Hak5 UK 2010 Tour: The Plan
This is the plan so far, and it’s all thanks to the generosity of Hak5 fans. So first the foremost thank you to Joe, Robin, Tann, and Robb for their hospitality — as well as all those who have offered a sofa.
I’ll keep this post updated with all the latest details. I’ll also need locals help figuring out Hak5 meetup venues and scenic motorbike travel routes. I’d like to stay off the motorways as much as possible 
Day1 (Tues, Feb16): London. Arrive in Heathrow 11:00, pickup a hired Honda CBF500 motorbike, meetup in the city that night. Venue The Lyceum. Host: Joe B. – Facebook Events Page
Day2 (Wed, Feb17): Sheffield. Motorbike up from London to Sheffield in the morning. Meetup that night. Venue The Benjamin Huntsman. Host: Robin W. – Facebok Events Page
Day3 (Thurs, Feb18): Manchester. A short motorbike ride over to Manchester. Meetup that night. Venue Lammars. Host: Tann S. – Facebook Events Page
Day4 & 5 (Fri & Sat, Feb19-20): Dublin. A morning motorbike ride out to Holyhead to catch a ferry to Ireland for two nights in Dublin. Venue: Cassidy’s Bar. Host: Robb D. – Facebook Events Page
Day 6 (Sun, Feb 21): London. An early morning ferry back to Holyhead followed by a long motorbike ride down through Wales, hopefully arriving in London before dusk. I have a feeling the A5 and M40 will be involved. Final venue TBD. Host: Joe B.
Day 7 (Mon, Feb 22): London. Just enough time for tea and return the motorbike to the hire before heading to Heathrow — flight departs 16:00.
So, am I headed to your city? Are you interested in meeting up? Have two wheels of your own and want to join me for a ride? Have an idea for a venue or motorbike route? Please, leave a comment
Here’s an open Google map wiki of my journey that you’re free to edit — add a push-pin.
View Darren’s UK Adventure February 2010 in a larger map
January 26th, 2010 at 9:03 pm
Damn! I’ll be down for the meetup on the 21st for sure!
January 26th, 2010 at 11:06 pm
Darren, I am good to meet you when you land.
January 26th, 2010 at 11:47 pm
Amazing!
Check out camden lock area – good place to visit with the markets and to do a meet up – bar55, ice warf
You could go through the North Yorkshire Moors with your motorbike on your way to manchester from sheffield- amazing views of untouched countryside – quite characteristic – but not quite exactly on the way
Probably see you on the 21st!
January 27th, 2010 at 1:22 am
hey Darren look great mate have fun over there.
January 27th, 2010 at 1:39 am
hope you have your waterproofs with you when you come over
January 27th, 2010 at 2:37 am
No Edinburgh? Missing the capital of Scotland on that list there man
January 27th, 2010 at 4:07 am
Cant belive you are just going for a bike ride on the mottorways of england.
you should be traveling up from dublin thru northern ireland.. then ferry to scotland then work your way down! Thats Xcore!
January 27th, 2010 at 4:31 am
I second bigfatbball2 about the Yorkshire moors. I take that route between Preston and Leeds just for the scenery. I’m not sure what its like at this time of year though.
Other than that, a huge chunk of your journey is the M1 which is just a long boring motorway. You could take the A1(M) up to sheffield, which is more scenic but its just a smaller motorway that goes to roughly the same places.
Try and find an alternate route to the M40 (Birmingham to London) if you can too. That’s also a boring one.
Whatever you do, make sure to stop in pubs for lunch any chance you get when on the motorways. Don’t just stop at the KFC in the motorway service station or whatever, a short trip off the motorway for a few minutes will almost always land you in some small village that has a pub doing great food. I stopped in one once and it was on a road called Butthole Lane. How awesome is that? Steak and ale pie is good. Since the smoking ban pubs are mostly just restaurants now (but with more pints).
January 27th, 2010 at 5:38 am
@Steven, As it were I’m kicking myself for not allotting more time to explore more. I’d have loved to also see Belfast, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
If I have the money to do it again in the summer of fall I’ll consider it. On the bright side, there’s plenty more world for me to see!
January 27th, 2010 at 6:14 am
There’s the normal touristy places like London Eye, the embankment but sounds like your doing it on the cheap.
I’d go with bigfatbball2 suggestion and go to Camden for their markets.
Would love to meet up. Tweet the venue and time.
January 27th, 2010 at 7:12 am
Going through the list you sent me of pubs, since you’ll be in my place for two nights I think we can visit a few other fun places. Will put them up later.
January 27th, 2010 at 10:23 am
Great a Meet in my hometown Sheffield.Guess, I’ll have to go to have Birthday Beer’s with yo. as mine around that time also. As for ride’s. well there’s. the Cat & Fiddle ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_and_Fiddle_Road ). or the Snake Pass,like i’ve posted on the Hak5 Forum.
January 27th, 2010 at 3:43 pm
You’re going to love it here! The cold, the rain, people with funny accents (and even different languages!), driving on the other side of the road, crumpets, ale, marmite, fish and chips, olde time seaside resorts.
I look forward to catching you in London, I am there fo sho!
If you’re looking for a half decent pay as you go data option then this is a good choice http://bit.ly/19XKED – no doubt you would have sorted that out anyway!
See you on the 21st
January 28th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
I am in the Worcester area if you are passing by on your way back through Wales to London.
There really are some great routes in Wales. Be sure to check out Eden Valley if you can fit it in as you travel through Wales, some great views.
Dale
January 28th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Looking forward in coming down from Glasgow to meet you in Manchester.
January 29th, 2010 at 9:26 am
Awesome you are goign to the UK but….. why not Scotland (Glasgow)?
January 29th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Definitely avoid the motorways. A roads won’t be much different but at least they’ll take you through some towns.
It’s pretty cold and damp here at the moment too… Perfect weather for whole days at around 70mph
See ya at the London meetup!
January 30th, 2010 at 6:15 am
Hi its really cool that ur coming to the uk I have watched every Hak5 episode. Any way I see that ur ride out to Holyhead I am at uni in Bangor it would be cool if you had time to stop in Bangor (the Bangor in wales uk) or menai bridge (just as you come on to the isle of anglesey) as it on ur way to Holyhead.
January 31st, 2010 at 3:58 am
I was thinking of adding adding to the notes on the Open Google maps a tally of people coming but seems it has a character limit.
Maybe you could update this post with people attending.
I’ll be coming to Manchester and Sheffield.
January 31st, 2010 at 6:43 am
Hey Darren. I’ll be turning up to the Manchester meetup. I live in Leeds and would’ve offered you a place to stay but it looks like you have that sorted now. What’s the best way to keep up with you once you’ve set off? Twitter and the blog?
Also is there anyway to do what Chris said above and have a list of people attending?
January 31st, 2010 at 8:20 am
I’m from Leeds area as well. If we have an idea who’s going and from where we could start arranging some travel and such.
I took the liberty of creating a wiki page on the Hak5 site, I hope you dont mind Darren, just means everyone can collaborate a little easier.
http://wiki.hak5.org/wiki/Hak5UK2010 I’ve copied over what data I can and I’m trying to figure out to embed images but everyone could put there which meet they will attend, how there travelling and we can sort lifts out if a few people are going from the same area.
January 31st, 2010 at 8:24 am
Be sure to check out MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry) in Manchester if you have time.
Take care on the journey over to Manchester from Sheffield, nice road but dangerous in bad conditions.
Also, the Police in North Wales are very handy with the speed guns, keep to the limit.
Most of all, enjoy England, I know you will!
January 31st, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Darren, I see that you travel vaguely past our area (Telford).
Plenty of Museums and the like. To be fair you have one hell of an hectic schedule and you could of spent 3-4 days at each of your locations no problem rather than just one. Hope to join one of the London area hook ups!!
P.S. Dan is absolutely right the North Wales police are S£$T hot on the speed. (PITA since that road is great for bikers!)
Enjoy the UK
January 31st, 2010 at 5:29 pm
Hi Darren,
First up, i’ll have to ride with you on my Honda Silverwing (600cc scooter) for a bit of fun in and around Manchester.
I’m not sure who’s hosting your party Thursday night in Manchester? Tann S?
But if Tann S or you want to get in touch, I’ll book somewhere really good for about 50-100 people in Central Manchester. I got a feeling people will travel to Manchester to see you because the transport links are very good. I can also offer you a couch if anything falls through.
I noticed you got nothing confirmed for London either. Can I suggest we try and put on a geekdinner for you in central London? I was formally the organiser of geekdinner.co.uk but now a friend has taken over for me. I can have a word with him about arranging the event for you.
Just ping me on @cubicgarden (twitter/identica) or email me back.
February 1st, 2010 at 2:58 am
For the Friday in Ireland, setting the meetup smack in the city centre at Cassidy’s Bar on Westmoreland St.Nice pub to start from, very central and leaves the entire rest of all the good pubs within walking distance (10minutes max to most of them).
