Gordon Bennett - I've got to go !

Just had a proper look at the Charade race circuit web site. Looks a
brilliant track. Got to go in July even if I can't get track cover for
the Voxan.
The Gordon Bennett Cup centenary was held there last year.

http://www.charade.fr/data/pistes.html
--

+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Moto Guzzi Mille GT/Squire RS3 Gilera Nordwest |
| Gilera GFR Moto Morini 2C/375 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Mother of god, read this!!
http://www.edwardjayepstein.com/diamond/chap17.htm

 

So big and sort of round .....
Like an inverted Puy de Dome - but I think only pedal power is allowed
there.
Your tyres wouldn't be much good for anywhere else after a few runs up
that!
--

+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Moto Guzzi Mille GT/Squire RS3 Gilera Nordwest |
| Gilera GFR Moto Morini 2C/375 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

As far as I know there has never been a car or motorcycle hill climb
there (I am prepared to stand corrected), but it was the scene of an
epic battle in the 64 Tour de France between Poulidor and Anquetil.

There is a Poulidor museum at Lac de Vassiviere that I keep meaning to
visit when I'm over.
--

+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Moto Guzzi Mille GT/Squire RS3 Gilera Nordwest |
| Gilera GFR Moto Morini 2C/375 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Aiee! Corner f looks like it should be very similar to
Westwood's run from Deer's Leap down around the hairpin and starting
back up to the esses. That corner looks less of a hairpin on the photo
than on the map, though, more a Melbourne Loop.

--
Ivan Reid, Electronic & Computer Engineering, ___ CMS Collaboration,
Brunel University. Ivan.Reid@[brunel.ac.uk|cern.ch] Room 40-1-B12, CERN
GSX600F, RG250WD "You Porsche. Me pass!" DoD #484 JKLO#003, 005
WP7# 3000 LC Unit #2368 (tinlc) UKMC#00009 BOTAFOT#16 UKRMMA#7 (Hon)
KotPT -- "for stupidity above and beyond the call of duty".

 

<googles frantically>

ISWYM

http://www.motorsportscentral.com/visitor-photos/01/images/westwood199-prg.jpg

Fortunately the Voxan's brakes are superb.

There was a nasty hairpin at the bottom of a hill at Mas du Clos last
year. Not such a long run down to it though.

--

+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Moto Guzzi Mille GT/Squire RS3 Gilera Nordwest |
| Gilera GFR Moto Morini 2C/375 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

I outbraked a 750 Superbike into that corner once, on Gamma. Up
'til then I'd never realised you could hear the crowd's cheers from on the
track. Unfortunately I outbraked myself just before turn-in and killed
the motor, so I got to hear their groans as well. When I dropped the
clutch to restart while well-banked-over I knew that it would skid out at
first, so I was already countersteering into it, but from the gasps I
heard the spectators thought I was going to lowside.

Then, I thought I was in first when I was in second, revved the
tits off the motor trying to start uphill, and seized the motor due to oil
starvation[1] just as I realised my mistake...

"Dear Mum, I've had a little problem with my road-bike that I
brought to Canada with me. Please buy a new crankshaft and post it to
me." I finally told her about my racing, and the time I damn-near broke my
neck, last time I was home.

[1] Suzuki oil pumps are driven from the gearbox input shaft, and don't pump
if the clutch isn't gripping. :-(

--
Ivan Reid, Electronic & Computer Engineering, ___ CMS Collaboration,
Brunel University. Ivan.Reid@[brunel.ac.uk|cern.ch] Room 40-1-B12, CERN
GSX600F, RG250WD "You Porsche. Me pass!" DoD #484 JKLO#003, 005
WP7# 3000 LC Unit #2368 (tinlc) UKMC#00009 BOTAFOT#16 UKRMMA#7 (Hon)
KotPT -- "for stupidity above and beyond the call of duty".