Geneva 2015...... Bike Transport

[Betty Swollocks]

Last year I had a loose plan.
France, Italy, Ferry to Croatia (booked the night before I flew out). Home via the Dolomites.

Did it all, solo. Miles were quite big most days.


Promised myself I'd have a plan for 2015.... So far it's only that I still plan to learn a little Italian and do less miles per day and stay in the mountain regions of Italy, which were very friendly.

But then again,,I've never been to Austria!

So I will be watching this for inspiration...

 

[shuck raider]

I have no idea where I am going

I'm on a one-way ticket. Jockser is taking my space on the truck going back to Ireland and I'm flying out to Geneva. Probably mosey around Switzerland for a day or two then head up to Besancon in France where I worked for a while some years ago.

Other than that, loose plan is just aiming to bimble back across the middle of France, perhaps have a look at some WW2 stuff e.g. Oradour-sur-Glane, U-boat pens at La Rochelle, St. Nazaire and Lorient. My daughter and grand-kids are camping in Brittany when I'm in the country so will maybe hook up with them before catching the Rosslare boat from Cherbourg. Got a good deal on the boat fare from Nutt Travel who were offering a 20% discount on bookings taken at the Belfast Bike Show a few weeks ago

 

[Jockser]

Home
As Shuck says :

Jockser is taking my space on the truck going back to Ireland

But, on the plus side I'll have had 3 weeks mooching around by then

Got a good deal on the boat fare from Nutt Travel who were offering a 20% discount on bookings taken at the Belfast Bike Show a few weeks ago

The only thing I've booked so far is the ferry & only cos Nutts had an offer at the Dublin Bike Show. But we only got 15%
Still, it's price of a nice meal or a cheap overnight.

I'm bringing my youngest lad (16 y.o) so won't be doing huge milage each day. But the rough 'plan' is a big clockwise loop - from Cherbourg across northern France & into Belgium for WW1 & 2 sites, to Dusseldorf, Frankfurt & Black Forest to visit folks and then down to the Alps & Dolomites for a wee play before hitting Geneva

 

[Sven-E]

So where is everyone going when they get there ?

I am meeting friends in Zurich and check out their hunting grounds. Expect to cover a few Swiss passes, for example Furka. Might travel as far as Stelvio. Tips are welcome as this is my first trip to the Alps. And of course a bit of train spotting.

 

[marcopol]

Incidentally how and who is going to secure them in the trucks. Can this be observed ?

 

[(RIP) Andy007]

Securing the bikes

Good evening
The HOW is a system that has been honed over many years of loading too many trailers / containers than I care to remember, suffice to say each bike is individually secured in its own footprint to stop all directions of possible movement whilst in transit. We have never had a bike move yet and are checked each time we take the required driving breaks.

The WHO is myself and the other guy driving along with two other guys from our bike club, all of us have many years experience in loading trailers, it's quite a slick operation even if I do say so myself.

Yes there is no problem watching your own bike been secured but due to obvious space constraints on the trailers this can be observed from ground level.

There are a few guys going on this trip who have seen there own bikes been loaded / secured on previous trips who will be able to verify all the above.

 

[Jockser]

There are a few guys going on this trip who have seen there own bikes been loaded / secured on previous trips who will be able to verify all the above.

All true

Your baby will be safer than if it's stood in the garage

 

[Betty Swollocks]

Just watching the view count rising on this one, now over 3000 views.
For those who are going, we still have 11 places left, so I'm looking your help to keep putting the word out there and see if we can get them filled so I can sit back and put my feet up!

Incidentally how and who is going to secure them in the trucks. Can this be observed ?

I have attached a few images from the previous trips to show how each bike is secured.

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[marcopol]

Thanks, looks like military precision.

 

[marcopol]

Panniers ?

 

[(RIP) Andy007]

Yes a good / relevant question.

Panniers will need to be removed prior to loading, and in some cases top boxes too, relevant packaging material will be available for you to package them up to prevent any damage, the loading crew will locate them between the bikes.

All this type of info along the the end to end loding process will be sent out to all participants about 4 weeks before we depart.

 

[(RIP) Andy007]

Opps typo
end to end loding process should read -------- end to end loading process

 

[Betty Swollocks]

Still looking to fill another 11 spaces.

The details of the trip were fed out today to a couple of NI bike clubs to see if there's any interest.

So if any of you can think of any other Clubs, groups or collectives of bikers that might be interested, either share the word or give me the details and I will give them the info.

Only 120 more sleeps!

 

[marcopol]

Suggested Routes

Been speaking to a Swiss mate of mine and he has given two suggested routes. One he says would not normally be on the major tourist routes. One is purely in Switzerland and the other is from Italy into Switzerland. Both obviously end up in Geneva.

All the CAPITAL names are mountain pass roads. Don’t do it during a weekend because any mountain road in Switzerland is busy with local bikers on the weekends.

