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Euro BLAST 07 Recce
Smiling hard but rather tired after having just returned (17th
June) from Salzburg. We had travelled nearly 1000 fun
packed miles in
2 days to check out the hotels and the route for days 4, 5 & 6 of the Euro Blast
07.
We
left Salzburg early Saturday morning and headed south to the Grossglockner pass
while on the motorway I looked up and noticed a stickered sign warning that the
car was fitted with winter tyres and not to exceed 160kph, “what” I thought,
“surely that cannot be right?” I said looking at Mark Stevens in disbelief. It
was bad enough that the car hire company wanted to give us a Citroen Picasso,
then reluctantly gave us this Volvo V50 Diesel, the only other car left! Now we
have dodgy tyres to explore in the 25˚C heat that was blanketing the stunning
Tyrol Mountains before us!! We carried on sulking, wondering how the tyres would perform.
Well
we found out on the first hairpin on the climb up the Grossglockner pass. We
were greeted with rather vocal squeal and no grip, LoL. At least we had the
amazing views and weather to make us smile.
While on the way up the pass we could see that there was still a
lot of snow on the peaks and the rate of ascent was matched by the alarming
descent of the temperature, and we were in shorts! We passed a ‘mule’ being
tested, not sure what it was maybe the new Vectra, but it was running slow. The scenery was beautiful and driving up
through and out of the few clouds presented a rare treat.
We
only drove up a small portion of the 50km long pass, tyres squealing for dear life,
which took 30mins and was such a laugh. We cannot wait for the full-monty and
also the detour half way up to the Pasterze Glacier.
We
also checked out the hotel in Zell am See, which is day4’s
accommodation. You may have noticed we have moved it from Kitzbuhel to this nearby town
which is closer to the base of the infamous Grossglockner pass, and thus helping
to shorten
day4, and allow you more time on the pass. The Hotel is very nice and with great views of the
Tyrol area. That evening we have included the evening meal and the hotel also has a Spa
which will be available and an outdoor pool. Not that you will want to come off
the Grossglockner until it closes at 19:30. This re-positioning also makes the route out of Austria
more exciting and has us driving into Czechoslovakia earlier, and in the morning
of day5, where we will be able to explore more its roads all the way to the beautiful city
and night stop
in Karlovy Vary which you may have heard of in Bond’s latest adventure. So
bring your black-tie's.
When Mark
and I left Zell am See and ventured cross-country to check the route into the
Czech Republic we
went first went over some awesome passes alongside glistening lakes back dropped by ragged
mountains and through a lot of tunnels before we hit the Austrian/Czech border.
I am not going to say too much about what the Republic of Czechoslovakia was
like as I want to leave it to your over active imaginations, as it was nothing like what we
expected, but it was stunning and surprising in equal measure with some great
roads, a real mixture and little traffic. The route takes you along through the
countryside through many remote villages and into two large towns, so some real
contrasts and revelations are waiting for your exploration.
When we arrived stirred not shaken after a great drive to our
destination in the centre of Karlovy Vary we were quiet stunned at the beauty
and cleanliness and the architecture was astounding with
such detail and imagination, every building different and seemingly intent on
bettering those next door. Our Hotel is perfectly straight out of the eastern
block for feel but modernised thankfully and quiet charming. With great views
over the main part of town where the main drag along the rough fast moving river
filled with hot Spa water is a minutes walk. So you will get a real cultural
experience. Arrive before sunset and watch the town built in and up a valley
blaze a hundred shades of orange as it is reflected off the coloured walls.
We
are going to make a huge splash in Czech-land as the best car we saw was a 350Z,
and an old TT, nothing else of any merit, we even turned heads in the silver
Volvo, so a stream of modern performance machines from the UK will cause a
circus.
Roll on
September 23rd, as we cannot wait!!
Mrk
Click picture to read about our sighting of
the new M3V8 on this Recce
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