UKMOC Weekender 2016 (29 April - 1 May): now booking

[MrsC_772]

Andy & I are pleased to announce that the UKMOC 2016 Weekender will be based at the Metropole Hotel & Spa (https://www.metropole.co.uk/home.html), Llandridnod Wells, right in the heart of Wales.

It wil be held over the early May bank holiday weekend (Friday 29, Saturday 30 April, Sunday 1 May).

The hotel is used to welcoming car and bike clubs, being on the doorstep of some classic biking roads (the well-known A483 Crossgates to Newtown starts only a few miles north of the hotel). We hope this Weekender will give you the chance to discover some of Britain's best biking roads, on some longer ride outs, which Andy has enjoyed putting together.

But in the unlikely event you don't fancy riding, the hotel has a swimming pool and spa, to which we'll have access. As well as the hotel bar, there is a specialist real ale bar, Arvon Ales, just across the road (which Andy also felt he ought to investigate on a recent recce!).

The hotel has 110 rooms (of which they have set aside 12 twins, 12 doubles and 4 singles for us). There are standard/classic rooms, or you can pay a little more for a superior, or splash out for one of the double rooms in the tower.

The rates include dinner, bed & breakfast for Friday & Saturday nights. If you also want to stay the Sunday night, the rate for Sunday is bed & breakfast only, as there are other restaurants close to the hotel which we thought you might want to try.

The booking form is available to download here: http://andrewcawte.webspace.virginmedia.com/UKMOC/UKMOC_WEEKENDER_2016_BOOKING_FORM.pdf

We need initial deposits of £30 per person by the end of November please.

If you've never been to the Weekender before, don't worry - you'll be welcomed and make new friends! Every regular was once a Weekender virgin!

Any queries, please contact me or AndyC_772

We look forward to seeing you at the Weekender!

[Albie]

Brilliant job. You can count us two in and a Red Monster too. Will be in touch for a booking. Thanks guys.:ukm:

[Shuffy]

Fantastic effort, really looking forward to it!

[J.P]

Well done Mr & Mrs C.
All sorted.

[scrapps]

Sounds great.
Will it be open to non Monster owners I have been looking for another bike (monster) but not found one I like in my budget yet.
Hopefully I can find one by then ?

[Char]

Can't wait :). Form sent


I hear that the kenties are organising the Saturday night synchronised swimming competition

http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t379/charponting/503C8BE2-B86F-44FB-A733-91B410143DB6_zps62rmjdg0.jpg (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/charponting/media/503C8BE2-B86F-44FB-A733-91B410143DB6_zps62rmjdg0.jpg.html)

[AndyC_772]

Sounds great.
Will it be open to non Monster owners I have been looking for another bike (monster) but not found one I like in my budget yet.
Hopefully I can find one by then ?

There is a precedent here... you wouldn't be the first to show up on a bike that's not a Monster. I'm certainly in no position to complain!

If you get stuck, you can borrow my 695, and I'll bring the ugly black bike instead :idea:

[Albie]

There is a precedent here... you wouldn't be the first to show up on a bike that's not a Monster. I'm certainly in no position to complain!

If you get stuck, you can borrow my 695, and I'll bring the ugly black bike instead :idea:

It would be great to see more than the regular peeps next year too on their Monsters. Hope this will be a great event. The location and hotel looks great.

[alan c]

Brilliant, cannot wait :woot:

Deposit sent, form to follow.

[uksurfer]

Deposit sent, form will be sent on Monday

We stayed at the hotel last year, lovely rooms, good food, and the pool and spa was superb, will be very good for the non riding 'plus ones'

Just got to find my speedos.....

[slob]

...Just got to find my speedos.....

...just got to find the 'mind bleach'

[Stinger101]

I'd like to come over for this. Is there anyone from Herts/Beds/Cambs that also want to ride over together? I'll book it anyway next week.

[Grumpy]

I'd like to come over for this. Is there anyone from Herts/Beds/Cambs that also want to ride over together? I'll book it anyway next week.

Im up the road nr St Neots, and booked today!
2 x 1200 monsters cross country sounds like fun!

[Stinger101]

Im up the road nr St Neots, and booked today!
2 x 1200 monsters cross country sounds like fun!
Cool. I'll book it now then. Are you stopping Fri & Sat night or Sun as well? I can do Fri & Sat.

[Grumpy]

Cool. I'll book it now then. Are you stopping Fri & Sat night or Sun as well? I can do Fri & Sat.

I'm looking at Fri/Sat ....

[rollo22]

Forms and deposit sent for Jo and myself

[Albie]

Deposit paid for Mr and Mrs by then just need fill in and scan to email you forms

[MrsC_772]

Thank you to everyone who has paid a deposit, and for those booking forms sent in. :thumbsup:

I'm really pleased by the interest so far :)

For those whose special request was "sunshine" I don't want to make promises I can't keep, however I have nearly been sunburned sitting out on the seafront at Aberystwyth in spring on a previous Welsh biking holiday.

If anyone wants to e-mail a scan of their completed booking forms but doesn't have my e-mail address, pm me and I'll let you have it.

[bigredduke]

Looking forward to joining you all next year. I didn't have the heart to miss out again.

[scrapps]

Booking form will be printed and sent over the weekend.

[Stinger101]

Deposit paid. I must get around to posting the booking form soon. Thanks for your help Mrs C.

[MrsC_772]

Stinger101 - no need to snail mail the hard copy booking form as you've e-mailed me your form.

[Iklehit]

Hi All,
Being a newbie to UKMOC I'm looking to go to the monster weekend in 2016 and was wondering if there was anybody else from Nottingham planning the same trip, the ride would be far better with company than without. :D

[MrsC_772]

Hi Iklehit - it would be lovely to see a new member at next year's Weekender!

As yet, none of the members who have paid deposits for the Weekender are coming from Nottingham area, although there is one coming from East Yorkshire. In previous years there have been people from Leicestershire - not sure if any of them are planning to attend next year.

[AndyC_772]

Don't worry, there's *plenty* of riding planned, I guarantee you won't go home at the end of the trip feeling you've been deprived!

[utopia]

I'm planning to come from Leicester.
Haven't booked yet, and I usually just pop over for the day, but this year I fancy doing it properly.
And at such a venue, in such a location, who could resist ?
Well done the organisers, I say.
I might even dally a little longer in wales afterwards.
There are roads in mid wales that I didn't discover until my car years and they need monstering.
Just need to sort out other details before booking.

[Iklehit]

Hi Utopia,
I fancy doing the whole weekend too, we had a ride up to Ponderosa café situated on the horse shoe pass (nice road other than the two cattle grids and the rain)
Looking at downloading the booking form and sending off my deposit, if you do get to go give me a shout and we can try and meet up.

[utopia]

It may be a bit early to suggest meet-up points for the ride to Wales but .....
I reckon that the New Hollies/Roadking truckstop on the A5 between Cannock and (very close to) junction 12 on the M6, would be ideal for both Northeners, Midlanders and perhaps even the odd Eastener (no offence intended).
And you can get trucker food at trucker prices.
Sadly though, the pin tables that were there in the 70s have gone.
But on the plus side, the toilets are no longer eye-wateringly rancid and you can't lose your bike in the carpark potholes these days.

[NewMon]

I've just booked up! After 12 years of membership, I thought I'd actually come for the weekend instead of just turning up on the Sunday. I'm coming with my (non-biking) wife, Ashley who is looking forward to meeting everyone. Big thanks to Eleanor and Andy for organising. And I'll be up for a ride-in with whoever wants to.

[AndyC_772]

Hi everyone,

Just a gentle reminder that if you'd like to come along to the Weekender, we need your booking form and deposit by the end of this month, please.

Interest so far has been strong, but there's still plenty of spaces left!

We'd love to see some new faces, so if you've not been before and have any questions, please feel free to drop either me or Eleanor a PM :idea:

[hoonermum]

I'm very tempted, but could my husband come on his Yamaha 400 supermoto thing which he's rat-biked to hell in a slightly embarassing way? You don't have to sit next to him at the bar, honest. I wont be anyway......:chuckle: I don't think I can face riding all the way from Plymouth and back down on my own, and we haven't been on a biking trip for ages so it could be good. Is there still room in the hotel? The pool really appeals....I know a lot of those roads from my dirtbiking days (lots of nice off-road routes join up the tarmac), they're lovely.

http://s20.postimg.org/7yb47mqp5/Maria_and_Monster.jpg (http://postimg.org/image/7yb47mqp5/)

[slob]

of course, we love a good 'naughty corner'

[NewMon]

could my husband come on his Yamaha 400 supermoto thing

If my wife can come in a *cough* car, then your husband will be more than welcome.

[utopia]

If its a 4-stroke, it would be fine in the naughty corner.
If its a 2-stroke, he'd be best leaving it at home ... the temptation to "borrow" it for an hour or two in the Welsh hills would just be too great. ;)

[MrsC_772]

Yes, there are still rooms available in the hotel.

Non-biking spouses would be most welcome.

Yes, there will be a naughty corner in the car park for non-Monsters. (It is not unheard of for even a weekender organiser to park in the naughty corner).

The more the merrier, and the more Monsters the better!

