Isle of Man - The Mountain Course

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Andy
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Isle of Man - The Mountain Course

#1

Post by Andy »

Alright, since I've got quite a couple picturesque pics of the course, I'll take you to different places around

Tonight's start has been made right after roads closed for the Senior TT day of 2018

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First pic shows part of the straight down from Kate's Cottage to Creg-ny-Baa
In the second pic, we follow the course into Brandish
And in the final pic, we come out of Hillberry into Cronk-ny-Mona
"Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing" - David Jefferies
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Andy
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Location: Under a rock somewhere in Germany

#2

Post by Andy »

Keppel Gate to Kate's Cottage today

Keppel Gate itself is fast left hander, followed by a light crest after which the road directly bends left. A short bit of straight and then it goes into another fast left hander at Kate's Cottage and off to Creg-ny-Baa

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1. Keppel Gate with the marshals shelter; keep the shelter as a fix point
2. The light crest and respective fallaway
3. The left hand bend between
4. The run down to the left hander at Kate's Cottage (the white wall in upper right)
All four pics been taken at TT 2017
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Everso Biggyballies
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#3

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

These pics just go to emphasise the sheer massiveness of the track in size and lap distance. They do to me anyway.

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Andy
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Location: Under a rock somewhere in Germany

#4

Post by Andy »

Everso Biggyballies wrote: 5 years ago These pics just go to emphasise the sheer massiveness of the track in size and lap distance. They do to me anyway.
It does mate, it really does.

So, before I leave for the IRRC at Frohburg I'll add just one photo, courtesy of Daley Mathison showing, how spectacular the unnamed dropping bend between Keppel Gate and Kate's Cottage really is.
Enjoy and have a great weekend!
:bye:

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Andy
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#5

Post by Andy »

Today, I take you to the exit of Lambfell. Lambfell itself is split into three sections and finishes the rise from Glen Helen over Sarah's Cottage.
Actually, when you watch the exit of Lambfell you're already on Cronk-y-Voddy straight. The exit of Lambfell is famous for its sheer speed wheelies as the straight slightly dips away following the crest of Lambfell.


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Lambfell Moar, the exit of Lambfell. You can see the crest and the lightly dipping away Cronk-y-Voddy straight past the final right hand bend out of Lambfell. In the far distance, the so called Witch Hill is visible in the light fog. In the middle ages, supposed to be witches were put into barrels and barrel rolled down from the top. A pretty gory and sad story, since if you died you couldn't be a witch but if you survived you must have been one and you would be killed anyway.
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James Hillier allows us a deeper look into Lambfell. If you'd draw a downward arrow through the bush right of him, you'd end up in the valley, roughly at Glen Helen.
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Gary Bryant and Phil Hyde are showing how close the spectator on the bank really is to the action. Excuse the poor image quality though, but I need it to show how close it really gets.
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Another look into Lambfell
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Everso Biggyballies
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#6

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

@Andy Great pics as usual. Thanks :thumbsup:

* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left


“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)

* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
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Andy
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#7

Post by Andy »

Everso Biggyballies wrote: 5 years ago @Andy Great pics as usual. Thanks :thumbsup:
You're welcome, mate :)
In addition to all pics above, and maybe to sense how big it is, at Keppel Gate you can hear the bikes roughly from Bungalow with Brandywell really the latest, so ~2 miles before. And you'll hear them roaring through Glencrutchery Road at start/finish, another 4 miles down the road.
At Lambfell you can hear them braking for Ballacraine, another almost 4 miles before they actually come into view, and coming up all the way through the valley.

Also following map might be useful to follow around the course and to roughly measure distances, if I should forget to add them
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"Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing" - David Jefferies
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Andy
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Location: Under a rock somewhere in Germany

#8

Post by Andy »

This following music clip might not be everyones cup of tea but the creator used a couple of road racing related cuts and quite some from the Isle of Man along a couple from the Ulster GP as well. You have to double agree though to watch it because most likely someone got offended with all the crashes and reported it



0:03 & 2:45 - Bray Hill.
When you watch onboards it never appears as steep as it really is. Even this cut is just somewhere between 50 and 70% of reality. In the 2nd marker a few secs on you'll see 2 marshals appearing on the left upper side. This place would be called Inner Circle and I've marshaled the TT '18's Newcomer Lap as well as the following qualifying session. It was also here but during MGP '17 that I'd become a marshal following the Newcomers Lap and Qualifying.

1:48 - Cronk-ny-Mona.
I've watched TT '17's Superstock and Lightweight race day here. That we lost Jochem van den Hoek as well as Alan Bonner.

1:52 - Keppel Gate.
Past wheelie left hand bend on the run to Kate's Cottage, about the position I've watched the 2017 & 2018 Senior TT as well as the 2017 MGP Classic Senior & Lightweight race days from, in parts.

2:11 - Ago's Leap.
Between the bottom of Bray Hill and the Quarterbridge. Very exclusive place to watch from which got it's name because of a wheelie by Ago in the late 60s. Watched a qualifying session here during TT '17 because a mate did the frontyard of one of the houses there and the owners invited mate & us. Took a couple pics here as well, but as most pics of my first TT they became utter trash.

3:01 - Ballaugh Bridge.
Apart from the accident shown, when I'm off marshaling at Quarry Bends, those 'magic words' are transmitted from right here.
"Bikes into sector!"
You know, get ready the show is about to start for us up the road ;)

So many lovely memories in this clip. I do miss it for sure but most parts of me are already looking forward to it ;)
"Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing" - David Jefferies
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Andy
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Location: Under a rock somewhere in Germany

#9

Post by Andy »

Andy wrote: 5 years ago Alright, since I've got quite a couple picturesque pics of the course, I'll take you to different places around

Tonight's start has been made right after roads closed for the Senior TT day of 2018

ImageImageImage

First pic shows part of the straight down from Kate's Cottage to Creg-ny-Baa
In the second pic, we follow the course into Brandish
And in the final pic, we come out of Hillberry into Cronk-ny-Mona
And here are pics from the opposite direction, namingly from Cronk-ny-Mona
Firstly, the (in-)famous Creg-ny-Baa hotel.
Secondly, it is Brandish.
And finally, there is the opposite point in Kate's Cottage.
ImageImageImage
"Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing" - David Jefferies
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Andy
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Location: Under a rock somewhere in Germany

#10

Post by Andy »

TT battlegroups take 2 - An rather embarassing, albeit funny story.

I was still living in Onchan during this fortnight and used to have my morning coffee with my back on the Clypse Course. For this race day I had decided to pay Signpost a visit once more and only been a few minutes away, I was rather late.
But since I've walked up and down there during the 2017 Manx I've always wondered how it'd look through the lens at almost Bedstead. Said and done, I found me a nice place on the bank close to the footbridge and would start to take a few pics. I did notice though, that some tree branches there would hang rather low.

In the heat of lap 2, I suddenly got stuck in said branches and slipped on the still wet gras on the bank. I nearly dropped my camera but could save it. As a consequence my slip was completed by nose diving on the top of the bank and almost rolling down the bank, into the racing line. Must have looked like a Laurel & Hardy sort of slapstick, cue the Benny Hill theme.

I got a quick grip on a rather high gras sod but to pull myself up it never was stable enough. In the other hand my camera was still safe but not for much longer as the attempt to get my body back up on the top of the bank would have needed more than just one hand.
In this embarassing situation, I suddenly felt how someone pulled me back on the bank. I bid my heartfelt thanks to the lad, and was still in shock. Imagine what would have happened either to me or the racing.

Fair to say, I've had enough down there and moved back up to Signpost but obviously the top seats had been taken already. So I resorted to the top of the wall next to a road sign way into the escape road into Onchan and would take my pics from there
🤣😂
That's how the two pics from different locations got taken. 😂🤣😂

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"Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing" - David Jefferies
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Andy
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Location: Under a rock somewhere in Germany

#11

Post by Andy »

The outright sad, the great and the funny - all in one day.

Today 4 years ago, I had decided to watch the 3rd race day of my first TT at Cronk-ny-Mona, as I was familiar with the walk up to the Cat from my almost bottom of Broadway stay. I had started a few minutes earlier than needed because I had to stop by at the St Ninians race café for some sarnies and the long uphill would take some minutes anyway. At least, it would be all downhill from there later😅

I found me a lovely place on the bank towards Hillberry but I also took note of the slick bromberry hedges behind. So I'd move a bit further up because there the slick hedge looked like someone had fallen into it prior. I thought it would be a good idea because there was no chance to return to Cronk-ny-Mona in case I would need a wee as the bank behind me began to fill with people.

I'll never forget this day because of its emotional up and downs.
It should take us all deep down at first, when the passing of both Jochem van den Hoek and Alan Bonner had been announced on radio. 😭

Before the concluding superstock race that day, I really had to wee and since there were lots of people behind me still, I simply jumped behind the bank. It work well, but on the attempt of returning to my seat on the bank I somehow managed to get stuck in the hedge and ripped my pants open. 😂

But the complete emotional opposite should come with the concluding superstock race, as local racer Dan Kneen would post his best TT result with a third place finish. The cheering for him at Cronk-ny-Mona and later in paddock was nothing short of immense.

Ride in peace Jochem, Alan & Dan :rip:

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"Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing" - David Jefferies
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Andy
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#12

Post by Andy »

Normally, I'd have posted this under music.
But watch Peter Hickman and these onboards. Mega shivers when watching his Bimmer dancing as she does on some well known roads to me. Nothing but admiring bike control there !
"Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing" - David Jefferies
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Everso Biggyballies
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#13

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

That is quite scary. Respect. :bow:

* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left


“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)

* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
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#14

Post by chatham »

Those that do the Isle of Mann are a whole different breed.
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#15

Post by Michael Ferner »

It's that time of the year again! :happy:

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