Belgium 2012 - MOB Weekend 22-23 September

[Shuffy]

With September not that long away we (Gary T & me) thought we get a some interest going for the Belgium Weekend. The date this year is 22-23 September, NOT the date on the calendar. This has been a really great weekend trip to do in the last few years and for those of you that haven't been before the main event is on Sunday when Belgium's finest Monsters gather for their annual meeting, with bikes attending from all over Europe. Saturday night's dinner usually has a 'theme', but we'll let you know when we've worked that one out (gawd).

Most of us go over on Saturday in various groups but everyone is free to do want they want interms of site seeing and general riding about etc.

The hotel in Buggenhout is really superb and hopefully we should have the place to ourselves (depending on final numbers). Joris, who owns the hotel is a fantastic host and I think everyone who's stayed there has enjoyed themselves, especially the 'Magic Fridges'.

http://www.boskapelhoeve.be/

Interms of cost and room availability I'm waiting for Joris to get back to me, but as I'm away next week, I thought I'd get the ball rolling. A few of you at Arrow Mill have already expressed an interest in going, but if you fancy making the trip please add your name the list and copy it into the next post. As with other years, people will have to work out sharing arrangements depending on what rooms are available. I seem to remember last year there were 29 beds available, but that might be different this year.

Albie ( no caroline ) 2 nights
GT
Shuffy 1 night
Char
Uksurfer
Capo
Rollo
Jo
Heather
Scrapps
Rally
Altaian
Liz probs 1 night
Stafford probs 1 night
Bex is possible yes right now
Big Oz
Zak
Slob
Thuli
Samieb
Louscanon

So over to you!

[slob]

Also... I'm waiting for booking to open on this
http://www.mertensschoolstore.com/category.php?id_category=34
with Ducati Club Sud Belgio, the Sunday before (near Charleroi) followed by some touring and possibly Nurburgringing.
(maybe with a van if any others are interested)

[gary tompkins]

Thanks for posting up Chris

That should read GT + 1 above - I'll be bringing a mate from work over on the trike

Right I'm off to book ferry crossings :)

[J.P]

I'm unable to make it this year which is a bit of a drag but I'll be off touring.

[seby]

Albie ( no caroline ) 2 nights
GT
Shuffy 1 night
Char
Uksurfer
Capo
Rollo
Jo
Heather
Scrapps
Rally
Altaian
Liz probs 1 night
Stafford probs 1 night
Bex is possible yes right now
Big Oz
Zak
Slob
Thuli
Samieb
Louscanon
GT +1
Seby 1 night

[ladybird]

Albie ( no caroline ) 2 nights
GT
Shuffy 1 night
Char
Uksurfer
Capo
Rollo
Jo
Heather
Scrapps
Rally
Altaian
Liz probs 1 night
Stafford probs 1 night
Bex is possible yes right now
Big Oz
Zak
Slob
Thuli
Samieb
Louscanon
GT +1
Seby 1 night
ladybird
gadget - probably (will send him along)

[gary tompkins]

Had an email back from Joris tonight. Would you beleive they've only just finished laying the road past the hotel that was dug up last September. They have been without water, gas, electricity on and off for weeks by the sound of it :eek:

Joris has set aside the whole hotel for UKMOC.. assuming we fill it again. Prices are 100 euros per person for the cheaper rooms, rising to 150 euros for the delux rooms. We need to see people ferry/tunnel crossing ASAP, and your place won't be reserved until we have that cofirmed. Just sticking your name down here isn't enough to secure a place.

I'll start a "I've booked my MOB 2012 crossing" thread next week

I think hotel has space for 29 so the numbers interested so far looks promising

[Albie]

Gary I will come along with you so I will book the same ferry if you have details for me.

PS if we dont get the names from UK no doubt the belgians european friends will hook up with us as last year they tried for places so be quick guys and gals. Miss it or miss out.

Any themes for sat night entered anyones head yet. Maybe moustaches/ beards and pipes

[alan c]

No Belgium for me this year, hope you all have a great time :cry::cry:

[Capo]

For sure. I'll be making my own way as usual with the horse box via the tunnel Saturday 1pmish

[gary tompkins]

Had another email from Joris tonight

He is going to hold the rooms for UKMOC until the end of June, after that any spares will be allocated to others.. possibly Belgium, Dutch or German MOB weekenders. We will give him a list of those that have booked crossing, and hence confirmed attendance on 30th June. After that you'll have no promise of a room at Boskapelhoeve.

So to recap..

YOU NEED TO BOOK YOUR CROSSING AND CONFIRM ON FORUM BY THE LAST WEEK IN JULY!

[gary tompkins]

I've just started a crossing booking details thread here..

http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/showthread.php?t=44687

[uksurfer]

I'm trying the overnight ferry from Portsmouth - le havre to WDW, depending on how successful that is will depend on whether I go that route in September, so I will be booking my ferry or train on return from Italy, maybe a bit more time to book for those going to Italy would be nice, as I'm planning this trip now
Cheers
Martin

[Rally]

It's a good crossing Mart and you can sleep on the benches in the bar in relative comfort. I was also thinking of that trip myself on the Friday night.

[gary tompkins]

Martin

The end of June date was set by Joris at Boskapelhoeve not us

I'll contact him to see if he'll allow more time for WDW bunch to book ferries

[gary tompkins]

Right... got an email back from Joris at hotel

Ferry booking confirmation deadline extended until end of July

[Zak]

I'm in, but would like to meet and cross with others, anyone mind me tagging along? Let me know what ferry people are taking and I'll get booked on. If anyone from Wilts or Gloucestershire is going I would love to join you.

I'll also take a room please.

How do I pay for the room? On the night?

[Char]

cheers Gary - helps me to as I'm away for work for a couple weeks as well as wanting to try the Le Harvre crossing to before commiting

[gary tompkins]

Zak,

As explained earlier in thread you need to book a ferry crossing, and then post confirmation on the linked thread to secure a room reservation. Rooms are paid for at the end of the weekend at hotel. We will let Joris have a list of all those that have confirmed bookings by the end of July.

[J.P]

Or you can cross using the chunnel of course. There are usually a number of different routes and timings. Just keep a look out.

Char,
Ferry to Le Havre ? That's so far not the right direction and still many hours of riding to get back up to Belgium.

[Zak]

Zak,

As explained earlier in thread you need to book a ferry crossing, and then post confirmation on the linked thread to secure a room reservation. Rooms are paid for at the end of the weekend at hotel. We will let Joris have a list of all those that have confirmed bookings by the end of July.

Ok cool, if I can get an idea of who is taking what ferry I will book with the masses.

Thanks,

Z.

[Char]

Char,
Ferry to Le Havre ? That's so far not the right direction and still many hours of riding to get back up to Belgium.



Sodd off :D - cheap hotel in Ashford vs free bench on ferry and £41 crossing

130 miles on the motorway in UK or a day to blast up the French coast

Oh hold on .......

Portsmouth is about 1/2 hour from Martin's :running::running:

[Altaian]

Cheers GT for getting the date extended.

[gary tompkins]

Char,

Have you considered the Newhaven to Dieppe option? It's a 4 hour crossing and prices for september on a motorcycle look reasonable at £50-60 return. Very limited choice of crossing times though.

http://ldlines.co.uk/offers/dieppe-newhaven?gclid=COuZiIrMvrACFdKBfAodCwNqpg

[Char]

Newhaven not really convenient - would rather chunnel it

We'll see - used my Tesco clubcard vouchers last year :D

Focusing on Italy now :spin::spin::spin:

[uksurfer]

i think the option of riding in france on the saturday is more appealing than riding up the M3/M25, last years journey to Ashford on the Friday afternoon was hard work, its 100 miles from my house to clacket lane services

hopefully the overnight crossing to le havre will be a alternative option to try!

shame i wont be on the R1 this year.......

[Zak]

Anyone from Wiltshire or Gloucestershire area going? Anyone?

Z.

[Char]

Zak there's normally a few of us wilties and hampsters going over - often meeting up on the Saturday in Belgium and taking our own routes there - as we have a few weeks now you will see details of who's going where and when if you want to join a group

Dont think Gordon will be joining us - the though of going the wrong way round roundabouts is putting him off

However I now understand the reason he always went the long way to George Whites :twak:

If not you can blast down the motorway and meet up with the Kenties

[rollo22]

Anyone from Wiltshire or Gloucestershire area going? Anyone?

Z.

I am going Zak,

Will be leaving Moreton on Friday an probably get a Friday ferry and stay in France and meander over to Belgium via a tourist site (dont ask me where )

Duncan

[ladybird]

Lunch on the random boat restaurant if it is still open at that time of year :)
I seem to remember it being end of season or something one year?

[gary tompkins]

Lunch on the random boat restaurant if it is still open at that time of year :)
I seem to remember it being end of season or something one year?

The Boat resturant at Diksmuide may be shut - we are going over later this year

There are plenty of other nice bars and resturants in the town. I'll probably head there on Saturday on route to Buggenhout, but because I'm on the longer Dover-Dunkirk crossing might eat on ferry.


REMINDER TO THOSE THAT NEED TO BOOK FERRIES

END OF JULY IS THE DEADLINE

[Rally]

Anyone from Wiltshire or Gloucestershire area going? Anyone?
Zak, I am also still considering it. I will probably ride to Dover Friday evening, ferry to Calais and get a Formula 1 room for the night. (About 1/3 price of Ashford hotels!) Just sitting on the fence for now..............

[ladybird]

ello. convalescence has given me time to read :)
I have time booked off and just booking transport now if there is still room at the inn?

[Albie]

ello. convalescence has given me time to read :)
I have time booked off and just booking transport now if there is still room at the inn?

Was yesterday. Be good to see you:biggrin:

[utopia]

You do realise that this is the 2012 thread though......yes ?

[Albie]

Just informed her and messaged her right thread with details and room availability. Ta Jeff

[Liz]

You do realise that this is the 2012 thread though......yes ?

Phew, I've just read this and panicked as we haven't even looked at crossings yet! :dizzy:

[ladybird]

it was stickie :)

[gary tompkins]

A year old stickie

[Albie]

Too many old stickies then.