France - the Great '3 Day Bimble'

[oldrascal]

What with being temporarily grounded as 'unfit for duty' I watched the gang depart from Goodwood this morning on the 'Convoy' run with a degree of sadness.

But having now read the rideout reports about the great fun had by all and sundry, I got to thinkin' and a'wonderin'. Wouldn't it have been fantastic if, instead of a 200 mile scoot around the leafy lanes of West Sussex, the gang had been heading off for a few days over with our French cousins.

And as I have a deep and dark secret - actually, I am fluent in French (that's the language you dirty Tossers) , I've decided to see if I can't organise an initial 3-day bimble around Northern France. And sooner rather than later. I know the bastards (er, sorry..our French neighbours) very, very well as I have lived and worked in France on and off since I was a kid. But that story is for another time.

Just off the top of my head, we could, say, take the Newhaven-Dieppe ferry in the morning of the first day and head west to sample some of Brittany's better roads, grub and wine/liqueurs. A couple of nights in cheap and cheerful accommodation (better to spend the money on important things like wine) and back again on the third day.

I realise that most Tossers have obligations of one sort or another which may make finding 3 free days difficult, but I am sure that there are a few of us who could create a 'scouting party' for a more extensive trip later in the Spring.

So let me know what you think and who is up for it in principal.

Moderator:
I am posting links to this thread elsewhere on the Forum as I am not sure of its best hoem. Care to advise?

 

[Deleted Member I]

Moderator:
I am posting links to this thread elsewhere on the Forum as I am not sure of its best hoem. Care to advise?

Open invite trip section would be good!

Some other Old rascal has already thought of that and we are going there soon!

 

[oldrascal]

I'd noted that trip, Indecisive, but I really wanted to capitalise on the group who turned up at Goodwood today. Most of them are relatively local to the South Coast and I got the firm impression from chatting this morning at Goodwood and from reading the reports this evening that many were new to group riding.

And as there were at least 35 to 40 Tossers and partners out today, I wanted to plumb the goodwill and cameraderie established and carry on the good work.

This is just an idea so we need feedback to get some concensus.

 

[Scuba-Sparky]

Hi Old Raskel
Sounds good to me, was there to day at Goodwood. Am in The 'Who needs a tw@t suit'. Will keep an eye on this for dates. Love France!

 

[GreatScott]

Depending on dates, time off work - you can sign me up. I'll bring a bath chair for you

Just practice the only Fench anyone needs to know: deux beers mate

 

[Dazzle]

twas at goodwood today, great ride, didn't stay to the end as had work tonight,
popped over to brittany for 4 days last year on my sport classic, great roads around the swiss normandy region, much more suited to the gs though.
great idea, if work permitting will be there.

Dazzle

 

[LBL]

Blimey Tom, just read through the link getting all excited and then right at the end it says its full

i am planning to go over at time so watch out for me

 

[Mattrex]

Could be tempted...

I wasn't at Goodwod as had to spend my day in household things in order to keep things happy!! I would however be very tempted by a ride accross the water, Either from Newhaven or Dover/calais. I live about half way between the two so makes no difference to me. Subject to dates etc count me in!

 

[oldrascal]

With the count of possibles now at 5 or so, it looks like we could be onto something here.

The reason that I would rather keep this trip 'local' to our region, is to create a quite small 'scouting party' for a much more adventurous blast in May or so. All of this of course stimulated by how well last Saturday's Goodwood Convoy turned out with new friends being made and tall tales swapped.

So I reckon that we ought to limit the list to the first 10 who indicate willingness - there are bound to be one or two who end up not being able to make it, of course. So a small posse of 7 or 8 Tossers would be great.

Anyhow, here is the provisional list:

• OldRascal (bi-pedally fit this time )
• Scuba-Sparky
• GreatScott (with emergency bath-chair strapped to panniers )
• Dazzle
• Mattrex
• LBL (?)

The next question is when to do the trip and over which part of the week. My initial thought is that now that we are all wound-up and excited after a couple of ride-outs and some warm(ish) weather, we should not let the grass grow under our Battlewings (or Annakees or Trail Attacks etc.).

The clocks go forward on the weekend of the 28th/29th of this month so I suggest we look at the week starting Monday, March 30th and ending Sunday,April 5th. We will have oodles of daylight and every chance of half-decent weather. In any case, if we go by ferry, we can pretty well always get 6 or 8 bikes on-board at the last moment so we should review the weather forecast the previous week just in case it looks particularly crappy.

