Istanbulian - thanks for the Epinal-Thann road suggestion. I've put it in the satnav route plan, and will cross my fingers that the Tour de France rabble will have cleared the Vosges or at least be further south in the hills by the time I arrive. I have booked to stay in Mulhouse itself, with a vague idea of visiting the car museum if I arrive with time to spare. The following night I've booked a hotel on the Grimselpass - current plan (assuming the Swiss don't put the vignette price up to an eyewatering 100CHF) would be to hit the motorway from Mulhouse in the morning, get to Grimselpass by lunchtime and do a little circuit in the mountains (Sustenpass, Furkapass etc) that afternoon. Not sure I'd fancy riding in Istanbul - I visited the city at the end of May, loved it, and would really like to go back, but the traffic (though not up to Delhi levels of craziness) didn't make me want to take to 2 wheels there!
option number two for me, drive down clermont-ferrand or lyon area in the car + trailer ride across the south giving a fun two days via the alps to gallarate for the wednesday night which is less than 200 miles a day so should get a good few twistys in on the way back probably cut across through florence genoa along the med and run across the coast and cut up to get the car on wednesday night or things may change
Yes, it was certainly a challenge and honed your defensive riding skills! After being there c 7 years I started off-road riding simply to try and reduce the odds of a really bad accident. There are many things I miss about Turkey but their total lack of any traffic discipline is not one of them...or bring stopped constantly whilst riding across Europe and victimised simply because I was on Turkish plates!
i am up for wdw but have no idea or plans on how to get there being new to ducatis not sure what to expect either but it sounds like fun.does any one camp on these trips or is it better to stay some wear and how late do you leave booking stuff.
[TABLE="width: 189"] [TR] [TD]le havre[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Saint-Rémy, France[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]saint gervais les bains[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Gallarate[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]cattolica[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]la spezia[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]susa[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]saint remy[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Le Havre[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] thats our route so far, one diversion might be to Pisa before la spezia depending
Pigpenn - I suggest you look at some of the threads from 2012 to get an idea of what WDW involves - thousands of Ducatis of every age, colour, shape and size, Ducati fans from around the world, track action (racing, race team riders mucking about - last time there was the Diavel drag race), customised bikes (from the sublime - mmm Giordano Loi Prama - to the truly monstrous), girls in very short shorts and bikinis including the infamous "bike wash" (if you like that sort of thing :wink organised ride-outs (which I plan to do this time - Wantz1 & Char did the tour up to San Marino and said it was excellent), rock bands in the evenings, stunt shows, the usual overpriced Ducati merchandise, parties (the alternative DOC party last time which we somehow managed to gatecrash, at an Irish bar behind the Misano circuit, was truly a night to remember - headbanging to a good rock covers band playing Rage Against the Machine's Killing in the Name with the accompaniment of 2 racing Desmosedicis being revved inside the bar!) Oh, and it's hot, VERY hot (over 40 degrees Celsius in the day time, mid 20s overnight). I really wouldn't recommend camping unless you're (a) totally skint and unable to afford a hotel and (b) able to sleep in an oven. For me a hotel room with working aircon is a must. People generally stay in either Rimini, Cattolica or Riccione. Hotels in those resorts are already getting booked up, so I'd book your accommodation in the Misano area sooner rather than later. These resorts are popular destinations for ordinary Italian family summer holidays, even without hordes of Ducatisti descending. It's roughly 1000 miles by road from London to Misano. Some people transport their bikes down in vans (even driving in shifts to get there in 24 hours). Others fly in to Milan or Bologna having got a mate to take their bike down in a van. For me the ride there and back was as much fun (if not more) than the WDW festivities, and I'd rather take my time and tour and enjoy the trip. Personally I think you'd be missing a lot by flying or vanning it, unless you really can't take the time off work. If nothing else, it is so hot when you get there, that the idea of getting into bike kit and heading off on your bike has less appeal at Misano than e.g. up in the Alps. My route plan: Troyes Mulhouse Innertkirchen (Grimselpass) Gallarate Cattolica just outside Asti (Piedmont) Barcelonette Manosque Grenoble Avallon last night before ferry to England not yet booked (my favoured B&B at St Pol Sur Ternoise isn't taking 1 night only bookings for next summer yet, so might end up just booking somewhere near Arras).
Just booked three rooms at a hotel in Cattolica. Mrs H and I will be flying in and out of Bologna and getting a hire car. A mate and his Mrs will be driving down with his D16 or Superleggera in his van. My bike is going down in a van with Louigi and another mate. :smile:
Well I am staying in San Marino again, because I have just booked at the Hotel Rossi which is half way up the hill.
I've booked a hotel in Pompei (near Naples) for a few days before the WDW, so looks like I'll be arriving at Misano from the South.
And I've booked my channel tunnel crossing, out 0620 on the Wednesday, back 2250 on the following Tuesday ;-)
Time booked off work, Chunnel booked, hotel in Cattolica booked, 3 steady days down, 10 days in Cattolica n 3 steady days back. SWMBO wants to take our time as we usually hammer to a MotoGP n back so she wants to see some of France n Italy this time.
All ive done so far is book the time off work, must pull my finger out and sort the rest really. I was thinking of getting the chunnel booked up for the Monday or Tuesday and make it a relaxed three/four day journey down, arriving at some point on the Thursday hopefully. Need to book hotels too and If I go by myself (which i'd rather not do, may need to buy a sat nav too) The plan is for a three/four day ride back thou to return to work on the Friday
There's a few of us riding down, with an overnight in Germany somewhere. You're more than welcome to join our little group! Join our Facebook page if you want to keep up to date with our plans (DOC GB Kent Branch) :wink:
I'm going,but as previous years I'm flying and then driving down to Rimini,family holidays take a chunk of my allocation
I'm hoping to go but can't commit to anything yet, however, I was just looking at the Flyridefly website and wondering if anyone has used them or has any thoughts. Looks like they charge about £400 return to take your bike to Nice and you sort out your own flights. Nice to WDW would be a day's ride and I would imagine all the roads would be pretty fab in that part of the world. Fly in Thursday, arrive at WDW Friday, leave Sunday and fly back from Nice on Monday. I haven't checked the flights yet tho'. Comments and thoughts? Cheers Pat
Booked - ferry + strategic accommodation (i.e. in useful wine drinking regions etc.!!) Taking 13 days - plenty of time to ride all the best bits of the French mountain passes and the Bologna area. Can't wait
