OTish: Paging the DrivingAboutInEuropeisti

Calais to Napoli via Metz, Basel, & Milan
http://www.viamichelin.com/web/Itin...1.2&autoConso=6.8&villeConso=6&routeConso=5.6

 

You've probably booked it by now, but LDLines to Le Havre usually has a
price advantage over the BF route to Caen

I was going to suggest he asks you if the B&B is open

Other alternatives to the France/Mt Blanc route:

via chez Ace then Basel, central CH to Italian lakes via one or two of the
high passes. 40CHF motorway vignette instead of tunnel toll

via Strasbourg, Black Forest to Lake Constance, into Austria & over Brenner
Pass into Italy. Night in the Dolomites en route maybe? Brenner has a toll,
Austrian motorway needs a vignette (cheap compared to CH)

Both are a bit further than using Mt Blanc but will be nicer routes.

 

Ah. In that case 97 is lower than 106, not higher.

 

Don't count on it - A while back I got stopped and taken apart by an
armed road block just south of Puigcerda in Spain. Quite a novel
experience being stopped with a gun pointed at your head.

 

I would say paging darsy mitty, but he'll be on a train bound for the
west end by now.

 

They were out looking for some Basque types and took exception to my
driving.

 

It probably won't surprise you that someone who shall remain un-named
spoke to me a couple of weeks ago and said something along the lines of
"long day from channel to Bruce's, day to recover looking at cows and
mountains, long day to Amalfi. Similar on the way back. Job done" to
which I replied "No Champ, that would be taking advantage".

 

Sure is. When you coming by next?

 

Heh.

Well, despite Neal's recommendations, you'd be very welcome.

 

They've got to have a better sense of humour than the German speaking
nations.

I just know our trip to Norway next year will end up with us boosting
the national income by a few hundred quid but it's a risk we have to
take.

 

Well, funny you should mention that. I have the chance to spend a few days
in the Ardennes, based in Bouillon to be precise, with a few GS riding
"friends off the internet". That would be Sat 10th July to Tues 13th.
Going south for a few days to make a week of it would be good. What are you
& Jude up to either side of those dates?

 

I've oft repeated my route, but

Calais
Oostende
Gent
Bruxelles
Namur
Luxembourg
Thionville
Metz
Nancy
Epinal
Colmar
Mulhouse
Basle (Chez Bruce, Yay!)
Luzern
Lugano
San Gotthard (16 Km tunnel !)
Como
Milan
Piacenza
Parma
Modena
Bolognia
Firenze
Roma

Has served me well, several times and saves a small fortune in
autoroute tolls.

Hell yeah ..

Paul.

 

:

What's wrong with the Val Tremola?

 

Do be careful, fines in Norway is in no way hampered by any sort of
moderation. Last one I had was in 2007, 4900 nok for doing 104kph in an
80kph limit. Currently 4900 nok = 538.856 GBP

A few hundred quid is a moderate sum compared to the fines we get here
if we are caught.

A short precis of the current regulations
Posted limit 60kph or less and the limit is exceeded by:

a) up to 5 kph nok 600,-
b) up to 10 kph nok 1600,-
c) up to 15 kph nok 2900,-
d) up to 20 kph nok 4200,-
e) up to 25 kph nok 6500,-

Posted limit 70kph or more and the limit is exceeded by:

j) up to 5 kph nok 600,-
k) up to 10 kph nok 1600,-
l) up to 15 kph nok 2600,-
m) up to 20 kph nok 3600,-
n) up to 25 kph nok 4900,-
o) up to 30 kph nok 6500,-
p) up to 35 kph nok 7800,- (857.309 GBP)

(I hope the above tables are legible)

These rates can be changed at short notice.

Speeds over what can be calculated by these tables will lead to a day
in court, a fine in excess of one month of gross wages, a quick escort
to the closest border, and a two year ban from driving/riding in Norway.

 

We stayed with friends north of Bergen a couple of years ago - he'd not
long since been nicked for a similar infraction, and warned me off...

Apparently, he was given a choice. ~£600 or 14 days. Not a 14 day ban,
but soap o'clock.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, John Bilberg

If they don't want people to come there, why don't they just put up big
"**** OFF!" signs at the borders?

 

Seconded.

 

I walked some of it. I was knackered.

It was stunning though.

 

At least their speeding tickets are cheaper than their beers.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Adrian

A good point, and well made.