YOU CAN DO IT DUDES! IMHO, no problem with Ton`s time schedule. Lanaken - Heidelberg. Last time we drove in a mini-van during a Friday afternoon it was 2h 30m. Heidelberg - Arbon. I drove this route many times with different cars its always 2h 30m. Even with all the traffic jams, reload the fuel.....a.s.o. I m sure we will arrive right in time. I´ll take personal care (pace-car) for the Heidelberg-Arbon part. Simon, dont forget - this are real Brit-Dudes!!!!!! They are used with all **** and they take it the hard way - MY RESPECT!
Yes, you are right BUT it was never my fault! Always hanging around hours & hours at the meeting point and waiting for.....Uli, Ton, Mark....a.s.o. This time we will definitiv start at Hockenheim 15:00p.m.!!!! Once again, I don`t wanna miss the brewery tour !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I live near Arbon, if they are of use to anyone, here are some maps.Hope you enjoy the drive Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Kevan, I have exactly the same schedule in my mind. I don't want us to break the law. It is absolutely true that your arrival time (08.00 am) in Calais makes it tight. 11 am in Lanaken is optimistic but not impossible, although there is no real space for error. The good part is that saturdaymorning traffic is usually good. 130 km/hr on the freeway is considered normal. My suggestion is that, in the case of a delay with the UK group, we (Ton, Mark C. and Mark P.) leave from Lanaken in time. It is probably less stressful for the organization if two cars arrive late instead of five or six. I will send you instructions for the drive later this week. It is not difficult. You only need to pay attention around Brussels. For the rest it is pretty straightforward. Ton
Holger and I have decided to eschew the EuroTunnel this time around and to do the leisurely Channel Steamer "Port Out, Starboard Home" thing: http://travel.norfolkline.com/step2.asp We're going to take leave on Friday too and so shouldn't have any pressure to get to Ton's. We know the way too, so maybe I'll read a book while driving... Car is in for 30,000 service. Took it in to Kent High Performance last Saturday. They called me today and it won't be finished tomorrow...apparently setting valve clearance is going to take some time, but I would have thought that a week was more than enough. Sigh...... MARK
May I remind everyone that the sunday drive will be long (500Km) and very intense (very nice roads to the sea - as Wolfgang will remember!!! ). We will leave Arbon at 09:00 AM sharp. For this reason I recommend to everyone to waste as little time as possible stopping to wait for other people / detouring from the main road in order to get to Arbon as early as you can. If you get here early you will benefit from a relaxed evening before sunday's drive. Just my 2 cents... Andrea
Andrea, I discussed exactly the same thing with Mark P. and Mark C. We have decided to leave from Lanaken at 10.30 and enjoy a relaxed drive to Switzerland. We plan a lunchbreak at Hockenheim where we have the possibility to meet with Wolfgang and the UK group (if they don't catch up along the route). Arrival in Arbon is expected around 18.00.
Meeting Point Hockenheim: Saturday, 08. July Time: 14:30 - 15:00p.m Location: BAB (Autobahn) A 6 at the Fuel Station "HOCKENHEIM WEST" Depart: 15:00p.m. !!! - coming from north over the A 61, take direction A6 (Karlsruhe, Basel) stay/drive right, the "Raststätte" is coming very soon after the intersection! - arriving earlier, take your time to rest, relax, some fuel and a lunch - we will definitiv drive at 15:00p.m.. Sorry we do not wait. For any reason, help.....here is my mobil: Calling from Germany: 0170 - 1647222 Calling from foreign c.: +49 170 - 1647222 Have a pleasant & save drive. Wolfgang Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Loud and clear! We will be there around 14.00hr. It sounds a bit like an unfriendly individual trip, but sadly enough by experience we have learned that "waiting for others" costs a LOT of time. This is possibly the best way to deal with a tight schedule. Let's try to arrive in Arbon in time (and have a relaxed drive).
Ok! Less than 50 days to go. Who needs something from Belgium? Hoegaarden? Duvel? Chocolates? Dutch cheese? Andrea already ordered a sixpack of Hoegaarden.
