That's great, Charlie.
Open invitation.... Day jaunt to France.... Saturday 25 September
- Thread starter Wapping
- Start date
That's great, Charlie.
Unfortunately me and mrs udders won't be able to make it either. 
Sorry peeps! It's our sons birthday on the 20th and the place where we were having his party have let us down on the weekend before and we now have to have it on the weekend of the 25th. 
Sorry again Richard. 1 more place available now I guess. 
Definately next time. I enjoyed the last one. 
Sorry peeps! It's our sons birthday on the 20th and the place where we were having his party have let us down on the weekend before and we now have to have it on the weekend of the 25th. Sorry again Richard. 1 more place available now I guess. Definately next time. I enjoyed the last one. 
dxtans
Registered user
mrs dxtans and myself can help out on the rear
dxtans
dxtans
Thank you dxtans and mrs dxtans.
I rode around the planned route today with ChasMill of this parish.
Will be making a change in the first leg. I had planned to take us up closer to Belgium but some of the very small country tracks (if that is not to grand a word) will make it too slow going with so many bikes.
A half hour coffee will still be at Bollezeel, then straight to the Agincourt museum. The museum is worth a look for EUR 5. There is a private cafe in the hamlet that seems to do sandwiches etc. but we didn't have time to try it. Still bring a packed lunch is my advice.
Then, back up to the coast at cap Griz Nez.
Cheers,
Richard
I rode around the planned route today with ChasMill of this parish.
Will be making a change in the first leg. I had planned to take us up closer to Belgium but some of the very small country tracks (if that is not to grand a word) will make it too slow going with so many bikes.
A half hour coffee will still be at Bollezeel, then straight to the Agincourt museum. The museum is worth a look for EUR 5. There is a private cafe in the hamlet that seems to do sandwiches etc. but we didn't have time to try it. Still bring a packed lunch is my advice.
Then, back up to the coast at cap Griz Nez.
Cheers,
Richard
Here are the final routes.
Chunnel to Bollezeel for coffee - about 30 miles - about an hour
Bolezeel to Agincourt museum / lunch - about 60 miles - about two hours
Agincourt to Cap Griz Nez for coffee - about 55 miles - about two hours
Cap Griz Nez cafe to Chunnel - about 16 miles - about half an hour
I have also lobbed in an emergency escape route from Agincourt (the furthest point on our jaunt) back to the Chunnel.
======
HINTS & TIPS
1. I have tried to find roads that are fun to ride and will give anyone who has not been to this (largely ignored) part of France a good look at what lies just off the motorway. There are no 'off-road' sections, though some short stretches are on true 'country' roads.... nothing you cannot ride on a FireBlade.
2. There are a lot of bikes / people on the jaunt, which is fine. But, we do need to keep half an eye on the clock and logistics.
3. Can everyone PLEASE arrive at Folkestone Chunnel entrance with a full tank of fuel. This will avoid us having staggered fuel stops mid-route.
There is fuel en-route for anyone whose bike cannot do 150 miles. It is not a problem as we stopped for someone with a shorter range bike on a similar jaunt earlier this year. Please let me know.
4. The Bollezeel coffee stop will have to be for about half an hour or we probably won't get to Agincourt on time. There are (I think) two cafes on the square. If it is pouring we will probably not all fit into one. Those of a peckish disposition may want to bring a mouthful to gobble up at the stop, perhaps. There is a small baker's but the gannet locals will probably have descended before we arrive!
5. The museum runs an English commentary every 30 minutes, on the hour and half hour. It only takes about 15 minutes and is probably worth watching.
6. If we run very short of time we can miss out Cap Griz Nez (there is a cafe earlier) and make our way back to the Chunnel by a slightly shorter route.
7. I have no fall back plans if it is loshing with rain. We are going to get wet. It is difficult to shorten the route without it simply being a series of reasonably main roads, which would rather defeat the object of going.
8. Following yesterday's recce, I have taken out the smallest minor roads (about a car wide) that criss-crossed the canals and dykes between Calais and Bollezeel; not because they were not rideable or dangerous, they were simply too left-right-right -right-left-left-right for us to make reliable progress.
I will do a UKGSer's jaunt in 2011 leaving them in as they are certainly quite fun.
9. We will definitely run the marker drop-off system and will run through it on the train. With so many bikes and quite possibly riders of mixed ability it is inevitable we will get spread over a mile or more at some point; which is fine. It's a social day out, not a race..,... Overtaking in the group is fine, just be reasonably courteous to people you do not know and have not ridden with before, please. Nobody wants to be untangling their bikes as it slows the day down for everyone.
