Isle of Man TT Road Trip - 8th September
 

Ok. After a few attempts to get trips organised to the Millau Bridge and the Stelvio Pass, they were cancelled due to the final turnout being too low to make it a proper club trip..

With the costs being upwards of a grand and a good Fri-Mon long weekend required, it was understandable.

So, we've decided to bring it a little closer to home and a little more affordable in order to get the numbers up.

The Trip
Simple enough. Drive to Liverpool and catch the ferry to Douglas. Drive the TT course till your eyes bleed and drive home. We will of course find time to sleep and drink beer and possibly eat.... but not much.

When?
Friday 8th September looks best at the moment.
We'll catch the last ferry out at 6:45 and arrive at 9pm.
Drive to the accomodation.
Eyes bleed thing on Saturday & Sunday.
Edited to add: Stickies 40th will be on the Saturday - beer drinking? OMG :eek:
Drive home on Sunday (with hangover).
Nuff said.

Accomodation?
We can B&B it for a reasonable sum. But if the the thought of room sharing with Crafts or Carter fills you with dread or you simply don't have a S10 military respirator (gas mask) like me, then you may want to camp.
Rooms will be as little as £20 per night with camping about half that.

Costs?
There's always a downside because this isn't free.
Wakey to Liverpool - 71 miles 1/4 tank = £10
Ferry - Approx £170
Douglas to accomadation - few feet
2 nights B&B = £40
TT Course - 40 Miles x lots - Say 2 tanks = £80
Back home = £10
Beer & food = Your choice.

All in all £300.

Now tell me, where can you get a long weekend on an historic 40 mile long track where parts are unrestricted over some unbelievable mountain roads for that???

Answer? You can't. Anywhere.

Money upfront
As we discussed at the ECM, in order to secure your spot, a non refundable deposit covering the ferry fare will be required. This will ensure that your name goes on the list and we can book your ferry and accomodation with confidence.

This trip will be going ahead. Even if it's only 3 or 4 people. Because we have to do a big one before 2006 ends.

Names
If you know of a cheaper way of getting across, you know someone on the island who doesn't mind putting us up for two nights or just have some good advice.. then post away (Paul Eds! Any tips mate?).

Pop you name only on here and I will add you to one of the lists below.
Confirmed means you've paid your deposit.
Unconfirmed means you want to go, but are; waiting to pay the deposit* / checking with her indoors* / working the finances* / getting time off work* / throwing a sicky* / somethin else* (Delete as appropriate).
This gives you first refusal, if for some bizzare reason we have to get limited in numbers due to accomodation or ferry etc..

Confirmed



Unconfirmed

Al
Simon
Stickmeister
Dave Carter
James

Put me down for it :D

Oi, there'll be no 'throwing a Sticky' around these parts, thankyou.

I'm going because...

a) I'll be 40 the day before we go, so I have a genuine and valid excuse to get totally rat arsed when we get there
b) see a)

As much as I'd love to, the old holiday situation rears its ugly head again. Will double-check, but I think I have just enough for Xmas :( May well be a no-no anyway as I am already in The Lakes for 2 weeks that month, and the Blyton day is on the 30th (speaking of which, I need to get a thread up about that to see if everyone still wants it :wonder: ).

Ho-hum :cry: Have a good 'un and I will endeavour to join you next year :(

:idea: I have a book full of holiday cottages which has one which sleeps 5 for £250 a week. I could go over on monday and reside there 'til thursday night and then return home, passing you lot somewhere in the Irish Sea, as you lot arrive to fill it for the weekend :wonder: Anyone else possible for a mid-week (mon-thur) or even complete week :confused:

:thumb: Cannot recommend this enough Myself, cw42, SteelX, Jay106 and families went at easter for a long weekend, superb roads, excellent scenery and definately will be going back.

Watch out for your lines round bends as the bikers lean into your lane !!!

Get in touch with Heazille (Richard) he will show you the extra roads as well:)

Enjoy:thumb:

I wish we could go, but its unlikely, i will however speak with Paul, to see if its possible. We went to the TT in June, and loved it. Here's a short vid to whet yr appetite(apologies for the crap quality - photobucket has enlarged the viewing screen for some reason)
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15..._seniortt1.jpg

Rescued from page 2......

Anymore for anymore???

C'mon you 'orrible little lot. Get yer names down.

Al,

When do you want deposits for this? :D

In the island of Menorca:cry: So no no for me.

me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me






ME!

Simon.. We'll get together soon to discuss the trip and we'll arrange it then... :thumb:

JB... Done.. :thumb:

Back up from page 2 . . .its getting closer ;)

Is this going to be on even if its just the names down so far? :D

Yes. We'll discuss this over the RSR weekend..

I'll have my deposit for you Al, that way there's no backing out :D

If I get chance (yeah, right!) I'll have a browse through some ferry costings too...

You can give me some Powerstation stickers too :D

nag nag as requested... :D

Cool, I'll try have a look at some ferry prices tonight, and print some stuff out, so we can have a look at it over the weekend :D

^ You do it, 'cos I'll forget.

Someone wanted some Powerstation stickers, but I'll be buggered if I can remember who!?!?!?!

Are we going to get together this week and get some deposits in? :D

This Thursday.. Furry Triangle... 8pm.

Bring all the stuff you've gathered for ferry prices.. B&B etc.. and any ideas you want to put forward for the trip itself..

I'll Give Dave C a call.. unless someone get s in touch over the next day or so..

Those signed up

Al
Simon
Stickmeister
Dave Carter
James

Any more?

Just checking some ferries.

Isle of Man Steam packet have an outward from Liverpool at 19:30 on the 8th, with return at 14:30 on the 10th. Site I'm looking at can't do online pricing atm (typical)

What's the concensus on these times? 7:30 from scousepool isn't too bad, and would allow a 'normal' finish for most, but at 2 1/2 hours for the crossing it would mean landing in Douglas at 10pm. Methinks a B&B booking beforehand is a must.

(Scoots off to look for IOM B&B's...)

Ascot Hotel has 3 'superior twin' rooms (assuming 6 people go) for £510 for the two nights (£85PP)

Balacowell B&B is £25 pp/pn

Anyone have any issues with sharing a room? (Stu's not going:D)

Or for the cheapest, and probably the best laugh, we could take the Stickytent. She's a 6 berther, but she'll take 10 at a push, so it'd cost about £2 pp/pn.
Up in 20 mins, 2 inflatable airbeds (sharing raises it's head again :)) Lots of room for empty cans / bottles / curry cartons.

No issues from me....
I've slept over with some Irish Rangers in Tenerife (after 2 weeks of excercising in Oman) and in a 10 man room, in Gibralter, for 6 weeks with some Submariners of HMS Conquerer after they'd been under the Polar Icecap for a few months.

Nothing... and I mean nothing.... can compare :D

I actually like the tent idea... but I feel a few wives may be coming??? And Dave C likes his home comforts...

Don't think Ella's remotely interested, but there would probably be bandwagon jumping were Debbie and / or Liz to say they were going.

We shall see.

How 'bout Kat?

If he does end up going, you're sharing with Stu :D:D:D

I found some online prices for ferries at www.steam-packet.com

Looking around £180-190 so far . . . will get some telephone numbers and make some calls tomorrow and see if I can find it any cheaper :D

Some more links to accommodation etc on http://www.isleofman.com/tourism.htm

Direct-ferries.com quoted £228 each :rolleyes:

www.steam-packet.com is still the cheapest at between £178-£190 each, depending on the time we travel. We'd have to make five seperate web bookings to get the cheapest price, but they agreed to match the web price over the phone, to make the booking easier.

Departing time at Liverpool would be 1945, or 1415 if we went from Heysham. Return on the Sunday is looking like 1430 back to Liverpool, or 1945 back to Heysham.

I can't seem to find many other crossings available but I'll keep looking :D

Don't think u will get any crossings any cheaper than the steam packet company, because it's the mans own ferry company so Always going to be the cheapest...:thumb:

Dave C will be coming tomorrow... he's just passed on some great info..

He's managed to get a deal for the cars.. £89 return including all passengers...:thumb:

Damn the man's good.. That's just saved me £100..:thumb: