Bo Staff Seminar

By Gaz under Martial Arts

Events almost conspired to thwart my chances of attending…

I had arranged to go to a birthday party in London for the weekend, so when I found out about this seminar at the last minute, my Saturday afternoon was already booked so I’d had to decline the seminar. Then, I found out yesterday that the party had been postponed, so I called my Tae Kwon-Do instructor to ask if there were any places left… he said not, but that he wasn’t going to be able to make it, so I could go in his place

I spent yesterday evening and this morning trying to get in touch with the other people that were driving up to the seminar to find out where to meet, what time to arrive, where it was, when it started and other minor details, but couldn’t raise anyone. Luckily, my instructor called this morning to ask if I’d arranged a lift and had all the details for me as he hadn’t been able to contact anyone either. So, now I knew I was going to Shifnal Sports Centre (where I had already been to a Samurai Sword seminar last Autumn) and that everyone else was leaving Worcester at 1pm.

The round trip to Shifnal from Worcester is easily 80 miles, which would be pushing half a tank of petrol in the Skyline, so at noon I decided that I would simply make my own way there on my bike. I haven’t ridden it since last year, so I thought I should check that I was still insured… only I couldn’t find my documents I figured Shifnal was about an hour away, so the seminar must be starting at 2pm. I needed to be away by one o’clock. 12:45pm, insurance docs found and in date: Check! 12:50pm, after a hunt through the bottom of by clothes drawers, bike leathers and waterproofs: Check! 12:57pm, bike keys and disk lock keys all located: Check!

12:58pm, notice that my bike has an almost flat rear tyre: Shit! I carefully limped the bike to the nearest garage to reinflate the tyre, and noticed the left mirror was set badly. While adjusting it, I pushed a little too hard and the whole thing started spinning in the housing, so I had to waste precious minutes taking the toolkit out from under the seat and tightening the thing back up with a spanner. 1:12pm, zooming back to the house to pick up my dobuk and belt, stuff them into a shoulder bag, and actually get underway: Check! :-/

Thankfully, the Kidderminster to Bridgenorth road has plenty of overtaking spots for an eager motorcyclist, so the dire traffic didn’t impede my progress too much, and the route had just enough memorable land marks to jog my memory into finding my way to the sports centre at 2pm on the dot. I locked my bike and checked my phone as I headed for the changing rooms only to notice 5 missed calls from my instructor. As I was starting to dial him back, he called again to ask if I’d got in touch with the others yet: I said no, but that I was here already.

However, the carpark seemed strangely empty… I asked at reception if I was at the right place, and where the hall was. The seminar didn’t start until 3pm, so I was an hour early. Phew!! I had time for a delicious lunch of vending machine tomato soup, a pack of paprika crisps and a Yorkie Bar before changing and heading to the training hall. One of the weapons instructors I had spoken to before, Mr. Rob Payne, had arrived early too. He told me that there had been an accident on the M54 and that the motorway was at a standstill. Had I come in my car, I would probably have taken the motorway myself, but the backroads are much more fun on a bike, so it seems that I’d narrowly avoided an enormous traffic jam to get here too. I also discovered that my training fee included the cost of a 6 foot staff… which I would have to take back on my bike. Err… oh dear

Shortly afterwards the other Droitwich Tae Kwon-Do students I’d failed to get in touch with earlier arrived, and I was able to arrange to have them give my Bo Staff a lift home Many of the other attendees were over half an hour late due to the accident on the M54, so we started a little late. But, once we were underway, the seminar was excellent.

This is the third weapons seminar with Sensei David Jackson I have attended, and was up to his usual high standards. I can’t recommend him highly enough if you are lucky enough to get the chance to train with him. Hopefully, if you do take that opportunity, your day will go a little smoother than mine did.