Mclaren 750S into Europe, the usual nonsense!
Discussion
Br D
The incident in the restaurant remained me of my old man in the Latin Quarter in Paris.
He was 40 years younger!
Sat outside at our table, ordered drinks, they came but then we were asked to move, OK fair enough.
Ordered food and asked to move again.
That lit a blue touch paper with my old man, who's always been fair, but firm when needed.
He moved OK the whole table on it's side and we walked, no body came after us.
You were a saint there, I'd of just walked myself and gone elsewhere
The incident in the restaurant remained me of my old man in the Latin Quarter in Paris.
He was 40 years younger!
Sat outside at our table, ordered drinks, they came but then we were asked to move, OK fair enough.
Ordered food and asked to move again.
That lit a blue touch paper with my old man, who's always been fair, but firm when needed.
He moved OK the whole table on it's side and we walked, no body came after us.
You were a saint there, I'd of just walked myself and gone elsewhere
Just seen this topic today should be made a sticky so it’s always on the front page took a while to read all 16 pages, but well worth it as usual. Sorry to hear about the health issues, although seems you are making a good recovery. The new 750S is stunning pity some people don’t respect others property, maybe a good idea to have PPF installed when it’s been repaired, particularly on such an expensive option. Enjoy the rest of your trip look forward to reading further updates.
Just dropping in as I've read these over a few years and was thinking only a few days ago "I wonder if..." and here we are. And for the record, jealous, fascinated, entertained... and many more adjectives aside. I do wonder how I've managed to end up with cars with such tiny boots - the notion of packing for just myself for a week is tight in an MC20!
Anyhoo, I did a road trip from Phoenix to Santa Monica a couple of years ago with my bestie (our 50th anniversary of being alive - slightly delayed by covid) and stuck up a blog for friends & family at the time. Reading yours and our occasional thoughts back to the US has me looking at various roadmaps (or Google) for planning retirement years - not too far off now - to do similarly.
Anyhoo, I did a road trip from Phoenix to Santa Monica a couple of years ago with my bestie (our 50th anniversary of being alive - slightly delayed by covid) and stuck up a blog for friends & family at the time. Reading yours and our occasional thoughts back to the US has me looking at various roadmaps (or Google) for planning retirement years - not too far off now - to do similarly.
So, the giff gaff was supposed to be 40g a month, 5g roaming.
When I left Locarno waze wouldn't work. It's bloody impossible to prop up my normal phone and use that because my eyes are rubbish and it just keeps falling over.
I drove for an hour or so then pulled in a service station to try to sort it. I didn't have a clue, lost on iPhones, so I called some of the people at work and they had a look, giff gaff online said I'd only used 1g so should have been loads left but you can't phone anyone so they just put more money on it and it started working again.
But this little bit of inconvenience worked in my favour.
When I left Locarno waze wouldn't work. It's bloody impossible to prop up my normal phone and use that because my eyes are rubbish and it just keeps falling over.
I drove for an hour or so then pulled in a service station to try to sort it. I didn't have a clue, lost on iPhones, so I called some of the people at work and they had a look, giff gaff online said I'd only used 1g so should have been loads left but you can't phone anyone so they just put more money on it and it started working again.
But this little bit of inconvenience worked in my favour.
I can't see the little figures on waze that tell you how long you've got left and how many K's it is, unless I put my glasses on but then looking forwards is like swimming without goggles on so that's a bit iffy. So I always make sure the route is correct before I go and just follow along.
Not for the first time I'd forgotten to get the vignette and I'd also forgotten you have to tell waze you've got it. I get back on the journey which should have been about 5 hours but it takes me off the motorway and starts winding through these little towns. I'm thinking it's odd but I just trust waze. After half an hour of this I get nervous, pull into a car park and get my bins on and the route is now saying 12 hours!
I'd forgotten to enter the vignette and it's taking me out of Switzerland.
I reset that but now I'm off the beaten track and my best route is now the Gotthard Pass.
That was a touch!
At this point I still haven't stretched the cars legs and this was my last day in the Alps.
So up we go.
Not for the first time I'd forgotten to get the vignette and I'd also forgotten you have to tell waze you've got it. I get back on the journey which should have been about 5 hours but it takes me off the motorway and starts winding through these little towns. I'm thinking it's odd but I just trust waze. After half an hour of this I get nervous, pull into a car park and get my bins on and the route is now saying 12 hours!
I'd forgotten to enter the vignette and it's taking me out of Switzerland.
I reset that but now I'm off the beaten track and my best route is now the Gotthard Pass.
That was a touch!
At this point I still haven't stretched the cars legs and this was my last day in the Alps.
So up we go.
br d said:
I'm so far behind!
Just got to Frankfurt. Going to wash off the travel crap, get a cuppa and get some stuff down.
Thanks for at all the replies.
If you are in Frankfurt then I highly recommend this restaurant in the Opera house, food and venue first class and the staff were really friendly, nobody will be messing with your wine choice if it’s anything like what we experienced when we were there in MayJust got to Frankfurt. Going to wash off the travel crap, get a cuppa and get some stuff down.
Thanks for at all the replies.
Just catching up Brad.
That lake looks stunning!
We’re now on our Euro trip so first stop Metz in France.
No live entertainment on our Newcastle - Amsterdam ferry crossing as the guy had damaged his finger the night before so our entertainment was seeing how many Dutch guys had to duck under the doorways - jeez these Dutch are a tall race (including the women).
Decided to drive from Amsterdam through Belgium (near Liege) then through Luxembourg (cheap petrol inc 102 Ron) - going great guns until we hit the A31 near Luxembourg City due to roadworks - added a good hour on. Avoid that if you can.
Metz - pleasant enough and car is in an underground car park so relatively safe. Nothing like your standards though. Stunning cathedral. Proper look tomorrow then a trip up the Moselle Valley the day after.
Next stop - Aix-les-Bains for some good driving roads!
That lake looks stunning!
We’re now on our Euro trip so first stop Metz in France.
No live entertainment on our Newcastle - Amsterdam ferry crossing as the guy had damaged his finger the night before so our entertainment was seeing how many Dutch guys had to duck under the doorways - jeez these Dutch are a tall race (including the women).
Decided to drive from Amsterdam through Belgium (near Liege) then through Luxembourg (cheap petrol inc 102 Ron) - going great guns until we hit the A31 near Luxembourg City due to roadworks - added a good hour on. Avoid that if you can.
Metz - pleasant enough and car is in an underground car park so relatively safe. Nothing like your standards though. Stunning cathedral. Proper look tomorrow then a trip up the Moselle Valley the day after.
Next stop - Aix-les-Bains for some good driving roads!
br d said:
So, the giff gaff was supposed to be 40g a month, 5g roaming.
When I left Locarno waze wouldn't work. It's bloody impossible to prop up my normal phone and use that because my eyes are rubbish and it just keeps falling over.
I drove for an hour or so then pulled in a service station to try to sort it. I didn't have a clue, lost on iPhones, so I called some of the people at work and they had a look, giff gaff online said I'd only used 1g so should have been loads left but you can't phone anyone so they just put more money on it and it started working again.
But this little bit of inconvenience worked in my favour.
I found last couple of times visiting Geneva that GiffGaff goodybag allocation doesn't work in Switzerland, they don't have the same agreement as the rest of the EU sadly. You need to add plenty of credit as its 20p per MB for data.When I left Locarno waze wouldn't work. It's bloody impossible to prop up my normal phone and use that because my eyes are rubbish and it just keeps falling over.
I drove for an hour or so then pulled in a service station to try to sort it. I didn't have a clue, lost on iPhones, so I called some of the people at work and they had a look, giff gaff online said I'd only used 1g so should have been loads left but you can't phone anyone so they just put more money on it and it started working again.
But this little bit of inconvenience worked in my favour.
A bit frustrating for me when I turned up at Geneva Airport after a skiing holiday in France where had no connection issues.
My phone with boarding passes etc expecting to download would not work, and trying to do a topup without network access was no good either (free airport WiFi helped in the end after a faff registering etc).
I'm not sure this is another Brexit benefit or not, as I don't remember having this issue till recent yrs. May just mean I need to get a proper SIM from a grown up carrier when heading to Europe/Switzerlandin future.
The car is mental as anything as you would expect.
There were some cobbled road bits going up that I had to go slow on, a couple of sport bikes flew past, then on to the tarmac.
I know on paper it's only a couple of points quicker than a 720 and I'm no driver so would I even notice a difference on these mountains?
It felt like a difference.
It's savagely quick, way too much to keep your foot down on these roads but even a 2 second blip just launches you up the mountain.
I think I can feel the shorter gearing, perhaps that's in my head but the steering is noticeably better, it's just nuts. It was bright and dry and I could just throw anything at it, as much as I had the recently operated on balls to try anyway.
I came into what I thought was just a slight left hander but it went straight into a right hairpin (you'd think I would be aware of bends like this now) and I was carrying too much speed, I started to brake and aimed it round and it just gripped like a motherf
ker and stayed on its line, very little to do with me, I st myself, oversteered a little on the way out and had to do a snap correction.
I never manage to look cool driving these cars.
I've no idea how much I was pushing, felt to me like 8 tenths, it was probably nearer 5 but it's completely down to how much nerve I have, the car just isn't bothered, it does whatever you want. And it sounds so good too, especially when you're near the rocks.
And that airbrake dancing in the rear view mirror is a joy too.
I was fking blasting through the tunnels too, really enjoying it but it
is Switzerland and I was way over the signage, might not be going back there next year!
Dropping down is trickier because you just can't floor it, with the momentum the car is already carrying it's like an on/off switch it just blasts forward and you get much too quick.
It was fun just throwing round the bends on the way down though and hanging on.
I didn't even use the nutter settings, I had it on comfort for handling and sport for power. If I'd had it on Track/Track they would've been scraping me off the mountain! With a smile on my face!
It sounds much better in sport anyway.
I haven't had the weather to properly enjoy it over here but that was a start, I'm way out of the mountains now and of course it's glorious sunshine.
I've have been over thrashing since I've been in germany, got 3 camera flashes, might not be coming here either next year!
Tbf I think a couple of those I was only marginally over, they don't have lines on the road though so even though I've only seen a single flash each time I think that's still a nick.
There were some cobbled road bits going up that I had to go slow on, a couple of sport bikes flew past, then on to the tarmac.
I know on paper it's only a couple of points quicker than a 720 and I'm no driver so would I even notice a difference on these mountains?
It felt like a difference.
It's savagely quick, way too much to keep your foot down on these roads but even a 2 second blip just launches you up the mountain.
I think I can feel the shorter gearing, perhaps that's in my head but the steering is noticeably better, it's just nuts. It was bright and dry and I could just throw anything at it, as much as I had the recently operated on balls to try anyway.
I came into what I thought was just a slight left hander but it went straight into a right hairpin (you'd think I would be aware of bends like this now) and I was carrying too much speed, I started to brake and aimed it round and it just gripped like a motherf
ker and stayed on its line, very little to do with me, I st myself, oversteered a little on the way out and had to do a snap correction.I never manage to look cool driving these cars.
I've no idea how much I was pushing, felt to me like 8 tenths, it was probably nearer 5 but it's completely down to how much nerve I have, the car just isn't bothered, it does whatever you want. And it sounds so good too, especially when you're near the rocks.
And that airbrake dancing in the rear view mirror is a joy too.
I was f
king blasting through the tunnels too, really enjoying it but itis Switzerland and I was way over the signage, might not be going back there next year!
Dropping down is trickier because you just can't floor it, with the momentum the car is already carrying it's like an on/off switch it just blasts forward and you get much too quick.
It was fun just throwing round the bends on the way down though and hanging on.
I didn't even use the nutter settings, I had it on comfort for handling and sport for power. If I'd had it on Track/Track they would've been scraping me off the mountain! With a smile on my face!
