Driving to Italy...

[robin]

Tut, I seem to remember ["that the cathedral is on the other side of the sqvare"] the barrier is for the toll road, the border is unmanned. Hence, accidentally squeezing a car under the barrier is only a violation of the toll road terms of use rather than an illegal border crossing

Cheers,
Robin

[jason]

Yup. The barrier is simply for the Austrian road toll. The border is at the summit above the cafe and car park.

[tut]

Yep forgotten that. There is a traffic light at the Border which is next to the Hotel, where we sat and planned what we were going to do. They were going to go back down the mountain, but when I said let's go and have a look, Stefan joined me and then the rest. It was miles before we reached the Toll, and first had to go through two massive wooden gates that are now kept open. As it was well lit and there were CCT cameras the rest were going to turn around and go back, but when I lifted the barrier up they changed their minds. However we all left our toll charges, but I did not have to buy any drinks that night.

The worrying part was that we returned through the next morning when it was manned, but we were not stopped.

tut

[campbell]

The worrying part was that we returned through the next morning when it was manned, but we were not stopped.

tut

...and here's why [my emphasis]...

when I lifted the barrier up they changed their minds. However we all left our toll charges, but I did not have to buy any drinks that night.

True gents, the lot of you!

Those really were the days...

[tut]

I often think how great it would be to turn back the clock to 1970 when I went out to Oman, but now I would settle for 1999 when we first formed, and had all the Stelvios, DP, FF etc ahead of us, and were mostly foot loose and fancy free, and I could still turn a fall into a Commando roll when we came out of one of the Stelvio restaurants, and I tripped on a matchstick.

Those were the days when Campbell, Lisa, Robin etc, made me look like a drinking amateur, though I was very often last out of the bar and first up in the morning.

Happy times.

tut

[Alistair]

Sounds like some more stories to add to "The Book of Tut"

Thanks for the offer of the route maps - think Campbell may have them too but if not will give you a shout or get a lookie at TT.

Meanwhile I'll practice limbo dancing the S2k under barriers

[campbell]

Those were the days when Campbell, Lisa, Robin etc, made me look like a drinking amateur, though I was very often last out of the bar and first up in the morning.

Happy times.

tut

LOL.

I can confirm categorically that Lisa, and I, are no longer the drinking "pros" we once were! Lisa would especially wish to point out that Barcelona 2001 was a particularly isolated incident. We are happy to make way for the older generation in this respect

[robin]

I can confirm that Barecelona 2001 was the worst hangover I ever had to date - hopefully ever! My head hurt so much that I couldn't handle bumps/corners at all - at one point I was leading a group of cars and we were all overtaken by a diesel SEAT or similar car

Cheers,
Robin

[tut]

Yes you bugger, I was behind you and completely humiliated. I took off just after that and left you to it. I remember I was just going back into the Hotel at night when Campbell arrived back after walking Lisa around the block. Wish I had had a camera.

Robin, was that not the night that you woke up on the floor of Ross's bathroom floor?

tut

[campbell]

Robin, was that not the night that you woke up on the floor of Ross's bathroom floor?

tut

A lot of people woke up on floors of bathroom floors that day. And not necessarily their own.

Some people even fell off the toilet.

Bloody firewater.

To this day I don't know how Team Techno coped in the aftermath. Although I guess the deep fried breadcrumbs at the next stop, in Teruel, proved a sure-fire stomach-settler

Anyway, back to this Italian trip chat please, before Lisa catches us...

[Fluoxetine]

Robin, was that not the night that you woke up on the floor of Ross's bathroom floor?

tut

Ha ha - With the main room window completely open, curtain flapping around like a flag in the wind, and the TV stuck between channels on white noise, and turned up to maximum volume...

I did a sightseeing tour whilst over in Barca last year, and the bus drove by that very hotel... Good times...

To this day I don't know how Team Techno coped in the aftermath. Although I guess the deep fried breadcrumbs at the next stop, in Teruel, proved a sure-fire stomach-settler

Erm, I drove all the way on the autopista, avoiding the back roads / any craziness... And the deep fried breadcrumbs in the basement were quality noms!

[Alistair]

Just noticed which GP is taking place the weekend of 10th, 11th and 12th September this year.

Monza -

[Alistair]

Holy thread resurrection Batman!

Thanks to all for your contribution, as always SE has helped us out no end to make our trip really special - and there now follows the longest url in history -

http://tinyurl.com/3yqrf42

Ignore the question re the D902 in France - tiny url just doesn't like foreign characters.

We leave on Thursday and will (hopefully) return in a couple of weeks - taking in the Italian GP on the way. Watch out for our Saltire in the Grandstand just before the Parabolica.

See you all soon

Alistair


P.S. Special thanks to "Routefinder Ford" for his 3am exploits on Friday night sorting a route from Annecy to Metz. It has been amended slightly to skirt Switzerland but was great work!

[jj]

You`ll have a great trip.

We did points I J K on your route a few weeks ago - some pics for you below. The road to St Etienne de tinne is cracking, I have driven it twice now but going the other way.

It was awesome. Chasing bikes uphill in a laden boring looking silver BMW was great fun .

[tut]

Skirt Switzerland, music to my ears.

tut