WE ARE ON OUR WAY
IS IT REALLY FIFTY WEEKSSINCE I WAS ON THE ISLE OF MAN FERRY
CLICK ON THIS PICTURE FORSTEAM PACKET FERRY INFORMATION( Dates and Times )
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CONTENTS
SECTION ONE
GETTING TO LIVERPOOL ( OR HEYSHAM )
THE DOCKS
TIME TO KILL
WHAT TO SEE
ALBERT DOCK
EMBARKING
WHAT TO DO ON THE FERRY
SECTION TWO
IN DOUGLAS
THAT FIRST MORNING
PRACTICE+BREAKFAST
THAT FIRST NIGHT
PRACTICE+NIGHTLIFE
<---REQUEST INFO
GOING UP TO GET THE FERRY
( hints appear in red )
FIRSTLY WITHOUT EXCEPTIONDO NOT FORGET YOUR TICKET, MONEY AND CARDS
DO NOT FORGET MONEY AND CREDIT CARDSAND ARE YOU BOOKED IN SOMEWHERE
We leave work on the Saturday evening, and head out up the M40 and relax as we ride/drive, letting it sink in that we do not have to get stuck in traffic jams on the M4 for a whole fortnight--Lovely feeling.
However we may get into a couple of minor holdups as we join the M42, and again at the M6 at Birminghan as the "nightclubbers" set out for the evening.
We stop for a meal in a motorway services and then we top up our petrol tanks.
We now become part of a group who are also heading out for the T.T., and even though we have never met them before, the enthusiasm shines through and we chat animately about the Isle of Man, and swear like bloodbrothers, to meet up at one drinking hole or another on the other side.
We are a night early, but we feel that to be on the dockside early morning is preferable to a mad thrash on a Bank Holiday Sunday with cars and caravans in huge queues, setting out for the Lake District.
We can now see the junction which leads to the run down into Liverpool and the DOCKS.
FOLLOW THE SIGNS FOR IOM FERRIES.
Those amongst us with a few extra quid to hand, disappear into one of the many travel-lodge style motels along the Liverpool access road, and the rest go in into Liverpool to see if they can find some nightlife.
Whatever happens, we all meet up again on the dockside the next morning, some with very red eyes, unshaven and with hair askew (and that's only the girls !!)
Even at this time in the morning, people are wandering around and greeting each other (and there's always one fellow among them, drinking Guinness out of a can for breakfast !).
The huge LYVER building stands over us and we think about the number of years we have stood in this very spot waiting to get on the ferry.
Some of us walk along to the Albert Dock to see the complex with includes the Beatles section, the large floating British Isles which is featured in TV weather forecasting and all the shops and cafes.
This makes the waiting time fly by, and we head back to the docks to sign in....
It is essential to be there early, to make sure you are signed in and in the row of parked vehicles, ready to board when THEY tell you.
We are eventually allowed to board the ferry and make sure our vehicles are secure.
We again look for a source of food and a good seat.
The cafe on the slower boats was always our favourite so these newfangled powerboats could benefit from a similar set up.
There are always a few late arrivals and even a few waiting for spaces if someone does not turn up.
All aboard at last, even the stragglers, and we cast off and move sedately out of the Mersey towards the open sea.
<---SLOW MODE----FAST MODE--->
Someone is whistling the theme tune from Titanic and we giggle nervously in excitement and anticipation....Count the lifeboats !
We watch Liverpool disappear into the haze, and try to see Blackpool Tower as the ferry opens up the throttles, and we are on our way at last....
A number of Father Jack impersonators now find the bar and are heard to cry "drenk,drenk"........
DRENK ! DRENK !!
DO NOT FORGET YOU WILL BE RIDING/DRIVINGWHEN YOU GET OFF THE FERRYDO NOT DRINK AND DRIVEPlenty of time to drink when you get to the Island
Some of us get on our mobile phones to let our
wives/girlfriends/sons/daughters/fathers/mothers/friends/etc know
that we are on our way, and the rest of us phone our friends/staff/officials/riders/mechanics/hotels/homestays/etc to let THEM know
that we are on our way....
We now turn our eyes to the west, looking for "Our Island" and there is a great accolade for the person who sees it coming out of the haze first
And there it is getting bigger every minute
As the day gets older, the dusk comes in and we see the lights on Douglas Promenade come on even from this distance
It is quite dark when we dock but we can pick out all the buildings on the Prom...
The Villa Marina, The Stakis, Summerland, The PitStop, The Sefton and the Falcon Cliff.
All quiet at this time but within days they will be jumping up and down...
We dock, and fairly quickly, are allowed to disembark...
WE ARE ON THE ISLE OF MAN
WE ARE ON THE ISLE OF MAN( more tips in red )
EVEN as late as it is, some of the lads go for a lap of the course to get into the mood.
