Travelling to Off Road School...

[Flipper_Man]

Off for the Level One course in Wales a week today. I'm working in Gaydon, Warwickshire at the moment and live near Bicester, Bucks. I was thinking of coming home first but looking at Google maps it looks like my trip from Gaydon (Around bottom of M42 and down M5) would be more interesting than hammering down the M4.......I dont mean the motorway bits - I'm meaning the A roads you go on after them...

So....question which route would you recommend....

1. Ross on Wye, Monmouth, Abergavenny
2. Hereford, Brecon

 

[Dave78]

Guessing if you're in Gaydon, are you a JLR or AM person?

 

[Flipper_Man]

Guessing if you're in Gaydon, are you a JLR or AM person?

Jaguar Land Rover.....I'm trying to persuade 'em to make an off-road bike....

 

[GreatScott]

It's awhile since I've ridden the A40 but I recall the bit from Ross to Abergavenny is nothing special but once you hit the Brecon Beacons, especially the drop down to Ystradgynlais is lovely.

 

[Timpo]

So....question which route would you recommend....

You're booked on an 'off-road' course, and asking about the on-road navigation to get there........ un-fucking-believable!
Who wipes your shitter every morning for you.......?
You Southern f*ckers (Oxford!) make me laugh!


Timpo.

PS. Is it only 1200 owners that know the answer to your mammoth quest?

 

[Big Nick]

You're booked on an 'off-road' course, and asking about the on-road navigation to get there........ un-fucking-believable!
Who wipes your shitter every morning for you.......?
You Southern f*ckers (Oxford!) make me laugh!


Timpo.

PS. Is it only 1200 owners that know the answer to your mammoth quest?

I think he was asking whether the route he suggested were good biking roads having not ridden them before??

Never mind you had a good rant though and slagged off someone you've never met so all will be good in your world

 

[Timpo]

I think he was asking whether the route he suggested were good biking roads having not ridden them before??

Never mind you had a good rant though and slagged off someone you've never met so all will be good in your world

Dude, no rant but I try to kickstart folk to use the grey matter inside their heads......
If you want to wipe their ring-piece, help yourself.
And, you've not mentioned the 'only 1200' attachment...... hmmmm!
FFS, how hard is it to google the fecking world now and find info about any country..... but is there a 'G-void' between Oxford and.... erm, South Wales!

A40 and A44..... both shite roads but easy to follow..... HTH!


Timpo.

 

[Flipper_Man]

You're booked on an 'off-road' course, and asking about the on-road navigation to get there........ un-fucking-believable!
Who wipes your shitter every morning for you.......?
You Southern f*ckers (Oxford!) make me laugh!


Timpo.

PS. Is it only 1200 owners that know the answer to your mammoth quest?

Little 'up-tight' arent we ?
I wasn't thinking of riding off road for 170miles.....not on the way 'to' the course anyway....
Lancashire for the first 18yrs - so not quite the Southern shandy you think.....
1200 owners only ? Nope - just my usual posting ground and my question didn't seem right in the travel or twisty road sections....just asking my fellow bikers to see if they had an opinion.

I'm sure your round the world epic journeys and massive mileage make my journey look rather pathetic to you. I'm looking forward to it - I do 20-30k a year on my bike through all weather (except snow) to get to my job, this is just for pleasure for once.

Thanks to others for their comments.

 

[Timpo]

(except snow)

Light-weight ....... you need some black-pudding again!

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

Mmmmm Dandelion & Burdock

 

[mrsroynie]

I may have missed it, but I don't think you mention how you are travelling. Your mention of trying to find an 'interesting' route makes me wonder if you are traveling by bike.

If I'm right, I would strongly advise you to think again. The ORS course, even Level 1, is very demanding physically. Comparatively few people (considering it is a bike course) actually arrive on two wheels. Believe me, you'll be knackered after a day flinging someone else's bike around the forest fire roads. It is a lot of fun, but the guys who had traveled by bike mostly regretted the decision by the end of the course, and some even opted to stay an extra night.

My only other word of advice is, EAT: breakfast (even if you don't normally), lunch and dinner. You're going to need those carbs.

Enjoy yourself. Roynie and I are looking forward to booking a level 2 course next year.

 

[Nutty]

I may have missed it, but I don't think you mention how you are travelling. Your mention of trying to find an 'interesting' route makes me wonder if you are traveling by bike.

If I'm right, I would strongly advise you to think again. The ORS course, even Level 1, is very demanding physically. Comparatively few people (considering it is a bike course) actually arrive on two wheels. Believe me, you'll be knackered after a day flinging someone else's bike around the forest fire roads. It is a lot of fun, but the guys who had traveled by bike mostly regretted the decision by the end of the course, and some even opted to stay an extra night.

My only other word of advice is, EAT: breakfast (even if you don't normally), lunch and dinner. You're going to need those carbs.

Enjoy yourself. Roynie and I are looking forward to booking a level 2 course next year.

I'm glad I went by car when I went last year Don't know how I would have got the bike home otherwise

 

[Timpo]

I'm glad I went by car when I went last year Don't know how I would have got the bike home otherwise

Even going to trail rides in North Wales, I will take the van or LR/trailer combo. Not only for if I have a problem, but if others do on my trail rides, we can get the bike recovered back to the start point.
It is nice to make a event meeting a 100% biking affair, but think about it, it's your level 1, so is it your first venture of tarmac, so a risk assessment will tell you that damage or injury is a strong possibility..... and then there is the fatigue!
If you do go 100% by bike, and you do damage your bike, best read the small print on your 'breakdown' insurance, especially the section on 'accident damage' and using the machine 'off-road'.

Enjoy.

T.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Even going to trail rides in North Wales, I will take the van or LR/trailer combo. Not only for if I have a problem, but if others do on my trail rides, we can get the bike recovered back to the start point.
It is nice to make a event meeting a 100% biking affair, but think about it, it's your level 1, so is it your first venture of tarmac, so a risk assessment will tell you that damage or injury is a strong possibility..... and then there is the fatigue!
If you do go 100% by bike, and you do damage your bike, best read the small print on your 'breakdown' insurance, especially the section on 'accident damage' and using the machine 'off-road'.

Enjoy.

T.

I think his bike will be staying shiny

I agree with you Timpo, after some offroad days, it's hard enough to walk let alone ride home

I use the van or if I do ride out from home it's usually only 150 mile round trip & easy lanes


Take the car

 

[Flipper_Man]

Good points on taking the bike - that's what I was intending, and yes - that's why I was interested in the route to get there.

In terms of using my bike - the course provide a bike so no worried there. With regard to the 'shinyness' of my bike - I did wash it off last weekend - I thought it deserved it after 4000miles....

Definite considering car to get me there now - especially as I was also considering Somerset Sunday night and then up to Gaydon Monday morning for work......might not be able to walk Monday evening otherwise !

 

[Andy B]

This would be my take on a route. I'm doing it from memory so it might need some refining.

From Gaydon I'd pop over to Kineton and then find a way across towards Ettington to pick up the Fosse Way. Bomb down to Stow on the Wold and take a right at the first traffic lights, and then immediately left. That will take you due west to Tewkesbury. From there, M50 to Ross, Abergavenny, Merthyr, Neath.*

If you've got time, it's nice to go up to Brecon and do the north side of the Brecons too. I think this is the nicer way to go and would be my choice, but then I'd be starting further north than you!

You'll be knackered by the end and probably just want a relaxed ride home!

Have a great time!

 

[APE]

Defo go in the car - one of the most knackering things I have done and also hurt my foot on the second day. Also take the day after off work to chill out

 

[mrsroynie]

If you do go 100% by bike, and you do damage your bike, best read the small print on your 'breakdown' insurance, especially the section on 'accident damage' and using the machine 'off-road'.

TBH I'd be surprised if using your own bike on the course is even an option. The School have the whole range of BMW off road/enduro bikes to choose from and the number one rule is, if you are losing it, just let the bike go rather than risk injury. And if you do break one of their bikes (as long as you weren't doing anything stupidly reckless as to get yourself thrown off the course) they'll simply push it into the back of their van and give you another. It is strangely liberating not to have to worry about dropping your bike. Everyone does it at some point and, for that reason, the School remove the most vulnerable bits like wing mirrors and use flexible number plates.

Another piece of advice, have you thought of personal injury insurance? You may be covered under an existing policy, but the ORS course would probably be considered a high risk activity, so it may be worth checking it out in advance. We're in a potentially awkward situation, being resident in France, so took out a standalone policy for the duration of the course with Harrison Beaumont.

 

[Big Nick]

Even going to trail rides in North Wales, I will take the van or LR/trailer combo. Not only for if I have a problem, but if others do on my trail rides, we can get the bike recovered back to the start point.
It is nice to make a event meeting a 100% biking affair, but think about it, it's your level 1, so is it your first venture of tarmac, so a risk assessment will tell you that damage or injury is a strong possibility..... and then there is the fatigue!
If you do go 100% by bike, and you do damage your bike, best read the small print on your 'breakdown' insurance, especially the section on 'accident damage' and using the machine 'off-road'.

Enjoy.

T.

There you go, doesnt that feel better

It's nice to be nice

 

[Wierpig]

If you can drive,surely you can ride.Why take a car when you can ride?