Foreign jollies
 

There was some talk on Tuesday evening of both trips abroad, and weekends camping, at which I mentioned a couple of things I already have in the calendar over the summer.

First up, as I've mentioned in years gone by, is the classic bike races at Chimay in Belgium. Basic idea is a bunch of blokes old enough to know better (or not) belt ancient bikes (ranging from scrap metal with girder forks to the odd KR1-S) round a closed public road circuit like their lives do or don't depend on it, depending on your outlook. It runs from Friday (practice and beer) through Saturday (races and beer) to Sunday (races and more beer) and entry costs about 25 quid including camping. Beer is usually the likes of Maes and the three local brews, as you'd expect, and they lay on a decent band each night. We usually do a tunnel crossing on the Thursday or Friday night, then back on Sunday evening or Monday afternoon, depending on days booked off. A good time is had by all and we go back every year.

After that comes the Belgian Classic TT at Gedinne, also in Belgium. Much like Chimay, but on a smaller scale. It's roughly the same deal, but runs only on Saturday and Sunday, with practice in the morning and races in the afternoon. Entry and camping for the weekend is a tenner. We did Gedinne for the first time last year and if anything it's better than Chimay. Same kind of thing but waaaay more friendly.

Once you've factored in the tunnel crossing (60 quid return), fuel (another 80 quid or so) and entry (25 quid tops) you're looking at a weekend away, with a 600 mile round trip on the continent, for not a huge amount of money. In both cases you get to ride the circuit, what with them being on public roads, drink loads, talk utter crap and say you were there. Both highly recommended.

I'll bump this again nearer the time, but if anyone's thinking of doing a road trip, camping or a cheap weekend at a foreign race this year, they'd be daft to miss either of these.

Chimay is the 20th to 22nd of July, Gedinne is the 24th to 26th of August. Hope to see you lot there!

Re: Foreign jollies
 

Nice one mate. i have stuck both in my diary - not doing a big long euro trip on the bike this year (taking the camper to france instead), so a few short ones would be welcome. I know another guy in oxford who just passed his test but wants to try some continental riding too.

Re: Foreign jollies
 

Yep, do bump them nearer the time! I was planning on returning from a Devon wedding to the South East via Northern France but a £100 Plymouth to Roscoff ferry crossing seems a little steep!

Definitely up for some summer camping too, now I've upgraded from my sub £10 Tesco Value sleeping bag!

Re: Foreign jollies
 

sleeping bag... Pah, try a camper mate,much better idea ;-) can even fit the bike in the back of my new one too! So yeah, well up for camping this summer.

Re: Foreign jollies
 

Stinking hippy.

Re: Foreign jollies
 

stinking COMFORTABLE hippy thank you - nothing like waking up in a BED and putting the tea and bacon on. You can keep yer tents. this one is very respectable looking anyway.

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/l...t/P1010354.jpg

Re: Foreign jollies
 

Does that one manage more than 30 uphill?

Re: Foreign jollies
 

Now let's not get too ambitious ay. The other one is actually faster due to the transit engine... but also hideous to drive... due to the transit engine...

This one develops a whopping 58Hp from a 1.8 petrol and weighs in at 2.3 tonnes! that equates to a very "steady" rate up hills.

Re: Foreign jollies
 

iWill be doing the races at Chimay this year,going over to do some marshaling for them,did it a couple of years ago and had a blast
quite a few brits get over there and must a gree the track is something to bee seen,very fast down hill from the farm to the last corner well worth checking over with a couple of beers.

Re: Foreign jollies
 

The bar just up the hill from the last corner is a cracking place to watch the bikes go by with an Orval in each hand. I took some (not-very-good) video footage a couple of years ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0RFAKRPAUo

But the course, at least the neutered version they use now, isn't very special at all - it's just a tarted up rectangle compared to Gedinne, which is like a proper mini-TT course. If you've not been to the latter I thoroughly recommend it.

Re: Foreign jollies
 

Hi Ogden
got the chance to go to Gedinne also but have to see what the wife says first,could be helping out one of the guys in our club,he races at all the Belgian rounds.
Chimay isnt as good a the others as you say,it was my first venture over there as a marshal,the beer was good though

Stu

Re: Foreign jollies
 

I've just seen these sites, what do people reckon?

http://www.thebikerguide.co.uk/biker...g.html#England

http://www.lowerlodeinn.co.uk/index.html

Re: Foreign jollies
 

I think you may have misunderstood the word 'Foreign'

I quite simply don't have enough free time (days) to be able to use holidays for a trip. If there was a weekend planned which meant no holiday days to be taken AND it is not a weekend I have my kids, then I would entertain the idea.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Re: Foreign jollies
 

Chimay and Gedinne are both about three hours (tops) from Calais. You seem to finish work quite early, so could just head straight to Folkestone after work and be at the camp site before dark. Alternatively, and I've done this enough times, get the channel crossing out of the way in the evening, bunk down at a cheap hotel in Calais, and set off early in the morning.

We had one guy make up his mind at the last minute last year and do a one-night trip, leaving home around 6am on the Saturday and getting home about 6pm on the Sunday.

Gedinne is over a bank holiday weekend, so if you don't have the kids you could easily do one of the above and a more civilised return leg on the Monday.

In short, you don't have to use any holiday, it just makes it a slightly more relaxed trip if you can.

That's nice dear.

Re: Foreign jollies
 

Okay so I'm interested in that. :) Give me dates.

Oh and the tapatalk ipad thing, it's Lisa's ipad, I have no idea how or why it puts that on the end and quite frankly, couldn't care either way. :)

Re: Foreign jollies
 

Dates are in the original post

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=174994

Re: Foreign jollies
 

Nope.;)

Re: Foreign jollies
 

"Re: Foreign jollies"

Yep.

Re: Foreign jollies
 

Nope!

Re: Foreign jollies
 

Pop along to the pub tomorrow and I'll take the time to explain to you why you're WRONG.

Re: Foreign jollies
 

Can't do July dates as I have my kids for the first two weeks of the summer holidays of which the first event is in.

Should be able to make the August one work. Kids go back to their Mum on Thursday 23rd August. I won't be able to take the Friday off work but could be ready to hit the road straight from work about 3.15pm. And as you said, a bank holiday on the Monday too.

Re: Foreign jollies
 

Obviously I won't hold my breath...

Re: Foreign jollies
 

Very wise. But I will be working toward doing this trip.

Re: Foreign jollies
 

cracking vid ogden, look's like it would be a great trip, next time mebe :rolleyes:

Re: Foreign jollies
 

Right, consider this the nearer-the-time bump requested earlier.

Chimay is in a fortnight's time. I'll almost certainly be going - if it weren't for the mrs being in hospital for an op the weekend before there'd be no almost about it, and I'm prepared to leave her at death's door if necessary. 30 quid on the gate, 60 quid for a tunnel crossing, apart from that it's just fuel and beer money.

It's a chance to guzzle decent Belgian beer within spitting distance of the abbey/brewery, watch old snotters get belted round a road circuit (that you can ride when it's not in use) and annoy foreigners on their home turf. The more the merrier.

Re: Foreign jollies
 

This sounds good, but am moving shortly, so have no spare cash!

It sounds lame, but if you do plan to go next year then let me know.