Go Back   The 75 and ZT Owners Club Forums > The 75 and ZT Owners Club Forums > The 75 and ZT Owners Club General Forum
Register FAQ Image Gallery Members List Calendar Mark Forums Read
Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11th July 2019, 22:02   #1
Split or Bust
Regular poster
 
Rover 75 Saloon

Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Slough
Posts: 84
Thanks: 18
Thanked 56 Times in 21 Posts
Default Willy's big European adventure

Hi folks, apologies somewhat later starting this thread than originally intended, but better late than never so here goes….

Been a manic last few days, Willy’s the proud owner of new ABS sensors and he’s been stickered up for the trip.

Willy’s made it to Calais for the start of his big European adventure. Uneventful drive down so far, did 113 miles and fuel top up came to 13 quid so happy with that. Willy behaved himself and settled down nicely at 70 on the motorways, though we did hit a few slow bits. Dropped in to Ashford to meet the trip organisers and some of the other teams and their cars then the short drive to Dover and the 19:50 ferry to Calais.

Staying in Calais tonight then an early start in the morning with what we originally thought was going to be a 500 odd mile drive to Lucerne, Switzerland…that’s possibly changed a bit as there are a few Top Gear style challenges on the way to add to the fun.

One of these for tomorrow is to get a photo of us with Willy on the start line at Reims-Gueux….good old racing Willy, good job we got the racing number door stickers

Currently looking at Google maps to see how many countries we can go through on the way to Lucerne....so much for the direct route but points mean prizes.

Will aim to post daily updates and some “live” ones once I’ve figured out how to log in to the Tapatalk app on the phone.

We made a slight change to Willy’s name for the JustGiving page, hopefully easier to remember Just Giving WillHe when Googling…

Charity fund raising bit…

I hope this doesn’t break any forum rules, so on the assumption that it doesn't here goes:

Gordon and Keith want the world to be a happier place so we are taking our WillHe, a lovely but rather old red Rover 75, on a road trip to Split in Croatia in July.

The charity we have chosen to support is Action for Happiness

https://www.actionforhappiness.org/

The cause is something which is becoming an increasing issue in today’s high pressure, push, rush society; that’s issues surrounding mental health. But it’s far more than that old chestnut…

You see we believe that taking some time out occasionally to do something different provides untold benefits; and so does the charity we are collecting for. The charity focuses on HAPPINESS in all its merriment and forms.

The trip has been organised by the guys at The Odd Ball Rally and there are some 20 teams taking part.
Hopefully WillHe will not let the side down and we will make the 1,300 mile journey from Berkshire to Croatia visiting Lucerne, Bormio and Venice on the way….and then there’s the drive home…

All in we reckon WillHe has to survive some 3,000 odd miles….that’s some challenge for an 18 year old Rover driven by 2 rather mad and slightly lardy, middle aged friends who really should know better… it is for a very good cause.


For anyone who would like to make a donation here is the link

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraisi...n-keith-willhe



I'll load some photos tomorrow, hotel wifi's too slow

Please watch this space for updates, thanks

Gordon
Split or Bust is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12th July 2019, 08:15   #2
Mike Noc
This is my second home
 
Mike Noc's Avatar
 
Rover 75 CDT Manual Connoisseur SE, Rover 75 CDT Automatic Connoisseur SE & a Freelander Td4.

Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 11,531
Thanks: 3,470
Thanked 3,119 Times in 2,247 Posts
Default

Good luck with the trip Gordon - am sure you will be fine - Copperleaf cars are far more reliable than any other colour!
Mike Noc is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 12th July 2019, 08:30   #3
bl52krz
This is my second home
 
bl52krz's Avatar
 
Rover 75 cdt club + Rover 2.5 KV6 Conni SE

Join Date: May 2008
Location: Birmingham
Posts: 11,356
Thanks: 6,587
Thanked 2,262 Times in 1,729 Posts
Default

I wish you all the best for the Rally. Something I would have liked to have done in my younger days. Onwards and upwards.
__________________
Great Barr, Birmingham.
bl52krz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12th July 2019, 09:43   #4
bsafly
Just going about!
 
bsafly's Avatar
 
Rover 75 CDTi Connie SE Tourer starlight silver and serpents. MG ZT-T 190+ in Raven Black.

Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Great Leighs
Posts: 468
Thanks: 626
Thanked 167 Times in 110 Posts
Default

Good luck with the rally, hope it all goes well for you and you get a chance to take in all sights etc
bsafly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12th July 2019, 21:54   #5
Split or Bust
Regular poster
 
Rover 75 Saloon

Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Slough
Posts: 84
Thanks: 18
Thanked 56 Times in 21 Posts
Default

HELP.....what's the deal for using Tapatalk? Asking for forum login & password but when I enter the correct details Tapatalk says it's wrong....

Guess I'm missing a trick.

Just typed everything in via the browser, supped a beer & planned tomorrow only for the forum not to save what I'd written...

Been a long 700 mile day & 5 countries....time for bed will update tomorrow

Good news Willy's doing a great job & having fun....

More tomorrow, need sleep
Split or Bust is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13th July 2019, 16:01   #6
bl52krz
This is my second home
 
bl52krz's Avatar
 
Rover 75 cdt club + Rover 2.5 KV6 Conni SE

Join Date: May 2008
Location: Birmingham
Posts: 11,356
Thanks: 6,587
Thanked 2,262 Times in 1,729 Posts
Default

Well done to Willy and yourself. 700 miles is a long way in one day. Just keep thinking of that end result. All the best for the next leg of your adventure.
__________________
Great Barr, Birmingham.
bl52krz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13th July 2019, 20:46   #7
Split or Bust
Regular poster
 
Rover 75 Saloon

Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Slough
Posts: 84
Thanks: 18
Thanked 56 Times in 21 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by bl52krz View Post
Well done to Willy and yourself. 700 miles is a long way in one day. Just keep thinking of that end result. All the best for the next leg of your adventure.

Thanks, having a great time but long day driving. Google currently uploading my photos from the moby to Google a/c, seems has to be on wifi to upload.... so delay further as at mercy of another hotel wifi.

Top day today visiting Furka Pass for a James Bond photo then on to a drive south for a 3 lakes challenge.

Hoping to do Stevlios Pass tomorrow then a drive to Venice.

More to follow once Google gets it's act together and I've sorted Tapatalk login
Split or Bust is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13th July 2019, 22:05   #8
Tourist
Loves to post
 
2004 Rover 75 Tourer CDTi

Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Fulbourn, Cambridge
Posts: 454
Thanks: 105
Thanked 123 Times in 101 Posts
Default

I'm really jealous that you're doing this trip! Sounds like you had a good drive today.

I did the Staples2Naples banger rally a few times, starting in 2008 in a knackered 4-Litre Daimler XJ40 and it sounds like you're doing the same route so far, in the same chunks.

The second time we did it, we picked up a pair of young Dutch girls who were doing a hitchhiking competition out of Calais, to get to Luxembourg as fast as possible... We were planning to get to our first day checkpoint in Sarnen, Switzerland by just booting it down through France, but seeing as these two lovely ladies wanted to get to Luxembourg ASAP, we changed plans and took the 5 countries route. It was a heck of a drive (as I'm sure you'll now agree!!) but so much fun. We got them there some three hours ahead of their competitors and in the lap of luxury.

My favourite bit was the passes in the Alps - The Grimsel and the Furka - just epic roads to drive. Second favourite was driving in Italy - the assertive driving style takes a bit of getting used to but it was a huge blast to hustle a big luxury car through such a beautiful country.

If you get bored, you can read about our exploits here:

http://teamxj3.blogspot.com/2006/09/...coquelles.html

Jolly good luck with the trip and please do keep us posted!
Tourist is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14th July 2019, 06:48   #9
Tourist
Loves to post
 
2004 Rover 75 Tourer CDTi

Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Fulbourn, Cambridge
Posts: 454
Thanks: 105
Thanked 123 Times in 101 Posts
Default

Just one other thing - beware of the Swiss Police.

Switzerland is a beautiful country and the Swiss people by and large are lovely, but their Police force has a reputation for being officious and punitive.

Don't break the speed limit in Switzerland!
Tourist is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14th July 2019, 09:17   #10
Mike Noc
This is my second home
 
Mike Noc's Avatar
 
Rover 75 CDT Manual Connoisseur SE, Rover 75 CDT Automatic Connoisseur SE & a Freelander Td4.

Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 11,531
Thanks: 3,470
Thanked 3,119 Times in 2,247 Posts
Default

And if you do break the speed limit when driving in Switzerland don't do it by too much, and especially in built up areas as, when I worked there, you could be fined a serious percentage of your annual income and also end up spending a minimum of a year in Gefangnis as the locals call it (in the German speaking cantons anyhow).


They also have speed cameras in the tunnels.
Mike Noc is online now   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 19:12.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright © 2006-2023, The Rover 75 & MG ZT Owners Club Ltd