Who is going in 2012
1/ Paul (Klarkey) Clarke - BMW R1200GSA
2/ Andrew Ellis - BMW R1200GSA
3/ David Lamont - BMW R1200GSA
4/ (Dommi) Dave Powell - Honda Trany
5/ Dave Jones - BMW R1200GSA
6/ Jim Dobson - KTM 990ADV
7/ ????
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CLOSING SOON, BE QUICK
To book your place on The Stella Alpina Trip 2012 (A Trip With Serious Altitude, Backwards!), hit this link, then print off a booking form. Send this along with your remittance ASAP.
To all those traveling with the main group we will meet in the main car park outside the terminal building for Hull/Zeebrugge/Rotterdamn HU9 5PW on Saturday 30th June. Please be there on time, fully fueled no later than 4.45pm. Remember it is worth bringing a couple of small straps/ tie downs to secure your bike on the boat as they only supply some rope which is not always ideal for your pride and joy. Your bike needs to be good for around 2,500 miles for the whole trip and everyone must have European Breakdown insurance (AA 5 Star or similar for the whole duration of the trip). Don't forget your Passport, MAP, Euros, Visa Card, E111 Medical Card (As a minimum but private health can also be useful). You also need your original driving license, V5, Insurance certificate (and green Card if necessary) and test certificate (No photo copies). See you all on the docks no later than 4.45pm, Paul C
Out Hull/Zee on the Saturday 30th June overnight (Dover Calais option for southerners please ring me for details and let me know the crossing times you want), 1 Night in France, 2 nights in Switzerland, 2 nights in France, 3 nights in Italy plus 1 more night in France and back Calais Dover Tuesday 10th around Mid Day (Or Zee/ Hull if you prefer). Full trip Includes Ferry both ways, 10 Nights accommodation, 9 Breakfasts, Two Evening Meals, Bike Parking and a guide. Loads of Fab new stuff never done on a Stella trip as well as the best old stuff backwards including the Stella Itself - Cost from £TBA per person sharing.
FULL DETAILS - THE STELLA ALPINA 2012 - A TRIP WITH SERIOUS ALTITUDE (BACKWARDS!)
Saturday 30th June - To build on the success of this fantastic trip, I again intend to accompany one group the whole way there, and back if you wish. I will book the Ferry and sort your accommodation as well as plan and lead the party on the most interesting routes I know. We know all the good restaurants, best routes and best vantage points along the way. To start the holiday the main group will take the night boat from Hull (Please be at the docks no later than 4.45 pm) on Saturday 30th June - where we'll all get to know each other over a pint as we cruise our way down to Zeebrugge, it just doesn't get any better than this.
(Dover/Calais crossing around 07.00 Sunday 1st July for Southerner Shorter Trip we will meet up in Northern France)
Sunday 1st July - we'll disembark the ferry, then travel down to meet the southern group near Arras before all heading down to arrive at our Hotel past Dole at about 6pm for our overnight stop.
Monday - After
Breakfast the real fun starts. We will depart through Geneve, then conquer
some of the smaller and less well known Alpine passes. The group will decide
to spend the morning taking in the ride of a life time up the Aiguille du
Midi Cable Cars to 3843m with truly stunning views over Mont-Blanc, a place
that has to be seen to be believed. Or, If that's not for us, a longer day
in the saddle will see us ticking off more of the loop of madness before making
our way to our Hotel in the high Swiss
town of Andermatt for our next night (the first
of two), with more nosh and drinking before bed.
Tuesday - A chance to chill and take in the mountain air, ride cable cars and mountain trains, or join us for a spectacular days ride around the high Swiss passes on the best Swiss roads.
Wednesday - After a good early breakfast we will head out over the Swiss Alps, down into Italy before doing lots of our old favorites backwards for the first time ever. Then we will pick up lots of new stuff as we head into the stunning Vercors region of France to explore some truely spectacular gorge roads. We will get to our picturesque digs in the Vercors around 6pm before taking a nice dip in the pool, then nosh and drink before bed. The first of 2 nights in this spectacular and little know corner of France.
Thursday - A chance to chill and take in the mountain air round the pool, or join us for a spectacular days ride around this fantastic area on the best roads I know.
Friday - an early breakfast and its time to get some more serious altitude as we potentially bag number 2, 6,7, & 8 of the Highest Surfaced Passes in the Alps Top Ten list before arriving at our Hotel in Bardonecchia about 6pm for a three night stay. Then it's out for a beer and some nosh.
Saturday - An easy and scenic day trip to bag number 9 on the Highest Passes List and maybe the odd easy trail, or you can plan your own ride, or maybe take in the market and some sun bathing or shopping.
