Dragon Rally 2017

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Discussion

Marlin45

Original Poster:

1,327 posts

163 months

Sunday 25th September 2016
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Some may call me nuts but others do it every year so after having my arm twisted I have just sent my cash off for the Dragon Rally in Snowdonia National Park for early Feb 2017!

Tent. In Feb! wink

But they will have beer.

Anyone else done it?

http://www.conwymotorcycleclub.org.uk/Dragon-Rally
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Rally



Edited by Marlin45 on Sunday 25th September 22:45

Dog Star

16,079 posts

167 months

Monday 26th September 2016
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Done it most years since 1991, sometimes do the Elefantentreffen the week before.

Bit of contrast.....
Here's the site and the bike I did it on in 1991, an MTX125



And this year I used the OHs R1 (it's got a top box - soooo useful!)



Edited by Dog Star on Monday 26th September 09:32

Marlin45

Original Poster:

1,327 posts

163 months

Monday 26th September 2016
quotequote all
My compadre is doing the Elefant the week before and conveniently I will be watching Black Sabbeth at the NEC so I can't make it wink

The earliest in the year I have ever done a rally is the first BH in May so I will be prepared for wet/cold/more wet..... smile

Dog Star

16,079 posts

167 months

Monday 26th September 2016
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Marlin45 said:
My compadre is doing the Elefant the week before and conveniently I will be watching Black Sabbeth at the NEC so I can't make it wink

The earliest in the year I have ever done a rally is the first BH in May so I will be prepared for wet/cold/more wet..... smile
Mud is the issue with the Dragon - it can be fking awful. It's the reason I use the GFs bike to be honest. Ideal conditions are sub-zero and frosty as it keeps the ground hard. Ideally it would be snowing but I don't have anything suitable for that atm.

Marlin45

Original Poster:

1,327 posts

163 months

Tuesday 27th September 2016
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I will be on the Triumph Scrambler with Avon Trailriders and colleague on a Africa Twin with K60's so fingers crossed.

Now to find a good heavy tarp to use as a groundsheet if it is going to be that damn cold. Just seen what I hope is a false long distance weather forecast for the next 4 months for snow and below normal temperatures.

What are the facilities like there for hot food and beer?

The event is Sat/Sun but I am assuming you can arrive from Friday at some point which will be my plan.

Dog Star

16,079 posts

167 months

Tuesday 27th September 2016
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Marlin45 said:
I will be on the Triumph Scrambler with Avon Trailriders and colleague on a Africa Twin with K60's so fingers crossed.

Now to find a good heavy tarp to use as a groundsheet if it is going to be that damn cold. Just seen what I hope is a false long distance weather forecast for the next 4 months for snow and below normal temperatures.

What are the facilities like there for hot food and beer?

The event is Sat/Sun but I am assuming you can arrive from Friday at some point which will be my plan.
Ground sheet will be useless if it floods. Just get a good sleeping bag.

You cannot camp friday night. Best option if you cannot travel Saturday is stay somewhere else or (as has become common) do the Bruce Pollard rally which is the night before. And only the night before. Basically it's become a sort of pre-Dragon.

Rh14n

940 posts

107 months

Tuesday 27th September 2016
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My husband and his mates do it every year - far too cold and wet for me I'm afraid. Seriously though, take a really warm sleeping bag - the combination of beer and horrible weather is not good! Apparently it's all part of the fun though!

Dog Star

16,079 posts

167 months

Tuesday 27th September 2016
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2014 was a memorable year - it was absolutely lashing it down, storms and high winds. I went on my own R1 and had just a really compacted sleeping bag in a rucksack.

It was freezing but this didn't matter because I was staying with some friends who had a luxury teepee complete with a woodburning stove. Well all that went horribly wrong, as the teepee was destroyed by the storm, the tarpaulin shelter we were left with was then destroyed and I and another mate ended up sleeping in a knackered old one man tent he found rolling around on the floor of his sidecar. By the end of the night I was sleeping in about four inches of muddy frozen water. My mate thought I was going to die and ended up having to get a fleece of someone to wrap me up in.

Bikes were getting blown off their stands - it was just dreadful.

I've never been so glad to get on my bike in the pouring rain before; heated waistcoat and heated grips.

Still - it's all part of the fun!

Marlin45

Original Poster:

1,327 posts

163 months

Thursday 29th September 2016
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At least The Dragon is relatively local to me (2 hrs'ish) so Saturday morning up there is doable it's just a pity they don't allow you to head up there on the Friday which would make more of a weekend of it?

It'll be a challenge more than anything else? smile

Dog Star do you have any links to the Bruce Pollard as a Google brings nowt up?



Edited by Marlin45 on Thursday 29th September 12:24

Dog Star

16,079 posts

167 months

Friday 30th September 2016
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If you're on FB join the group "Dragon rally (concentration moto Pays de Galles)" - there's loads on there.
I'm in Rossendale and only a couple of hours away too, though what we did last year is stayed at my sister's place which is up a mountain near Ffestiniog for the night before.

Marlin45

Original Poster:

1,327 posts

163 months

Wednesday 19th October 2016
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Cheers DS. I will go find the group!