belfastguzzi

That hotel is only a few steps down the road from the Barholm place, so we can carry you back there. Everything is in Portaferry. The other place, Castleward, is across the lough narrows, but in fact they don't have accommodation in their barn, as I thought. They actually use Barholm and the Portaferry hotel to accommodate people.

There are more couples than previously and if people are not so keen on the shared dorm, we're going to run out of rooms quickly. Does anyone want to consider hotel accommodation? It's more expensive of course. If you're interested, try The Portaferry Hotel. Anyone fancy it? The Fiddlers Green pub across the road does B&B. I'll enquire about availability there too. Thanks for the info so far. The only way that I can get the best accommodation solution is for you to register your preferences, so keep the responses coming. I'll have to PM the folk who had said they were interested but haven't been around here for a while. Maybe someone can help by doing that for me? I'm going to be stuck in the office all night here working to a deadline for later tomorrow, so would someone have time during the day to check for the name list that I compiled here somewhere and send of a PM to tell them to look at the thread and give a yes, no or maybe? Cheers EDIT The list of names has been: BFG – Belfast, Northern Ireland Guzzirider – Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England Mrs Guzzirider – Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England Ballabio Bertie – Orkney, Scotland Antonio – Amsterdam, Netherlands Macguzzi – Edinburgh, Scotland Jaap – Varsseveld, Netherlands Jaap's girlfriend Wambiker – Liverpool, England Grossohc, Aberdeen, Scotland Ferguzzi, Clare, Ireland Tikkanen – Birkerød, 25 kilometres north of Copenhagen, Denmark Stockportclaret – Stockport, England Stockportclaret’s girlfriend Brushwarrior – Bury St. Edmunds, England ––(I've emailed him) Orson Mal Baldini ? – deep Wales Linz? Andy Gearjammer?? What about Hayden & others???

There is no campsite. They might be able to find a garden or field nearby. I need to go and see what's possible. If you are desperate there could be camping across the Narrows (by ferry) in the site that was referred to last night – ClearSky / Castleward NT. Or another place on the Portaferry side of the Lough but about 5 miles away. Remember that you can bring more girly things if you leave the tent at home. You could share a single with MacHaggis. Soren seemed to enjoy it. By the way Mac, I know you like your bothies. There's a great one on a nearby island, though it's been done-up and prettified since the days when I stayed there: http://www.canoeni.com/Strangford_Lough.aspx?s=4 Should be big enough for you, Mal and Soren.

Yeah, I'm just thinking that it will be interesting to get more, or as you say, fresh, ideas on this little puzzler – as I don't remember there being any clear consensus about what purpose the hole serves. As for solutions to extracting the bearing: the more the – –

I'm sure you remember there were long discussions on this and speculation about whether it is better to have a hole, or not? Does it let the water in – or let the water out? Etc. Whatever, getting the bearing out is a severe trial (in most cases) from I remember of experience and the discussions. No 'ole in mine

Going by experience, I'd say that the best ferry is the one that you can actually catch (in time). P&O Cairnryan - Larne, speedy Superferry http://www.poirishsea.com/passenger/LCTtimetable.htm or a longer sail but less road distance, Stena Line, Fast Ferry (or cheaper conventional ferry) http://www.stenaline.co.uk/mcn Stranraer-Belfast Fri 22 May HSS Fast Craft 09:50 Stranraer-Belfast Fri 22 May HSS Fast Craft 14:40 Stranraer-Belfast Fri 22 May Conventional Ferry 15:15 Obviously I'd recommend coming as early as possible on the Friday. If people wanted to arrive on Thursday night, I'd be up for that too.

But you are self-employed? YOU CAN TAKE AS MANY HOLIDAYS AS YOU WANT! No?

