My trip

[Mon the fish]

After intruding on Crombers gallery thread, I thought I'd put a bit up about this years trip - Ring Trip 2.


Why 2? A bit of background...


After an epiphany last year, I decided life was far too short to say "I've always fancied doing/seeing....." - it was time to start doing stuff. So, a list of things to do in Europe with my JCW was hatched, with the 'Ring being number one. This was:


- Drive the old Spa
- Go flat out on the Autobahn
- Stop at Hockenheim to pay my respects to the greatest, Jim Clark
- Porsche museum
- Do some passes, including Stelvio & Fluela
- Few days at Lake Garda
- Ferrari & Enzo Ferrari museums
- Drive round Monaco
- Drive the Col de Turini
- Stop at Reims to see the old pits & track
- Drive the 'Ring
- Stop at Jim Clark's grave on the way home, to pay some more respects


However, coming off the Col de Turini, the car had other plans and munched a driveshaft. Managed to limp to Nice, and had 2 days there will le mechanic fixed the car. Worse places to breakdown, but Nice isn't my type of place. Too hot, smelly, touristy, and it's in France. So 2 days were lost to that, which meant everything on the list got done, except... the 'Ring. Epic trip apart from that


So we got home, and planned and booked this year straight away, realising it would tie in with the Croatia WC qualifier. Ring Trip 2 consisted of:


- Mercedes museum
- Go faster on the autobahn
- Klausenpass & Furka pass
- Few days at Lake Como
- See the old banking at Monza
- Mille Miglia museum
- Few days in Zagreb for the match
- Night in Salzburg
- Few days in Bavaria, to see the Ludwig castles & Dachau concentration camp
- The Ring. Finally.


This year, it all went well. Scotland even won in Croatia! 3000 miles in 2 weeks. Below are some pics of the trip....



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Put some graphics on the car for the trip, I'm a member of the No Imagination Tartan Army (keep an eye out for our flag at Scotland games, see what it's like on the next photo)

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May also notice latest mod on this next one:
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[Gismo]

Epic trip and sounds like good fun.

[Mon the fish]

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Day one, full tank of VPower en-route to Newcastle. Spot another mod...

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Stopped for coffee, and a grab shot of the last time it would be clean

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I could look at this all day. Greatest piece of art & engineering ever IMO

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Didn't make this last year, so a visit was paid. Really good, and free too

- - - Updated - - -

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After last years shoebox-sized room, we upgraded this year. And got a nice forward facing view too!

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Think this means no giant jerry cans on the ferry, not sure

After many boring miles obeying Dutch speed limits, we arrive in Germany and can start to make up ground. First stop is to pay respects to a pre-war GP legend
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- - - Updated - - -

Next day, off to the Merc museum. Which it seems is a good place to get married, 3 of them that day. None of the silly men took my advice to get out whilst they still have a chance...
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Superb line-up of cars, including Moss & Jenks Mille Miglia SLR

[Mon the fish]

When in Germany...
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This used quite a bit of petrol. So a steady 120mph cruise was adopted, a more reasonable 12mpg was then attained

This then happened in Switzerland. In 8+ years ad 70k miles, I've never seen a '4' there before...
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However, the planned blast over the Klausenpass was halted by this
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Which meant driving over this twice:
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The Spugenpass made up for it though
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[Mon the fish]

A pilgrimage to here was then in order
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Just awe-inspiring. You can almost smell the history

Italian security is non-existent, so a walk up the pit straight seemed in order
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All of this was then followed by a few days of this
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And some of this
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But 2 days of that and I was bored. So back to car stuff I went
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What do you do with a free night in Trieste, Italy? Search out the German beer hall, of course
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[Mon the fish]

The TA had arrived in Zagreb by the time we got there...
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The Croatians had been infiltrated by Alex Salmond
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But we won! Still can't quite get used to that word, 'won'. An alien concept to Scotland fans

On the way back to civilisation (i.e. Germany, best country in Europe) we stopped off at Adolf's holiday home in Austria, the Eagle's Nest. Nice views
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Obviously, driving an R53 means I seen a lot of these:
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However, none of the ones here have an, ahem, 'interesting' shop like this attached. Those Austrians think of everything - petrol, check; porn, check...

Bavaria
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I genuinely have no idea why people holiday in Spain (which smells of dog poo in my experience), when you could holiday in Germany where the food is nicer, the beer is nicer, the people are nicer... I digress.

Went to Dachau concentration camp, the first Nazi camp. Truly moving
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After this, we needed cheering up quite a bit. Thankfully, 20 minutes away is the home of the worlds best beer
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[ianking]

Excellent trip.

Ive actually been to the Paulaner hall in Munich. Done a tour of all the beer halls, although I don't remember much of it ;)

[Mon the fish]

Next day, we did the fabulous Ludwig castles. This is Neuschwanstein, the interior is unbelievable
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Next stop the Nordschleife! The car was so excited about this, it actually starting throwing away bits of itself it didn't need in an effort to save weight
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Every little helps.

Our hotel room in Adenau. Therefore, had to try extra hard on this corner
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Finally made it. Get it up you, driveshaft!
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Genuinely the most enjoyable thing I've ever done
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And the best steak I've ever had...
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A wee reminder of home on the wall of Sabine's gaff - the Alfordring, NE Scotland's premier racetrack!
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So after not killing myself at the Ring, but discovering that I am now well and truly addicted, we stopped here
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To discover it didn't open for another hour, and I had a ferry to catch....

