Bit of an open ended one this....ive been going for the last 5 years now, and while I really do enjoy it...aside from family stuff, for me, its the one thing I look forward to going to, it really does keep me sane for the year. However, it does seem that if your the average bloke its quite restrictive....ie you don't have enough dough to get you places....ie...we were behind the grandstand and just to the left in the field and a lad that we happen to bump into (for the last 3 years) was there again, was on his BMW GS - we happened to be outside the BMW hospitality tent and some bloke came out (obviously worked for BMW as his X5 was parked right outside) and we jokingly said "can we come in? he's got a beemer...." to which the reply was "sorry mate, I don't think so...." - to which I then replied "well, I almost bought an s1000r, glad I didn't now...!" - which I think after that was our adopted catchphrase for the trip. We weren't going to go in, eat all the food an piss in the corner, but it may have been nice to go in for a cuppa....or at least rest your legs have a chat in the shade and then go... It seems that if your round the grandstand, you've got no way of seeing pretty well anything unless you've coughed up...just my thought but its the way I see it....doesn't bother me too much, just an observation...
I guess that was the beauty of practice week. Access all areas for free and everyone was dead chilled, from the CEO of Norton lifting Hattie up for a look in his race tent to the riders milling around and beaming because they were as excited as we were. It was fun, and although we had a sense of missing the main action we got to see/meet all of our faves in very chilled conditions and it was lovely. Race week we will experience next year and although I'm sure it'll be different I'm excited. I'll probably stump up for grandstand tickets next time as it'll be my first race week but can see subsequent years elsewhere on the course.
Just blag your way in. Let boldness be your friend. All the best under the radar events have now become comercialised to the point that those with money but no interest in the event get in and those there for the craic sit outside in the gutter
Of all the interesting and wonderful places around the Island from which you can watch TT races, I must say the grandstand was just about the worst in my experience.
Last year we watched at Glen Helen, Conker Trees and Crosby. Way better than the grandstand from what other people have told me....
Gorse lea is the best for us so far....great view, tea, coffee, and I think I can say, the best lemon drizzle ive ever tasted. Although I have to say the view and the fish and chips at Crosby the year before were equally good...sucker for cake im afraid....
We went for practice week last year. Although it would be nice to see the top guys blasting around the course, I dont have a huge motivation to going during the main race week with all the crowds and the problems you talk about. For me the best part of the trip was being able to spend a couple of days blasting around the course with friends like it was a trackday. Highlight possibly being schooled around the mountain by a guy on a Transalp with his wife on the back and top box full of gear! They were both nearly knee down around the corners and had bolted metal to the toes of there boots because they kept wearing through it. They had been coming for over twenty years Sexy time:
Yeah - that ironically happened to me on the mountain Tuesday afternoon....just starting to climb up and a bloke came past me on what I think was a bmw gs, passenger, top box, I was doing about 90 and I reckon he past me about 110 or so into what I would deem as a blind corner (but course knowledge rules) - I got round to windy corner and stopped where my mates were and said "did you see the bloke on the GS!" to which they said they did, he over shot the corner and went round on the grass before getting back on the road and gunning it....nutter. Theres a few things that keep me from going balls out.... 1. Lack of knowledge of the course, ie, I don't yet know whats round the corner until I get round it. 2. People coming from behind, (theres always someone faster that you...) 3. People that have already crashed, (Past a lad last year as he overshot the corner, bike got stuck in the catch fencing, bike stayed where it was - ZX10 from recollection, and he went over the side) But, I know my limits, or I like to think that I do...
I used to go from 1972-1985, then again in 2013 after a long break. Of all the many places I have watched from, I think my all time favourite was the Gooseneck - I saw the F750 TT of 1973 (which Peter Williams won on the JP Norton) from there. Hailwood's 1978 Ducati win I saw from Windy Corner, which was a lot sharper then than it is now. In 1976 I watched the Production TT from May Hill, to find that standing right next to me was the 1975 winner of the same race, Mick Grant, who didn't enter that class in '76. So I was treated to a commentary by the bloke best qualified to comment, an unexpected treat. One race I watched from Rhencullen, where there is absolutely nowhere for a spectator to go - I managed to persuade a kind flag marshal to let me share her marshal point, strictly against the rules - and got a unique view. In 2013 I spectated from: the public bank just above the Creg-ny-Baa; a private garden directly opposite Ballaugh Bridge; the public bank at Barregarrow crossroads; a private garden at Creg Willey's Hill; and a private garden near Glen Vine. Some of the best spots are not easy to access, except by special arrangement!
Anyone can go into the paddock anyhow though, or is it different during race week to when we went in practice week?
