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2020 Alpine Road Trip


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3 hours ago, World Citizen said:

1. We've (family and dog too) found only one way to do a long drive and it's to smash it out in one go. We felt just as tired doing 2 long days than one 1000 mile day

 

 

Sorry but a bit OT - Interested in how you do this, particularly with a dog. Do you share driving? How many stops? Do you do a high speed or steady cruise or vary it? (We do 1200 miles to Spain on two days with the dog and I can be either fresh as a daisy or dog tired for no discernible reason!!)

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16 minutes ago, Mondrian said:

Not up to date with noise cancelling headphone technology so just wondering if they would cancel out voice of another person, say wife or mother?

Sorry for minor hijack folks but its a life or death Q.

I have a set of Bose noise cancelling headphones. They are great for drowning out white noise such as on an airplane but you can still hear "irregular" sounds such as the person next to you, albeit at a significantly reduced volume because they envelope the ear and thereby also act as ear defenders. I have never tried them in the car - will give them a go on the way to the meet on Saturday and report back.

4 minutes ago, Roy M said:

Sorry but a bit OT - Interested in how you do this, particularly with a dog. Do you share driving? How many stops? Do you do a high speed or steady cruise or vary it? (We do 1200 miles to Spain on two days with the dog and I can be either fresh as a daisy or dog tired for no discernible reason!!)

I need to see photos of the dog behind the wheel.

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35 minutes ago, Roy M said:

Sorry but a bit OT - Interested in how you do this, particularly with a dog. Do you share driving? How many stops? Do you do a high speed or steady cruise or vary it? (We do 1200 miles to Spain on two days with the dog and I can be either fresh as a daisy or dog tired for no discernible reason!!)

we only let the dog drive at night, he's only got a provisional license, less traffic/chance of being pulled :ani_nerd:

Asleep by 10pm (you sleep in 4hr cycles so best to wake up 4hrs, 8hrs later etc) leave 2am ish, car packed night before so up and gone in 15-20mins, breakfast on the way

Me first stint with a quick snooze on the early train, wife and I share the driving, Le Mans 24hr stints ie by the tank full, fuel stops like F1 pit stops ie well drilled so no loitering, usually do a 5/6 stopper

Last trip was 1020 miles, over 52ish mph average (total time not just driving time), our intercontinental ballistic missile is my trusty, old, slow Toyota 4x4 so we sit at 75ish mph for hours and hours and hours......

We do it in the both winter and summer, summer is harder on all of us as the truck has no AC

Mentally I treat it same as a long haul flight but at times I'm the trolley dolly and other times I'm the captain

Think the trick's are the stupid o'clock start allows normal bedtime after a very long day, lots of cat naps, keep well fed and watered with a packed picnic/dog food and just roll with it ie delays, weather, traffic, lost wheel nuts etc

All sounds a bit mental but we all agree in one with a relaxing 1st day after is the easiest way if you can't tag a holiday of 2/3 nights along the way

 

 

 

 

 

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mental image of dog driving WC's car :steering::lol:

I use my motorbike earplugs for long drives, they are filtered and cancel out any drone, wind-rush from an open window etc whilst amazingly you can still hear the essentials or even chat. Cuts down fatigue on a long trip, a very useful item to have even if you don't ride motorbikes.

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34 minutes ago, MarkJ said:

mental image of dog driving WC's car :steering::lol:

I use my motorbike earplugs for long drives, they are filtered and cancel out any drone, wind-rush from an open window etc whilst amazingly you can still hear the essentials or even chat. Cuts down fatigue on a long trip, a very useful item to have even if you don't ride motorbikes.

What type are they Mark, I’ve been thinking about a set?

Thank you

Ian

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8 hours ago, World Citizen said:

I've organised 2 big Euro tours, think they went down well, both very hard work to organise but disappointingly not many people followed on with other trips since

Only had invites back from you and Ian, most IBer's just want to tag along/go with the flow which is fine as they wouldn't be nearly as much fun with less cars/people

As you're finding everyone has their own ideas/suggestions, rightly so and not to be discouraged as more good ideas to choose from the better

Please carry on with 'I'm doing this, you're welcome to join us' approach :ani_clapping: as all you'll end up doing is diluting your Porsche Peleton plan or frustrate yourself with trying to please everyone

 

 

+1 on this Stephen. Happy to help with any organisations Richard

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30 minutes ago, Ian Comerford said:

What type are they Mark, I’ve been thinking about a set?

