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Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Guys and Gals,
Yes, it's the moment you've all (probably not) been waiting for - confirmation that the 2019 Northern Drive-Out is on!
After last year's fun and games at the Shap Wells Hotel, I thought we'd give it another go this year. I've reserved 10 double rooms for the Friday (9th) and Saturday (10th), at a rate of £114 per room per night on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis. That doesn't mean that more rooms can't be allocated, or that you can't have a twin, or even a single - it's just a sort of placeholder thing.
If you fancy it (and why not??), you'll need to give them a bell and leave a £70 deposit, telling them you're with the "Briers" group.
Phone number is 01931 716628, and if you didn't go last year but fancy seeing what the place is like, their website is www.shapwellshotel.com.
I've already got a route in mind, which I think could be interesting - but no stopoffs this time (except for eats and drinks). I'll have to try it out shortly to get timings and see if it's doable - let y'all know about that.
I'm looking forward to it already....it says here ;)
Norm
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Forgot to say - leave a note in this thread if you're going, so I know who we've got! Cheers!
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
I will open up the batting with the first two.
Pat and David
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Fawlty Towers continues !!.....tried to book in....however someone is standing in for the stand in on reception !!!!!...
Phil and Helen will be there .....
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
And 2 more here!
Richard + Stratos
...Oh yeah, and Sara too :rolleyes:
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Stout Fellows! - although if anyone was gonna go it was always you 3 (6?) who'd be first in the queue...think I might even go meself now :)
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Debs and I will be there. Hopefully in LB but defo in.
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Glad you're up for it Neil, doesn't matter what car you're in. I'm hoping I'll be in mine too but I know how that goes...could be the Panda yet! Will you be giving evening classes on nail painting and presentation? :) :)
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Norman, consulted with C on the date, and we shall be joining you, will sort the stay out next week.
Looking forward to a bit of Fawlty Towers relief, and your company of course.
Robin
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Great that you and The Boss (not Bruce Springsteen - I mean the real one) are coming, but I just don't understand all these Fawlty towers references....I thought the place was great. Honest. Ahem.
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Plus 2 more Norm, Jayne & Ian
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
**** Important News Regarding Hotel Bookings ****
It seems there's been a bit of a problem with the hotel booking system, and they've lost all reference to our group. Some of you who've already been in touch are still on the system but at a non-discount rate...anyway, it's all in hand now, and I'm working with a dedicated staff member to get it sorted. But she's off for a fortnight now, so it'll be a couple of weeks before it's back to normal. In the meantime, can I ask anyone who's thinking of going, NOT to call the hotel till I give the all-clear please! :)
Don't worry about there not being room for us as she's reinstated our provisionally-booked room quota, it's just that we don't have any names against them as yet! So as they say, Watch This Space (the one between my ears....)
Ta!
Norm
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Fawlty Towers strikes again !!!!
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Yep, it's already shaping up to be a memorable weekend, and it's still 4 months off yet :)
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
REALLY looking forward to Rice Crispies for brekky..................AGAIN..............
Kind Regards
Manuel
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Right, we appear to be back on track hotel-wise now. If anyone wants to go, call the hotel and say you're with the "Briers" group and leave the deposit - which is now only £30 for some reason. And leave a note in this thread so I know too, ta!
Phil, if you want the Rice Crispies Special again, they've offered to mix some fluff in with the cereal just in case the dispenser doesn't fall apart upon the slightest touch. Thoughtful or what?? ;)
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Re-booked, asked if he would like a deposit and was told No its not required!!
Make your own rules up again time.....
Norm... how do you do it..... 4 months before the event, and already you have started with the fun and games, the Fun just never ends with you....:D
Can't wait till breakfast, with the rice krispies..... and Manwell...
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Hahaha, wait till the run itself when I don't turn up at all....or stay somewhere else ;)
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Norm, confirming that I have confirmed with Laura who confirmed that Carol & I are expected to be at the Hotel on the 9th August.
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Robin, can you confirm that you've confirmed the confirmation? Cos I'm confused and I've not had me tea yet. :)
Messing about aside, I think we're back on track with all this now (till the next time we're not...!) If anyone else fancies going, when you call the hotel ask for Laura Copland, who's dealing with our booking. Tell her you're with the "Briers" group and she'll relieve you of £30. She's only there on Tuesdays and Wednesdays though. Ta!
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Only 6 weeks to go to the gig, so as I'm not in work this week I decided it was time to try out the route and see if there were any gotchas (there was just the one, involving road resurfacing, but it won't be an issue when we're there).
Total mileage came out at 215, and I have to say I was very pleased with how it went. Great roads, fab scenery, very little of what you might call nadgeriness, and not much in the way of traffic either....hope that's also true when we do it for real!
Also called in at the hotel to check on our bookings and see if their list tied up with mine (it did, amazingly). There are still rooms available if you've been umm-ing and ahh-ing, so come on, do the biz and give 'em a ring. Now the booking prob is all sorted you can call any time and you don't need to ask for Laura, but make sure you tell them you're with the "Briers" group or you'll be charged the full rate. Don't forget to post on here as well to let me know!
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Thanks for organising Norm. Really looking forward to it. Just refreshed the mobile nail bar and will bring some specially selected, new for 2019 stratosec exclusive colours.
