50-3000-Mk2-26.5-1

The title is all about my

50 th birthday bash

3000 miles in my

Mk2 2000 which did

26.5 MPG

and used1 litre of oil

Not a bad record for the car I reckon - and it's only 10 years younger than me! Joining me on this trip in the 2000 were Bryce and Michelle who also enjoyed the experience (or are too polite to say otherwise!)
The photo above is early morning at Dover waiting for the 4.05AM ferry. After dozing for a while I set about applying the black tape to the headlights to correct the beam. Of course, that's when we were called to the ferry and I had left the keys in the boot lock - a couple of minutes of sheer panic then!
We stopped off in Bastogne en route to the Nurburgring where we met up with Theo and friends for a nights camping and BBQ - PMW is visible parked in front of the shops.
All set up at the campsite in Torbole, Lake Garda. You wouldn't believe from this picture that we had arrived after torrential rain on the Autostrada and then put the tents up in the rain followed by a couple of thunderstorms!
A picture here of Paul Darbyshire's Stag - Paul and Ian Heeley joined us for a couple of days and this was taken up in the Dolomites. Tremendous scenery, great driving country only spoiled by very slow local drivers - next time I'll go any time other than August.

Mind you this is the day also that I left my camera on the bootlid of the 2000 but thanks to Paul's flashing of lights we pulled up in time to save it. Then Bryce had to go and look for the car keys as he had dropped them whilst being exhorted to climb a large slope for a photo opportunity!

Oh, and I lost my private mobile phone. I did later have a conversation with an Italian chap who found it but I told him to keep it - it was only a very cheap pay as you go with very little money on it. He may get a few interesting phone calls from Club Triumph friends though!

Finally - a picture of cobbled streets in a very pretty little town called Glorenza very near to the Swiss border but still in Italy. Actually very near to the start of the Stelvio pass too but that one will have to wait another year.