 | | | |
2012 Tarmac Challenge
It is what it says on the can. The ride will start from HMS Drake in Plymouth. I will then be visiting all RAF, ARMY, NAVY, MOD and USAF bases in England, Scotland and Wales. The ride name was changed from the 2012 Runway Challenge to the 2012 Tarmac Challenge, after the MOD thought that by doing this we would be able to get a better response from other bases. So, we will now be doing the 2012 ride on much bigger scale. This year (2011) saw me visit 26 bases; with the 2012 event we are looking to visit at least 71 bases.
The Ride will be over 11 days and will take place between the 5 July and 15 July 2012. The event will be in aid of the Riders Branch of the RBLR Poppy Appeal.
I will have a support crew on this ride so we can collect donations en-route. I would like to get all RBLR county representatives involved with this ride if possible, and hopefully full media coverage.
The estimated mileage will be about 4,000 miles, as we will be doing a lot of zig- zagging across the country especially in Lincolnshire, Kent and Norfolk. I am working with the RBLR Riders Branch and Plymouth Forces Careers Office. I will be setting up a bank account as well as a ‘justgiving’ site so all monies donated will go the Riders Branch and added to the final figure of that year.
The bike I will be riding will be my own CG 125cc motorbike.
The route has taken some planning, and I would like to thank everyone who has helped me with this.
Thursday 5 July 2012
Start at 0730 hours at HMS Drake.
Head for the A386 via Yelverton, Tavistock, Okehampton, Bideford. Ride onto the A39 RM Chivenor, A39 Bideford, A36 Waterloo Cross, rejoin the A38 via Wellington, Taunton, left onto the A3065, left onto the A358, Norton Manor Camp (40 Commando), left back onto the A358, the A3259 via Weston Monkton. Rejoin the A38 via North Pertherton, Bridgewater, Huntspill, RookBridge, Star, BristolAirport, A38 to the A3029 Brunelway, left onto the A4 Avonmouth, right onto the A403 Aust. Cross the M48 motorway bridge into Wales. Right onto the A466 Chepstow, left onto the A48 Cardiff, junction 24 Langstone, A455 ringroad Liswerry, A4042 Meegles, rejoin the A48. The support vehicle at this point will join the M4 at junction 28, we will rejoin at Culverhouse Cross A48. St Nicholas take a left A4225 right to CardiffAirport just pas RAF St Athans. After photo-shoot support will then head back to the M4 and we will rejoin at junction 24 Ringland, A48 Chepstow, Alvington, A40 Gloucester, A40 to Innswmorth taking a left onto the B4063 then left onto Innsworth Road, ending day one at Army Innsworth.
Please note if time is on our side we will also visit Cardiff Barracks and Chepstow Barracks. Any bikers that wish to tag along are very welcome but we will be filming the ride.
Friday 6 July 2012
Start at 0800 hours. Leave Innsworth, A40 right onto the A38 northbound. Tewkesbury, Kempey, at Worcester join the A449, Kidderminster. We will hopefully be joined by riders at Stouton on the A449 to escort us to RAF Cosford. Leaving Cosford, A41 to A5, rejoin A449 at Galley, heading for RAF/MOD Stafford. A519 out of Stafford, at Newport join the A41 to Ternhill Irish Guards. A53 to RAF Shawbury, the A53 to A49 to A5, taking a right at Sheldon to visit Shrewsbury Barracks, then back to the A5, Llangdon, Betws-y-coed Capel-Curig, at junction 11 join the A55 to RAFValley.
