Wapping's Wanders 2013 - 20/21 April - Beginners only jaunt across the water

[Greg Masters]

and the tai lender ..

Anyone we know?

Could they help out in Cyprus?

 

[Wapping]

Anyone we know?

Could they help out in Cyprus?

I believe they are down by the Cypriot naval docks already....

Love you long time....

 

[Wapping]

My advance recon unit is reporting queues and one hour delays... There again, that may be just to get into their bathroom at home

 

[Wapping]

Hey ho, let's go....

I have the following bods down on the list:

DEFINITE
Wapping
Kimbo
Begra
Denz0
Suntman & wife
dxtans & wife
Brenchleyhibs & wife

Seven bikes, three pillions, ten bods. Perfect

LIST CLOSED

Those that are subscribers to UKGSer I will send a PM to, just to remind them.

Those that aren't I will just have to hope that they see this thread.

Just to remind everyone:

Train out SATURDAY 20 April 07:50

Train back SUNDAY 21 April 18:20

Anyone coming from Norfolk or equally far away, suggest you get up VERY early or come down the evening before. A popular place to stay seems to be:

Premier Inn - Folkestone (Channel Tunnel) - Cherry Garden Lane, Folkestone, Kent CT19 4AP - 0871 527 8400

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=fol...ear=Folkestone,+Kent,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=15

As usual:

(1) Please can everyone get on the train with a ful tank of petrol. There will be fuel en-route but it makes sure we all start off at a common point.

(2) I will be in the travellers' 'experience' waiting area thing in good time before our 07:50 departure. Not sure what bike I will be riding and I don't own a GS.... so don't go looking for one

(3) I will let all the subscribed members of UKGSer have my mobile no.

(4) It's a very good idea to have with you:

• Valid passport
• Valid V5
• Valid driving licence (both parts)
• Valid Motor insurance certificate
• A spare key for the bike (preferably not locked into a pannier)
• Valid breakdown / recovery insurance
• Valid Personal Travel Insurance
• Valid EHIC card
• A mobile phone, activated for Continental travel, voice and text
• A charger for the phone, preferably one that plugs into funny 'foreign' sockets
• Some local cash
• A credit or debit card

(5) I will book our hotel for the Saturday night

(6) We will use the marker 'drop off' system. I will run through it with everyone. Nobody need get lost.

(7) It may well still be cold and / or raining; prepare accordingly. The only thing that I will NOT be going in is driving snow. If it snows when we are there, that's tough, we'll sort something out.

(8) Where are we going? No idea yet, I want to keep half an eye on the likely weather. But, I am very conscious that this is a beginners' trip. We will ride a good cross section of roads. Some might be narrow but there will be no deliberate off-roading or goat tracks. In short, nothing I would not ride on a 1600 GT, a FireBlade or a bicycle.

(9) I will make sure everyone knows where we will be going BEFORE we go.

I think that’s it.

Richard

 

[GS Paddy]

hi, I'm new here. I see you are full on this trip, but would love to come along if someone drops out or maybe on the next trip.
Best,
Steve

 

[Wapping]

Hi GS Paddy,

Leave it with me.

I am just waiting to hear from the hotel, who are being remarkably slow.

If I can get an extra room, you're in.

Richard

BUT THAT'S IT LIST CLOSED

 

[GS Paddy]

great, thanks. Hope it works out.

Steve

 

[Wapping]

This is the sort of thing I have in mind for the Saturday morning, between leaving the train and arriving at Cap Gris Nez. It's about 80 miles.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr...H0B5-cpa-FIKlVpqmBZxZA&cbp=11,255.67,,0,-2.05

I am fiddlling around with hotels, so not sure what will go on during Saturday afternoon..... or Sunday

 

[Wapping]

OK, we now have rooms for everyone.....

DEFINITE

Single rooms
Wapping
Kimbo
Begra
Denz0
GS Paddy

Double rooms
Stuntman & wife
dxtans & wife
Brenchleyhibs & wife


I had hoped to book us into a choice of about three Logis hotels I had in mind but the number of rooms we needed made it all but impossible.

Anyway, never mind we will stay in an Ibis at Boulogne instead.

Hotel ibis Boulogne sur Mer Centre Cathedrale

http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-1367-ibis-boulogne-sur-mer-centre-cathedrale/index.shtml

• I have secured our booking with my credit card
  
• I have reserved us enough space in the carpark

So that's that, done.

I now will sort us out somewhere to eat on Saturday night and a route for Sunday.

Richard

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

(4) It's a very good idea to have with you:

• Valid passport
• Valid V5
• Valid driving licence (both parts)
• Valid Motor insurance certificate
• A spare key for the bike (preferably not locked into a pannier)
• Valid breakdown / recovery insurance
• Valid Personal Travel Insurance
• Valid EHIC card
• A mobile phone, activated for Continental travel, voice and text
• A charger for the phone, preferably one that plugs into funny 'foreign' sockets
• Some local cash
• A credit or debit card

Are spare bulbs not mandatory in France?

 

[Wapping]

Are spare bulbs not mandatory in France?

Nope.

Or if they are, I have never had any, nor been asked to produce any, despite being stopped more than once I don't intend to start carrying them either. If a bulb goes.... ride to a garage and buy another, it's what a French bod would do.

Probably are in a car, along with a warning triangle, yellow bib, a rolled up copy of Le Figaro and 20 Gauloise (no matches).

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

Nope.

Or if they are, I have never had any, nor been asked to produce any, despite being stopped more than once I don't intend to start carrying them either. If a bulb goes.... ride to a garage and buy another, it's what a French bod would do.

Probably are in a car, along with a warning triangle, yellow bib, a rolled up copy of Le Figaro and 20 Gauloise (no matches).

Excellent. Actually, now you mention it I wasn't asked by French Plod for proof I had bulbs when I was stopped last year.

 

[kimbo]

All booked on the train........ Won't tell you how much it cost as I left it to the last minute

Thank again Richard

 

[GS Paddy]

Train booked. Also stung for an arm and a leg. Really looking forward to it. Thanks Richard.

Steve

 

[Wapping]

Hoorah

As the weather seems to be picking up, I may for us to take a packed lunch for Saturday, stoping at a picnic spot we have used before. This will give us a bit more flexibility. Let's take a view in a fortnight or so's time.

I have worked out several alternative routes, each subject to the weather. Again, I'll ping them up nearer the time.

For anyone who is interested, I will bring three different maps with me, each of the same area but very different to look at. It will give anyone who is really new to riding abroad and / plotting routes a good idea of what different maps (beyond Google maps and Mapsource) offer. Before long you'll have me out of a job.... Which is what I hope

Richard

 

[kimbo]

Is anyone staying in the Premier Inn the night before?

I might.....not beacuase I live a million miles away but beacause I am a lazy git

 

[kimbo]

No one? Oh well, it's pizza and a brass for one then

 

[Wapping]

Right ho, the medium range weather forecast looks OK, not scorchio but apparently dry.

That's good news as we can go for a packed lunch idea on Saturday and (maybe) Sunday, too. I will amend the routes to take in this idea and post them up on THURSDAY evening.

If everyone can at least bring something for their lunch, that woud be great.

There having been no cry-off's I will reconfirm our five single and three double rooms at the hotel.

Richard

 

[kimbo]

Right ho, the medium range weather forecast looks OK, not scorchio but apparently dry.

Cold is fine, it's the dry that's the important thing for me!

 

[Wapping]

One day early, as I remembered I am out with assorted Tossers tomorrow night.

Here are the routes, Mapsource file of four routes, hosted on Dropbox

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14126843/Beginers'ride April 2013.gdb

Richard