JOGLE JULY 2011- Taxi Service.

[MPurslow]

Hello, I am currently in the process of organizing a JOGLE ride next summer- I planned one this year- but limited time with training made it a unfeasible undergoing. However, this year with sufficient training I plan to do it. I am currently looking at the options to get my bike to John O' Groats. After some researching I have found a taxi service from Inverness to John O' Groats- this being the seemingly best option- as we are guaranteed space on an easy jet flight to Inverness for our bikes.

http://www.johnogroatsbiketransport.co.uk/

The cost of £160 for 4 people- but any less than 4 have to pay the full £160- There are two of us doing the ride in July. I have emailed the guy in charge and he says that currently there are no more bookings for the planned day.

My question is- Is anyone considering doing JOGLE around the 5th/6th July 2011- Who would be in need of a Taxi service- with bikes from Inverness to John O' Groats- The guy can carry up to 6 people- and with me and my girlfriend there would be a space for 4 more- The cost of this service would come in at approximately £40 each which isn't to bad. As long as there are 4 or more passengers- If anyone else is interested in this service and but didn't know about it may be useful to know.


Just intrigued as to whats the best option- Another is to ship the disassembled bikes via a courier up to the Bike Shop in Wick- Fly to Wick on Flybe- and then pay the Bike Shop to reassemble the bikes when we get there. Has anyone else done that? If so would you suggest it and how much did it cost.

Many Thanks
Matt Purslow.

[Mick F]

...... Another is to ship the disassembled bikes via a courier up to the Bike Shop in Wick- Fly to Wick on Flybe- and then pay the Bike Shop to reassemble the bikes when we get there. Has anyone else done that? If so would you suggest it and how much did it cost.

Hi Matt, I did it.

It cost nowt as the shipping firm did it as sponsorship for me. I had my bike and trailer+luggage wrapped in plastic on a pallet and sent up to Wick Airport. I followed on later - by train, as the Icelandic volcano was erupting! - stayed overnight at Wick, collected my stuff, and rode to JOG and back to Wick.

Far North Aviation at Wick Airport:
http://farnorthaviation.co.uk/
I phoned Andrew Bruce and asked him nicely. They couldn't have been more helpful there.

Have a read at excerpts from my blog:
http://jogleonachopper.blogspot.com/201 ... -gone.html
http://jogleonachopper.blogspot.com/201 ... ne-go.html

I understand that if I'd have paid for the shipping, it would have been about £60 to £80. Parcel Force would be cheaper of course, but my stuff on a pallet was secure and better than a cardboard box.

[robgul]

If you look at the Transport link at my site www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk there are some alternative, cheaper providers.

[We used Ross Tours in June 2010, and were lucky enough to find, via this forum, a couple of chaps wanting to get from Inverness Airport to JOG - we went from JOG to Inverness and then the driver picked up at the airport to take the others back to JOG - cost was split 50/50 - excellent deal]

Rob

[MPurslow]

Thank you for your replies. I will look at both of those options. How much was the cost of the taxi service you took Robgul couldn't find a price on their website.

Mick F, I followed your blog as you did it. I completely forgot that you did the shipped your chopper up to Wick airport. Thank you for reminding me Did you have to pay Far North Aviation to look after your bike?

[Mick F]

Nope.
Andrew was fantastic and helpful. They disposed of the pallet and the wrapping too.

The whole experience up there was perfect, and if I were to ride JOGLE again, I would do it exactly the same.

[MPurslow]

Oh that's brilliant. I'll drop him an email to see if he would be alright with it, I'll say that Mick F (Surname?) suggested them after doing your chopper ride.

Thanks for the help

[Mick F]

Mick Fairhurst.
I spoke to Andrew Bruce on the phone back in February or March, and confirmed with him in late April/early May.

I sent the pallet via McGill Transport on 6th May, and picked it up at Wick Airport 13th May. I can't say what date it arrived there, but when I arrived it was at the back of one of their big hangers. You've read the blog!

[robgul]

Thank you for your replies. I will look at both of those options. How much was the cost of the taxi service you took Robgul couldn't find a price on their website.

Mick F, I followed your blog as you did it. I completely forgot that you did the shipped your chopper up to Wick airport. Thank you for reminding me Did you have to pay Far North Aviation to look after your bike?

I will PM on the basis of not wanting to publish what may not be an up-to-date cost on public forum

Rob

[robgul]

Thank you for your replies. I will look at both of those options. How much was the cost of the taxi service you took Robgul couldn't find a price on their website.

Mick F, I followed your blog as you did it. I completely forgot that you did the shipped your chopper up to Wick airport. Thank you for reminding me Did you have to pay Far North Aviation to look after your bike?

I will PM on the basis of not wanting to publish what may not be an up-to-date cost on public forum

Rob

Afterthought : I assume you have looked at the train option for Inverness to Thurso or Wick (it's the same train ... and you NEED A BIKE BOOKING!) - Thurso would be my preference as you then are not back-tracking to Wick.

Depending where you are starting from there are some stunning deals on the sleeper trains to Inverness if you book ahead and have some flexibility on days - I used that (from London) when I did JOGLE in 2005.

Rob

[MPurslow]

Thank you rob. I have looked at your PM prices seem reasonable if they are what you say they are. I am coming from Worcester so its quite a long distance according to my planning its about 2/3 of the distance of my JOGLE from JOG, so like 700 miles :p

I will check out the sleeper train option. I did look at national rail but it was 21 hours on a train which doesn't sound like an ideal method of transport.


Sorry Mick- I missed your above post. I'll look into that option definitely, seems a sensible option.

[Mick F]

I left Plymouth by train at 7.25am for Edinburgh, and arrived at tea time, staying overnight at the SYHA. Next day caught the train to Wick arriving there at tea time too. A short walk to the B+B then out for a meal and a beer or two.

Simple, and no sleeper needed.

Please remember that this train journey was nearly LE to JOG in distance! £170 on the train, but I booked quite late as I had planned on flying. Then there was £28 B+B at Edinburgh SYHA.

[MPurslow]

Thats pretty good actually. Will look into that

Is anyone else doing JOGLE in the summer then? Or looking to do it?

[Koi]

I'm planning on doing JoGLE in the summer, no fixed dates yet apart from between 1st July & 31st August, I'll probably plump for last week in july & first week in August.

[irc]

I will check out the sleeper train option. I did look at national rail but it was 21 hours on a train which doesn't sound like an ideal method of transport.

For the sleeper the cheap deals HAVE to be booked online at http://www.travelpass.buytickets.scotra ... 307&To=294

Even Scotrails normal telesales number doesn't do them. They are released on (I think) a Fri and the £19 deals swell out fast. Currently you could get LOndon - Inverness for £39 in March. Deal up to the week of 20th March on sale.

The other thing is you can't book your bike online. The sleeper has plenty bike spaces though. Something like 8 or 12 as far as I remember. The way round it is to book your sleeper berth as early as possible then once you have your booking and a ref number phone Scotrail to get a bike booking. The sleeper tickets are e-tickets - just an e-mail you print out.

While train travel the length of the UK is not ideal at least your bike isn't dismantled and is with you all the time.

[Mick F]

While train travel the length of the UK is not ideal at least your bike isn't dismantled and is with you all the time.

Good point, but I take a small issue about the bike being with you.

I took the train from Plymouth to Edinburgh with my bike and stuff a few years ago. I booked nice and early and found a really cheap deal on a First Class ticket - £50 single!

So far so good.

The problem was, that the train was a Cross Country one and stopped at loadsa places enroute and I was in First Class at the front of the train and my bike was in the racks at the rear of the train! I padlocked my bike in position, but I wasn't sure it was safe from prying hands or was being knocked and bashed by other bikes that may try to squeeze on.

At every single stop - and there were loads of them - I would walk the length of the train and check to see if all was ok.

I wouldn't be able to sleep on a sleeper for worry about my bike. I'd want to sleep with it in the sleeper compartment!