If we are all happy with that week as a target, we need to work out what's best for 'time-off' at home/work. Is it mid-week or do we aim for Friday morning and back on Sunday evening? If you start letting me have your initial views, I will begin doing some research on an itinerary.

Finally, as has been mentioned earlier, Wapping is organising a 4-day trip over to France on April 25th which is well subscribed on the 'Open Invite' forum. Here is a linky to his thread as he has done a great job of organising and we might get some inspiration.

Cheers all.

ps. Greg, are you happy for us to keep this first trip 'local' in this section or do you advise spreading the word on the 'Open Invite' forum - or both?

 

[Scuba-Sparky]

Hi All
A weekend (Fri to Sunday) would be super!
What ferry Portsmouth Le Harve, Caen?
Oh the joys off running your own company!!

 

[oldrascal]

Suba-Sparky, I suggest either Portsmouth-LeHavre or Newhaven-Dieppe depending on whether they are on winter or summer schedules. I'll check. Both are about 4 hours traverse so would land us in France about lunchtime if we catch, say, an 08:00 sailing.

I suspect that Friday-Sunday is probably the way to go for most peeps though. We'll see.

 

[Harlequin]

Count me in Old Rascal, dates permitting.

 

[oldrascal]

...........and yet one more joins the gang..............

• OldRascal (bi-pedally fit this time )
• Scuba-Sparky
• GreatScott (with emergency bath-chair strapped to panniers )
• Dazzle
• Mattrex
• LBL (?)
• Strider

 

[Dazzle]

Just priced ferries that weekend, £42.50 portsmouth -le-harve LD lines
10.15 out 16.00 return I think.
going away easter with my wife so any hotels in mind with prices rascal ?
need to see if I can divert enough funds

 

[oldrascal]

I will get on the case in the morning Dazzle. But the idea is simple lodging with good roads and some sightseeing in the daytime. I'd like the biggest expense to be the evening 'degustation' of local produce and regional wines. I guess we all would like to keep costs right down and just concentrate on the essentials.

So I will aim for room sharing and very non-touristy set ups.

 

[LBL]

Hi Old Rascal,

Im definantely up for a trip but unfortunately cant do those dates, im on call w/c 29th March and 19th April which is a 24/7 commitment for winter maintenance.

Im already doing a trip late May but will always be up for trips abroad so i will watch for other jaunts.

 

[oldrascal]

Thanks for the 'heads-up' LBL.

Sorry to hear that you won't be able to make it. That said, I am sure that we will be organising a number of 'jaunts' over to Frogland this Spring and Summer and will look forward to your esteemed presence.

Cheers mate.

 

[oldrascal]

Just started doing some research on locations, routes, biker-friendly stopovers and ferry pricing and availability.

If we are looking at a Friday through Sunday trip (and I have provisionally pencilled-in April 3rd to 5th), it looks like the only sensible options are either LDLines Newhaven-Dieppe service which leaves at 0930 and arrives at 1430 (sorry about the time notation but I sail a lot and can't break the nautical habit).

The return on Sunday leaves at 1800 and arrives back in Newhaven at 2100. The return price is £40. The only other alternative is the Tunnel which is more expensive at about £70 or so but is hugely more flexible and may allow us to target the Champagne region as an alternative to Brittany.

As for accomodation in France and depending upon us all being happy to share 2/3/4 to a room, we are looking at a worst case of around £40-£50 per night each. Then we have meals - say £35 per day each.

So a quick tot-up gives us a rough total per bike for the trip excluding fuel of between £250 to £300.

How does that sound?

 

[GreatScott]

I was going to do a run to JOG the week following so I will need to do a re-think. Still interested though. Might do both Have you a route in mind? I quite like the idea of Normandy/Brittany

Need to get the bike fixed first. Took it out again after the Goodwood run, filled up and it wouldn't start! I think the gear indicator is u/s. Perhaps what all those 1150 owners say about 1200s is true . Oh well at least the fuel pump works Nice ride in the brakedown van mind

 

[WindyChuffer]

Hi Old Rascal. Am interested in this, so could I get my name down? Ta. Sounds good BTW. M.