RE: PH does the Alps

[don logan]

TheFungle said:

Col de Petit Grand St Bernard you say, been there, done that

Not quite in as daft a car as the Caterham but with highly intermittent starting issues I certainly had to make use of Alpine gravity for my 'bump' starts..

I`ll see your Italia sign and I`ll raise it with the same sign taken the first day that the pass re-opened this year!

[Dan Trent]

Wow, amazing picture! Bit different in winter, eh?

[don logan]

Dan Trent said:

Wow, amazing picture! Bit different in winter, eh?

I actually took that on the 29th of May this year on the way back from the Monaco GP!

Do you remember the town after the "Italian Job tunnel" on your way up Pt St Bernard on the Italian side? La Thuile with the Italian army alpine training centre? the Pt St Bernard is closed between that town and La Rosiere on the French side between November and the end of May.

Edited by don logan on Wednesday 18th July 23:54

Edited by don logan on Wednesday 18th July 23:55

[f1ten]

did this last summer in the 996tt. Furka was lovely although a bit of traffic when i was there. i keep telling myself i need to spend 3 days in a hotel there so you can go out for several burns around these roads rather than passing through on route to Evian.

[don logan]

f1ten said:

did this last summer in the 996tt. Furka was lovely although a bit of traffic when i was there. i keep telling myself i need to spend 3 days in a hotel there so you can go out for several burns around these roads rather than passing through on route to Evian.

Someone needs to open a hotel somewhere central like Chamonix,Geneva or Torino with underground parking a mechanic and a small stock of brake pads. tyres etc with the option of storing your car there!

[MC Bodge]

don logan said:

Someone needs to open a hotel somewhere central like Chamonix,Geneva or Torino with underground parking a mechanic and a small stock of brake pads. tyres etc with the option of storing your car there!

A small stock of brake pads and tyres for every type of car, or just cars worthy of it?

[don logan]

MC Bodge said:

A small stock of brake pads and tyres for every type of car, or just cars worthy of it?

That reminds me of a friend who had a tyre shop, he had a set Fulvia pads on the shelf for about 20yrs!

[em177]

Sorry Dan but massive anti petrol head points for not driving the thing over there! Seen a few of your recent posts and haven't been very impressed..... more of everybody else please!

[don logan]

em177 said:

Sorry Dan but massive anti petrol head points for not driving the thing over there! Seen a few of your recent posts and haven't been very impressed..... more of everybody else please!

Yeah Dan you anti petrolhead, that`ll teach you for doing something different to the rest of us!!!!!!!!!!

It`s like reading about Harry Metcalfe and his car collection, why can`t he write about the same cars as I already own or can own!

[sideways sid]

I totally agree with the point about how much benefit one gets out of one's car.

On the right road, with the right weather with the right traffic (not much, or perhaps a few bikes), my 7 (Striker, not Caterham) was an epic place to be.

Most of the rest of time (stuck in traffic in the rain) it was a pain in the arse, with the OH suffering headaches from the noise, fumes & g-forces etc.

The fuel point is poignant too. A 5-gallon tank provides less than 100 miles range when indulging in enthusiastic and spirited driving; which becomes significant 50 miles into a rural run!

...Nearly bought another one yesterday...

[M666 EVO]

Gruffy said:

M666 EVO said:

Gruffy said:

M666 EVO said:

I reckon programme the Sat Nav (yet to be purchased) to avoid tolls and motorways and hopefully it will find the pretty route

You may prefer to break the journey up into smaller chunks if you plan to avoid motorways and tolls. Calais-Beaune-Modena-Perugia… those are some long stints if you're skipping the motorways.

Good idea. Was thinking motorway to Beaune, then its about 8 hours to Modena on A roads which isn't too bad. Same for the other legs of the journeys which may seem a lot but I would sooner spend time doing scenic routes for longer than to be stuck on motorways for a few hours. Unless the motorways in Italy go through some lovely scenic routes?

This is all stuff I need to investigate...

I'd have pegged Beaune-Modena at bit more like 12 hours on A roads. You would have a great time if you took the scenic route and broke that up into two days, as you'll be amongst some of the best roads in the world. Definitely worth taking advantage of the autoroute down to Dijon as Northern France doesn't really compare to what you'll find beyond, and the autoroute is very efficient.

ETA: Google Maps suggests 12.5 hours for Beaune-Modena, avoiding highways.

Crikey, that is a couple of coffee stops inbetween!

Out of interest, how do you think Google works out its times? Does it use the speed limit bang on or does it stick to say a 60mph limit when doing its calculations?

I don't disagree with 12 hours, just wondered if its possible to shave a couple of hours off..

[FestivAli]

Lovely, good for you etc. But can you please stay in your own lane? I notice it's something British road testers do occassionally, straying out of their lane so they can apex blind corners. Your video. Harris when testing the new 911 in California. One of the Top Gear chaps testing the Jag XJ when it came out. Think of the poor sod you smash into - might just be a scrape if it were a car, but say you hit a biker, or someone on a pushie, and bang, wheelchair for the rest of their life. I'm not saying we don't have people with bad lane control here in Aus (incidentally I have a British passport too thanks) but they don't tend to youtube their endeavours so much. I only say this because I'd love to have a go on some of these roads next time I'm in Europe and would like to do so without the threat of a Caterham up my visor.

Cheers

[PastorOfMuppets]

FestivAli said:

Lovely, good for you etc. But can you please stay in your own lane? I notice it's something British road testers do occassionally, straying out of their lane so they can apex blind corners. Your video. Harris when testing the new 911 in California. One of the Top Gear chaps testing the Jag XJ when it came out. Think of the poor sod you smash into - might just be a scrape if it were a car, but say you hit a biker, or someone on a pushie, and bang, wheelchair for the rest of their life. I'm not saying we don't have people with bad lane control here in Aus (incidentally I have a British passport too thanks) but they don't tend to youtube their endeavours so much. I only say this because I'd love to have a go on some of these roads next time I'm in Europe and would like to do so without the threat of a Caterham up my visor.

Cheers

If so...

[heebeegeetee]

FestivAli said:

Lovely, good for you etc. But can you please stay in your own lane? I notice it's something British road testers do occassionally, straying out of their lane so they can apex blind corners. Your video. Harris when testing the new 911 in California. One of the Top Gear chaps testing the Jag XJ when it came out. Think of the poor sod you smash into - might just be a scrape if it were a car, but say you hit a biker, or someone on a pushie, and bang, wheelchair for the rest of their life. I'm not saying we don't have people with bad lane control here in Aus (incidentally I have a British passport too thanks) but they don't tend to youtube their endeavours so much. I only say this because I'd love to have a go on some of these roads next time I'm in Europe and would like to do so without the threat of a Caterham up my visor.

Cheers

Eh?

[MC Bodge]

I had a nice drive through the Schwarzwald again earlier on my way back from the Alps. Fantastic stuff.

It would have been even better on 2 wheels, in an old 911 or a 'Seven' of some sort.

Edited by MC Bodge on Thursday 19th July 20:23

[4pot]

FestivAli said:

Lovely, good for you etc. But can you please stay in your own lane? I notice it's something British road testers do occassionally, straying out of their lane so they can apex blind corners. Your video. Harris when testing the new 911 in California. One of the Top Gear chaps testing the Jag XJ when it came out. Think of the poor sod you smash into - might just be a scrape if it were a car, but say you hit a biker, or someone on a pushie, and bang, wheelchair for the rest of their life. I'm not saying we don't have people with bad lane control here in Aus (incidentally I have a British passport too thanks) but they don't tend to youtube their endeavours so much. I only say this because I'd love to have a go on some of these roads next time I'm in Europe and would like to do so without the threat of a Caterham up my visor.

Cheers

Another bedwetter.

Nothing wrong with your driving Dan.

[Burbleboy]

4pot said:

FestivAli said:

Lovely, good for you etc. But can you please stay in your own lane? I notice it's something British road testers do occassionally, straying out of their lane so they can apex blind corners. Your video. Harris when testing the new 911 in California. One of the Top Gear chaps testing the Jag XJ when it came out. Think of the poor sod you smash into - might just be a scrape if it were a car, but say you hit a biker, or someone on a pushie, and bang, wheelchair for the rest of their life. I'm not saying we don't have people with bad lane control here in Aus (incidentally I have a British passport too thanks) but they don't tend to youtube their endeavours so much. I only say this because I'd love to have a go on some of these roads next time I'm in Europe and would like to do so without the threat of a Caterham up my visor.

Cheers

Another bedwetter.

Nothing wrong with your driving Dan.

Would you not think the road may be closed off or something as they film?
Just a thought....

[The Pits]

Some myth debunking needed here.

1. You can drive a Caterham to the Alps. It's really not that arduous at all. I drove one without a windscreen to Le Mans and back so a Caterham with screen and weather gear would be fine. Yes they are cramped but not uncomfortable. Much faster and much more enjoyable than trailering anyway.

2. GT3/2 at the 'ring? Really? Fine if you're Walter Rohl but for mere mortals something smaller, lighter and narrower gives you what you need most at the 'ring - more margin for error.

[West4x4]

Did Alps las year in a rover P4 with a 200tdi land rover turbo diesel fitted. Did petite st bernard and cormet de rose lend amazing roads


had a little incident on cornet de roselend with a van driver on our side of the road meaning this happened

[4pot]

Burbleboy said:

Would you not think the road may be closed off or something as they film?
Just a thought....

Why? He's not driving like a muppet imho so no need to. Does anyone actually drive their cars these days, or simply polish and wag their finger at anyone who dares to get a tad of opposite lock on or drive to the conditions?

Personally I see absolutely nothing wrong with the video or Dan's driving.