Ducktailing it to the Targa

[jury]

Great stuff...Look forward to seeing the photos

[23e Heure]

It'll be a while before I can get stuck in to the photos, here's a mood setter

[Burma-Shave]

Brilliant stuff, DDk most awesome trip current record holder. Just love that despite it being a regularity, it was more about going like the clappers whilst the carabineri took pictures. Proper stuff. A pilgrimmage in more ways than one too.

If you go back next year watch you don't have a stowaway in a yellow 356…

[210bhp]

I'm going to kick off some kind of report on this fantastic trip with some thanks. Without a little help here and there this road trip would not have been so pleasurable.
First, thanks to Mike Bainbridge, who's 'after hours' help was given in his usual unselfish way and our diagnosis of the cause of the problem led to any avoidance of further issues on the trip. The leg pulling (obligatory) I could have done without !
Second, to Feroz Yoda who was so kind to help me out with secure storage in London along the way. True Ddk spirit and beyond the call of duty. Thanks Feroz.
Third, my travelling passenger and route planner and photographer, Brendan, who's only defect was to scream loudly 'Michael, watch out!' several times in the ferocious Palermo traffic when attacked from all sides.
Fourth, Johnny, who's laid back approach to the whole trip and subtle wit kept us all calm in our more delicate moments. It was a joy to be in your company and your knowledge of all things Porsche was fascinating to hear.
Finally, James, who's undoubted affection for the Targa Florio and Sicily itself is obviously in the blood and without his background information all the way (and his insistence on contacting some Sicilian legends) made everything more meaningful. His 'tour guide' attention to detail allowed Brendan and me to explore the Targa history in depth while he and Johnny went off to cover the Giro Di Sicilia on there own and finish in a creditable position without any real navigational aids.

We stayed at a wonderful place (also known to James) and big thanks to Donnatela (sp), Mima (sp), and Subass (sp) for making the stay unforgettable. What a fantastic setting in the Sicilian hills right at the heart of the Targa 'circuit'.

Thanks to wonderful new friends we met there, particularly Armando, Davide and Massimo who I am sure we will stay in contact with for years to come. They were all truly welcoming and enthusiastic about our exploits.

I think it won't be my last trip to Sicily. Well worth going again as I realise we only scratched the surface.

Regards
Mike

[23e Heure]

I'm going to share the trip as photo story - all shots very few words.

There are a few aspects of the trip that really should wait a while before being revealed, and I'll leave Johnny to do our group's tales justice in print later.

Brendan took a ton of photos, and I am sure he'll then fill in the many gaps left by the ones I manage to post.


GENERAL ROUTE

To start the story again: to avoid the french petrol shortages, we skirted France and followed the Maginot Line on our way to a ferry from Genoa to Palermo:




DAY1. FOLKESTONE TO SAARBRUCKEN:

Johnny had been covering the previous weekend's 24 Hours at the Nurburgring, so we picked him up en route, in Spa.
By the time we collected him, he had spent 3 hours waiting in a bar. Let's just say his photography skills do not improve with Duvel:

(Johnny's photo)



It was wet for most of the day. Very wet:

(Johnny's photo)


(Johnny's photo)

[23e Heure]

DAY 2. SAARBRUCKEN TO GENOA:

We crisscrossed the French and German borders, then stopped for a boy band photo at Swiss customs:




After that we spent all morning climbing and taking in the views of the Alps. First person to say "I can see the mountains"...

(Johnny's photo)


(Johnny's photo)



Tunnels - and fuel stops - were quite common:

(Johnny's photo)





It was sunny for lunch, as we prepared to take on the famous Gotthard Pass:




The pass was clear at first, and then we actually passed through the clouds and into the snow:

(Johnny's photo)


(Johnny's photo)


(Johnny's photo)


(Johnny's photo)



It got easier on the way down from the mountains.
We scooted across the plains past Como and Milan, before being confronted with more hills, lush and green, as we made the final plunge to the sea at Genoa:

(Johnny's photo)


And at about 8pm on Tuesday, we arrived at the docks at last!:

[theorangeperil]

keep it coming!

[Lightweight_911]

Excellent !

[KS]

[bjmullan]

Just starting to look at my pictures. Let Mike take one ....



Yes and I know, red trousers alert

[23e Heure]

DAY 3 - ARRIVING IN SICILY:

The ferry from Genoa to Palermo takes 21 hours, and leaves Genoa at 11pm: Plenty of time for a good night’s sleep, and then to sit in the bar all next day looking at stuff on the laptop.
Johnny and I chose to watch nothing but Targa porn, which seemed to attract a couple of stowaways:




The evening weather was hot and sunny, as Palermo expanded to fill the horizon:







Circumventing Palermo's infamous traffic and the standard of driving of the locals is never much fun.
But it was made worse the evening we arrived, as the next day was a national holiday, so even more people were out on the roads.

I have no photos of Mike's first encounters with the infamous Palermo traffic. Perhaps Brendan does. Possibly best that we do not ...

[23e Heure]

DAY 4 - PREP FOR THE GIRO DI SICILIA

We spent Thursday morning relaxing at our wonderful agriturismo: This was my 4th stay here, and won't be my last.

The place is ideally located in the Madonie hills, nestled in the middle of the old Piccolo Madonie configuration of the Targa circuit.
Owned by the Pucci family since the early 20th Century, it is steeped in history, and offers lush surroundings, delicious cooking (90% of what is on your plate is harvested on the premises), and wonderful views down to the sea.










With 500+ miles of hard driving ahead of me on the Giro, after breakfast Mike and I tinkered with the timing on my car:

(Johnny's photo)


(Johnny's photo)



And then took it on a short run to clear its lungs, passing by the old pits at Cerda:



Then Johnny and I set off west along the coast, back into the centre of Palermo to sign on...

[bjmullan]

Fell in love as soon as we got off the boat.

[210bhp]

Just starting to look at my pictures. Let Mike take one ....

Sorry to interject on these delicious photos but I had such a laugh with Brendan over this pic. He said "no one is going to ever know if I was on this trip if I take all the photos, so please take at least one of me ".
He had no idea what I'd done until I just couldn't contain myself any longer and fell about unable to stop laughing.

As you were........

Regards
Mike

[23e Heure]

NIGHT 4: GIRO DI SICILIA

The "paddock" was on a very fancy shopping boulevard, closed off all day for competitors to line up in echelon, in order of start position.

There we met Rosario, the race director, who took us to a local hotel to get registered and our road books:

(Johnny's photo)





And then we stickered up:

(Johnny's photo)


Gianni e Vince:




Mission control for the next few days: