|
The weather was very mixed and especially wet on the Dutch and German
motorways but, by the time we approached St. Moritz, it was perfect and
the ideal introduction to that beautiful part of the world. We began to
pick up Healeys along the way and by the time we arrived at Suvretta it
was abundantly clear that there was a one-make car event somewhere in the
area.
The next
six days in St. Moritz at the Suvretta House Hotel, flew by with a series
of wonderfully organised events. Sunday afternoon started the whole show
with a reception in the meadows at Salastrains above St. Moritz. On Monday
under a prefect cloudless sky there was the concours event and we
non-contestants had time both to view the cars and to explore Suvretta and
the beautiful town of St. Mortitz. On Tuesday, in very changeable weather
that included very heavy rain and sleet on some of the passes, we took
part in the Stelvio Rally travelling into Austria and Italy before
returning to St. Moritz via the Reschenpass, Stelvio and Bernina Passes.
My personal memories of the Stelvio are rather mixed as I began to hear
some disturbing noises coming from my clutch as we struggled to avoid the
hoards of cyclists going up that pass. I have to say that most of them
were travelling at commendable speed but with little or no regard for the
shortcomings of our aged cars.
They must be mad we thought but they were probably thinking the same
about us. Then on the way down, just after the lunch stop and in driving,
freezing rain, my electrics gave out completely.
Fortunately it was just a failed fuse but it could have picked a drier,
safer place to expire. I like to think that my later prize for third place
on the Stevio Rally was in no small part for persistence in the face of
adversity but I suspect that it was more due to pure lady luck. On
Wednesday there was an event at a Kart Track in Italy at
Gordona-Chianvenna but, despite my personal liking for haring round tracks
at speed, I decided that discretion was the better part of valour at that
time and we took the opportunity of a relaxed exploration around Suvretta
and an even more leisurely use of the hotels� pool facilities. Which left
us more than ready for Thurdays� Gavia Rally that took us over the Passo
di Foppa, the Passo Gavia, the Pass Umbrail, and the Ofenpass � what
views!!
The picnic was superb although the hamper, which was for us to keep as a
memento, gave us more than a little headache in deciding how and what to
pack for the journey home and I suspect we were not alone in that dilemma.
And on Friday, all too soon it seemed, we were travelling to Silvaplana
and the Surlej base-station to commence the final days� event of a
cable-car ride up to the 3000m high Corvatsch Mountain. Despite some of
our �fear of heights� we all made it to the top and experienced yet
another faultlessly-organised day comprising an aperitif and snacks at the
summit, a �flying-fox� hang-slide on a cable over the glacier for the
braver of our contingent, an exploration of the glacier ice cave, and a
lunch at the Murtel middle-station, before returning by cable-car or, for
some of the more energetic amongst us, by foot, albeit down the
mountain, to the hotel for the final Gala Dinner. The whole day was again
in the most perfect weather and gave us the best impressions of
Switzerland to take home.
My excuse for not taking the hike was that I needed to avail myself of
the Suvretta House garage facilities to check on the ever-louder nasty
noises coming from my clutch. Fortunately the prognosis was that I would
make it home albeit with little or no clutch. I did and GSK has since been
treated to a new clutch; and a new rear hub, and new wheel bearings but
that�s another story. During the week there were several visitors to the
garage. A Swiss 100S for a new clutch, another Swiss 100 for a head
gasket, Phil Kennedy�s 100 for new bottom-end bearings (poor Jane spent
many a happy hour gazing into the garage as Phil and his stalwart helpers
beavered away), and many more. All part of the fun of classic car
ownership we say. Since returning from the event I have heard stories of
several mechanical maladies. Don�t be put off lads � it was surely worth
it!
Needless to say the Gala
Dinner was a fitting end to the whole week. There were table magicians (I
always thought I would be able to spot the illusions close-up, but I
couldn�t), paper folding artists, several courses of delicious food,
closing speeches of thanks and congratulation, presentations of super
prizes to the event winners (should I mention that I won a minor runner-up
prize on the Stelvio Rally but I would perhaps have tried a lot harder had
I realised that one of the event-sponsors, watch makers Frederique
Constant, were giving their special limited edition watches, produced
specially to commemorate this event, to the winners � I had no option but
to buy one instead) and finally dancing to the music of a live band into
the early hours for those with stamina remaining.
