Düsseldorf in November

[local-explorer]

I'm doing my first ride of this type in November, hopefully. To Germany for a few days. It's hardly more than flying and undoubtedly more interesting.

I've been weirdly blind to the fact that it's so easy for us to get onto mainland Europe……

=====

I have started you a fresh thread, so as to not detract from the Trips to France initiative.

Richard

 

[Wapping]

I've been weirdly blind to the fact that it's so easy for us to get onto mainland Europe….

That might well be dictated by where you happen to live.

The location of one’s front door apart, enjoy Germany. Where are you going to? It’s a big place.

 

[Wapping]

I'm going to Düsseldorf. Not an ideal time of the year… I hope come December that still don't have a good answer for that question….

This seems to be your first trip outside of the UK on a motorcycle.. Have fun.

Take your waterproofs and thermals.

If it’s late in November, do (in all seriousness) look at the weather forecast vis-a-vis snow, though unlikely. Look at it, irrespective, actually.

Where are you crossing to / back from?

 

[local-explorer]

Thanks for the thread, although now you've made me accountable for succeeding in orchestrating this trip - I see now reason (beyond weather) that it can't be straight-forwards though.

 

[siddo]

Gonna be cold and wet.

 

[Wapping]

Thanks for the thread, although now you've made me accountable for succeeding in orchestrating this trip - I see now reason (beyond weather) that it can't be straight-forwards though.

You can do it…. We can help…. As they said in the old Diet Pepsi advert.

Where are you crossing to / from?

How long have you set aside from where you land on the mainland’s coast to get to Düsseldorf?

How long have you set aside for the journey from Düsseldorf to the return terminal on the mainland’s coast?

 

[local-explorer]

Gonna be cold and wet.

If it looks like a drag then I'll not do it. Either way: I'm now in the headspace for a trips to the continent!

 

[Wapping]

Don’t give up before you’ve started.

This jaunt is (possibly) more likely than the bloke who wanted help to take his motorcycle (and skis) to go skiing in the Alps in February. Probably avoiding motorways, as well.

 

[local-explorer]

You can do it…. We can help…. As they said in the old Diet Pepsi advert.

Where are you crossing to / from?

How long have you set aside from where you land on the mainland’s coast to get to Düsseldorf?

How long have you set aside for the journey from Düsseldorf to the return terminal on the mainland’s coast?

Well none of it's ideal as it's not designed as a bike trip. It was just a long weekend to see a friend and I was to fly with someone else. Then I bought this bike and "looked it up on google, for a laugh" to see if I could ride it and the journey time was ~8 hours. Then I realised I actually _could_ do it in a day, leaving here early morning and getting there in the evening. I just never considered doing anything like that before and now I see it's possible so I called my friend and asked if there was somewhere to store the bike - there is - so now the plan is to bike it. No other logistics have been sorted out yet! So the answer to your questions is "I need to think about that" - all I know is that the total trip time would probably be, at most, five days - and it may well be a day riding to get there, 1 and a bit days with my friend and a day riding back! -

I know that sounds less than ideal but it was never meant to be a bike trip and I'm kinda retro-fitting the bike into it.

 

[local-explorer]

Don’t give up before you’ve started.

This jaunt is (possibly) more likely than the bloke who wanted help to take his motorcycle (and skis) to go skiing in the Alps in February. Probably avoiding motorways, as well.

Skis! Ye Gods. I didn't even ask for help - It was just a passing comment - but I appreciate the engagement as it creates more pressure for me to follow through!

 

[wessie]

Dusseldorf in November is not the Elefant Rally.

Just get on with it.

If nesh, get some bar muffs and a Keis heated jacket.

 

[local-explorer]

Dusseldorf in November is not the Elefant Rally.

Just get on with it.

If nesh, get some bar muffs and a Keis heated jacket.

Yes! That was my thinking exactly. Heated grips, wet gear and it doesn't need to be a big deal. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Wapping]

OK, thanks. Now we are cooking on gas. As I read it:

Five days in all, less a day with your friends is four days. That equates to two days between leaving your front door to rocking up in Düsseldorf and the same back again.

Getting to Düsseldorf from the coast is probably most logical via the Hook of Holland or Calais. Of the two, the Hook of Holland is arguably easier and quicker:




Note:

Both are direct, motorway and timed as at this evening. It’ll be busier (slower) to some degree when you go, I guess, as you’ll maybe be in the working hours.

Neither are particularly exciting routes per-se. But that doesn’t matter as it’s the destination - and riding the bike - that’s important, whilst the time of year is a factor to some degree or another, not least as the light goes towards the end of the month.

The time frame can at least work, which is a good start.

Your turn now…..



PS Don’t feel obliged to do it, just because you have a thread. Several trips never materialise, for a whole bunch of reasons. The great thing is that the roads, Düsseldorf (and hopefully you and your friend) will still be around next year and well beyond that.

 

[local-explorer]

Your turn now…..

 

[local-explorer]

@Wapping Committed now.

 

[Wapping]

@Wapping Committed now.

That’s the spirit.

 

[siddo]

If it looks like a drag then I'll not do it. Either way: I'm now in the headspace for a trips to the continent!

If you have proper waterproofs and some heated gear and helmet with pinklock, it'll be fine.
Go for it.

 

[Wapping]

I'm now in the headspace….

Soon to be in the zone, before chilling.