beautiful day on the waw yesterday.. I agree you can't rush the WAW. So Plan I am forming is an easy 9-6 day, with tea and lunch breaks etc. stop at 6 to enjoy where you landed, swim, fire , food, drink I'd say a good week should do it. And if the sun is out it would be epic driving.

sorry that's 9am-to 6 pm day.. not 9-6 days:)

Reg wrote:beautiful day on the waw yesterday.. I agree you can't rush the WAW. So Plan I am forming is an easy 9-6 day, with tea and lunch breaks etc. stop at 6 to enjoy where you landed, swim, fire , food, drink I'd say a good week should do it. And if the sun is out it would be epic driving.

Seasoned traveller and by far the best way to enjoy it.

92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:The WAW is not for iron butt stuff. I spent 2 weeks of sunshine enjoying Cork to Westport and camping for it. Its great if taken slowly.

Done in stages? Taken slowly? on  100hp(or more) with full weather protection? Have a look at the link below



http://www.tourismireland.com/Home!/About-Us/Press-Releases/2014/Top-Travel-Blogger-Takes-on-Challenge-of-Her-Life.aspx

Happy St Pat's day to all Irish Eccentrics - wishing you all a cracking good meet at the weekend.

Bet you wish you were coming over for it.......day trip to Dublin on a cheap air ticket...would work since we will be on that side of Dublin to drop you back at the airport...

I sneaked a look at my weather map today and thought it was malfunKtioning.

On second look I realised it wasn't. It actually shows no rain at all between now and Sunday night.....Looks like Comberjohn has been busy rubbing his weatherstone. All makes for a great outing.


Looks like low temperatures though....5 to 7c.

No he hasn't. 90% partial eclipse on Friday and the weather forecast is - RAIN Oh well, I did see the last one in 1999. I was working in the shipyard at the time and for a few minutes the whole place fell completely silent. That takes some doing in a place that's usually fitting huge sheets of metal together.

O ye of little faith.
BBC says light cloud and a high of 9°C. But working on it.

Ringfad wrote:RTE weather is also showing a fine weekend


I went in to work today to discover I had one a prize


2 Tickets to Dublin’s Leprechaun Museum


- maybe Bill can go twice

And who will keep an eye on him.?

Ringfad wrote:RTE weather is also showing a fine weekend


I went in to work today to discover I had one a prize


2 Tickets to Dublin’s Leprechaun Museum


- maybe Bill can go twice

Being a bit vertically challenged, they might keep me as an exhibit!

Leprechaun Museum????? What's the point? I often see them little fellas in the garden (well, after a couple of whiskeys anyway), it's pretty hard to get rid of them

So who have we got..? At this evening [Thursday] this is my list.

1. Indian036
   
2. Ringfad
   
3. Comberjohn
   
4. Dai
   
5. Sgmayhew
   
6. JediGirl
   
7. 88KE
   
8. 92KK
   
9. Bjorn and Ditte.
   
10. Reg
    
11. Cluain Si
    
12. Tom O'Leary
    
13. A N Other
    
14. A N Other
    

Sagi?
Tom Foley?
Trapper?
Markzz?
DeRodster?

Myself an Bill are meeting at 3 PM on Friday - we will be checking out the Leprechaun museum. 

If anyone else is around Dublin let me know as I now have 4 tickets for the museum.

We may even bring one of them with us on Saturday morning - I am not sure if they need helmets but I am sure we can work something out. I think sitting on the K1 hump would probably be appropriate as I believe they are quite small 

Hello All,

Is anyone going to cross Monasterevin on the way to Dublin? If so - please let me know asap. I would rather travel with an escort! 

I can't wait to see all these bikes altogether!!

I will be leaving the party after we arrive in Newgrange (or after the coffee) but still can't wait. 

See you on the road! 

Magda

Mostly a slow run back from Switzerland today. Came almost entirely via Germany in hopes of finding places to stretch out "Daddy's race car". Early in the journey I matched the 180 of the run down, but mostly heavy traffic and a lot of roadworks meant that around 140 was normal in the unlimited sections with a few stretches up to 160. Haven't yet matched the 230 a few years ago, 3 toy cars ago in the 530i V8.

That run was the best boys day out ever - self, son in law and his best friend to the transport museums as Sinsheim and Speyer, near Hockenheim racing circuit. Worth a visit for anyone in the area. Even have an actual Concorde as well as the Tupolev 144 copy, known as the Concordski. 

Looking forward to meeting a leprechaun or 2 tomorrow, as well as a few Eccentrics on Saturday. Daughter will have to do without the household help for a few more days. Don't know how she will cope when I go back to Oz. 

