Blackpool?

[Dicky Ticker]

Any of you lot fancy a wee trip south for a night out in Blackpool

Trying to generate a bit of interest from down south so depending on this from both ends a date could be set

[Anonymous]

could be interested. sort it all out and tell me what date and ill see if i can get a sitter

[Kilted Ginger]

I could be up for that, what date r u planning mac?

Ah the 5th November,I'm on holiday the fortnight before but should be back in time for this.

If its an overnighter I'd prefer to go down sat, :drink: - :pig: - :smt030 - :makelurve: , pleasure beach-illumination ride (http://forums.sv650.org/viewtopic.php?t=45095) then shoot up the road sunday night :riding: .

However if everyone else prefers to go down sunday and back monday I'll just get up really early and blat straight to work on the monday morning.

[Duck-man]

Yeah I could be up for that.

Any dates in mind?

[scooby2102]

me too depending on date, tis been almost 9 years since I was last there

let me know the proposed date and is it 1 or 2 nights ?

[Dicky Ticker]

Hopefully to join in with the parade on the 5th Nov--------------see Pennine entry re
Mrs Fud

I would probably ride up and stay either the Sat or Sun night depending which fits in with everybody elses plans

I was thinking Travelodge[Family room] and sharing £56/4=£14 PER HEAD

[Kilted Ginger]

We might need to get numbers organised for this soon mac in order to get rooms, etc, dont know how busy the place will be on the last night. Can we find out from a local if we are going to strugle for accomodation etc?
So Ecosse peeps, we probably need to decide and confirm soon. Worst case scenario it'll only cost £15 (room booking) if we pull out later.

Was quiet at work this morning so here, meekly submitted for your learned perusal is a wee (very rough ) route, someone with autoroute can come up with a polished version or tell me to bin this entirely.

Meet at Cumbernauld (central)
A73 - Newmains - Carluke, A724 - Carstairs, A70 - Carnwath, B7016 Libberton - Biggar, A702 / A72 Skirling, A701 - Moffat (fuel and food) (Depending on weather and feeling we can hit M74 -M6- M55 straight to Blackpool or)
M74- Carlisle, A595 - Bothel, A591 - Keswick - Windermere, A592 Newby Bridge(fuel and food), A590 / A6 Carnforth - Lancaster,(again motorway option here) A588 - Colkerham - Hambleton, A585 Es*****, M55 Blackpool.
Using my map and slide rule I reckon this is about 250 miles so probably about 6 hrs inc stops where as the motorway route is roughly 205 so probably just over 3 hours, but getting there is half the fun.

If its decent weather this should be a good run, if its poor then the direct motorway route is always an option and if its really bad I'd imagine our numbers would dwindle rapidly :roll:

[stuartyboy]

Might be up for this...

Be good to go back down and savour the smell of chips again.

[colinbal4]

Count me in, I would prefer go down Saturday and back Sunday too. Avoiding the motorways wherever possible sounds good.

[scooby2102]

****e, thats the last weekend of the brum bike show, take its defo that date ?

[colinbal4]

Well how about we take the Friday off work, ride down to Brum, take in the Bike show on the Saturday, then up to Blackpool on the Saturday night ready for the parade on the Sunday??

[Dicky Ticker]

Any advance?

[northwind]

Don't think I can make it :(

[Kilted Ginger]

That looks like 4 then
Stuarty Boy
Colinbal4
Duck-Man
Me.

Anyone else fancy it??

This is only 4 weeks away now, so we probably need to get accomodation organised etc, I'll PM Mac and see if he is organising one place for all of sv.org or if its a book your own and meet up down there.

[Dicky Ticker]

Just checked Premier Travel Lodge Blackpool Central £106 for two family rooms

That would be for you 4 plus myself=5 £22 each Middle of the town,walking or
staggering distance from town/prom


What do you think??

[Duck-man]

Yeah sounds good,

What dates?

Travel on 3rd, back on the 5th

or is it other dates?

I am starting a new job on monday (9th Oct) so i will have to ask very nicely if i need time off :D

[Dicky Ticker]

Let me know what you all decide as soon as possible

I would rather ride up Sat4th/overnight/back on Sun5th,---BUT--if we wanted I have no problem with staying the 5th aswell and coming home Monday

[Kilted Ginger]

Leisurely ride down saturday 4th
Back up on Sunday night after the fireworks would suit me best, (working monday)

[colinbal4]

I agree with Kilted Ginger on the dates, and they are in the diary so I'm definately coming.

