Italy & Austria 2007

I also succeeded in throwing the ring into Mount Doom.

The guide talked about an easy path from the Auronzo hut to the Tre Cime hut. From that last hut you could take a difficult walk back to the Auronzo hut (and the car park). I couldn't find the easy path (with all that fog) and I followed a group of walkers. I ended up on the difficult path. The views were spectacular, but I suffer from high anxiety, so it was rather nerve wrecking. Lots of place where you could fall to your death. A kind German leant me one of his sticks as he saw me suffering. A little further on, on the way to the Tre Cime hut, the group went to the right and I went on alone to the hut. It became slightly worse as a part of the path was covered in snow. Some people had crossed the snow, so that I could walk in their foot steps. One mistake and I would end up quite a long way down.

It shows rather well the lack of queueing skills of the Italian car driver.

At the top (Hochtor) 2504 meters. This pass is quite impressive: 2504 meter at his highest point and about 40 turns; about 12 kilometers climbing at 12% and then about 12 kilometers of descent at the same percentage. I climbed it in second gear and I could really feel the heat coming from the engine and gear box. Engine temperature wasn't raised during the climb, low outside temperature and high circulation and cooling from the high revs kept it down. The Großglockner people seem to think this pass is ideal for oldtimers . They speak of "gentle gradients". I wonder if they are talking about the same pass. You have to pay toll for using this road: € 26 for a car.

This pass is quite impressive: 2504 meter at his highest point and about 40 turns; about 12 kilometers climbing at 12% and then about 12 kilometers of descent at the same percentage. I climbed it in second gear and I could really feel the heat coming from the engine and gear box. Engine temperature wasn't raised during the climb, low outside temperature and high circulation and cooling from the high revs kept it down. The Großglockner people seem to think this pass is ideal for oldtimers . They speak of "gentle gradients". I wonder if they are talking about the same pass. You have to pay toll for using this road: € 26 for a car.

View at the top. My Benz is to the right. This pass is quite impressive: 2504 meter at his highest point and about 40 turns; about 12 kilometers climbing at 12% and then about 12 kilometers of descent at the same percentage. I climbed it in second gear and I could really feel the heat coming from the engine and gear box. Engine temperature wasn't raised during the climb, low outside temperature and high circulation and cooling from the high revs kept it down. The Großglockner people seem to think this pass is ideal for oldtimers . They speak of "gentle gradients". I wonder if they are talking about the same pass. You have to pay toll for using this road: € 26 for a car.

This pass is quite impressive: 2504 meter at his highest point and about 40 turns; about 12 kilometers climbing at 12% and then about 12 kilometers of descent at the same percentage. I climbed it in second gear and I could really feel the heat coming from the engine and gear box. Engine temperature wasn't raised during the climb, low outside temperature and high circulation and cooling from the high revs kept it down. The Großglockner people seem to think this pass is ideal for oldtimers . They speak of "gentle gradients". I wonder if they are talking about the same pass. You have to pay toll for using this road: € 26 for a car.

Sign for popular food in these parts. Coca-Cola has become popular in Europe after the Second World War. This pass is quite impressive: 2504 meter at his highest point and about 40 turns; about 12 kilometers climbing at 12% and then about 12 kilometers of descent at the same percentage. I climbed it in second gear and I could really feel the heat coming from the engine and gear box. Engine temperature wasn't raised during the climb, low outside temperature and high circulation and cooling from the high revs kept it down. The Großglockner people seem to think this pass is ideal for oldtimers . They speak of "gentle gradients". I wonder if they are talking about the same pass. You have to pay toll for using this road: € 26 for a car.

This pass is quite impressive: 2504 meter at his highest point and about 40 turns; about 12 kilometers climbing at 12% and then about 12 kilometers of descent at the same percentage. I climbed it in second gear and I could really feel the heat coming from the engine and gear box. Engine temperature wasn't raised during the climb, low outside temperature and high circulation and cooling from the high revs kept it down. The Großglockner people seem to think this pass is ideal for oldtimers . They speak of "gentle gradients". I wonder if they are talking about the same pass. You have to pay toll for using this road: € 26 for a car.

This pass is quite impressive: 2504 meter at his highest point and about 40 turns; about 12 kilometers climbing at 12% and then about 12 kilometers of descent at the same percentage. I climbed it in second gear and I could really feel the heat coming from the engine and gear box. Engine temperature wasn't raised during the climb, low outside temperature and high circulation and cooling from the high revs kept it down. The Großglockner people seem to think this pass is ideal for oldtimers . They speak of "gentle gradients". I wonder if they are talking about the same pass. You have to pay toll for using this road: € 26 for a car.

Warning sign to warn you that you're going downhill, just in case you didn't know that. This pass is quite impressive: 2504 meter at his highest point and about 40 turns; about 12 kilometers climbing at 12% and then about 12 kilometers of descent at the same percentage. I climbed it in second gear and I could really feel the heat coming from the engine and gear box. Engine temperature wasn't raised during the climb, low outside temperature and high circulation and cooling from the high revs kept it down. The Großglockner people seem to think this pass is ideal for oldtimers . They speak of "gentle gradients". I wonder if they are talking about the same pass. You have to pay toll for using this road: € 26 for a car.

This pass is quite impressive: 2504 meter at his highest point and about 40 turns; about 12 kilometers climbing at 12% and then about 12 kilometers of descent at the same percentage. I climbed it in second gear and I could really feel the heat coming from the engine and gear box. Engine temperature wasn't raised during the climb, low outside temperature and high circulation and cooling from the high revs kept it down. The Großglockner people seem to think this pass is ideal for oldtimers . They speak of "gentle gradients". I wonder if they are talking about the same pass. You have to pay toll for using this road: € 26 for a car.

The 220 D has a Serbian number plate.

This is in Austria, in the little village of Söll am Wilden Kaiser. A room with breakfast was € 36 for cash and € 38 if you payed with credit card. Their website: www.gasthof-oberstegen.at/

Only € 0.932 per liter (about US$ 4.72 per US gallon)

On the German Autobahn A3.

The people in the modern E-class didn't look half as happy as I.