ironictwists MX5 - While on the PHN Alpine Tour!
Discussion
Everyone knows about the MX5's round here, well I assume they do!
But I have to confess I never actually ever created a thread for my '5 despite having owned it since March 2010...It's my 2nd one, a UK '5 at that (My 1st was an imported Eunos last summer). My last one left such an impression on me (spent an incredible summer with it!) so the alure of buying another was far too strong after braving the winter in an XJ...I yearned for roof down again!
A full photoshoot done by PH snapper NWVT a few months back! Thanks again Nick
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nwvt/4742043065/in/se...
I bought my '5 at 127,927, £1650...It felt EXACTLY like my old S-Special & thats what did it for me, just as nimble, as fun & as chuckable! The previous owner ran it on weekends & pampered it with 5k miles per year...Prior to September, in 6 months dead, I had completed 17k miles! Prior to the Alpine the car was used as a daily doing 350 miles to work & back (80% country lanes!!) & pootling about all over the country on weekends, running errands, exploring the countryside, with the occasional cosy night spent sleeping in it on a beach somewhere as ya do. It's been kept busy & I find it hard to imagine it having a more harder life prior to it being placed in my hands. In short I love it. & I've hardly had to spend a penny on it prior to the trip.
Here are some details about the actual Petrolhead Nirvana trip -> http://www.petrolheadnirvana.com/tours/2010/alpine...
So this time last month, armed with many pounds I visited Autolink & left many hundreds less but with plenty of kit to ensure the '5 was ready for a 9 day intense driving trip...I did consider supercharging it but decided due to a number of factors it wasnt worth the expense even if I was worried about keeping up with everyone.
It's fair to say I was a little concerned, after all it was the cheapest car by a mile, nearly the eldest, certainly the least powerful, probably had the biggest mileage out of anyone & having to tag along with Lotus's, Ferrari's, 911's! Oh dear!
Could the thing cope?!
So as we ticked over 17,000 miles together, we set off for the Alpine!
To save my waffling, the rest of this post will largely be pictures & videos...
What I will say is though...I adored my car before I left for this trip but there was one thing someone said to me before I left that rung true while I was out there - "You've got to realise that despite the disadvantages in performance, you'll probably have the most fun out of anyone there!"
Ladies & gents...I did! Throwing that car sideways at countless hairpins, keeping up with V8's & Flat 6's through winding stretches through the black forest, following the train of trail lights as we headed up the Col De Turini & driving through the clouds at the top of Stelvio. I think I had more fun than anyone.
Below are some snaps from each of the days - Video footage (There's over 100gb+) shall be posted gradually
Day 1 - The getting there day! Straight through blitz of France to the German border to be on the doorstep of sampling the delights of the Black Forest's roads.
Route
Parked up by the tunnel
Jumping on with a gorgeous 360 & GT3
Our 1st French fuel stop!
Late afternoon regroup by a Toll
More to follow soon
But I have to confess I never actually ever created a thread for my '5 despite having owned it since March 2010...It's my 2nd one, a UK '5 at that (My 1st was an imported Eunos last summer). My last one left such an impression on me (spent an incredible summer with it!) so the alure of buying another was far too strong after braving the winter in an XJ...I yearned for roof down again!
A full photoshoot done by PH snapper NWVT a few months back! Thanks again Nick
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nwvt/4742043065/in/se...
I bought my '5 at 127,927, £1650...It felt EXACTLY like my old S-Special & thats what did it for me, just as nimble, as fun & as chuckable! The previous owner ran it on weekends & pampered it with 5k miles per year...Prior to September, in 6 months dead, I had completed 17k miles! Prior to the Alpine the car was used as a daily doing 350 miles to work & back (80% country lanes!!
) & pootling about all over the country on weekends, running errands, exploring the countryside, with the occasional cosy night spent sleeping in it on a beach somewhere as ya do. It's been kept busy & I find it hard to imagine it having a more harder life prior to it being placed in my hands. In short I love it. & I've hardly had to spend a penny on it prior to the trip.Here are some details about the actual Petrolhead Nirvana trip -> http://www.petrolheadnirvana.com/tours/2010/alpine...
So this time last month, armed with many pounds I visited Autolink & left many hundreds less but with plenty of kit to ensure the '5 was ready for a 9 day intense driving trip...I did consider supercharging it but decided due to a number of factors it wasnt worth the expense even if I was worried about keeping up with everyone.
It's fair to say I was a little concerned, after all it was the cheapest car by a mile, nearly the eldest, certainly the least powerful, probably had the biggest mileage out of anyone & having to tag along with Lotus's, Ferrari's, 911's! Oh dear!
Could the thing cope?!So as we ticked over 17,000 miles together, we set off for the Alpine!
To save my waffling, the rest of this post will largely be pictures & videos...
What I will say is though...I adored my car before I left for this trip but there was one thing someone said to me before I left that rung true while I was out there - "You've got to realise that despite the disadvantages in performance, you'll probably have the most fun out of anyone there!"
Ladies & gents...I did! Throwing that car sideways at countless hairpins, keeping up with V8's & Flat 6's through winding stretches through the black forest, following the train of trail lights as we headed up the Col De Turini & driving through the clouds at the top of Stelvio. I think I had more fun than anyone.
Below are some snaps from each of the days - Video footage (There's over 100gb+) shall be posted gradually
Day 1 - The getting there day! Straight through blitz of France to the German border to be on the doorstep of sampling the delights of the Black Forest's roads.
Route
Parked up by the tunnel
Jumping on with a gorgeous 360 & GT3
Our 1st French fuel stop!
Late afternoon regroup by a Toll
More to follow soon
Edited by ironictwist on Tuesday 21st September 20:41
Edited by ironictwist on Saturday 24th September 22:48
Day 2 - Offenbury & onwards through to the Black Forest to eventually end up near the Route Napolean for Day 3. Some awesome twisities on this day which I still need to put together videos of...However I did get 1 video up online which sums it up nicely, it's posted a little further down! 
Route:
The morning after at the hotel
We regularly had an audience whenever we left anywhere!
A wee stop after the twisties in the Black Forest! Desperately needed I can tell you!
& the view the aforementioned wee stop came with.
The normal chaos we created whenever we all stopped for fuel! Locals all hated us I'm sure seeing as no-one else could get to a pump!
Porn.
Late afternoon regroup after a long day!
AND FINALLY A SHORT VIDEO!
Video Clip is here -> http://vimeo.com/15100642
Route:
The morning after at the hotel
We regularly had an audience whenever we left anywhere!
A wee stop after the twisties in the Black Forest! Desperately needed I can tell you!
& the view the aforementioned wee stop came with.
The normal chaos we created whenever we all stopped for fuel! Locals all hated us I'm sure seeing as no-one else could get to a pump!
Porn.
Late afternoon regroup after a long day!
AND FINALLY A SHORT VIDEO!
Video Clip is here -> http://vimeo.com/15100642
Brief description said:
Lined up an overtake thanks to the guys ahead with the help of walky talkies, once completed, waved for the guys behind to fly past seeing as I was recording it all! 
Cue a GT3, 360 & Exige flying by, then all of us going hell for leather before we hit the next town!
Cue a GT3, 360 & Exige flying by, then all of us going hell for leather before we hit the next town!Edited by ironictwist on Tuesday 21st September 13:52
Edited by ironictwist on Tuesday 21st September 20:43
Jonny671 said:
How did you do, or, how did the MX5 hold up against the others? This is the reason I've never looked into doing proper things in the MX5 as I just feel I'll be left behind.
It did superb...There were 2 main groups really, the cars capable of serious speeds, & the SLIGHTLY more relaxed group. You could flit between the two & on occasion we all muddled with each group. There were 1-2 days of absolute balls out speed, by which I mean driving the car at it's ragged limit trying to keep up but generally, it did amazing.Trying to keep up with V8's or people with at least twice as powerful cars is always difficult but the terrain suited the '5 so I could still stay in touch if not keep up absolutley fine. Having walkies talkies made a potentially impossible job very easy by knowing when I could overtake if I or anyone else got caught behind slow moving traffic.
The thing is, the trip is supremely well organised with lead & support cars & there are no egos to deal with...The '5 gained a huge amount of respect for punching well above it's weight. I received many compliments as although people could plant there foot on the straights and leave it for dead, not long later I would be back behind them again on the twisties which sums up the '5 in one sentence really
Like many have said...It's not what you drive, but how you drive it
Edited by ironictwist on Tuesday 21st September 17:45
S3_Graham said:
im desperate to do one of these, is it very hard on the cars??
