g3org3y's Euro BANGER RALLY trip write up (pics++++)
Discussion
Owing to a number of requests, I have finally got round to doing my (proper) write up for the banger rally myself and a few friends did a number of years back. The photography is a mixed bag of dSLR and P&S. Everything is written from memory so apologies if the details aren’t quite up to scratch. Regardless, I hope it’ll give you a good idea of what we did and the fun we had.
The Route
It all started with an email from a mate asking whether I’d be interested in doing a rally across Europe. Apparently it was going to be organised by a friend of a friend and would comprise driving across France and Switzerland through the Alps and conclude in Italy. It would all be in aid of charity of course. As any self respecting Petrolhead, I jumped at the opportunity.
The proposed route looked interesting, but we both agreed that at 4 days, it was unfortunately short. As such, we felt it a (very) good idea to extend it to include the Italian Lakes, Innsbruck, Munich (primarily for the Oktoberfest though being a fanboi I was very keen on visiting the BMW Museum), Frankfurt, the Nurburgring, Brugge and then home.
An estimated total of 2100 miles (excluding UK driving) over 11 days.
There were four of us, myself, Ben, Mark and Fergal
The Car
The criteria for the rally was as follows, either:
- <£500
- Classic
- Fancy dress
Beingcheap poor we decided to plump for the <£500 option. Ultimately we needed something that would hold 4 (along with luggage) in relative comfort across the estimated 2000 miles we were to cover. Various options were suggested (I being a strong advocate of the E34 5 Series).
My friends are big Alan Partridge fans, so it came as no surprise (but admittedly disappointment from my point of view) when I heard we were shortlisting a Rover 800.
A decent (on paper) example was located in Leicester for around £350. It had about 2 months remaining on the MOT and tax so would be perfect for the rally. Unfortunately, the weekend we were due to inspect it, I was working. While (‘busy’) at work, a bit of googling suggested the 800 was considered a fairly reliable car with the exception of the expansion tank which had a habit of cracking and leaking.
I sent Ben a text warning him of the above but heard nothing back for a couple of hours until he called me. They had bought the car but unfortunately broken down about an hour north of London. The car was leaking water – it was the expansion tank! Eventually the car limped home (with plenty of top ups) and a rather crude gaffer tape fix.
The next weekend I had an opportunity to inspect the beast.
1997 Rover 820Si
2 litre 4 cylinder engine, mated to a (iirc) 3 speed auto.
High spec included alloyz (reduced unsprung weight).
And tow bar (improved rear weight distribution)
Velour interior with (working!!) aircon
Complete with gaffer tape fixed expansion tank.
It seemed to run reasonably well, it went forward when you pressed the accelerator and stopped on pressing the brake plus it only made mild groaning noises on turning. I suspect it may have been a taxi in a previous life (couple of non smoking signs in the interior) but for £350 it was a decent lump of metal.
Given our route was fairly extensive including alpine passes and high speed Autobahn, the car underwent some preventative maintenance. We changed the brake pads, topped up the oil and the ATF and stuck on a new set of Bosch wipers.
The major issue of the leaking coolant tank remained. The gaffer tape fix was not up to scratch and (being tight/cheap) we didn’t fancy shelling out for a new replacement (>£100) as such a trip to Halfords (two days before the trip) we returned armed with some epoxy resin and an expert fix was put in place.
Not too shabby!
Would this actually hold? – well, there’s no better way to find out than a cross-continental jaunt?
Day 1: London to Laon
The first day’s drive would consist of us getting from London to Laon to meet the other competitors. The journey began on a rather damp and overcast morning, Ben took the driving seat and off we went towards Dover. We’d be picking up the other two chaps in Maidstone.
I will admit, I expected us to break down (we had plenty of bottles of water in the boot just in case). However, I was hopeful that we’d at least make it out of the UK without incident. Unfortunately, this was not the case. The first break down occurred outside the station in Maidstone. The car was stopped, left running while we waited for out mates to get their bits and pieces together. We left the station and joined a slow moving queue of traffic. After less than a minute the smell of coolant (something we’d become very familiar with during this trip) was noted and the temp gauge started to move to the red. We pulled over and stopped the car to find ourselves with an empty coolant tank, plenty of steam and a rather damp patch underneath. Evidently the resin fix wasn’t as good as it looked!
We henceforth decided that the any town driving at slow speed would need the heater up to max. The 800 was topped up and we continued on our journey, luckily uneventfully until we reached Dover.
Once in France, we pulled over into one of the picnic stop areas on the Autoroute and set about ‘decorating’ our car. As mentioned, the ‘livery’ was based on Alan Partridge’s Rover 800 which was vandalised. I think we did a good job. Couple of Inbetweeners references too!
Car Friend! *thumbs up*
(Note the mirrored writing!)
(Virtual prize for who can work this out.)
I think it looked great, it even had a Union Jack on the roof for that genuine patriotic appearance.
As the rest of the drive was mainly Autoroute at a steady 70-80mph, the car behaved and required no further bonnet opening action until our hotel. Even then, when we checked, the water loss was very minimal. Hopes were raised for the rest of the journey.
We met up with the other competitors in the centre of Laon. Dinner was eaten and we took the executive decision that we should go out andget pissed with meet the locals.
The (dream) team on the town!
Day 2: Laon to Thun
Unfortunately, Day 2 began much the same as Day 1, overcast with plenty of rain. Frustrating but we tried to make the best of it.
Convening at the Buffalo Grill, other competitors included a couple of E34 5ers (one a V8 iirc), a rather colourful Renault Clio, a Peugeot Tank edition, Porsche 944 and a classic MG among others. I think we had a total of about 15-20 cars. Sorry for the lack of pics, but it had started to really bucket it down (and when my hair gets wet, it goes frizzy!).
As we set off, it was at this point I was relieved that we had bought those new wipers, the rain getting heavier and heavier. The sat nav was set and we took to the Autoroute. This was to be my first experience of driving on the other side of the road.
The car itself felt reasonable. We were somewhat relieved with the lower temps bearing in mind our potential overheating issues and as the day before, the motorway miles were (thankfully) dispatched with minimal issue.
Eventually we reached the French/Swiss border:
Unsurprisingly, we were asked to pull over by a policeman who also had a rather fierce looking dog. On seeing our car, I’m not sure whether his expression was one of confusion, disgust or disbelief. As expected, he wanted answers. In my rather crude French I tried to explain that the car was decorated to mimic one from a TV program in the UK. Did he understand or did he just want rid of us? Regardless he let us on our way and wished us luck with the rest of the journey.
We stopped at the next petrol station, a rather quaint affair which basically appeared to be a converted front room of a house. We filled up and bought a Swiss vignette. I’ve never seen plant pots on petrol pumps before (fire hazard??).
Unfortunately, there was no let up in the weather, the rain persisting and heavy. I suggested we visited somewhere else ‘interesting’ on the motorway signs:
We made it to the hotel in Thun and as we did so, the skies cleared up a touch and a rainbow appeared. Perhaps things were going to look up from a weather point of view.
We decided to avoid eating at the hotel (Tage-what!?) and made our way into the city centre.
Thun is a very pleasant city located on the River Aar which forms a centre point around which many of the restaurants/bars are situated. We met up with the rest of the rally crew who for the most part had made it without major issues or headaches. (Un)fortunately, that night coincided with my birthday. As such, I was relieved of driving duties the next morning and the night disappeared in an blur of beer and shots. Suffice to say, no photos suitable for display on a public forum. (I vaguely remember the night club we went to had its own strip club room!). Anyway, moving swiftly on…
Day 3: Thun to Locarno
Now this is where the proper driving was to start and the Rover’s first real test - we were hitting the Alps. We were ordered to convene early morning at the base of the local mountains. Again, more rain. And more rain.
Group shot
Team Alan Partridge Project.
As you can see, I was perfectly attired for the Alpine cold/rain in blazer, hat and jeans! I would regret this later as the rain continued.
A route was planned – destination Locaro with a stop off at the Contra Dam.
The views were epic, the rain relentless. Surprisingly, the Rover managed the steep inclines quite well – I think the ambient temp and us having the blower permanently on max helped. Sure, it wasn’t an M3 or Elise but it was doing the job and that was good enough for us.
By this point, I wasn’t a happy bunny. My lack of proper outdoor coat meant that every excursion out of the car had me soaking wet. Relief came in the form of a rather trendy looking poncho for 5 Euros. As you can see, I was delighted with the look (form a queue ladies)!
En route we stopped off at rather charming village for lunch. The wild boar was particularly good. Lecker!
One of the unfortunate issues we encountered was owing to the time of year (late Sept) many of the passes were closed. This was a shame, however given that as we got higher and higher significant amounts of snow started to fall, I suspect it was for the best!
In the Alps, as well as being spoilt for stunning snow topped mountain views, you also get plenty of tunnel fun (wait, that sounds wrong). Unfortunately, (despite the hole in the exhaust), the Rover wasn’t the most aurally inspiring car. We did get a chance to engage the warp drive however!
It must have worked because as we entered the next valley, it was like a different planet. Grey was replaced for blue and rain replaced for sun. We had enjoyed ourselves to this point, but admittedly the persistent rain had dampened (LOL) our spirits somewhat. Instantly our mood was raised. And what better way to celebrate than with a Big Mac!
The question remained, why the required detour to the Contra Dam. On seeing it, it looked familiar but I wasn’t sure why.
Nice view at the top though
Make no mistake about it, this is a high dam. Very high indeed. Now, I’m not one for heights so you can imagine my reaction when it was suggested Rally bonus points would be accrued for bungee jumping off it. Let’s just say, I’ve never managed to fit more four letter words in one sentence.
This was the dam used for the opening sequence of Goldeneye (ring a bell now?). Perhaps it was the notion of being as cool as James Bond, perhaps it was because he is completely insane but Fergal stepped up to volunteer.
It costs about 100 Euro to do the jump. You are taught the safety protocol etc and then up you stand, ready to go. We watched a couple of people bottle it – no refunds by the way.
Then it was Fergal’s turn. Understandably, he appeared a little pensive. To his credit, up he stepped, countdown from 5 and he did it. No waiting, no loitering, no stalling. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 – JUMP.
He was a lot happier on the way up (*Bungee Friend*)
Suffice to say, he was a very happy bunny and was on a proper high for the rest of the evening. From the dam, we made it to the centre of Locarno, checked in at our hotel and met up with the rest of the rally crew. It comes as no surprise that not many teams managed to get bungee points.
Locarno is located on the northern tip of Lake Maggiore. Delightfully picturesque but as per the rest of Switzerland, rather expensive. A night out was required and it was agreed that Fergal was getting free drinks all night. We ended up in Vanilla Club which was brilliant fun. Properly decent venue, great music, some stunning looking girls but very very expensive. Oh well, it’s only money right?