 Saturday 7 July 2012
This is a long day. Leaving RAF Valley at 0730 hours joining the A55 to Conway, to Chester, A494 at Ewloe, A550 then off left at Garden City, the A548 Sealand, take a left to Devalink, A5480 Bache, left onto the A5116 to Dale Barracks (if it can be arranged, we are hoping to meet the Wirral RBLR here). The A41 heading for Queensferry tunnel, left onto the A565 Thorton, right onto the A5207 Netherton, left onto the A59 to Preston. The A59 to the A6, right onto the A5085 left to Deepdale Road, Fullwood Barracks. Right onto Waiting Road, B6242 right at junction, A6 north, Lancaster, Kendal, Penrith, Carlisle. At this point the support vehicle will join the motorway at junction 42 and we will be rejoin at junction 44. A7 Longtown, left A6071, Gretna Green, A75 Dumfries, A75 ringroad to A76, Cumnoch, left A70 to Ayr, right onto A77, HMS Gannet. We will be stopping at Ayr, accommodation has yet to be arranged but possibly staying at the Holiday Inn.
Sunday 8 July 2012
Leave at 0800 taking the A77 then the A78, right to A78 Loans, Troon, Irvine, right onto the A373 Johnstone, follow signs for Erskine Bridge, left onto the A82 Dumbarton, left onto the A811, Kilmarnoch, Rob Roy Inn, Stirling, join the A19 Perth, Aviemore, north Aviemore, take the A95 Dandellah, A941 Elgin and RAF Kinloss, RAF Lossiemouth, A941 back to the A96 Aberdeen, A90 to B966 Bechins, A933 to RM Condor.
Monday 9 July 2012
Start at 0800 hours, head out for the A92 Dundee, over the Tay Bridge, taking a left after the A914, A919 to Leuchars, A919 right onto the A91 and left onto the A92, follow this road to the next roundabout taking the B924, right onto the B961, follow this road and turn right onto the A921 left on onto the A90 over the Forth Road Bridge and follow the A90 to Edinburgh Castle. Here we will be visiting the Scottish regiments close by (details will be dated). Taking the route out of Edinburgh to the A720, A1 south, Elvington, Berwick-on-Tweed, at Alnwick taking a left onto the B1339, right at Longhoughton to RAF Boulmer (SAR). Here we will also be meeting with the North Humber Goldwings. Back out onto the A1 sound bound to Newcastle then taking the A69 at South Denton to Heddon-on-Wall, B6318 to Ouston. Back onto the A1 then the A19 to Thonaby-on-Tees, right onto the A1044, right onto the A167, left to North Couton, Scorton, Catterick Garrison and Maine Barracks. Then onto the A1 to RAF Leeming, Army Dishforth, the A168 to Army Topcliffe, the A19 and then head for RAF Linton-on-Ouse.
This is the end of our day. I met the Goldwings at their rally a few months ago, they will hopefully get a full club turn out and ride the whole day with us. I am looking forward to visiting SAF at Boulmer, this is where we should pick up the Goldwings.
Tuesday 10 July 2012
Start at 0800 hours. Head for the A19 sound bound right to join the A1237 follow to the A64 then A162 Nr Tadcaster, follow to RAF Church Fenton, back onto the A162 Sherburn Elmet, B1222 to Squires Café, out of Squires Café and left onto the B1222 to turn left onto the A63 Monk Fryston, Selby, Barbsey, right onto the A613 to Spalding Manor, A61Start at 0800 hours. Head for the A19 sound bound right to join the A1237 follow to the A64 then A162 Nr Tadcaster, follow to RAF Church Fenton, back onto the A162 Sherburn Elmet, B1222 to Squires Café, out of Squires Café and left onto the B1222 to turn left onto the A63 Monk Fryston, Selby, Barbsey, right onto the A613 to Spalding Manor, A614 joining the A1079, A1035 to Beverley, A614 to RAF Leaconheath, A614 south to the A15 Humber Bridge. The A15 to the A18 then rejoin the A15 to RAF Scampton, A15 to RAF Waddington, A15 to B1202 Metheringham, left through village, B1189 to Billingnay left to join the A153 RAF Conningsby. The A153 to East Kirby (Stop). Back to the A153 to Sleaford, the A17 RAF Cranwell (Stop).