10. I will do a roill-call post in the week, just so we know who is coming and to circulate my mobile no.
11. I think we are all on the same train, but may well end up in different carriages.
Let's try to all meet up in one carriage on the train, please.
DEFINITELY let's meet up at the first petrol station on the left after leaving the train. That way, we can be sure that everyone is together at the start.
12. I hope to be at the Chunnel about half an hour before check-in to have a coffee.
Cheers,
Richard
Chunnel to Bollezeel for coffee - about 30 miles - about an hour
Bolezeel to Agincourt museum / lunch - about 60 miles - about two hours
Agincourt to Cap Griz Nez for coffee - about 55 miles - about two hours
Cap Griz Nez cafe to Chunnel - about 16 miles - about half an hour
I have also lobbed in an emergency escape route from Agincourt (the furthest point on our jaunt) back to the Chunnel.
======
HINTS & TIPS
1. I have tried to find roads that are fun to ride and will give anyone who has not been to this (largely ignored) part of France a good look at what lies just off the motorway. There are no 'off-road' sections, though some short stretches are on true 'country' roads.... nothing you cannot ride on a FireBlade.
2. There are a lot of bikes / people on the jaunt, which is fine. But, we do need to keep half an eye on the clock and logistics.
3. Can everyone PLEASE arrive at Folkestone Chunnel entrance with a full tank of fuel. This will avoid us having staggered fuel stops mid-route.
There is fuel en-route for anyone whose bike cannot do 150 miles. It is not a problem as we stopped for someone with a shorter range bike on a similar jaunt earlier this year. Please let me know.
4. The Bollezeel coffee stop will have to be for about half an hour or we probably won't get to Agincourt on time. There are (I think) two cafes on the square. If it is pouring we will probably not all fit into one. Those of a peckish disposition may want to bring a mouthful to gobble up at the stop, perhaps. There is a small baker's but the gannet locals will probably have descended before we arrive!
5. The museum runs an English commentary every 30 minutes, on the hour and half hour. It only takes about 15 minutes and is probably worth watching.
6. If we run very short of time we can miss out Cap Griz Nez (there is a cafe earlier) and make our way back to the Chunnel by a slightly shorter route.
7. I have no fall back plans if it is loshing with rain. We are going to get wet. It is difficult to shorten the route without it simply being a series of reasonably main roads, which would rather defeat the object of going.
8. Following yesterday's recce, I have taken out the smallest minor roads (about a car wide) that criss-crossed the canals and dykes between Calais and Bollezeel; not because they were not rideable or dangerous, they were simply too left-right-right -right-left-left-right for us to make reliable progress.
I will do a UKGSer's jaunt in 2011 leaving them in as they are certainly quite fun.
9. We will definitely run the marker drop-off system and will run through it on the train. With so many bikes and quite possibly riders of mixed ability it is inevitable we will get spread over a mile or more at some point; which is fine. It's a social day out, not a race..,... Overtaking in the group is fine, just be reasonably courteous to people you do not know and have not ridden with before, please. Nobody wants to be untangling their bikes as it slows the day down for everyone.
10. I will do a roill-call post in the week, just so we know who is coming and to circulate my mobile no.
11. I think we are all on the same train, but may well end up in different carriages.
Let's try to all meet up in one carriage on the train, please.
DEFINITELY let's meet up at the first petrol station on the left after leaving the train. That way, we can be sure that everyone is together at the start.
12. I hope to be at the Chunnel about half an hour before check-in to have a coffee.
Cheers,
Richard
Roll call
Wapping (1)
NCPierce (2)
Mr & Mrs Brenchleyhibs (3) (4)
Mr & Mrs Wilburt (5) (6)
Mr & Mrs dxtans (7) (8)
Pablo666 (9)
Pablo666's friend (10)
Happy hour (11)
Billy no mates + mate (12) (13)
10 bikes - 13 persons, I think.
Plus three bikes and bods from Essex (Sideways, Terry GK and George Brown)
13 bikes - 16 persons
Wapping (1)
NCPierce (2)
Mr & Mrs Brenchleyhibs (3) (4)
Mr & Mrs Wilburt (5) (6)
Mr & Mrs dxtans (7) (8)
Pablo666 (9)
Pablo666's friend (10)
Happy hour (11)
Billy no mates + mate (12) (13)
10 bikes - 13 persons, I think.
Plus three bikes and bods from Essex (Sideways, Terry GK and George Brown)
13 bikes - 16 persons
Weather at the moment is sunny/cloudy most of the day with a few showers later
JackoUK
Registered user
I notice from the list that you're short on your limit of 15 bikes for the day. Does that mean you have room for one more on this jaunt? If so, I'd like to come along for the day, as it now looks as if I have the day free.
Cheers.
