Author Topic: Good luck our brave boys  (Read 1090 times)

guest7

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Good luck our brave boys
« on: January 21, 2007, 10:54:19 PM »
Simon Morgan and Andy Metcalf are setting off for this weekend's Elefant Rally in darkest Bavaria. They are riding different routes so each is on a solo run.

Bon Voyage, you lucky bastards
GC

Andy M

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Re: Good luck our brave boys
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2007, 08:13:51 AM »
Thanks GC.

I'm not setting off until Thursday, it's a sprint job for me, I can't get time off to make a 2-week job of it. Simon is planning to be there 24 hours before me, so I guess he's off tomorrow or Wednesday. The weather forecast is pretty good, snow in Nuremburg (nearest spot I can find) for the next 2 days, then fine and cold (minus 10!) into Friday. The big sleeping bag had been packed!

Andy

guest7

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Re: Good luck our brave boys
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2007, 09:58:50 AM »
Bad news with the weather at the moment:


guest7

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Re: Good luck our brave boys
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2007, 09:56:41 PM »
I checked the webcams earlier and it's snowed... a lot :-)

I spoke to Simon tonight (Weds) and he was contemplating a 9.00pm bedtime because he plans to leave Reading at 3.00am for the tunnel.

Have a good trip lads.
GC

guest7

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Re: Good luck our brave boys
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2007, 08:44:41 PM »
Simon text'd me to say that he got to Parsberg before it got dark and started to snow so he pulled off into a hotel http://www.a3-villa-toskana.de/. Only 90 miles left to the rally.

Good effort
GC

guest27

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Re: Good luck our brave boys
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2007, 09:14:43 PM »
Hey GC why are you on here reading and looking at the weather when you have a schedule of work and a price outstanding since before Christmas... Nag nag nag nag nag

R

guest7

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Re: Good luck our brave boys
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2007, 09:24:47 PM »
Er.... erm.... ahhh... Sorry I just got excited when Simon text messaged me. I reckon he must have knocked off close to 600 miles today
GC

guest27

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Re: Good luck our brave boys
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2007, 04:42:27 PM »
Ahh but the nagging worked - keep an eye on them for us mind...

R

Simon#83

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Re: Good luck our brave boys
« Reply #8 on: January 29, 2007, 08:37:14 PM »
Got back at lunchtime today. Quite a hard rally this year with lots of snow on the roads. There was even snow on the M20 and at the Eurotunnel terminal for the trip out (they could have at least have gritted the down ramp to the train with was absolutely lethal!). I'd had some practice of riding in the snow before I'd even left the UK! French roads weren't much better with the fast lane of the motorway being particularly slippery. Belgium and the Netherlands were OK, and I made good progress. More snow on the roads by the time I got to Germany, however.

Lots of snow at the rally site over Friday night, making the roads very interesting for the 13 or so miles back to the autobahn. Horrendous snow on the autobahn at one point, with Tim Berry and myself having to crawl along at about 30mph for a while. Snowy conditions all the way back to Wurstburg.

Straightforward from then on to back home.

Didn't get a chance to meet up with Andy Metcalf, but text him to find out that'd he'd fallen off twice and had to have a battery sorted out. Sounds like he was having quite an adventure!

I'd like to mention at this point that I fitted Continental TKC80 tyres to the DR and found them to be superb in the snow. (No affinity with Continental, etc., etc.)

Got the Dragon Rally details through the post today. Looking forward to that now. Doubt I'll get a chance to try out the TKC80s in the mud (I'm assuming there'll be no snow) as it looks like it's hardstanding only again this year :-(

Early night for me this evening to catch up on some sleep!


Simon
KTM Duke II
Royal Enfield Himalayan

guest7

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Re: Good luck our brave boys
« Reply #9 on: January 29, 2007, 09:24:06 PM »
Good effort that man, and once again all done on the same DR650 you bought for the 2000 Elefant. What a great bike.

It will be interesting to hear about Andy's adventures when he returns... he was on the Bonnie wasn't he?

GC

Steffan

  • Posts: 1412
Re: Good luck our brave boys
« Reply #10 on: January 29, 2007, 10:24:44 PM »
Good effort that man, and once again all done on the same DR650 you bought for the 2000 Elefant. What a great bike.

It will be interesting to hear about Andy's adventures when he returns... he was on the Bonnie wasn't he?

GC

That's right the MZ seized the week before....

guest27

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Re: Good luck our brave boys
« Reply #11 on: January 29, 2007, 10:45:46 PM »
Andy Metcalf - did not live in Bletchley in the 1970's did he....


R

guest7

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Re: Good luck our brave boys
« Reply #12 on: January 29, 2007, 11:45:22 PM »
Andy Metcalf - did not live in Bletchley in the 1970's did he....


R

He's barely old enough to remember the 70s, he's a sprog... early 30s I think.
GC