Attachment 15084
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Errrr….that's impressive, in a very scary way....do us all a favour and don't forget yer socks :)
By the way, if anyone wants to just do the run and not stop over, that's OK - you can do the whole thing or just a part of it, or even meet up at one of the stops if you like. I'm looking to set everyone off about 10:00 on the day so we're back at the hotel about half 5 or 6-ish, assuming a 30mph average including the stops.
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Just had a day out and about checking some of the route - as suspected, the resurfaced part has now bedded in (even has road markings again) and won't be a problem. So the route as was is now a goer, and I'll knock up the directions over the next few days, then post them on here so you can see what you're letting y'selves in for :)
Hoping the weather's good for the run, but not as hot as the last few days, or we'll be seeing large puddles of melted glass resin where there used to be a Stratos-looking thing...
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Norm,
i have forgot to put our names down, I have booked into the hotel ,
regards carol
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Don't fret, knew you were coming so you're on my list....mwahahahaaa!
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Gang,
Here at last are the directions for the run a week on Saturday, a little later than usual cos I had to go and check a stretch last week that they’d just resurfaced with loose chippings when I originally tested the route. Anyhow all now seems OK, with just the odd loose stone pinging off the underside, so a re-route wasn’t necessary. Length of the drive is about 210 miles (!!) so a bit of a marathon, but there are very few nadgery bits and most of it is fast and flowing. Assuming the usual average of 30mph allowing for pee, petrol and pie stops, you’re looking at a 7-hour extravaganza…
For anyone who fancies just coming “on the day”, we’re kicking off from the SHAP WELLS HOTEL (off the A6, south of Shap itself) at 10:00. Of course you don’t have to come to the hotel, you can simply get right into it as the 1st section is up the A6 to Penrith anyway.
For those staying over, I’ve arranged for dinner at 8pm on the Friday to give peeps time to get there after work, etc. After the run on Saturday we’ll be sitting down at 7:30 so there’ll be plenty of time to freshen up before dinner, and then later for regaling others with tales of derring-do during the day, avoiding flying sheep etc.
Any questions, shout out, otherwise I’ll see y’all the weekend after next!
Laterz
Norm
Attachment 15172
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
The Northbound layby at the Carter Bar was having work done and was closed; they may have moved on to the southbound one, or it may all be open again.
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Looks absolutely great and something I would jump at if it wasn't so far north.
Any chance of organising a weekend south of Manchester next year.....
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Tim, may I suggest you petition the government to either a) move Manchester further north, or b) move the north of England further south? :)
The problem of doing a drive-out south of Manchester (ish) is one of decent, uncluttered driving roads. Maybe it's just me, but it seems that the further south you go, the more traffic there is. Yes I know you still get traffic and tourists further up, but it's never as bad....plus the scenery can be quite spectacular, and I'm trying to tempt people to try somewhere they might never otherwise consider.
I did consider the Peak District for a run a few years ago, but it's too small and crowded, so I keep going back to "north of Preston". I'm toying with something a bit different than a simple drive-round-a-route next year, but it'll take quite a bit more effort...hmm, see how I feel about it come March!
I don't suppose you'd think about moving further up this way instead? ;)
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
The Peak District?
Whoops, too late....
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
A guy I know organised a couple of drives in the Peak District. First one was a 100-mile loop and even that had "busy" sections. Second one was the first one, backwards....he's not done one since... :)
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
In a feeble attempt to stir up some more enthusiasm for this 'ere do - it's only a few days off the Run, this Saturday in fact, and although the weather forecast is looking a bit iffy, maybe a few of you are thinking of joining up at some point on the route? If so, let us know on here so we can look out for you. You don't have to be in a Stratos of any description, or even an Italian car - I'll be in the ole Porsche - so why not get out for a wizz before you die of boredom watching endless re-runs of Poirot, or whatever your televisual poison is?
You know how it'll be in the future - you'll be saying "If only I'd have gone", etc, whereas those who braved the great outdoors will say, to gasps of admiration from the assembled throng, "yes...I was there". I mean, come on, it's not every day you see supposed motoring enthusiasts getting hopelessly lost, or even cereal dispensers self-destructing and flinging corn flake fragments everywhere.
So...are ya coming, punks? Well, are ya??
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Details, details...see you didn't dispute the "getting lost" bit tho, eh... :-P
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Normb666
or even cereal dispensers self-destructing and flinging corn flake fragments everywhere.
Crunchy nut dispensers are the best:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRGJ3C7FLA0
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Normb666
Details, details...see you didn't dispute the "getting lost" bit tho, eh... :-P
Didn't want to Diss your directions Normy !
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Hahaha, doesn't usually stop ya :)
Talking of directions - slight ambiguity on instruction (17) - the 3 miles mentioned is from the turn at (16), not from the village. And at (44), it's a left hand bend, not band!(y'all probably thought I'd arranged a small concert, I bet).
Just shows, no-one's perfect, not even me. :)
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Re: Northern Drive-Out - Sat 10th August 2019
Hi Norm,
I intend to tag along for part of the run once you reach Northumberland probably after Bellingham.
If the Kielder Castle stop off is an official lunch break or regroup I may just go straight there.
Any idea of a likely ETA. ?
Rain or sunshine I'll be in my car.
rgds Bob