I've finally remembered to put some pictures from my Eruotrip onto the internet. On the basis that many of them are of two particularly petrol-head destinations (Millau and the Stelvio pass) I thought they might be of vague interest to people on here. There aren't very many of them, because I've never got the hang of remembering to take photos, and when I do remember, they're generally not very good anyway.
s221.photobucket.com/albums/dd144/bazzabearalbum/E.../
Whole trip was 3200 miles, about 60 hours in the driving seat with an average speed of 55mph (which is surprisingly high I think).
Edited by BazzaBear {P} on 02/09/2008 at 11:24
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Many thanks for posting these photos, makes me sad that I haven't got around to a Europe road trip this year. We flew to Majorca in June and as I looked down on the Pyrennes, one hour out of Bournemouth I thought, "This is cheating, it should take at least two days to get here!"
Stelvio is one of those places on my list of "Things to do next year." In fact it's been on that list for 6 years now! We did cross the Millau viauct last year and it is a spectacular piece of engineering.
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Good pix Bazza. I especially liked the one of a lot of mimsers holding each other up on one of those Stelvio hairpins.
I was puzzled by the presence in several photos of what appears to be a fire engine from Milan. Was there a big fire while you were there?
:o}
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Wasn't even a load of mimsers Lud - just the one.
A man in a LWB camper van who had decided it was the perfect vehicle to use along a road with 47 hairpin bends (count 'em!). Every other corner he had to 3-point turn. Loads of places he could pull in to the side and let people past, but refused to do so.
Luckily that was on the way down, which is basically an exercise in braking anyway. The real fun is driving up the pass, and I wasn't held up at any point doing that. A truly magical experience blasting up an alpine pass, especially with the odd tunnel - still on a gradient - to really reflect that V6 noise back at you.
Fire engine? Why I 'oughta!
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Nice pics. I trust you had that Italian Job track on the Alfa's stereo when tackling the Stelvio Pass? (Was it a Matt Munro song ...?)
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I'm afraid not. Can't remember exactly what music was on at around that part of the journey, but once we got on to the pass, the stereo was off and windows down anyway.
In case I'm giving the wrong inpression, I'm not sure how to describe exactly what was so great about driving up the pass - but it certainly wasn't speed, and I wasn't driving like a loony or anything.
I wasn't checking the speedo particularly, but I'd be surprised if I got above 30 or 40 mph for the vast majority of it. But the coming together of driver, vehicle and road, the feel of driving that car, the sound of that engine and the majesty of those surroundings really made it something special.
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We did Brenner pass and Lake Garda this year in my MGTF. We did the toll Brenner on the way and the old route on the way back. I wanted to go the Stelvio route but we didnt have time. It is definately booked in my head for next year though looking at those pics. May even go to Como as well for a week for somewhere different.
It must have been frustrating following a tailback of cars with all of those hairpins to play with!!
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which one is the pass?
Is the the SS30 from Spondigna to Tirano
the SS300 from Bormio to Ponte de legno
or the un -named wiggly road from SS38 passo del umbrail to swiss road 28 at Santa Maria?
(planning my trip)
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The pass is the SS38 itself, from Bormio to Trafoi.
The trail of cars on the way down wasn't so bad. As I say, the way up was far more enjoyable anyway, and look at the scenery! If you got caught up, you could just stop for 5 minutes while you gazed slack-jawed at the beauty surrounding you.
Also (confession time) I broke down shortly after we caught up with the camper van anyway. Loath to tell this, with the heavy anti-Alfa prejudice which is often displayed on here. The alternator packed in, and had to be towed to a nearby garage to have it replaced. Still - my only fault in 18 months of ownership. You'd think she could behave while in Italy though, right? :D
Edited by BazzaBear {P} on 02/09/2008 at 20:48
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Chose the best possible place to go wrong actually Bazza, good car that.
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As it turns out, you're right. But I didn't think so at the time!
At the top of a mountain,miles away from anywhere, and with both our phones almost out of charge!
Luckily I'd parked pointing downhill, and was able to let it roll and bump start. Still wasn't happy, but just about managed to limp her to Trafoi and a nice hotel where they let us plug in our phone chargers.
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Some good shots Bazza. Haven't been to Stelvio for a number of years but funnily enough the last time was in a hired Alfa 155. Glorious roads. Intoxicating cars Alfas. Want one.......
Off to Germany in about ten days on a business trip. Sharing the journey with a friend and it is his turn to take his car. It's an embarrassingly "ubergeblinged" black 3.0d X5 sport with drug dealer wheels on so on. Should be fun enough on 'tautobahn though.
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Loath to tell this with the heavy anti-Alfa prejudice which is often displayed on here.
Those Alfas, eh? Nothing but trouble. Tsk tsk ;-)
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And the alternator was made by Lucas? Bosch? Surely Alfa don't make their own. Not really their fault.
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Surely it wil be a "magneti Marrelli"?
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Surely it wil be a "magneti Marrelli"?
Can't vouch for the alternator specifically, but all the electronic bits you can get at are made in Germany these days. ECU's are all Bosch for example.
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