Staples2Naples 2006
DAY two should have meant the Swiss Alps - but instead it involved a beautiful trip through Austria and Northern Italy.
We didn't make the challenges, which sounded similar to last year's, but instead threaded our way around Switzerland to rejoin the rally at the Stevio Pass. We weren't alone when we got there, either...
Day Two, Saint-Louis to Aprica
Cook Pass Babtridge takes a breather on the banks of Reschensee in Italy.
OKAY, so things weren't going brilliantly for us, having lost a team member, our car, and my passport - but we were still in high spirits when we set off from the town of Saint-Louis on the French/Swiss border - knowing that we would be missing out on what is regarded by many as being the event's best day.
Still, the route Alexander had planned looked pretty interesting, and we'd still end up doing the fabled Stevio Pass. All we had to do was get into Austria, then into Italy - and see how we got on from there. Of course I was still stressed about losing my passport, and wondering whether I'd be checked crossing any other borders, but at the end of the day, Europe (Switzerland aside) is one big, happy, entity, and I wouldn't be asked to show my document again...
Once underway, we chose the relaxed approach to Continental driving - as in, Alexander piloted in the car. It has to be said, though, that the best place to appreciate Austria is from the back seat of an 800. Although we could have thrashed round and made it to Aprica before anyone else, taking it easy, enjoying the scenery, and stopping for lunch on the bank of the Bodensee seemed like the perfect thing to do. Sadly, there were no other teams with us to enjoy the experience, but it did give us a chance to get to know our car a little better.
Although I've owned plenty of Rover 800s before, I've never had a T-Series normally aspirated version before, and found myself quietly impressed with it - misfiring aside. The steering is excellent, and the brakes stronger than I remember them - all that really lets it down is the rather incompetent chassis. Soft suspension settings and short travel never really go hand in hand, and there were few places off the motorway where the 800 found itself at home.
Cook Pass Babtridge overheated on the way up Stelvio Pass - Brian, though, wouldn't let something like that hold us back... Yes, that really is Cherryade.
Getting to the Stelvio Pass was no great shakes, and by the time, we'd made it to the Italian Alpine foothills, we were all exceptionally relaxed. Alexander drove the car up the pass, and it soon became clear to me from the back seat at least, that the 800 was all at sea here. Ample body roll, pitching, a wide turning circle and sloppy responses meant that I was starting to suffer from something close to sea sickness in the back.
The car wasn't enjoying itself either - and a radiator missing many of its cooling elements merely served to assist the 800's temperature gauge's swift ascent into the red sector. About halfway up Stelvio, we could clearly hear percolating noises coming from beneath the bonnet - despite Brian wiring up the cooling fans to come on permanently.
We pulled into a hotel halfway up the 'hill' and surveyed the situation. Well, it was now taking time getting the 800's bonnet open thanks to its bonnet catch snapping, and one of the stays under the bonnet being particularly sticky. Ah well. The expansion bottle was spurting coolant, and the fan was roaring its disapproval. As I walked off for a visit to the hotel's little boy's room, Brian was busy telling Alexander that you can put Cherryade into the cooling system without any harmful side effects.
Alexander might have been concerned about the fruit acids on the waterways of the engine, but as the T-Series isn't exactly cutting edge, Brian clearly won the argument - especially as we had no more cooling issues during the event.
by the time we had reached the top, the 800 had enjoyed a major workout - as had we. I was feeling seasick, and Brian had neckache. We couldn't see anything from the top either - but on the positive side, it had been a hell of a drive and we were going to enjoy a great journey down the other side.
At the top of Stevio there wasn't much to see thanks to the low cloud... The grey sky behind us clearly matches the car's paintwork...
While we were up the top, we bumped into fellow S2N'ers, Team Norfolk 'n' Chance, and their VW Golf GTi. As we'd decided to run with other teams whenever we had the opportunity, we decided to tag along, when they headed downhill. They decided not to hang around, though - and Alexander was forced to work quite hard keeping up with them.
As it happened, it wasn't that difficult, and it was obvious that their car car wasn't quite in as good shape as ours - you might be able to get a mint Rover 820 for £100, but you certainly can't go for that standard of GTi.
Once again, Stelvio passed all too quickly - but we were now back on the rally, and as we rolled into Aprica, we were looking forwards to what lay ahead of us in Italy...
Chasing Team Norfolk 'n' Chance's Golf GTi Mk2 down Stelvio. We could hear their knocking CV joint from where we were sat...
Previous: Day one
Next: Day three
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