Discussion
Catching my breath after Le Mans, I thought I'd post a few photos of our recent rally. In all, we passed through Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Lichtenstein, Germany and France during the 12 days and 3,200 miles we did, and it was intensive stuff - we traversed 57 passes! Obviously the most mythical is the stelvio but for some reason, perhaps because I've done it a number of times, it is nowhere near my favourite. Anyway, here's a photo of the old girl at the top:-
Two that I had never heard of let alone traversed were the Kranjska Gora in Slovenia which is still like some of the passes used to be - cobbled on the hairpins. This pass is also unusual since unlike the Stelvio the bends are not numbered from bottom to top but from bottom to bottom each side. Here's a photo showing the cobbles which were to be treated with caution since it was cold and slippery.
Being early season, both the Gavia and Stelvio were closed at our first attempt, and here is a photo at the summit of the Albula, and since this is about 600 metres lower than the Stelvio you can understand why it was closed.
This next photo will also show just what the roads must have been like a month earlier:-
Many times we had our heads, literally, in the clouds and even though the photo doesn't show it well visibility was down to about 30 yds in places:-
Interesting photo of a couple of vehicles we came across when we stopped for coffee in Austria:-
The combo was three wheel drive, being ex-army.
I have loads more, but that will give you a flavour. We were 40 Jaguars, from Mk2s to E types and we had a ball. Overall I did 3,200 miles, used about 650 litres at an average of 22mpg (I'm rather astounded I got that much given the number of passes) and overall consumed just over a litre of oil - not bad for a hard-used motor with about 90,000 on the clock. However, given the "click click" from the wheels every time I pulled away, and the fact that all the spokes are rusty, plus the tyres are now worn out, i'll be getting some new wheels and boots when I am over for the festival.
Two that I had never heard of let alone traversed were the Kranjska Gora in Slovenia which is still like some of the passes used to be - cobbled on the hairpins. This pass is also unusual since unlike the Stelvio the bends are not numbered from bottom to top but from bottom to bottom each side. Here's a photo showing the cobbles which were to be treated with caution since it was cold and slippery.
Being early season, both the Gavia and Stelvio were closed at our first attempt, and here is a photo at the summit of the Albula, and since this is about 600 metres lower than the Stelvio you can understand why it was closed.
This next photo will also show just what the roads must have been like a month earlier:-
Many times we had our heads, literally, in the clouds and even though the photo doesn't show it well visibility was down to about 30 yds in places:-
Interesting photo of a couple of vehicles we came across when we stopped for coffee in Austria:-
The combo was three wheel drive, being ex-army.
I have loads more, but that will give you a flavour. We were 40 Jaguars, from Mk2s to E types and we had a ball. Overall I did 3,200 miles, used about 650 litres at an average of 22mpg (I'm rather astounded I got that much given the number of passes) and overall consumed just over a litre of oil - not bad for a hard-used motor with about 90,000 on the clock. However, given the "click click" from the wheels every time I pulled away, and the fact that all the spokes are rusty, plus the tyres are now worn out, i'll be getting some new wheels and boots when I am over for the festival.
Superb pics, looks and sounds like a great trip.
That mpg is rather impressive too. I am taking the DS on a tour of the Alps/Jura mountains and was anticipating around 12-15 for the 'interesting' bits. I suppose coming down the other side averages things out!
Would love to see more pics if you have them.
That mpg is rather impressive too. I am taking the DS on a tour of the Alps/Jura mountains and was anticipating around 12-15 for the 'interesting' bits. I suppose coming down the other side averages things out!
Would love to see more pics if you have them.
Wonderful shot at the summit of Albula (?) - those two just look fantastic. Love to see proper cars being used on interesting roads - looks like you had a great time. A friend of mine recently got back from a similar trip in a TR7 V8 convertible, 3000 miles in about a week. Must get organised and get over their myself - only ever been over there on the 'bikes. Anymore pic's, please just to fuel my daydreams? And don't worry about boring us, it's not going to happen.
Those E types look gorgeous. I just came back from a 2000 mile trip that included Fluela Pass, Krausenpass, Umbrail and finally the Stelvio Pass. We stayed at the Stelvio Pass Hotel at the top of the pass, it was very quiet as the weather was not good. The Stelvio is not a favourite of mine either, as a driving road the hairpins are too tight and visibilty around them is not good due to the walls, still an amazing piece of road. 
Pardon me Dinkel, but here I talked about a Jaguar club tour, and here are you riding on the back of it promoting a tour for, it seems, Ferraris and Porsches, all modern. I am sorry, but I don't appreciate the thread being hijacked and used to promote a commercial tour - we do ours with no profit incentive as a club. 6,200 euros for seven nights? Oh, and in the English version that is per person but i assume you mean per couple, since single rooms are exhorbitantly extra. We paid (and I'll hasten to say we included the same hotel at Evian in our itinerary) 3,600 per couple for 12 nights including some damned good dinners and breakfasts. I see drinks aren't included, whereas our tour included as much wine as we wanted at table, plus a few "aperitifs" of champagne (Veuve Cliquot, not rubbish) and nibbles in the price. So 1,600 euros into a drinks fund for eight days I find not just a little but absolutely and completely over the top.
Frankly, looking at this tour, just the kind of people I want to avoid. New money, no real ethos.
ETA It really is a hard tour too I see. If my maths is correct you actually do 1,100 kilometers - that's about 681 miles poor things in in seven days. We did over 5,000 kilometers in 12 days, including a lot of tough driving. Is this a tour for geriatrics? I guess so, since I note your luggage is transported from hotel to hotel so the poor things don't have to lift the suitcases or carry them in their own cars.
Jesus!
Frankly, looking at this tour, just the kind of people I want to avoid. New money, no real ethos.
ETA It really is a hard tour too I see. If my maths is correct you actually do 1,100 kilometers - that's about 681 miles poor things in in seven days. We did over 5,000 kilometers in 12 days, including a lot of tough driving. Is this a tour for geriatrics? I guess so, since I note your luggage is transported from hotel to hotel so the poor things don't have to lift the suitcases or carry them in their own cars.
Jesus!
Edited by lowdrag on Friday 24th June 21:51
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