Smoke machine!
Reach for the lasers!
Day 4: Locarno to Mestre
The next morning wasn’t as painful as expected. Luckily the expensive nature of the club meant we hadn’t drunk a massive amount. Plus, we were greeted with lovely blue skies and warm temperatures.
We spent the morning wandering around Locarno taking in the relaxed atmosphere. A group photo of some of the cars was taken in Locarno piazza.
After yesterday’s alpine adventure, today was scheduled to be a far more relaxing affair, cruising by the side of the beautiful Lake Como and Lugano, entering Italy and concluding the rally in Mestre (just outside Venice).
Things were going well, very well in fact. The weather was nice, the view was epic, the sunroof was open, the tunes were playing. Life was good.
However, there’s something about Italy that brings out the unreliability of cars. We had been fortunate, the traffic around the lake was fairly light meaning minimal stops in traffic. This however was not the case on approaching the border – a decent size queue awaited an unlike our previous border experience, the ambient temp was much higher.
The heater was on max and I did my very best to maintain a slow but constant forward motion to aid cooling. It was however not enough, and despite avoiding standstill for the most part, just past the border I noticed steam coming from the bonnet. This was not looking good. 200 metres later we pulled off at the first petrol station on Italian soil. You can guess the rest.
Myself and Ben check the engine to find almost no water left
Our first proper overheat and break down on foreign soil. Luckily no lasting damage was done. Plenty of water and some time later we were on our way. With the warmer weather the tolerances we had to play with were much lower. Having the heater on max became a permanent fixture. The use of Sure increased exponentially.
Unfortunately, this was not to be the only break down of the day. As the day unfolded the traffic on the AutoStrada become progressively heavier as we approached the larger cities. What we really were dreading was a grid lock situation which would almost certainly cause us to overheat. Our luck ran out around Vicenza.
As per the previous break down, the smell was first, followed by the temp gauge. Luckily we were able to make it to the hard shoulder for some recuperative action. More time standing around, more bottles of water.
We waited a little time for the traffic to lighten up a touch and we were back en route.
We made some new *car friends* along the way!
By the way, if you are thinking of heading into Mestre, make sure you set your sat nav correctly, otherwise you might end up in a retail park 20 miles away.
With night falling, a combination of cooler temperatures and lighter traffic meant we had no further incidents. We pulled into the Mestre, tired, hungry and thirsty. The rest of the group had met up at a hotel a mile down the road. To be honest, we were too knackered to meet up with them. A somewhat anti-climactic end to the ‘formal’ rally. We ditched our bags, walked to the nearest restaurant and had a pizza washed down with a few beers. It felt good, we weren’t bothered about the rest.
We had made it. The official part of the rally was over. However, this was where the rally ‘proper’ would start for us – a route that would take us back up through the Italian Lakes, into the Alps and through Germany. The best was yet to come.
Day 5: Venice
This was our first ‘car free day’. Mestre is the center and the most populated urban area of the mainland of Venice. It’s a good place to explore Venice from as the hotels are cheaper and a bus across the Ponte della Liberta takes you directly to central Venice.
Renowned for its architecture and artworks as well as world famous canals, Venice is a tourist attraction for people all around the world. This was my first opportunity to get the camera out and take some ‘proper’ shots.
Our visit was plagued by intermittent rain showers. However the warm sunny periods more than made up for it.
Venice, as expected is a busy place, predominantly owing to tourists. As such, I found it a little fatiguing. Everything is geared to tourists (the infamous laminated tourist menu with photos of the food) and trying to find a more authentic experience off the beaten track was a lot harder as expected. Moreover, with a reputation so great, the experience will always be difficult to live up to.
Nevertheless, it is a place that should be visited at least once in one’s lifetime. Some lovely architecture and views make it a worthwhile location.
Day 6: Verona
One of our shortest drives of the holiday, about 60 miles west on the AutoStrada was the city of Verona, made famous by Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. You won’t be surpised to hear that the city trades very much off the back of its most famous couple – plenty of trinkets and ‘love’ related paraphenalia. The most visited sight is that of Juliet’s house and the famous balcony on which the immortal “Romeo Romeo…” lines were uttered. It is interesting to see how a city has managed to build an industry on a made up story…but no matter.
Juliet’s Balcony
Graffiti in the tunnel leading to Juliet’s house.
The Arena
City Arches
2 of your 5 a day!
I particularly enjoyed Verona. Despite the R&J bombardment, I felt it a more authentic Italian experience than Venice. We had a lovely dinner at a tiny quaint restaurant in Verona’s back streets - hand written menus – no English spoken. I had donkey bolognaise to start (seriously) and horse goulash (a local speciality) as main. Tasted better than it looked!
Day 7: Verona to Innsbruck
It was time to leave the land of pasta and pizza (and horse goulash) and go sample some Austrian sausage! My first time in Austria and there was no honest reason as to why we chose Innsbruck as our stop over point, probably as it was a convenient location on the way to Germany.
To be honest, the location didn’t matter that much because today it was all about the drive - a slight detour to take us on the eastern cost of Lake Garda and up through the mountains. Given the improvement in the weather and associated warmer temperatures, there were real fears that the car would overheat with the steep mountain inclines. Not to worry, we had lots (and lots) of bottles of water in the boot.
Lake Garda (as expected) was very pleasant and not too touristy at this time of year. We stopped off for an early lunch but knew there was plenty of driving to be done.
Once we reached the mountains the real test begun. Our target was one of the passes (it has been so long ago, sorry I can’t remember which) – if we could get to the top without issue, the drive down would be easy.
