Lake Como and Stelvio Pass Sept '15

[Fredjohn]

So here we go: Sunday 13th departure is approaching and car is all ready.

Passed MOT, brakes now feel really good after another bleed. Std spare wheel in garage and full size wheel/tyre in boot instead. Had to get a new battery as old one died, despite regular charging. Got a Yuasa 60ah 550amp version.

We are really looking forward to this trip, with some lovely drives through the French Swiss and Italian Alps over some high passes. The route to Lake Como takes in the Stelvio pass via the ski resort of Bormio and the route home from Lake Como potentially goes over 4 high passes, or one (St Gothard) if you take the direct route (or none at all if you go through the tunnel!!!).
There will be 8 Lotus, 1 Aston Martin and rather belatedly a Mini ilo an M100 (really sorry your gearbox went Rob P). The other LEC'er is bingoking. The 8 Lotus are: 5 M100, 2 old Elans and a Plus 2. Unless someone substitutes their Evora for their M100

The itinerary is:

Calais or Rotterdam
Nancy
Mulhouse
San Valentino alla Muta
Stelvio Pass
Lake Como (4 nights)
St Gothard Pass (or tunnel )
Weggis
Bascharage
Calais or Rotterdam

Will keep you posted on progress and will post some photos once I get home.

Any LEC'ers en route please get in touch: it would be good to see you if possible.

I'm going via Calais, everyone else is travelling via Rotterdam, and we're meeting up in Nancy on Monday evening.

To be continued...........

[bingoking]

Can't put the roof down on an Evora so it's definitely the M100 for me.
We too are looking forward to it and we head off a day earlier 12th September, Newcastle-Ijmuiden and stopping off in Belgium for one night before meeting up with the rest of the group in Nancy.
The 4 passes thing would be great on the way back, weather permitting of course. Some stunning scenery over Furka, Grimsel and Susten passes, not to mention St Gothard.
See you soon.

[Rambo]

Wish I was going. I would have but didn't hear about it Was it advertised on here ? Perhaps I was sleeping

[Fredjohn]

Wish I was going. I would have but didn't hear about it Was it advertised on here ? Perhaps I was sleeping

Hope you had a good sleep

Try this thread from Aug last year

[HJ2]

Have a nice trip and do stop for a coffee in Delft whilst in Rotterdam!
(Bed available also and well equipped garage including LEC Elan Specialist, just in case)

http://www.delft.nl/delften/Tourists

[bingoking]

I visited Delft last year and thought it was a lovely city.

[theelanman]

nice......I too wish I was coming along.....




enjoy....

[Rob P]

So here we go: Sunday 13th departure is approaching and car is all ready.
Passed MOT, brakes now feel really good after another bleed. Std spare wheel in garage and full size wheel/tyre in boot instead. Had to get a new battery as old one died, despite regular charging. Got a Yuasa 60ah 550amp version.
We are really looking forward to this trip, with some lovely drives through the French Swiss and Italian Alps over some high passes. The route to Lake Como takes in the Stelvio pass via the ski resort of Bormio and the route home from Lake Como potentially goes over 4 high passes, or one (St Gothard) if you take the direct route (or none at all if you go through the tunnel!!!).
There will be 8 Lotus, 1 Aston Martin and rather belatedly a Mini ilo an M100 (really sorry your gearbox went Rob P). The other LEC'er is bingoking. The 8 Lotus are: 5 M100, 2 old Elans and a Plus 2. Unless someone substitutes their Evora for their M100

The itinerary is:

Calais or Rotterdam
Nancy
Mulhouse
San Valentino alla Muta
Stelvio Pass
Lake Como (4 nights)
St Gothard Pass (or tunnel )
Weggis
Bascharage
Calais or Rotterdam

Will keep you posted on progress and will post some photos once I get home.

Any LEC'ers en route please get in touch: it would be good to see you if possible.

I'm going via Calais, everyone else is travelling via Rotterdam, and we're meeting up in Nancy on Monday evening.

To be continued...........

Yep me and Matt will be in the Mini seeing as the M100 Gearbox is currently broken awaiting strip down and fixing by Oakmere Lotus. What is it they say, timing is everything, especially having got the sump exhaust and downpipe sorted, was really looking forward to hearing the noise through the passes but hey ho, we'll still have fun

Glad to here all is well with yours and we'll see you in Nancy.

[John_W]

Have a good trip, all. It sounds great.

Wish I was going. I would have but didn't hear about it Was it advertised on here ? Perhaps I was sleeping

Never mind, Mark. I'll do the trip with you next year. I know a couple of good places to stay in Garda and Maggiore too.
John

[Rambo]

Have a good trip, all. It sounds great.

Wish I was going. I would have but didn't hear about it Was it advertised on here ? Perhaps I was sleeping

Never mind, Mark. I'll do the trip with you next year. I know a couple of good places to stay in Garda and Maggiore too.
John

Sounds like a plan John

Maybe we can persuade Scottie dog to join us if he ever gets another Lotus

[GeoffSmith]

Going by Chunnel, it's only a 500 mile detour on a trip to Spain...

[John_W]

Going by Chunnel, it's only a 500 mile detour on a trip to Spain...

I would have expected you to recommend Mark and I to make a 500 mile detour in the opposite direction from Spain.
Or were you talking to FredJohn?

[GeoffSmith]

To myself. As usual.

[Fredjohn]

Holiday started Sunday with cool dry-ish mostly drive hood down drive to Dover. Nice calm crossing, but awful weather in France. So hood up 1hrs steady drive to Arras, spotting red French M100 on motorway going the opposite direction.

Car running really well.....until we left the motorway toll booth at Arras, tried to change into 3rd but nothing, just a floppy gear lever! Covered the last 3 miles in 2nd gear trying to figure it out. Decided it was the linkage so I looked at gearbox end first. Bingo......the fore-aft cable had come off the short shift mechanism. It seemed to be held on by a bolt which was missing.... I have BCN's cables and short shift so:

E-mailed BCN and got a reply within the hour with photos thread sizes assembly instructions, everything. Went to local ttyre place and got an M6 bolt 1.25 thread which pretty much exactly matched the SAE 1/4 thread in the fitting. Fixed and sorted by 10am the next day. A big big big thanks to BCN for the prompt response and info he sent: back on the road and car running well again.

Monday drive down to Nancy a bit wet, but eventually cleared in the afternoon and hood down for the last hour or so. Met up with the rest of the group, had buffet meal in the evening then a good night's rest and drive down to Mulhouse on Tuesday. Visit to the Cite d'Automobile slightly spoilt by one room being closed because of a leaky roof....the best room too. Rest of museum quite stunning and well worth a visit if you are in the area though.

Wednesday a long drive from Mulhouse to San Antonio all Muta in Italy via Switzerland. Motorway to just beyond Zurich then dual carriage through beautiful scenery to Klosters and Davos and then normal roads through mountainous passes, lovely scenery still and dry weather to San Valentino. So far so good: car running well, driving has been out of this world, as has the company, the hotels and the food. Oh and quite a bit of wine along the way....evenings only!!

Today Thursday we took on the Stelvio Pass. What a drive on the "Italy to Italy " route. Turn after turn after turn. Temp gauge at a constant 3/4, fans running merrily. Got to the top at 2750m (9080ft) to be met with a howling wind and loads of bikes, motorbikes and cross-country wheeled skiers!!!! Terrific views and stunning scenery. Did a mass photo shoot which I will post as soon as I can get organised. The drive down towards Bormio and Tirano was equally stunning, then continued in torrential rain to our hotel on Lake Como. Rain has now stopped and sun is out with wonderful views over the lake from our balcony from where I am typing this post.

Next 2/3 days are here with whatever trips out we choose. But having done close on 1000 miles already we may just rest up!!!!

To be continued.............

[Rambo]

Glad you're having fun. I drove 1000 miles from the Scottish Borders to the Goodwood Revival and back last week and the Black Beastie didn't miss a beat

[Fredjohn]

Glorious weather and 3 days of rest at Lake Como. Lovely hotel and excellent food and wine. Car stayed in the hotel underground park and we used the lake ferries to get about. Visited Como itself, Bellagio, Veranna and Lenno whilst here. All beautiful towns/villages with wonderful architecture. Tourist shops galore of course, but resisted the temptations. Also visited Villa Balbianello, the former home of Italian explorer Monzini: delightful historical house owned by the Italian equivalent of the National trust.

We are now steeling ourselves for the first part of the journey home. Tomorrow Monday will see us head over the St Gothard Pass, followed in quick succession by the Furka, Grimsel and Susten Passes to end up in Weggis on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland. Any Swiss LECers nearby please feel free to come and see us. Tuesday will see us head from Weggis to Bascharage in Luxembourg, and then Wednesday I split from the main group and head for Calais.

To be continued...........

[Megwenda]

What a pity I missed you all.

Unfortunately my brother-in-law died, and we had to go to Ireland for the funeral.

Hope you all had a good time, and made it back to teh UK

Regards
Dave

[Fredjohn]

Como to Weggis on Monday was one of the best drives I have ever done in my life. We avoided the tunnels and direct routes and covered all 4 passes as we entered Switzerland. The drive over Stelvio Pass at the start of the holiday was good but was easily surpassed by the empty sweeping (or tight but wide) bends of the St Gottard, Furka, Gimsel and Susten Passes. Check them out on Google Earth, you'll see what I mean. And there was minimal traffic, so didn't get too frustrated during the ascents/descents.

Glorious warm hood down weather and yet more stunning scenery added to the overall effect: if you get the chance, JFDI!!!! Full marks to Scenic Car Tours who organised it: definitely recommend them for this type of holiday.

We even had an Alfa 4c coupe trying to keep up, till a very long straight came along and he swept passed. But I kept up with him in the twisty bits........

The drive up to Luxembourg was a bit wet, as was the journey over to Calais and home, but all went well with no further car issues. In fact bar the initial gear linkage problem the car ran really well, hardly used any oil and positively enjoyed the climbs. Cooling and fans all worked as they should and the brakes were fine throughout: no brake fade even on the fast(ish) descents of those passes.

See a few photos below for a feel of the trip.























Now trying to think what drive to do next: maybe the "Blues Cruise" taking in Graceland, Memphis, Nashville and New Orleans.....but in a Mustang......

[John_W]

Glad you had such a great trip. Looks like super roads and views - I'm very envious. Must do it next year.
John