Event Bulgaria Fest - Task complete

[dollywobbler]

It already feels a bit like the holiday is over. Last night was lovely, with stunning mountain views. Now, I think we are both looking forward to getting home. I know I am! If only to start sifting through the massive pile of photos and videos...

[Talbot]

Are you aiming for Caen-Portsmouth or Dieppe-Newhaven? Given where you are now, I'm guessing Northern France and a short crossing is off the agenda?

[Mrs6C]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%C3%A9rotrain

 

If you are heading to the north of Orleans, keep an eye out for the old elevated Aerotrain test track, which used to run from Saran to Ruan, via Chevilly. It's a high, concete monorail striding across the landscape. Amazing train that was overtaken by events and never made it into public service.

[Spottedlaurel]

After a couple of days away it looks like I have a lot of catching up to do here. Enjoy the rest of your journey back.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%C3%A9rotrain

If you are heading to the north of Orleans, keep an eye out for the old elevated Aerotrain test track, which used to run from Saran to Ruan, via Chevilly. It's a high, concete monorail striding across the landscape. Amazing train that was overtaken by events and never made it into public service.

 

Very interesting. We're spending a night in Orleans this year and I plan to drive down on the D2020 (RN20) which runs parallel to the test track. Have to admit it wasn't something I knew of, so that'll be something to watch out for.

 

Seems to start here: https://goo.gl/maps/Z4FqGZyojiz

 

And finish here: https://goo.gl/maps/HKDbr5MxE2y

[Mrs6C]

Six-cylinder and I tracked it down a few years ago and drove all the intercepting roads to see all of it. If you are feeling brave, you will find stairs up onto the old maintenance platform at Chevilly. The view is quite something.

[catsinthewelder]

Sorry guys I'm miles behind as my phone's data isn't working and I couldn't get any wifi last night.

 

Yesterday morning we woke up near Venice after very little sleep so decided a nice easy day was in order, perhaps making Turin by nightfall.

First some minor tinkering was required when Ian spotted the fuel pipe had split by the pump which did explain the suddenly crap fuel consumption.

 

We then missed the opportunity to take a photo of a gloriously clean early Sierra so set off.

Shy 33

 

 

Long distance 124

 

 

Pretty town we stopped in for coffee and clean pants.

 

 

Many Lancias were seen.

 

Then I took the wheel until Milan.

 

 

 

Oh no it's a police panda car. Don't worry if the haven't stopped him we'll be fine

 

More later.

[catsinthewelder]

Cheeky request chaps.

 

We should be landing at 21:30 tomorrow in Portsmouth. Would anybody in the vicinity have a couple of spare sofas we could sleep on? We could call by the duty free if that would help.

 

Thanks

[dollywobbler]

Not that you'll need it but tools,tea and accommodation are here in Normandie.

Not far from Caen or Cherbourgh. Both Brittany ferry ports unfortunately.

Dieppe is definitely the cheapest non Dover crossing. You do end up in Newhaven though...

Are you on the way from Orleans to Let Havre? Wouldn't mind a brew if you're about. We don't have to be in Learning Havre until gone four.

[loserone]

Can confirm at least half of this collection party are very well behaved house guests, though that was a less interesting car and a little closer to home!

[catsinthewelder]

At Milan Ian took over

 

What's that over there?

 

 

 

No not the 75

 

 

We badly lost a traffic light GP as not in gear

 

 

So we stopped to take a photo

 

 

Around this point we decided to head for France.

 

Holy shit was that a?

 

Daewoo-FSO Caro pickup

 

More tractorshite

 

 

 

 

Borgofranco means French border right?

 

[castros_bro]

Cheeky request chaps.

 

We should be landing at 21:30 tomorrow in Portsmouth. Would anybody in the vicinity have a couple of spare sofas we could sleep on? We could call by the duty free if that would help.

 

Thanks

 

Hi,

 

I'm about 40 miles up the A3 from Portsmouth in Guildford GU1 and there's a (slightly untidy) flat with two beds, kettle, interwebs, bath, sofa and  off road parking (next to an imported/unregistered Dacia) which you may use tomorrow night.

[beko1987]

With what you've both driven, 40 miles is like me driving 1 mile!

[catsinthewelder]

That's very kind of you but it's too close to London. We are trying quite hard to stay away from Kent and London as the police will know the car isn't legit.

 

On past experience local Bobby's don't know that much about motoring laws so can be convinced that we are doing nothing wrong.

 

Speaking of which, we haven't been stopped once today ☺

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I am seriously bloody impressed with you two.

 

Have you gone back-to-front and inside-out?  Then - and only then - is it critical.

 

 

James Bond pants: They'll "Do another day".

[Isaac Hunt]

Well done guys, almost 2000 miles so far, epic.

 

Good to see old Betty Swollocks didn't follow from that Italian Hotel.

 

Is the old Dacia using / loosing any oil or coolant at all ?

 

It will be not far off needing a service by the time you get home to Wales.

[mat_the_cat]

markers for things like... "Had to bribe a police officer here"

 

There won't be enough space on the map.

[Talbot]

That's very kind of you but it's too close to London. We are trying quite hard to stay away from Kent and London as the police will know the car isn't legit.

If you want, and if you don't get any other offer for accommodation, I can meet you at Portsmouth ferry port and then tailgate the life out of you follow you all the way to Guilford, thus providing "cover" so you are invisible..

 

Having lived in this area of the world for a while it seems a bit odd to me that I can't offer any more assistance than that. Unfortunately I now have no spare space, and am many miles in the wrong direction now.

 

Hoping I can pop down to Portsmouth and see you arrive back in Blighty, even if I can't offer anything other than moral assistance.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

That's very kind of you but it's too close to London. We are trying quite hard to stay away from Kent and London as the police will know the car isn't legit....

You've got to be joking. The Met turns a blind eye to Romanian-plated cars.

 

Y'know what would have topped this trip? Doing it in the Invacar.

[Wingz123]

You've got to be joking. The Met turns a blind eye to Romanian-plated cars.

They do - they’re all parked up in North London!

[Eddie Honda]

as the police will know the car isn't legit.

 

Having driven from Slough to Dover in 2011 with a UK reg Volvo not on the MIB (and two weeks later from Harwich to Holyhead, via Oxford), round the M11/M25/M40 65 miles in another UK reg Volvo without MOT, and tearing around in an old GS on old Irish red plates and no country oval.

 

I'd say the chances of a tug and no different to anywhere else - rather minimal.

[dollywobbler]

Thanks folks. I think we will just end up stopping in a hotel near Portsmouth, just so we know we can get off the ferry and go to bed! It's probably going to be getting on for 10pm by the time we clear the ferry port. Thinking about it, that's not really a very social time to be sofa surfing.

[Wack]

My old Disco was white with the blue dash too. Mine sunk quicker than that due to the 2ft x 4" 'gap' in the boot floor.

 

 

On Landyzone a guy went to buy some parts for his 90s defender so while he was waiting he sat in one of the new £50,000 special edition defenders, he said it was reassuring to see Landrover were still honoring their core values , when he closed the drivers door he could see the light from the spotlights under it coming in at the bottom of the door

[catsinthewelder]

The views approaching Borgofranco were quite special.

 

 

 

We saw signs saying Borgofranco 250M had we really covered a whole country without a police stop?

 

 

Of course we hadn't. During our interruption we booked the room and reset the database to find we had 2 hours more driving than planned. Bother

[Frogchod]

Are you on the way from Orleans to Let Havre? Wouldn't mind a brew if you're about. We don't have to be in Learning Havre until gone four.

I'm miles off that route I thought you were going to Caen?

[dollywobbler]

We were until we checked prices. Not to worry. Any recommendations on where to get car parts? We probably should track down some spark plugs. We've been meaning to replace them since Bosnia...

[Talbot]

If you know what specification they are I can have a look today and bring them to you this evening. I will be passing several places that will have stock. Have you got the right spark-plug socket on-board?

 

Assuming a welcoming committee is welcome?

[Floatylight]

You never know, if they are a common one you can probably still get them in Carrefour...

 

Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk

[catsinthewelder]

After the police stop in Italy we we cheered by the epic amount of shots on the mountain roads. The views weren't bad either.

 

 

 

[John F]

Any recommendations on where to get car parts?

 

If only you'd started the journey with a largely empty estate car in a country where spares for old Dacias were cheap & easy to find...

[Yoss]

Assuming a welcoming committee is welcome?

 

Hi Talbot. This welcoming committee then. Where exactly are you planning it? I only live half hour away but I'm not familiar with the port area. I know the roundabout outside the port but I've never been inside. Do we know if there is a meeting area, after all we can't be the first people to ever have wanted to meet someone off a boat?

 

On the other hand, maybe they don't want us drawing attention to their car so somewhere outside the port might be better?