Hello everyone! I am just back from a "pre-tour" of our July trip. I have been to S. Margherita to organize all the logistic details. So, the good news: 1) There will be a minibus service to take you from Hotel Minerva to U'Giancu restaurant. Each minibus takes 8 people and will cost a lot LESS than the blood-sucking taxis. 2) U'Giancu would really like to see all the Ferraris in front of his restaurant, so here is my proposal: when we arrive in Rapallo we re-group after the highway exit, then you all follow me up to the restaurant where U'Giancu will offer us an aperitif and there will be a chance to take some pictures of all the cars together in the beautiful and private setting of the Ligurian hills (for those who haven't been there, U'Giancu has a massive private car park in front of his restaurant). 3) If the world cup final happens to include Germany/Italy/England we can arrange to have a TV at the top of our table, to watch the match as we eat. 4) Hotel Minerva parking arrangements: after the apero at U'Giancu we'll drive down to S. Margherita, where I will guide you through the little streets all the way to the hotel. I will park my car in the street and I will signal to you to go up to the hotel garage. We have the entire garage reserved for us. The cars will stay there for 3 days (no point driving in S. Margherita anyway). My car will go in LAST, since my house is on the hills and I will need to use the car to come to s. margherita every day. Eugenio, I hope you and Mark can drive with a "normal" car when you come to visit us - there will be NO parking for the 328 (unless you leave it in the streets!). 5) For the second night I suggest we eat in S. Margherita (there are some excellent fish restaurants in town). 6) For the third night the options are open - either we go bck to U'Giancu (like last year) or we could use the minibus to get us to a fantastic restaurant on top of Portofino Hill, with a view on the whole gulf of Genova. I will check what the price/availability is. Please let me know your preferences if you have any. 7) On the afternoon of our arrival, after parking the cars we could visit Portofino (just 3 miles by bus from the hotel - DO NOT drive there, the road is narrow, there are buses and the parking in Portofino is NOT ferrari-friendly). On monday and tuesday we have two full days in S. Margherita. On the first day I suggest we go to S. Fruttuoso and Portofino by boat (highly recommended!) but you are free to do what you want anyway. On the second day we can take a boat to the famous Cinque Terre (fantastic sea-side villages with good food and great sea). Again, I recommend NOT to drive there, since the roads are very narrow, full of dutch campers and parking is tight. If you don't like boat trips there is a very efficient train service (20 minutes from S. Margherita). I'm sorry if I propose to use so much "low class" public transport, but personally I'd rather leave my car in a safe garage and go by bus than risk bodywork & clutch on trecherous roads just to show off! Comments/ideas are very welcome Andrea
Sounds great! Thanks for the organization!! We are really looking forward to it. But ehhh....., what if the Netherlands plays the final??
THANK YOU ANDREA Sounds perfect & wonderful. 1) highly appreciated, well organized. 2) yes of course and our pleasure 3) I don`t care about but anyway.... Ton: LOL, you can welcome the orange team back home B4 we start to the tuscany 4) I totally agree with you about the road conditions / garage the cars for 3 days sounds good after 1.000km (and much more for the UK gents) drive. 5) Oh yes, we love sea food 6) yes, lets go to the fantastic restaurant on top of Portofino Hill 7) yes, yes, yes Wolfgang
Ciao Andrea. Thank for the effort from me as well . I hope not to disrupt the plans, but... As you know I have not been driving my car for a while (it will be 12 months by July), so I was planning to drive around a little during the Santa Margherita stay. My idea was to spend at least one day on the in land near Portofino, specifically to drive at least through Passo Cento Croci and Passo del Bocco, with a stop in Varese Ligure along the way. Streets are absolutely fantastic and I think that traffic will be negligible. If someone wants to follow... As far as parking in Santa Margherita is concerned, I do not know if I will have another car available. Anyway, I parked before in the street and nothing bad happened. let's hope it will be the same this time . Ciao Eugenio
