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jjdugen |
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jjdugen World Chat Champion
Joined: 03 Jun 2011 Karma :
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Posted: 17:24 - 01 Jul 2018 Post subject: Lands end - Lowestoft Ness point. Side to side, racing God. |
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Can't afford / justify the cost of the Nurburgring any more, so decided to celebrate my 70th birthday by having a go at the side to side challenge. Midsummers day night, shortest night in the year, 450 miles in 7 hours or so. Held off writing this just in case any nasty envelopes dropped through my letterbox.
On paper, it looks do-able, but I missed it by a large margin, here's where I went wrong!
First... Fuel. You need far more range than the 130 miles in my Falco's tank.
Second... Lights. You can make good time in Cornwall.... as long as you are following a tricked out M5 with headlights that turn night into day.
Third.... A stronger bladder than I have!
Fourth.... Very warm clothing, it gets F**ing cold early doors.
Fifth... A reliable sat nav with the latest speed camera info. Mine packed up just as I was starting!
Here was my run.
9:40. Out of Lands End pretty plain sailing, left the cars for dead, still quite bright so no problem keeping up a fast pace.
Hit the moors section of (very) fast duel carriageway, pitch black, Aprilia headlamps are good, but not for the kind of speed you can (must) sustain. Que the tricked out M5 (long range fuel tank, HID lights, all the latest sat nav and radar detector trickery). He 'blazed' the way, Good time kept until 25 miles to Exeter, fuel light on! We had been doing a constant... erm.... high rate of progress....
Had to pull in and fill from my reserve bottle. Didn't actually need to, but you live and learn. About ten minutes wasted.
12:00. Exeter services, quick fill... It takes at least ten minutes by the time you are back out again. Especially if you need a bladder empty.
1:30 Up the M5 to Bristol, then M4 to Leigh Delamere services. Needed to know I had reliable fuel stations so chose the M ways. A bit of a faf as you come off the motorway and go round a series of traffic light controlled roundabouts. Nearly 15 minutes.
2:40 Back on M4 to Chievely services, short hop to be sure of enough fuel to reach Stanstead. Needed the stop, getting very chilled. Pulled on my trusty one piece coverall, warm as toast. Unfortunately as I was pulling that on, a police CCTV camera van pulled out, right in front of me, probably looking for other challenge idiots like me. So, a steady 68mph all the way to the M25... and then a steady 68mph all the damn way to the M11.
4:10. Finally made Stanstead services. The sky was already getting bright, no chance of making the next 90 odd miles before the sun rose at 4:15.
I got a good lick on, Newmarket passed, Bury St. Edmunds was my undoing. I missed my road to Lowestoft, taking one in entirely the wrong direction south. After finally getting back on track, I arrived at 5:30, a full hour late!
So..... Next year its a Blackbird or a Triumph Sprint, 200 mile tanks. I'll wrap up warm from the start, I'll double check the power supply to my sat nav, I'll take the A12 all the way up the east coast.... My bladder.... Hmmmm.
Given all my stops and the unnecessary diversion, I should be a lot nearer. ____________________ The CBR900RR has been sold. Aprilia Falco worms its way into my heart.
Try Soi 23 on Amazon for a good read.... Self promotion? Moi? |
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pepperami |
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pepperami Super Spammer
Joined: 17 Jan 2010 Karma :
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Posted: 17:01 - 03 Jul 2018 Post subject: |
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cool!, pics or it didn’t happen ____________________ I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now! |
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jjdugen |
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jjdugen World Chat Champion
Joined: 03 Jun 2011 Karma :
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pepperami |
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pepperami Super Spammer
Joined: 17 Jan 2010 Karma :
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Posted: 09:56 - 10 Jul 2018 Post subject: Re: Lands end - Lowestoft Ness point. Side to side, racing |
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BTTD |
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BTTD World Chat Champion
Joined: 22 Nov 2012 Karma :
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Posted: 10:20 - 10 Jul 2018 Post subject: |
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Yeah, too easy in your 70's. |
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P. |
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P. Red Rocket
Joined: 14 Feb 2008 Karma :
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Posted: 11:07 - 10 Jul 2018 Post subject: |
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Doing it at night, just take your plate off, no worries with cameras and the like. Just go for it, at 70, what does it matter |
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jjdugen |
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jjdugen World Chat Champion
Joined: 03 Jun 2011 Karma :
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pepperami |
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pepperami Super Spammer
Joined: 17 Jan 2010 Karma :
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Posted: 22:30 - 10 Jul 2018 Post subject: |
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I applaud you for doing it and for trying again to meet the target
I’ve found that comfort is so important on long stints.
Before I sorted it the seat on one of my bikes , the most I could do on it in one go was 75 mile maximum.
Now I have sorted out the seat, I could ride all day if the tank was big enough (I think) ____________________ I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now! |
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A100man |
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A100man World Chat Champion
Joined: 19 Aug 2013 Karma :
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Old Thread Alert!
The last post was made 5 years, 275 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful? |
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