Italian Tour 2004. Spider meeting Raduno www.Duettoclub.it Citta di Castello.    The log covering our Italian trip to Italy 2004. Enjoy!           20040610 New engine oil Valvoline 20/40W and new NGK plugs, B7ES and oil filter from www.highwoodalfa.com Ready to go! 20040615 30km   Finally, on our way to TT-Line in Trelleborg to take the ferry to Germany/ Trawemünde. +15 degrees and rain www.tt-line.se 180€ 20040616 92 km Trawe-Hamburg and the Autozug. The train left 11.28 and we were there at 10.15. Altona Bahnhof was tricky to find. www.dbautozug.de We paid 360€ for transport, bed and linen incl breakfast. 20040617 282 km   In Verona 08.28. The crew drove the Spider from the train. Then road SS12 -> Maranello and the Ferrari plant. Took the road via Serramazzoni, very recommendable out again to SS12. Espresso brake in Pavullo. Sunny and shady +27 degrees. OK. 28 liter fuel/280 km. Paso Radici, turned right at Pievepelago -> San Pellegrino in Alpe. Very nice mountain roads. Engine spinning like a cat. In Molazzana 17.15 saradicordato@interfree.it and www.bbtoscana.it or www.monti-marte.it 45€ per night for a double B&B incl a very, very nice bathroom. 20040618 122 km Sunny +28 degrees. 36 l/293 km. +0,5 l engine oil. To Collodi the Pinocchio village. www.pinocchio.it Engine runs so smooth! Barga was also a very interesting town. 20040619 149 km   To Viareggio via Paso di Cipollaio 1.699 m. www.trekkingapiedi.it Rock on the road, but nothing serious.  Met Andrea and his family, took a swim in the blue sea. +28 degrees and very sunny. Used 5-56 on the front cross bar bushings. Too warm, better after the oiling. 20040620 156 km To Lucca www.luccatursismo.it to meet David Ross and his family from Hawaii. Drove on the west bank of the river. Sunny again and +29 degrees. A bit cloudy in the afternoon. Dinner in Egerio Sassi and "da Toddo". 20040621 106 km   Thomas/Berit arrived. +20 degrees and rain. Just regular cruising and espresso. Did some shopping. Weather improved in the afternoon +28 and sunny. 20040622 192 km To Viareggio via Paso di Cipollaio again. Temp OK and so is oil pressure. Very warm, some 28 degrees and uphill. Torre di Lago and Pisa. Washed our cars in Molazzana 11€ 20040623 242 km   To Firenze, very warm +33 degrees and sunny. Firenze was terrible. Drove along the Arno river in the traffic jam. Brrr! Finally in Pian di Sco' at 18.00. Everything OK despite the heath and sun. www.comune.pian-di-sco.ar.it One double room in a B&B was 45€ 20040624 110 km Day off, regular cruising up in the mountains. +30 and sunny. 20040625 182 km   To Siena +34! www.viamichelin.com  We filled our cars Thomas 32 l, I used 33 l same distance covered. Some roads. We went to a wine yard in Chianti. Engine temp is steady, no additional oil needed. 20040626 165 km Washed our cars again, this time in ultra-rapid. Very old and tired Signore. 10€ To Citta di Castello in Umbria. Very scenic roads and the cars were 100%. +31 again, very warm. Joined the www.duettoclub.it and www.provincia.perugia.it the weekend was 200€ all meals included and an excellent double room and swimming pool. www.hotelgarden.com 20040627 85 km   Very nice meeting together with the Italians. Dinner at the Castello di Ferrari Club Italiana di Sorci. Got a nice shiny cup. +32 sun! This meeting was so well organized, we are already making plans to join them in 2005. 20040628 520 km Filled her up with ,05 l engine oil. Started driving 08.45 and Thomas followed for an hour. They continued to Milano via Bologna/Parma etc. Bye, bye. We drove the Autostrada via Arezzo, Firenze, Pisa, Viareggio to Genoa. Heavy traffic, one accident but we were OK. The Autostrada was 8€ AR-PS and 14€ for Viar-Genoa. Very scenic road in Piemonte. Genoa was very intensive, so we continued north and found Villa Conte Ricardo with a swimming pool. 55€ and we needed that break. 20040629 202 km   I have used 1 l engine oil during 2956 km, very good. We drove to Aosta, up hill and winding roads. No problems with the Alfa. Temp and pressure steady as ever. Ended up in Aosta, nice hotel in the city center, was 46€ Hotel Mignon, close to a Shell service station. Just follow the road. Very warm +36 and sunny! www.vda.it/turismo 20040630 252 km Started driving 08.15 after breakfast. Needed 1 l oil? Must have been the mountain roads up and down and engine breaking. Arrived at Hotel Riva, south of Laveno, west bank of Lago di Maggiore. albergoriva@virgilio.it  Here is more to read about Albergo Riva  Was 70€ per night. We had been there before, one of our favorite places. Again, no problems with the Alfa. More to read here: www.distrettolaghi.it and www.borromeoturismo.it 20040701 112 km   A bit misty, so we drove clock wise around the lake to Omegna and Verbania. Took the ferry over to Laveno and went up in the mountains (of course) on a very, very narrow and winding road to Arcumeggia, 1.060 m. Wall paintings since 1880. +27 misty, sunny and rain and then sun again. www.hcs.it/varese 20040702 421 km Away 08.45 again. Via the roads through Laveno, Liuno, Lugano, very pretty, St. Moritz 1.986 m. Had to adjust the carbs and open the idling screws one turn. Fuel was not so expensive in Austria. aw a Bentley in Switzerland. Arrived in Germany and Hopferau 17.30. www.pension-keiss.de What a nice tour today again. One night was 45€ 20040703 582 km   Drove on the Autobahn for one hour, then took the red road to Friedland. Rain/sun/rain and so on. Top down as much as possible. 50€ and a very steady breakfast. www.gasthaus-waldmann.de 20040704 669 km Take off at 09.00 Top up, heavy rain. Had to stop 14.30 just before the Fehmarn bridge. Drove very slow to the ferry when the rain stopped. Arrived in Puttgarden 15.00 and in Denmark/Rödby 16.45. back home 18.45. Everything went OK and no problems. The Alfa was running as smooth as ever. Total 4.671 km   And we had a lot of fun!