So when *is* the Africa run?

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Fr Jack

It's not going to make it then. I would *guess* you're looking at at
least treble that.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Manufacturer of the "Champion-105" range of rearsets
and Ducati Race Engineer.

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha GTS1000

 

Do fucking WHAT!!!???!?!

Don't be daft!
--

Cheers!
Fr Jack
90 CB450DX (The Moped)
FRJACKUKRM AT GMAIL DOT COM
skype: fr.jack (without the dot)
We'll open up your eyes,
just to check that you're asleep, again

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Fr Jack

Well, those Brave Boys Who Must Be Our Inspiration did Calais to
Frankfurt in one sitting (9am to 11pm, IIRC). And that's 450-ish miles.

So, OK, treble was a little over-optimistic. But realistically you're
going to have to be looking at 500 miles a day, IWHT.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Manufacturer of the "Champion-105" range of rearsets
and Ducati Race Engineer.

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha GTS1000

 

Wicked Uncle Nigel emerged from their own little world to say

Early ferry, overnight stop in Bordeaux

 

On the Frankfurt run, the Calais-Frankfurt leg was 443 miles according to my
trip, and took us from breakfast to closing time. Even if we ban smokers
and two-strokes, 450 a day is going to be pushing it.

My view is that we should aim to spend the first night, not in Calais but in
Chepy, which will give us an 80-mile advantage on the first full day, and
feed us properly. Next day, 400-odd miles will take us as far as
Brive-la-Gaillarde, or 470 might get us as far as Cahors and a surprise
visit to Wavy Davy...

Cahors to Madrid is about 520. We /could/ do this in a day, but sensibly we
ought to plan a stop after no more than 450. Plus I don't really want to do
the main road from Zaragoza to Madrid, which looks like 200 miles of fucking
motorway. Maybe peel off south after Zaragoza to Teruel or Cuenca. This
will be a day of mountains...

I'm not sure exactly where Paul Carmichael lives, but it would be polite to
call in if we're passing. If he invites us to stop over, that would make it
probably no more than 350 - an easy day. The following day, we zip down to
Gib, do the Dark Continent thing, and back to impose upon Paul for a second
night. Then home by the same route.

Which makes 9 days in all, and possibly a couple of days afterwards to
regain our sanity.

"We choose to do these things, not because they are easy but because they
are stupid."

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, platypus

A man wivva plan.

Dangerous animal, that.

Only thing worse is an officer wivva map.

Sounds fucking good to me. I will point out that I have the keys to an
apartment in Torreblanca (close to Malaga) if necessary, but looking at
Carmichael's vegetables sounds good too.

Fucking hell. Two days? No way.

Ho yuss.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Manufacturer of the "Champion-105" range of rearsets
and Ducati Race Engineer.

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha GTS1000

 

That sounds more like it...... Though the sanity thing may take
longer......

And why not?

I may well be up for this, if the committee decide that my entry satisfies
the requirements....

Committee, get a decision made!!
--

Cheers!
Fr Jack
90 CB450DX (The Moped)
FRJACKUKRM AT GMAIL DOT COM
skype: fr.jack (without the dot)
We'll open up your eyes,
just to check that you're asleep, again

 

I have loads of maps. Good job I'm not an officer.

So long as he keeps his fucking pants on.

Notional figure. We would have needed to be sane to start with, and if we
were sane...

After Frankfurt, I got home quite late on the Monday evening. In work on
the Tuesday morning, I realised that my perceptions, concentration and
general world-view was slightly more twisted than normal.

 

In what way?
--

Cheers!
Fr Jack
90 CB450DX (The Moped)
FRJACKUKRM AT GMAIL DOT COM
skype: fr.jack (without the dot)
We'll open up your eyes,
just to check that you're asleep, again

 

There's no reason you shouldn't come along on the 450, in my view. Expect
the piss-taking to be merciless, though, if you start falling behind.

 

Well, depends on what pace is set.....
--

Cheers!
Fr Jack
90 CB450DX (The Moped)
FRJACKUKRM AT GMAIL DOT COM
skype: fr.jack (without the dot)
We'll open up your eyes,
just to check that you're asleep, again

 

Hard to recall exactly, but I suppose a bit "thousand-yard-stare". Abrupt,
restless, and generally not fit to be indoors.

Not a pronounced effect, I don't think, but I had a meeting in the morning
and instead of focussing on the matter in hand, I was bored and distracted.
For example.

 

Well, flat out, obviously. This has previously meant speeds of over 60mph,
and an overall average of around 45mph. Where we lost time on the Frankfurt
run was getting away late after breakfast, extended fuel stops, not having
lunch until three in the afternoon and then sitting around for a full hour.
And then having to go like the clappers all evening to make the time up. We
won't be able to afford to do that over nine days, and we'll need to be
restrained on the "getting pissed up every evening" front as well.

 

It wasn't so much "sitting around" more "looking for keys" and in Sean's
case "looking at the girl behind the counter".

*horrified*

 

I'd worked it out as 3 days there, a day on the piss, 3 days back.

 

It is still *really* shit though. The engine from a G5; <shudder>
The K4 wasn't actually a bad bike, but they really went wrong there.

JB

 

I had one, way back when......

 

The 900 was shite. The 750 was The One To Have.

 

platypus said...

" "

I reckon 450 is doable if we can average 60MPH on the road which would
probably give us about 40 ave over the day, set of at 9 am arrive at 8
pm. Not to bad.

Makes note: Must get bike with brakes this time.

 

Good bloke that one.

Wouldn't getting lashed every night help the morning stint fly past a
bit better? The afternoon hangover might impinge on progress, but with
all the devil-may-care chances taken in the morning it'd even out.