It's hard on everyone & everything to be honest - We're out on the road for about 6/7hrs each day & it was about 5hrs driving time each day with obviously breaks here & there. The cars would do a minimum of 200 each day topping out at around 375-400 miles.The cars that went along were...
Lotus Exige 260
BMW 650
BMW 130i
MINI Cooper S
BMW Z4M coupé
Ferrari 360
Lotus Exige S1
Porsche C4
Aston Martin DB9 Volante
BMW Z3M roadster
Renault R26 Meg
Ferrari 355
Ferrari 360
Honda Civic Type R
Mazda MX5
VW Scirocco R
BMW M3
Audi S4
Ferrari 360
Chevrolet Camaro
Lotus Elise
Porsche 996 GT3
Porsche 997 GT3
Westfield
The casualties we had were on Day 5 - The supercharged Elise's supercharger died! The 996 GT3 clipped something buggering the suspension, the 997 GT3 had a radiator leak. Both GT3's made it back to Britain under there own steam later on in the trip though
Day 8 - The C4 clipped a grass verge picking up stones & killing the radiator & later on the DB9 dropped all it's transmission fluid as we were heading back up France. Everything else made it...No hitches. But it's exhausting stuff
Day 3 snaps to come a little later
Edited by ironictwist on Wednesday 22 September 09:28
Jonny671 said:
Good! Sounds like it was alot of fun.. When you say ragged limit, did you feel the MX5 needed more or was it doing just fine for your driving limit? I sometimes feel the MX5 can do alot more than I personally think it can.
I think I need someone to drive it properly so I'm not scared to else I think I'll break it
Looking forward to more pictures
It was at the edges of my driving limit & definitely at the edges of the cars limit...There were many occasions where I would be completely flat out as the road opens up. But naturally the straight will reach a twisty so as long as you're keeping it in the power band along there, you're right back behind everyone as the bigger/heavier cars aren't carrying as much speed. Twinned with this, because you have the all clear on any potential hazards up ahead you can effectivelly take the racing line ensuring you have every little advantage to catch up I think I need someone to drive it properly so I'm not scared to else I think I'll break it
Looking forward to more pictures
This was on the more "intense" days where we were properly hooning, not every day is like that & it's always done at a pace where if we're really going for it one minute, we take it a little relaxed further along to let the cars cruise & cool down, then go for it again. Superb fun though...There are a few videos I'll be uploading showing what I described previous regarding using every bit of road where I'm sat behind a V8 of some description, they disappear, then 2 minutes later, we're back together again
Edited by ironictwist on Wednesday 22 September 09:42
Day 3 - This is where the fun REALLY begins, Day 2 was a small warmup in comparison to the intense thrills & amazing views we had here. Taking on bundles of French Alpine passes finishing up the night at the top of the one & only Col De Turini.
Following a stream of tail lights through the dark along empty winding cliff top roads twinned with the intoxicating noise of V8s bouncing off the rocks is the stuff of dreams gents...This day was my nirvana
More footage will arrive in about a week or so when I can upgrade my Vimeo account seeing as my bank balance hasnt recovered since the thrashing it received on tour...Pictures a plenty though
Our hotel come the morning light!
After a few passes that morning we regrouped, This was opposite...
...our mini regroup point
Tucked away behind cars at the front
We were all however en-route to regroup with EVERYONE here!
& the view without us lot in the way...
Then later on when we had spread out a little, a few of us attracted a bit of attention on a bridge in the centre of town. I think it was about 10 officers in total, closed off 1 lane of traffic on the bridge then they wanted a nosey at the documents for the owners of the Ferrari's & the 650. Although the '5 had it's reg checked, we were spared any sifting through documents, just stuck in the middle of it all instead
Fortunately they stopped us in an ideal spot so we could actually take some decent pictures of this gorgeous town!
A bit of porn...
Then after a bit of hooning, we arrived here...
Who knew the GT3 could pose so well..It is pornography though!
My turn!
Then after some superb cliff top passes! Another regroup!
After we set off from here it was unforgettable & although no photos were nabbed, maybe a tiny bit of video, the best bit was when darkness fell & together we were making progress through the night arriving at a foggy Col De Turni...Nothing like it & something I'll never forget.