Bill

indian036 wrote:Mostly a slow run back from Switzerland today. Came almost entirely via Germany in hopes of finding places to stretch out "Daddy's race car". Early in the journey I matched the 180 of the run down, but mostly heavy traffic and a lot of roadworks meant that around 140 was normal in the unlimited sections with a few stretches up to 160. Haven't yet matched the 230 a few years ago, 3 toy cars ago in the 530i V8.

That run was the best boys day out ever - self, son in law and his best friend to the transport museums as Sinsheim and Speyer, near Hockenheim racing circuit. Worth a visit for anyone in the area. Even have an actual Concorde as well as the Tupolev 144 copy, known as the Concordski. 

Looking forward to meeting a leprechaun or 2 tomorrow, as well as a few Eccentrics on Saturday. Daughter will have to do without the household help for a few more days. Don't know how she will cope when I go back to Oz. 

Bill

Sons and sons in law! My son called this evening and wants me to look at a 750iL for him.....such is life. Our experience in Germany in 2013 on the autobahnen was identical to yours...roadworks and traffic. He was deflated.

One of our little targets is to visit all the Concordes....you added another one to our list and he is an avid F1 fan. Add the flight test one at Duxford Imperial War Museum near Stansted airport, you can walk inside this....., BA one on the deck of the Intrepid in New York to add to your list.

Watch the leprechauns tomorrow.....they can play with your mind.

Olaf

JediGirl wrote:Hello All,

Is anyone going to cross Monasterevin on the way to Dublin? If so - please let me know asap. I would rather travel with an escort! 

I can't wait to see all these bikes altogether!!

I will be leaving the party after we arrive in Newgrange (or after the coffee) but still can't wait. 

See you on the road! 

Magda

Magda

I had an email from CluainSi [John Ryan]. Tom O'Leary and himself are leaving Cashel 7.45/8am. I could ask them to see you at the services at Junction 14 Monasterevin? Sorry we will be losing you at Newgrange but glad you are coming!!

Other than that we could hire you an escort.............

Olaf

Weather is fine these days but there were too many early mornings recently with ice on the saddle so I decided to to ride up to Dublin tonight instead. So we meet everyone tomorrow morning around 09:30 - would be nice to have Bill's photo shoot at the Guinness gate with as many bikes as possible

Bill

You haven't been to the Irish Chnut-teach yet.

Now lets see you pronounce that one........but pay close attention to the leprechauns. No fear of confusing Simon with one, which is why he is taking you to see them.

Think of.........two guys being chased by a lion.......one says to the other 'are you mad, we'll never outrun this darn critter'. To which the first guy replies...'I don't have to run faster than him. I only have to run faster than you'.....

Went out this morning and put panniers on the K.......no frost, no ice and there's cloud. Wanted to see the partial eclipse.....as in its about 90% here. Ah well, say the total in Cornwall in 99 and took the kids down to see it.

See you in the morning. Not sure you will be able to see us though.....

Olaf.

Let's let John to keep up the good work, rubbing polishing his weatherstone

ok, I know , I am a pure westie, these guinness gates?? on motorway to dublin in the morning, now I don't have a sat nav, so where do I aim for, the Quays?? Isn't it near the train station?? My Nick name in London was GGPF, Great Gray path finder, cus I will get lost:)

92KK 84WW Olaf wrote: Wanted to see the partial eclipse.....as in its about 90% here. Ah well, say the total in Cornwall in 99 and took the kids down to see it.

I was planning on getting an early K photo competition entry on the go by getting my bike with the partial solar eclipse (the solar smile) in the background. Only about 83% eclipse where I live, but thought that the Faroe Islands were a bit far to go to see the full 100%. In the end, the cloud persisted and the bike stayed in the garage. Did get a few glimpses through the cloud though.



Still next opportunity for a full eclipse in the UK will be 2090. I'm sure my trusty K and the forum will still be going strong, but not so sure that I will be!

I got one of those this morning and never thought to get the K in it......darn it, I had the perfect shot too. I was chatting with the now grown up kids about our trip to Cornwall for the total eclipse in 1999.

Reg wrote:ok, I know , I am a pure westie, these guinness gates?? on motorway to dublin in the morning, now I don't have a sat nav, so where do I aim for, the Quays?? Isn't it near the train station?? My Nick name in London was GGPF, Great Gray path finder, cus I will get lost:)

Reg,

Depends on how well you know Dublin.....you will be coming in the N4 which brings you past Heuston station, then heads left over the Liffey and then right along the quays keeping the river on your right. At O'Connell Bridge go right and you can get up to College Green there. Do you know the Bank of Ireland at all, or the front entrance to Trinity College. If you know the statue of Oliver Goldsmith at the green there stand with your back to him and you will be looking over at Foster Place. If you PM me your phone number I will keep in touch with you as I have alsmost everyone else's number.

I could suggest a 'small' detour down to Monasterevin, services at J14 on the M7, just past Kildare. Just this minute John Ryan and Tom O'Leary decided they are going there for breakfast to meet JediGirl....

