During my 40 years in the marine industry I have worked on a variety of vessels all over the world – from 7-metre leisure craft to tankers & container ships exceeding 300 metres. Starting out as an Electrical & Mechanical Service Engineer, the marine industry has been my entire livelihood and in my presentation I will outline the progression which is possible in the sector, and the kind of work and lifestyle entailed. I hope to see you there! “

The evening –
 space7:30 – 8:15pm      Member presentation by Keith Tyler
 space8:15 – 8:45pm      Refreshments
space 8:45 – 9:15pm      Presentations to our newest full Members
space 9:15 – 9:30pm      Update from the CAM Committee

All Members, Associates & their guests are welcome!  To help with the planning, please use this link to let us know you’ll be coming

Full details in the Events Calendar

Group-Ride training – Saturday 11th May

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We learned a lot from last year’s Ride Leader & Tail-Ender training sessions – chiefly that all participants on a group ride benefit from understanding the various guidelines (such as limiting the number of riders to 16, and having a structured pre-ride briefing) which we have in place. This training session is open to all Members & Associates: we hope that eventually everyone will have attended, reducing the number of problems on rides and making our outings safer, more accessible & a better experience for all.

What’s involved?
The day starts at 10am and is expected to end by 4pm. Activities begin in the seminar room with Module 1, which is accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation and lasts around 90 minutes. A break follows with tea, coffee & biscuits. Module 2 presentation follows, lasting roughly 30 minutes

After a break for lunch (please bring your own sandwiches), we move onto the practical, on-road session – so it’s essential that attendees arrive by bike. Although not essential, preferably attendees will be equipped with a SatNav. Current members of the RL&TE team as well as potential new recruits will have the opportunity to brief riders before heading a 20-mile ride where they will be able to ride in both the Lead & Tail positions. There will be a Q&A back in the seminar room to close the session

In summary
Whether you’re an experienced member of the RL&TE team, looking to join, or would simply like to help make our Group rides safer & more enjoyable, please support our RL&TE training by requesting your place at Over Community Centre on Saturday 11 May – click here now

Sunday ride to Wickham St Paul

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Try a new breakfast venue… on our next Sunday ride led & tailed by Catherine Ryan and Barry D respectively
Pillions are welcome on this ride, which is limited to 16 participants

>From BP Cambridge the route heads south-west in the direction of Sudbury via the Thurlows, Kedington & Great Yeldham before dipping south towards Halstead. The breakfast venue, Spencers FarmShop, is hidden away in the quiet village of Wickham St Paul. The owners are delighted to welcome us, and if the weather is fine will reserve the verandah for our use. To assist with their planning, please consult the menu and indicate when booking if you think you may wish to order a cooked breakfast
<After breakfast west again, through Finchingfield & Thaxted before veering north at Newport to end the ride at Fourwentways Services 

Briefing  9:20am                     Ride departs  9:30am       
Total distance  76 miles        Maximum number of participants  16

Request a place   |   Events Calendar for full details

News round-up + subscription announcement

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The annual cost of a CAM subscription has now risen for the first time in ten years. Everyone will, of course, receive a reminder from our Membership Secretary of the new subscription rate when their membership falls due for renewal, but Chairman Ian Dunckley has sent a News Round-up detailing the key decisions taken by the Committee to those Members & Associates who have previously renewed at the old rate

All are invited to read about the background, thinking & decisions taken by the Committee: click here to download the News Roundup if the Chairman has not sent this to you directly. This document also details the increased activities CAM is delivering now and the plans we are developing for the 12-month term of the committee following the AGM in July.

Our Chairman notes: Thank you for being Advanced Riders & members of CAM, for supporting what we do as a road safety charity, and also for creating the feeling of a club of like-minded motorcyclists

A road safety presentation by Graham Feest

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Over Community Centre, 7:30pm on Thursday, 2nd May
All are welcome at our road safety evening presented by Graham Feest. A highly experienced UK Road Safety Consultant and speaker at professional & voluntary gatherings throughout the UK, Graham will address various concerns in relation to transport, traffic, safety & roads. He is featured in the Public Speakers Corner list of the country’s top presenters, and has previously presented to several  IAM motorcycle and driver Groups

In Graham’s own words: My career began with Worthing Council in 1974, before a move to West Sussex as Senior Road Safety Officer and subsequently County Road Safety Officer for Northamptonshire in 1989. I was Head of Road Safety at the Institute of Advanced Motorists from 2001 until the end of 2003, and am currently Chairman of the Institute of Master Tutors of Driving and the Road Safety Advisor to the ADI National Joint Council. I am also a member of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety and serve on their Road User Behaviour Working Group

I am an approved training provider for the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation. Until May 2023 I was Chairman of the UK National Road Safety Committee, a position I held for some twelve years. I look forward to seeing you on 2nd May! 

Your guests are also welcome! To help us keep track of numbers, please let us know by email if you would like to attend

$$ CASH ONLY at the Silver Ball $$

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Already signed up for Phil Duffy’s ride this Sunday, or thinking of requesting a place? Please note that at the Silver Ball Café they accept only CASH!

Photo by Josh Appel on Unsplash

Full ride details here