2017 MXdN: Advice Appreciated...

My main message would be keep it as simple and uncomplicated as possible.

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.

Exactly the advice I'm hoping for - Thank You! Tentative schedule is flying into Heathrow late and grabbing a one-night stay closer to London...Will certainly look into Winchester. Will local lodging's fill-up or can the surrounding infrastructure handle the MXdN crowd?

Eat a lot of Indian take away and only the fish & chips wrapped in newspaper, just enjoy, it's very easy there

I'm flying into Heathow, renting a 6 person RV and driving to the track.

Well Stonehenge.... then the track

From when I went ,Traffic both day's was crazy , go early and stay late.

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.

crc245 wrote:

Exactly the advice I'm hoping for - Thank You! Tentative schedule is flying into Heathrow late and grabbing a one-night stay closer to London...Will certainly look into Winchester. Will local lodging's fill-up or can the surrounding infrastructure handle the MXdN crowd?

You need to book somewhere to stay NOW. There's not an awful lot of surrounding infrastructure as the County of Hampshire is comparatively rural.

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?qAdlt=1&qBrs=6c.hi.ex.rs.ic.cp.in.sb.cw.cv.ul.vn.ki.sp.nd.ct&qChld=0&qFRA=1&qGRM=0&qIta=99603195&qPSt=0&qRRSrt=rt&qRef=df&qRms=1&qRpn=1&qRpp=20&qSHp=1&qSmP=3&qSrt=sBR&qWch=0&srb_u=1&icdv=99603195&dp=true

Premier Inn http://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/england/hampshire/winchester/winchester.html

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=&long=&action=search&source=l&checkIn=&rooms%5B0%5D%5Badults%5D=1&rooms%5B0%5D%5Bchildren%5D=0

If you want to spend a night in London then leave the car in Winchester and take a train.

MxKing809 wrote:

I'm flying into Heathow, renting a 6 person RV and driving to the track.

Well Stonehenge.... then the track

Sounds good but if you're staying at the track and you're not a party animal then bring some industrial strength sleeping tablets as it's going to be wild 24/7.

I hear the Deano fan club are going to be in town https://www.instagram.com/p/BX237-tDMb1/

If it were me , I'd not be wanting to take a rental RV to the track, I hate taking my own , and will be paying VIP camping to stay away from the idiots..

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 .

When I went in 06 it took us 5 hours to get out and we were near the exit at the last race and 10 min walk from the car. ( Even heard some nightmare stories of people not getting out until the next day, just stories 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.

Expect a great atmosphere and good racing.
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.

I expect it will be difficult to find anywhere decent in Winchester now.

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.

'06 MXdN was chaos. It's much better organisation now. I know a few guys who didn't get out until gone midnight but I think there was a accident on the road outside. We drove over a fence and got out the back way. If you plan on sleeping at the venue, get your wallet out & pay for VIP camping - the standard area is wild! Rental Camper van and VIP camping or hotel away from the track. I've traveled Europe quite a bit & done plenty of driving on the "otherside" of the road so when i went to America wasn't too bad for me although driving to downtown LA at rushhour after a long flight with no satnav was interesting. Our roads are quite busy (not quite the same scale as LA) but if you're not used to it, you might want to keep it to a minimum - I have friends who have found it stressful coming for US!

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.

Yeah ! Since beer is not the rarest resource available in the Uk, that make 60 luggages of flags, airhorns, chainsaws, body paints and usa shirts, awesome :-) Enjoy !

Jimfunn wrote:

'06 MXdN was chaos. It's much better organisation now. I know a few guys who didn't get out until gone midnight but I think there was a accident on the road outside. We drove over a fence and got out the back way. If you plan on sleeping at the venue, get your wallet out & pay for VIP camping - the standard area is wild! Rental Camper van and VIP camping or hotel away from the track. I've traveled Europe quite a bit & done plenty of driving on the "otherside" of the road so when i went to America wasn't too bad for me although driving to downtown LA at rushhour after a long flight with no satnav was interesting. Our roads are quite busy (not quite the same scale as LA) but if you're not used to it, you might want to keep it to a minimum - I have friends who have found it stressful coming for US!

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.

your right, its the Piccadilly LIne into the city, departs from below the airport, you will be able to find a hotel within walking distance from a station, some good air bnb's in london as well,

I have two twin rooms booked at Wheatsheaf Basingstoke by Good Night Inns hotel from Friday to Sunday that I might not need and probably could transfer over to fellow Vital member. The hotel is pretty ok, has a good restaurant and free parking and we have stayed there multiple times with our team for MXGP's at Matterley. I should know within a few weeks whether I go or no (waiting for my visa decision and moving to California).

Back in 2015 we stayed at the track for MXON France and it was full on mayhem the whole night...

Question wrote:

Yeah ! Since beer is not the rarest resource available in the Uk, that make 60 luggages of flags, airhorns, chainsaws, body paints and usa shirts, awesome :-) Enjoy !

Chainsaws are banned.

scottydogmx wrote:

When I went in 06 it took us 5 hours to get out and we were near the exit at the last race and 10 min walk from the car. ( Even heard some nightmare stories of people not getting out until the next day, just stories 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.

As someone said in 06 there was a bad accident which made getting out especially difficult.

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.

There was a GP at Matterley in June that year, before the MXdN.

I just dont think they anticipated quite how many people would travel from across Europe in the hope of seeing RC, Stewart & Villopoto.

jamma10 wrote:

There was a GP at Matterley in June that year, before the MXdN.

I just dont think they anticipated quite how many people would travel from across Europe in the hope of seeing RC, Stewart & Villopoto.

You're right.

''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

I was there a couple months back competing in mtb xc. Not on the circuit but very close. They had lot's of work going on & definitely some track changes. Going to be amazing.

Ref staying, if winchester is fully booked, southampton is also close & has plenty of hotels.

If I was doing the trip, I would check out London for a day or so, then travel south for a spot of sightseeing. Bath is worth a visit if history is your thing as is Stonehenge which is close to Salisbury and half hour from Winchester. Look for what we call bed and breakfast for cheap accommodation.portsmouth is well worth a visit again if naval history is of interest.
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

Hi Guys, the whole experience for 2017 will be a good one, I am trying to cater for everyone and have worked hard on planning, I will keep you posted of any concerns but bedtime now here at the GP of Sweden, one thing I will not shy away from advice or criticism for those who know me. It is going to be awesome,

DRT wrote:

Hi Guys, the whole experience for 2017 will be a good one, I am trying to cater for everyone and have worked hard on planning, I will keep you posted of any concerns but bedtime now here at the GP of Sweden, one thing I will not shy away from advice or criticism for those who know me. It is going to be awesome,

Thanks for taking the time to post Steve, you must be madly busy.

Good luck with the MXoN.

You will obviously want to visit London while your over so my advise would be don't consider driving from Heathrow in to London parking is very very expensive, it is a straight train ride from all the major airports around London (Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted and Southend) in to central London.

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.

I went to the 2006 (along with lots who post on here).

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.

For all who have taken the time to reply, Thank You! Booked our lodging near Winchester through the races and can't wait

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...

Question wrote:

Yeah ! Since beer is not the rarest resource available in the Uk, that make 60 luggages of flags, airhorns, chainsaws, body paints and usa shirts, awesome :-) Enjoy !

philG wrote:

Chainsaws are banned.

Boooooooo..... Are they trying to kill the atmosphere??? I'm looking forward to it, we will be elbow deep in the mayhem, bog standard hard core campsite, I'm up for a Saturday night beer/cider with anybody on here...

Chainsaws...bring your best one as there will be a chainsaw GP in the loud camping area, with money to the winner! There are 9 extreme rides in the fairground, plus rodeo, punchbags etc, DJ area, high volume bar this is going to be awesome day and night! 5 exits on traffic, south carpark north carpark traffic light across the dual cairrageway, special phased lights onto the motorway operated by highways England(it has taken 9 monthsfor this!) I am trying to cover everything for this special event!!

Can any locals give some advice on how to get from Winchester to Matterly Basin on Sunday (race day)? Could there be some non stop public transportation possibilities for this event from Winchester etc? Thanks!