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Home, 3k miles in 2 weeks, and god knows how much VPower consumed. But who really cares, it's only petrol.

Ring Trip 3 is currently in planning, if anyone fancies a jaunt round Europe in June next year

[Craig]

Awesome awesome awesome !

Amazing trip Gordon and fitting in a Scotland win is pretty much unheard of ;)

[Mon the fish]

Excellent trip.

Ive actually been to the Paulaner hall in Munich. Done a tour of all the beer halls, although I don't remember much of it ;)

Been to Munich (and the beer halls) a few times, and love it so much that when there's an away game that you can't fly direct to (e.g. Macedonia), a cheeky stopover in Munich is always on the cards ;)

[rpn]

Epic trip and thanks for sharing. I want!

[stoney]

That's some trip I so want to do it :)

[Mon the fish]

I'm going again next year, come with me if you want to do it...

[N16SHP]

Epic trip mate. Loving some of the wee mods on your JCW too.

[Stewart]

That is my kind my Holiday, I’ve never been one that can just sit on a beach. Glad it all went well. :thumbs up: Outstanding roads by the looks of it.



What, where ever this is I’m in love! That looks bonkers fun.
http://www.newminiscotland.co.uk/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=4391&d=1372190435

[ELFMAN]

Great Trip! :thumbs up:
Years ago, an good mate of mine (whose mum was Austrian) was at Dundee Uni, discovered Beer and Girls, dropped out and ended up (eventually) working at Schloss Neuschwanstein... Before I could go and visit him, he got fired for various 'discrepancies' involving (you've guessed it) Beer and Girls. He was never the same again. Lucky b*gger :smilewinkgrin:

[Mon the fish]

That is my kind my Holiday, I’ve never been one that can just sit on a beach. Glad it all went well. :thumbs up: Outstanding roads by the looks of it.



What, where ever this is I’m in love! That looks bonkers fun.
http://www.newminiscotland.co.uk/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=4391&d=1372190435

The Splugenpass, from Switzerland into Italy. What you don't see, was a big coach really struggling to make it through some of the tunnels - literally inches to spare at both sides of the top of the bus

[EcosseGP]

I was at the Croatia game too and usually see the flag at most away games .. You'll maybe have seen ours too "The Red Lion Larbert TA" .. TA car stickers too !

Sounds like it was a trip and a half and not sure I'd have left Zagreb after our win if I'd had a car ..

Cracking write up and photos .. Makes me want to start doing my list ;);)


I intend to live forever ... So far so good !

[weefossy]

The whole trip sounds epic..........and it is the best steak ever. I can smell the aroma of the dinning room, just thinking about it!

[Crombers]

In a word .......... epic :yes nod: ........... very well done sir :clap:

With each of these ..... ££££ ...... I'm in :thumbs up:

[Mon the fish]

Seriously, for everyone who wants to do it, do it.... life's too short; make a list of what you want to see/do, and start doing it.

I will be doing Germany/Italy again next year, I reckon it should be the NMS summer outing

[Alex from NM]

looks fantastic. I doff my cap at you for doing it :D

[Stewart]

So what’s your main pointers doing the whole Euro blast? I always said I’d like to do it in the current car before I got anything new. It’s on my list :thumbs up:

[Mon the fish]

Right, in no particular order:

- decent breakdown cover - check what's covered; you'll regret it if you skimp and you're stranded
- satnav, backed up with detailed turn-by-turn driving directions for each day, with mileage and fuel stops. I use a mixture of Microsoft Autoroute and Google Maps/Earth to map the journey, check junctions, locate Shell stations etc
- plan timings using the above, and lunch/pee stops etc. I try and be as organised as possible
- after the first years trip, what I have learned is anywhere you like the look of, try and stay 2 nights; if you don't get there until late afternoon, and you're setting off again in the morning, you won't see that much of the place
- any town you're thinking of staying in, look it up on Google Images - gives you an idea how nice it looks
- Germany is vastly underrated for prettiness, quaintness etc. Lots of lovely, historic towns to stay in
- use booking.com for hotel bookings (all booked before going) - can cancel up to day of arrival (useful if any issues). Check hotels on Google Earth to establish car parking; a lot of hotels abroad have garages you can hire for 7euros per day, well worth it. Even hotels in historic villages have garages, much more so than our country
- take oil, socket set, cable ties etc etc. Never know when you'll need them
- avoid France, too expensive to drive in (tolls)
- if you've got an R53, get an OBD reader - essential to monitor IATs in hotter climates
- remember and drive as fast as you can in Germany - when you see the white circle with the black line (same as ours), that means go for it!

[Gismo]

remember and drive as fast as you can in Germany - when you see the white circle with the black line (same as ours), that means go for it!:lol:

[Stewart]

Great advice, love the go for it in Germany!!!! It can’t be too long before EU legislation spoils the whole Autobahn thing with no speed limit.

[weefossy]

I would also add, don't try and drive too far each day; that turns something pleasurable into a chore and spoils the trip. Leave plenty time to stop and look arround.

[Mon the fish]

^^would echo this, 350-400 miles a day I find is a sensible amount

[AndyP & Lenore]

Epic trip and some great advice there Gordon. Thanks for sharing. :thumbs up::thumbs up: