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Pre-Ringmeet Roadtrip 2013 - Always check your nuts. (That's what she said)

Oh yeah.
 
Davetouch said:
Nope; the Audi and the Citroen were the only 2 cars not to have some kind of mishap. So we must conclude that everyone must, immediately, purchase a diesel car. :p
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I did get a low washer fluid warning light. :(
 
Bitch please I got a low Oil level warning light. :p
 
Oh yeah, got that too on the way home. It was missing a litre.
 
Willy waving over warning lights? Welcome to Anal Gear!
 
IceBone said:
Oh yeah, got that too on the way home. It was missing a litre.
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How long was your entire trip? Mine was about 4800km and it drank 2 litres during that. Never good, but hey at least I know it drinks the stuff now :p
 
Yeah, the Renault missed all the boring italian motorways, and had to do all the awesome french passes instead. - What a shame. - LOL.

And in terms of lights, I got a "check engine" warning. First a steady one, after that it even flashed at me. Then the car fell into limp-home mode. - Beats all of your fluid nonsense. - Winning!
 
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It's the first refill I've had to do since the service. And I've no idea how long it's been since that. I'd need to check under the hood, yo.

brb

- - - Updated - - -

It's been 15k. Which means I need an oil change too.
 
Reunited at last! Good to see that they're both on the same truck, guessing that one has done the trip all the way from Nice.
 
lip's journal coming in. It's pic-heavy. - Be warned. - Shut your mobile device, go home and watch this thread on a proper computer FFS. ;)

Wednesday, 31st July 2013 - (Day 1 of 12)

Started at about noon from home, a short time later and I'm already looking at some proper alpine stuff.
http://imageshack.**/a/img853/4275/6jzy.jpg

Short rest stop. The Laguna without any stickers yet.
http://imageshack.**/a/img853/3460/29pl.jpg

On my way to the Klausenpass
http://imageshack.**/a/img853/7043/autq.jpg

On top of the Klausenpass
http://imageshack.**/a/img855/1088/si88.jpg

http://imageshack.**/a/img708/1441/g1j9.jpg

http://imageshack.**/a/img41/4411/mbli.jpg

Going down:

Back down in Altdorf after the Klausenpass. Since I had all the time in the world I actually went and washed my car for once. Resulting in the fact that all the dents were even more visible. But hey, it's a banger, so who cares?! :D
http://imageshack.**/a/img593/8728/gyd4.jpg

Arrived at the campsite in Andermatt at about 1700. Nobody there yet. I was suspecting they were probably in the traffic congestion on the nearby Autobahn. In reality the were doing the north loop of the pass figure-8 at that time.
http://imageshack.**/a/img818/8219/eyjy.jpg
Instead of waiting at the campsite i went to attack the nearby Oberalppass.

I was back at the campsite at 1930, the FG horde came in shortly after, doing up their wurfzelt town.
http://imageshack.**/a/img690/8422/zi0c.jpg

It was already after 2200 when we went for some food search into the nearby town, but we still found a Restaurant that would do Spaghettis for everyone. - At exorbitant swiss prices of course.
http://imageshack.**/a/img593/1394/ukg4.jpg

More to follow, stay tuned...
 
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Thursday, 1st August 2013 - (Day 2 of 12)

Since I'm a morning person I was up at 0600, all the necessities done, ready to hit the road...
http://imageshack.**/a/img51/5972/jfgo.jpg

Still ready at 0700...
http://imageshack.**/a/img841/9268/o5lc.jpg

And at 0800...
http://imageshack.**/a/img856/5684/1gva.jpg

Finally after 0900 some FG folk came out of ze Wurfzelts
http://imageshack.**/a/img703/1769/4hiw.jpg

"Awesome, everybody is up now, gentlemen shove in a snack, take a sip of coffee, and then off we go", I tought at around this moment. I was wrong. Very wrong. This was the beginning of my little bit of suffering with the fact that "early" in FG roadtrip terms meant about 1100+. I would struggle with this fact a bit for the coming days. ;)
http://imageshack.**/a/img836/7087/t89i.jpg

Finally, at about 1100 it looked like everbody was finally ready to go. - Btw, there are more ways to go over the Gotthardpass than by car:
http://imageshack.**/a/img7/9650/hy5c.jpg

Wohehey, after half a day of doing nothing finally some driving happend. Over the Furkapass we went.
http://imageshack.**/a/img707/9311/pm00.jpg

http://imageshack.**/a/img24/4446/tvrm.jpg

http://imageshack.**/a/img266/7988/lc05.jpg

http://imageshack.**/a/img23/8953/8qmx.jpg

And over the Nufenenpass. We already lost Adrian at this point. Missed a junction, I guess. - The topless swede actually went by after I shut the camera, since I guessed wrong that the C3 was to be the slowest. :p
[video=youtube;cYol4p-25us]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYol4p-25us[/video]

http://imageshack.**/a/img189/6633/03v3.jpg

On top of the Nufenenpass.
http://imageshack.**/a/img819/6295/qrkf.jpg

And then it happend: When we drove down from the Nufenenpass into the direction of the Swiss-Italian border at Chiasso, whilst I was the last in the line, I got hold up by other cars, and hence lost sight and then radio contact with the others. And then as soon as I joined the Autobahn going for Chiasso where I would meet the others again for sure, this yellow bastard flashed at me:
http://imageshack.**/a/img24/4004/an31.jpg

That warning light soon got joined by some serious power loss and engine vibrations. As soon as I could I went off the Autobahn, parked up, and then considered my options: 1.) Do a simple fuck-this-I'm-going-home. - 2.) Go to a rental place, leave the Renault there, take a rental and go on. - 3.) Drive to a garage and get the car repaired and then join the others again when possible. - I went for option 3: There was a Renault Garage a few minutes away in Bellinzona, but the problem was it was the 1st of August, the Swiss National Day, equivalent to a Sunday. With everything closed. Including all the garages. - First I logged on to FG to give atleast some info about my whereabouts, then I ordered my towing insurance to send help. Only 20 minutes later it came in:
http://imageshack.**/a/img819/7027/ltcy.jpg

Some computer-diagnosing happend on the spot. Result: The fifth cylinder simply wasn't firing. Good news in terms of not-capital-engine-damage. Bad news in terms of it beeing one of the three hard-to-reach cylinders in the back of the V6.
http://imageshack.**/a/img826/7076/8jg5.jpg

We agreed to a tow to the mentioned Renault Garage in Bellinzona.
http://imageshack.**/a/img153/1558/9dlh.jpg

From there I went for some supper and to book a hotel room. When I went to visit the Renault again in the evening to get some more stuff and to put in a breakdown notice under the windscreen, the wounded Laguna was a sad sight: :cry:
http://imageshack.**/a/img692/7139/yrj2.jpg

More to come. Stay tuned.
 
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Friday, 2nd August 2013 - (Day 3 of 12)

Had a uneventfull night in a cutsy little hotel in the center of Bellinzona, a town I had driven trough countless of times, but actually never visited. - The garage would open at 0900...
http://imageshack.**/a/img547/5290/lns5.jpg

When I went there it was a rather busy place. Yes, they had time to work on my car, but only somewhere after noon. So we agreed I would come back after 1600 to pick the car up.
http://imageshack.**/a/img829/3136/gk1y.jpg

Hence I had a whole day for some city exploring. Not that bad if you are a fan of castles like me and sights as this are nearby:
http://imageshack.**/a/img11/497/3grn.jpg

So off I went to play tourist:
http://imageshack.**/a/img191/5068/ojcl.jpg

First I went to have a lenghty look at all three castles, the rest of the day I spent in a large public pool.
Random sight on my way back to the garage:
http://imageshack.**/a/img59/6682/qnnl.jpg

At about 1630 the car was repaired, I paid the surprisingly small bill, and here we have the culprit: The failing fifth coil. - "Made in Portugal" was written on the box. :lol:
http://imageshack.**/a/img24/9325/1yqf.jpg

The FG horde had already been to Monaco, and was already heading for Demonte at the time I had my car again. I could bomb down the italian autostradas, and be there at about 2330 too if I wanted. I did not. - Instead I decided to make it another hotel night here in Bellinzona, and then take a leisure drive during the following morning to the next campsite in La Toussiere. And probably some backtracking of the planned route for Saturday to meet the group somewhere underway. - Some of the finest french alpine passes were waiting there. Why not drive them twice, eh? ;)

More to come, stay tuned.
 
shad_68 said:
:thumbsup: indeed. I know you guys still have all the actual work ahead of you, but it's good to see they're at least back home now. :)
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Matt2000 said:
Reunited at last! Good to see that they're both on the same truck, guessing that one has done the trip all the way from Nice.
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Thanks. And indeed, the driver actually brought both cars all they way from there. Still, I didn't expect both cars to turn up at my house :lol: The driver said the bimmer will go to DaBoom on Monday, most likely.

Good thinking about putting on the roof, by the way, whoever suggested it. The interior is dry thanks to that. Also everything I left in the car is still there and nothing is broken (apart from the engine).
 
Saturday, 3rd August 2013 - (Day 4 of 12)

Since I was alone I actually had an early start for once... :p ... from Bellinzona I went over the Swiss-Italian border at Chiasso, shot trough Turin, entered France at Montgenevre, went trough Briancon and then over the first real pass of that day, the Col du Galibier:

http://imageshack.**/a/img834/5160/ofkq.jpg

Good stuff, this. Really good stuff.
http://imageshack.**/a/img32/8974/s1rv.jpg

After that I drove all the way to the campsite in La Toussiere, making sure everything was in order (for obvious reasons concerning what happend in Sospel, ahem), and then I took on the planned route for that day the wrong way hoping I would simply bump into the oncoming FG group somewhere underway. So I had to go over the Col de Galibier a second time and then over the awesome Col d'Iozard too. What a shame. :p

After those nice passes I took some strategic position in Brunissard, which was about halfway down the planned route. The group hat to come up on this road shortly...
http://imageshack.**/a/img405/5955/a8uh.jpg

Dum-di-dum...
http://imageshack.**/a/img197/4070/t9we.jpg

Whilst waiting there and surfing on FG I used Thomas (the organizer of the Ringmeet) as a relay to get some info about the current location of the FG horde. There I got informed about the 7 and xBMW breakdowns and the fact that the whole group went all Autostrada/Autoroute to La Toussiere instead of the planned route because of this. :( - Hence they would meet me at the campsite. - Now I had to drive back over all these awesome passes again. The Col du Galibier actually for the third time that day. Oh my, what a shame. :p :lol:

But first I had a peek into some interesting backgarden still at Brunissard:
http://imageshack.**/a/img21/1580/igxl.jpg

Later, whilst underway: Hello :cool:
http://imageshack.**/a/img577/6321/f20s.jpg

And much later after I had been over 7(!) passes that day, at the evening after two days finally I was united with the Roadtrippers again at La Toussiere.
http://imageshack.**/a/img59/474/op0l.jpg

The complete group now also included Ice, MWF and SarahMWF.
http://imageshack.**/a/img706/8199/befo.jpg

My Laguna got stickered and then it was time for barbeque and some stories about breakdowns.
http://imageshack.**/a/img812/3479/qs2y.jpg

Man, by taking all those boring toll autoroutes instead of the planned route they really missed some great alpine driving that day. They even went unnecessarily trough the expensive Mont Blanc tunnel. :? :lol:

More to come, stay tuned.
 
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Sunday, 4th August 2013 - (Day 5 of 12)

Part 1/2

Good morning at 0700: I was up and ready to go as usual, but all what was happening at that time was some really loud slowenian and british snoring mixed with the sound of nearby cowbells. :D
http://imageshack.**/a/img268/4470/oav7.jpg

http://imageshack.**/a/img17/9273/a764.jpg

So I made a little scenery walk. The campsite was beautifully located at a height of 1600m (4800ft).
http://imageshack.**/a/img198/3117/icu2.jpg

Back to camp, but not much happening there as of yet.
http://imageshack.**/a/img405/3484/wbk8.jpg

To pass the time I simply did the same walk again. ;)
http://imageshack.**/a/img209/3373/6o0r.jpg

I had been to the nearby town earlier to make a restaurant reservation for the coming evening. Since this was the campsite we would stay on for a second night, everybody could leave their camping stuff in place and we would do a half-day-long loop over the Col d'Iseran. Here the idea to do something like this for the whole 2014 FG trip was born. - 1045 almost ready to go:
http://imageshack.**/a/img43/796/06cb.jpg

Shortly after, down in St. Marie de Maurienne, some shopping and petrolstationing had to be done. Meanwhile I took a look at the professionally applied stickerage on the wafting barge. - At this place again a thanks to Ice for providing them. :)
http://imageshack.**/a/img405/2373/sjeo.jpg

http://imageshack.**/a/img716/2648/ecdv.jpg

The Alfa, some really good looking car this
http://imageshack.**/a/img29/182/xceu.jpg

About an hour later, whilst underway to the Col d'Iseran with DaBoom as co-pilot I remembered something about cars using petrol. Didn't remember that when we were all parked next to the petrol station in St. Marie de Maurienne about an hour ago...
http://imageshack.**/a/img191/4890/7l0l.jpg

This meant we had to catch up with the others again after that short stop. - And because of scenery-looking and smalltalk almost overshot them: :lol:

Really beautiful stopping place
http://imageshack.**/a/img832/2095/baiv.jpg

Dave in salesman mode: At this point of the trip he would still tell you all about the awesome things about HMS Saab. During the later days this would change, and he would tell you about all what was wrong with it: Nuts, wheels, brakes, tires, steering. - All the while still madly in love with it tough. - Young love, eh? :D
http://imageshack.**/a/img703/3863/mwp4.jpg

Off we went over the Col d'Iseran:
- Had to actually honk the BMW 850 out of the way at 4:45, some bloody brit was driving it on the wrong side of the road :lol:
- Ice generally ruining my aircon filters with his Cuttlefish-like Audi. To quote: "Goes only like a prop plane, but smokes like the Concorde". :lol:
- C3-Joker overtaking the Alfa at 26:00, and then the Alfa hitting a ground wave shortly after really hard to ad to the misery ;)

Awesome scenery
http://imageshack.**/a/img138/2889/dd44.jpg

http://imageshack.**/a/img854/1628/hql8.jpg

For the following leg I gave DaBoom the keys to the Renault. He made an instant feels-like-the-BMW comparison, but I think he was just polite. ;)
http://imageshack.**/a/img708/9819/aiwc.jpg

End of part 1/2. More to come, stay tuned.
 
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:lol: Yeah, that probably wasn't the best road to give Grandpa his first drive in the Torrey Canyon. At least the car, the driver, the passenger and their underwear arrived unscathed.

About 3 hours later.
 
Part 2/2, still Sunday the 4th August 2013

Longer pause on top of the Col du Petit Saint-Bernard
http://imageshack.**/a/img59/6283/fd2f.jpg

MWF already had to repair the new flipflops he had bought only about three hours ago. :lol:
http://imageshack.**/a/img194/6241/3wzu.jpg

Whilst the leading Lady was busy harassing some alpine flowers. (Granted, they really are beautiful).
http://imageshack.**/a/img96/4593/hpmw.jpg

http://imageshack.**/a/img198/8945/eev2.jpg

Shortly after, the brits discovered what looked like a snowcovered island, so they had to claim it for potentional colonialisation, it's a thing of tradition for them I believe. :lol:
http://imageshack.**/a/img854/7253/urwr.jpg

"Damn, forgot the flagpole. And the flag."
http://imageshack.**/a/img197/43/r197.jpg

http://imageshack.**/a/img5/5251/y38b.jpg

http://imageshack.**/a/img837/3235/98n0.jpg

http://imageshack.**/a/img46/922/pwr4.jpg

http://imageshack.**/a/img12/849/niog.jpg

http://imageshack.**/a/img580/8920/ps8y.jpg

Classic FG
http://imageshack.**/a/img707/2127/vq8c.jpg

Later on, on the way back to the campsite, some strange yellow car was spotted whilst waiting on a traffic light
http://imageshack.**/a/img59/2504/7xd2.jpg

And got truly examinated by the experts during the next red phase. No wonder these chaps would win the Ringmeet pubquiz a few days later.
http://imageshack.**/a/img20/2115/1q3l.jpg

Some time later, a short stint of fast road before taking the route over the Col de la Madelaine. The IceAudi missed the exit and went straight on. :rolleyes:
http://imageshack.**/a/img89/975/nt6f.jpg

Oh man, if Ice only knew how close he came to Pussy. :lol:
http://imageshack.**/a/img15/697/v3k6.jpg

First it was tight...
http://imageshack.**/a/img268/6783/ntux.jpg

...but then it open up beautifully. - I'm talking about the road. Tsk Tsk. Grow up. ;)
http://imageshack.**/a/img854/680/i82e.jpg

On top of the Col de la Madelaine. Shortly before we reached the top I heard on the radio "just a two minute stop to take some pictures"...
http://imageshack.**/a/img35/9176/i3ba.jpg

But who would argue with a frothing and dribbling dragon, actually spitting steam out of his nostrils, about how long two minutes are? :blink:
http://imageshack.**/a/img138/2345/jo5m.jpg

The owner of the BMW couldn't be reached for a statement because he was busy with some allaround coolness:
http://imageshack.**/a/img24/7015/vyik.jpg

The current driver however was eager to give an interview about his involvement:

http://imageshack.**/a/img203/2782/9mtz.jpg

http://imageshack.**/a/img593/5048/bk7k.jpg

Whilst waiting for the BMW to stop playing kettle...
http://imageshack.**/a/img837/4369/892t.jpg

...Shad went to a time and place far beyond certain luring exams... ;)
http://imageshack.**/a/img4/8666/jgbq.jpg

...and DaBoom went to check how far up his 4x4 BMW would have gone. :cry:
http://imageshack.**/a/img202/7214/6azg.jpg

But finally, after about half an hour or so the dragon was somewhat cool again
http://imageshack.**/a/img607/4903/8vl8.jpg

Time to harass the locals :D
http://imageshack.**/a/img836/6088/nqw6.jpg

Because the BMW was driven somewhat carefully now in regards to the temp gauge, on the uphill section back to the campsite the little Citroen finally got his chance to hunt the 850 down like a wounded animal. :lol:
http://imageshack.**/a/img94/194/h988.jpg

Later that evening we went to the "Bear Grill", a Restaurant near the campsite. It was really late when we got our food, atleast I had some good piece of viande on sauce or whatever it was called in french, but others went for cheap pizzas, and they really got themselfs some cheap ones. Cheap in as not-really-good-looking, that is.

More to come. Stay tuned.
 
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Loving all the comments! Well played. :clap:
 
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