Aragon MotoGP

thecivvie

Heading down to Spain this september for the MotoGP. Tickets all booked. As I am getting the boat to France, going to blast through France that evening/night to Spain so I am there on the Friday morning. I am camping just down from the course

Thinking of coming back via the Millau Viaduct for a blast. Anyone else going?

frostie500

I'll be down there for the Saturday and Sunday, havent been to Aragon before

thecivvie

Neither have I, this will be the furthest (yet) that I have been on the bike

frostie500

thecivvie wrote: »

Neither have I, this will be the furthest (yet) that I have been on the bike

Well for you...I'm in the rental car!

thecivvie

frostie500 wrote: »

Well for you...I'm in the rental car!

Not good This is a short training run for 2015

thecivvie

Bike is almost ready, need to give her a good wash and new front tyre, which will be done on the way 60l roll bag and topbox filled. I have the tent to pack into a pannier and the other pannier will hold clothes for the ferry and bike chains, small tank bag of electronics

I will be using my Delorme inReach Se GPS tracker, this tracks me every 20 mins and I can also update facebook and twitter using it. Linky link Live from 24/9

thecivvie

Sat waiting for a coffee shop to open on the Oscar Wilde. Far too early to be awake.

For those travelling with Irish Ferries, they now tell you where the straps are and you are expected to do it yourself, unless you are a Swiss girl on a single cylinder 250

serious3

thecivvie wrote: »

Sat waiting for a coffee shop to open on the Oscar Wilde. Far too early to be awake.

For those travelling with Irish Ferries, they now tell you where the straps are and you are expected to do it yourself, unless you are a Swiss girl on a single cylinder 250

pics or it didnt happen!

thecivvie

serious3 wrote: »

pics or it didnt happen!

She told me and as she was sleeping next to me I believe her.












In the next chair you dirty mind

serious3

must admit sean, i'm mighty jealous of you doing this trip and next year i'll be with you mile for mile! rubber side down and don't spare the pan!

thecivvie

serious3 wrote: »

must admit sean, i'm mighty jealous of you doing this trip and next year i'll be with you mile for mile! rubber side down and don't spare the pan!

It is a daunting one but I am enjoying it. Was a nice leisurely ride down to the ferry. The ferry is very quiet, only 5/6 kids and no rowdy students

thecivvie

Update on the trip. Got into Cherbourg about 5pm local time and head off down the motorway. Original intention was to go as far as I could but being me I ended up doing 900+ miles overnight. And the last stretch over the Pyrenees for good luck. Tell ya once or twice I was scared that I had ended up with brown pants it was scary

Went up to the track and colleted tickets on the Friday. Was wrecked but still did a couple of hours. Slept a good sleep before heading back to the track on a overcast Friday. All I can say is if you are going to a MotoGP goto Alcañiz it is amazing

Sat at the campsite typing this with a fairly well drunk 1l of Cerveza beer and half the price of the race course

Tomorrow up at 6am for the races. Going to be a long day. Plan for Monday is to head back over the Pryenees with the gopro on so I can truly scare myself and Tuesday get to Utah beach before the ferry home

So far I have loved every second of this trip. Dunno what it was about reaching 50 but I have come alive and decided to do the things that younger ones are doing. There is no age limit to having fun (yes that litre of Cerveza is getting to me)

serious3

which litre is having the affect? 1st, 2nd, 3rd.......:D just watched some of your vids mate, well jealous.... next year rodney, next year!!;)

thecivvie

Just walking up to the course at the moment. Fairly clear warm and humid at the moment. Think the 3rd litre had the effect

thecivvie

Had an amazing day. From warm up till the final race I was glued to the seat. I can only say that I will be back next year. Alcañiz is a warm welcoming place. Except for the Guardia Civil one of whom was giving out to me for walking on the wrong side of the road !!!!!

Pics and videos when I return

serious3

safe ride home sean, i'll be out during the week for the de-brief and gossip!

thecivvie

Left campsite around 830 this morning and headed for Pau in France. The Spanish side of the Pyrenees were glorious but sadly as I crossed in to the French side it started to rain and quite heavily.

I Gopro'd most of it so will try and edit the bad stuff out (there will only a tiny bit) and upload

As I said to Vincent I am heading back next year. Bigger tent, Khyam Free Rider or similar. But for my first time to Spain, first time taking the bike to the European continent I am delighted. Many many memories and some good friends made

serious3

thecivvie wrote: »

Left campsite around 830 this morning and headed for Pau in France. The Spanish side of the Pyrenees were glorious but sadly as I crossed in to the French side it started to rain and quite heavily.

