Wander 'Black Forest and Vosges' October 5th to 12th 2014

Richard, sent you a PM to avoid clogging this thread with maybe's.
 
Richard, I would like to join you on the Schwarzwald and Vosges legs. I will ride don from Köln. I will resist the 'temptation' to ride over to Verdun to join you there though!
 
Update

Definite

Wapping
alleycam
parkys100

Hopeful / possible etc

Pukmeister
Stuart (via another site, depending on building work on his house etc etc)

I haven't done anything about our hotels yet, nor anything much more that hack out some ideas of routes. I will turn my mind to this happy task before too long, I hope.

Richard
 
Update

Definite

Wapping
alleycam
parkys100

Hopeful / possible etc

Pukmeister
Stuart (via another site, depending on building work on his house etc etc)

I haven't done anything about our hotels yet, nor anything much more that hack out some ideas of routes. I will turn my mind to this happy task before too long, I hope.

Richard


Richard

I'd love to join you on your Wander. Please put me down as as another participant.

Let me know when you have sorted hotels out and I will sort out payment.

Thanks

Ian
 
Richard, I would like to join you on the Schwarzwald and Vosges legs. I will ride don from Köln. I will resist the 'temptation' to ride over to Verdun to join you there though!

And please do not forget my request as well
 
OK, Full house of a sort. List now closed

Update

Definite

Wapping
alleycam
parkys100
jackandamy
paul08 (Joining in the Black Forest and for the Vosges leg)

5 bikes / 5 bods

Hopeful / possible etc

Pukmeister
Stuart (via another site, depending on building work on his house etc etc)

Maybe 6 or 7 bikes / 6 or 7 bods in total

I will get on the case with crossing times and the hotels etc.

I am definitely tempted by the idea of crossing over on the Saturday evening, after the rugby. Others can of course cross earlier as they'll get some grub; I probably won't.
 
My boss has now approved my leave, just my ABS fault to fix and I'm good to go.
 
OK, Full house of a sort. List now closed

Update

Definite

Wapping
alleycam
parkys100
jackandamy
paul08 (Joining in the Black Forest and for the Vosges leg)

5 bikes / 5 bods

Hopeful / possible etc

Pukmeister
Stuart (via another site, depending on building work on his house etc etc)

Maybe 6 or 7 bikes / 6 or 7 bods in total

I will get on the case with crossing times and the hotels etc.

I am definitely tempted by the idea of crossing over on the Saturday evening, after the rugby. Others can of course cross earlier as they'll get some grub; I probably won't.

If you end up with any spaces I'd be very interested Richard.
(Was going to come on your MaltaTal trip)
Richard
 
ABS sorted. Job's a good 'un.

Route in Google Maps looks good.:bounce1
 
Trains booked and other guff...

I have booked myself onto the following trains:

OUT: Saturday 04 October - Departing 20:20

RETURN: Sunday 12 October - Departing 18:20

Please note:

1. I have booked the Saturday evening train only because I will be watching 'quins play London Welsh that afternoon. The train will not arrive in France until about 22:00 local time. This means I'll probably not be at our hotel (to be sorted out) until say 22:30 at the earliest and won't have time to grab much beyond a sandwich or a McD's on arrival, if anything at all.

If anyone wants to go over earlier in the day, arriving at civilised o'clock, that's a cunning plan. Let me know.

2. Depending on quite where we stay on our last night it France, it may well mean we can make an earlier train on the Sunday. I have booked our usual 'just after six' train just to give us a bit of leeway time wise. We can either take a longer route up to the coast or perhaps stop to see something during the day.

3. If we avoid the motorway on Sunday, it will be a decent schlep down the N and D roads to our first night's stop. Not impossible but we will need to get off reasonably sharply on the Sunday morning. Similarly on the other days, too. What I'll aim to do is work out reasonably sensible routes that maybe bring in a stretch of motorway to miss out a large town or city, or where the alternative is just a straight road running parallel to the motorway, which means you might as well spend a couple of euro and save a bit of time.

On the first Sunday, it might be an idea to leave a little bit earlier and miss breakfast in the hotel; then take a bit longer break after say 90 minutes or so? Let's see what the possible routes tell us.