Delighted that you have a day free
It would be mean to say, no.
Run and get yourself a ticket for the 07:40 train, or you'll miss all the fun
LIST NOW DEFINITELY CLOSED, NO MATTER HOW BIG THE GAP IN ANYONE'S SOCIAL CALENDAR
FINAL ROLL CALL
Roll call
Wapping (1)
NCPierce (2)
Mr & Mrs Brenchleyhibs (3) (4)
Mr & Mrs Wilburt (5) (6)
Mr & Mrs dxtans (7) (8)
Pablo666 (9)
Pablo666's friend (10)
Happy hour (11)
Billy no mates + mate (12) (13)
10 bikes - 13 persons, I think.
Plus three bikes and bods from Essex (Sideways, Terry GK and George Brown)
13 bikes - 16 persons
....and JackoUK, hereafter known as Late-O (though his real name is Dave).
14 bikes - 17 persons
Roll call
Wapping (1)
NCPierce (2)
Mr & Mrs Brenchleyhibs (3) (4)
Mr & Mrs Wilburt (5) (6)
Mr & Mrs dxtans (7) (8)
Pablo666 (9)
Pablo666's friend (10)
Happy hour (11)
Billy no mates + mate (12) (13)
10 bikes - 13 persons, I think.
Plus three bikes and bods from Essex (Sideways, Terry GK and George Brown)
13 bikes - 16 persons
....and JackoUK, hereafter known as Late-O (though his real name is Dave).
14 bikes - 17 persons
Have a great day!
Thank you.
I will do some more next year, for sure.
Operation Stack
Via a circuitous route I have just been told that Kent police will be enacting an Operation Stack procedure this evening, where delayed ferry or train bound lorries are be 'stacked' along the M20.
The news is genuine, too.
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2010/september/23/operation_stack_will_be_put_in.aspx
This will effect junction 11A, which is the Chunnel entrance.
It is usually not a big problem for motorcycles, though diversions onto the A20 will be in place. Punters might think about adding a few minutes to their journey time and / or checking on the web before departure.
Cheers
Richard
Via a circuitous route I have just been told that Kent police will be enacting an Operation Stack procedure this evening, where delayed ferry or train bound lorries are be 'stacked' along the M20.
The news is genuine, too.
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2010/september/23/operation_stack_will_be_put_in.aspx
This will effect junction 11A, which is the Chunnel entrance.
It is usually not a big problem for motorcycles, though diversions onto the A20 will be in place. Punters might think about adding a few minutes to their journey time and / or checking on the web before departure.
Cheers
Richard
..... or is it.....??
Latest information is "Plans to put Operation Stack into force on the M20 today have been cancelled, Kent Police said today. Officers were preparing to begin the first stages of implementing phase one due to industrial action in Calais at 7am. But early this morning they revealed the operation would not take place."
So it looks like it should be a smooth run down the M20 tomorrow morning. I'll aim to be there in plenty of time anyway for my 7.50 departure. Me and Mrs Brenchleyhibs are looking forward to meeting you all
Andy
Latest information is "Plans to put Operation Stack into force on the M20 today have been cancelled, Kent Police said today. Officers were preparing to begin the first stages of implementing phase one due to industrial action in Calais at 7am. But early this morning they revealed the operation would not take place."
So it looks like it should be a smooth run down the M20 tomorrow morning. I'll aim to be there in plenty of time anyway for my 7.50 departure. Me and Mrs Brenchleyhibs are looking forward to meeting you all
Andy
Yup, the website has been updated since this morning.
The French have apologised and all is well.
The French have apologised and all is well.
I was in Paris yesterday on biz. In spite of the horror stories being put about by the lazy French (having to retire at 62 in ten years time and working a punishing 30 hour week), the city was a joy with plenty of cabs to ferry me around between meetings and the Eurostar working perfectly.
Routes transferred and bike checked. See you all in the morning.
Just got to decide what to wear and which tank bag to take
Just got to decide what to wear and which tank bag to take
LBL
Registered user
Have a good un all.
Love to be there but meeting a certain Worthing Welsh at Bahnstormers then having a french lesson myself
enjoy
Love to be there but meeting a certain Worthing Welsh at Bahnstormers then having a french lesson myself
enjoy
Lets just say that we had a few interesting moments! A depleted number were last seen heading for the train.
It was dry all day until I left them to head to St Omer. Currently availing myself of the free Wifi in the Ibis with un grand pression.
It was dry all day until I left them to head to St Omer. Currently availing myself of the free Wifi in the Ibis with un grand pression.
LBL
Registered user
Get round to the Vic Nigel, twas rocking in there two weeks ago, lots of young ladies consuming funny drinks
