IOM TT

[weaselonastick]

Folks,
Thanks for all of your input. We've spent the last month finalizing or plans, based on a lot of what you've all had to say. Here's the rough plan...
MAY 26: Heathrow to Chichester to Southampton
MAY 27: Beaulieu to Sammy Miller to Poole
MAY 28: Cheddar Gorge to Cardiff to Merthyr Tydfil to Kempsey
MAY 29: Morgan Factory @ Great Malvern to Penrith
MAY 30: Spend day in Lake District
MAY 31: Liverpool: ferry to Douglas IOM
JUN 05: Heysham to Chichester to London
Obviously we'll take some of the finer details from your comments and add them as time permits.

Again... thanks for your comments.

Mike

[slparry]

Folks,
Thanks for all of your input. We've spent the last month finalizing or plans, based on a lot of what you've all had to say. Here's the rough plan...
MAY 26: Heathrow to Chichester to Southampton
MAY 27: Beaulieu to Sammy Miller to Poole
MAY 28: Cheddar Gorge to Cardiff to Merthyr Tydfil to Kempsey
MAY 29: Morgan Factory @ Great Malvern to Penrith
MAY 30: Spend day in Lake District
MAY 31: Liverpool: ferry to Douglas IOM
JUN 05: Heysham to Chichester to London
Obviously we'll take some of the finer details from your comments and add them as time permits.

Again... thanks for your comments.

Mike

Some long days there, bear in mind travel in the UK (especially towards the SE) can be full of traffic and frustrating

[weaselonastick]

Steve,
Agreed... we've got a few long days, but we've really got no fixed schedule. We're used to long distances (it's not uncommon for us to drive 3-4 hours for a day of skiing in the mountains), but traffic is the great unknown at this time. We'll just take each day as it comes.
Mike

[slparry]

Steve,
Agreed... we've got a few long days, but we've really got no fixed schedule. We're used to long distances (it's not uncommon for us to drive 3-4 hours for a day of skiing in the mountains), but traffic is the great unknown at this time. We'll just take each day as it comes.
Mike

Traffic can make distance miserable in the UK at times, I've always said I'd rather do 600 mile in Europe than 200 in the south east

[Boxered]

I've always said I'd rather do 600 mile in Europe than 200 in the south east

Eh? other way round for me, I love my annual euro trip, but I absolutely hate the 300m or so journey home from the southern ferry ports

Steve

[slparry]

I've always said I'd rather do 600 mile in Europe than 200 in the south east

Eh? other way round for me, I love my annual euro trip, but I absolutely hate the 300m or so journey home from the southern ferry ports

Steve

That's what I said Steve?

[Boxered]

Oh yeah...
I obviously have far too much blood in my alcohol stream....
"To the drinks cabinet......"

Steve

[weaselonastick]

All,
Just a quick summary of my IOM trip... fantastic.

After travelling 1500 miles in 10 days in the UK, I have to say that I've never felt safer and more respected on the road then I did there. As a daily commuter here in Edmonton, I'm constantly having run-ins and near misses with ignorant/blind/inconsiderate drivers. Either I was extremely lucky while in the UK, or motorcycles are treated differently, or car drivers are better educated (or maybe all three?). Not a single issue on the road in 10 days, so thanks!

Best day of riding... Lakes District; scenery, scenery, scenery.

Worst day of riding... Kempsey to Penrith; rain and traffic.

Scariest day of riding... many... every trip over the Mountain on the IOM; Dad and I travelling at over 80mph and getting passed on the inside by crotch-rockets travelling well over a 100. Something I'm not used to! Also, seeing more accidents in 5 days on IOM than I've ever seen in my life... but I guess that's just density of motorcycles + testosterone.

Funniest event... half-way through a hot lap over the Mountain, getting passed by a kid on a trail-bike with an "L" plate. Guess we're not so hot after all.

Met the nicest people on the island; so if it was you talking to the two disheveled Canadians in Douglas, or Peel or wherever... thanks!

We went from sunrise to sunset every day, and still only saw about 10% of your wonderful country. Will be back to see more.

Big thanks to West Sussex Motorcycle Hire for the two BMWs. Great service and bikes in great condition.

Thanks again for all of your suggestions from my original post.

Mike

[img][img]http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae87/mtgill/IMAG0051_zpsba7c4bec.jpg[/img][/img]

[img][img]http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae87/mtgill/IMG_2651_zps7c216086.jpg[/img]

[/img]

[img][img]http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae87/mtgill/IMG_2787_zps6b6d5c35.jpg[/img]

[/img]

[img][img]http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae87/mtgill/IMG_0371_zpsfd6468cb.jpg[/img][/img]

[img][img]http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae87/mtgill/IMG_0362_zps8ca3a96a.jpg[/img]

[/img]