The rest of us decide to find our places of residence, and have an early-ish night, because most of us will be up very early in the morning to start working on the race bikes, begin the scrounging and become part of the wonderful circus which is the TT Festival.
Some of us settle down to watch a video I bring with me every year, "IN CAR TT" by rally driver TONY POND...
This is a Duke video made in 1988 of a fast lap (22 minutes and 41 seconds !) of the TT course taken from a "ROADS OPENING" car, (with commentary by a very brave Geoff Cannell) and gives a good preliminary view of the course to my party.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDEDBY
We get up willingly for the early practice and do what has to be done...
It is a wonderful time to get up---on the Isle of Man !!!
We go back to our residence and shower, then have a HUGE breakfast with fruit juices, cereal, bacon, eggs, beans, fried bread, black pudding, sausages, (or a brace of king-sized Manx KIPPERS ) toast, jams and jellies, and masses of tea or coffee...
Do have a substantial breakfast because you burn it all up so quickly at the TT.
The salty air round the Island will also make you feel very thirsty so drink plenty of water. Beer is not always the answer..It can dehydrate you as well...
After our lunch-style meal, we are ready to face anything and we go for a lap or two, visit the press/race office or call in on our riders/friends to get all the latest news, especially about the Saturday practice which is a new addition to the programme this year and all the practice lap times.
MR JACK WOOD
Some now go to try to find out how to book seats in the Grandstand for the Formula One race on Saturday. (Book early to get the best seats).
Hunger again prompts us to call in at some cafe of pub for a lunchtime ale plus either sarnies or a pub lunch..(It is a fact that, even though you eat a big breakfast, you will be ready for more food by 1pm..)
We like the pubs on the TT course, (for example Crosby, the Hawthorns, the Highlander, Ramsey and the Glen Helen cafe) and sit on the roadside watching the newly-arrived spectators (and one or two riders I notice), do their introductory private laps..
We can also examine each spot in turn to see where the best vantage spot for viewing will be, when the racing gets under way at the weekend...
THIS IS, BY FAR, THE BEST SPOT KEPPEL GATE TO CREG-NY-BAA
The trickle of traffic becomes a flood in no time at all and we see some exotic machinery rushing past.
Our whole day is filled with things to do and see and it flies over far too quickly.
We go back to the paddock for the Evening Practice and we are now feeling as though we have been here for weeks, instead of for only a few hours..
When the practice is over we go down to the Douglas front to see that the prom is already beginning to fill up with vehicles of all kind.
Bikes park in tidy rows but cars and transporters park in a mish-mosh mess which makes it difficult to get a suitable spot.
We all park down the prom a bit, and walk to the Stakis/Hilton where we..(you've guessed it)..have yet another meal and a beer or two, plus peanuts and crisps, while watching and listening to the Radio TT boys get into the swing of things..
YOU MUST FIND THIS FREE VISITORS GUIDE
WHAT A GREAT SOURCE OF INFO !!
The Stakis/Hilton fills up and we have a bit of a late nightWE HAVE BEEN UP FOR 21 HOURSAND THIS IS ONLY OUR FIRST FULL DAY
(Tuesday is evening practice only)WE CAN HAVE A LIE-IN
SOME INFORMATION FROM WWW.IOMTT.COM
SO WHAT'S ON AT THE TT IN YR2000.......CLICK FOR EVENTS 2000
SOMETHING FOR THE LADS..CLICK FOR WET T-SHIRTS FROM 1999OR SAMMY OF THE BIKESHED BABES...SAY HELLO TO LOVELY SAMMY
OH LOOK !! MCN HAS REVIEWED THIS WEBSITE !!(THANKS STEVE)
AND SO HAS BRITISH DEALER NEWS
NOW ITS DOWN HILL ALL THE WAYWE ARE AT THE ISLE OF MAN TT
GREETINGS AND HELLOFROM BERNIE QUAYLERADIO TT
WHO IS THIS FAMOUS RIDER ?
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DO YOU REMEMBER ?
IT'S AMERICAN JOHN LONG
WILL WE SEE A MASS ENTRY OF AMERICANS IN YEAR 2001 ?WE COULD INDEED !!WE ARE ALREADY WORKING ON IT !! GO SEE BIKESANDSPIKES WEBMAG
CLICK HERE TO GO TO BULLETIN BOARDFOR LIGAN3 TT2000 BULLETINS
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS FROM TT 2000NEW PICKIES COMING SOON
WEBSITE DESIGNED, UPDATED AND MAINTAINEDBY BRANDYWELL OF BBHMG IN READING BERKSHIREYEAR 2000
ANY TT QUERIES ?CONTACTBRANDYWELL BBHMGFOR THE ANSWERS