Sunday - It's up the Stella with the rally in the Morning maybe taking a packed lunch to nosh on top of the world. After that it can be Pass bashing or Sun bathing and shopping, depending on your preference.
Monday - After Breakfast we start our picturesque journey out of the Alps on stunning mountain passes heading north/west to our final Hotel in France near Troyes.
Tuesday - Again, a good breakfast gets us on the road north heading for Calais, arriving around 1pm for a crossing to Dover. At this point, many will choose to split for home and hopefully make it well before dark 9 (Some may also choose a Zee/Hull return to land in hull Wednesday morning about 9am).
I have no doubt this will be one of the best Alps trips ever, the way it is planned is the most flexible & pleasurable way to do this trip, and all in just over 10 Days. That said, some may wish to make this the start of a longer holiday, or even make the trip shorter. Therefore, I have no problem with people wishing to return on a different date. I will still book your ferry out via Hull (and back via Calais on a date of your choice) and sort out all your digs for the nights you wish to stay with the group. All the main ports can be done in one hit from our last nights accommodation in France, indeed we are on the same road for most of the way back to the channel.
I believe this European jaunt to be very suitable for all, one or two up, both novice and veteran alike. It can be tackled on almost any bike (as long as it's capable of longer journeys) and any UN-surfaced sections can easily be avoided. To help me with organising I'm afraid, as always, very advanced booking is required and maximum numbers will apply. Due to the new booking system at P&O the prices of the crossings will rise as the Ferry fills up. This is designed to encourage people to book and pay early (like some of the low cost airlines), so book early to avoid the price quoted rising as the summer approaches. Now it's time to get out your new diary and see if you can join us on this fantastic journey The Stella Alpina 2012 ( A Trip with serious altitude, backwards).
Don't be disappointed, send your deposit now as this one fills fast and is always over subscribed. Just £100 (Fully refundable) gets your place.
To book your place on The Stella Alpina 2012, hit this link, then print off a booking form. Send this along with your remittance ASAP.
Who went in 2011
1/ Paul (Klarkey) Clarke - BMW R1200GSA 2/ Andrew Ellis - Honda Vara 3/ Alex Penrose - Yamaha TDM 4/ Shaun Henderson - BMW R1159GS 5/ David Black - BMW R1200 GSA 6/ David Barker* - BMW R1200GS 7/ Jim Dobson - KTM990 ADV 8/ John Makin - DR1250 BIG 9/ David Walker - BMW 650GS 10/ David Jones - BMW R1200GSA 11/ Darren Duesbury - KTM990 ADV
Who went in 2010
1/ Paul (Klarkey) Clarke - BMW R1200GSA 2/ Andrew Ellis
- *Honda Varadero 3/ David Jones - BMW R1200GSA 4/ Douglas Steel - Cagiva
Navigator 5/ David Barker - BMW R1200GS 6/ Mark Gillispie - BMW R1200GS
7/ George Ballantyne - TDM 900 8/ Bill Naismith - Kawasaki Versys
Who went in 2009 - The Long Way Round
1/ Paul (Klarkey) Clarke - BMW R1200GSA 2/ Andrew Ellis - *Honda Varadero 3/ Tim Green - Honda Varadero 4/ Ben Wheble - KTM 990 ADV 5/ Alex Penrose - TDM 900 6/ Adrian Lloyd' - KTM990ADV 7/ Paul Homard' - BMW R1200GSA 8/ Adrian Molloy - Tiger 1050 9/ Mark Dinner - BMW R 1200 GS 10/ Darren Dewsbury - KTM 990 ADV 11/ Tony Chadwick - BMW R 1200 GS 12/ John Boothroyd - KTM 950 ADV 13/ Jim Dobson - BMW R1150ADV 14/ Dave Jones - BMW R1200GS
Who went on the Stella in 2008 - 1/ Paul (Klarkey) Clarke - BMW R1200GSA 2/ Andrew Ellis - *Honda Vara 3/ Ian Harding - BMW R1200GS 4/ Alan Dixon - BMW R1200GSA 5/ John (Irish Guy on a Bike) Bruce - BMW R1150GSA 6/ Tony Chadwick - BMW R1200GS 7/ Paul Homard - BMW R1200GSA 8/ Nick Slater - Suzuki DL1000 9/ David Wyatt - Suzuki V-strom 10/ Adrian Lloyd - KTM 990 Adv 11/ David Carr - VARA XL1000 12/ David Barker - BMW R1200GS 13/ Mike Craxton - *BMW R1200GSA 14/ George (Ochay) *Ballantyne - TDM 900 15/ William Gregg - BMW R1150GS 16/ Steve Cogdell - BMW R1200GS
The BTB.C Stella Alpina 2000?