Don't mind sharing a room, but would prefer not to share a bed (unless Kiera Knightly happens to take a fancy to me! :makelurve:). Take earplugs though, after a drink I :smt015 like hell!

How many beds does a travel inn family room have?

Stuart are you coming? Duck-man, waddya think?

[Duck-man]

If its down on sat and back on sun, i am cool with that!

Just wondering if I needed to try and sweet talk my new employers but if its a sat sun run then no probs!! Its in my diary!

:D

[Kilted Ginger]

Just got a PM from Mac, he couldnt get the travel lodge he wanted but ahs got us boked in about 15 miles / mins from blackpool at £25pp apx.
Think on the sat we can either get a joe in and back from BP or find local entertainment and sun we can go in on the bikes pre illuminations run.
If this doesn't suit anyone raise your hand now so we can re-evaluate now. If any of you have a Little gem in blackpool that would suit better now's the time to check availability and let us know.
I would post a query in the relevant section asking for help from the local sv's but I've no idea which section of the forum covers blackpool.

ANyway if theres no advance on this Then we will go for macs travel lodge and a big vote of thanks for all his efforts in organising this :notworthy:

[Dicky Ticker]

One of the major problems with finding accom [cheap] in the central part of Blackpool is secure parking,as the smaller establishments don't seem to offer parking facilities. Getting a bus/public transport in and a cab back is a good option for the Sat night

Sorry for not being able to get a Lodge nearer but within 48hrs of looking all available rooms had gone in the local/central vacinity,everybody must be booking up this weekend

[Kilted Ginger]

I've done a bit phoning (2hrs) around this morning and have managed to get 4 single rooms here (http://www.whitemoon-hotel.co.uk/) with a very nice lady called Babs, the rooms are not ensuite but there is a wc/shower shared between 2 rooms on each floor (so like an ensuite twin) £20pp B&B
The hotel does not have parking but directly oposite is a carpark that charges £5 per space per night but Babs knows the owner and is going to get a price for the 4 bikes and thinks she might even be able to get them garaged.
i called mac to let him know.

DEFINATE NUMBERS. I will book for 4 this afternoon unless i hear otherwise, Mac + 3 of us, If we want 5 Places booked I need to know today and once its booked it needs to be paid for if you make it or not.

Let me know how this sounds.

[Duck-man]

Hey guys!

Sorry I am in the middle of changing jobs!

Whats the plan with acc? Has kilted ginger booked for 4 of us?

or justmacsv650 done it?

Cheers

[Dicky Ticker]

KILTED G is booking the b&b and once it is confirmed I will cancel the other one

So far 4 definite Mac,KG,DUCK and ColinB

[colinbal4]

have managed to get 4 single rooms with a very nice lady called Babs

Single rooms for 20 quid! Brilliant, thanks for sorting that out!! :D :riding: :drink: :smt015

I'll have a dig though an atlas tonight and post up a few ideas for the route. The one Kilted Ginger has posted looks good in the main, but there a few tweaks we can make, such as taking a brilliant road in from the A6 at Garstang thru Poulton le Fylde (I used to live there!!) and into Blackpool hence avoiding the M55.

[colinbal4]

someone with autoroute can come up with a polished version or tell me to bin this entirely


With the accomodation sorted, thought I'd better do some of the work and have a look at the route. The route KG has posted above is basically a good one, but I'd like to propose a couple of wee changes.

(1)

The first section of motorway is bugging me, 'cos there's no sensible way around it unless you make a detour thru Dumfries (A701/A75), and is that just a detour for the sake of a detour?

Do we need to include a 50 mile section of Motorway to keep the journey time reasonable though?

How about Kilted Ginger and I ride down and meet Duck-Man at Peebles (probably more convenient going South from Edinburgh anyway), then pick up the A7 at Selkirk and ride straight to Carlisle via Hawick?

(2)

The A591 past Windermere turns into a Caravan strewn dual carriageway and there's nothing much exciting about the A6 down to Lancaster. How about we take the A684 across M6 J37, then follow A683 back to J34, stopping at Devils Bridge near Kirby Lonsdale (big bikers meet up point, but it went through a phase of crawling with police checking tyres, pipes, etc, which could just be a delay we don't need, need to check out what its like nowadays). We can then either pick up KG's route thru Lancaster and on to Hambleton, or motorway hop down to J33 then into Blackpool via Garstang, Gt Eccleston and Poulton le Fylde.

