I know...

Don't think she's paying for me though Steve... if only! :lol:

:roll: OOOOHHH it's gettin close!!!!!

Excellent. let me know your plans with your bikes etc.

My paperwork for this arrived today!:D:roll: ya get yours?

I leave the house before postie gets to mine, will have to wait and see when I get home

It talks about dropping your bike off 29 and 30th sept, and collecting after 14th and 17th Oct.

come on..........come on, tell all please Ian! Tyres, tyre warmers? track, food, wine, entertainment.....aih! temp, any spills.......... :sing: ooh did i mention were off there soon!:sing:

Jerez 21st - 24th September Report

What an awesome track, anyone going out with 100% who hasn't been to Jerez before is in for a real treat! Temperature was 31 -32 for all three days, and the track was sticky as ****. You could use kerbs just as if they were an extension of the track (which I suppose they are...but you know what I mean). Rumour has it that the grass was marginally less grippy, but fortunately, I didn't go there.

I just can't say anything to do justice to the track, it really is superb, every sort of curve you can think of, and a couple of brilliant combinations that have you laughing out loud if you get them anything near right (which is the nearest I ever get). No "747 Runway" straights, just two medium length ones to let you have a short breather...perfect.

As you'd expect plenty of facilities in the garages, my "fast" laps are similar to some people's tyre-warming laps, so I don't use warmers, but the track was so hot, even the fast blokes were only really taking it easy for a lap or so.

Top marks to Focused Events, there were only 30 of us in total, so open pitlane from the first afternoon onwards. There were some proper fast blokes (Spanish R1 champ, Norwegian 600 star etc, etc) but they all showed total courtesy to us "slow uns", and there were only 4 red flags in total. If I remember rightly, three were just people going into the gravel, but not even dropping the bike and one was a "hit gravel at speed, execute circus stuntman manouvre, hit ground hard, say ouch" type thing resulting in a trip to the medical centre and a complimentary sling.


I took a tuition option from a bloke called Woolsey Coulter, which was superb. Unlike the CSS etc he uses radios, so after he's showed you the lines, he follows you and tells you when to turn in, how hard to drive out of the corners, when not to brake ("DON'T BRAKE!...DONT BRAKE!!...DON'T BRAKE!!!) after a lap or so, the instructions dry up a bit as you start to get it right, and I have never ridden the bike so hard or felt so safe. I guess everyone learns in a different way, but I need to "feel" what is right rather than just be told, and this worked really well for me.

The tuition is expensive if you do it on a UK trackday (as it has to cover Woolsey's costs in getting over from Eire), but for anyone doing a Focused Spain trip next year, it is highly, highly recommended at £90 for a day, I'll definitely be doing it again.

Errrm, what else? Hotel was good, but 100% use a different one, so no insights there...Jerez is lovely in the centre, loads of Bars, Tapas places, restuarants.. Beer was reasonably priced, supermarket was unbeleivably cheap.

Anyway, brilliant three days...you'll all have a marvellous time in October, wish I was going again!

Only excited a little bit now.......................:lol::lol:

Oh, a couple of other things...outside the hotel, no-one spoke a single word of English...not taxi drivers, not coach drivers, not bar staff, not anyone...so, if you want anything out of the ordinary, take your phrase book with you.

So the key phrases are: "un Cerveza, dos Cervesos, tres Cervesos"

(For larger orders just repeat above phrases in appropriate combinations)

We will have Berto on board for the not speaking english bit............:lol::lol:

:barfy: im so excited an a just cant hide it etc etc ooer missus!!!Here Andy you bringin yer tazer or what???:flame:

Nothing would give me greater pleasure...... trouble is it doesnt work on short fat people.............:lol:

don't tell me you are the guy off jackass who shot himself with one??:pig:

I have been called a jackass before actually..........and i have tried the "feel" of a tazer before.................:lol::lol: god it hurts! best bit is the relief after its over, almost orgasmic!:D

Ian, sounds brilliant, exactly what I want to hear.... only got 4 days before we ship out, hopefully we'll of recovered from seeing Berto on Saturday at some point :D

Just need to get rubber sorted and we're pretty much ready to go!

Jon, you are going to love it!!! The two left handers after the back straight are just awesome, and the two right handers before the start/finish straight are absolutely magic, what a laugh :lol:

I hope Lily and Bob are both back in working order ...there was a bloke called Martin (who I think works for Moto Rapido) who was tearing around the place on a tracked up Bostrom....lovely to watch him steaming past the IL4s! and great to see a Duke being ridden so well.

Bob's pretty much sorted now thanks, just a dented tank are the only battle scars left, another one on the way at the moment but won't be here in time for shipping the bike. Lily's getting there, still got her finger strapped up, her shoulder isn't too good to be honest, but she's a tough old bird :lol:

Can I ask about bike shipping, did you need to take your own ties downs? I believe it's not a crate system, do they strap them down? I ask because we're dropping the bikes off with Berto at the weekend and won't be there when the transporter arrives

If its the same people (MotoFreight , based in Diss), you do not need your own tie-downs. I didn't hang around to see exactly how the bikes were secured (mine was due to be collected at 10.30 on a Saturday night and due to a humungous thunderstorm, he didn't reach me until 11.20 pm) But all the bikes arrived without a scratch (mind you, I don't get mine back until the weekend, so I hope I'm not speaking too soon :o ). Anyway, it seems like a pretty professional outfit. Their lorrys a Truck-Spotter's dream ("Phroaar, look at the Dunlops on that!")

Sorry I can't be any more specific. Pass on my regards to Lily...never mind tough, anyone who does downhill mountain biking is either indestructable or insane!

I know which one I'm going for! :lol:

Cheers Ian for the heads up, how did your tyres last?

Pretty well, I did the first day and a bit on my old BT014s, they were tearing up a bit at 31/31, but they only really lost their shape on the second day. Then I stuck on some new Diablo Corsas (180 rear...what a difference, even I felt it). Day and a half on those was no problem, didn't tear up or wear much at all. At my sedate speeds, I reckon a new set of tyres would have lasted me the three days (or even the four you're doing!) , no problems...But you're going to pushing on a bit more...

Oh...one thing I should say, with the open pitlane, I was going out, doing short sessions (10 - 15 mins) then coming back in again, so the wear probably wasn't as bad as if I was doing fewer, longer sessions.

Well met the motofreight guy today, and bikes on its way.

Said hed got to go up to Glasgee to get 16 bike! They are transporting a total of 90 all together, so take off 5-10 for instructors leave around 25-30 in a group!

cant wait............

:burn: Bikes went this morn so am getting a bit excited noo!!!!!

What flight you on Berto? I think jon and lily have allready gone, some excuse about getting the sun, but i recon hes gone for a bit of practice! :lol:

FR8398...depart 17:15 arrive 21:10...blazin by21:45.....;)

See you in the lounge waiting area for a pre tour bevvy? Pm me your mobile number if you like.................:D

What and get fitted up for that J.F.K thing I don't think so Kojak!!!!;)

I gets ya!:pig:

Will you guys just sod off and do it!!!!
:flame:

I'm getting right jealous here

And I want a full report on your return;)

:smug: OOOOOH get her!!!!!

[quote]Originally posted by andyb

Grassy knowl!:lol:

Surface to Air Missiles ready !!!!!

by the way Rab they dont sell Buckfast in Spain :lol: you'll have to take your own.

/ian

he did that last Friday night on my Xbox and moto gp3 :)

The git!:lol:

i wouldn't be too concerned Andy :)

No..us 999's have to stick together!

:pig:See ya tomorrow petraccelli!!

So, you like picking sand out of fairings :) Lily bought a bikini just cos she thought the gravel traps were the beach :)

Having a hoot despite forgetting bike key.....WHAT a P rick...........:puzzled: