Road trip 2017

[Rich76]

Over the last few years as a family we have embarked on a road trip for our summer holiday .

This involves picking a destination to spend a week and then organising a route to get there taking in a few interesting places on the way .

Last year was Venice via the nurbergring and a week in Austria

Year before south of France

This year it's just south of Barcelona via Andorra and back via Bordeaux and Le Mans.

Should take in some breath taking scenery and great driving roads.

Will be a big difference in terms of cost aswell as this will be the first time doing the trip in a petrol engined car.

Can't wait , going to check all the plugs etc over, car had an oil and filter change less than 1000 miles ago so that will be fine.

Also need to give it a good polish to protect it from the flies and dust

 

[Sandra]

That sounds awesome Rich. Hope you have a fantastic time. We will look forward to pics from your trip. x

 

[N@deeem]

That sounds cool. Ages ago the Irish tourist board were in Manchester. They were handing out 10 scenic routes (or something akin) on the Emerald Isle.

I still have it and it's on the bucket list so will make it one day.

 

[Rich76]

There will be lots of pictures to post

Can't wait to actually do some miles in the Audi

 

[Tj 0785]

I went Andorra about 15 years ago on a school ski trip to the pyrenees Mountains , nice place and some nice mountain roads

 

[Lord]

What have you used in the past for the French tolls? Do you recommend a pass or are the queues fine with cash? I'm travelling around in a few weeks but haven't done much of France before. Had a roll pass, think it was called E-Pass in America which saved a lot of time avoiding coming off to pay at the boothes as the road just continues with a camera above to read the pass, don't need to slow down.

 

[Rich76]

Just pay as you go, pay cash as I've found that my cards don't work so well in the payage
Never had any real delays in France , worst ones are the tunnels from Italy

Three weeks today I'll be in Limoges in France , luckily my chosen route stays well clear of Paris as it coincides with the last leg of the Tour de France

One thing I can't remember is if they do premium fuel in France as i find the car runs better on that .

Also for any one driving through France I can recommend grimbergen beer and buffalo grills !

 

[sfrs4]

Andorra is awesome, even better is the N-320 from El Pass De La Casa to the N-20, then as your going to Barcelona the C-16 which is further down towards Barcelona on a sunday morning it is like playing outrun in real life, loads of three lane highway with sweeping bends and spectacular scenery, last time we went we took this beast

 

[Rich76]

Those roads sound great and looking at the route map those mentioned could easily be accommodated

 

[Rich76]

What's the quality of fuel like in France / Spain?

Tend to run the car on premium is this available ?

 

[sfrs4]

90% of the fuel companies provide a forecourt with both regular and premium fuel, its just a lottery as to how good the provider is, think shell v's morrisons fuel here, both have regular and premium, but you wouldn't want to use morrisons premium unless you were desperate

 

[Rich76]

I've got a bottle of millers treatment to take with me

So hopefully be ok

 

[Lord]

Just come back from using a French Toll pass, Sanef-T. Well worth investing in, don't even have to stop, just drive through the 30km boothes and it lifts well before you get there. Italy doesn't really need one as it's a similar system to a car park, take a ticket when you drive on the motorway then pay at a booth when you come off

 

[Rich76]

Well tomorrow is the day we set off!

Bags packed
Car fueled and checked
Ferry booked for 740!!
Coming home from the fuel station I got a slight knocking noise over an uneven bit of road so might have a drop link starting to go

 

[Rich76]

I think we filled the boot pretty well!
Sat at the doc now for a while

 

[45bvtc]

Did something similar in 1983, in a 1971 Elan Sprint: 3-weeks around France (West coast, South coast, and back through the Alps - an NO motorways (why would you in an Elan)) an amazing and memorable trip.

Good luck and enjoy...

My tip, eat and drink the local foods and wines...

And if you see a food stop with trucks parked at lunchtime then that's a good a clue as you'll find.

 

[Rich76]

600 trouble free miles today!

Now sat in American diner eating hot dogs!

Tomorrow is the fun day of driving in to the Pyrenees

 

[Rich76]

Love the roads up in to Andorra !
Pity I couldn't have a spirited drive due to the traffic!

But 1.04 Euro a litre for super unleaded isn't bad

Now enjoying a couple of cold beers

 

[Rich76]

The underground car park in the hotel was fun to get in!
Very tight turn st the entrance then a three point turn in the underground and slowly reversed her in here !!

Need to find a car wash tomorrow and hose her down

 

[Rich76]

Helps is if I add the photo

 

[Rich76]

We have arrived in Spain

Sat nav took us along the back roads from Andorra to tarragona through some beautiful countryside and fantastic driving roads!
Tagged on the back of a local on an a5 at one point and may of done a few miles over the speed limit for a while !

Have done just over 1000 so far and average is around 40mpg

Now parked up for a week but have found a local garage with jet wash to clean her down!

Bad points , definatly think I have a drop link going and after the mountain sections think I've warped a Brake disk!

 

[Sandra]

Hey Rich, enjoy the holiday. x

 

[Rich76]

Working on it!
No need to move the car for seven days now!
So if the suns up its beer time!
Once it sets it mojito time

 

[Sandra]

Working on it!
No need to move the car for seven days now!
So if the suns up its beer time!
Once it sets it mojito time

That's sounding excellent.

 

[Rich76]

This is the view from my patio doors!

And last nights sunset

 

[Rich76]

Oops fine size too big

 

[Rich76]

Tonight's sunset

 

[Rich76]

And a shot from the car towards our apartment

 

[Rich76]

Last day in Spain today !
Tomorrow we move on the France for a few days!

Wife is already planning g road trip 2018!
Back to Italy

But so long as we can get tickets this is tonight's entertainment

 

[Rich76]

Today saw another 400 Mile drive

Mixture of autoroutes and good a type roads

Had a fantastic drive up and down the mountains around a place called PAU on the route to Bordeaux

Wife hated the one stretch but I'd love to go back and drive it again , blind bends with trucks coming towards you on the wrong side of the road , dry stone walls etc

Spending the night in Bordeaux and with only a few hours of shop time available the wife has decided we shall be back here for a few days at some point!

And no matter where you go you can always find a Irish pub

 

[Rich76]

Couple from the last few days

Triumph is over looking La Rochelle harbour
Roof shot of the car is making me itch ! Can't wait to get home Sunday and clean it properly
Car likes to play hide and seek

 

[Rich76]

Well we are now back in the uk,
Used 5 tanks of fuel and covered 2200 miles , works out around 42 mpg which isn't bad but a long way short of the 59 mpg we got out of the Saab on last years trip!

Audi was much nicer to drive though , all seems well on the car just a few things to look at

Drop link drivers side front I think is making a noise though didn't get any worse on journey

Engine cover doesn't seem secure, only held on by two tabs on the left side should there be more?

Sounds like a heat guard is loose as one is rattling

Rear tyres need replacing and alignment as both worn badly on outer edges

Used about qtr litre of oil so not so bad

Here is the sunrise we left behind in franc