Discussion
Wow, what a week! You can keep your Snake Pass etc, we done the Stelvio Pass, Umbrail Pass, the road from Stelvio to Davos, ST Bernard Pass & the road to Val d'lsere then into Turin, oh & the Rally Legends was good as well http://www.lawrencecliftphotography.co.uk/30360/in... After a trouble free run of 2,863 miles (averaging 23 MPG) we arrived back home yesterday. We visited the Ferrari museum @ Maranello, plus a glimpse of the Ferrari test track from the road. Maranello Rosso/Abarth collection in San Marino http://www.maranellorosso.com/file/inglese/colle.h... . The rally was the main reason for the trip & we weren't disappointed. The sight, sound & smell of the cars was amazing. Best sounding were the 037's, S4's, 6R4, & the Stratos' & Porsche's with their straight through exhausts! The "mainland" Europeans know how to spectate with their air horns, bottles of wine & flags/banners, VERY excited when a driver gets the car sideways! We recced 3 stages including the stage around the industrial estate & got a little bit carried away, much to the satisfaction of the spectators that had already bagged their spot to the extent that we had another go ;-). The only slight downside was the cancellation of the 2nd run through the industrial estate on the Saturday due to the large crowd numbers, but apart from that we had an enjoyable rally, especially after signing on, I met with Miki Biasion who accompanied me to my car for a photo plus he also autograped the roof. Before the rally had started, we met up with Howard & Dan who'd also "done" a few pass' in Switzerland, and on the way back home on Sunday we had lunch beside Lake Garda & came across a 1.3s Fulvia & Fiat 500 in the car park, but prior to lunch we had a bash at a little tunnel blasting ;-). After lunch, we followed the Fulvia & 500 through some more tunnels & I must have scared the little 500 with more blasting! Time was pressing on & we tackled Stelvio at around 18.00 arriving @ 18.20, now that's a prioper climb. We passed 2 motor homes coming down & their brakes absoloutely stank! You couldn't really get any proper speed up, I managed to grab 3rd max, but it wasn't about the speed just the thought of tackling one of the most famous roads there is. The summit is 9,045 feet & we thought that we were unfit, then realised how high we were. Monday we left for the 600 mile/12 hour trip back to Calais but what goes up must go down, so we went down the other side of the mountain & done the Umbrail Pass. We were told that it wasn't really a nice road, but have learned that if anyone tells you that, it'll probably be a good one as there was a good gravel section! As we dropped down into Tschierv, we were greeted with a Swiss picture postcard view of green pastureland, pine trees & snow capped mountains, just fantastic. Thanks to Paul & Michael you accomponied us down to Turin in the Clio V6, Mick, Chris, Kev & Phil in the rear engined Beta & Passat chase car, but above all Howard & Dan, Simon & Jordan, we'll cherish those memories for ever ;-). Here's to next year.
Wow. Stelvio pass, car signed by Miki Biasion, works S4's and the drive to Davros. Sounds fantastic.
I remember watching the Top Gear episode where they tried to find the best driving road in the world, I marked that route on Google Earth and you have now completed it.
I really want to do this route myself and cant wait to hear all about it at the next PH meet.
I remember watching the Top Gear episode where they tried to find the best driving road in the world, I marked that route on Google Earth and you have now completed it.
I really want to do this route myself and cant wait to hear all about it at the next PH meet.
It was all Top Gear's fault! The roads in that episode just looked fantastic & we weren't dissapointed. The drop down from the Umbrail Pass into green fields in Switzerland was just fantastic, it was the best fun that I've had in a car, apart from a Corsa in Ibiza years ago, but that's another story! Next years trip is already being planned.
snapper8v said:
It was all Top Gear's fault! The roads in that episode just looked fantastic & we weren't dissapointed. The drop down from the Umbrail Pass into green fields in Switzerland was just fantastic, it was the best fun that I've had in a car, apart from a Corsa in Ibiza years ago, but that's another story! Next years trip is already being planned.
Will next years trip be a Lancia only event?No far from it. If you want to come along then feel free. The only thing that my mate Howard pointed out was that you get different types of drivers, the full on & Sunday drivers, hence you're always waiting for them to catch up. Basically there'll be some sort of itinerary & you do what you want in between. It'll be nothing silly i.e. no racing, but we'll be "making progress" if the conditions allow, but TBH we stuck to the speed limits most of the time & just mavelled at the scenery. I'll keep you posted.
I know what you mean about the Stelvio Pass as I did it at the end of August in the Atom (a group of 12 Atoms actually).
We also took in the St Bernard Pass, the Brunig Pass, the Grimsel Pass, the Furka Pass, the Oberalp Pass, the Julier Pass, the Maloja Pass, the Splugen Pass, the Simplon Pass, the Val San Giacomo and the Col de la Forcaz along with some very nice roads in between.
Luckily we didn't get held up by any motor homes like you, but the sportsbikes got in the way a bit until they realised that they weren't the quickest things on those roads.
I covered just over 3,000 miles and averaged 34.5 MPG, which I think is quite good for virtually flat out driving most of the time.
I recommend that everybody goes and drives in the Alps at least once in their life.
We also took in the St Bernard Pass, the Brunig Pass, the Grimsel Pass, the Furka Pass, the Oberalp Pass, the Julier Pass, the Maloja Pass, the Splugen Pass, the Simplon Pass, the Val San Giacomo and the Col de la Forcaz along with some very nice roads in between.
Luckily we didn't get held up by any motor homes like you, but the sportsbikes got in the way a bit until they realised that they weren't the quickest things on those roads.
I covered just over 3,000 miles and averaged 34.5 MPG, which I think is quite good for virtually flat out driving most of the time.
I recommend that everybody goes and drives in the Alps at least once in their life.
snapper8v said:
No far from it. If you want to come along then feel free. The only thing that my mate Howard pointed out was that you get different types of drivers, the full on & Sunday drivers, hence you're always waiting for them to catch up. Basically there'll be some sort of itinerary & you do what you want in between. It'll be nothing silly i.e. no racing, but we'll be "making progress" if the conditions allow, but TBH we stuck to the speed limits most of the time & just mavelled at the scenery. I'll keep you posted.
Excellent !!A1ec said:
We also took in the St Bernard Pass, the Brunig Pass, the Grimsel Pass, the Furka Pass, the Oberalp Pass, the Julier Pass, the Maloja Pass, the Splugen Pass, the Simplon Pass, the Val San Giacomo and the Col de la Forcaz along with some very nice roads in between.
The Furka Pass! I physically smile every time I think of driving that road, it was quite a special moment for me 
Driving mountain passes has always been an ambition of mine, and I've finally achieved it. Will it be the same 2nd time around...........you bet! As you may have read, I'm definitely contemplating returning to San Marino next year and will be going via Switzerland & Lake Garda, the only thing is I'll be going in October. Two reasons for that is 1, I'm busy with work throughout the Summer and 2 the Rally Legends is in October. If something is organised for the Summer, then get yourselves over there, you'll thoroughly enjoy it.
LAWRENCE
LAWRENCE
Well here's what we got up to on the way back from Rally Legends in San Marino. The drive down the other side of Stelvio, the Umbrail Pass, certainly concentrated the mind with the "safety" poles!!!
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ap6nfc_nS4M
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ap6nfc_nS4M
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