Any of these variations could of course be done on the way back.

If the weather is bad we can decide on the day if we want to motorway hack a large part of it.

Don't worry about the M55, I used to live in Poulton le Fylde and went to college in Blackpool, and I started my biking and driving career on those roads. I know it well and can lead us in from any approach.

I'll stick the options through Autoroute and post them up with times, distances fuel stops, etc.

[Kilted Ginger]

Confirmation, Blackpool, 4th - 5th November

Thats the accomodation and bike parking booked, managed to get the bikes in a garage (i'll still be taking my chain though) near to the B&B
:D £20pppn for the B&B, £2pppb for the garage 8)
I've paid the deposit.

Mac, I've booked you 2 nights as requested in both the B&B and Garage so you can cancel the travel lodge.

Colin / Kev, you can organise which ever route and meet up point suits (remember to organise a meeting point / time with mac) as I'll not be about much the 2 weeks prior, just remember to let me know :wink: If you were thinking galashiels Colin, would we not be as well to hit the bypass and all meet at Dobbies on Gilmerton Road?

For the ride down I'm quite happy to do as many scenic :riding: miles as you both want but we probably want to hit blackpol about 3-4ish (and meet Mac) to give us time to get checked in bikes locked up etc then a bite to eat and some light refreshment :drink:
On the way home looks like a 9 or 10 pm leaving blackpool so probably a straightish run up M74, I start my new job on the Monday 07:30.

Mac said something about a garage / indy rave thingy that he fancied :rave: :lol: and I think hes organised to meet up with some of the triumph guys as well.

I'm really looking forward to this now.

[colinbal4]

Marc, PM me with the details if you need a cheque putting in the post for the deposit.

[Kilted Ginger]

:D 8) Its fine colin, used plastic card thingy so no "real" money involved, we can sort everything out on the day.
Hope the DIY's progressing well :wink:

[Dicky Ticker]

Bit of info for those concerned

The Royal Venue has a dress code which does not allow jeans or trainers

Me,it will be a pair of slacks[Chinos] and a casual shirt

If this doesn't suit everybody shout up now and we can look for someplace else for the night out

Mac

[colinbal4]

Not a problem, I'll go shopping!

Duck Man - wanna meet up at a pub somewhere halfway one night and pour over an atlas to finalise the route down to Blackpool?

[Duck-man]

Hey colinbal4,

Yeah sounds like a plan :D

When and where is good for you?

Cheers

Duckman

[colinbal4]

Duckman - Give me a call and we'll sort something out. I'll PM you a number.

Cheers

Col

[Duck-man]

Hello All!

Here is the route(ish) to go to Blackpool. I will try and post an exact map up so it makes more sense.

Meet at:

Tesco Filling Station
Hardengreen,
Bonnyrigg Rd,
Dalkeith,
Midlothian
EH22 3PP

For About 08:30

First Section:
Edinburgh – Carlisle Via Selkirk
Approximately: 91miles
Time: 1.5-2hrs

http://www.multimap.com/map/aproute.cgi?qs=q&starttime=09%3A00&client=public&itineraryxylist=332216%2C666079%3B347196%2C628863% 3B340325%2C555681&desc1=EH22+3PP&desc2=&lang=&rn=GB&rt=route.htm&input_rt=aproute_pan&startcountry=GB

Second Section
Carlisle – Kendal via Bothel
Approximately: 80miles
Time: 1.5-2hrs
http://www.multimap.com/map/aproute.cgi?qs=q&starttime=11%3A00&client=public&itineraryxylist=340325%2C555681%3B318086%2C538936% 3B351562%2C492747&desc1=Carlisle%2C+Cumbria&desc2=&lang=&rn=GB&rt=route.htm&input_rt=aproute_pan&startcountry=GB

Third Section
Kendal – Kirkby Lonsdale (Devils Bridge) – Blackpool Via Garstang.
Approximately: 50miles
Time: 1hrs

http://www.multimap.com/map/aproute.cgi?qs=q&starttime=13%3A16&client=public&itineraryxylist=351562%2C492747%3B360849%2C478960% 3B349361%2C445479%3B330566%2C436585&desc1=Kendal%2C+Cumbria&desc2=&lang=&rn=GB&rt=route.htm&input_rt=aproute_pan&startcountry=GB



Whatcha think?

