Woke up, and decided to Drive to Spain.
Discussion
Day 11 - Lake Como To Baden Baden - 650km 7hrs
Leisurely run through the Swiss Alps, no passes as the forecast was rain and snow and both were delivered at various times. We were flashed in a tunnel at 120km, speed limit was 100km. We saw so many cameras it was insane. Really tired of Swiss drivers, the worse lane discipline we have seen all trip.
We also forgot to stop and get a motorway permit sticker, oh well. Wonder if that will also show up on the speeding letter ;-)
This morning outside our hotel in Lake Como (http://www.laperlatremezzo.com/en/home/hotel) Brilliant Hotel by the way. More on the hotel later.
Headed to the Swiss border
Into Switzerland
Arriving this afternoon at the hotel near Baden Baden (http://www.hotel-heiligenstein.de/)
Whoops totally forgot to add the apocalyptic rain picture we took as we were heading north of Bern.
Leisurely run through the Swiss Alps, no passes as the forecast was rain and snow and both were delivered at various times. We were flashed in a tunnel at 120km, speed limit was 100km. We saw so many cameras it was insane. Really tired of Swiss drivers, the worse lane discipline we have seen all trip.
We also forgot to stop and get a motorway permit sticker, oh well. Wonder if that will also show up on the speeding letter ;-)
This morning outside our hotel in Lake Como (http://www.laperlatremezzo.com/en/home/hotel) Brilliant Hotel by the way. More on the hotel later.
Headed to the Swiss border
Into Switzerland
Arriving this afternoon at the hotel near Baden Baden (http://www.hotel-heiligenstein.de/)
Whoops totally forgot to add the apocalyptic rain picture we took as we were heading north of Bern.
Edited by redback911 on Thursday 19th April 16:39
Epic thread!
I'm sat here having had my left leg/foot/ankle in plaster for the last 8 days (broken 5th metatarsal) just longing to drive my car anywhere, so this is medicinal. Thanks!
By the way the photo's are excellent - what camera are you (or more accurately your other half) using?
Similar trip for September now being planned....
I'm sat here having had my left leg/foot/ankle in plaster for the last 8 days (broken 5th metatarsal) just longing to drive my car anywhere, so this is medicinal. Thanks!
By the way the photo's are excellent - what camera are you (or more accurately your other half) using?
Similar trip for September now being planned....
Day 11 - Evening Dinner
Dinner at the hotel. So far we counted 2 other guests, but it looks like they have a few people just coming for dinner. Just have to say this hotel is in the top 3 this trip. Really good value and very clean and slightly quirky. The food was brilliant, but the quality has been high all trip.
Still three hours from the Ring but another guest had the tattoo.
Trying to walk off dinner.
I'll try to put up all the prices accommodation/food when we get back. We did try to mix accommodation. Most expensive was around 160 Euro per night (in Barcelona), and 60 Euro or so in Northern Spain. Mainly the decision came down too parking and food.
Dinner at the hotel. So far we counted 2 other guests, but it looks like they have a few people just coming for dinner. Just have to say this hotel is in the top 3 this trip. Really good value and very clean and slightly quirky. The food was brilliant, but the quality has been high all trip.
Still three hours from the Ring but another guest had the tattoo.
Trying to walk off dinner.
I'll try to put up all the prices accommodation/food when we get back. We did try to mix accommodation. Most expensive was around 160 Euro per night (in Barcelona), and 60 Euro or so in Northern Spain. Mainly the decision came down too parking and food.
D.no said:
Epic thread!
I'm sat here having had my left leg/foot/ankle in plaster for the last 8 days (broken 5th metatarsal) just longing to drive my car anywhere, so this is medicinal. Thanks!
By the way the photo's are excellent - what camera are you (or more accurately your other half) using?
Similar trip for September now being planned....
Oh no! Hope its a suitably dramatic cause like bungee jumping without a cord.I'm sat here having had my left leg/foot/ankle in plaster for the last 8 days (broken 5th metatarsal) just longing to drive my car anywhere, so this is medicinal. Thanks!
By the way the photo's are excellent - what camera are you (or more accurately your other half) using?
Similar trip for September now being planned....
Re: Cameras - Main Camera: Panasonic Lumix GF1 + Lumix 20mm F1.7 lens (AKA pancake lens). Second Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ28 (Optical x 18 zoom).
The pictures are raw no editing in Adobe Lightroom or cropping, so still plenty of room for improvement. Quite a few are taken within the car so have the glass tint, which will need to be removed via Lightroom.
C3BER said:
Looking good, looking green with envy. Now I'm wondering if I can get my car to Nigeria?
Getting it there should be possible, getting it out however... ;-)f1ten said:
my last years outing for the 996tt was from London to Dubrovnik via France, Holland (passing through) Germany stop over, down to Graz, stop over, Split, stop over, Dubrovnik, ferry to italy overnight to Bari then to Milano Marittima, north to Lake Como and Lugano Swiss, back via Lake Geneva stay over, stopping in Beaune , france for some wine tasting...
3200 miles 3 weeks, 1 high speed fine, saw 175mph for about 2 seconds, Furka Pass was the best road of the trip closely followed by St Gottard.
Awesome, no doubt that anyone who has something that they clearly love, and you enjoy spending time together or even spend the rest of their life with, I.E., their car (your wife, significant other is optional). Should take it on an epic road trip. It does not have to break the bank, and the experience and memories are priceless. 3200 miles 3 weeks, 1 high speed fine, saw 175mph for about 2 seconds, Furka Pass was the best road of the trip closely followed by St Gottard.
supersport said:
Sir you are a b
d. It is stty wet here and there you are all enjoying youself doing that driving thing with gorgeous scenery, great food and a fun car 
Does anyone want to take a 7 year old off our hands for a while so we can do this?
This is exactly why Grandparents were invented! :-)d. It is stty wet here and there you are all enjoying youself doing that driving thing with gorgeous scenery, great food and a fun car Does anyone want to take a 7 year old off our hands for a while so we can do this?Ranger 6 said:
http://www.tyretotravel.com/
A piece of software which enables you to build itineraries. Excellent piece of kit, I use it a lot.
+1 Also good to combine with wwww.ViaMichelin.com so you can see the recommend "scenic" routes, i.e., the roads with a green highlight. A piece of software which enables you to build itineraries. Excellent piece of kit, I use it a lot.
justin220 said:
Superb read, I'd love to do something like this 
Did you have it all planned in advance, hotels booked etc? Or did you just book as you went along? Sorry if you've covered this already
The first hotel was booked 72 hours in advance, basically the day we booked the ferry. Mid-trip was around 48hrs most recently it has been 24hrs and once or twice just the morning of the arrival. Selection has been based on location (including using Google Street view to check parking/access), Trip Advisor reviews, food, and the majority of hotels have been emailed to request parking advice/notification. We were unable to choose our first choice in Barcelona, and it looks like we will not be able to have out first selection at the Ring tonight, so I need to book another one now. I'll make sure I post the preferred and backup hotels when I clean up the thread. Did you have it all planned in advance, hotels booked etc? Or did you just book as you went along? Sorry if you've covered this already
David W. said:
Just to say thanks to redback911 for driving us ALL to Spain, great thread, thanks for taking the trouble to post everything.
dw
Thanks David, and all the other folks. I really enjoy updating you guys on the trip. Its such a fantastic experience and the advice I have received has helped significantly. If the thread and pictures help others, and can be enjoyed, then all the better. dw
Edited by redback911 on Friday 20th April 06:25
Day 12 - Arrived at the The Ring
Weather looks good not too hot. Track is closed for manufacturer testing but opens again at 17:00 to 19:30 for "tourists", I did book a track prepared MX5 from Rent4Ring but just got an email to say its no longer available. So will head down to RSRNurburg and see what the have available. I really wanted a rear wheel drive car tonight.
Time for lunch, alas no Sabine Schmitz.
A bit of sightseeing at some of the turns.
At the TF entry point.
A few pictures while we are back at the Dorint Hotel. The room is great. With our balcony we are right on the front straight, just after the right-hander.
Weather looks good not too hot. Track is closed for manufacturer testing but opens again at 17:00 to 19:30 for "tourists", I did book a track prepared MX5 from Rent4Ring but just got an email to say its no longer available. So will head down to RSRNurburg and see what the have available. I really wanted a rear wheel drive car tonight.
Time for lunch, alas no Sabine Schmitz.
A bit of sightseeing at some of the turns.
At the TF entry point.
A few pictures while we are back at the Dorint Hotel. The room is great. With our balcony we are right on the front straight, just after the right-hander.
...how can your marriage survive this trip.
Driving 10 hours a day and then spending the remaining hours of the day on the computer updating your post. At bedtime you arrange for a room with a view of a racetrack and next day you choose you next hotel on the basis of where the car is most secure. My wife would have left me in a shopping spree in Milano at the latest!
Keep it coming
Driving 10 hours a day and then spending the remaining hours of the day on the computer updating your post. At bedtime you arrange for a room with a view of a racetrack and next day you choose you next hotel on the basis of where the car is most secure. My wife would have left me in a shopping spree in Milano at the latest!
Keep it coming
clorenzen said:
...how can your marriage survive this trip.
Driving 10 hours a day and then spending the remaining hours of the day on the computer updating your post. At bedtime you arrange for a room with a view of a racetrack and next day you choose you next hotel on the basis of where the car is most secure. My wife would have left me in a shopping spree in Milano at the latest!
Keep it coming
Ah well, actually she is the perfect wife and met all the major requirements, cute and with a pulse. Driving 10 hours a day and then spending the remaining hours of the day on the computer updating your post. At bedtime you arrange for a room with a view of a racetrack and next day you choose you next hotel on the basis of where the car is most secure. My wife would have left me in a shopping spree in Milano at the latest!
Keep it coming
Day 12 - Wow...
Ok I think I need to start appreciating what an epic adventure this has been. Tonight it went from Epic to Uber-Epic. Ok where to start, maybe with the empty Nordschleife or perhaps I should mention how we had the WHOLE of the Nürburgring GP Track to ourselves for 20 minutes? Lets start with the pictures, while I upload the videos in the background.
Nordschleife
Nürburgring GP
Woo, I can see our hotel room!
DC5TEG said:
Do you need to pre book the ring and the GP circuit?
Nope, the TF (Touristenfahrten) sessions are basically pay and go. The Ring laps are 23 Euro's and a 20 minute session on the Nurburgring (GP Circuit) are 40 Euro's for 20 minutes. Last night we did three laps of the Nordschleife and one 20 minute session of the Nurburgring. The latter being completely empty, so we had the whole circuit to ourselves. Still trying to get a decent Internet connection to upload video. Hopefully in Brussels tonight I can upload.
redback911 said:
Nope, the TF (Touristenfahrten) sessions are basically pay and go. The Ring laps are 23 Euro's and a 20 minute session on the Nurburgring (GP Circuit) are 40 Euro's for 20 minutes. Last night we did three laps of the Nordschleife and one 20 minute session of the Nurburgring. The latter being completely empty, so we had the whole circuit to ourselves.
Still trying to get a decent Internet connection to upload video. Hopefully in Brussels tonight I can upload.
What a fantastic thread! Thanks for sharing. Look forward to the 'ring video!Still trying to get a decent Internet connection to upload video. Hopefully in Brussels tonight I can upload.
I have a whirlwind trip to South of France planned in 2 weeks but would love to do something like this!
redback911 said:
Nope, the TF (Touristenfahrten) sessions are basically pay and go. The Ring laps are 23 Euro's and a 20 minute session on the Nurburgring (GP Circuit) are 40 Euro's for 20 minutes. Last night we did three laps of the Nordschleife and one 20 minute session of the Nurburgring. The latter being completely empty, so we had the whole circuit to ourselves.
Still trying to get a decent Internet connection to upload video. Hopefully in Brussels tonight I can upload.
Thanks for the confirmation, enjoy the rest!!Still trying to get a decent Internet connection to upload video. Hopefully in Brussels tonight I can upload.
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