Le Carnage weekend to Normandy

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

Had to go down to Southampton this afternoon to see a family member in intensive care.

The positive bit and the reason I'm posting it in here, is that I went from Northampton over to Bicester, met my sister at Cherwell Valley Services on the M40, then down the A34 to Southampton past Oxford and Newbury. It's the route we will most probably take to get to Portsmouth, it didn't take long at all, and I think on the bikes it'll be a pretty easy run to the ferry on the Thursday night, and even finishing at 5:30 after work we shouldn't be badly pushed for time, except for Dan coming from York would need to get cracking a bit earlier perhaps.

Dan could meet me at Northampton having come 2 1/2 hours down the M1, then pick up Phil and Tommy at Cherwell Valley services half an hour later, then from there it's an easy run down to Portsmouth down the A34 (2 hrs max), where we'd catch up with Dave (unless he wants a slight detour down the M4 to meet us at Chieveley Services at Newbury).

Just read this now! I am quite happy to do that Ralph, no problem at all!

Originally Posted by danf1234

Just read this now! I am quite happy to do that Ralph, no problem at all!

More than welcome to use my gaff as a stop off point again dan, might even get Clair to put some grub on

Right, looks like I might just take you up on that mate!

Oh, that was just random ramblings really mate, 'we could do this', 'we could do that', etc. Not making any arrangements at this stage.

We might go via Birmingham anyway. Was chatting about this with my wife today and she still really wants to come, but it will depend on my mother's health and if she can look after my son.

If she is well enough for it, we'd want to try and minimise the amount of time she'd have to look after my son, so we would come over to Birmingham on the Thursday afternoon (my Mum lives 5 miles from Phil), drop him off leaving my car at my Mum's, then ride down with Phil and Clair. Ride back to Birmingham on the Monday night, pick up car and son, go home.

What sort of time you thinking you'd need to leave Brum Phil?

I thought maybe 5.30-6pm, even allowing for traffic and a stop midway it can't take more than 3ish hours, ferry leaves at 11 I think so can rest down there with a coffee etc

Tbh, I'm easy on arrangements, as long as were not rushing like me and dan did on way to Dover I'm not bothered.

Btw, I'm ringing the ferry company to see if we can upgrade to a cabin, clairs worried about getting no sleep which is a fair point.

[Luckypants]

I'm waiting for confirmation of holidays from work before booking anything.

Yeah mike hurry up, only 16 weeks today, not that I'm counting or anything

Let us know what the ferry company say about the cabin Phil.

[Littlepeahead]

I'm not sure if my foot will be up for riding my own bike, it's taking an age to get better. So I shall speak to Mavis over lunch tomorrow about it. See if he fancies taking a pillion in return for petrol money.

Originally Posted by Littlepeahead

I'm not sure if my foot will be up for riding my own bike, it's taking an age to get better. So I shall speak to Mavis over lunch tomorrow about it. See if he fancies taking a pillion in return for petrol money.

If my wife is coming, then I'll be buying a luggage rack, and obviously pillion seat will be taken.

If my wife is not coming then my tent, etc will be loaded on the pillion seat for the journey over there, but once unloaded and set up at the campsite I could take a turn in running you between the memorials if Dave wants a couple of days pillion free.