It is the best of the Italian lakes I visited, not too commercialised with stunning views and a great road to get there - the water wasn't as cold as I was expecting probably helped by it being quite a small lake
Not long back from my latest Euro roadtrip, photos and write up to come when I have the time but here's a little video of me going up Furka pass - it's changed a little since Mr Bond drove up there in Goldfinger
Grimsel Pass
Last edited by bondyboy on Mon Sep 18, 2017 7:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Back from my 3rd epic eurotrip, did something a little different to others and only visited the one track this time
All packed up and ready to go
Took Trump with me this year
Added Welsh Dragon on the back to let everyone know the dickhead tearing up their roads was Welsh, actually a massive difference to last year - people had actually heard of Wales when you told them (think the euros changed that)
Started off on day one with a little trip to Albert France to visit the Somme battlefield and took a ride around the cemeteries on my MTB bike
On way to Ibis Albert (most expensive budget Ibis I've been to) stopped at this cemetery
Got to hotel, set up bike, smashed a load of Haribo and went out for a ride...
Lochnagar mine crater
Theipval memorial
Really brings it home seeing the thousands of names on the walls of the memorial, such a waste - got quite emotional tbh
Welsh memorial
Think this was an Austrailian cemetery
Day two was a bit wet when setting off
Off to Luxembourg, staying at another budget Ibis, this time next to the airport (was cheap)
Plan was same as day one, get to hotel then get out on bike to explore, put all my bike gear on, filled up with water put the bike together and went to set off from the hotel but this happened!
Gear changer cable snapped leaving me in a high gear and no chance of riding anywhere!! Quick google and found the nearest bike shop that was open
Awesome bike shop with an awesome bike tech who despite having no slots for 3 days was willing to take a quick look after I explained I was leaving the country the following day, he fixed it but by the time I got back to hotel it was dark and I needed food, no exploring of Luxembourg for me this time
Day three and my organisational efforts in packing the car had gone out the window
Was still a little wet
Off to Germany...
As I had forgotten to bring my "Travel Pussy" this was a great find in some random autobahn services
First stop in Germany was Karlsruhe, bit of a random place but I noticed it on google maps when the roads made up what looks like a turbo lol, turns out the turbo is a massive palace and its grounds with woods and loads of cycle paths all about the place, perfect place to spend two nights and explore it on the bike
Turbo power
Cheap Hotel, seemed obsessed with banksy though?
Car developed a cataract in the basement car park
Drove a little bit from hotel for evening meal, parked up, found restaurant in big pedestrianised area, had complimentary schnaps and ate meal, went for a little walk on way back to car and I lost the car, 30 minutes walking round a Karlsrhue suburb looking for my car, trying not to look lost and worrying that I haven't got my light deflectors on the car so shouldn't be driving in the dark
Eventually found her, exactly where I'd left her, panic over
Went for a ride early on the 1st morning there
JDM Garden
Pokemon everywhere
Looked like some event was being prepped, that's a lot of alcohol for one man to be guarding
Rode off into the city centre, found some roadworks GDM style
Then my saddle broke! securing bolt holding the angle of it sheared away, 10 miles from hotel and 3.5 miles from the nearest bike shop, doh!
managed to make it here without too many "forgot you haven't got a seat" moments
awesome place, new post and I'm away, thanks guys, gave them a good review on google and facebook lol
Off to Stuttgart...
Visited the Porsche museum, lots of Porsches as you'd expect
This Porky had just been set upon by a 3 year old girl, she ran up to it and started banging on it - the security guard (guy you can see in the background) told the father "Sir, please control your child!" Father eventually picked the girl up only to let her back down at which point she ran straight back to car to bang on it even harder! Security guy almost lost it, this is the aftermath where he's making sure Dad and girl are leaving the area
Popped across to Mercedes Benz museum
Didn't stay in Stuttgart itself but in Böblingen just South west of it, 4 star Mecure hotel for 2 nights.
Böblingen has a massive Mercedes plant and is also home to Motorworld (massive hanger with classic and historic cars on show and for sale), the main strip around Motorworld seemed popular with the local car scene - lots of GDM noise and some supercar action, of course I had to show the the proper meaty sound of a 4 cylinder 2 litre VTEC yo!
This trophy wife was taking delivery of her new car (old one being merc gullwing 6.3 litre thing), she wasn't happy upon seeing the amount of space there was for her shopping
nope, it doesn't fit
Awesome restaurant called Tower 66 next to the Maserarti and Ferrari dealers, best steak I have ever eaten! (and have had a lot of steak)
some random water feature, blest place for it tbh
Now off to lake Constance...
Stayed at a camp site I visited 2 years ago on my 1st eurotrip, right at the lakeside at the top of lake constance, great riding alongside the lake there and excellent camp facilities so two nights paid for
I got scene alright
BIG TRAIN!