Next...Day 4. Tunnel run day along the coast. Through 150+ tunnels.
Following a stream of tail lights through the dark along empty winding cliff top roads twinned with the intoxicating noise of V8s bouncing off the rocks is the stuff of dreams gents...This day was my nirvana
More footage will arrive in about a week or so when I can upgrade my Vimeo account seeing as my bank balance hasnt recovered since the thrashing it received on tour...Pictures a plenty though
Our hotel come the morning light!
After a few passes that morning we regrouped, This was opposite...
...our mini regroup point
Tucked away behind cars at the front
We were all however en-route to regroup with EVERYONE here!
& the view without us lot in the way...
Then later on when we had spread out a little, a few of us attracted a bit of attention on a bridge in the centre of town. I think it was about 10 officers in total, closed off 1 lane of traffic on the bridge then they wanted a nosey at the documents for the owners of the Ferrari's & the 650. Although the '5 had it's reg checked, we were spared any sifting through documents, just stuck in the middle of it all instead
Fortunately they stopped us in an ideal spot so we could actually take some decent pictures of this gorgeous town!
A bit of porn...
Then after a bit of hooning, we arrived here...
Who knew the GT3 could pose so well..It is pornography though!
My turn!
Then after some superb cliff top passes! Another regroup!
After we set off from here it was unforgettable & although no photos were nabbed, maybe a tiny bit of video, the best bit was when darkness fell & together we were making progress through the night arriving at a foggy Col De Turni...Nothing like it & something I'll never forget.
Next...Day 4. Tunnel run day along the coast. Through 150+ tunnels.
Edited by ironictwist on Wednesday 22 September 21:26
Day 4 - An amazing descent down a very wet & greasy Col De Turini then taking the coast road through the perfectly constructed Italian motorways which wind there way along the coast through the hills via bridges/tunnels twisting & turning. As far as motorways go, this was heaven!
The noise from our convoy was enough to scare even the hardened italian locals & being tailgated by an old lady in a Micra, or having a white Italian van trying to get past at whatever speed you're doing conforms with the widely head view that the Italians know how to drive
Again, as I was driving, photos from this day are scarce from me...Plenty of videos which I'm currently sifting through though! Videos, again, will be in the coming week!
The view from my balcony come the morning
The main lounge/bar/dining area is a petrolheads scrapbook. This hotel was made for people like us to park up for a bit of kip at the end of the night. Photos & autographs of clubs, famous racing faces with autographed pictures all leaving mementos & photos to say that they've been to this iconic spot & headed up this amazing road.
The owners vintage Bentley parked next to the Scure Elise & Westfield.
The hotel opposite us with the owners Black Cab parked outside...He was very chuffed with it
Our hotel! Remember to stay here if you ever visit this road!
Italian fuel stop! After we completed the vast amount of tunnels en-route to Piacenza!
The view from a bloody petrol station!
Home for the night!
The main square in Piacenza before the rain came!
Day 5 is a VERY wet roof down trip to the Mille Miglia museum before we head to the Stelvio Pass & our hotel, right at the top of it!
The noise from our convoy was enough to scare even the hardened italian locals & being tailgated by an old lady in a Micra, or having a white Italian van trying to get past at whatever speed you're doing conforms with the widely head view that the Italians know how to drive
Again, as I was driving, photos from this day are scarce from me...Plenty of videos which I'm currently sifting through though! Videos, again, will be in the coming week!
The view from my balcony come the morning
The main lounge/bar/dining area is a petrolheads scrapbook. This hotel was made for people like us to park up for a bit of kip at the end of the night. Photos & autographs of clubs, famous racing faces with autographed pictures all leaving mementos & photos to say that they've been to this iconic spot & headed up this amazing road.
The owners vintage Bentley parked next to the Scure Elise & Westfield.
The hotel opposite us with the owners Black Cab parked outside...He was very chuffed with it
Our hotel! Remember to stay here if you ever visit this road!
Italian fuel stop! After we completed the vast amount of tunnels en-route to Piacenza!
The view from a bloody petrol station!
Home for the night!
The main square in Piacenza before the rain came!
Day 5 is a VERY wet roof down trip to the Mille Miglia museum before we head to the Stelvio Pass & our hotel, right at the top of it!
