Ducati Monster Forum

Been getting the notices about the 2017 CotA and Ducati Island in my email, and I've been given the green light by SWMBO to go!  Problem is... I've never been down there.  For those of you who have... a few questions:

1)  What is the best day to go.  I haven't looked at the schedule of events, which may make it obvious, but any hints would be welcome.

2)  Is Ducati Island all it's cracked up to be?  They have a $220 deal where you get to park by the stands an all that... that looks good, but I don't know.

3)  Is up and back in one day a reasonable expectation?  Or come in the night before to be there early the next day... or drive in early day of, hotel that night?

Any other hints or suggested 'don't miss!' items are welcome.

Thanks, gang!   [beer]

It may just be me...but regardless of which track, I'd want to be there on race day which is Sunday for motogp.

I'll let others comment on the rest.

parking is great, we parked in Egypt last time and it's a hike and a half to say the least.  As for which day is best I like Saturday for practice rounds and Sunday.  If you don't mind parking far out the general admission is the best value since you have access to all sides and can walk completely around the track with your trusted "carry anywhere" chair.

Jeez, where to start!? As Painter said, Sunday is race day; there are a minimum of 3 races (Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP {the big one}). If MotoAmerica is there that weekend as well there will be more races.

All of the qualifying is done on Saturday afternoon; practice in the morning and qualifying after that.

Friday is just practice.

If you can swing a Saturday/Sunday weekend I think you'd enjoy it a bit more than just Sunday.

With the exception of parking there isn't much to Ducati Island as far as I can tell. Once you are inside the track anyone can go anywhere so it isn't like you get anything special with the Duc Island pass other than the previously mentioned parking which is fantastic. The Island seating is in the grandstands between turns 15 & 16. I have never bought official Ducati tickets but that is where we have sat too and that is a good spot to sit. The Duc Island parking and "stuff" is behind the grandstands in the grassy area if you look at google maps.

I have never ridden as I have always gone with my family. Starting back the very first year of the race several of us from the board went down for all 3 days and stayed in a Holiday Inn in Elgin which is EAST of the track. That is what my family and I still do except we usually skip Friday practice and drive to Elgin on Friday night after work and get to the track Saturday morning.

Depending on the weather going down and back can be an ass whip if you do it all in one day; traffic is pretty rough, but tons of folks do it Besides that I like my beer so riding is defiantly out for me!!

It is a hell of a blast of a weekend and I strongly recommend going. If you decide to go and you'd like more information I'd be happy to meetup and discuss as that would be much easier than back and forth through the board.

Mark

^ Agree with this comment. The 1 day down and back is a PITA with the traffic. If it's your first time, spend some time and enjoy it.

It turns out that I'll NOT be attending the MotoGp race this year after all.  [bang]

My daughters senior prom is the night before the race and I have a young man to intimidate. I cannot do that from Austin!

Mark

Plans are afoot for The Blonde and I to be attending this event.  [beer]
I mentioned a while ago that I really wanted to go, and she's been hammering on things to get it to happen.  [bow_down]

Not sure when we'll be arriving, as the methods of getting from SoCal to Austin are still being compared.

Looking for local knowledge on the best place to stay, and best way to get to/from the track for Saturday and Sunday.

And ideas for other things to do in Austin in the non-race times.
Current plan is to have Friday free to explore the local scene.

Got my Ducati Island goodie package yesterday!

Oddly enough, my wife pushed me to go all 3 days... she says you might as well go big!  Who am I to argue?  I'm driving down Friday morning and back to Dallas Monday... hopefully that will reduce my traffic woes to a minimum.

We expect pictures! [thumbsup]

I am in. Just looking for a place.
Going solo this year.

Ducati Island tickets and hotel reservations procured.

All there are ducati parties on Friday and Saturday

So does that mean, "All there (is to do of any real interest) are ducati parties on Friday and Saturday?"

I will contend that as far as parties goes, Ducati parties ain't bad…   8)

Any of y'all local folks going?

I'm going... got my goodies last week!

I'm headed from McKinney Friday morning...

