Almeria February 2011

I've booked to go on this one with Focused Events:
http://www.focusedevents.com/events.asp?event_type=EURO
4 days on track for £449 including bike transport and 1/2 board hotel which is nice.
I shall be taking the SD and my Z1000 classic racer. Anyone fancy going along?
BTW: anyone that gets passed by a 30yr old Z1000 gets to buy the 1st round of drinks!

Very tempting, but i'll have to wait till after Xmas to decide. Where abouts in Brum are you Dave? I'm just outside Dudley.

Good value isn't it.

You need to sort your own flights and hire car.

It's a bummer if you go all that way and have a monsoon for 2 of 3 days though!

Almeria has been fully booked since before Christmas but there are two slots due to people pulling out if anyone is interested?
http://www.throttlemonkey.co.uk/forums/ ... 8711&st=40

Couple of snaps from the Almeria trip. I'll post some video once I work out how to edit it and put it on youtube.





The SD was clearly the slowest bike on the track in a straight line but was right up there in the technical section of the circuit.
I had a great time and the weather was fantastic over 20 every day with the last day getting up to 28.

I probably wouldn't go in February again though: a little too risky with the weather apparently.

The instructors (John Renonlds, Neil Hodgson and Simon Crafar) were all brilliant and could be found in the bar every evening - very approachable and friendly.

Full set of photos here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/dhtmbowen/ ... directlink

Did you see Harry Monks crash? Was it a big one?

I didn't see it actually happen but he seemed OK afterwards and although I didn't study his bike it looked like only cosmetic damage to me.

There was one guy in our garage who had a mahoosive stack though: he wheelied over the blind crest after turn 1 and lost control/ran out of track and the bike went head on into the tyre wall at some considerable speed. He'd bought a brand new GSXR1000 and blinged it up with Ohlins road and track forks, TTX rear, marchesinis, brembo monoblock, you name it. Snapped the frame clean in two on both sides along the weld that is half way down the main spars. He gave up motorcycling there and then and sold the wreckage for £3500 which, I have to say, was an absolute bargain.

Oh dear.

Glad Harry's wasn't too bad, I'm sure he'll have the blade sorted ASAP - new paintjob time!

I'm very jealous dude. Almeria is a stunning track, demanding but rewarding, and when you get it right... (not that I ever did, LOL). I'd love to go back with the SDR.