Just Switzerland

Geneva – Nyon – St George – COL DE MARCHAIRUZ - Vallee de Joux – COL DE MOLLENDRUZ – Bulle – JAUNPASS – Interlaken – SUSTENPASS – Wassen – Realp – FURKAPASS – Ulrichen – NUFENENPASS – Airolo – Biasca – Olivone – LUKMANIERPASS – Disentis – Ilanz – Valendas – Rhine river canyon road – Bonaduz – Thusis – Filisur – ALBULAPASS – Samedan – Pontresina – BERNINAPASS – Posciavo – (Italy) Tirano – Bormio – PASSO DEL STELVIO – (Switzerland) UMBRAILPASS – Sta. Maria – PASSE DEL FUORN – Zernez – FLUELAPASS – Davos – Landquart – Buchs – Wildhaus – Wattwil – RICKENPASS – Glarus – KLAUSENPASS – Altdorf – Stans – Giswil – GLAUBENBUEHLPASS – Langnau – Bern – Geneva


Entering Switzerland from Italy

Enter Switzerland on the easter shore of Lake Maggiore and follow it towards Switzerland - Bellinzona - Biasca – Olivone – LUKMANIERPASS – Disentis – Ilanz – Valendas – Rhine river canyon road – Bonaduz – Thusis – Filisur – ALBULAPASS – Zernez (stay the night) – FLUELAPASS – Davos – Landquart – Buchs – Wildhaus – Wattwil – RICKENPASS – Glarus – KLAUSENPASS – Altdorf – Wassen – SUSTENPASS – Interlaken (stay the night) – Boltigen – JAUNPASS – Broc (Vist Cailler Chocolate factory and the old town of Gruyere) from there, two options:

Option 1: Bulle - Chexbres – Epesses – Riex (road through the vineyards of Lavaux) – Lausanne – - Geneva

Option 2: Bulle – Orbe – Vallorbe – Le Brassus – COL DE MARCHAIRUZ – Morges - Geneva

 

[marcopol]

Routes

Sorry I could not get the routes to appear on the maps (They were drawn using a PC mouse)

 

[Betty Swollocks]

Money Time!

End of March and I think Summer starts tomorrow.... but that's also the time agreed to pay the balances for those who haven't already done so.

I will be dropping a group email out tonight to remind you all.

Also another place taken by the Belfast Flyers.... but I'd appreciate it if we could keep plugging this for me to try to fill the last spots...... spread the good news if you will!

Updated list.......



Truck 1.

1. Betty Swollocks
2. David McClean
3. Yosarian
4. Dakar
5. Mike H
6. Brent
7. Paul Murray
8. William Harvey
9. Hutchy
10. Ken Fearn
11. Shuck Raider / Jockser
12. John Twigg
13. Samuel Twigg
14. Pat G
15. Joanne B
16. Martin Breen
17. Sven-E
18. Marcopol


Truck 2

1. mgpaulie
2. Michael Gill
3. John Coyle
4. Davy McLaughlin
5. Belfast Flyers
6. Belfast Flyers
7. Belfast Flyers
8. Belfast Flyers

 

[hutchy]

Last year I had a loose plan.
France, Italy, Ferry to Croatia (booked the night before I flew out). Home via the Dolomites.

Did it all, solo. Miles were quite big most days.


Promised myself I'd have a plan for 2015.... So far it's only that I still plan to learn a little Italian and do less miles per day and stay in the mountain regions of Italy, which were very friendly.

But then again,,I've never been to Austria!

So I will be watching this for inspiration...

What he said

Hutch

 

[Betty Swollocks]

TRIP NOW CLOSED TO NEW TAKERS

Due to the lack of take-up on truck 2, which was heading out to Geneva 10 bikes short, leaving a loss of almost £4000, it has now been pulled.

As stated in the earlier posts, this is not a commercial venture, just one member of the forum taking a busman's unpaid holiday. Andy has had to make the tough decision to run it with a single truck and 18 bikes only.

So it has had to go to the first 18 takers in the previous posts, with one exception. Andy has binned the 3 Belfast Flyers Club members, which means 4 of our list have sadly had a very disapointing phone call.





mgpaulie's group of 4 were split in the middle and 2 have had to be dropped off the list. But in true biker spirit, they are not letting it stop their holiday. They have recruited a 5th rider to their group.
2 are going as normal, one is flying out to Geneva and hiring a bike (for not much more cost than the £380 it is costing to ship your bike out ).
The last one is being joined by their new pal and they are both sailing Rosslare to Cherbourg and meeting the rest of their group in France near Geneva.




BS

 

[shuck raider]

That's too bad about the second truck, Stevie, but I'm glad I got in early

 

[Betty Swollocks]

Not a nice thing making the calls....

The hiring option is still there and of course any luggage and riding gear can still be shipped out free of charge if required.

BS