I made it Ma......

[codrivermike]

........ I'm on toppa the world!!!

For 20 years I've dreamed of driving the Passo Dello Stelvio but I've never had the money nor the opportunity. Until now.
last week I needed to deliver a motorbike to Treviso so I took the car and a folding trailer. Job done, trailer stowed and the Alps beckoned. Finally my dream drive came true.


Already over 7000 feet up. Only 2000 more



Looking down from the last hairpin



The top of the pass 2760 metres up. And 2 degrees above freezing



Stunning. Who needs sunshine



In two weeks time the road will be shut for the winter and won't reopen until the April thaw. And if you think that's good, coming down the other side into Switzerland through the Umbrail Pass. That really tests your brakes.

Michael

[tomtrain]

That's pretty spectacular

Didn't they show this road on Top Gear?

[codrivermike]

That's the one. They went the long way round. Davos to Stelvio via Bormio which takes you up the pass from the southern side. I went at it from Murano then into Switzerland, over the Ofenpass to Zernez and then Susch. That's where things got weird. I took a wrong turning following signs for Davos and expecting to go over the Fluelapass. Instead I came up to a toll booth that charged me 27 Cf to proceed. I though this was a bit much to go over the mountain but it was getting dark, I was tired and I'd not found anywhere to stay. So I payed and set off only to find 100 mtrs later that I'd just bought a ticket to take the car on the Verina railway under the mountain. 20 kilometers in 16 minutes.

It comes out at Klosters, so I stayed there.

[dkightley]

You lucky thing, you!!!

That looks like one of the dream drives.....

One I'd like to do is the Grossglockner High Alpine Road in Austria:
http://www.grossglockner.com/highalpineroad/

I've done it once....but it was when I was thirteen...and it was in a whopping great coach specially made for the road...long coach and short wheelbase! The back end was specially made high enough so it didn't rub the crash barriers going round the corners as it overhung!

[CaptainBazza]

That's a road to test the mettle of your underwear!

Cheers Bazza

[ianmacmillan]

I've driven roads like that.

Fairly hurts your arms with all that steering.

[dkightley]

Even in Google Earth, that pass looks breathtaking:

[rufuskins]

I've driven roads like that.

Fairly hurts your arms with all that steering.

Personally I find that the clenched buttocks hurt more. Reminds me of the drive I used to do between Taif and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia when you dropped some 1500m in a very short distance. Didn't help with other drivers who believed that their fate was determined by God and hence could take any or all risks!

Ruf

[codrivermike]

I've driven roads like that.

Fairly hurts your arms with all that steering.

Personally I find that the clenched buttocks hurt more. Reminds me of the drive I used to do between Taif and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia when you dropped some 1500m in a very short distance. Didn't help with other drivers who believed that their fate was determined by God and hence could take any or all risks!

Ruf

A bit like coming down to Milnrow on the M62 then

[rufuskins]

- boom - boom -

That's either Basil Brush or the ears poping!

Ruf

[nigelgresley]

That looks absolutely fantastic! Not for the faint hearted to say the least though