Driving tips...

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Marty SmartyCat, Oct 20, 2024.

  1. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    Our trip was 1993, when you needed a book with listings of accomodation. I think we used "The Rough Guide to the Pyrenees" and either camped or used low cost hotels. Our trip involved (in no particular order) Albi, Carcassone, the Gaudi museum, Foix ( impressive castle and thunderstorm flooding campsite) , Andorra la Vela, Montsegur. End point was Barcelona and the amazing Montserrat monastery encountered by accident as we drove along a mountain road that turned into the car park. Also went up the towers of La Sagrada Familia (scary unprotected staircases hundreds of feet up) , the Picasso museum and Las Ramblas where I scared a pickpocket having a ham raidio VHF walkie talkie on my belt. On the way back out did tobogganing on "borrowed" ski lift pole cushions, Darwin Award style, in a French ski resort, and an epic mountain bike trip where we did two of the recommended circuits as the navigator couldnt read French. Then he broke his bike at the far point and as he had an ACL injury he couldnt walk far so I ended up jogging in the mountains pushing a mountain bike back over to the hire shop by myself.
     
    Barry Haynes, Razzyh and Merlin Cat like this.
  2. It's easy, I don't see it any different to driving on normal roads, just remember you can sleep anywhere..

    Take your time and enjoy the views...

    Btw I'm no good with deadlines, find it hard showing up 4 work on time

    Sent from my ART-L29 using Tapatalk
     
  3. Not driven over the Pyrenees , but we did take Pamps down to S.France /Italy and came back over the Alps Maritimes, a while back. Both mountain ranges average about 3000m +. Not sure if you are asking for advice on the journey itself or driving a bus in the mountains. If the latter , then as said , just take your time going up, let the engine rev freely in whichever gear, but not over rev, just nice and busy in a relaxed way. I'm not a fan (no pun intended) of stopping at the tops to let it cool down, stop for pics yes, get out stretch legs etc, but otherwise just keep going, as the van will soon cool off coming down or cruising up higher. One tip I would give, is when driving round left hand hairpins, do NOT be tempted to take the short line and skim the curve off. Once , we weren't 'skimming the curve btw' we were rounding a lh hairpin in third gear, when in a flash a logging truck came round the corner, giving a wide birth because of the trailer, I closed my eyes just in time , as he took out the door mirror, showering me in glass, it was very close. BUT 1/2 a day later, ever the optimist, I spotted an old abandoned T2 van, and relieved it of its mirror, and it's still on there today. Lakes are a lovely , if isolated , place to camp. Obviously some of the bigger hills, come down in 3rd, and dab the brakes, don't hold them on. But I'm sure you know all of this. Pretty sure this pic is in the Alps Mme
    [​IMG]Picture226_zps4a654aca by mark tilley, on Flickr
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2024 at 5:20 PM

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