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Post by TimM on Sept 16, 2007 12:05:36 GMT
Does Johns post mean I have to cycle the Stelvio ? - not sure the bike will fit in the F with the rest of the luggage.
Just about all ready now and will be ehading off into France first thing tomorrow morning. We're setting off with Rob & Elaine to Reims but then splitting up before regrouping in Davos on Friday. Should be meeting Neil & Bob in Mulhouse on Thursday before the run across Switzerland into the mountains.
See the rest of you in Davos - have a good journey and don't forget your snow globes !!
(No challenges this year but as its traditional and if you fancy getting a snow globe on the route please do so and we'll compare globes in Bormio !)
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Post by Neil Rushton on Sept 16, 2007 20:24:40 GMT
Safe journey to everyone, see you in Davos, or Dover in the case of Ann & Simon!!!
Neil & Barbara
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Post by Neil Sutton on Sept 22, 2007 7:41:18 GMT
The trip so far met up with Bob at Dover on Wednesday night, after he'd changed the Radiator on the Caterham in the B&B Carpark....
Had an easy drive through France to Mulhouse, stopped at Reims Circuit on the way. We were very surprised that it is now nearly fully restored and there was even racing planned for this coming weekend.
While we were there a F turned up which we both thought looked familiar. After a quick chat with the driver we found out they weren't heading for the Natter :-(
Carried on making good progress to the hotel in Mulhouse which was on the outskirts of town, although the last bit was a bit tedious in the dark...
Much to my surprise I managed 29.53 mpg..... (Which is best I'd ever had, I was also getting better mpg than the Caterham with its tiny little fuel tank).
Friday was from Mulhouse to Davos we went via Andermet and some mountain pass (rather than via Zurich and the motorways). We even managed to overtake a 911 going up one of the hills as he backed off after a hundred yards with a Scooby filling his rear view mirrors.
Sorry no pic's yet.... (there wouldn't be any F content anyway as mine's at home!! ).
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Post by Neil Sutton on Sept 24, 2007 6:33:02 GMT
Sorry for the delay in the next part of the trip, as I couldn't find a free wifi connection in Bormio.
On Saturday we watched the main group depart the Davos hotel, then went up to the top of Jakobshorn by 2 cablecars. Although I don't like heights it was well worth hanging onto the handrails on the cable car for the views from the top....
Next it was off to do the Stelvio Pass. We left Davos over the Fluelapass, on the way down the otherside I had to stop for a bit as my brakes were far to hot!! (too much overtaking and very heavy braking).
On the way to Stelvio we overtook three of the "Staples to Naples" cars including one driven by Dom Jolly.... (no sign of the big telephone).
The climb up Stelvio was as much of a challenge as I was expecting all 1st and 2nd gear stuff, hair-pin after hair-pin once you got above the tree line. The other traffic also made it "interesting" with some drivers making it very difficult for you to overtake them. I'm guessing the views were stunning, but I was too busy concentrating on the narrow strip of tarmac ahead of me all the time....
On arrival at the top of the hill, we met up with the rest of the group and were handed a chilled can of Old Speckled Hen a jolly top idea!!
After walking up to the very top of Stelvio it was off to Bormio for the actual Natter which took place in an excellent Italian Restaurant (well we were in Italy).
On Sunday morning we said our farewell's and parted. We signed the hotels visitors book, by driving over a bit of paper and signing it!!
I'm already looking forward to the next one in 2008...
Mountain Pass's for the trip : Oberalppass Fluelapass Ofenpass Passo del Stelvio Passo di Foscagno Passo d'Eira Passo del Bernina Albulapass Lenzerheidepass
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Post by John Ponting on Sept 24, 2007 19:23:57 GMT
I'm really quite sorry that I had to miss this years Stelvio trip - something I've wanted to do for some time.
NTM 2008? Maybe we could make it an MG event? Or maybe if the cars or owners are getting a bit frail, next year it could be planned as a charabanc trip round the Cotswolds with a lunch stop in Broadway?
Must put my hand up and admit to attending a couple of Triumph Motorcycle events in an MG - one particularly wet weekend in Kielder when I magnanimously offered to use my F as a 'camera and general support' vehicle resulted in comments in the national magazine.
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Post by thecaterhamowner on Sept 26, 2007 17:12:38 GMT
1400 miles ;D, one radiator and a frustrated Subaru owner ;)and we're home. Just finished cleaning the car which took some doing. Excellent trip all in all. The all important Saturday night was superb, especially Neil's sausage-on-a-cocktail-stick ensemble, and Tim's sign language for "horizontal rain". Looks like we got over Stelvio just in time. It's under a foot of snow today. good-times.webshots.com/album/560841531WNnjEsEdited to add: Also thanks to Geoff for the miraculous production of chilled tins of O.S.H. at the top of Stelvio!
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Post by John Ponting on Sept 26, 2007 19:42:46 GMT
nice pics Bob. Glad you all got back OK and just in time.
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TopGun
Be nice, i'm new!
Posts: 9
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Post by TopGun on Sept 27, 2007 16:53:11 GMT
Well done to all participants, for completing the task in hand, namely negotiating the Stelvio Pass - 48 hairpins up and about 37 down.
I made it back home safely - eventually. Suffered a pinhole puncture to a top hose, just west of Colmar (in the Vosges mountains) on Monday. I currently have a typical french repair in place at the moment - local plumber was called in to make an elongated t-piece to replace the damaged hose section (proper Rover/MG part not available at short notice).
For those counting passes, my totals were : Friday to Davos - 6, Saturday to Bormio - 3, Sunday to Interlaken - 11.
As has already been mentioned, thanks MUST go to Geoff for his foresight and planning in order for us to consume those chilled OSHs at the Stelvio - Top Man ! ;D ;D
Best wishes to all,
Kev.
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Post by Neil Rushton on Sept 27, 2007 22:03:17 GMT
We've made it back as far as Metz hopefully tomorrow Bruge then ferry Sat aft. Been a nice few days at Lake Garda, but a long drive from there to Metz.
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kes
Be nice, i'm new!
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Post by kes on Sept 28, 2007 9:21:54 GMT
We arrived back home safely late yesterday. Some rather hard rain on the last day in France, but otherwise great weather and an impossibly sunny weekend in Davos/Bormio. The Stelvio is now closed, webcams at webcam.popso.it/stelvio.php?CAMERE_PASSO with what looks like at least a foot of snow. An unbelievable change in a few days. Thanks to everyone for a great time, especially to Tim for selling some part of his soul for the sun to shine. Kes and Jane and the mpi, 1800 miles at approx 43 mpg.
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Post by Neil Sutton on Sept 28, 2007 19:08:41 GMT
Good job the Natter wasn't this weekend as Stelvio has had a good dump of snow!!
I've still not sorted my pic's yet....
Got back home on Tuesday night after 1900 enjoyable miles.
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Post by thecaterhamowner on Sept 28, 2007 22:05:09 GMT
I thought we did 1400 miles? Must be all that shunting around in car parks and wide berths on the hairpins that made up the extra.
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Post by Neil Sutton on Sept 29, 2007 14:03:44 GMT
I'm sure it was 19xx and something, I'll check the trip computer when I get back from North Yorkshire as I've not used the car since Tuesday night.
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Post by Neil Rushton on Sept 29, 2007 18:31:51 GMT
We're back home now, 2400 miles trouble free..... That was a lot of countries & a lot of passes!!!
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Post by TimM on Sept 29, 2007 19:08:17 GMT
Great - glad to see that you all made it home safely - and only one small breakdown (Kev) to keep my 10% theory correct !
We got home last night having driven through two days worth of just about solid rain across France - last night in a Chateau with a moat was superb and another seven course meal !
Actual natter was great fun with the Fs going up the Stelvio one after the other - the scooby and the Caterham eventually caught up ! Thanks to Geoff for the surprise Old Speckled Hen ice cool at the summit 2.7k in the sky - Looks like we had the last good weekend judging by those webcam pics - don't think we'd make it now .
If you could e-mail me your best picture or two and a brief write up of your itinerary I'll be putting a little piece together for SF.
Thanks to everyone who took part in the adventure that was NTM3 (The Italian Job).
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