[Duck-man]

Because pictures are easier!

Meet at tesco, Loanhead 830 then

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l256/KHatcher_2006/Section1.gif

then

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l256/KHatcher_2006/Section2.gif

and finally

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l256/KHatcher_2006/Section3.gif

Watcha think?

[colinbal4]

Looks good! I'll print out some colour maps and bring them with me on the day, I'll stick in some regrouping points in case we get split up.

[Duck-man]

Sorry its a bit rough :oops:

Trying to do it at (cough looks over shoulder) work.

I will look at a map tonight and right down clear instructions so we (hopefully) dont get lost :D

[Dicky Ticker]

I have been looking at the map/streetmap and there isn't any place where we could meet up, as it will be getting dark shortly after 4:00pm perhaps we should try to rendevous outside the hotel at 4:00pm. Can one of you confirm that this is ok? I will be leaving here at 10:00am and allowing for a few stops for hot drinks/eats incase it turns cold,so that gives me 6hours to get there

My route will be direct as possible
A120-M11-A14-M6-M6Toll-M6-M55-A583

LOOKING FORWARD TO A GOOD WEEKEND :wink:

[Duck-man]

Hey up!

Can you tell us where the B&B is? Post code wise? So we know where it is?

I don't have a problem meeting there at 4ish :D

I do have a problem with my bike! :x I had a new back tyre put on it a week ago last Friday and my mechanic told me that the spacers where missing from the rear wheel and as a consequence the bearings where grinding themselves up! Not good! So he order the parts from Suzuki and said they would be about a week! It has been just over a week and no sign of parts! :(

I also havnt had a chance to scrub the tyre in either (think my bike is a lil upset about nit being used cause i started her up no probs then turn her off went to put the cover on, put my hand under the exhaust and burnt my arm real bad! :( oops)

If i don't get the parts, the bike should not really be ridden (especially on such a long journey)

Sorry guys but if it ain't fixed by end of the week i cant go!

justmacsv650 if this is the case and i cant make it! PM ur address and i will refund the money for the B&B sorry!

[Dicky Ticker]

Oh I say Duckie :lol: It wasn't me who booked the hotel but Kilted Ginger so if anything goes amiss you will have to sort it out with him. Sorry to hear about your bike but can't Northy or somebody on the forum i.e. Rictus help you out with second hand bits,after all they are only spacers
so although new would be preferable not crucial---------------Just an idea. Somebody must have a rear wheel assembley knocking about

[colinbal4]

Hey Duck Man, PM northy and see if he can help you out!

[Dicky Ticker]

Ask and thou shalt receive

[northwind]

I've got all the spacers bar that one :(

[Duck-man]

Sorry guys this ain't looking good! :(

Part still hasn't arrived! Totally gutted! Was looking forward to the run down!

And having a few beers with you all would have been fun!

Douh!! I am still chasing my mechanic but there isn't alot he can do if Suzuki haven't delivered the parts :( And i still owe him money from my tyre fitment so its in his best interest to tell me ASAP when the parts arrive.

DOUH!!

Sorry guys!

If anyone is left out of pocket PM me and i will send you a cheque to cover the costs :(

[Dicky Ticker]

Are Colin and Marc still definitely going even if you don't get a spacer for d-mans bike in time????

I have been trying to phone Marc but with no avail----is every thing OK as I haven't seen him posting for the last couple of days

Cheers Mac

[colinbal4]

Nothing to worry about Mac.

Marc is on holiday, gets back late tomorrow night. He packed his bike before he left. I've just packed my tankbag tonight.

We'll meet you outside the B&B as arranged at 4pm on Saturday.

I'll PM you a mobile number, can you send yours back?

Thanks

[Duck-man]

Hey guys,

Bad news :(

I ain't gonna be able to make it!

Sorry for messing you r all about! :(


The parts haven't arrived yet! The mechanic is going to chase them but thinks they may arrive tomorrow which will be to late :(

Hope you guys have a good time and if you have to pay for any extras that are caused by me not being there please let me know and i will refund you.

Sorry