3,000 miles in 4 days...
Discussion
....
)Sounds like fun 
I'll be watching to see how you get on, we're doing a similar trip in July for our honeymoon
and not yet decided what car to take, but it'll be much hotter then and lots of nasty speed bumps where we're going and also lots of luggage so might end up in one of our sensible cars!!!
I'll be watching to see how you get on, we're doing a similar trip in July for our honeymoon
and not yet decided what car to take, but it'll be much hotter then and lots of nasty speed bumps where we're going and also lots of luggage so might end up in one of our sensible cars!!!Sounds like great fun - but wouldn't it be even better to add another day or so to each leg of the trip so that you can enjoy some of the more scenic roads than just blast down the autoroute???
The Pyrenees are well worth a play - especially on the Spanish side as there is very little traffic and some utterly fantastic roads.
Another option to consider is the P&O crossing from Portsmouth to Bilbau - leaves on the Friday evening, two nights on board, then you arive Bilbau approx 8am Sunday - right into the northern mountain range Picos de Europa - playground!!!
You'll have so much time on the motoray - reward yourself with some mountain roads on the way!
The Pyrenees are well worth a play - especially on the Spanish side as there is very little traffic and some utterly fantastic roads.
Another option to consider is the P&O crossing from Portsmouth to Bilbau - leaves on the Friday evening, two nights on board, then you arive Bilbau approx 8am Sunday - right into the northern mountain range Picos de Europa - playground!!!
You'll have so much time on the motoray - reward yourself with some mountain roads on the way!
mikeinsheffield said:
The Pyrenees are well worth a play - especially on the Spanish side as there is very little traffic and some utterly fantastic roads.
+1 for this! I've cycled from Biarritz to Barcelona a couple of times and the mountain roads are empty and the scenery is epic. Always wanted to drive it. Watch out for closed mountain passes due to snow though. They're all usually clear by the third week in May.
mikeinsheffield said:
Sounds like great fun - but wouldn't it be even better to add another day or so to each leg of the trip so that you can enjoy some of the more scenic roads than just blast down the autoroute???
The Pyrenees are well worth a play - especially on the Spanish side as there is very little traffic and some utterly fantastic roads.
Another option to consider is the P&O crossing from Portsmouth to Bilbau - leaves on the Friday evening, two nights on board, then you arive Bilbau approx 8am Sunday - right into the northern mountain range Picos de Europa - playground!!!
You'll have so much time on the motoray - reward yourself with some mountain roads on the way!
I like your thinking but I've already added 2 days either side of the holiday and don't want to push my luck with the OH, who is flying with the kids both ways. I did look at longer crossings but again this consumes a lot of time and was also surprisingly pricey...The Pyrenees are well worth a play - especially on the Spanish side as there is very little traffic and some utterly fantastic roads.
Another option to consider is the P&O crossing from Portsmouth to Bilbau - leaves on the Friday evening, two nights on board, then you arive Bilbau approx 8am Sunday - right into the northern mountain range Picos de Europa - playground!!!
You'll have so much time on the motoray - reward yourself with some mountain roads on the way!
FarmyardPants said:
6:40 ferry Dover to Calais
Stop overnight in Bordeaux
Power on to Malaga the next day.
On the return trip I'll be leaving at midday after seeing the family off at the airport, stop in Burgos in northern Spain, and the next day drive up to Calais for the 10pm ferry.
Bloody hell mate, you've some horrible stints there.Stop overnight in Bordeaux
Power on to Malaga the next day.
On the return trip I'll be leaving at midday after seeing the family off at the airport, stop in Burgos in northern Spain, and the next day drive up to Calais for the 10pm ferry.
That first day, means you'll be waking up at 3am. So little sleep. Then over 9 hours in the car.
Day 2 is almost 800 miles, so 12 hours in the car plus stops.
Return, day 1 wont be too bad.
But day 2, you'll be doing over 900 miles. Almost 14 hours in the motor plus stops plus ferry.
You'll be on your arse. Not sure how you are on the drugs front, but you'd want a fairly healthy coke addiction if you're not sharing the driving.
I've done B'ham-Milan in 2 days & that was hard work. Even did San Remo to Reims in a single shift.
I'd have broke your trip up in to 3 days personally. If you don't, I'll guarantee you never do it again
Edited by RUSSELLM on Friday 16th March 09:09
FarmyardPants said:
I like your thinking but I've already added 2 days either side of the holiday and don't want to push my luck with the OH, who is flying with the kids both ways. I did look at longer crossings but again this consumes a lot of time and was also surprisingly pricey...
Hang on..... You're going to be in the car on your own ?No, no & no
Did I mention 'no' ?
Thanks Russ. I think 
. I did the trip 6 months ago so I know what's involved.
It takes about 80mins to Dover, so I can leave the house at 4:30am or so. A fry-up and a doze on the boat is then in order. Then it's only 550 odd miles down to Bordeaux. Last time I arrived just before 4pm, plenty of time for a rest and freshen up before going out.
Day 2 is a bit of a mission. Last time I left at about 7am and arrived at about 7pm. There are some great roads in the mountain foothills as already stated, but the drive through the middle of Spain is not the best. A lot of roadworks, although I have discovered that the Spanish do not slow down for them at all - 120km/h in a temporary 70km/h is de rigueur out there.
The first leg of the return trip was easy enough, the second day I arrived at Calais a couple of hours early (I had booked the 23:45 ferry), despite a hiccup near Paris while trying to find fuel (I didn't run out though, I'm not that daft
).
I will probably get
for saying so but the cruise control was a godsend and the drive will require much more concentration in the cerb, as you say I will probably be done in afterwards! I can never seem to get enough of driving it, though. Time will tell..
. I did the trip 6 months ago so I know what's involved. It takes about 80mins to Dover, so I can leave the house at 4:30am or so. A fry-up and a doze on the boat is then in order. Then it's only 550 odd miles down to Bordeaux. Last time I arrived just before 4pm, plenty of time for a rest and freshen up before going out.
Day 2 is a bit of a mission. Last time I left at about 7am and arrived at about 7pm. There are some great roads in the mountain foothills as already stated, but the drive through the middle of Spain is not the best. A lot of roadworks, although I have discovered that the Spanish do not slow down for them at all - 120km/h in a temporary 70km/h is de rigueur out there.
The first leg of the return trip was easy enough, the second day I arrived at Calais a couple of hours early (I had booked the 23:45 ferry), despite a hiccup near Paris while trying to find fuel (I didn't run out though, I'm not that daft
).I will probably get
for saying so but the cruise control was a godsend and the drive will require much more concentration in the cerb, as you say I will probably be done in afterwards! I can never seem to get enough of driving it, though. Time will tell.. FarmyardPants said:
(I didn't run out though, I'm not that daft )
I haven't done that, before or since, but thanks for reminding me )
FarmyardPants said:
I will probably get for saying so but the cruise control was a godsend and the drive will require much more concentration in the cerb, as you say I will probably be done in afterwards! I can never seem to get enough of driving it, though. Time will tell..
I must say, even on long stints, I've never felt like dropping off in the Cerb. I have in other cars & vans for saying so but the cruise control was a godsend and the drive will require much more concentration in the cerb, as you say I will probably be done in afterwards! I can never seem to get enough of driving it, though. Time will tell.. But that 900 mile shift you're doing is good old trip. Your ears'll be ringing for a week
The time has come, I'm leaving tomorrow..
I've done a bit of prep work:
Bring it on!
I've done a bit of prep work:
- Changed the clutch fluid (it was black, really black, so I syringed it out of the reservoir and removed the sludge with a paper towel before pushing the new stuff through. Clutch is now much lighter).
- fixed the boot light - first time it's worked in years
- modified my lights for continental driving (beam is now horizontal)
- tweaked the nearside camber to match the offside
- refitted the chin spoiler
- fixed the windscreen washers
- topped up the fluids
- tweaked the tyre pressures (26 cold psi for motorway)
Bring it on!
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