Posts
1089
Joined
10/29/2007
Location
Yorba Linda, CA
US
Edited Date/Time
8/24/2017 6:11pm
Alright fellow Vital members, the time has come: Overseas MXdN! Along with two 60+ moto fanatics, we’ll be making the trek to Matterly Basin for the 2017 running.
Having been to the US based events in 2007 and 2010, this is, collectively, our first time traveling outside the country for the race. Considering our inexperience, is anyone willing to share some insight and advice for us?
As of now, we fly in early and stay a local night in London, with the mid-week and weekend lodging absolutely up in the air. I’d rather not tent camp it onsite, seeing that I’d never hear the end of it from the old-back gang and you never know with the UK weather…Open to all ideas and suggestions on 1) Where to stay nearest the event (preferably in the most economical fashion) 2) If RVing it and staying trackside is even an option 3) How’s the traffic leaving the venue each day to make a return trip to off-site lodging (Likely not concerned with an AM rush, we’ll be there bright and early)…
Thank You all for some helpful information and advice
Having been to the US based events in 2007 and 2010, this is, collectively, our first time traveling outside the country for the race. Considering our inexperience, is anyone willing to share some insight and advice for us?
As of now, we fly in early and stay a local night in London, with the mid-week and weekend lodging absolutely up in the air. I’d rather not tent camp it onsite, seeing that I’d never hear the end of it from the old-back gang and you never know with the UK weather…Open to all ideas and suggestions on 1) Where to stay nearest the event (preferably in the most economical fashion) 2) If RVing it and staying trackside is even an option 3) How’s the traffic leaving the venue each day to make a return trip to off-site lodging (Likely not concerned with an AM rush, we’ll be there bright and early)…
Thank You all for some helpful information and advice
What airport are you flying in to?
If it's Heathrow or even Gatwick, unless you particularly want a night in London you'd be better off going straight to wherever you're staying for the race. Heathrow is 89km from the track and Gatwick is 121. I would rent a car at the airport.
London is expensive to stay in and almost impossible to park plus it's further from the track.
I would consider staying in a motel in Winchester (it's a nice town) and a short drive to/from the track. Leaving the venue on the Saturday won't be too bad but for the Sunday it might take an hour or two to exit.
Well Stonehenge.... then the track
The Shop
Winchester is a beautiful town and the history there is amazing. Be prepared for rain, the camp ground over the hill from the track was an absolute mad house all weekend.
I promise you it is not like any race you have attended in the USA it's just different it's an experience you will never forget.
The City of Winchester itself has a population of about 50,000. At the 2006 MXoN at Matterley there were 85,000 attendees, so do the math!
If you're on a budget, here's some chain lodges in Winchester:
Days Inn http://www.daysinnwinchester.co.uk/
Holiday Inn https://www.holidayinn.com/hotels/gb/en/winchester/soawc/hoteldetail?qA…
Premier Inn http://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/england/hampshire/winchester/win…
If you are stuck, Travelodge is a big lodge chain and pretty cheap if you book in advance but they only have lodges near (but not in) Winchester:
https://www.travelodge.co.uk/search/results?location=Winchester&lat=&lo…
If you want to spend a night in London then leave the car in Winchester and take a train.
I hear the Deano fan club are going to be in town https://www.instagram.com/p/BX237-tDMb1/
Chances of landing a hotel local are slim to none , try AIr BnB , people say its the future.
Arrive early is good, getting a place to watch is no problem as you can see the whole track from pretty much anywhere, but places to get proper trackside are very limited, as the fences are way back now, after Gajser put his bike in the crowd a few years ago.
If you have to see London, then do it , cant make any reccommendations, as I don't go, nothing there I want to see or do to be honest ,
Getting out on Sunday will be a long job, I recommend a good walk round the pits , food, (if they aren't shut ) and waiting it out to let the mayhem clear, if you do some homework, you can get away from the track quickly once you are out, but local traffic restrictions change year to year , so I cant say how it will be,
It will be worth it though .
Either stay late , relax and soak up the atmosphere or think about running to you car when the chequers come down.
Oh and forget about washrooms ( toilets) they were over used, take toilet paper!
It would be interesting to hear from Steve Dixon ( vital member and organiser ) at this point to hear what plans are in place to cope with the failings in 06.
All said it was the best racing atmosphere I've ever seen and worth every penny, enjoy.
Don't expect to sleep much on site.
Don't expect the greatest organisation, take basic things like toilet paper, water.
Get into the party atmosphere, soak it up and make some great memories.
Anywhere in the red circle on the map below is within an hours drive of the track. Friends and I drove 2hrs there and back on both Saturday and Sunday in 2006, other than leaving on Sunday evening the traffic wasn't too bad.
You'll find lots of cheap(ish) generic hotels in Newbury, Basingstoke, Andover, Southampton or Portsmouth (Portsmouth is a big Naval port but not especially pretty). If you're looking for somewhere more traditional or rural then I would suggest either staying in Salisbury (Not far from Stonehenge and historically significant in it's own right), or the New Forest which is lovely. You should be able to find a nice Bed & Breakfast there.
The had been a fatal crash on the main road outside the track that contributed to the problems in 2006 if I remember correctly. The MXdN was also only the second event that had been held there and they've hosted several GPs since and you would hope that they've got the organisation sorted by now.
If you're flying into Heathrow you can take the tube (think it's Piccadilly line) into central london. If it's your first time leaving US then would be a shame not to visit London if your time permits. Open-top bus ride which you can hop on & off is an easy way to get around and see most of it & do it at your own pace. London is VERY expensive for everything.
Back in 2015 we stayed at the track for MXON France and it was full on mayhem the whole night...
The 06 MXoN was the very first race at what was a brand new venue so SD was on a learning curve. I've been to most of the GPs there since and every aspect of the organization has improved with each one. That's not to say it won't be chaotic.
For anyone that hasn't been to an MXoN, go. The atmosphere is unique and you'll never regret it.
I just dont think they anticipated quite how many people would travel from across Europe in the hope of seeing RC, Stewart & Villopoto.
Pit Row
''The Matterley Basin circuit is well renowned for being a staple of the FIM World Motocross Championship calendar. After being originally designed in 2006 for the MXoN and British GP by one of the industries most respected track designers, Johnny Douglas-Hamilton (Created in just two weeks). "JDH" will once again return to the multiple award winning circuit to imagine new changes for 2017.''
http://www.mxon17.com/home
Ref staying, if winchester is fully booked, southampton is also close & has plenty of hotels.
Like Jamma said anything in that circle is easy driving it's just the last two miles on Sunday morning that will be bad, there are three hotels in alresford which is a lovely market town only a mile from the track, also try the bush pub at ovington which is probably a half hour walk ! Southampton has lots of accommodation and is twenty mins away and obviously Winchester if you can find something is just 10 mins away.
Worth looking at local practice tracks on wed/thurs/Friday as overseas teams will probably want a bit of practice, route 34 motopark and cusses gorse are both familiar to Zach Osbourne from his days here so wouldn't be surprised to spot team USA at one of them at some stage.
Any other thoughts I will post up over the next month
Good luck
Good luck with the MXoN.
I would say train it in to central London, as for hotel take your pick, then get a train out of London down to Winchester. Arrange a car pick up and hotel in the Winchester area. If its one of the bigger rental companies you may be able to drop it back off at Heathrow rather than back at Winchester.
You shouldn't have any problems getting in and out of the car park on the friday and saturday, but don't expect to be out in a hurry on Sunday unless you leave a bit early. I expect it will be better than 2006 but it will still take a while.
Forgot to add: Bring coats/ waterproofs, there will likely be rain at some point in the weekend, but don't expect it to ruin the atmosphere haha.
Traffic was silly.
I stayed at Chelsea Stadium. Warthog was staying there as well and I was going to hitch with them and their minivan, but the battery was dead on raceday and we had to black cab it for 2 hours 30 min.
Traffic was backed up all the way to and several miles down the interstate so we decided to walk in. It took about 2 more hours.
We made a deal with the same cabby and we walked out of the facility bypassing all the traffic in the parking lot and he met us on the other side of the exit road. SWEET! He new a bunch of back roads and we were out of the track and traffic in 30 minutes. Some other friends of mine were stuck in the lot until 1am.
Wouldn't take that experience back......fantastic place.
Now I just have to coordinate a few open days, Monday-Thursday, after the event...One in our party has always wanted to travel via high-speed rail. Any advice on where to travel on one, costs, feasibility of visiting a few different countries seeing that we have no structured plans? We're essentially three American blokes with backpacks who have some time to enjoy...
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