Next year's Glencoe Massacre

[northwind]

Aargh, it caused me actual physical pain starting this topic

So, anyway, I've had a few people contact me asking "When is it next year". I have told them that after careful consideration of many factors including but not limited to weather, road traffic density, major sporting events, the alignment of celestial bodies, plague vectors, the migratory practices of the great scottish midge, and the threat of nationalist terrorism, it'll be some time in 2009. I think it'd be nice to narrow that down a bit.

So, first of all, June to August, right? Silly otherwise.

Second, dates to avoid- AR looks to be August 1st and 2nd going by the poll, we don't clash with that. (and it's also Kilted Ginger's wedding, currently!) Avoiding T in the Park is obviously sensible (10th and 11th July). I don't think the BSB at Knockhill is confirmed yet (boo) and I want to avoid August 28th and 29th as I'll be away that weekend and it's a bank holiday so the roads will be choked. Race week at the TT is the first week of June. Anything else to avoid? Any preferred month? School holidays? I'd like to get it down to a shortlist of, say, 4 weekends.

(My thinking- doing it after the AR was good last year as I could go down and try and convince people to come up, and basically show it's not that far. But this year, the AR's going to be later on so that won't be as simple. In general, the further away from the AR the better IMO. June is the driest of the 3 months apparently.)

Third, do we do the same basic package again with polish (easy) or do we do something different but on the same lines for the repeat offenders (not so easy). This is important, if we do a different location/route, obviously it has to be ace but also, it has to have a good name. Tiger55 came up with Whisky Chaser, I liked that, so if someone can come up with a whisky related rideout that's a contender

Fourth, sign on the dotted line if you want to be/are foolish enough to be involved in the organisation of things.

That is all for now.

Depends on what the accomodation options are. For camping it has to be June to August, for youth hostel, bunkhouse or so on, May and September actually get drier weather.

I can ligitimately duck out of organisation as I'll be a guest

Anything i can do to assist you need but ask all mighty mod.

If its the whisky chaser they really has to be speyside. Plenty of decent routes around there, also a multitude of accomodation options.

eg, base at pitlochry crieff callander (dukes) ballahullich fort william is 250 miles, you could drop callander and go aberfeldy and takes it to 180, Early birds that want to dukes go sharp, meet anyone else at Tyndrum?? or you could go east then loop round south and back through killin etc, sooooo many options.

Need to "polish" the ride, difficulties getting so many riders moving, Be realistic about mileages but set acheavible goals.

The earlier in the year the better as far as im concerned, i think the schools break up last weekend in june??? before that?? Dicky tickers essex tour of scotland is planned for 9 days starting 19th june.

Other than that i dont really have an opinion, i will be there!! as long as its before AR09 else i'll be on honeymoon.


Like i said anything you want / need me to do just say.

Oh and well done that man.

[northwind]

But then the only good Scotch is from Skye. Haggis'll like it but it's not so convenient for Fizzwheel

Yeah, as far as the organisational side of the ride itself it needs more than one person's timings, I screwed up there by assuming that my usually pretty slow pace would be a decent average but it's a loop I knew well so it didn't work out that way. Usually I can be depended on to be slowest!

Probably a bit premature to talk about the mechanics of the ride itself, I think that's for once we've got some more heads together... But I think we can take the best of last year and use it, and hopefully that'll get rid of the worst of it too.

Originally Posted by northwind

So, first of all, June to August, right? Silly otherwise....the further away from the AR the better IMO. June is the driest of the 3 months apparently.

June it is then. I think the earlier the better, certainly the earlier the nicer in recent years.

Originally Posted by northwind

do we do the same basic package again with polish or do we do something different but on the same lines for the repeat offenders

Different/same lines. Too easy otherwise (what am I saying) and variety is the spice of life and all that. The borders might, just might encourage a few more to make the journey up for example.

Originally Posted by northwind

Tiger55 came up with Whisky Chaser

Alas no, I came up with Deflower of Scotland, Ecosse Ya Bass and John Wayne's an Arseh*le, amongst others even worse. Haggis had the good idea - linky. Having said that I think we should call it The {insert location} Massacre every year to make it, you know, a tradition.

Originally Posted by northwind

Fourth, sign on the dotted line if you want to be/are foolish enough to be involved in the organisation of things.

.........Tiger 55..........
.........Jillyburd..........

The biggest problem on rideouts like these is getting them all rolling again after a stop. Fuel stops more than likely took longer than anticipated, especially THAT one, and everybody is relaxed after having something to eat so not overly inclined to mount up. Also any faffing about sorting out a distressed bike soaks up time. Nobody likes to leave a bike on an event like this so maybe a couple of volunteers who are good mechanically and bodgetastic could be designated to remain, sort out bike(s) then catch up with the rest of the group.

Roll on next year.

[dyzio]

Just hope it won't collide with my eurotrip plans :/, if not, I'm there wherever it'll be

By the way, great avatar Pete

Woo hoo I fancy June meself, the early summers have been a bit kinder to us recently, I wont be camping again though, me backs too knackered for that now so will be hoping for some B&B,s etc nearby, cant wait, might even do the rideout this time

Sounds good Northy, I can help out if required and will try and workround whatever date we end up with.

Will be ok with whatever location as well but kinda agree with Tiger here that the borders may well entice more peeps from the deep south to make the effort

There are some cracking routes down there as well and its also a big area from Berwick right across to Dumfries and Galloway.

Tell ye what, I spent a long weekend at the lighthouse keepers cottage recently at Mull of Galloway, had a brill time, its desolate yet lively if that makes sense , there's 3 of them and loads of tent space, also a couple of nice wee beaches all within a 5 min walk.

July - August would be best for me but I'm sure I can work around any problems should it be before.