:)

[Grumpy]

Yes, there will be a naughty corner in the car park for non-Monsters. (It is not unheard of for even a weekender organiser to park in the naughty corner

:)

I wonder who that was!! :)

[Albie]

I wonder who that was!! :)

There has been a few for sure.

[bigredduke]

Some of the more frail and elderly members have actually been known to trailer their bikes to the Weekender. I seem to remember a particularly wet event when a particular Monster wasn't even taken off said trailer.:fou:

[Char]

I know not of this wet weather you speak of - the sun always shines on these weekends

In fact in the last 6 years I cannot think of one where



OK you're right it always rains at some point


But as to these naughty bikes some mention - how can any Italian finery be considered naught I ask you


As for that pesky R1 owner ,, I'll say no more nor have any idea as to what he'll be astride this year !!


One thing is guaranteed however and that is a great bunch of peeps will turn up and everyone will have a ball and at least one of us will have a technical issue :)

[jonzi]

One thing is guaranteed however and that is a great bunch of peeps will turn up and everyone will have a ball and at least one of us will have a technical issue :)

Now I don't want to get all pedantic, but that's three things.

[Albie]

Some of the more frail and elderly members have actually been known to trailer their bikes to the Weekender. I seem to remember a particularly wet event when a particular Monster wasn't even taken off said trailer.:fou:

I remember that stuck in the cage . Even I have to trailer but to my advantage tbh. Going is the key to it all however you do it.

[bigredduke]

I remember that stuck in the cage . Even I have to trailer but to my advantage tbh. Going is the key to it all however you do it.

Ah yes The Cage - a terrific track from 1974 The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, one for the younger members there.

No longer used for transporting the bikes around, I have a new trailer now and it will be heading to Wales next year. Prepare to be impressed.:woot:

[bigredduke]

As for that pesky R1 owner ,, I'll say no more nor have any idea as to what he'll be astride this year !!


I think we all know the answer to that:heart::kiss:

[MrsC_772]

Thanks to all the folks who have sent in their booking forms and or deposits in the last few days. :thumbsup:

Keep them coming - we'd love to see some more new faces (as well as the usual weekender fans) at next year's event. As the Weekender is not held in the same location each year, if you're based in the west, north-west or Wales, and contemplating coming to the weekender, remember in 2017 it might be somewhere less convenient for you (although I'm sure it would still be great).

[Goofle]

I'm going to check at work tomorrow if I'll be available, if so I'll be there. I like beer, I like bikes and I personnaly recommend the A483. It won't be the first time my Monster has been down that road - it's brilliant! There's a good chip shop (seating available) in Newtown too!

[mutley]

hello mrs c
i am interested in ukmoc weekender but won't no till new year time off work for me & the mrs
looks a nice event & hopefully we will be able get the dates off work fingers crossed
cheers mutley & a
merry christmas

[MrsC_772]

Hi Mutley,

It would be great if you and your Mrs could join us at the weekender. Please let me know as soon as you've been able to check with work about the time off. I'd have to check with the hotel if they still had rooms left as you've missed the original booking deadline, but it's a big hotel so they might well do.

Merry Christmas & a happy new year

[MrsC_772]

FAO Mart64 - I tried replying to your pm but "computer says no" - not sure if you need to clear your inbox. Let me know if you'd want to stay Sunday or just the Friday & Saturday and I'll check availability with the hotel.

[mart64]

Hi Mrs C,
All 3 nights please, pm fixed.
Cheers

[@thlon]

What rooms are still available please?

[MrsC_772]

@thlon - I'll check with the hotel. Would you be looking to stay Friday, Saturday and Sunday, or just the Friday & Saturday?

[Bradders]

Ditto, what rooms would be avaiable? Any room? Fri and Sat please :)

[MrsC_772]

There are single, double and twin rooms still available.

[J.P]

It's shaping up to be a great Weekender for everyone.
Sounds like the venue, and the surrounding area will make it a great weekend.

[AndyC_772]

Let's just hope the weather holds. The focus this year is very much on the riding, and it'll be a real shame if we don't get to enjoy the roads at their best because of rain.

Not that the hotel's bar and other facilities aren't excellent too, though...

[alan c]

Great work you two, really looking forward to Great weekend in Wales :thumbsup::drunk::hail:

[bigredduke]

As usual, I shall be a wimp & bringing the trailer. If anyone would like gear transporting (I will either be going via M62 around Manchester, Chester then south or M1, Derby, Birmingham, Shropshire).

Weather forecast at the moment suggests lots of time lazing in the pool & reading the weekend papers with my feet up whilst bike stays in trailer. Sorry!

I hope I am wrong.:twak: