BXAGON CHALLENGE
Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 1:05 pm
As some may have read, I want to do something for charity. I hope to plan a run of BXs around the periphery of France (the 'Hexagon' as it is known).
(see http://bxclub.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php ... highlight= )
(and http://bxclub.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php ... &start=195)
I will try to evaluate the practicalities of it over the next few weeks. Some may consider it a bit ambitious. It might be. But with the help of others I will try to make it happen. If there are enormous and expensive hurdles to doing it so that it's all above board and proper, then I obviously won't be able to do it. Instead it ceases to become an 'event' and more of a solitaire thing - like an individual obtaining sponsorship for bike ride or marathon.
But I'm sure we can sort something out. The main thing is making sure everyone either participating or supporting or indeed those potential sponsors out there are utterly confident that it is all legitimate and beyond reproach. Watch this space.
In the meantime will anyone with the time and inclination (especially those who know France - or a particular, relevent part of it) have a look at the DRAFT route. This is now going to form the basis of the plan, currently being drwn up by Matt and myself. We need to consider how many 'stages' this will be done in. what the rest/stop-over points are and what local conditions may influence (affect) our progress.
All suggestions welcome.
ROUTE:
start
CALAIS > A16/E40 >
Dunkirque > A25/E42 >
Bailleul >
LILLE > A23 through Orchies >
Valenciennes > E19 > N49 >
Bavay >
Maubeuge >
N2 > Avesnes-s-Heipe >
La Capelle >
Hirson > N43/E44 >
Charleville-Meziéres > N43/E44 >
E44/E50 > SEDAN (W) >
Longuyon >
A4/E50 (METZ) > A4 >
St. Avold >
A4/E25 > STRASBOURG >
A35/E25 > Junction 7 N83/E25 >
A35/E25 > Sélestat > Colmar >
MULHOUSE (A35/E25) >
Belfort (A36/E54) >
Montbéliard >
A36/E601 leave J 6.1>
D438 > Pont-de-Roide >
Maîche > Morteau >
Pontarlier >
(D471) Champagnole >
Lons-le-Saunier >
D470 > Orgalet >
Villiards d'Heria >
take D27, D436 > Dortan >
D31 > head of A404 (check details) >
to Junction with A40/E21/E62 (Check road complete) >
Nantua >
(S. of GENÈVE) >
A40/E25/E712 >
Junction 20, S. to Mégeve (N212) >
(Probably best to avoid Chamonix-Mt-Blanc?)
Albertville >
A430 >
to Junction with A43/E70
(? Should we leave it @ J29 and take
D902 via Valloire to Col du Lantaret?)
Then, eventually: N91 >
BRIANÇON >
N94 > Gap >
N85 > A51 > Sisteron >
J21 (on to N85 again) >
Digne-les-Bains > N85 >
Grasse > (via N85 still) >
CANNES
A8/E80 > Aix-en-Provence >
(E80/E714) > Salon-de-Provence >
A54/E80 > ARLES >
N572 > St. Gilles >
N572 > Vauvert > Aimargues (N) >
D979 to J26 A9/E15 >
MONTPELLIER >
BEZIERS >
Narbonne (still on the A9/E15) >
PERPIGNAN >
D117 >
Quillan >
Lavelanet >
Junction with N20/E9 >
(N) to Foix > D117 (continues)>
St. Girons >
J20 A64/E80 >
TARBES >
PAU >
BIARRITZ/Bayonne >
A63/E5/E70 > Junction + N10/E5/E70 >
(N) to Mageseq >
Labouheyre >
Belin-Béliet >
N10 > BORDEAUX >
(Follow ring road (E) to E602 >
A10/E5 > SAINTES >
E602 Rochefort >
N137/E602 >
LA ROCHELLE >
N11 > Junction + N137/E3 >
(Continue (N) via Marans >
Ste. Gemme la Plaine >
A83/E3 >
(N) NANTES >
Ring road (East or West?) >
Ni65/E60 > VANNES >
D767 (N) > Pontivy >
D768 > Loudeac >
N164 (briefly NW) >
D700 (N) > St. Brieuc >
N12/E50 (E) >
Junction + N176/E401 >
Take (N) D976 >
Le Mont St. Michel >
D75 > N175 (A84/E3/E401) >
Avranches >
A84/E401 > CAEN >
Pnot-l'Eveque >
A13/E6 Junction + A29 >
Honfluer/Pont de Normandie >
A29/E44 > A28 Abbeville >
A16 > CALAIS
finish
as you will appreciate this is going to take some doing, covering, as it does well over 2,000 miles of various roads. I have tried to keep a realistic mix of motorway and 'A' roads with few excursions onto lesser roads. There will be an interesting mix of environments and challenges.
