C&F Day Trippers, France
Friday 31st May 2013
Organiser/navigator – Andrew Papas, C&F Road Captain
Whether you have never ridden abroad or are a Eurotunnel veteran, we think that our organised day trip to The Continent is a ‘must do’ event in this seasons calendar.
With many years of experience at running these types of events, we reckon we have arrived at the perfect formula, designed for those who are feeling slightly more adventurous and fancy a whirlwind tour of some of the best motorcycling roads just a couple of hours from London.
The key is ‘keeping it simple’, with plenty of scenery, well-timed breaks, a spot of sightseeing, and, above all, an opportunity to give your HOG a decent blast.
This is the basic plan
– A civilised start from Eurotunnel Folkestone, and a short ride to breakfast via some picturesque back roads
– After a quick ‘recharge’, a slightly longer ride to a leisurely lunch-stop, with an opportunity to have a bit of a wander
– Fed/watered/cultured/shopped-out, a decent afternoon’s riding, with a comfort stop before heading back to Eurotunnel and Blighty, aiming to get you back home before dark.
Expect to cover around 150 miles in France/Belgium, plus your mileage to-and-from Eurotunnel Folkestone.
The things you need to do now
Eurotunnel
Book your trains as soon as possible (the evening return bookings are filling up fast, so book NOW to increase the chance that you won’t have to catch a later train).
To go to the Eurotunnel website click here. Unfortunately, the Day/Overnight tariff is fully booked, and so you need to select the Short Stay Saver tariff.
Book the 08:36 train from Folkestone (current Short Stay Saver price is £26).
It is up to you what train you want to travel back on, but I am booking the 18:36 (current Short Day Saver price is £27), so you can guarantee we will be back at the terminal in time for that!
Plan B! If you are unable to book any of these suggested trains, then try to book an earlier crossing on the way out (we will be holding our ride briefing in France, so you can wait for us), or a later one on the way back.
Passport
You must have a valid passport to enter France, and return to the UK
The important details about the ride itself
• Give yourself plenty of time – Aim to be at the terminal building before 08:06! It’s very easy to get held up at the ticket booths and/or security
• Ride Brief – We will assemble at the Service Station 1 kilometer outside the Eurotunnel Terminal in Coquelles, France for a pre-ride briefing
• Ride Etiquette – We will use the standard C&F ‘drop-off’ system at all junctions
• Comfort Stops – We will stop for coffee/breakfast on our way to lunch, and again in the afternoon
• Fuel – We will stop for fuel as required
Please note that Day Trippers 2013 officially ends at Eurotunnel Coquelles.
Fuel
If you been on one of these rides before, you will appreciate that taking a large number of motorcycles into a petrol station can be tricky, and time consuming. Therefore, I ask that – You must refuel your motorcycle before you board the train at Folkestone. I would suggest stopping at the ‘Early Arrivals’ services at Junction 11 of the M20 (this is the junction just before the Eurotunnel exit).
If, for any reason you have not refuelled, you must appreciate that making unscheduled stops makes everyone else’s day more complicated and can shorten our lunch break and so on, and so we may ask you to leave the ride, and rejoin it at the next stopping point.
The total ride distance in France/Belgium is about 150 miles, and so the larger machines should be able to manage on a single tank of fuel. However, for classic Sportsters, 48’s and early V-Rod riders, there will be opportunities to refuel. We do not intend to take the entire rides into fuel stations, but will ensure that those that need fuel will have time to get it.
Please Register
Once you have completed your booking, then please send an email to DAYTRIPPERS13@Papas.co.uk, so that we know you are coming.
Please include in your Email
– full name
– mobile telephone number (in case we need to contact you on the day)
– the name of any pillion
– H.O.G. membership Number (you MUST be a member of H.O.G. to attend any C&F H.O.G. events)
– which H-D you will be riding (so that we understand your fuel range requirements)
– whether you are a continental veteran, or your first experience of overseas riding
– confirmation of your train bookings (out time and return time).
This is important so that we know how many people are coming, don’t leave anyone behind, know if there are any petrol stop issues, and to ensure we plan for enough marshals, parking and so on.
This will help us to help you to get the most out of your day
Limited numbers – register as soon as possible
Please be aware that, depending on the popularity of this event, we may need to close the entry list, and so please do make sure you register early. Keep your eye on the C&F website, especially if you leave it to the last minute!
Andrew Papas – C&F Road Captain
Click here for C&F riding etiquette on overseas trips.
Please note:
- > Chelsea & Fulham H.O.G. operate a “No brief, no ride” policy
- > Allow plenty time for signing in
- > A valid H.O.G. member card is obligatory
- > Ensure your bike is refuelled before departure
- > This is an official ride and qualifies towards the C&F riders patch and Precious Metal Rockers, more here