Saturday 23 February 2008

1998 Guzzi Goes Home - Guzzi Gets Home

We awoke to sunshine! After breakfast the Guzzi was loaded in double quick time and refulled. Fussen is right on the German – Austrian boarder so we stopped to change some Deutchmarcs into Schillings and get the road tax. This only cost a few Schillings but there is a heavy fine if caught on the wrong road without it. There are many different places where it can be bought from, including garages and shops.

Slow progress was made through Austria as we had to keep looking at the map to see where we were going to next. At one time Ian went in the wrong direction and ended up going through a tunnel that was long and full of exhaust fumes. When we got out Ian had to pull over for a few minutes to get his breath back and while he was doing this a policeman stopped by and checked to see if we had a tax disc!

Back on track we reached the Timmelsjoch Pass and stopped for a photo. We were to use this pass several times over the next few years. The Pass is a toll road that is closed over the winter period. While on this road we reached the Italian boarder and stopped for another photo shoot.

Slowly we made our way down to Bolzano Bozen where short of fuel we had to wait for the siesta to finish in order to get some Lira from the bank. Guzzisue went and got the money but she had to pass through a metal detector before gaining access to the bank.

On the road again Ian got slightly lost as the road signs were not to clear. He even tried asking a policeman to point us in the right direction, to no avail. We eventually get on the right track again and head off down to Predazzo, where we stop for a drink.

Refreshed we carry on when disaster strikes! Ian rides over a pot hole and the bag on the rear carrier bounces up, then down and shears off the rear light lens. Guzzisue sees this happen in the mirror, so Ian pulls over and she goes running down the road to pick up the pieces. Luck is on our side and one half of the lens so complete so Ian removes one of the rear bulbs and uses a piece of insulation tape to keep part of the lens in place, puts a clear plastic bag over the complete unit to keep out any water and keeps it in place with a cable tie.

San Martino di Castrozza is reached late afternoon and we decide to stay there for the evening.

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