Actually, if anyone has any hints on the best way to get in and out of there, I'm all ears; I'll be coming in from the east (I'm not doing I-35.)

And if anyone knows the watering holes frequented by the Duc crowd...

For all of you making the trek to the US GP, I ran across this article recently on places to eat in Austin:

http://austin.eater.com/2017/1/18/14314220/austin-new-restaurant-openings?yptr=yahoo&ref=yfp

I and our club vice president are staying in Elgin

Heading down Friday. Probably going to take 281 down from Oklahoma

Raux,

The first GP there were several of us that went down and we all stayed in Elgin. Since then I have gone to 2 more race weekends and stayed there each time. The in and out from the track will be very easy coming from the direction you will. I think you have made a great choice staying there. Granted, it isn't convenient if you want to do shit IN Austin, but we just saved the drinking until we got back to the hotel!

And there are a couple of very good BBQ joints in Elgin.

I am green with envy!!

Mark

Very cool, thanks!

Cool thanks.

I was just going to post and ask the best way to get in from the east (Elgin.)  Are the parking directions into CotA, and Duc Island specifically, marked well?  Prior Planning Prevents (really bad) Performance...

Raux, I'm at the Holiday Inn (at Mark's suggestion,) where are you guys?

I don't really feel the need to go mixing it up down in Austin... it just seems like a bad idea.

Same hotel.
Likely just going into Austin Friday night for Ducati party only.
It's pretty easy from the east and Ducati package parking is in the track behind the tower. Not hard to miss.

And here's another thirty-eight restaurant choices in Austin just in case you guys want to eat while you're down there…

http://austin.eater.com/maps/best-austin-restaurants-38

This article even has a google map to help you out  8)

2 more weeks....   ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Have a good time. [Dolph] [clap]

Sweet!

Just got my CotA Duc Island info email.  I just automatically thought I wouldn't be able to the parade lap thing because I don't have full-up riding gear... nice to see what I have will work.   [thumbsup]

Looks like the long-range forecast calls for decent weather for the trip Friday, maybe some showers on Saturday, and again for the trip home Monday.  Oh, well... wouldn't be the first time.

If anyone is in area.
I am leaving okc Friday
Coming back monday

Hope everyone has a blast!  We had a great time for the inaugural race. But this time, as for me, I'll be stuck watching the MotoGP internet feed live from the comfort of my living room… where beers are a "free" and my parked car is a mere fifty feet away...

Had to do it.  Sorry   [evil]

Seriously, though, y'all have fun and be safe.

Eh. My bike will be 25ft away on Ducati Island.  ;D

OK guys, it is Tuesday morning, somebody MUST have something to say about the weekend! Or some pictures or ANYTHING!

Mark

You know how long it takes to upload photos on Photobucket...?   ;D

Nice weekend... weather cooperated for the most part, except for the wind, which hardly let up.

Ducati Island was a lot of fun... my first time walking amongst a sea of them, interesting for sure.  Still, never saw a 906 Paso...   :(

Ducati Owner's Lounge:  Free espresso!  What's not to like?  ...although a little free Peroni would have been nice.

Racing was good... it's amazing watching these guys work the corners and such.  At Turn 12, we were catching them coming WFO down the back straight... then throwing on the binders and into the turn.

Wish the Ducati riders had done better... they never really posed a challenge and the real race was for 1-2, and 3-4-5.  It looked like Lorenzo was just tooling along on a Sunday drive, fading to I think 9th by the finish.  Dovi looked like he was trying, but once Honda pulled out front, he never got a glimpse.

Ducati rider's lap was fun... except for that pesky 60mph limit.  We got to spin the track twice!

Overall... the only thing I'm disappointed with was the bleacher seats included with the Duc package; not that the area wasn't a good spot, it's just those unforgiving benches.  CotA needs to pull their head out, too... I never saw one 'hydration station' set up the entire weekend, so you were stuck buying $4 water or refilling at the one water fountain at the Turn 15 bathroom. 

Pics to follow....

Duc parking...

(http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b500/RustyRooter/DSC04508_zpsdqjo0iev.jpg) (http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/RustyRooter/media/DSC04508_zpsdqjo0iev.jpg.html)

(http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b500/RustyRooter/DSC04512_zpsdoljasq3.jpg) (http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/RustyRooter/media/DSC04512_zpsdoljasq3.jpg.html)

View from the Lounge...

(http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b500/RustyRooter/IMG_6145_zpsgayirkia.jpg) (http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/RustyRooter/media/IMG_6145_zpsgayirkia.jpg.html)

...and one of the 3,274 cups of espresso I drank...

(http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b500/RustyRooter/OFGS4951_zpsjebi7vmb.jpg) (http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/RustyRooter/media/OFGS4951_zpsjebi7vmb.jpg.html)

I thought this was some free swag and tried to fit it in my goodie bag...  they said it was the last one and couldn't give it away.  :(

(http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b500/RustyRooter/IMG_6142_zpsnqmk7jrt.jpg) (http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/RustyRooter/media/IMG_6142_zpsnqmk7jrt.jpg.html)


Waiting in line for the laps around the track...

(http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b500/RustyRooter/IMG_6168_zpsixp9arrb.jpg) (http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/RustyRooter/media/IMG_6168_zpsixp9arrb.jpg.html)

(http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b500/RustyRooter/IMG_6167_zpsmuvnygf1.jpg) (http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/RustyRooter/media/IMG_6167_zpsmuvnygf1.jpg.html)

Our vantage from Turn 12 bleachers...

I think this was Moto2 qualifier...

(http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b500/RustyRooter/th_MOV04503_zpsygrmvmms.mp4) (http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b500/RustyRooter/MOV04503_zpsygrmvmms.mp4)

...and I think Moto2 race, lap 1 going into 12...  The sound is sort of jacked up because the video helo flys right over about the time the riders are at full wail, and then there are the people.

(http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b500/RustyRooter/th_MOV04514_zpsusomhm8m.mp4) (http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b500/RustyRooter/MOV04514_zpsusomhm8m.mp4)

Couple of shots from practice...  the rider closest to me overshot the turn, as quite a few did... thankfully there is a nice overrun area past T12.

(http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b500/RustyRooter/IMG_6155_zpsjmyz1hc0.jpg) (http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/RustyRooter/media/IMG_6155_zpsjmyz1hc0.jpg.html)

(http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b500/RustyRooter/IMG_6156_zpsquoixhbm.jpg) (http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/RustyRooter/media/IMG_6156_zpsquoixhbm.jpg.html)

Dang. Not a mention about hanging out with Raux

They would think I was name-dropping... 

And me being my typical blockhead self... I never got a group photo.   [thumbsdown]  Should have asked that girl at the table next to us at the bar on 6th St to take one for us...   ;D

She would of thought we were mooching

Is turn 12 the actual designated "Ducati" spot? We have always sat in the turn 15 area and those are actual SEATS with backs! Highly recommended.

Did staying in Elgin work OK for you? Did you eat BBQ there?

Damn, getting info from you is like pulling teeth!!  [laugh] And where is a pic of you a Raux?  [cheeky]

Mark

The DI tickets were for the T12 bleachers... not the T15 seats.  We actually sat there Friday, thinking that's where we were supposed to be, but the seating police busted on us Saturday... even though there was only about 20% of the seats taken.  The T12 bleachers wasn't a bad seat, per se, just not as comfy as those chairs across the way.

Elgin was... OK.  We had some issues the first night with noise at 1AM... and, no, it wasn't what you think.  It was kids jumping on the bed.  Wasn't really impressed with any of the dining options (all 5 of them...) available to us, but I've done worse.  Probably find somewhere a bit closer next time... maybe Bastrop or something.  I did like coming in from the east, it worked very well.

When I was younger I used to take pictures of everything... I always had a camera with me.  Nowadays, I never really think of it, and I'm not much of a selfie person.

Last time I went to the race we stayed in Bastrop. I liked that better. But both are better options than dealing with the traffic coming from the west.