I navigate in London without satnav or gps, get around ok too.

I am now off air for a while, about to hop on bike and heat to 88KE.

Olaf.

I've decided with some justification that Ringfad is the nicest guy I've ever met in Ireland.

Thanks for corrupting me showing me around some Dublin pubs, Simon.

Looking forward to meeting others in the morning. 

Bill

I agree with Olaf and strongly advise all to meet me at J14.

The more, the merrier! 

We are meeting there at about 8:45. 

See you!

A very nice 3 hours this afternoon took me to 88KE. Was wrm enough to need to remove thermal linings! Dinner cooked by 88KE and some wine and discussions about France made for a very nice evening. His K is looking good for France.

Off at 8am. Safe travels to all. Sounds like Bill had a good evening and looks like Simon did us all credit! Looking forward to the morning!

indian036 wrote:I've decided with some justification that Ringfad is the nicest guy I've ever met in Ireland.

Thanks for corrupting me showing me around some Dublin pubs, Simon.

Looking forward to meeting others in the morning. 

Bill

he certainly is a very cordial host...and there is some interesting wild life in some of those pubs!!

Have a great day out today.

Just got home after picking up my new coffee machine on the way.

Thanks everyone for the great day out, and also CombeRJohn (sorry John, I couldn't have missed that ) for the great weather. It was nice to see some new faces around (new for me at least).

We're getting more and more ladies into it now which is a tendency I rather like.

Born Again Eccentric wrote:

92KK 84WW Olaf wrote: Wanted to see the partial eclipse.....as in its about 90% here. Ah well, say the total in Cornwall in 99 and took the kids down to see it.

I was planning on getting an early K photo competition entry on the go by getting my bike with the partial solar eclipse (the solar smile) in the background. Only about 83% eclipse where I live, but thought that the Faroe Islands were a bit far to go to see the full 100%. In the end, the cloud persisted and the bike stayed in the garage. Did get a few glimpses through the cloud though.



Still next opportunity for a full eclipse in the UK will be 2090. I'm sure my trusty K and the forum will still be going strong, but not so sure that I will be!

According to Scientific Research no Human will see this as we will be extinct by then. Due to burning gigatons of oil,coal,gas and releasing all those toxins into our living room we will no longer be able to breathe, and most other oxygen dependent creatures will be gone as well. No I am not a tree hugger and I don't want to go back to 1750 but this is inescapable reality. If you have kids of college age, not worth wasting your money on educating them as no future anyway.

Howgh! 

It was great to see you all and finally meet, the season has now officially begun. 

Travelling cross country to Kilkenny worked fine but also gave me a good motivation to get a tank bag insted of keeping my phone with Google maps in my pocket...

Hope o see you all on the road again!

Was a great day, especially Stephen's escorted sunset tour of Sally Gap, a detour around Glencree back to town. Bill spent a lot of time on pillion, we didn't get back until 8pm! A very unexpected and generous gesture from Bill, dinner this evening.

No doubt some surprise photos will be appearing. New faces!

What a wonderful welcome from the Eccentrics! Thanks so much, one and all.
Ringfad went to great expense to show me the Leprechaun museum, we saw the Guinness exhibition, had fish and chips at Burdock's, drank at the horseshoe bar at the Shelbourne hotel, then at another small pub.
Rested up overnight before meeting at 9:30am (Irish time) with Olaf, Björn & Ditte, Stephen, Jedi Girl, Ringfad and Elaine at the Bnk of Ireland. 
Group photo at a Guiness gate before heading out to Newgrange for the Neolithic burial site. You'd think some of us ancient K pilots would fit right in until you realise that a) some aren't so ancient and b) half the rest seem to be computer professionals in some way. 
Two of us went in to have a look while the rest who mostly had been in it before went off for a K circuit. Different people cut out at various stages according to travel distance and direction and commitments. Stephen, Olaf and I did the Sallygap circuit on the way back into Dublin. The scenic route was much more than a euphemism for the roundabout way home. Some spectacular wild views, with the late evening light adding to the atmosphere as well as making visibility through Olaf's screen impossible at one point. We finished up at Jury's Inn for dinner before I walked to my digs and they set off on the bikes.

Olaf, thanks so much for sharing your K with me for the day. I recommend him as a pillion carrier. I hadn't been a pillion passenger for more years than I care to count, but Olaf inspired nothing but confidence the whole way. 

I don't have the connections for putting pictures on the iPad, so they will have to wait till I get back to France tomorrow. Look out for Simon's pictures from the Leprechaun museum!

Once again, thanks one and all for your Kompany and Kameraderie, and to Simon for showing me around on Friday and Olaf for the transport.

A similar welcome awaits any Eccentric in Oz. 

Bill

Comberjohn brought out the Great Sunshine yesterday in more ways than one. But the company was great. Was sorry to miss a few faces too but there will be other times.

