Skip to main content

Vimy 101

Vimy on 2017
Time has moved on since the last update on this potential run and I have heard back from the Vimy people in France.

As with most years that aren't a big anniversary there will be the usual smaller scale commemoration at the Memorial. So I expect  numbers will be back into the hurdreds if not tens as previous years.

The ceremony itself usually takes place on the other side of the memorial itself to that in the picture, although this side allows for a far larger flat space for the visitors!

Last year there were many thousands and thousands of people. Mostly Canadian to celebrate a date that many see as "the birth of a nation".

In 2014 there were maybe 100 people, no more than 150.

So the plan. Unlike 2014 I will entrust my route to a TomTom. Which one I haven't decided but I have yet to try the 410 on the bike. 

Once one gets used to it, it is a better piece of kit than the old Rider. I have fitted a new Bosch style plug to the end of the OEM wiring loom and have got all the new fangled locking gear and RAM mounts out and set up ready to go but haven't done it yet.

I have used it in the car and it is really good.  Such a shame that most mobile phone contracts don't include tethering when outside the UK,  as then it would use the phone to pick up road holdups and closures and automatically alter the route to avoid them.  As it is, it does that over wifi so a stop at a service station en-route can assist.

Anyway, back to April 9th.  My shuttle should arrive about 0955 local time in France and once clear of the port area I can have a relaxed (and no doubt Jean Pas D'Amis as usual) ride down to Vimy with a lunch stop on the way.

So stops on the way to Vimy: Access will be down the A26.  Then a first stop at the Loos Battlefield and the Memorial before lunch (place to be decided) and then I'll head down to Vimy.  Afterwards there are two craters I'd like to have a look at. Both are war graves.  Lichfield and Zivy Craters on either side of the A26 just to the north-east of Arras.



As for the return. The ceremony is at 1500 and lasts about an hour. Factor in travelling time back to Calais and walking on site as parking may be a way off, I have a Shuttle booked at 1950 local time and that arrives back in Folkestone at 1925 UK Time.

Then boom, Rocket back up the A26 to the train home.

This Maple Leaf pin was given to me last year by a lady on the walk from the bus drop-off to the memorial. I'll try and fit it somewhere on my gear on the day.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Crappy Finish

Have to say disappointed with the finish on my 15 Roadster. Not really an all weather rider nowadays.  Wheels are corroded and look like shit and the chrome bits and bobs all surface rusted. Have always washed down after a salty road outing. The TEX I had before had its recall problems but the finish far more robust. Never had these problems so soon even on a modern Suzuki! It doesn't seem like the wheels are coated, just bare metal by th level of corrosion.  The surface rust blights the suspension caps and even the chrome cover for the rear brake master cylinder looks more like rust with some chrome. At least the engine finish looks good.

Don't Ride Angry

Never ride angry. It leads to mistakes. For some unknown reason people in England have this urge to travel. That's not a problem. What is the problem is that no sooner has the final bell of the summer term/semester rung,  like lemmings they are in their cars and motorhomes  (RV) and heading on their summer holiday. Why? Most kids won't be back in their classrooms until September 6th or even 7th!! To coincide with this exodus, small 'e' as the waves don't part for them , after some terrorist activity in France (not to mention our vote to leave the European Union) the French boeufed up their ridiculously slap dash border control. Traffic was queued back on the M20 for about 15 miles. Three lanes and then two.... The A2 into the port two lanes for about 7 miles. Add to that both roads closed due to the inevitable accidents and a rare truck fire, and you have CHAOS. People trapped for upto 14 hours.  It later turned out that ...