Ride or Fly

[SILVERONE]

I'v been pondering on this idea (ride or fly) for some time now,
if you ride there (abroad) it cost a small fortune, ferry,fuel,tolls, over night stops, food/drinks, break down insurance, servicing bike, tyre wear, extra time of work "to get there", mileage deprecation (spelling ?) and accommodation when you get there and so'on
OR A cheap package tour 'off Teltext' (?200 or less) and hire a bike when you get there ???

ANSWERS ON A POST CARD PLEASE TOO, tight git :dunno:

 

[skippy]

I'v been pondering on this idea (ride or fly) for some time now,
if you ride there (abroad) it cost a small fortune, ferry,fuel,tolls, over night stops, food/drinks, break down insurance, servicing bike, tyre wear, extra time of work "to get there", mileage deprecation (spelling ?) and accommodation when you get there and so'on
OR A cheap package tour 'off Teltext' (?200 or less) and hire a bike when you get there ???

ANSWERS ON A POST CARD PLEASE TOO, tight git :dunno:

Nearly allways cheaper to fly but nowhere near as enjoyable ....................



unless you do your own flying that is

 

[Codbasher]

For the last two years we have been to a friends apartment 45 minutes south of Alicante (Spain) First time we flew from Stansted, total journey time apx 7 hours from home to apartment. Last year we drove, 1330 miles, did not overnight, just kept driving, apart from a couple of grub stops and about 7 fuel stops it took us 23 hours from home to apartment.
Flying you can only take limited luggage, and size of hire car depends on amount of luggage (1 suitcase, 2 adults and 2 brats in a Ford Ka, no more) Taking the car meant we could take sun loungers ets (5 Euros a day hired on the beach!) We also bought the daughter a bike in Spain, so that came home on the top box.

Total saving over flying was apx ?400, but driving that distance exhausted us, took a good 1 1/2 days away from the holiday, and to be honest we were not looking forward to the drive home, again non stop and bloody tiring.

No way would I concider that sort of mileage in one hit on the bike, plus even less luggage, than flying. But I would take the bike if time was on my side and there was no rush to get there (3 days to do the trip??)

 

[tichxx]

Part of the Holiday

If you do it right and take a couple of days to do it, then the ride becomes all part and parcel of the holiday.

And in my view the best part.

 

[nigs]

For me, there's no choice - if you're going to rent a bike then you may as well go it. It's part of the holiday and far more enjoyable than hanging around in airports - especially if using the no frills airlines where you're not even gauranteed that the flight you booked and paid for will even operate.

As for road tolls, whenever I've been over to France on the bike I've always avoided the French peage - stick to the other main roads, see more of the country and stop off anyone interesting. Hell of a lot more fun than endless motorway riding.

 

[Jon and Anya]

A total agreement with Nigs,

strange that seeing as I don't like nuts anymore, Use the bike and see the countries you are travelinig through, Feck the plane and train, use the bird and enjoy. :beer:

 

[richard]

A total agreement with Nigs,

strange that seeing as I don't like nuts anymore, Use the bike and see the countries you are travelinig through, Feck the plane and train, use the bird and enjoy. :beer:

:yo: :yo: :yo:

R

 

[Wolfie]

if you are going to use the bike on hols for sightseeing bit of a thrap etc, then ride yours.


if it is too do one day in the local area and the rest to go to to the next town then hire one.

 

[skippy]

After doing the Matlock run on the M3, M25, M1, on the Blackbird I would say that flying is infinitely more enjoyable than that sort of run.

Yup M23, M25, M1, Friday, Snow, Hail, Gale force winds and a 100 mile tailback stretches the enjoyement factor somewhat, definetly with you on that one Mac

Flying yourself over distance is not particularly enjoyable either.

Well I enjoy it anyway mind you have to be careful coz your arms can get really tired

 

[Jaws]

I ride to and from Italy.. oddly enough that is very nearly the same milage as Codbashers trip.. Comes in at 1350 miles.
On the way there I ride with a couple of good friends, but on the last trip home managed to get split up and just blasted all the way back home..
Funnily enough we have just been talking about costs.. Worked out that fuel for the trip, the running around while there, the hotel ( on the way there ), grub, booze, etc etc for the 10 days came to ?480 for me.

 

[Gerrard]

Hi guys
Well i've just came back from a long touring holiday.Malaga to Italy/Sicilly and back. Two up and 4300 mls later.... Ride or Fly.... Ride every time.
Just a PS really, if anyone wants any info on the trip by all means ask.
Graphite ES. Paul

 

[SILVERONE]

I was looking at the cheap flights on the net last night with a mind to pay a surprise visit to the inlaws (birthday) mid December to Malaga,
Manchester - Malaga = ?9, and back 4 days later ?25, "how do they do it ?" :dunno: .
Now I am going to have to think of a bloody good excuse to get out of this one :xm

 

[Codbasher]

We have decided that in a few years the wife and I will ride to Turkey to visit the Mother in Law, that way over the course of 14 days we will 'lose' visiting time in Turkey, because its gonna take us days to get there and back by bike, rather than flying which would mean spending the whole 14 days with her, crafty eh? $%3un


Having said that my Mother has moved to Australia, and neither the wife or I are looking forward to a long haul flight there, esp with a couple of youngsters in tow.

 

[RHINO]

Just the person to ask

RIDE you PUFF

its gotta be by bike for me as i don't do the flying bit :blush: , tried it 4 times on a charter jet uke: :loo: , flown twice in a little prop plane R#? and once in the helicopter :beer: ,, several times on Brittany Ferries :yo:

 

[stormer]

The ride IS the holiday :bow:

 

[Wolfie]

amen to that :yo: :yo: :yo:

 

[Jaws]

If an old fart like me can comfortably ride to Italy a few times and thoroughly enjoy it, I am sure you can do something similar..
My last trip was marred by the route chosen by one of the group, but even with that I would MUCH rather ride than fly if at all possible !
Now perhaps if I was a rich git and had my own large plane and a pilots licence it would be a different matter ! I rarely envy the stars of film etc but would def swap places with John Travolta if I could !

 

[frenchuk]

Either your goal is to go somewhere sunny and do nothing for a week and I'd say fly, but if biking is in the equation ride, enjoy the scenery and the contacts made during your journey, avoid motorways, enjoy your ride, don't go from A to B, it's not the goal it's the journey, sleep in small towns, don't see a trip on a bike like you see a trip in a car - that's why we ride bikes (beside the power rangers who ride bikes for a quick blast and then a long boring boast about how good they are)

 

[roXXo]

Bike every time.
It is the holiday.
:beer:

 

[trophychap]

We met a couple on a cross channel ferry who DHL the luggage and go on the bike. I thought that was a good idea - on the premise that you were going to stay in one place and there was someone there to accept the delivery. Mind you, I think she must have had even more pairs of shoes than Jenny, bearing in mind they had a Goldwing!

We do either - depending on how the fancy takes us - even went to Wales August BH IN THE CAR!!!!!! Furthest it's been in one go for about 3 years!