Wednesday 11 July 2012
Start at 0700 hours. Leaving RAF Cranwell taking the B6043 to Ancaster, stay on B6403 to RAF Barkston Health, down to A52 Prince William ?? Barracks, back onto the B6403 to join the A1. Then the A6121 to North Luffenham then back to the A1 south to RAF Wittering. A1 south to join B road siding A1 (M) to USAF Alconbury, A141 to RAF Wyton, left onto the A1123 to St Ives, A1098 to A14, A10 at Milton, Waterbeach Barracks. A10 to Ely, Downham Market, right onto the A1122, RAF Marham, back onto the A1122 to crossroad, A134 to Mulford, A1065 to USAF Lakenheath/USAF Mildenhall, A1101 Ickingham, Bury St Edmunds, A14 to A12 Woodbridge, A1152 Melton, follow signs for Rock Barracks. Back onto the A12, A14, A12 Colchester Barracks.
Thursday 12 July 2012
Leave Colchester at 0900 hours taking the A12 at Marks Tey, join the A120, Baintree, Bishops Stortford, right onto the A10, Duntingford, A507 Baldock, RAF Henlow, heading for Hitchin on the A600, A505 Luton, pass airport, A1081, junction (10A), A1081 to Harpenden, St Albans, A5183 under the M40, A505, A412, North Watford, A412 Rickmansworth, join left A40, Uxbridge then RAF Northolt. Back out onto the A40 Uxbridge, left onto the A412 Iverheath, Slough, A332 Windsor, Ascot, right onto the A320 then B3430, A3095, A321 Sandhurst. A321 to A30 taking a right to Hook, take the A287 to Odiham. Out onto the A287 Ewshot, the A3016 Upper Hale, the A325 to Aldershot Barracks.
Friday 13 July 2012
Starting at 0800 hours taking the A325 to Sandhurst, the A321 Wokingham, the A321 Hurst Tyford, Henley-on-Thames, A4130 to RAF Benson. The A4074 to Bennfield left on onto the A412 Abingdon, o onto the A34 Weston-on-the-Green, after this we may seek out MOD Bicester, we will then mooch over to RAF Upper Heyford (I can mooch on my birthday)! Out of Heyford onto the B4030 at Bunkerhill Cross, A44 onto the A4095 to Witney, RAF Brize Norton, out onto the A4020 routing for Kencott, Broughton Poggs, join the A361, Lack Dale, right onto the A417 USAF Fairford, rejoin the A417 taking a left to Preston, 29th Logistics Regiment at Cirencester.
Saturday 14 July 2012
Starting at 0900 hours taking the A417 to the A419, taking a right onto the B4696 Ashton Keynes, the B402 to Royal Wotton Bassett. We will be stopping here to lay a wreath at the monument. Taking the A3102 RAF Lyneham, back out to the B4059, Daunsley Lock, Sutton, following this road righting a right into Buckley Barracks. Out onto the A429 to the A350, A420 North Colerne, Azimburgh Barracks, back out for Box to join the A365 Melksham, A350, A365, A361 Devizes, A342 to Upavon A345 to Nether Avon, at this point we will determine which way round we go there is West Down Camp, Larkhill, Bulford Camp and Bulford Barracks. The day will end A303 Boscombe Down.
Sunday 15 July 2012
Start at 0900 hours taking the A303 to RNAS Yeovilton, A303 to the A30 to Exeter, taking the A379 to Countess Weir, then the B3182 to Wyvern Barracks, back to Countess Weir, A379 to A38 to Chaddlewood, Colebrook, Borringdon, heading off to Bickleigh Barracks (42 Commando), back out onto the A386 Plymouth, pass Home Park, Western Approach, Drake Circus, Charles Cross, Buckwell Street, right into Vauxhall Street, left into Hoe Approach, Citadel Barracks, Hoe Road to Millbay Road, to Durnford Street, to Stonehouse Barracks, out onto the A374 over Stonehouse Bridge and taking a left into Village by the Sea (Admiralty House).
I would like to thank the following who have sponsored me for this event:
 |
| |
| |
|  |  |
|