Mr Guzzirider will be delighted, likewise. Here is the rooms breakdown. Can people indicate what they think they would want? It will be useful to judge interest at this stage and as long as enough people are committed initially, I can make a booking: then this place allows the flexibility to add more rooms (until it gets booked out). As you can see a dorm works out at £14 per person per night. EDIT the spacing in 'Preview' has been lost when I published. I'll put this in a table on the Ulster Rally web page when I get a chance. Room no. - Type - Bed spaces - Beds - Comment - - £ Room per night 2 - Family 2+2 - 4 - 3 - Ground floor, near bathroom, double + 2 singles - 50.00 - Adults £15 ea, children £10 ea 3 - Double - 2 - 1 - ensuite - 40.00 - 4 - Single - 1 - 1 - - 18.00 - 5 - mini-dorm - 4 - 4 - 4 singles - 56.00 - 6 - Double - 2 - 1 - ensuite - 40.00 - 7 - Double - 2 - 1 - ensuite, lough view - 45.00 - 8 - Double - 2 - 1 - ensuite, lough view - 45.00 - 9 - Family 2+1 - 3 - 2 - ensuite - 50.00 - Adults £20 ea, children £10 ea 10 - Single - 1 - 1 - - 18.00 - 11 - Dorm - 8 - 8 - single beds - 112.00 - 12 - Dorm - 8 - 8 - single beds - 112.00 - 13 - Family 2+3 - 5 - 4 - Double + 3 single, ensuite, partial lough view - 65.00 - Adults £20 ea, children £10 ea 14 - Family 2+3 - 5 - 4 - Double + 3 single, ensuite, partial lough view - 65.00 - Max for room £65

Oh and prices at Barholm would be from £14 to £22.50 per person. We'll not get better than that? What price was Altygushy?!

I knew that the 'uddersfield contingent would be trouble!

I've spoken to this place, Barholm: http://www.barholmportaferry.co.uk/ It's a good spot, right beside a couple of well known bars and the ferry that crosses the Narrows. The good thing is that it could accommodate everyone in the same place. There are dorms for 8 people and for 4 people and higher spec. family and double rooms. It's self-catering too, which is handy and there are good restaurants / bars nearby. They could have the bikes in a secure courtyard. I think that this would be a good base for most people if not everyone. People could still find their own accommodation nearby if they want a hotel or something else. There isn't camping, but it's possible that something could be found if anyone really wanted. What say you all?

Antonio, which place can you not find? You and Guy can fight over booking rooms in Paddy's Sleepy Orchard

Book now! A lot of the places are booked by people straight away, at the time of one event - for the next year. You will be able to get a hotel or B&B ok. Just not at last minute. See the Accommodation page here: Northwest200.org

As it's the Spring Bank Holiday, booking should be made soon, so I'll try to post something more about accommodation by next week. Here are two possibilities on the south, Strangford side, of Strangford Lough. Depending upon numbers and tastes we may need to split accommodation sites. This place could cope with all, if they allow ageing bikers on site. It's a beautiful area. ClearSky barn (& camping & cottage) Another place nearby is Paddy's Barn. They do good food, have a room or two and would probably provide camping in a field. Any thoughts? See map of Strangford Lough on page 2 at http://moto.belfastguzzi.com actually here: The ClearSky barn is pretty much where the S of Strangford is and Paddy's Barn is out the road towards Downpatrick. ––– and Guzzirider found this: http://www.mournecamping.com/ though it's further south.

WELL -- I'd post it in Tech Topics and see what happens. Post it under a heading like, 'A Sagging Saddle Improved', or 'Sloppage Plate - THE Upgrade'. I bet there'll be massive interest. Don't use use your own name. Either Big Sandy or Fly-Rite would be fine. The frisson of an undiscovered guru is just what the Board needs.

One of the things that I wish I had never ever gotten rid of, was a Wem Dominator Mkll. What about this kit? "multi-microphoned bands have asked for more inputs..." Nonsense. We all know that less is more. If two cylinders is good enough for Moto Guzzi...

Ha, look here Mac. I never thought of looking for stuff like this on Ytube. Audiolab fetish LP12 just bizzare vid it's curtains for you For JR: homemade (what else?) wooden tonearm

yeh, let's see

I'd say Linns are hard to come by. Ittok Vlll Though I asked JR just because, as it happens, I looked last night – and there was one there! Don't know what the reserve on it is. Way better than the Rega for LP12. Surely, Shirley. I did have an RB300 once upon a long time ago. Yes, it was nice.

Which one and how did you get it?

The North West 200 race week is 9th to 16th May. Race day is Saturday 16th – so it is indeed the weekend prior to the Ulster meeting.

Non-Guzzi content. All of a sudden I decided to connect up the LP12 that has been languishing until such time as I get the house fixed up properly (– never to be). So now, the Mountain double album that gstallons sent me is revolving, the floor is covered in dust jackets and gatefolds: promises of mono authenticity and stereo hi-fidelity – and "also available on cassette and cartridge" apparently. Bliss.

There's Campbell's Condensed inside the spine, if you ever get desperately hungry. A good cupful stays in here: That's the liquid level that you can see through the hole.

Good man yourself

Then we're doomed. We're all doomed.