4. I haven't done anything about any of our hotels yet. I will do my best to find typical 'medium priced' hotels, so not F1's or five star luxury. Similarly, I will try to find them in medium sized towns, just so we can go out in the evening for a beer or to eat.

5. Is there anyone who wants to save a bit by sharing a twin room? If so, sing-up and I'll do my best to accommodate you.

6. Tea, lunch and coffee stops are often a bit of a lottery. We haven't fainted from hunger or thirst........ yet :D

7. Please can we all have a full tank of fuel ready for departure on Sunday morning. I don't mind what size fuel tanks bods have, it's just best that we all start each day on a level playing field.

8. I will create some suggested routes for our time in the Black Forest and the Vosges. I will also bring my laptop and maps with me. If anyone wants to do their own things, I am happy that they borrow them to plot their own routes for any and all days.

9. We have some 'New Wanderers' and some 'less experienced on right hand driving' bods along, which is great. Anyone with any questions PM me... I'll only publish them if they are really funny, honest. Seriously, I don't mind any questions.... Even about oil!

Richard
 
Thanks Richard.

I'll decide about booking myself onto an earlier train (or not) once we know the location of the first nights stop and what others are doing (think safety in numbers).
Is it a "Le Big Mac" or a "Royale with Cheese"?? :D
Happy to meet up with others as and when, preferably this side of the Channel.
Early starts no problem, I might pack some Snickers bars in the tank bag as emergency breakfast rations.
Not worried bout a twin room if essential however I prefer not to share given the option ( especially if others snore, I get enough of that from the missus).

I'm a "New Wanderer" and haven't ridden a bike deliberately on the wrong side of the road before either (driven it on four wheels though) so bear with me until I settle in.
 
A start on the hotels and some thoughts...

Inbetween appointments in Stockholm, I have booked two of our hotels:

Saturday 04 October - Ibis Budget in St Omer. We usually stay in the main Ibis in the middle of town but the price there has crept up a bit over the years. The Budget is fine for one night and I figured EUR 30 or more saved for what is just a night's sleep is worth it. It has a secur(ish) - nowhere is 100%, I always bring a basic lock, irrespective - and it's only a short walk back into the town to the restaurants and bars. St Omer is only a short hop (a euro or so) down the motorway from Calais, or if anyone is going over earlier I can suggest a sort of scenic jaunt in.

http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-5919-ibis-budget-saint-omer-centre/index.shtml

If anyone wants something to do in the day on Saturday, the Blockhouse (V2) and La Coupole (V1) launch sites are maybe worth a look?

http://www.leblockhaus.com/en/

http://www.lacoupole-france.co.uk/?...mctr=(not provided)&__utmv=-&__utmk=135457841

Or you could run down to coast towards Boulogne or Le Touquet, perhaps?

Saturday 11 October - Best Western in Soissons, right in the middle. Never stayed there but Soissons is a decent sized town and a convenient place as a starting place for Sunday's run up to Calais and home. We usually go past the town on the ring road, going to or coming up from Dijon.

http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwes...s-Francs/Hotel-Overview.do?propertyCode=93707

What else....

I might have a bit of a change of plan for Thursday 09 and Friday 10. I had thought about the Vosges, which is just a short hop from the Black Forest. An alternative might be the Morvan / Côte d'Or, which is a bit further westwards. Both are good. Let's see what turns up.
 
If you end up with any spaces I'd be very interested Richard.
(Was going to come on your MaltaTal trip)
Richard

Hi Richard,

Let me see what I can do when I'm back in London.

I know Stuart is having a decent amount of work done on his house, so I am waiting to hear from him.

Either way, I will try to slot you in.

Richard
 
Wander

Hello
I am fine with leaving earlier on the Saturday and take a slow wander dowm to St Omer maybe stop off somewhere?Looking at the list of attendes one or two bods do not live far away from me (Botley),I will decide a outward time when the hotels are booked :D
 
Booked trains...

OUT: Saturday 04 October - Departing 13:50

RETURN: Sunday 12 October - Departing 18:20 (Same as 'Wapping')

I'm thinking of a leisurely ride down to the initial hotel, perhaps seeing some of the sights on the way... or a beer or two if it's lashing down and I've gone straight there... :)

Happy of course to meet up with anyone at the Folkestone depart, if they choose same timings!

Al
 


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