InvictaMoto's Family Travels

I had an email from Aer Lingus.  They have re-timed the outward flight to Miami from Dublin.  It is now an hour later. It shouldn't affect the car hire or the overnight hotel by very much.

We enjoyed our weekend away so much, even with the traffic difficulties, that I have made a booking at another local hotel for the same race weekend in 2019. This one, Wapen van Vries ,  is actually almost opposite the pizza place we went to this year in Vries.  It's maybe five minutes further along from the motorway than this year's place.   It's all free cancellation and no prepayment so we can cancel if need be. It's also some €60 cheaper for us, although I don't think Neill will save much, if he comes. Hopefully after her operation in October 2018,  Claire will be back on the bike and not in the pain she was the last time and we can make a more sedate holiday out of the trip.

After the journey up we decided not to hang about too long on the way home in case the traffic was as bad and we would be endanger of missing the train home. So we were up and ready to leave before 9am.  Neill was still there as we left and Claire and he had set Google to we could see where we were on the road.  it wasn't working that well when we left though. Rather than risk getting to Antwerp and once again getting stuck in heavy or non-moving traffic, I decided fill the Insignai's tank with cheaper diesel. On Sunday it was €1.379 a litre, by Monday it has leapt up by 4 centts. Still cheap enough. When I later entered the figures into Fuelly  we had managed 46.26mpg despite sitting in traffic for hours on Friday. I had high hopes then for this tank as long as the traffic wasn't as horrendous. Claire kept checking google maps and it showed Neill still at the hotel.  Despite warnings from TomTom of heavy traffic it was only ne...

Sunday, Bloody Sunday. Up early, for a Sunday anyway.  Breakfast in the hotel and then all three of us in the car to the circuit. Neill's Beemer locked up alongside the hotel for the whole weekend. Cars went in the same entrance as the day before. This time the stewards directed us into the parking square (dykes on three sides!!) much nearer to the entrance than Saturday! A shorter walk. There were only a few bikes on the tarmac section. We went through to the uncovered stand nearer the chicane than the day before but although the view was good, we couldn't see the big screen that faces the main grandstand.  So we moved.  We couldn't get as far along as before but that was okay. We had missed the BSB warm-up but were in tome for all the undercard... the same as the day before with the Talent Cup, ADAS KTM's and the Ducati Tri-Options.   On Saturday we had heard some cheering and chanting but didn't realise it w...

Once we had got into the circuit and gone through the tunnel into the paddock area we had to decide where to sit to watch the undercard races and the qualifying for the main BSB event. In the end we had a walk around the paddock where the teams are situated.  The sidecars proved a draw as they are easy to chat to without going on the pit lane walk where the BSB teams hide out. We sat in the grandstand almost by the start and finish line.  The undercard had races on both days and the British Talent Cup on Honda 250's proved to be some good racing along with the ADAC Cup (KTM) and the Ducati TriOptions Cup  were pretty entertaining. BSB qualifying was a little disappointing for us with Suzuki concession tickets as both riders, Bradley Ray and Richard Cooper, failed to qualify from the first session and were way down the grid for Sunday in 17th and 15th spot. I had the Nikon with me but the standard lends was very limiting, plus my finger/eye ...

Up and out early enough to get a few hours seeing what Assen town has to offer the tourist before goung to the track for the undercard races and then BSB qualifying. But first a couple of pics near the hotel. I took the Nikon with standard lens and for track action it was a little too short in the lens.  The market in Assen has wonderful flowers and even arrangements. I took a few photos... We bought some food for lunch at the track as well. Claire bought some chrysanthemums for €2. And there was cheese..... and loads of it. Everything has changed at the track,  or at least access has. Easier to get in but car parking a fair way from the entrance!! Our team didn't fair well and both Bradley Ray and Richard Cooper failed the qualify from Q3. Took some pix. More to follow when I get to a computer as the phone app is terrible.