Sunrise at camp
Guy who was working there was checking out the car and we got chatting, he has a Clio Williams back in Bulgaria and always wanted a EP3, asked if he could listen when I went for a drive but I offered to take hime for a ride seems he's easily impressed...
I took one of those 360 photos while up early in the morning, uploaded it to googlemaps and I've already had over 10,000 views!! https://goo.gl/maps/vLCcffPMz8G2
Spent a nice two days there exploring on the bike and now wanted to head into Switzerland, time for some proper driving roads
Swiss motorway pass, building up quite a collection now
First mountain pass, Klausen Pass was on the way to my first nights stay in the country, unfortunatly I was driving into the heavy raid clouds so couldn't enjoy the road for fear of aquaplaning off the road (and mountain), got a few nice photos though
Stayed in Wassen at the cheapest hotel in the area (not cheap, this was Switzerland) but it was perfect as the starting point for the 150 mile, 5 mountain pass adventure I had planned for the following day
This is the route
Best roads I have ever driven! was very lucky with traffic on most of them, only Gotthard pass was a wash out due traffic, no good footage from there
If anyone ever plans a european adventure in their Honda and they like to drive then I woulds say these 4 or 5 passes are on the must drive list, take a look for youself...
Sideshot Saturday/Sunday?
Car took an absolute beating on that day, I'm only realising how much when looking at the gopro footage now all the abuse it took in those 5 or 6 hours, probably worked harder than on a track day lol, car fully loaded too
Klausen and Susten pass little video, very wet for Klausen then the following moring a little moist in places over Susten
Grimsel Pass, had a little play with a supercharged Elise, lost him when he made a daring (risky) overtake just before a long stretch of tunnel
While I was I stopped at the lake towards the end of the video and taking some photos a swiss registered car pulled up with a flat tyre, the bloke got out and had a look to confirm it was flat. He looked a bit clueless so I mimed and said something to agree and sympathise , "Oh you're English" he said in a heavy essex accent. Turns out it was a hire car, they had driven 200 miles already and have another 150 to go, he didn't know how to change a wheel so, with it being the front with the flat, I explained that the space saver has to go on the rear etc. etc. so after helping him I set about on my way...
Furka Pass, from the Bond film
Pointless showing anything from Gotthard pass, it's just me cruising slowly in traffic, but got a good few photos from the old gotthard pass, that bridge one included, so instead I have a video of the final pass for the day, San Bernardino pass. This is the complete run and I only cut out the populated places where I drove respectfully, I usually only include the "hooning" bits but for this there wasn't a lot of non hooning so it's a practically complete up and over San Bernardino pass run; in one bit after stopping for photos I hurridly set off before the car I could see approching got to me, I was pegging it but this GTI Lupo driver had the same idea and could now see a Type R as its target, you can actually hear his tyres screeching behind me as his car rolls around the corners lol
San Bernardino pass
Got to say this is the best of the bunch with Grimsel coming a close second, the flow, sights and great visibility truely make this the best road I have ever had the pleasure to drive
Honda Racing & UKDM vs Kessel Ferrari Racing
Stayed in Splügen on the Swiss Italian border ready for the final mountain pass in the morning (Splugen pass)
Was hoping to make it back to Lake Ledro for 2 nights this time but upon checking availability in the area the only rooms were 5 star ones at over 400 euros, guess I won't be staying there then
Then I thought to myself how far away is Monza? Yes I can do it! so cheapest hotel near to Monza was booked and off I went...
couldn't leave Kim Jong Pong behind now could I?
Arrived in Monza early afternoon so headed straight to Monza track, it's set within a massive public park so I assembeled the bike and put on my gear again.
Turns out you have loads of access to the stands all around and can get pretty close to the main gp track, so I set about doing a complete lap...
...but then got destracted by the old curved banking and realised you could get on there!
it's steeper than it looks, was a struggle getting to the top, instead of the risky full force run up there I opted for the "crab backwards on all fours" method and got up there eventually
clinging onto the armco with my other arm while taking a rare selfie
rode all the old banking back and fore on the bike (closed off at each end), played the game of how high I can ride without washing out or cracking the pedals on the track (not much past 2/3rd)
once back in the car I got myself lost on the way out and ended up here
I moved the car a bit further on, around and up the banking a bit and was in the trees opposite getting a few almost top down pics when an old italian guy on a bike started fussing round my car...
I eventually identified myself as the owner and he went off on me, "move it now! you shouldn't be on here!!" I gestured I was only taking a few photos but he was pretty mad and wouldn't let it go I rumbled off very slowly and was off the banking part quickly but still in a pedestrianised area so was taking it slow as cyclists, dogs and joggers were about, 5 minutes later he appears at my rear shouting "MOVE! leave now!", lol I have my own escort out of the area, eventually manage to get back to where I'm allowed and scoot myself away from there quicktime while the guy on the bike goes to talk to security. Still, pretty rare photo op there so I had to go for it, will probably be physicial barriers there already because of some idiot in his Honda
From my Monza hotel it was a long slog straight to Les Due Alps for my usual MTB stop off before hometime place, set the sat nav to take the windy looking road a distance from the resort, on getting to the windy bits I noticed all the writing on the road, it was part of the very recent tour de france, I set the gopro on the splitter and went for a hoon!
French drivers are in my experience not like most other european drivers; german and swiss drivers will usually signal for you to overtake and make it easy for you, italians too (if you can catch them), they see you are "enjoying the road" so leave you to it, not the French! Had two of them slowing right down and taking all the road, had to overtake the one with two wheels on the grass, even had attitude (hand gunshot mime?!?) from a roadie cyclist who was stopped on the side of the road. Needless to say after some aggressive overtakes and the fact everyone within 10 miles heard me coming I didn't stop in the photo opportunity places I usually would have. **Video of this is on my HD, need to get round to snipping the bits out where I'm following those pesky French drivers
then did my usual day of riding the trails
but didn't do this this year
11 out of 10, would drive there again
hopefully another trip coming in summer 2017, anyone want to come along?
Danny_J wrote:That looks epic. The amount of planning needed to do a trip like this must be mental! All those hotel bookings etc
very little planning involved with any of the trips, the least for this trip as it consisted of "OK I have 2 weeks booked in a weeks time so I'd best get on Google earth to see where I want to go"
Worked out a rough route that wouldn't involve me driving for more than 5 hours per day and then just booked hotels on the fly with booking.com app, allows you freedom to stay and explore if you like where you are - if it wasn't for that flexability I wouldn't have made it to Monza
Wow dude I was hooked from the first trip on! I did one similar to you last year with 3 passengers. Started in Belgium then to Germany, Switzerland, Italy and finally Slovenia. Stayed in Slovenia for a few days then headed back through Austria. Even though I love my mates I have to say most of the time I wish I'd been alone to just have a blast on the roads and go anywhere, not having to argue with 3 others where to stay etc.
Just bought myself a milano ep3 so probably going to take that on a trip during the summer Hope I can document everything as well as you did! Have to say I'm drooling at your pictures dude Was a lovely read and hope to see more of your trips!
DGPieterjan wrote:Wow dude I was hooked from the first trip on! I did one similar to you last year with 3 passengers. Started in Belgium then to Germany, Switzerland, Italy and finally Slovenia. Stayed in Slovenia for a few days then headed back through Austria. Even though I love my mates I have to say most of the time I wish I'd been alone to just have a blast on the roads and go anywhere, not having to argue with 3 others where to stay etc.
Just bought myself a milano ep3 so probably going to take that on a trip during the summer Hope I can document everything as well as you did! Have to say I'm drooling at your pictures dude Was a lovely read and hope to see more of your trips!
Yes there is something to be said about going on your own, it has its pluses and minuses, this years trip I had company - luckily they are a very good passenger and never complained about my driving
Haven't gathered all the pictures together yet or edited the gopro footage but here are a couple I have so far, hopefully I'll find some time to do a proper write up too
Was staying one night right on Furka pass, so I woke up super early so decided to go out for a drive while the road was quiet, nice shot of the sun hitting the mountain peaks in the distance for the first time of a day
Same location looking down at the start of Furka and the end of Grimsel pass
Famous hotel building on Furka pass, at any normal time of the day this area would be heaving with tourists and buses
Nufenen pass
Also visted Monte Bondone, location of the Trento Bondone hillclimb stage (as featured in my driving sim Assetto Corsa), it's a public road so was able to have a drive up it
The start of the San Bernardino pass, looking back to last years video it appears I'm taking it a bit slower, faster out of slow corners as I'm jamming it into 1st for most of them but not willing to top out so much, guess that's from having the responsibility for another persons life
Great trip and great pictures! i like this way of planning trips
what brake pads do you use? i'm asking because i see in the pictures that your wheels are always clean.
kinky_boy wrote:Great trip and great pictures! i like this way of planning trips
what brake pads do you use? i'm asking because i see in the pictures that your wheels are always clean.
I have projectMu street pads for the white wheels, well I did, killed them on my early morning empty road blast up and down furka pass, back to a set of dust givers while funds recover from the trip
A few sections of the said Furka pass early morning blast here...
Didn't go alone though, spoke one word of Switzerland and had 3 mates wanting to join in
Looking at your videos now I cant wait to go back, photos don't do it justice at all and the driving experience is just amazing
Thanks for the awesome documentation and hope to see more of your journeys!
Didn't go alone though, spoke one word of Switzerland and had 3 mates wanting to join in
Looking at your videos now I cant wait to go back, photos don't do it justice at all and the driving experience is just amazing
Thanks for the awesome documentation and hope to see more of your journeys!
Awesome, I recognise that car park - did you have a coffee at the cafe there?
Took a cracking 360 photo from just up off the road there...
The driveshaft? No was the near side one (left side) apparently due to corrosion under the rubber balancer on the shaft - when they go it always goes there
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