I didn't go on the tour with Bill, was there quite a bit when I was young and we could get straight up to it. So, 7 of us went on a K twisty tour led by 88KE who knew the roads well, and then back to Newgrange for dessert and to pick up Bill.... As Bill mentioned Irish time, it took 3 hours to do the 1 hour ride from Newgrange back to his place.

Sally Gap as the sun is setting presents some challenges driving into the sun but it was sorted in about 10 minutes when the sun dropped enough to continue. This is also when the views are at their best. That bit was worth it for me. For those with an interest in car rallying this area was used many years back as a night time stage in the Circuit of Ireland Rally.

Bill was good pillion too, hope he makes it back for a repeat visit..!

In the meantime I must check out Bjorn's and Ditte's new Koffee machine. Wonder its it a cappuccino maker?....

Reg, was sorry you didn't make it but I think some of us down here will make for a halfway point between us for a Burren drive and an outing to Craggy Island?

Sorry I missed it
Seems you showed Bill a great time

The maintenance continues and hopefully I'll be back on the road by next weekend

All the best

Just a few photos from our day out at New Grange yesterday.



Will



Stephen



Simon


Elaine followed by Bjorn and SWMBO followed by John.



John again.




Magda.



And last and probably least, Bill and Olaf. 



This is the 5000 year old New Grange. Worth seeing if you are over here.

Comberjohn.....lovely photos!

Your footer......is it missing something?

Here are some photos from Friday - no bike day.



Why not to do AirBNB



I was worried the Leprechaun's might keep Bill.



We need eventually might one.



At one of the many Guinness gates (as we discovered when we tried to meet up on Saturday)



In the Guinness Hop store

Sharp as a sponge, Olaf.
Changed it over a week ago and wondered if anyone would notice. 

Comberjohn

It didn't even get an epitaph......sad!

I think your weight shedding exercise though was more than 100kg. That's some going. More than a kitted out pillion.....

Olaf

The photos are truely lovely! 

We rule!!

Yep Simon, that is THE Guinness gate

BTW Olaf, are you accusing me with tampering coffee with milk???? Ever???
No, it is strictly for black stuff but we can arrange some whipped cream for you, enough notice given

It was a cracking day for riding, temperatures tipping well into the teens behind the LT Fairing. Olaf departed my place for the city center meet, domestic duties prevented me from leaving until 9.30 which became 9.40 somehow. 

I hit the road hard thinking I might not catch the crew at Newgrange by the Scheduled 11.00 am arrival. 

Keeping to a steady 5500-6000rpm (You do the maths) and achieving , occasionally bettering the National speed targets, passing the spectacular sight of a line of about 12 French sidecar rigs heading North on the way. I arrived at the car park for 11.20 to Find Comberjohn and Dai waiting patiently for the party. 


Comberjohns GS adorned by 88KE and Dai's well used K's






It was great to see all the familiar faces after the winter rest and meet some new riders. Following refreshments, for those who had been on the monument tour before, we rode a loop to the North and west. 

The blue skies, clean hedgerows and resurfaced tarmac of the Collon to Kells route proved too inviting and twisty not to adopt an "enthusiastic" pace and I thoroughly enjoyed rolling in and powering out of the endless supply of twists and sweeping turns, our guest Elaine ever present in my mirrors and enjoying the pace too although we never managed to get too far ahead of the pack.

We returned to Newgrange about an hour later to Rendezvous with Bill and John (Cluan Slí), and recaffeinate again. 

Unfortunately due to Mr Mom duties I had to head back at that stage and was home by 6.20pm having covered 263miles (424 kms)  in just 4.5 hours riding time.  

I was buzzing but pleasently tired as I lit a fire to toast my biking socks in front of, for a peaceful end to a perfect day. 

Thanks All.
Will

Will

Thanks too for a most relaxed Friday evening with excellent dinner!. Was a good opportunity to discuss summer travels too.

Slept like a log and woke to the rising sun shining in the window. A really excellent 3 hour run over and another hour and a bit Saturday morning on the way to meeting up.

As for 'meet at the Guinness gate'.......this caused great confusion as there must be 20 of them. However it was all sorted in the end.

92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:As for 'meet at the Guinness gate'.......this caused great confusion as there must be 20 of them. However it was all sorted in the end.

I usually specify St.James' Gate, but you're now going to tell me there's more than one of those too, aren't you?

We had a good run home too. ComberJohn kept dropping hints about the pace on the motorway but it took eejit here a long time to figure it out. I think he just wanted to beat Will's story.

I now just think too much Guinness Kauses Konfusion.

But the KonKlusion in that it was a great Dai for all.

Edit: Now who said we couldn't organise a meet up at a brewery??

Winging it!

Saturday pictures



One of the many gates ....



Bill comes to Ireland to sign the Australian banner