Recce report

What have we found

Carrera Mediterana Recce

 

We, Mark Appleton and Bart Rietbergen have started our final recce of the Carrere Mediterana Rally at the immense beautiful square in Triëste Italy, the Piazza del unita d' Italia

The square shows off the grandeur of the early 1800.  This part of Italy once part of Austria is not really known to the tourist in this world whilst its very well kept jewels screaming to get attention. We looked over the maps in the sun with a proseco and a small pizza admiring the Italian life style passing by.

As we are driving through roads were normal tourist never pass you will still see the wounds of the war that demolished a lot of houses for no apparent reason. As soon as we are away fom the citys and go inland there is no traffic at all.

Obviously we were curious to see the borders, but what we found was nothing unusual, just business as normal and further inland it was interesting to see that the manufacturer of raiser wire had done a good business. (picture coming soon)

Another surprise was the snow we found on one of the first passes we went over on the first day of the rally. In fact we had to loop around and go up from the other side to be able to make the complete route. Quit an adventure.

As we go further south, still in Croatia we are surprised to find yet another col being blocked with snow. We do a few attempts to go through but also realize that if we do get stuck it will take a week before somebody finds us up here.

Our hotel in Zadar comes as a great surprise by what has been accomplished by the Austrian investor. A 175 million Euro 5 star and 4 star hotel is build in a scenic setting overlooking the Adriatic were we arrived just in time to see the sun set. A great wow factor is al we want to say here.

Sometimes you dream that everything falls in place, well today it does. The regularity sections are just perfect, the views are stunning and at the end of the day a nice ferry to an island where you would normally go for your wedding. It is simply undiscribable. So we don’t. If you want to know you will have to come with us and we will show you.

After the visit to the small but charming town of Hvar, we drive to the other end of the island (100 km) and once you think the views cannot get any better, they……become even better. Than a half our ferry back to the mainland and we climb up in the Croation mountains. Charming, rough, challenging you name, you will find it.

And at the end of the day we finish of the highlight of Croatie the old town of Dubrovnik.

So by now we are convinced that we have seen the Adriatic from all sides and corners, but that does not take in account Montenegro. This non EEC country is easy to access, unless you drive in a Alphabet company car with copy’s of the original papers. That is not really advisable because customs no donot know what to do. Let you in or sent you home. So make sure you bring your original papers. Customes were of the opinion that the Art car we drove was of an unbelievable high value and we should turn back to the EEC. Well we had a nice chat with the Policia telling about the event and all the wonderful cars coming soon and that did miracles, so on we went to find a lunch halt. As always Mark had been on the internet, the map and used his own memory and in the end we found the place overlooking the river and the not so fantastic Albanian roads. Rest assured that this country still has a long way to go. We were here ten years ago and not much has changed. The traffic rules are very simple. There are no rules. On what they call the Autostrada, you will find bikes coming towards you, donkeys, a couple of cows, fast drivers and extremely slow drivers. Let’s call it just another great experience.
We have spent hours and hours finding the planned selection of regularity sections that looked so great on the map. But some started as smooth asphalt and than the roads to turn into bad gravel to no gravel at all after sometimes 15 kilometres. So turn around and check out the next one. We did and than we found out that the bridge had just been washed away. The history of Albania is very interesting. Read Wikipedia if you want the details. In short, Albania was part of the Ottoman empire, Russians, Italians, Germans, Russians again and even the Chinese “helped” Albania!

All I can conclude is that Albania is a very poor part of Europe. Than you come into the Tirana traffic jams and you are surrounded by big four wheel drive Mercede’s, wide BMW’s all coloured black with tinted windows and at the same time Merc’s from the seventies exported from middle Europe and still going strong. The difference could not be any bigger.

We had planned a test on a kart track close to Tirana. Much to our surprise all the land around the Kart track are now high profile apartment building as well a big Carrefour supermarket. Fortunately our road along the southern coast remains as interesting as it was ten years ago. You must drive it to understand.
Our second overnight hotel in Albania is on this coastal route. Difficult to judge from the websites how they really look. So Mark and I have inspected half a dozen and we found one not on any internet list, but we think this is the real pearl of the Adriatic. From the Hotel you see the island Korfu and just after we left the hotel we found an old Russian U boat harbour. Strange to see that the Russians came this close.

Than on our way to the ferry in Patras, great route through the Alpes, nice competition routes without any traffic and than the Superfast ferry. We believe it, although we were passed by the very first ferry that just left after us. Here the first minus point on this trip. A poor buffet and a poor breakfast. Having said that Mark and I agreed that we have been spoiled with beautiful hotels and great food over the last ten days. We pass the house of a2 x b2 = Pythagoras as well as some ancient Greek monuments. But than we arrive in Alborobello. A region where, in the past, they had a very special style of building brick, stone houses. A navigation tour of some 25 kilometres gives you the possibility to see, admire and remember these so called trulli houses. 
Than we take a quick trip on the ferry to arrive in Taormini, Sicily. This ancient town with its spectacular Roman theatre is situated only kilometres away from the Etna volcano. Here we have another rest day and oh boy will you love this beautiful little town. I will not tell you the name of the hotel because this is my little secret, but what I can tell you that after we were here 11 years ago I have never been in a more romantic place.

After the rest day we are going to climb the Etna. As you get higher and higher we meet up with the colossal blocks of lava and by the time we reach the 1900 metres the panorama, becomes mind boggling. Now you realize how small man kind is versus the power of nature. 
The third day on Sicily ends in Agrigento at the Vallei dei Temples. Another impressive number of Greek temples and ruïnes have to be seen here. Yes we also cater for culture.
The island’s highland is of course the Targa Florio circuit. Once 140 kilometres long and in the end “only” 72 kilometre. We were wondering how many laps you had to do before you could remember the whole circuit. So the last day here we visit the old start location the pit boxes and we drive parts of the circuit. Parts only however, because this island is alive. Rocks move, earth moves and so parts of the route have disappeared completely.

This is where the original circuit stops. The road can be found 500 mtrs to the left.

We are back on the mainland. Straight from Sicily to Livorno because the Sardaigna bit will be recced in a later stage. A news letter is to follow later therefor.

The day before the last day sees a nice run on the Autostrada from Livorno to our “breakfast” halt. This georgous Villa overlooks the Toscany mountains. A shame that we have to move on, but the real rallyist will appreciate the two regularity sections in these great Toscana mountains, which might decide the winner of the event. I am sure you will talk this memorable competition day over at the quay in Portevenere.