Edited by ironictwist on Saturday 25th September 23:27
Edited by ironictwist on Tuesday 28th September 21:06
Thejimreaper said:
Nice reading Ironic, I didn't realise you were doing one of these trips. Have you got any pics of the S4 support car, that looks pretty cool!!
I've got video footage of it with it's amber lights in action proving to be very useful in getting us all out together in the face of traffic A great support car for a tour if there ever was one!
Day 5 - From Piacenza we had a very wet motorway hop to the Mille Miglia museum...Roof naturally stayed down! After a walkaround, a spot of lunch, we donned the smurf hat (My beanie hat), shades, gloves, warm jacket & headed off higher & higher to the top of Stelvio.
I have some incredible video footage of this day, of the ascent in particular which shall eventually be up
@ the museum
En-route to Stelvio for a wee stop! A pretty fantastic location to relieve your bladder wouldnt ya say!?
Still en-route!
The last fuel stop before we blitzed Stelvio...!
At the top of the most incredible drive...Just before the Snow closed in on us all!!
& guess what?! This is only Day 5 of 9...There's still tons to come!
After a walkaround, a spot of lunch, we donned the smurf hat (My beanie hat), shades, gloves, warm jacket & headed off higher & higher to the top of Stelvio.I have some incredible video footage of this day, of the ascent in particular which shall eventually be up
@ the museum
En-route to Stelvio for a wee stop! A pretty fantastic location to relieve your bladder wouldnt ya say!?
Still en-route!
The last fuel stop before we blitzed Stelvio...!
At the top of the most incredible drive...Just before the Snow closed in on us all!!
& guess what?! This is only Day 5 of 9...There's still tons to come!
Edited by ironictwist on Tuesday 28th September 21:44
Day 6 - Today is passes day!! The reason why we're all here! The most picturesque day of them all! Started off in a snow covered Stelvio, headed for Switzerland via a number of stunning passes (Stelvio, Umbrail, Julier, San Bernadino, Fluela) then back to another night at snowy Stelvio, one of the best being the San Bernadino pass. The most gorgeous scenery, the best roads. In hindsight, the best day twinned with Day 3.
Stelvio at first light...
Our hotel!
Out of the tunnel into the sunlight to then be parked up on a Dam confronted by this...!
Then through here to a gorgeous place called Livigno for fuel...
& this petrol station was in arguably the most beautiful spot, because opposite the forecourt, was this...
We then headed off for lunch...
After lunch, en-route to attack the San Bernadino pass!
Now the San Bernadino pass. This road...Is arguably the most fun road I've ever been on in my life. Totally tailored to my 5 & throwing it sideways at every hairpin! Fun on another level! I believe there's 1 video following me that looks like a benny hill sketch with the way it was being thrown in - At the top, we finished up here!
Then after a descent back down the San Bernadino, & a number of other gorgeous stretches we were caught in blazing sun, torrential rain, intense sun again, to then arrive at the top of Stelvio...AS IT FLIPPIN SNOWED!
Stelvio at first light...
Our hotel!
Out of the tunnel into the sunlight to then be parked up on a Dam confronted by this...!
Then through here to a gorgeous place called Livigno for fuel...
& this petrol station was in arguably the most beautiful spot, because opposite the forecourt, was this...
We then headed off for lunch...
After lunch, en-route to attack the San Bernadino pass!
Now the San Bernadino pass. This road...Is arguably the most fun road I've ever been on in my life. Totally tailored to my 5 & throwing it sideways at every hairpin! Fun on another level!
I believe there's 1 video following me that looks like a benny hill sketch with the way it was being thrown in - At the top, we finished up here!Then after a descent back down the San Bernadino, & a number of other gorgeous stretches we were caught in blazing sun, torrential rain, intense sun again, to then arrive at the top of Stelvio...AS IT FLIPPIN SNOWED!
Edited by ironictwist on Wednesday 29th September 23:00
Thejimreaper said:
Makes for good reading mate, I bet the trip cost you a small fortune in fuel and other bits!! Looks worth ever penny though.
It did...Half the value of a 2nd hand Chimaera would you believe Jim (PS - Nearly finally there, the intention is to have it for the next tour I go on, Viking Tour 2011 )XTR2Turbo said:
cracking pictures. Glad I wasn't the only one with no roof on day 5 !! David
Ahh David! Good to hear from you! I hope you've seen Rob's snaps of your Westy at the top of Stelvio!? It's a spectacular shot, I'm hoping to nab a high res copy of it to get put on a huge canvas, it's superb!Found it!
Day 7 - We left Stelvio for the last time & headed to the San Bernadino for another awesome & very sideways run at it finishing with Lunch...Then went over into Switzerland via an incrediblle road through stunning scenery, relaxed with a sedate trip alongside Lake Maggiore, gorgeous. We finally finished up the day beside Mont Blanc at a superb hotel in the most beautiful town!
Leaving Stelvio for the last time!
En-route to the San Bernadino again
Yes believe it or not, through a village called...
After a VERY sideways run at the San Bernadino again, we headed off, & on the other side of the pass lay this...Hell yes. This one ranks very high in my list. Just look at it!
Once we got to the bottom we were off in the general direction of our hotel by Mont Blanc...It was very much the scenic route though!
Stopped off at Lake Maggiore...Created a bit of a stir!
Parked up with her new friends
Then we were off...
Usual scenery at a fuel stop this part of the world!
Then arrived late in the day at our hotel, the view from my balcony of the most idyllic little village! The hotel = Incredible luxury. Just what you need after a hard days hooning!
Leaving Stelvio for the last time!
En-route to the San Bernadino again
Yes believe it or not, through a village called...
After a VERY sideways run at the San Bernadino again, we headed off, & on the other side of the pass lay this...Hell yes. This one ranks very high in my list. Just look at it!
Once we got to the bottom we were off in the general direction of our hotel by Mont Blanc...It was very much the scenic route though!
Stopped off at Lake Maggiore...Created a bit of a stir!
Parked up with her new friends
Then we were off...
Usual scenery at a fuel stop this part of the world!
Then arrived late in the day at our hotel, the view from my balcony of the most idyllic little village! The hotel = Incredible luxury. Just what you need after a hard days hooning!
Edited by ironictwist on Friday 1st October 14:20
crugbun said:
That road looks rather familiar! But anyway, yes, it was EXACTLY like that, minus the Miura I'm afraid & more sun than snow generally Day 8 - Started out from the gorgeous hotel by Mont Blanc then attacked the Petit St Bernard pass, again, immense road! Then travelled through lord knows where, but again, great roads, great scenery. After a long day (Including me ending up in central Geneva, lost) we arrived in Dijon! Cue Snails & Rabbit for dinner!
We start today with this gorgeous view from my balcony What a place to wake up!
Courmayeur - Aside from the bins, it's like a different "time"
Blimey.
Our hotel!
Leaving the hotel en route to the Petit St Bernard!
At the end of the Petit St Bernard!
Later on....Somewhere. God knows where! But it looked pleasant
Later on, regrouping with everyone at Lake Annesy! I think I've found where I'm buying a holiday home in a few years time.
After this, we were heading over the border skirting AROUND Geneva & taking the scenic country route to Dijon. Yours truly somehow bumbled into the centre of Geneva (long story!) then eventually caught up with everyone an hour later after breezing through the french countryside to catch up So not many pics after this I'm afraid! It was while I was pressing on behind the pack that the DB9 dropped all it's transmission fluid in dramatic style!
Needless to say upon arriving at Dijon, with no petrol left & the MX5 running on memories rather than Unleaded we arrived at the hotel. Dinner was snails & rabbit...& for my first time eating both, tt was certainly interesting
Day 9 - We were scheduled to head from Dijon to Reims, then Reims to Calais but alas Reims had been hijacked & closed off to us by a huge biker gathering! So alas it was a straight motorway hop to Calais I'm afraid!
Fuel stop on the way to Reims
Calais...
Back on English soil
A final group shot...Before the goodbyes!
Here are some snaps taken by other people of the '5 in action...
I have to confess...This was my 1st time driving abroad, 1st time doing a PHN tour & 1st time doing a huge road trip in the '5.
I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY!
The car I loved before I left the UK anyway, but after a trip like that you can't help but feel very attached to whatever you take along with you. That car despite being down on power in comparison to everyone else, it held it's own & performed superbly being hammered day after day mercilessly. I never ever ever want to sell the thing.
& well, for me, I'm planning on going on the Viking tour next year & potentially the Alps again & whatever other tours I can financially handle, I've well & truly caught the tour bug! It's expensive stuff & I did this tour on a bit of a budget, but the sights you see, the memories you take away with you & the friendships you build make it worth every single penny when you're out there on a road which can only be described as perfection in tandem with amazing company, awesome cars being driven how they should be & superb weather.
What more could you want from a holiday...That is why they call it petrolhead nirvana after all & they're not wrong!
ALL VIDEOS SHALL BE UPLOADED GRADUALLY OVER THE COMING DAYS/WEEKS - There's over 100gb's of footage, but it will eventually end up here, not to worry
EDIT-------
Alpine Tour 2010 - The Best Bits! - Days 1-4 - Part 1
http://vimeo.com/17241931
Enjoy
We start today with this gorgeous view from my balcony
What a place to wake up!Courmayeur - Aside from the bins, it's like a different "time"
Blimey.
Our hotel!
Leaving the hotel en route to the Petit St Bernard!
At the end of the Petit St Bernard!
Later on....Somewhere. God knows where! But it looked pleasant
Later on, regrouping with everyone at Lake Annesy! I think I've found where I'm buying a holiday home in a few years time.
After this, we were heading over the border skirting AROUND Geneva & taking the scenic country route to Dijon. Yours truly somehow bumbled into the centre of Geneva (long story!) then eventually caught up with everyone an hour later after breezing through the french countryside to catch up
So not many pics after this I'm afraid! It was while I was pressing on behind the pack that the DB9 dropped all it's transmission fluid in dramatic style! Needless to say upon arriving at Dijon, with no petrol left & the MX5 running on memories rather than Unleaded we arrived at the hotel. Dinner was snails & rabbit...& for my first time eating both, tt was certainly interesting
Day 9 - We were scheduled to head from Dijon to Reims, then Reims to Calais but alas Reims had been hijacked & closed off to us by a huge biker gathering! So alas it was a straight motorway hop to Calais I'm afraid!
Fuel stop on the way to Reims
Calais...
Back on English soil
A final group shot...Before the goodbyes!
Here are some snaps taken by other people of the '5 in action...
I have to confess...This was my 1st time driving abroad, 1st time doing a PHN tour & 1st time doing a huge road trip in the '5.
I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY!
The car I loved before I left the UK anyway, but after a trip like that you can't help but feel very attached to whatever you take along with you. That car despite being down on power in comparison to everyone else, it held it's own & performed superbly being hammered day after day mercilessly. I never ever ever want to sell the thing.
& well, for me, I'm planning on going on the Viking tour next year & potentially the Alps again & whatever other tours I can financially handle, I've well & truly caught the tour bug! It's expensive stuff & I did this tour on a bit of a budget, but the sights you see, the memories you take away with you & the friendships you build make it worth every single penny when you're out there on a road which can only be described as perfection in tandem with amazing company, awesome cars being driven how they should be & superb weather.
What more could you want from a holiday...That is why they call it petrolhead nirvana after all
& they're not wrong! ALL VIDEOS SHALL BE UPLOADED GRADUALLY OVER THE COMING DAYS/WEEKS - There's over 100gb's of footage, but it will eventually end up here, not to worry
EDIT-------
Alpine Tour 2010 - The Best Bits! - Days 1-4 - Part 1
http://vimeo.com/17241931
Enjoy
Edited by ironictwist on Saturday 27th November 20:51
molineux1980 said:
Superb stuff, I bought a 102,000 MX-5 in June, and love it. I'm getting married next year, and pondering a road trip as a honeymoon. I'll just convince the missus, but she loves the 5 too!
You HAVE to read Scho's thread, he did exactly that! It's a superb read!Edited by ironictwist on Friday 8th October 19:54
snotrag said:
PS - taking pictures through your shades to make it look warmer than it was is cheating 
I didn't have the right filters with me but to be honest, I wish I could have had the shades taped to the camera. The whole trip was spent looking through those shades & it looks far better than the snaps make it out to be Having said, I developed the worst panda eyes known to man, which takes some doing as I'm normally "tanned" looking anyway! However, my complexion was nearly Sri Lankan by the time I got back!
Fortunately you only have to put up with me for BOTH Alps Tours next year, the Viking will have to wait till the year after I imagine!
A longer compilation video is in the works so I will EVENTUALLY get them up here, I just never seem to get round to finishing it.
Edited by ironictwist on Wednesday 24th November 23:16
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