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MrsC_772 · 06-07-2016, 09:34 PM

Day 7 - Friday 1 July

What we'd actually come for - WDW itself.

A fairly early start, as Ursa had booked a track session for the morning, and needed to report to the signing in desk some time before.

We sat outside our hotel, with a nice sea view, eating breakfast. Whether or not a pancake with banana and Nutella is truly the breakfast of champions, we both thought it worth a go! There were also delicious fresh peaches (one of the things I look forward to at WDW is the superior stone fruit available in Cattolica compared with back home).

The excitement and heat built, as we queued to get on site, ogling the interesting mix of bikes all around. As in previous years, the Brits were boiling in leathers, the Italians in shorts, skimpy T-shirts & trainers. Once we got in, Ursa wanted to get her bike's brakes bled/looked at before hitting the track, so we reported to the Ducati service desk. The service desk is worth a visit even if your bike doesn't need any work, as the combined fans/mist sprayers there are the most effective on the whole Misano site when it comes to cooling down - I agree with Emily's Driver who had conducted extensive research. The service guys only charge 35 Euros an hour for work which is pretty reasonable.

Ursa headed onto the track, for a good 20 minute session, while I bought several bottles of water, and headed up to the top of the grandstand to view the action. Apart from quarantining the Hypermotards to separate sessions, there is no splitting of track riders into novice, intermediate and fast groups at Misano. This meant there were Multis, Diavels, Panigales and other sports bikes, as well as Ursa on her 695 on track for the very first time. Hunched forward in a racing crouch ("tits on tank" being her poetic description) Ursa made it round without crashing (unlike another rider that session on a sportsbike).

Relieved to be rid of her leathers after the track session (removed with some assistance, and not much dignity) we were onto Ursa's second mission of the day. Apart from her love of bears (not a surprise from the user name and avatar) Ursa's other passion is following MotoGP, and in particular Andrea Ianonne. Having downloaded the WDW app on her phone, she was alerted to Ianonne making an appearance for an autograph signing session on the Dainese stand at 2.30. After briefly running into Slob & Thuli near International Village (where Thuli presented us with the inspired gift of folding fans emblazoned with UKMOC logos) it was time for the other kind of fan. Queuing behind the rope, we waited half an hour in the heat for the man himself, there to demonstrate the airbag jacket technology. Ursa had an official Iannone fan club hat & t-shirt to be signed, and gave me her phone ready snap the momentous occasion, but it kept conking out in the heat. Just when Iannone was 2 people up the line from us, it gave up completely. Iannone was too hot for her phone! Fortunately, for once, I had my own phone handy, rather than buried in the bottom of my Kriega waistpack, so I was able to snap a couple of shots of Ursa and Iannone, which she then bluetoothed to her own phone.

Her life's work accomplished (well, until tomorrow, when there were other MotoGP stars available for autograph sessions), Ursa & I were able to relax a little, potter round admiring the bikes, until it was time for the unpleasantly sticky business of getting leathers back on for the ride home.

That evening we caught a taxi up to Tavullia where we met the rest of the UKMOC WDW group at Pizzeria da Rossi. A most convivial evening, and surprisingly tasty & good value for money food, especially for a "celebrity" place. My enjoyment of the evening was enhanced by remembering my mosquito repellant, and by Ursa taking one for the team and finishing the limoncello shot that inevitably appeared in front of me towards the end of the meal.

06-07-2016, 09:34 PM	#7
MrsC_772 Silver Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Farnborough Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 712	Iannone is too hot for Ursa's phone Day 7 - Friday 1 July What we'd actually come for - WDW itself. A fairly early start, as Ursa had booked a track session for the morning, and needed to report to the signing in desk some time before. We sat outside our hotel, with a nice sea view, eating breakfast. Whether or not a pancake with banana and Nutella is truly the breakfast of champions, we both thought it worth a go! There were also delicious fresh peaches (one of the things I look forward to at WDW is the superior stone fruit available in Cattolica compared with back home). The excitement and heat built, as we queued to get on site, ogling the interesting mix of bikes all around. As in previous years, the Brits were boiling in leathers, the Italians in shorts, skimpy T-shirts & trainers. Once we got in, Ursa wanted to get her bike's brakes bled/looked at before hitting the track, so we reported to the Ducati service desk. The service desk is worth a visit even if your bike doesn't need any work, as the combined fans/mist sprayers there are the most effective on the whole Misano site when it comes to cooling down - I agree with Emily's Driver who had conducted extensive research. The service guys only charge 35 Euros an hour for work which is pretty reasonable. Ursa headed onto the track, for a good 20 minute session, while I bought several bottles of water, and headed up to the top of the grandstand to view the action. Apart from quarantining the Hypermotards to separate sessions, there is no splitting of track riders into novice, intermediate and fast groups at Misano. This meant there were Multis, Diavels, Panigales and other sports bikes, as well as Ursa on her 695 on track for the very first time. Hunched forward in a racing crouch ("tits on tank" being her poetic description) Ursa made it round without crashing (unlike another rider that session on a sportsbike). Relieved to be rid of her leathers after the track session (removed with some assistance, and not much dignity) we were onto Ursa's second mission of the day. Apart from her love of bears (not a surprise from the user name and avatar) Ursa's other passion is following MotoGP, and in particular Andrea Ianonne. Having downloaded the WDW app on her phone, she was alerted to Ianonne making an appearance for an autograph signing session on the Dainese stand at 2.30. After briefly running into Slob & Thuli near International Village (where Thuli presented us with the inspired gift of folding fans emblazoned with UKMOC logos) it was time for the other kind of fan. Queuing behind the rope, we waited half an hour in the heat for the man himself, there to demonstrate the airbag jacket technology. Ursa had an official Iannone fan club hat & t-shirt to be signed, and gave me her phone ready snap the momentous occasion, but it kept conking out in the heat. Just when Iannone was 2 people up the line from us, it gave up completely. Iannone was too hot for her phone! Fortunately, for once, I had my own phone handy, rather than buried in the bottom of my Kriega waistpack, so I was able to snap a couple of shots of Ursa and Iannone, which she then bluetoothed to her own phone. Her life's work accomplished (well, until tomorrow, when there were other MotoGP stars available for autograph sessions), Ursa & I were able to relax a little, potter round admiring the bikes, until it was time for the unpleasantly sticky business of getting leathers back on for the ride home. That evening we caught a taxi up to Tavullia where we met the rest of the UKMOC WDW group at Pizzeria da Rossi. A most convivial evening, and surprisingly tasty & good value for money food, especially for a "celebrity" place. My enjoyment of the evening was enhanced by remembering my mosquito repellant, and by Ursa taking one for the team and finishing the limoncello shot that inevitably appeared in front of me towards the end of the meal.