The Place

Hello all,
I've been working on plans to visit the TT in 2013 with an eye on competing in 2014. I'm hoping to find a group that's in need of some support, as I'd rather be in the paddock than the grandstands to be honest. I'm also trying to figure out what days to come over/ return, as I know competitors are on a different schedule than spectators. If all goes well both myself and my passenger would be coming over, though there is that little issue of being able to pay for it all
Anyway, I'm definitely looking for help in the calendar of things, travel arrangements to the Isle from Heathrow, and all such other silliness. The big money bomb my passenger and I are waiting on will arrive no earlier than March, so it's all just guess-work at this point until a budget can be made.
Any thoughts/ideas/warnings?
Thanks,
-Johnny

Hi Johnny,

Great to hear you are thinking of racing the TT. My passenger Dave and I intend to enter our first TT this year and have been preparing for it for about 12 months now. Although I dont think we will need any specific help in the paddock you are more than welcome to join us at any time. We may need some help otherwise you will have to sit around and drink coffee/beer.

As getting over to the Isle will be prohibitively expensive for you you need to get as many laps in as possible when you are there. The TT runs over the last week of May (practice week) and the first week in June (race week). I went over during practice week last year and it is not excessively busy on the circuit during the day. If you can get over for the Newcomers weekends (one in Nov and one in Feb) contact Helen Gibson on here. Helen organises the weekend and can find you somewhere to stay and may even be able to help a little towards the travel costs. The weekends are very informative especially if you have learnt as much as you can by viewing on board laps.

Of course, we haven't actually taken the outfit on the circuit yet so all of this preparation may not be helpful at all. I'll let you know when I see you in May.

You have a PM with my contact details.

Regards,

Simon

PM received, thanks. I can hold a pint as easy as I can hold a spanner
I have a feeling that I'll be a free set of hands in general around the paddock if I can get there, just bouncing around from spot to spot meeting/helping people. Main thing is to find a ride from the big island to the IOM and find a decent place to stash my stuff. To me it makes little sense to stand around and spectate; there's time to spectate when the solos are racing. I am not a big fan of spectating. Having a team to cheer on is nice, but having a team(s) you can actually help send off is a much more gratifying experience.
-Johnny

My advice... come here before practice week and stay on after... just a few days each side will save you money on the fares, make booking easier and you can get laps in when there are less idiots around. Some of the "punters" spoil the roads at TT time, riding way beyond their capabilities and putting everyone at risk... roads are constatntly being closed to clear up after their accidents (rant over).

If you arrive early and leave late, you can stay here for the extra days. I'm booked up TT time, but can manage a few days each side.

Oh, and I 'll get you laps with experienced people, same as the newcomers do at their weekends...

Just a quick note, currently no-one flying from Heathrow to the Isle of Man. I dont know if that would alter your plans of where to fly into England? It's not a long coach journey to Gatwick though and the current prices from Gatwick to IoM are very reasonable, £80 per person, return, for TT.

Thanks Jo. Yes I am looking at Gatwick also. With the cost of a ferry ticket plus trying to get to Liverpool from London, it might actually be easier and cheaper to coach to Gatwick and fly to the Isle. For international flights, pretty much everything crossing the Atlantic is going to put wheels on Heathrow's runway first. Air New Zealand flies non-stop from Los Angeles and is currently the cheapest fare I've found.
Helen,
Thanks for the offer. I definitely plan to get there a day or two before practice starts, and stay a day or two after. I noticed ferry prices drop considerably, and as you mentioned there is more time to meet people and get a feel for the operations, instead of getting in people's way with questions while they are hard at work. That's exactly why roving the paddock and helping out seemed the best plan for me; I'm fluid and can move about but can still be useful and involved instead of in the way... otherwise I would have volunteered to marshall or some other such task.

So far multiple offers have popped up through here, Facebook, and PM. I need to figure out money somehow and actual dates to book, but I'm waiting for the miracle money-bomb to arrive for my passenger in late-March. If that happens, she will be coming with me and plans change yet again. I could just skip a few meets here and have the money, but being the Vice-President of the club it's pretty bad form to not show up
Things will come together I reckon; I've got a good feeling about it.
-Johnny

It really finally happened. Got the flight itinerary. May 24 to June 4. Can't believe it's finally real. Looking forward to getting there. Really excited to see it all in person. Just gotta fine tune the details and call in favors on the generous offers here and on Facebook. It's certainly not as good as being on the grid, but getting me and my passenger to the TT is a fantastic accomplishment in itself. Woo hoo!
-Johnny

Brilliant! looking forward to seeing you.

Great news. Looking forward to meeting you.

Canadian contingent will be in attendance for a few days as well. I'm dragging my passenger along this time. We should be in the paddock from mid-afternoon on Thu May 30th until late afternoon on Sun June 2nd. Really hoping the first sidecar race is run on Sat as scheduled. Would be great to find some teetotalers that might be in driving condition to run us around the course a few times early Sunday morning (hate to impose on those celebrating Sat evening )

Would also be up for a few laps Fri morning if we could tag along with anyone going round.

Chris (and passenger Jeff)