PLAN FOR ISLE OF MAN

Words & Images: Peter Geffert and John Kovach Having some airline points which were depreciating in value and looking for a short motorcycle tour, I began sur ng the web for options when I realized the Tourist Trophy races on the Isle of Man were just weeks away! A ‘bucket list’ item and good timing with my work schedule, I was instantly hooked on the idea and began intensive planning. Although, it was a bit late to secure a motorcycle rental or ferry transport, I decided to go solo using public transportation and camping for a few days. Of course, I suggest anyone interested in attending next year’s event begin planning much earlier than I did but wanted to share some notes as I had a great experience and met enthusiasts from around the world. ‘TT’ events are scheduled over two weeks with practice sessions during the rst and races during the second; however, (as I would learn rst-hand), schedules can change based on weather conditions or other circumstances. Due to obvious risks, racing will not commence with rain or on wet roads. Tours: There are various tour groups who provide soup-to-nuts options, but of course come at a higher price. These can range from camping or hotel/guesthouse accommodations and often include many tangible extras to make for a memorable experience. Camping: All over the island, camping goes from primitive sites, pre-pitched tents to full ‘glamping’ experiences. I booked with InTentsGP at their QuarterBridge site and selected a 2-man tent with air mattress and pillows (bringing my own sleeping bag). Hotels/Short-term Rentals: There are some hotels/guesthouses but many book early and I did not see a lot of AirBnBs available beyond single rooms with a shared bath (which made camping with facilities adequate for me). Again, plan ahead.

Ground Transportation:

I was very happy with the Isle of Man bus and train transport (iombusandrail. im) and took advantage of a 3-day pass (which I recommend and easily paid for itself). Their website had race day schedules, routes to serve area campsites and even a live tracker to show your bus arriving. Although some routes were affected by road closures during race events, there is time to get around the island in the morning and back in the evening. I did not

see Uber options and as the island is popular with mountain bicyclists, there are a few rental shops (which were also booked in advance). I did a lot of walking around Douglas to tour the pits and port city, it’s nice to stay close to a town like Douglas or Peel as some areas do not offer the convenience of shopping, pubs and such within walk. Ferry Service: Resources like DirectFerries.com can help and Steam Packet is the main line to service Isle of Man from Liverpool or Heysham UK. Ferries can be had out of Ireland as well and are important to book in advance. Air Travel: I ew Aer Lingus from JFK to Manchester (MAN) and connected via Loganair to Ronaldsway airport in Castletown on the Isle of Man. The best thing I did and advise the same, was to stagger ights and book afternoon ights (with so many converging on this small island there were delays and I was glad to schedule a rest in Manchester before returning to the US. Plus as the Senior TT race was postponed from Friday to Saturday my 4pm Saturday ight allowed me to see the main event). Currency: Good to use a Travelex machine to withdraw some cash in Pounds Sterling, but even tent concessions accepted credit cards w/ chips. Groceries: If you’re camping and looking for food or supplies near Douglas, you’ll want to shop at Tesco (tesco.com) or M&S (marksandspencer.com) where you’re sure to nd what you need. Tickets & Viewing: Grandstand tickets can be purchased but the race can be viewed without tickets all along the 37.75 mile Mountain Course circuit. The grandstand of course provides a view of pit stops,

but the team pits can be toured throughout the week at no charge behind the grandstands (also the fan park area). There are tickets available for concerts and fan events which will sell out closer to event dates – see of cial websites for details. There are many, many areas to view from but I watched from QuarterBridge near my camp, the Bungalow/Victory Café via the electric tram from Laxey station and Braddan Bridge (Kirk Braddan). I had also ventured to view Ramsey but racing was postponed that day and the local shop had no bicycle for hire. For me, an S-turn or technical section was best for snapping photos. Bring a personal radio but most areas had

