Alpine adventures

[Xenoous]

LarJammer said:

This journey is really all about the roads & that starts proper in a couple of days (tomorrow is an easy day). So far the car has impressed, driving alongside a Loch on a winding road with a view of the mountains is pretty damn cool! Getting stuck behind a Hyundai for 10 miles less so, but I shouldn't complain.

Sure that's the Glencoe lay-by? Stopped for a picture in my old car. Stunning car btw. They look fantastic in the flesh as well!

[Sporky]

Ash_ said:

Though, also as a fan of Lotus chassis cars, I'd have held out for the Emira, or bought a newer Evora.

I test drove an Evora GT400 before buying the Alpine. The Evora was ace, but the A110 was acer.

[LarJammer]

To answer johnboi - here it is parked next to an abandoned range rover.

[LarJammer]

Day 2, leg 1.

Leg 2.

153.7 miles, 43.6 mpg.

[LarJammer]

Getting back in the car this morning was like putting on a favourite pair of shoes. The bucket seats are simply awesome, I had heard David Twohig (the lead designer of the A110) say he was most proud of them (in regards to weight saving) and they are supremely comfortable too.
The sat nav lady was shouting at full volume today, despite not saying a word yesterday. Not sure what I did to upset her and it took all morning to find how to shut her up #touchscreen.
Stopping for a morning cuppa, lochside.

The colours really pop in the sunshine & the landscape is pretty good too! Did some touristy stuff today including visiting the Moray car museum. It's only a small place but has some interesting cars including this unique 'Aston healey' and some mad period race cars.

Edited by LarJammer on Saturday 22 July 19:37

[LarJammer]

Day 3.

179.3 miles, 42.1 mpg.
I was feeling tired this morning & think the lack of sleep has overtaken the thrill of adventure. This led to me inadvertently pulling the handbrake switch when trying to close the window. At 60mph. I certainly felt wide awake after that.
Dunrobin Castle deserves a pic, it is a very impressive and imposing building.

I'm trying to find some spots off the beaten track and stumbled on a harbour just off the main road, a perfect place for lunch and a couple of photos.

Edited by LarJammer on Sunday 23 July 17:22

[LarJammer]

The local wildlife has been quite well behaved aside from a couple of suicidal birds. One didn't make it.

No damage done, well, apart from the bird...
Spotted this German registered apocalypse spec Mercedes at John O Groats.

The Alpine has really got under my skin - it is my sort of car. It strikes me how much it has in common with the NSX, both are made from aluminium, have similar power, double wishbone suspension all round, a supple ride and have crap cabin storage.

[Sport220]

That looks sensational

Well done on getting an actual lightweight sportscar, some 400 kg lighter than Emira. Believe you’d be struggling to get more than 30 mpg from that

[Terminator X]

See Wick and Thurso on the map. Lovely quiet roads up there.

TX.

[LarJammer]

Terminator X said:

See Wick and Thurso on the map. Lovely quiet roads up there.

TX.

I really enjoyed that section, great roads and little traffic.

[LarJammer]

Day 4.

167.7 miles, 36.4 mpg.
Some really enjoyable roads on this route, I think I got lucky with the traffic & most of the campervans very politely pulled over to let me past. Met some motorcyclists at Kylesku Bridge and it tuned out it was the launch of a new range of Honda bikes, fully supported by Honda (who followed in support vans).

[LarJammer]

Also stopped at Corrieshalloch Gorge. I am really impressed with the infrastructure at places like this (and JoG) & have no problem paying extortionate parking fees when the money is clearly being used to good effect.

Another place I wanted to go was the resting place of USAAF Liberator. The directions I'd read online didn't prepare me for the trek & I joked with some walkers that they might be in the newspaper tomorrow, as the last people to speak to an old fat bald man, now missing, presumably mosquito food. It was a very serious climb, up barely trodden rocky paths, through bogs you can lose a shoe in and loose rocks ready to break an ankle. I was drenched in sweat and probably the only human in a 3 mile radius. It was getting late and the weather was coming in so I didn't hang around too long, all in about a 3 hrs trek on very tough terrain.

[Jeanboi]

LarJammer said:

To answer johnboi - here it is parked next to an abandoned range rover.

Thanks!
I think they're great but I'm miffed they seem to be holding their value so well! C:

You've caught some lovely scenes there too, keep it up.......................................

[LarJammer]

Day 5.

141.2 miles, 37.0 mpg.
The roads on this section are quite something. Very technical with lots of unsighted corners and crests. A few areas have been resurfaced recently & the gravel made the car move around a lot, which was unnerving. Must have been tricky on a bike. As ever, the locals & travellers have been super friendly. Everyone wants to talk about the car - I didn't get anywhere this much attention in the NSX.

Since this is my last night before I head home I've treated myself to a very posh hotel & turned up at the same time as a huge party of old folks. It was a wake and my bright orange car didn't really fit in!

[leglessAlex]

Sporky said:

Ash_ said:

Though, also as a fan of Lotus chassis cars, I'd have held out for the Emira, or bought a newer Evora.

I test drove an Evora GT400 before buying the Alpine. The Evora was ace, but the A110 was acer.

My Evora GT410 was somewhat more competent and had much higher quality dampers than my A110 has, but it fell a long way short in the 'fun' category, which is the bit that interests me most. The A110 also doesn't have the flaws like a high seating position that the Evora had.

LarJammer, this thread is ace! I look forward to taking my car around those same roads some time.

[CliveJ7]

Great write up of an obviously fantastic trip, thanks for making the effort to write it LarJammer!

Splendid to hear you like the A110. A small point about the key fob - don't faff around with the buttons 'coz they're a pain, just set it up with keyless entry. Can't remember how you do it, but it's easy (it's in the manual) and IMHO much easier...!

The engine improves with mileage - so ENJOY!

[Andy665]

Always liked the A110, this and the other thread on Readers Cars got me thinking more about them yesterday, especially as I have recently placed a holding deposit on a Wells Vertige

Cancelled the deposit on the Wells tis morning, popped down to Alpine Solihull, had a drive, looked at colours, tried the Comfort seats versus bucket seats, crunched some numbers and came away with a delivery date on an A110 of 1st September - can't wait

[tighnamara]

LarJammer said:

Getting back in the car this morning was like putting on a favourite pair of shoes. The bucket seats are simply awesome, I had heard David Twohig (the lead designer of the A110) say he was most proud of them (in regards to weight saving) and they are supremely comfortable too.
The sat nav lady was shouting at full volume today, despite not saying a word yesterday. Not sure what I did to upset her and it took all morning to find how to shut her up #touchscreen.
Stopping for a morning cuppa, lochside.

The colours really pop in the sunshine & the landscape is pretty good too! Did some touristy stuff today including visiting the Moray car museum. It's only a small place but has some interesting cars including this unique 'Aston healey' and some mad period race cars.

Edited by LarJammer on Saturday 22 July 19:37

Lovely looking car.
Nice little car museum, the family owners are regular competitors at Goodwood Revival.

[LarJammer]

Day 6.

524.8 miles, 44.7mpg.

1620 total miles. Phew!

[LarJammer]

Im not usually inclined to name my cars, but it seems to be a thing with Alpine. So I have christened mine Le Canard. Which is French for duck (a l'orange). And it looks like a platypus.