It sounds much better in sport anyway.
I haven't had the weather to properly enjoy it over here but that was a start, I'm way out of the mountains now and of course it's glorious sunshine.
I've have been over thrashing since I've been in germany, got 3 camera flashes, might not be coming here either next year!
Tbf I think a couple of those I was only marginally over, they don't have lines on the road though so even though I've only seen a single flash each time I think that's still a nick.
ess said:
Great that you are still posting these summer events Brad.
Keep up the good work sir !
I’m just catching up; the last one I followed was pre-pandemic. (Thanks @B'stard Child for providing the links to previous years)
Clearly you have been through some traumatic times since then, and I wish you all the best.
I also went through simultaneous difficult times, personally/professionally.
Dropped out of everything to do with my life and went to hibernate in my mates converted barn in the Ashdown Forest for a while.
It’s only now, 2 years later, that I’m beginning to get it together.
Your adventures keep me inspired
S
Sorry to hear that man. If you needed the break then it's good you took it but I hope your life will come back on track and you find happiness again. Keep up the good work sir !
I’m just catching up; the last one I followed was pre-pandemic. (Thanks @B'stard Child for providing the links to previous years)
Clearly you have been through some traumatic times since then, and I wish you all the best.
I also went through simultaneous difficult times, personally/professionally.
Dropped out of everything to do with my life and went to hibernate in my mates converted barn in the Ashdown Forest for a while.
It’s only now, 2 years later, that I’m beginning to get it together.
Your adventures keep me inspired
S
Some stuff you can't just "get on with it" but as long as you keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Good luck.
Boxster5 said:
I don’t know whether you realise but your annual posts of your trips are a proper tonic for us mere mortals.
You have lots of fans on here.
We are fortunate that we have done our fair share of Euro road trips over the years, admittedly on a more modest budget (think Airbnb accommodation) but in a half decent car that is designed for exactly this kind of trip. My wife loves washing!! so 3 weeks will invariably lead to turning the washing machine on in our accommodation or even a visit to a launderette due to travelling “light”.
Reading your posts are like reading a black comedy - one minute laughing out loud, the next minute crying either with laughter or genuine tears of sadness from some of the sad things that have happened in your life.
I may have to reread them all just to appreciate them again.
I hope you made it to Switzerland - some of the stuff on YouTube around the NW Italian/Southern Swiss border showing the aftermath of the storm is scary stuff.
Look after yourself Brad.
Thank you Boxster, I really appreciate this. You have lots of fans on here.
We are fortunate that we have done our fair share of Euro road trips over the years, admittedly on a more modest budget (think Airbnb accommodation) but in a half decent car that is designed for exactly this kind of trip. My wife loves washing!! so 3 weeks will invariably lead to turning the washing machine on in our accommodation or even a visit to a launderette due to travelling “light”.
Reading your posts are like reading a black comedy - one minute laughing out loud, the next minute crying either with laughter or genuine tears of sadness from some of the sad things that have happened in your life.
I may have to reread them all just to appreciate them again.
I hope you made it to Switzerland - some of the stuff on YouTube around the NW Italian/Southern Swiss border showing the aftermath of the storm is scary stuff.
Look after yourself Brad.
To be honest I'm not looking for fans - I know you don't mean that literally - if I was these trips would be all over social media with everything filmed, scripted and edited perfectly, I have the time if that was my aim, and I'd no doubt get views in the thousands but I really couldn't think of anything worse.
It would be utterly false.
I just want to drive about, get pissed, look at some things and make a joke of it with the few dozen people who follow the trips on here.
Sorry for the deep dive.
These things have been equally absurd and deeply meaningful to me at different times and have helped me enormously to deal with my own issues.
I hope it comes across that there's no agenda here, no "look at me" b
ks.I'm as happy admitting I can't read a map or I've thrown up on a bathroom floor as I am showing off a new car. They are all just events on a trip, it's all just a shared experience, that's what I've always wanted to do with this.
When people post here with "Things have been rough for me but you made me laugh" then I'm happy I post all this crap.
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