My names Karrie from Plymouth, Im a self employed learning consultant and mum to two teenage boys (proud owners of a Valentino Rossi Rep Scooter and XR100). My other half, Stuart (WR 250 and KTM 990 SM) races in the ASW series in North Devon. Ive been doing a bit of green laning (WR 250) but am still very much a novice! Really keen to get out more and find more places to go (especially now the R1 is tucked up for the winter). Really looking forward to getting involved with TVTR!
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experience is something you get....right just after you needed it!!
I will try and post a noviceish run soon just aint enough hours in the day or days in the week at the moment! Try and get to the next meeting if you can and meet some of the others. Happy days in the lanes Barney
-- Edited by Tibby on Friday 9th of October 2009 11:04:45 PM
If you take a look at some of my helmet cam vids (YouTube user 'KwakaGeoff') you'll see what enjoyment you're in store for!
I too ride a sports bike (all year round I might add! Why have you put yours away?) but since getting into the Trail Riding scene I only wish I'd done it MUCH sooner! It's great fun and a great bunch of people too!
Thank you so much for all for your 'welcomes'!! ...I'll be on my way back from Moto GP in Valencia on 12th Nov but will try my best to get to the meeting at the Rock!
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experience is something you get....right just after you needed it!!
Ah, MotoGP Valencia, been there several times, frekkin mental about it the Spanish fans are, hell of an atmosphere in that stadium. Gotta love the mexican wave that goes right around the circuit, brill! And the fire crackers at the end, AWESOME!!!! Have fun.
Wish I was going too but alas not this year (inlaws live in Alicante - convenient!). We decided to do a farewell to Donington in 2009 - good riddens I think, it's got worse and worse over the 9 odd consecutive years we've been! Already booked my tickets for Silverstone 2010. Lets hope that's better organised (lets be honest though, it couldn't be worse!)
Hey Geoff Off to Valencia on Tuesday, we're hotelling it away from the track for most of week but planning to head down to track early Sat a.m then spend evening in Cheste, which I hear is just mentalist GP weekend! Did you camp at the track? Just trying to get some inside knowledge on whether we'd be able to get the hire car and tents near to the track? Not done Valencia before so any advice would be most welcome!
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experience is something you get....right just after you needed it!!
On the several occasions me and the misses have done Valencia GP we've either camped or stayed in the hotel at El Saler which is a tiny little town on the coast just down from Valencia city centre. It takes about 20 mins in a car to get to the track, following the V30 then the A-3/E-901 west. Traffic gets pretty chokka as you get within a few miles of the circuit but the nutter Spanish bikes continually filtering through the traffic keep you occupied while you wait .
We've never camped actually at the circuit and wouldn't want to either ! It's barren, dusty, rocky ground which I wouldn't like to pitch a tent on. From what you see of the campsite as you walk into the circuit there seems like few facilities too .
Car hire wise, we've either driven from Santander to Valencia - what an adventure that was - or, as the in-laws live in Alicante, driven up from there, so I can't help you regards car hire I'm afraid.
Another piece of advice. The geography of the circuit sees it set in a bowl surrounded by hills etc. As you drive into the circuit off the A-3 (which is the easiest route in) you'll possibly be directed into the heart of the circuit/bowl to park depending on how full it is when you get there. If they are already parking people at the top of the hill just as you exit the A-3, this is good! If they're not though, and if you have the ordacity to ignore the parking attendants directing you down the hill into the bowels of the circuit, try to veer off into one of the overflow fields at the top of the hill. It may be a wee trek to the main gates but trust me, when it comes to leave, you'll be walking faster than the cars are moving and you'll escape quicker!!!
One of our first visits we just went where we were told on the Sat and as we were keen and there early we were directed right in the heart of the carpark near the entrance gates. It took us about 4hrs, yes 4hrs to get out to the A-3 as they routed us up round the back of the circuit!!! Not nice in sweltering, dusty conditions I can tell you.
Well, I hope you have a cracking time.
Where abouts are you sat, what colour block? We're normally Tribuna Verde (Green) on what they call the back straight, by the fast left kink at turn 7.
Ooo, finally, watch out for the guy dressed in white karate-looking outfit with a red headband. At the end of each race he will get the winner to light the fuse for the firecrackers. After the MotoGP they'll have an almighty firecracker display, usually set-up by the lake. It's awesome!!! (they're made in the town of Cheste behind the circuit so there's no expense spared).
Oh, and be sure to take part in the MASSIVE Mexican wave that goes all round the circuit, Cooooooooooool
Must say, I wish I was going too, I'm very jealous. That said, I'm already planning next year so we've some racing to look forward to. We've booked for Silverstone but I'm also thinking of riding to Mugello with a few friends (misses will go on the plane) to see possibly Rossi's final home race. Fancy tagging along?
Hey Geoff, many many thanks for the advice, especially the routes and parking! I think we may have left it too late to get accommodation nearby so might have to put up with the camping though....
We'll be in East Orange block, so will hopefully have some good views! Look out for us, I'd like to say look out for the 46 flag, but hey, guess there will be one or two others!! Look out for the George Cross for 38 Bradders instead!
We did Mugello and Catalunya back to back in 2007, with a trip to the Nürburgring thrown in for good measure! So although would love to take you up on the offer of tagging along to Mugello (which is just the most awesome experience, especially when Rossi wins!), we may be riding to Brno in 2010 for either GP or WSB. If youre planning riding up to Silverstone though, let us know, as we wont be missing that one!
Thanks again for your help Geoff!
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experience is something you get....right just after you needed it!!
Barney
And the fire crackers at the end, AWESOME!!!! Have fun. 
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! It's barren, dusty, rocky ground which I wouldn't like to pitch a tent on. From what you see of the campsite as you walk into the circuit there seems like few facilities too 
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