Of course, we didn’t…
Temp gauge went to red and we pulled over letting it cool down (yet again) before replacing its vital fluids. Gave me an opportunity for some photos though – stunning landscape!
Eventually, with much sweating (So. Much. Heat.) we made it to the top.
The drive back down was easier (and more fun!)
It was around this point in time we agreed that changing the brake pads was a very good idea!
We arrived in Innsbruck sweaty, smelly and tired. However, we had promised ourselves a decent night out so following a bit of shower and a bit of sausage (no homo) we hit the town.
On the way home (looking happy)
Every good night concludes with a badly packed kebab
Rover boots, also good as tables or ashtrays!
Day 8 Innsbruck to Munich & Day 9 Munich/Oktoberfest
The next morning wasn’t pleasant. For anyone. The results surveyed (and rephotoed)
Still looked bad, even with a shallow DOF.
Autumn had very much taken hold this part of the world
The view from the road in front of our hotel
Today was to be our drive to Germany, more specifically Munich, the location for the Oktoberfest, Germany’s world famous beer festival and the ultimate objective for our Euro Rally trip.
The drive itself was without incident. The motorways were smooth and of good quality and eventually we reached Deutschland.
Some of the scenery was (again) stunning. Green fields overlooked by snow capped mountains – epic! I can only apologies at the poor quality of the photos as they were taken out of a moving car.
Eventually we saw one of these signs…
Well, it would be rude not to!
Looks like the Rover had lost some of its horses (to be fair it was fully laden with luggage). On the way to Frankfurt I managed a marginally better speedo indicated 120mph.
I think anyone who knows me is aware of my penchant for a certain car manufacturer from Munich. It didn’t take much to convince to the rest of the group so we dropped into BMW Welt. Fanboi heaven (I think I suffered at least 3 strokes while walking round). I could do a whole thread just on this with the number of photos taken but here are some of the highlights:
The famous 4 Cylinder building
BMW 328 Mille Miglia (Superleggera)
BMW V12 from the V12 LMR which won LeMans in 1999
Nelson Piquet’s 1983 Championship winning F1 car
Collage of models
M1 with a very happy bunny standing next to it
3.0 CSL
E21 320i turbo
E46 M3 GTR
507 and Z8
Concept 1972 Turbo
Seriously, I do have enough photos for a whole thread!
Anyway, it was time to hit the Oktoberfest. Beer and meat – this is a combination that the Germans have got spot on in my opinion. We did this for two days and had a fabulous time. I can thoroughly recommend it. Those Germans can drink! Plus (unlike the English) they don’t seem to want to get into fights (which is nice). Great time!
Gotta love a bit of sausage!
And a lot of beer
The tents are epic!
And we made some friends!
(Disapproving man in the background)
Beer casualty!
Absolutely brilliant. If you haven’t done it – do it. If you have, do it again! Very much recommended A++++!
Day 10: Munich to Frankfurt via the Nurburgring
The excitement was to continue, today enroute to Frankfurt we were to visit a certain little toll road in the heart of the Eifel Mountains – the Nurbrugring.
The local ‘Ring petrol station stuffed full of Pork
Rover beats GT3 my friend
The metal on show in the carpark is a sight in itself!
Carpark was so full, everyone had resorted to parking down the road:
Unfortunately the track was closed
The reason why…
Ouch! That’s going to be an expensive bill.
To be honest, I think that was a good thing. As part of our ‘preflight’ checks under the bonnet, the fanbelt wasn’t looking in best of health!
The ‘Ring was left unlapped (and as such, the rump of the Rover devoid of Ring sticker) and we continued on our way.
We arrived at Frankfurt knackered and we couldn’t face a proper night out. A couple of beers and we retired early to bed.
Day 11 Frankfurt to Brugge to Home
We needed that early night because today’s drive was going to be a long one. From Frankfurt to Dunkirk with a stop off for lunch in Brugge. A long motorway drive and a hopefully uneventful end to our 11 day trip.
The Rover had been a good companion over the last 10 days. A spacious interior and soft ride made it more suited to German Autobahns or French AutoRoutes than the twisty alpine passes. The bonnet also doubled as a good table for eating crisps and drinks during the infrequent fuel/toilet breaks.
Brugge was pleasant albeit overcast. We went for a wander and it gave me an opportunity to get the camera out for the last time.
We arrived at the Dunkirk ferry port in good time. The Rover had held strong. Sure there were some minor niggles but they add character right? We had covered over 2000 miles together and both car and crew had bonded well. This was without doubt one of the best, most fun holidays/trips I have ever had in my life. If you get the opportunity to do something similar I urge you to do it. You will have fun. You will be frustrated. You will get annoyed. But trust me, it’ll be worth it and you'll have a ball from start to finish.
Until the next trip…
The Route
It all started with an email from a mate asking whether I’d be interested in doing a rally across Europe. Apparently it was going to be organised by a friend of a friend and would comprise driving across France and Switzerland through the Alps and conclude in Italy. It would all be in aid of charity of course. As any self respecting Petrolhead, I jumped at the opportunity.
The proposed route looked interesting, but we both agreed that at 4 days, it was unfortunately short. As such, we felt it a (very) good idea to extend it to include the Italian Lakes, Innsbruck, Munich (primarily for the Oktoberfest though being a fanboi I was very keen on visiting the BMW Museum), Frankfurt, the Nurburgring, Brugge and then home.
An estimated total of 2100 miles (excluding UK driving) over 11 days.
There were four of us, myself, Ben, Mark and Fergal
The Car
The criteria for the rally was as follows, either:
- <£500
- Classic
- Fancy dress
Being
My friends are big Alan Partridge fans, so it came as no surprise (but admittedly disappointment from my point of view) when I heard we were shortlisting a Rover 800.
A decent (on paper) example was located in Leicester for around £350. It had about 2 months remaining on the MOT and tax so would be perfect for the rally. Unfortunately, the weekend we were due to inspect it, I was working. While (‘busy’) at work, a bit of googling suggested the 800 was considered a fairly reliable car with the exception of the expansion tank which had a habit of cracking and leaking.
I sent Ben a text warning him of the above but heard nothing back for a couple of hours until he called me. They had bought the car but unfortunately broken down about an hour north of London. The car was leaking water – it was the expansion tank! Eventually the car limped home (with plenty of top ups) and a rather crude gaffer tape fix.
The next weekend I had an opportunity to inspect the beast.
1997 Rover 820Si
2 litre 4 cylinder engine, mated to a (iirc) 3 speed auto.
High spec included alloyz (reduced unsprung weight).
And tow bar (improved rear weight distribution)
Velour interior with (working!!) aircon
Complete with gaffer tape fixed expansion tank.
It seemed to run reasonably well, it went forward when you pressed the accelerator and stopped on pressing the brake plus it only made mild groaning noises on turning. I suspect it may have been a taxi in a previous life (couple of non smoking signs in the interior) but for £350 it was a decent lump of metal.
Given our route was fairly extensive including alpine passes and high speed Autobahn, the car underwent some preventative maintenance. We changed the brake pads, topped up the oil and the ATF and stuck on a new set of Bosch wipers.
The major issue of the leaking coolant tank remained. The gaffer tape fix was not up to scratch and (being tight/cheap) we didn’t fancy shelling out for a new replacement (>£100) as such a trip to Halfords (two days before the trip) we returned armed with some epoxy resin and an expert fix was put in place.
Not too shabby!
Would this actually hold? – well, there’s no better way to find out than a cross-continental jaunt?
Day 1: London to Laon
The first day’s drive would consist of us getting from London to Laon to meet the other competitors. The journey began on a rather damp and overcast morning, Ben took the driving seat and off we went towards Dover. We’d be picking up the other two chaps in Maidstone.
I will admit, I expected us to break down (we had plenty of bottles of water in the boot just in case). However, I was hopeful that we’d at least make it out of the UK without incident. Unfortunately, this was not the case. The first break down occurred outside the station in Maidstone. The car was stopped, left running while we waited for out mates to get their bits and pieces together. We left the station and joined a slow moving queue of traffic. After less than a minute the smell of coolant (something we’d become very familiar with during this trip) was noted and the temp gauge started to move to the red. We pulled over and stopped the car to find ourselves with an empty coolant tank, plenty of steam and a rather damp patch underneath. Evidently the resin fix wasn’t as good as it looked!
We henceforth decided that the any town driving at slow speed would need the heater up to max. The 800 was topped up and we continued on our journey, luckily uneventfully until we reached Dover.
Once in France, we pulled over into one of the picnic stop areas on the Autoroute and set about ‘decorating’ our car. As mentioned, the ‘livery’ was based on Alan Partridge’s Rover 800 which was vandalised. I think we did a good job. Couple of Inbetweeners references too!
Car Friend! *thumbs up*
(Note the mirrored writing!)
(Virtual prize for who can work this out.)
I think it looked great, it even had a Union Jack on the roof for that genuine patriotic appearance.
As the rest of the drive was mainly Autoroute at a steady 70-80mph, the car behaved and required no further bonnet opening action until our hotel. Even then, when we checked, the water loss was very minimal. Hopes were raised for the rest of the journey.
We met up with the other competitors in the centre of Laon. Dinner was eaten and we took the executive decision that we should go out and
The (dream) team on the town!
Day 2: Laon to Thun
Unfortunately, Day 2 began much the same as Day 1, overcast with plenty of rain. Frustrating but we tried to make the best of it.
Convening at the Buffalo Grill, other competitors included a couple of E34 5ers (one a V8 iirc), a rather colourful Renault Clio, a Peugeot Tank edition, Porsche 944 and a classic MG among others. I think we had a total of about 15-20 cars. Sorry for the lack of pics, but it had started to really bucket it down (and when my hair gets wet, it goes frizzy!).
As we set off, it was at this point I was relieved that we had bought those new wipers, the rain getting heavier and heavier. The sat nav was set and we took to the Autoroute. This was to be my first experience of driving on the other side of the road.
The car itself felt reasonable. We were somewhat relieved with the lower temps bearing in mind our potential overheating issues and as the day before, the motorway miles were (thankfully) dispatched with minimal issue.
Eventually we reached the French/Swiss border:
Unsurprisingly, we were asked to pull over by a policeman who also had a rather fierce looking dog. On seeing our car, I’m not sure whether his expression was one of confusion, disgust or disbelief. As expected, he wanted answers. In my rather crude French I tried to explain that the car was decorated to mimic one from a TV program in the UK. Did he understand or did he just want rid of us? Regardless he let us on our way and wished us luck with the rest of the journey.
We stopped at the next petrol station, a rather quaint affair which basically appeared to be a converted front room of a house. We filled up and bought a Swiss vignette. I’ve never seen plant pots on petrol pumps before (fire hazard??).
Unfortunately, there was no let up in the weather, the rain persisting and heavy. I suggested we visited somewhere else ‘interesting’ on the motorway signs:
We made it to the hotel in Thun and as we did so, the skies cleared up a touch and a rainbow appeared. Perhaps things were going to look up from a weather point of view.
We decided to avoid eating at the hotel (Tage-what!?) and made our way into the city centre.
Thun is a very pleasant city located on the River Aar which forms a centre point around which many of the restaurants/bars are situated. We met up with the rest of the rally crew who for the most part had made it without major issues or headaches. (Un)fortunately, that night coincided with my birthday. As such, I was relieved of driving duties the next morning and the night disappeared in an blur of beer and shots. Suffice to say, no photos suitable for display on a public forum. (I vaguely remember the night club we went to had its own strip club room!). Anyway, moving swiftly on…
Day 3: Thun to Locarno
Now this is where the proper driving was to start and the Rover’s first real test - we were hitting the Alps. We were ordered to convene early morning at the base of the local mountains. Again, more rain. And more rain.
Group shot
Team Alan Partridge Project.
As you can see, I was perfectly attired for the Alpine cold/rain in blazer, hat and jeans! I would regret this later as the rain continued.
A route was planned – destination Locaro with a stop off at the Contra Dam.
The views were epic, the rain relentless. Surprisingly, the Rover managed the steep inclines quite well – I think the ambient temp and us having the blower permanently on max helped. Sure, it wasn’t an M3 or Elise but it was doing the job and that was good enough for us.
By this point, I wasn’t a happy bunny. My lack of proper outdoor coat meant that every excursion out of the car had me soaking wet. Relief came in the form of a rather trendy looking poncho for 5 Euros. As you can see, I was delighted with the look (form a queue ladies)!
En route we stopped off at rather charming village for lunch. The wild boar was particularly good. Lecker!
One of the unfortunate issues we encountered was owing to the time of year (late Sept) many of the passes were closed. This was a shame, however given that as we got higher and higher significant amounts of snow started to fall, I suspect it was for the best!
In the Alps, as well as being spoilt for stunning snow topped mountain views, you also get plenty of tunnel fun (wait, that sounds wrong). Unfortunately, (despite the hole in the exhaust), the Rover wasn’t the most aurally inspiring car. We did get a chance to engage the warp drive however!
It must have worked because as we entered the next valley, it was like a different planet. Grey was replaced for blue and rain replaced for sun. We had enjoyed ourselves to this point, but admittedly the persistent rain had dampened (LOL) our spirits somewhat. Instantly our mood was raised. And what better way to celebrate than with a Big Mac!
The question remained, why the required detour to the Contra Dam. On seeing it, it looked familiar but I wasn’t sure why.
Nice view at the top though
Make no mistake about it, this is a high dam. Very high indeed. Now, I’m not one for heights so you can imagine my reaction when it was suggested Rally bonus points would be accrued for bungee jumping off it. Let’s just say, I’ve never managed to fit more four letter words in one sentence.
This was the dam used for the opening sequence of Goldeneye (ring a bell now?). Perhaps it was the notion of being as cool as James Bond, perhaps it was because he is completely insane but Fergal stepped up to volunteer.
It costs about 100 Euro to do the jump. You are taught the safety protocol etc and then up you stand, ready to go. We watched a couple of people bottle it – no refunds by the way.
Then it was Fergal’s turn. Understandably, he appeared a little pensive. To his credit, up he stepped, countdown from 5 and he did it. No waiting, no loitering, no stalling. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 – JUMP.
He was a lot happier on the way up (*Bungee Friend*)
Suffice to say, he was a very happy bunny and was on a proper high for the rest of the evening. From the dam, we made it to the centre of Locarno, checked in at our hotel and met up with the rest of the rally crew. It comes as no surprise that not many teams managed to get bungee points.
Locarno is located on the northern tip of Lake Maggiore. Delightfully picturesque but as per the rest of Switzerland, rather expensive. A night out was required and it was agreed that Fergal was getting free drinks all night. We ended up in Vanilla Club which was brilliant fun. Properly decent venue, great music, some stunning looking girls but very very expensive. Oh well, it’s only money right?
Smoke machine!
Reach for the lasers!
Day 4: Locarno to Mestre
The next morning wasn’t as painful as expected. Luckily the expensive nature of the club meant we hadn’t drunk a massive amount. Plus, we were greeted with lovely blue skies and warm temperatures.
We spent the morning wandering around Locarno taking in the relaxed atmosphere. A group photo of some of the cars was taken in Locarno piazza.
After yesterday’s alpine adventure, today was scheduled to be a far more relaxing affair, cruising by the side of the beautiful Lake Como and Lugano, entering Italy and concluding the rally in Mestre (just outside Venice).
Things were going well, very well in fact. The weather was nice, the view was epic, the sunroof was open, the tunes were playing. Life was good.
However, there’s something about Italy that brings out the unreliability of cars. We had been fortunate, the traffic around the lake was fairly light meaning minimal stops in traffic. This however was not the case on approaching the border – a decent size queue awaited an unlike our previous border experience, the ambient temp was much higher.
The heater was on max and I did my very best to maintain a slow but constant forward motion to aid cooling. It was however not enough, and despite avoiding standstill for the most part, just past the border I noticed steam coming from the bonnet. This was not looking good. 200 metres later we pulled off at the first petrol station on Italian soil. You can guess the rest.
Myself and Ben check the engine to find almost no water left
Our first proper overheat and break down on foreign soil. Luckily no lasting damage was done. Plenty of water and some time later we were on our way. With the warmer weather the tolerances we had to play with were much lower. Having the heater on max became a permanent fixture. The use of Sure increased exponentially.
Unfortunately, this was not to be the only break down of the day. As the day unfolded the traffic on the AutoStrada become progressively heavier as we approached the larger cities. What we really were dreading was a grid lock situation which would almost certainly cause us to overheat. Our luck ran out around Vicenza.
As per the previous break down, the smell was first, followed by the temp gauge. Luckily we were able to make it to the hard shoulder for some recuperative action. More time standing around, more bottles of water.
We waited a little time for the traffic to lighten up a touch and we were back en route.
We made some new *car friends* along the way!
By the way, if you are thinking of heading into Mestre, make sure you set your sat nav correctly, otherwise you might end up in a retail park 20 miles away.
With night falling, a combination of cooler temperatures and lighter traffic meant we had no further incidents. We pulled into the Mestre, tired, hungry and thirsty. The rest of the group had met up at a hotel a mile down the road. To be honest, we were too knackered to meet up with them. A somewhat anti-climactic end to the ‘formal’ rally. We ditched our bags, walked to the nearest restaurant and had a pizza washed down with a few beers. It felt good, we weren’t bothered about the rest.
We had made it. The official part of the rally was over. However, this was where the rally ‘proper’ would start for us – a route that would take us back up through the Italian Lakes, into the Alps and through Germany. The best was yet to come.
Day 5: Venice
This was our first ‘car free day’. Mestre is the center and the most populated urban area of the mainland of Venice. It’s a good place to explore Venice from as the hotels are cheaper and a bus across the Ponte della Liberta takes you directly to central Venice.
Renowned for its architecture and artworks as well as world famous canals, Venice is a tourist attraction for people all around the world. This was my first opportunity to get the camera out and take some ‘proper’ shots.
Our visit was plagued by intermittent rain showers. However the warm sunny periods more than made up for it.
Venice, as expected is a busy place, predominantly owing to tourists. As such, I found it a little fatiguing. Everything is geared to tourists (the infamous laminated tourist menu with photos of the food) and trying to find a more authentic experience off the beaten track was a lot harder as expected. Moreover, with a reputation so great, the experience will always be difficult to live up to.
Nevertheless, it is a place that should be visited at least once in one’s lifetime. Some lovely architecture and views make it a worthwhile location.
Day 6: Verona
One of our shortest drives of the holiday, about 60 miles west on the AutoStrada was the city of Verona, made famous by Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. You won’t be surpised to hear that the city trades very much off the back of its most famous couple – plenty of trinkets and ‘love’ related paraphenalia. The most visited sight is that of Juliet’s house and the famous balcony on which the immortal “Romeo Romeo…” lines were uttered. It is interesting to see how a city has managed to build an industry on a made up story…but no matter.
Juliet’s Balcony
Graffiti in the tunnel leading to Juliet’s house.
The Arena
City Arches
2 of your 5 a day!
I particularly enjoyed Verona. Despite the R&J bombardment, I felt it a more authentic Italian experience than Venice. We had a lovely dinner at a tiny quaint restaurant in Verona’s back streets - hand written menus – no English spoken. I had donkey bolognaise to start (seriously) and horse goulash (a local speciality) as main. Tasted better than it looked!
Day 7: Verona to Innsbruck
It was time to leave the land of pasta and pizza (and horse goulash) and go sample some Austrian sausage! My first time in Austria and there was no honest reason as to why we chose Innsbruck as our stop over point, probably as it was a convenient location on the way to Germany.
To be honest, the location didn’t matter that much because today it was all about the drive - a slight detour to take us on the eastern cost of Lake Garda and up through the mountains. Given the improvement in the weather and associated warmer temperatures, there were real fears that the car would overheat with the steep mountain inclines. Not to worry, we had lots (and lots) of bottles of water in the boot.
Lake Garda (as expected) was very pleasant and not too touristy at this time of year. We stopped off for an early lunch but knew there was plenty of driving to be done.
Once we reached the mountains the real test begun. Our target was one of the passes (it has been so long ago, sorry I can’t remember which) – if we could get to the top without issue, the drive down would be easy.
Of course, we didn’t…
Temp gauge went to red and we pulled over letting it cool down (yet again) before replacing its vital fluids. Gave me an opportunity for some photos though – stunning landscape!
Eventually, with much sweating (So. Much. Heat.) we made it to the top.
The drive back down was easier (and more fun!)
It was around this point in time we agreed that changing the brake pads was a very good idea!
We arrived in Innsbruck sweaty, smelly and tired. However, we had promised ourselves a decent night out so following a bit of shower and a bit of sausage (no homo) we hit the town.
On the way home (looking happy)
Every good night concludes with a badly packed kebab
Rover boots, also good as tables or ashtrays!
Day 8 Innsbruck to Munich & Day 9 Munich/Oktoberfest
The next morning wasn’t pleasant. For anyone. The results surveyed (and rephotoed)
Still looked bad, even with a shallow DOF.
Autumn had very much taken hold this part of the world
The view from the road in front of our hotel
Today was to be our drive to Germany, more specifically Munich, the location for the Oktoberfest, Germany’s world famous beer festival and the ultimate objective for our Euro Rally trip.
The drive itself was without incident. The motorways were smooth and of good quality and eventually we reached Deutschland.
Some of the scenery was (again) stunning. Green fields overlooked by snow capped mountains – epic! I can only apologies at the poor quality of the photos as they were taken out of a moving car.
Eventually we saw one of these signs…
Well, it would be rude not to!
Looks like the Rover had lost some of its horses (to be fair it was fully laden with luggage). On the way to Frankfurt I managed a marginally better speedo indicated 120mph.
I think anyone who knows me is aware of my penchant for a certain car manufacturer from Munich. It didn’t take much to convince to the rest of the group so we dropped into BMW Welt. Fanboi heaven (I think I suffered at least 3 strokes while walking round). I could do a whole thread just on this with the number of photos taken but here are some of the highlights:
The famous 4 Cylinder building
BMW 328 Mille Miglia (Superleggera)
BMW V12 from the V12 LMR which won LeMans in 1999
Nelson Piquet’s 1983 Championship winning F1 car
Collage of models
M1 with a very happy bunny standing next to it
3.0 CSL
E21 320i turbo
E46 M3 GTR
507 and Z8
Concept 1972 Turbo
Seriously, I do have enough photos for a whole thread!
Anyway, it was time to hit the Oktoberfest. Beer and meat – this is a combination that the Germans have got spot on in my opinion. We did this for two days and had a fabulous time. I can thoroughly recommend it. Those Germans can drink! Plus (unlike the English) they don’t seem to want to get into fights (which is nice). Great time!
Gotta love a bit of sausage!
And a lot of beer
The tents are epic!
And we made some friends!
(Disapproving man in the background)
Beer casualty!
Absolutely brilliant. If you haven’t done it – do it. If you have, do it again! Very much recommended A++++!
Day 10: Munich to Frankfurt via the Nurburgring
The excitement was to continue, today enroute to Frankfurt we were to visit a certain little toll road in the heart of the Eifel Mountains – the Nurbrugring.
The local ‘Ring petrol station stuffed full of Pork
Rover beats GT3 my friend
The metal on show in the carpark is a sight in itself!
Carpark was so full, everyone had resorted to parking down the road:
Unfortunately the track was closed
The reason why…
Ouch! That’s going to be an expensive bill.
To be honest, I think that was a good thing. As part of our ‘preflight’ checks under the bonnet, the fanbelt wasn’t looking in best of health!
The ‘Ring was left unlapped (and as such, the rump of the Rover devoid of Ring sticker) and we continued on our way.
We arrived at Frankfurt knackered and we couldn’t face a proper night out. A couple of beers and we retired early to bed.
Day 11 Frankfurt to Brugge to Home
We needed that early night because today’s drive was going to be a long one. From Frankfurt to Dunkirk with a stop off for lunch in Brugge. A long motorway drive and a hopefully uneventful end to our 11 day trip.
The Rover had been a good companion over the last 10 days. A spacious interior and soft ride made it more suited to German Autobahns or French AutoRoutes than the twisty alpine passes. The bonnet also doubled as a good table for eating crisps and drinks during the infrequent fuel/toilet breaks.
Brugge was pleasant albeit overcast. We went for a wander and it gave me an opportunity to get the camera out for the last time.
We arrived at the Dunkirk ferry port in good time. The Rover had held strong. Sure there were some minor niggles but they add character right? We had covered over 2000 miles together and both car and crew had bonded well. This was without doubt one of the best, most fun holidays/trips I have ever had in my life. If you get the opportunity to do something similar I urge you to do it. You will have fun. You will be frustrated. You will get annoyed. But trust me, it’ll be worth it and you'll have a ball from start to finish.
Until the next trip…
Edited by g3org3y on Sunday 29th December 15:25
nick francis said:
Most of the pics have been replaced with Photobuckets upgrade banner
Sorry about this, too many photos and too many views = spanked bandwidth on Photobucket. This isn't the only forum I've posted this on. Once the photos are back online, will bump this.Apologies. Thanks for the positive comments from those who managed to see the photos.
Looks like a great trip, and something I have talked to friends about doing, most organised banger rallies seem to involve camping, which I don't do, so this one is much more appealing.
Having spend quite a bit of time in Italy I recognised a few of the Venice and Verona locations, I too like Verona.
Curious that you went up the east side of Garda, I think the west is a better drive, was that Bardolino you stopped at ?
Well done to you all and well done to the Rover 800.
Having spend quite a bit of time in Italy I recognised a few of the Venice and Verona locations, I too like Verona.
Curious that you went up the east side of Garda, I think the west is a better drive, was that Bardolino you stopped at ?
Well done to you all and well done to the Rover 800.
kers
Thank you to all for the positive feedback. Hope it can inspire people to do similar.
I usually post stuff like this in H&T as General Gassing is so busy that threads can get overlooked. I was very surprised regarding the relatively sparse attention for FiveTenBen's V8Nam trip compared to the countless cyclist, foglight etc threads which run to 20 pages.
Will rebump when the bandwidth is reset again.
LordGrover said:
A shame this is hidden away in the Holidays & Travel backwater; deserves more attention.
Very kind. I usually post stuff like this in H&T as General Gassing is so busy that threads can get overlooked. I was very surprised regarding the relatively sparse attention for FiveTenBen's V8Nam trip compared to the countless cyclist, foglight etc threads which run to 20 pages.
PimpmyHotwheels said:
Can't see most of the images due to photobucket bandwidth restrictions
Sorry about that. Second month in a row now. There are a lot of photos which spanks the bandwidth as well as getting a lot of views.Will rebump when the bandwidth is reset again.
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