Vincenzo's Trips

Hi,

We're Vincenzo & Vincenzo. On 24 September 2011 we went for a bit of motoring. Here's the account.

We followed this itinerary:

Aeugst am Albis
Albispass
Flüelapass
Ofenpass
Prato allo Stelvio
Passo dello Stelvio
Passo del Foscagno
Passo d'Eira
Passo del Bernina
Albulapass
Bravuogn (Bergün)
Julierpass
Passo del Maloja
Passo della Spluga
Passo del San Bernardino
Cannobio
Simplonpass
Furkapass
Risch
Knonau
Aeugst am Albis

We punched in the itinerary and got a route from Google maps.

Theoretically in future, the same itinerary may result in a different route. So here's a screen shot of Google maps.

We headed off at about 7:30 and around 9:30 we reached the Flüelapass. No image from there I'm afraid.

Then we moved on and reached the Ofenpass not too long after.

He headed into Italy. Coming from Prato allo Stelvio we started the climb up the Stelvio. Somewhere at the bottom we saw a BMW 5 series cabrio in front of overtaking quite a few cars. Gradually we overtook the same cars and eventually we reached the beamer. A very elegant lady was at the steering wheel with presumably her husband besides her. This lady was thrashing the car and tyres were screeching each time she accelerated after a hair pin. We followed and did not overtake. At the top the lady told us she thoroughly enjoyed the ascent. We smiled and waved.

And on we went towards the Passo del Foscagno.

And on we went towards Trepalle, the fair village of the phenomena. We had a quick sandwich there.

Back into Switzerland to the Berninapass.

The Albulapass.

We then went to Bergün and crossed over to the Julierpass. Just before the the top we overtook an Audi -if I recall well- that was driving slowly. The remarkable thing was that the driver accelerated on purpose to close the gap between himself and the car in front. He just didn't want us to overtake him and he created a potentially dangerous situation. We resolved to overtake the car in front of us to solve the problem. At the top we stopped to take a picture. After a few minutes the Audi passed. The driver looked at us and pointed with his finger on his front. We waved and cheerfully ignored the negativity.

Then on we went towards the Malojpass and Chiavenna. Up the Passo della Spluga.

We drove into Switzerland again, towards Splügen and overtook several cars and a few motorbikes. One biker tried maintaining the Caterham's pace and failed. At the bottom in Splügen he came alongside and was very enthusiastic. "You drive like a motorbike! Absolutely fabulous!" he said. We thanked him for the kind compliment. On we went towards the Passo del San Bernardino.
At the foot of the pass we caught up with a BMW 5 series combi. For two hairpin turns the driver thrashed the car and noticed we were keeping up without even skidding tyres. The beamer kindly let us pass. At the top of the pass we took a picture and after 5 minutes or so the BMW arrived. It had a dent on the right flank and it occurred to us that maybe the driver had a minor accident.

We took the motorway towards Locarno and passed the border of Italy again and drove to Connobio. There we took a right turn and drove to Malesco and had a sandwich there. On we went towards the Passo del Sempione. We arrived late at the top.

Then we drove to the Furkapass, Andermatt and took the motorway back to Aeugst. At Risch the police were looking for criminals, causing a jam which kept us 15 minutes. We drove over the Kantonalstrasse to Cham and took B-roads to Aeugst.

Those were the best 900 km we have ever driven in one day. The Caterham rocks when driven on pass roads.

Drive safely.

Vincenzo & Vincenzo

Hi,

I'm Vincenzo. On 1 and 2 October 2011 I planned a motoring. On the Saturday I'd drive to Bormio and on Sunday I'd be driving over a few passes.

Here's the itinerary for Saturday was:

Here it is in Google maps and beneath you see a screen shot of it. No pictures were taken.

The plan for the Sunday was as such:

Again a Google maps link and a screen shot.

After having spent the night in a less than plain hotel, I headed off to the Passo della Gavia. The northern road is more interesting than the southern one. It's also slightly wider. As it was early in the morning and hence damp, I didn't fully explore how intimate the relationship between the Caterham's tyres and the pass road could have been.

Anyway, first I got myself a bit of blessing from the gods that have a home in S. Nicolo.

Here's an impression of S. Antonio.

And half way up the view in the rear mirror warranted me to take another picture.

Here's the pass and a few other impressions.

And on to the Passo del Tonale.

So on I drove and took a picture at Lover and Cavedago.

Between Riva del Garda and Ledro I witnessed a Megane Renaulsport dangerously overtaking in the tunnel just outside Riva. After a while I reached and overtook it and that apparently triggered of primordial instincts with its driver. He kept right behind me at great effort and revved his engine quite heavily in doing so. We arrived at Ledro where the road straightened in the residential area. And there the Megane overtook me with with a bit of a fanfare and then immediately turned right off the main road. Very peculiar chap.

Anyway, on I went and the next bit of interesting road was the Passo Crocedomini. At the Passo Crocedomini shelter I took a picture.

On the way down from the Passo Crocedomini there were two dogs in front of me. At Breno I saw a religious statue in the distance, of what seems to be the golden Christ. Can't find anything in Wikepedia on the Cristo Dorato.

At Apica I finally stopped for a bread roll. I chatted with the bar tender and he told me the road to Trivigno was worth while and that you could even drive on to the Mortirolo, the legendary mountain pass for cyclists. And so I went.

Then towards Tirano, over the Bernina and the Julier passes back home. A picture of Tirano and one of mine, ending a fantastic weekend.

Remain pure! (Blib suuber!)

Vincenzo's Trips

Sunday, October 9, 2011

900 km of passes, 24 September 2011

Lombardia and Trentino, 1 and 2 October 2011