A Plan for Summer 2008

I'm not participating in the usual summer event next year, that's kept me busy since I was 16; and a recent visit to friends in Germany revealed the answer to my "what to do next summer" dilema. My friend (who has requested I call him Baaastard for old times sake) and I hatched a cunning plan. Both keen to try motorcycle touring, both with the cash to burn and the desire to go. One based in Leipzig, one based in London. Him on a Honda Revere (or NTV, or Bros depending on where you live)

We rallied ideas between us, such as a round trip of Europe, with me riding to meet him in Leipzig, then heading off. This was scrubbed when we decided that for the first one we'd want to go somewhere where we could both speak the language and know that a petrol station would always be just around the corner in case anything went wrong.

A plan was born, and we named it the lap.

We decided to do a 2200 mile lap of Britain over ten days. An afternoon was swiftly consumed whilst we poured over maps, distances, timings, Youth hostel and camping websites, kit lists and budgets. It was seemingly all organised already. Perfect Planning Avoids Piss Poor Performance, or something.

See the attached map for a rough guide of where we're heading, it's not accurate as I knocked it up in "paint" in about 10 mins, but it's good as a rough guide.

The Plan

August 13 – 22, 2008

day 1 13^th August: London to Kinross

To give Baaastard a chance to catch up with a few friends over here before we leave, we'll be leaving from South London, early in the day so we can cover the 440 miles before nightfall. This is a very long day, and we're torn between camping for cheapness, or hostelling, for cleanliness. We're guessing it'll take 8 hours for this leg. We really should Hostel it.

day 2 14^th August: John O’Groats

This is going to be one of my highlights, as a Brit, hitting the top of the country. It's 260 miles from Kinross, and nice Twisty A and B roads all the way, we reckon 6 hours. Camping if it kills us.

day 3 15^th: Fort William

A shortish journey from the top of the country to Fort William, somewhere i've always wanted to visit. 185 miles and about 5 hours in the saddle. Youth hostel for sure, to recharge, wash and charge our phones etc.

day 4 16^th : Lake District

Another long saddle day, this one about 6 or 7 hours, covering around 260 miles. We're not sure where to head to in Cumbria. Everywhere I can think of is a tourist mecca, we're going to be camping and would love suggestions.

day 5 17^th: Snowdon

Our shortest day yet, just over 4 hours and 160 miles to Snowdon in Wales, unmissable and definite camping.

day 6 18^th: via Swansea to Bath

Long day again today. We're travelling to Bath, via Swansea so we can visit a charity project both Baaastard and I worked on in 2001, in the deprived area of Penlan. We're hoping to get in touch with the local people we met, but so far this is proving fruitless. We think, travel time only, so excluding the time in Swansea, about 6 hours for this leg of just over 250 miles. We're also going to take the motorway for the first time in the trip out of Wales. Probably heading for a Hostel.

day 7 19^th: Lands End via Barnstaple and King Arthur’s Castle

Short in distance but long on time. We're taking the windy route from Bath to Land's End, keeping to the northern Cornish Coast, hopefully with stops in Barnstaple and King Arthur's Castle. Again, a big day for me, the other end of my homeland. Camping for sure.

day 8 20^th:Kingsbridge, Devon

A very short day today, even taking the long route via Bodmin, Kelly Bray, Dartmoor it's still only 130 miles. Some of the best riding roads in the country though, so we're going to dwell on this bit and enjoy ourselves. Staying with a Family member of mine.

day 9 21^st: Beaulieu via Dorset

We're drawing to a close now, this will feel like the home leg. Along the South Coast from Devon to Beaulieu in the New Forest. Dear to my heart as an old haunt when I was at Uni in Southampton. We'll get a chance to visit the Motor Museum and Camp in some of the prettiest scenery in the UK. We'll try not to run over any wild ponies. This leg's about 150miles, maybe 3 and a half hours.

day 10 22^nd: South London. Home.

Hometime. The busy southern coast with it's places of note every couple of feet. Southampton, Portsmouth, Eastbourne, Brighton, Pevensey, Hastings, Rye, Dungeoness. Just 180 miles, and maybe 5 hours, but we'll want it to last forever.


Baaastard will have a few extra days riding time, he's giving himself 2 days to travel each way between Leipzig and London. That's as far as we've got. If anyone has experience of those routes, tips for the journey, must see's, luggage ideas, must miss places or any comments we'd be glad to hear them. It's 13 months away and already I'm too excited

South on the '23

Sunday morning greeted me with glorious sunshine and a plan. I was going to fight through my hangover and ride to Burgess Hill to visit an old school friend, JW, at her house. Having not seen her for a few years I was a little nervous, understandably.

I left home at about 10:30 and took the South Circular around to the start of the A23, pointed the bike south and basked in the the weather.

The journey was about a 90 mile round trip, and the first 10 miles passed in minutes, over the dreaded Purley Way flyover with barely another car on the road. As I passed Croydon airport that all changed, the traffic was solid, not merely moving slowly, but not moving at all. I filtered past seemingly endless miles of this until I got to the front of the hold up at Russell Hill. There was a police car blocking the road. I asked the officer how long would be shut for, and why it was shut and just as I was getting the usual non-commital answer I heard his radio chirp into life, the road was being reopened. I jumped back on to the SV, hit the starter and. Nothing. It was cranking over but not catching. I turned the lights and other electrics off and tried again. Still nothing. The PC stopped the traffic for me to push to the side of the road, where I stood baffled. A new battery went into it a week before, it was certainly warmed up. What was going on? I grabbed my mobile phone and began to think of options. I didn't have the breakdown service's number, it was at home, but FlatMate was away for the weekend. Scrub option one. I could call directory enquiries, but they never have the right number. Scrub option two. I could phone a friend with the internet and ask them to look. Viable, but it was early on a Sunday morning. Scrub option three. Then it hit me.

The fucking immobiliser.

Oh yes, it self arms after 20 seconds. I wasted 10 minutes because I forgot about it. Fires up first time and I sheepishly continue my journey, cursing myself obscenely.

It's glorious now, the tyres are gripping, the bike's on form, the sun is blazing and before long I'm at the start of the M23, the short motorway, seemingly built just to go round Gatwick Airport. I work up through the gears and sit the bike at a nice steady 85mph or so. It likes this territory on the speedo, a bit more pull if needed, not too windy and some good comfort. I pull over at Pease Pottage services to strap the tankbag strap around the headstock, just in case, as I'm still a little paranoid that it'll fly off the bike at speed taking my mobile, my wallet, my life with it.

All too soon is was pulling off onto the Burgess Hill road and arrived at my friend's a short distance from the motorway.

I stayed for a few hours, had a fantastic time catching up with the last few year, had a delightful lunch in a village pub and reminisced over some old photos, until it got late in the day and I had to bid a very fond farewell.

On the way back I decided to avoid the nightmare of the A23 and took the M23 up to the M25, then followed it one junction to the A22 at Junction 6, a quiet little road that takes me most of the way home, up to Purley, through South Croydon up to Shirley, then Elmer's End and up the hill to Crystal Palace, down Gipsy Hill admiring the simply stunning view of London it offers; and home.

The bike was looking pretty grubby after yesterday's rain session so she got the works, wash, scrub and a rub down till she was gleaming like new again. I really need to invest in a paddock stand soon, the chain is in need of a scrub and relube, after 600 miles it really should be done soon. I'll pop it on the wish list.