Right ho.
Excellent. It's coming along a treat.
Here is what I think the list consists of. Let me know of any glaring errors, please.
(A) ONE DAY JAUNT
Wapping - ticket booked
Chas M - ticket booked (may bring son as pillion, too)
Intermediate - ticket booked
Budweiser - ticket booked
Kev B - ticket booked
NC Pierce - ticket booked
Maybe list:
NC Pierce's brother-in-law
Martinc.d and wife as pillion
(B) FOUR DAY JAUNT
Wapping - ticket booked
Chas M - ticket booked (may bring wife as pillion, too)
Intermediate - ticket booked
Budweiser - ticket booked
Kev B - ticket booked
NCPierce - ticket booked
Maybe list:
Madmikey
Pathalogic
Physiojo (aka Mrs Pathalogic) - riding her own bike
Martinc.d and wife as pillion
Adamneeds
Axeumlidlp
Budweiser
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I'm not sure which of the two dates.
BrianMaslen
Slowdown
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Overall, quite a list, a veritable convoy as ChasM put it.
Now:
(1) I do not mind having a longer list at all. In fact it could make it all quite fun. Nor do I want to be a miserable sod and exclude anyone. I am more than happy to cater for everyone up to and including this post, listed above. Simply let me know ASAP. I will though post up that the list, for now, is full.
(2) The only things to have in mind is that, if everyone comes, it will mean:
(a) I will probably / definitely have to switch hotels into one of the larger chains, simply as the family hotels I had planned will not fit us all in. I do not mind, at all. OK they are not as rustic but they do all work. It will make it a bit cheaper, for sure. I will go ahead and start finding some. The sooner I can hear from the 'maybe's' the easier it will be.
(b) I am mindful that I wanted to include as many 'inexperienced' tourists as possible. That is still the purpose.
The larger group will, without a doubt, get spread out at some stages of the journey, possibly by as much as a mile or more. It's inevitable over routes of 100 miles plus. This is not a problem but we just need to be sensible about it, for those that are not used to it. In short, help each other. I will pick routes to make sure there are not too many unnecessary left, right, left changes in the middle of nowhere. Towns with traffic lights are always the most difficult. I will make sure everyone has a clear route, phone numbers etc. We can operate the 'Marker' system as well, if needed. I will explain the way it works nearer the time.
(c) Getting booked onto the damned train. I know that the train does not have unlimited spaces for bikes, or cars for that matter. On both the Morocco dashes and the Turkey Trot we could not all get on. The same often happens on the ferries. The sooner you book the easier. If you can't get on for whatever reasons, preferably book an earlier train on the way out and a later train on the way back.
(d) Fuel stops with more than six bikes definitely become a drawn-out process. An hour can slip by, so we will need to be reasonably sharp. The fuel stops will be dictated by the smallest capacity bike. I hope that physiojo can join us, so I guess it's her pogo. Again, it's not a problem to manage providing everyone is sensible. All we need to avoid is stopping every 40 miles because someone 'forgot' to fill-up. I will work out fuel stops at about 120 mile gaps (that's about three hours, or so). I will also try to amend the routes so that there is a fill up at the start, middle and end only. So, if you definitely can't do 240 miles on a tank full...fill up. Start and end the day on a full tank, is the golden rule.
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HOTEL ROOMS
Pillions / husband and wife combos I assume will want a joint room.
I assume everyone else is happy to share?
If anyone wants their own solo room....let me know, please.
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Cheers,
Richard
This must be a record and was quite funny until we realised that the organiser hadn't told anyone where we were staying as "we were all meant to stick together"
But you've got that covered.
If there are any single rooms going can I put my name down for one
oh well, next time...
