CCA Gent6 trip - Nov 2012

Forum Admin [Martin]

I thought I'd start a new Gent6 discussion thread. The old one is here.

The tickets have started to arrive. Each one with a free beer voucher to collect from the middle of the track...

For us cycling over, here are draft routes. Did the Romans give Kent a miss? Or were they popped up on all the fermented hops? Hardly a straight line to anywhere. This could be a problem as it pushes my Derren Brown abilities to memorize the turns into the red.

Thurs 22nd Nov
Ashwell - Tilbury
Familiar lanes basically to Hatfield Forest, then essentially a TTT down the quiet A road.

Gravesend - Dover
Staying off the busy roads. But this could mean some Frank Spencer moments through peoples' living rooms and washing lines - coming out with a pair of bloomers on yer headset.

125 miles and about 4,000ft climbing. Tasty enough for November.

Fri 23rd Nov
Calais - Gent
The 100 mile dash to Gent - check this out - contains about as much climbing as just twice the Club 10 loop. Flatter than a pint of Bill's 'specially reduced guest ale'. We'll go via beautiful Bergues for a hair-of-the-dog half in Trumpton town square. And go along the canal through Diksmuide, to see that waitress again.

Hope to see some of the Club tomorrow - for a swift half or two.

Martin L
martin@ccashwell.com

phil k

should be there tommorow

skelders

could well pop in for a cheeky one!

Martin L

Am in lookmumnohands til about 5.45pm if anyone fancies a more cycle based beverage.

kevin weavers

Gents- chatting to Stef and Mark (Kit) last night in the Tuns and the possibility of a spare place (travelling in the mini-bus) was discussed.
As I understand i would need to arrange a hotel (I will check with Martin Hillier to see what he has booked)
I would also need to find venue tickets as ScouseChris? I believe may have them but in uncontactable at present?
Kevin
my mobile if this makes things easier 07796267434

Stef

Hi Kevin,
I just checked with Martin L who organised the tickets and he has a spare (was Chris's) - I'll put you in touch with him on email.
Yes think you will need to find a hotel. Most are in the Ibis Centrum Opera, and some are in the Ibis Centrum St-Baarfs.
Cheers
Stef

Martin L

Kevin - you're in then. Check your email for payment details.

All - I gather Bob wants to come - so I've booked him tickets for Fri, Sat 23-24th Nov. And he has a space on Mark's bus. Can someone let him know??

Also, I hear Vince, is thinking about it. Ditherus Maximus needs to get a move on - there's barely any ticket available for Friday now. Let me know Vince!

Meanwhile, cycling-over people; I've spoken to a nice chap at Gravesend CC who has recommended a safe passage from Gravesend-Dover, with the brief of being fairly winter-friendly and low traffic. So new route here. We'll be going over that big bridge on the M2! Don't fret: apparently there's a cyclepath. We can maybe thumb a lift from Richard. If our thumbs haven't dropped off with frostbite.

It involves a fair bit of A20 action - but apparently it's low traffic as most are on the M20. One change: we could go around Folkestone instead of thru it - to hit the 25% ascent for fun. Phil K's idea *ahem*.

geoffg

I'll drop round and tell him Martin

James D

Booked hotel today in the Ibis. There is still room at the inn.

tduckett

From what i can make out on the Gent6 website, looks like madison champs De Hoeke and De Ketele are riding along with Robert Bartko and the Dane Hansen. No mention of who's riding with Keisse. All seems quiet on the Wiggins front, maybe he will be the big surprise or maybe Patrick Sercu couldn't entice him out of the Ecclestone Wetherspoons.

Also looks like Gilbert will be kicking things off with a demonstration pursuit. Hope he pops in at the weekend.

phil k

......best gravesend to dover route i have ever seen

DavidS

Message for Martin L.

Spoke to Dad (Bob S.) tonight he is really looking forward to Ghent and thanks so much for sorting tickets.

He had a couple of questions though?

Can he share a room or should I book him one online?
How much does he owe for tickets?

Ta very much.

Martin L

Hi David - hope all well? Great yer dad is up for it. I got him the last seat of Friday night.

I bet there's someone out there who's booked a double room - so could divide the cost. Anyone able here? Let David know.

If not, we are booked in the ibis hotels in Gent - some here;

Ibis Gent Centrum Opera
http://www.ibishotel.com/gb/hotel-1455-ibis-gent-centrum-opera/index.shtml

Others around the corner here;

Hotel ibis Gent Centrum St-Baafs Kathedraal
http://www.ibis.com/gb/hotel-0961-ibis-gent-centrum-st-baafs-kathedraal/index.shtml

Meanwhile, Tickets and transport costs total £111 [£35 + £76]. I'm collecting it all - I've whispered bank/address details here.

Looks like Wiggins is out. They can't afford him. And he's in the pub.

A day trip to nearby Oudenaarde to visit the Tour of Flanders Centre & Museum looks like a must.
http://www.crvv.be/en/museum

cheers

martin@ccashwell.com

DavidS

Cheers Martin,

I have forwarded all the information to Dad, he is posting you a cheque today.

Sounds like he might have found a room mate already.

Thanks again for making it all happen.

PS: how is life in Lancashire? (are there plenty of epic climbs?)

Martin L

Yep. Plenty o' climbs - it's a different kind of club run average speed now I'm living at altitude and twice as high up as Therfield and the other side of the Ramsbottom Rake [cut to 3:10 where the fun begins] - it's the National Hill Climb hill at the end of this month. I applied - but, funnily enough, my palmar

Martin L

Roll up! Roll up!

Here's the official CC Ashwell Gent trip 2012 t-shirt design. All Flemish - no criticising the spelling mistakes please. In a slightly retro central-European styley. I think I'll reverse the colourway - so it will be white on blue.

Don't expect Abercrombie & Fitch quality - but they'll be about a tenner each.

Put your name on this Doodle - and tick your size. I'll collect the money in Belgium or whatever.

I'll place the order at the beginning of Nov.

Senecio [Daniel D]

My, my, Martin; what a slim waist you have!

tduckett

Ace, thanks Martin. Probably right about the colour, white will get messy. Actually the best colour would be Westmalle Brun.

geoffg

belgian toothpaste aside Tim....Senecio's comment on waist pertinent but more worrying is Martin's upper body development :-)

Stef

like the design.
i'm sure its probably impossible but for what its worth jane reckons the girls might prefer the blue on white design.
girls dont spill beer apparently

Martin L

Yes: slim waist, upper body development - and you can see I've Terry-Nutkinsed my hair.



Stef - I think I should be able to do blue on white for the gals. They on the local clear gin then?

Stef

I fear they will be...

James D

its great and glad to see Tezza again:)

James D

Martins chest seems very 2D to me???

Martin L

The T-shirts order has been placed - ta.

Each shirt will incur a £1 Iljo Keisse Tax - I will get one done for him and see if we can present it to him and get a group photo. I'll get a Small?

While I'm here - a reminder to those cycling over - please forward on your d.o.b. so I can group book the ferry if you haven't yet let me know already.

Interesting collection of racks, rucksacks and lights currently being assembled by the team. Reckon we'll look a bit like the 'rag tag' convoy from Battlestar Galactica.



Watch out for dem Cylons in France.

martin@ccashwell.com

Robbie L

May the force be with us....
Everybody ready?

geoffg

dunno! possibly......v.hilly up here so hard to gauge the effort against flatter south. bit concerned as to the av. speed you fit ones are going to maintain......

Martin L

Just a quick few notes Genters;

1. I'd forgotten Richard is coming back a day after Mark's minibus. So people need to note this with anything they might want Richard to bring back. Some might want to keep their things with them on the bus back with Mark.

2. The cyclists can drop off their Ghent bag at Richard's house on Wednesday 21st Nov eve.

3. There is room for 4 more bikes on the trailer if anyone wants to take a bike to Ghent.

Long range weather forecast looks OK. The Gent Christmas fair opens when we arrive - so should be festive.

Robbie [and any other Garmin users on the ride?] - here are the routes in bikeroutetoaster which I'm guessing is what Garmins like because Shaun uses it;

Ashwell - Tilbury here

Gravesend - Dover here

Calais - Gent here

Note - if anyone fancies joining us next Thurs 22nd for a ride out of Ashwell for a bit or a lot of the way - looks like we are setting off at dawn 7:30am

AdamChallis

Nice work Martin.

Hope 4 arrived today, alongside a new set of mudguards. Let's hope both are redundant!!

Adam

Robbie L

Cool. I'll tcx the files and get them on the garmin.
I'll make a list of kit I'm taking and post later in the week.
Let's try and avoid loadsa clobber and go light by sharing up kit.

tduckett

Here is the list of riders. No brits unfortunately, so i will have to make do with rooting for an Australian, Glenn O Shea riding with Keisse. Team Lotto also seem to have a member of Jedwood riding.

Riders.