Page 28 live coverage piped through speakers and some areas had large screens. The of cial website offered live streaming for a reasonable rate which I subscribed to and there was streaming radio as well. Again, weather can change quickly, so packin extra gear as well as food/water. On Motorcycle: Most of the camping sites have ample parking areas for cycles and were respected by fellow riders. Of course it is a special thrill to ride the course, but beware as authorities derive some income from speed traps around the island. Certainly this is the best way for getting around quickly to enjoy the island’s beautiful and diverse scenery. Departing by ferry, consider a later departure in case events are rescheduled. Weather: Regarding the weather, visitors should expect a mixed bag of conditions during their stay and pack accordingly. During my stay (6/812) temperatures swung from 7C/45F at night to 21C/70F when the sun was out. It was breezy the entire time, but a couple days had sustained wind with gusts up to 45mph and intermittent rainstorms which made it downright frigid at times. Fortunately, I brought extra gear and used everything I had.

Resources: iomttraces.com, visitisleofman.com, InTentsGP.com, duketravel.com, steam-packet.com Unlike MotoGP racing scheduled on state-of-the-art circuits with sand traps and perfectly smooth tarmac, seeing TT riders run balls-out on the imperfect local roads across this small island is like nothing else. More relatable to sport touring with off-camber or decreasing radius turns,

blind corners, bumps or dips and tight quarters with stone walls. You simply can’t appreciate the speed, skill and psychological focus these TT riders display unless you experience it in person. So plan on visiting the Isle of Man next year and commit to it! ~ Peter Geffert

One year ago for my 70th birthday my wife surprised me with a trip to attend the time trials week at Isle of Man 2022. Although we are very well traveled, I must say that this was the trip of a lifetime. In addition to the races which run for two weeks, the rst week of qualifying time trials and the second week of races, the Isle of Man (IOM) is lled with beautiful scenery and sites worth a visit for bike enthusiasts as well as those less interested in the races. Each summer the Island of 80,000 permanent inhabitants greets about 46,000 excited bike fans for this twoweek event which is like nothing else in the world. It takes planning but it can be rather simple if you take advantage of travel agents specializing in IOM bike events travel. Start planning for 2023 with qualifying beginning on Monday May 29th and race week running from Saturday June 3rd until the 10th . Accommodations can be tricky and expensive because hotels and B&Bs are in short supply. If you are into camping, you can bring your own gear and many campsites are available all over the Island. Also popular are pre-erected camping, glamping and small wood cabins where everything you need is provided for you (InTentsgp.com). There is also a pop-up hotel along side of the paddocks where racing teams are based. This 100-room temporary village has warm, cozy rooms with basic breakfast provided plus you will be lodging right next to the start/ nish line, and you can walk past the race team tents to watch the ne tuning of bikes (IOMTTvilliage.com) My wife used Duketravel.com to make planning a snap. This out t specializes in IOM travel. Just give them your travel dates and they will make all arrangements for you from the Liverpool Ferry which transports you to IOM, provides a cab for you from the IOM ferry terminal to your hotel (they get special hotel rates for you), give you a ton of information on what to do and see on the Island, provide a GoExplore card which gives you free bus, steam train, mountain tram, transportation which is handy for exploration of the entire Island and they book your ferry ride back to Liverpool. If you have time, spend a day or two in Liverpool to see where the Beatles got their start and all the great museums and sites there. My wife and I ew from Newark, NJ airport to London, stayed there for two days to see sights and visit a friend, then took the train to Manchester to explore the Lake Region of Great Britain. From there it was an easy one-hour train ride to Liverpool—unlike here in the U.S., train travel is convenient and a breeze in most of Europe. If one is pressed for time, it is possible to get a direct ight from the U.S. to Manchester, then take the train to Liverpool and ferry to IOM. Half the fun could be planning this trip well in advance and then spending the rest of the year dreaming about the thousands of bikes you will see being loaded and unloaded on the ferry each day and clogging the streets of IOM. ~ John Kovach ,