Hi Bumblebeemer and welcome
I'm in the Herts/Essex area also. Did you get to ride with the TRF yet?
If you've joined up you can go along to one of their meetings to meet one of the local groups. I've been to the Herts group meeting and a couple of ride-outs led by John Fox whose one of the guys in charge at the Herts group. They have the meetings in Welwyn Garden City.
I must admit I haven't been riding with em in ages. My little bike needed a new exhaust and now needs a baffle to quieten it down a bit and my big one needed new wheels and tyres and now needs an MOT Been busy with other nonsense also
I guess by your username you've got a GS?

Let me know if you want to get in touch with me. When I've got the bikes sorted I'd love to get green laning again.