Phil, Jon ,bren, Kawaange

I know I said I wasnt doing anything bike related this year in anticipation of next year's adventure but...............
The truth is I'm kinda itching to do something, however minor, and if any of you don't already have plans for this summer I'd like to throw my hat in the ring with a big "available" sticker on it! lol
Now that I have my wheels I was thinking of doing a 7-10 day trip probably mid-July if any of you are interested. However I'm not really planning a long haul trip as I'd rather save the cash for 2011 but a trip somewhere in the UK would probably fit the bill nicely. As I'm from N. Ireland it's easy for me to jump on a boat (at reasonable cost) and arrive in Holyhead (Wales) or Stranraer(Scotland) so it's a real option if any of you want to do something. You don't need to go to the ports mentioned but somewhere in the general vicinity would be good to meet up. Camping might be the name of the game for this one (purely cost realted).....and it just might let us see if we can tolerate each other too!! Perhaps it would be an idea to plan 2011 while we were there too??? Just imagine........campfire, few s and talking about the things we are planning to do NEXT year......BLISS!! lol
Let me know if any of you are up for it and we'll see where we go from there.

Regards
Chris

Hi Chris. I know I'm probably not going to be able to persuade you that Kazakhstan and Mongolia are the places to go in 2011 but and camp fire in Scotland or Wales might be tempting if I'm free in July.

Paul

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Paul "Every county of England, every country of Europe and every (part of every inhabited) continent of the Earth" 94% done! What's left? Central America, East, Central and West Africa, Australia & New Zealand

Paul
You are most welcome. After a week you'll see the error of your ways and realise that our 2011 trip, and not the stans, is the way to go!! lol

Chris

I'm trying to downsize and save a few bob this year so not sure if I'd be able to but lets keep in touch.

Already selling house and moving to rented, and making enquiries about taking pension early next summer, so plans are taking shape - just need to change the bike now.

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Live life now - you only get it once.

Hi Chris and gang,

2011 sounds cool. I really should sell that Kidney...

Have you any date in mind for July? I could be around for the second week in July if that's an option. Destination is not too much of an issue.

Cheers man,
zixx

hey zixx, welcome aboard.

Chris is the trip planner so I'll guess he will be alerted to new posts on his thread and be here soon to advise on dates etc.

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Live life now - you only get it once.

Hi zixx
This year's trip is hopefully going to be mid to late July for a week in the UK somewhere. I really don't mind where it is as long as we can do a bit of touring, a bit of camping, a bit of drinking and a bit of whatever else comes along.
Because of the 2011 plan the theme of the July trip unfortunately has to be focussed on cost. I don't mean eating beans out of a tin but I don't mean 5 star cordon bleu either. I just want to get away for a bit and I can land at either Stranraer or Holyhead. I'm happy to zip on a bit from there to meet whoever else is interested and I would hope anyone else interested is happy to do likewise. Coming from Guernsey I think it's fair to say you're in the same club!! lol
I don't want to be doing 300 or 400 miles every day for a week so if we could find a decent spot or two and do a bit of sightseeing from there then all the better.
Phil, the offer's still there for you if interested but I'm aware of your situation at the moment as well.

Chris

Just keep me in the loop Chris and even if I can't get a week it may be possible to at least meet up and say hello or do an overnighter etc.

Update on 2011 plans - the house is provisionally sold (just waiting for contracts) and I'm already in rented accom. The Fireblade is on EBay for the second week after failing to get a bid last week and I have some ideas for a tourer when I have the readies. Plus I'm seeing a pensions specialist soon to investigate getting my works pension paid early at 55 (next May) as I can then take 25% of the fund value cash free to fund this trip and others - bonus!

So plan is coming together for 2011 and I'm still in the team...

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Live life now - you only get it once.

Good news Phil, seems like it's all coming together nicely for you. I'll keep you posted on plans for this years mini-trip and it would be great if we could meet up even if it is only for a day or two. I guess if I get to Holyhead then you're not a million miles away for a meet up. Like I said I am happy to do a bit of travelling to meet up with whoever is interested.

In order to bump Chris's event back up the forum, I have at last sold my fireblade so am now looking around for a tourer for this trip.

Torn between tarmac-only sports tourer, or a smaller engined (650 ish) GS or Versys etc. Folks on here seem to promote the smaller, lighter bikes instead of the massive GS adventurer or multi-cylinder jap monsters.

Anyone else interested in joining in..??

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Live life now - you only get it once.

Phil
Good news on the Fireblade! The whole business of choosing a replacement is always going to be a personal decision though, isn't it? I suppose it depends on what you feel comfortable with. I watched a really interesting video about 3 mad Irish guys doing a European tour in 2008, its in the Ride Tales section....."Irish on tour in Europe, video". Quite funny in places but I also found it interesting for the route they took. I would never have thought of Montenegro but it sure does look good. I had a look at the route you sent me Phil....like I said before, nowhere can be ruled out, although I had hoped to be more south than north!
As it stands there is Phil and myself who have made a commitment to the trip so if there's another one or two who'd like to join us for the whole thing then please let either of us know.

Chris

Ouch, bad news on the engine Chris. But better now than on the road in Europe eh?

My head is telling me to wait for the winter when there will be a good supply of cheap bikes with owners wanting to cash in before next spring. But seeing my garage empty is a sick feeling and the sun is shining!!!

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Live life now - you only get it once.

Phil
Unless you need a bike now I'd hold off if I was you. If we're lucky there's another month of potentially good weather (but it could just as well be bad!) and then we're DEFINITELY into the glorious dark and wet winter days.

Chris125/Norfolkguy,
It looks like it is you two set on this trip. It's looking likely that I will have the time to do this, unless the Gvmt conspire to bugger up my early retirement. Can you keep me in the loop re destinations, dates etc. I'm easy, able to go anywhere, but have a preference for east europe/Italy?slovenia etc.
Cheers MotoMike

Hi Chris, I am planning a trip to Mongolia. Two month is the time I was thinking. I would be leaving from Italy on my KTM 990 Adventure. My plan is to leave my bike in Mongolia and return at a later date to continue the trip from Mongolia to Magadan in Siberia. If you want to travel down to Italy we could depart from there. Let me know if that would be a trip you would be interested in doing. BTW, I can't agree more with you about cheap people. chug
Cheers,