I Gopro'd most of it so will try and edit the bad stuff out (there will only a tiny bit) and upload

As I said to Vincent I am heading back next year. Bigger tent, Khyam Free Rider or similar. But for my first time to Spain, first time taking the bike to the European continent I am delighted. Many many memories and some good friends made

and as i said i'll be with you mile for mile!

thecivvie

From Saintes to Cherbourg was largely main roads and the odd non toll stretch of motorway. I did miss a GPS command around Rennes and ended up in the city centre. They have the weirdest signals at junctions going

Had hoped to get to the Normandy Tank Musuem but with that detour around Rennes I did not have time

Did goto Utah Beach. Just seeing the road signs explaining what soldier each road was named after brought home how much we take our freedom for granted. Found it difficult to take pics but will be back next year with a better camera

Now on the ferry back to Rosslare sitting having a coffee going through the trip and deciding what I would do again and what I would not do again. But if I had the time, I would not have got on the ferry and headed off for another ride

thecivvie

serious3 wrote: »

and as i said i'll be with you mile for mile!

We can debrief and start planning for next year and working out bits and pieces

Wonda-Boy

thecivvie wrote: »

We can debrief and start planning for next year and working out bits and pieces

Jaysus lads I would love to be apart of something like that....fair play. Maybe start a thread discussing the event in detail. If could be like irish lad of you tube going around the world. Next thing you know you are talking to Gay Byrne!!!

Best of luck.

thecivvie

Double Wheelie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT-063xiHT8

Pocket Rockets, watch in HD, and sound up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALfc-XxXo_g

Practice Start

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfBFXK9iMzE

thecivvie

French motorway bog, still trying to work out how the #2 happens



Campsite



Top of the Hill



Turns 8-9



The view was fantastic


The rest of the pics can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/thecivvie/sets/72157636130658945/

thecivvie

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

Jaysus lads I would love to be apart of something like that....fair play. Maybe start a thread discussing the event in detail. If could be like irish lad of you tube going around the world. Next thing you know you are talking to Gay Byrne!!!

Best of luck.

Well anyone will be welcome to come along I guess. Once serious3 and I meet up, then we will start the ball rolling

Wonda-Boy

thecivvie wrote: »

Well anyone will be welcome to come along I guess. Once serious3 and I meet up, then we will start the ball rolling

Might hold you to that......;)

thecivvie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD3iPUgs1t4

Some cuts from the GoPro on the french side of the Pyrenees

thecivvie

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

Jaysus lads I would love to be apart of something like that....fair play. Maybe start a thread discussing the event in detail. If could be like irish lad of you tube going around the world. Next thing you know you are talking to Gay Byrne!!!

Best of luck.

Serious3, myself and another lad are meeting up after the new year to plan things. Plan looks like the 2am ferry to the UK, blast to Dover, then the chunnel, stay outside Calais, Saintes and then down to Spain, similar on the way back.

Pollywobbles

Nice vids but I gotta tell ya that if you keep riding like that especially in those conditions you're going to end up in right trouble eventually - bad surfaces, wet on dry, animals, wet paint, crossing the paint, too close to oncoming traffic - jays us it was like watching a vid on what not to be doing!

thecivvie

Pollywobbles wrote: »

Nice vids but I gotta tell ya that if you keep riding like that especially in those conditions you're going to end up in right trouble eventually - bad surfaces, wet on dry, animals, wet paint, crossing the paint, too close to oncoming traffic - jays us it was like watching a vid on what not to be doing!

I never rode outside my comfort zone, just remember that videos on go pro tend to alter the image view. As for animals, I come across cattle and sheep on Connemara roads on a daily basis. sometimes you have to cross the white line.

serious3

Pollywobbles wrote: »

Nice vids but I gotta tell ya that if you keep riding like that especially in those conditions you're going to end up in right trouble eventually - bad surfaces, wet on dry, animals, wet paint, crossing the paint, too close to oncoming traffic - jays us it was like watching a vid on what not to be doing!

First post and you drag up a year old thread to criticise someone's riding? I've ridden with Sean for about 20,000km's inc over 5000km in a week down to aragon this year, I've done the iron butt with him and about to do another with him. He's probably one of the smoothest riders I've ever ridden with and ive only seen him step out of his comfort zone once and that was on a Greenlane at 15mph

Pollywobbles

Yeah point taken (both of you)
I have two teenage sons learning to ride at the moment and it scares the crap out of me when I'm behind and watching the eldest trying to give it Dixie when the conditions are all wrong
Even seasoned chaps like yourselves need to check your comfort zones every once in a while. I know that if my daughter is riding pillion, it's a very different feeling
Anyway good luck to you both and just in case you think you've seen it all have a google of 'Canadian woman stops for ducks'