February 1st, 2010 at 12:03 pm
@Chris
I added myself to the wiki you made mate. My plan so far is to get the train over to Manchester but if you know a group of people who are coming then I’d be more than happy to travel with you guys.
February 2nd, 2010 at 6:02 pm
North Yorks Moors, way out of way. But North Yorks Dales deffinately, Just straight north of your journey if you look on map. Try places like Skipton. Malham cove etc. However, Theres nothing wrong with the straight journey from sheffield to machester accross the peak district. Maybe snake pass and its snake pass inn. Or maybe what i would recomend a trip accross saddleworth moor via holmfirth. and the amazingly pituresque chew valley when you descend from saddlworth moor. I suppose im biased i live in uppermill in saddleworth and my favorite pub is waggon inn in the afforsaid village. Well anyway hope to meet you in machester or maybe sheffield.
February 3rd, 2010 at 12:09 pm
Manchester meet-up sounds good. Any one travelling from St.Helens?
February 4th, 2010 at 8:37 am
Must agree with previous post, should come up from Dublin to Belfast then over the water again to Scotland. However, bit late to make changes now.. There is plenty of beer, food, craic and accommodation in Belfast anytime you are passing…
February 4th, 2010 at 9:58 am
Will definitely come to London meet up! Any news on the venue? I think it should be a venue either in Camden/Islington or Shoreditch/Hoxton areas, some good venues and not so expensive and pointless like the ones in the city centre.
Looking forward to it!
February 4th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
Hi Darren,
Love the show. Do you have waterproofs/goretex etc organized? You’re gonna need it in Feb! I’m in Manchester and have spare warm kit if you need it. I’ll meet up and ride with you some/all the way to Holyhead if you need an escourt
There are some nice roads on the way if you have time and it’s not snowing.
Shame it’s a Thursday, I could have taken you to several bike meets on the way, but usually these would only be busy on a Sunday (and when the weather is nice).
It would be 2.5 hours on the Motorway, 4 hours via the scenic route to Holyhead from Manchester. Hope the weather behaves for you.
If you get sea sick easily, be prepared with meds. The crossing in Feb is Likely to be a bit like white water rafting
On your way back to London, I would recommend a stop at the National Motorcycle museum in Birmingham, it’s easy to get to (just off the motorway M6/M40 junctions). Some nice old kit in there to drool over.
On your ride over from Sheffield to Manchester, be prepared for the scenic roads to be closed due to snow, definitely not a good idea on a CB500 with road tyres if the weather is bad. There are plenty of alternative routes though.
Let me know if you need anything, especially bike related.
February 4th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
Hi darren two of my freinds (jimmy&alan) and myself would like to meet you at the manchester meetup. I have a htc hero phone and before that a magic i have hacked both and used alot of diffrent roms, there is a really easy way of installing a recovery img which i can show you…it worked for both phones and allowed me to change my rom whilest away from the computer (multiple times…).Also i think it would be cool if next time you talked about the android you could mention the scripting languages on the phone ase or gscript. There aren’t many scripts for the phone and i think it would be cool if hak5 hosted a load of cool android phone scripts i did code one (a bluetooth script) but i lost it recently.
Anyway i hope you enjoy your birthday in the uk…if your going to a club after the meetup which would be good fun to do to unwind after a load of tektalk i recommend sanky soap http://www.sankeys.info/ i went there last weekend the women were hot and the music ruled its expensive but if you can i’d recommend it, it would be cool to go there with you if your up for it. Be carefull on any country backroads you go on … ppl who arnt locals don’t know the roads so well and the 4×4’s have no clue how wide they are so they’re a right menace in combo..also i’d be careful were you park in manchester use a decent highrise carpark if you can theres alot of bike thefts in manchester gangsters love them they nick one shoot someone (perform a hit) and then speed off they are prefered be4cause they can get away from the police easier on one…anyways i’m rambling see you on the 18th..
andy (snakeroot)
February 5th, 2010 at 8:53 am
Look forward to finding out where in London you intend to arrange the meeting place.
Finally being able to see Darren Kitchen in real life.
February 11th, 2010 at 4:45 am
Omg…I soooo don’t wanna be square. Looks like I gotta be there.
LZ
February 13th, 2010 at 5:11 am
Perhaps you can help me! I am looking to purchase a bike for my son and i simpy dont know what i should be going for? I mean when i got my motorbike i knew exactly what i wanted for a ver long time, but he is unsure what he wants? Is there maybe a decent way to discover whats best?