On Saturday morning our Northern Centre travelling group expanded to four
with the addition of Stuart and Dianne Stainton and we somewhat
reluctantly left Suvretta and St. Moritz to travel to Gravedona on Lake
Como where we spent a relaxing three days. We lazed by the lake, explored
the surrounding hills, cruised on the lake to Bellagio and Tremezzo,
visiting the Villa Carlotta, and generally chilled to recover from the
exertions of the previous week. As in Switzerland the weather was a little
changeable but, unlike our weather back in the UK, it always seems to
change quickly back to the default-setting of the best bright, warm and
sunny conditions.
In marginal
weather on Wednesday morning our convoy, still following Bernard, left to
head home. By Lugano, back in Switzerland, the rain was torrential but by
the time we approached the St.Gothard Pass the sunshine was back again in
a cloudless sky. We went over not under the pass and travelled for our
overnight stop at Colmar in Alsace Lorraine. The following day we
travelled some beautiful local roads through the Vosges, reverting to the
motorways to the north to skirt Nancy and Metz and head through central
Luxembourg to our final overnight stop at Bourschied.
In Luxembourg all the potential pitfalls of convoy running that we had
avoided on the trip to date, caught up with us. Bernard, in his desire to
follow the route, jumped a red light and lost us all. Then Mike hared off
in pursuit and lost himself. Then I, nursing my poorly clutch, failed to
navigate a fork in the road and Stuart behind, realising my error, chose
to take the right, as in right and correct, fork and left Pam and I, who
had committed to the left and wrong option, to our own devices. Needless
to say we all met up again at the hotel although Stuart must have gone
halfway to Brussels judging from the time it took him. Pam and I, in
regaining our route, passed the hotels where the Healeys gathered at the 1st
European Healey Meeting in 1999 � some coincidence. From Bourscheid we
travelled finally to Rotterdam with only one minor delay for me to replace
a broken exhaust mounting at a motorway service area. We had a farewell
dinner on the ferry and in the morning headed our separate ways down the
M62 and home.
I decided to take a minor diversion to the Northern Healey Centre in
Castleford to shown Pam where a lot of her hard-earned cash has ended up
over the years and have Paul Grogan check out my ailing car for the
necessary repairs. On the motorway home it took no time at all to notice
that we were firmly �back-in- Britain�, what with our roadworks, traffic
jams, and atrocious lane discipline. Over the 2000plus miles that we had
travelled on the Continent I recall only one case of road-rage, two
significant sites of roadwork repairs, one visible speed camera, and two
traffic jams, neither of which delayed us for any significant period. They
don�t know how lucky they are over there!
And so back home to reflect on a wonderful holiday. Pam was surprised
that GSK was kinder to her suspect back than she had anticipated and she
experienced little or none of the expected pain. She was also surprised
that the switchback roads and steep drops were not too frightening but
merely awe-inspiring � although I have to take some credit for that
because I stuck to my promise to drive carefully, well within the 70% rule
agreed. We have a memory (and the photos to prove it) of the two
wire-haired dachshund dogs that fitted perfectly and without complaint
under the rolled down and partly unzipped tonneau of an Austrian (I think)
BJ8. In fact we both loved the whole experience and shall be travelling
that way again soon we hope.
We both thank our travelling companions for their genial company and
consideration, and extend our regrets to Denis and Margaret (Austin) who
had to miss the event due to Denis�s ill health. And finally our sincere
thanks to all the organisers, to the Swiss Club, and especially to Helen
and Vic Jacob for their dual role in organising and running both the event
and the Suvretta House Hotel. Your efforts were greatly appreciated and
will be remembered for many a year by the many Healey-owners who attended.
It will be difficult to better in four or five years time but hopefully we
will all look forward to meeting again at the 3rd European
Healey Meeting.
|
|