Thank you

Ian

Ian, I have been using sets of these for 10yrs on noisy Ducatis, they are great.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F151297288860

Alpine Motosafe. Search for them on eBay from various sellers. Only about £13 normally and will last a few years. Can be cleaned in hot water too. You can still chat To someone next to you without shouting 😋

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4 hours ago, Mondrian said:

Not up to date with noise cancelling headphone technology so just wondering if they would cancel out voice of another person, say wife or mother?

Sorry for minor hijack folks but its a life or death Q.

 

4 hours ago, Mondrian said:

Not up to date with noise cancelling headphone technology so just wondering if they would cancel out voice of another person, say wife or mother?

Sorry for minor hijack folks but its a life or death Q.

 

4 hours ago, Mondrian said:

Not up to date with noise cancelling headphone technology so just wondering if they would cancel out voice of another person, say wife or mother?

Sorry for minor hijack folks but its a life or death Q.

Yes - you can’t hear them either😀

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2 minutes ago, anglophone1 said:

 

 

Yes - you can’t hear  them either- especially over “Aida” 😀

 

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11 minutes ago, MarkJ said:

Ian, I have been using sets of these for 10yrs on noisy Ducatis, they are great.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F151297288860

Alpine Motosafe. Search for them on eBay from various sellers. Only about £13 normally and will last a few years. Can be cleaned in hot water too. You can still chat To someone next to you without shouting 😋

Great, thanks Mark.  I will have a look at these

Ian

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I almost habitually wear earplugs on motorways too, a throwback to when I did actually ride motorbikes but the habit stuck. Takes less decibels and time than you might think to damage your hearing, and if you know you’re going to be on the road for a while they reduce fatigue as well. 

Edit: think the SNR ones I use attenuate -39dB (will check I have that right).

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3 hours ago, World Citizen said:

we only let the dog drive at night, he's only got a provisional license, less traffic/chance of being pulled :ani_nerd:

Asleep by 10pm (you sleep in 4hr cycles so best to wake up 4hrs, 8hrs later etc) leave 2am ish, car packed night before so up and gone in 15-20mins, breakfast on the way

Me first stint with a quick snooze on the early train, wife and I share the driving, Le Mans 24hr stints ie by the tank full, fuel stops like F1 pit stops ie well drilled so no loitering, usually do a 5/6 stopper

Last trip was 1020 miles, over 52ish mph average (total time not just driving time), our intercontinental ballistic missile is my trusty, old, slow Toyota 4x4 so we sit at 75ish mph for hours and hours and hours......

We do it in the both winter and summer, summer is harder on all of us as the truck has no AC

Mentally I treat it same as a long haul flight but at times I'm the trolley dolly and other times I'm the captain

Think the trick's are the stupid o'clock start allows normal bedtime after a very long day, lots of cat naps, keep well fed and watered with a packed picnic/dog food and just roll with it ie delays, weather, traffic, lost wheel nuts etc

All sounds a bit mental but we all agree in one with a relaxing 1st day after is the easiest way if you can't tag a holiday of 2/3 nights along the way

 

 

 

 

 

That's something I may have considered about 30 years ago but don't think I could manage it now - getting soft in my old age!!

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I am getting six years ago memory reminders on facebook this week of the Slovenia IB trip organised by Stephen and here is one photo from that trip that shows how to travel with a dog:

image1.jpeg.427389655f2ff70fcb42041e6df3ccbd.jpeg

Edited by Lesworth
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Question:

How do people feel about room sharing? 

It would be the exception rather than the norm, but one possible hotel has come back with options for up to 20 people and they involve some double and triple rooms.  The alternative for that night is using additional hotels nearby for overflow.

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It might be a good idea to do a headcount of those who are 100% committed and those who are interested but not yet 100% committed. At least that way you have an idea of numbers to work with re bookings.

BTW happy to post and add up numbers if of help?

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1 hour ago, Ian Comerford said:

Slept with all sorts of people, no problem!

Ha ha  ,  reminds me when I was on cycle tour in Germany . Long day and many miles and the only real option available was a shared dorm in a hostel. Not my most favoured option but have found some really nice hostels whilst   cycling   , many have  nice en suites and even   bars  !   Not this particular one however it was old school ,a room just long enough for the two bunk beds with little more than  a single beds width apart and a tiny window to boot  !    I lay  awake for most of the night ,  eyes stinging as the first two  started to snore horrendously.  Thinking it couldn't get worse the last available bunk was taken up at ridiculous o clock by a almost comically fat guy as wide as he was tall ,    disturbing me as he strained to climb his bunks ladder amazed  that ladder didn't break  and of course he passed out almost immediately joining in the chorus   . Funny looking back but man that was a bad night , in the morning  of the guys said he hoped his sleep apnia hadn't disturbed me ! No not at all said I .

 I am sure fellow IB'ers are not like that of course. :)

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