(see http://bxclub.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php ... highlight= )
(and http://bxclub.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php ... &start=195)
I will try to evaluate the practicalities of it over the next few weeks. Some may consider it a bit ambitious. It might be. But with the help of others I will try to make it happen. If there are enormous and expensive hurdles to doing it so that it's all above board and proper, then I obviously won't be able to do it. Instead it ceases to become an 'event' and more of a solitaire thing - like an individual obtaining sponsorship for bike ride or marathon.
But I'm sure we can sort something out. The main thing is making sure everyone either participating or supporting or indeed those potential sponsors out there are utterly confident that it is all legitimate and beyond reproach. Watch this space.
In the meantime will anyone with the time and inclination (especially those who know France - or a particular, relevent part of it) have a look at the DRAFT route. This is now going to form the basis of the plan, currently being drwn up by Matt and myself. We need to consider how many 'stages' this will be done in. what the rest/stop-over points are and what local conditions may influence (affect) our progress.
All suggestions welcome.
ROUTE:
start
CALAIS > A16/E40 >
Dunkirque > A25/E42 >
Bailleul >
LILLE > A23 through Orchies >
Valenciennes > E19 > N49 >
Bavay >
Maubeuge >
N2 > Avesnes-s-Heipe >
La Capelle >
Hirson > N43/E44 >
Charleville-Meziéres > N43/E44 >
E44/E50 > SEDAN (W) >
Longuyon >
A4/E50 (METZ) > A4 >
St. Avold >
A4/E25 > STRASBOURG >
A35/E25 > Junction 7 N83/E25 >
A35/E25 > Sélestat > Colmar >
MULHOUSE (A35/E25) >
Belfort (A36/E54) >
Montbéliard >
A36/E601 leave J 6.1>
D438 > Pont-de-Roide >
Maîche > Morteau >
Pontarlier >
(D471) Champagnole >
Lons-le-Saunier >
D470 > Orgalet >
Villiards d'Heria >
take D27, D436 > Dortan >
D31 > head of A404 (check details) >
to Junction with A40/E21/E62 (Check road complete) >
Nantua >
(S. of GENÈVE) >
A40/E25/E712 >
Junction 20, S. to Mégeve (N212) >
(Probably best to avoid Chamonix-Mt-Blanc?)
Albertville >
A430 >
to Junction with A43/E70
(? Should we leave it @ J29 and take
D902 via Valloire to Col du Lantaret?)
Then, eventually: N91 >
BRIANÇON >
N94 > Gap >
N85 > A51 > Sisteron >
J21 (on to N85 again) >
Digne-les-Bains > N85 >
Grasse > (via N85 still) >
CANNES
A8/E80 > Aix-en-Provence >
(E80/E714) > Salon-de-Provence >
A54/E80 > ARLES >
N572 > St. Gilles >
N572 > Vauvert > Aimargues (N) >
D979 to J26 A9/E15 >
MONTPELLIER >
BEZIERS >
Narbonne (still on the A9/E15) >
PERPIGNAN >
D117 >
Quillan >
Lavelanet >
Junction with N20/E9 >
(N) to Foix > D117 (continues)>
St. Girons >
J20 A64/E80 >
TARBES >
PAU >
BIARRITZ/Bayonne >
A63/E5/E70 > Junction + N10/E5/E70 >
(N) to Mageseq >
Labouheyre >
Belin-Béliet >
N10 > BORDEAUX >
(Follow ring road (E) to E602 >
A10/E5 > SAINTES >
E602 Rochefort >
N137/E602 >
LA ROCHELLE >
N11 > Junction + N137/E3 >
(Continue (N) via Marans >
Ste. Gemme la Plaine >
A83/E3 >
(N) NANTES >
Ring road (East or West?) >
Ni65/E60 > VANNES >
D767 (N) > Pontivy >
D768 > Loudeac >
N164 (briefly NW) >
D700 (N) > St. Brieuc >
N12/E50 (E) >
Junction + N176/E401 >
Take (N) D976 >
Le Mont St. Michel >
D75 > N175 (A84/E3/E401) >
Avranches >
A84/E401 > CAEN >
Pnot-l'Eveque >
A13/E6 Junction + A29 >
Honfluer/Pont de Normandie >
A29/E44 > A28 Abbeville >
A16 > CALAIS
finish
as you will appreciate this is going to take some doing, covering, as it does well over 2,000 miles of various roads. I have tried to keep a realistic mix of motorway and 'A' roads with few excursions onto lesser roads. There will be an interesting mix of environments and challenges.