The Pan Clan

When my OH still owned the ST1100, he came across the website for the Pan Clan, which it the Pan European (ST1100 and ST1300) owners club. Now, while looking at their website photos, frankly, it looked like if we were to join, we'd be socialising with people old enough to be our parents. This may not be a bad thing; experience, knowledge etc. My main doubt about joining was the riders (who would mainly, if not exclusively, be male - the Pan is a big bike), would spend time talking bike, while the pillions talked cooking and about their grandchildren.

Consequently, we hadn't joined when we owned the 1100. However, joining was brought up again when we got the 1300. I still had my doubts...Now I am about to digress, but there is a point to this.

A couple of years ago, our church acquired a projector. This is used during the service to show the words to songs, pictures, notices and basically anything the minister wants displayed during the service. It's also used by other organisations using the church for presentations etc. My OH, along with another member of the congregation, runs the projector.

About 2 weeks after we bought the 1300, the church was to be used for the local Scout district's centenary service. As it was my OH's turn to run the projector for the morning service, he was running the projector for the Scout service. He had taken the bike so I didn't have to hang around in Kirkcaldy until after the Scout service. Besides, a motorbike parked outside a Church of Scotland kirk does make a statement.

I'm getting to the point, honest...

The Scouter in charge of organising the logistics of the service is a Pan Clan member and got talking to my OH. I used to be a scouter, so know the guy, but have known him for a long time. He's a good guy, so we thought if he was a member, they might not be that bad a bunch after all.

We decided to go along to one of the club's monthly meetings, to see what the rest of the group were like. They couldn't have been more welcoming, though I think they're like the black pudding industry - always on the lookout for fresh blood!

After the meeting, we decided to join. We've now been on 3 runs. All different, but a good bit of socialising and a great way to see the country.