Merlot man wrote:Hello notch
Thanks for the offer of a route ,I'll take you up on that if you don't mind . All your packing ideas are spot on as well , it's really bikers I should be talking to !
I was only half serious about the bag but if your interested please make an offer via PM But if your going at a time other than mine you are more than welcome to borrow the bag , come to think about it so is everyone .
I'll need it for the last week of July and yet he first two of August , other than that it's free . I feel I'd be getting the better deal re route and travel advice etc . I'll send on my phone no In a PM as I'm not that well connected on the Internet for the next couple of days
Brian
I'm both a biker and MX5 owner and I've done trips to the Alps many times including last May by bike.
Trust me, you can get away with far less stuff than you would believe:
Spare wheel - get rid of it. As mentioned above, get a small 12v compressor, tubeless repair kit and a can tyre aerosol tyre sealant. Now you have two ways to mend a puncture.
Tent - try trial packing before you go. If it were me I would not pack the tent in its bag but stuff in in loosely to any corner or free space. Do the same with poles etc.
Pillows - domestic pillows will eat space. Use the inflatable camping type. They are not bad at all and you can suppliment them with cloths etc. if you need to raise them. They pack down really small.
Clothing - a post mentioned above to use light clothing: spot on. Denim etc won't pack as good. Travel clothing is light, packs well and dries out way quicker. Learn how to "ranger roll" your clothes and underware. It maximizes on your valuable space. Do a search on YouTube for ranger roll or army roll. Loads of folks take a change of clothes for every single day - this is madness. You can get away with a set of clothes used most days for driving and have a change of clothes for the evenings after a shower. You can a few days out of one lot....unless you're going running, hiking or other sweaty activities !!! Packing clothes for a trip is a fine art and 90% of people still take way too much. Tour on a Motorbike and the MX5 will seem like van in comparison as regards luggage capacity !
Travel towels - these are well worth buying: they dry real fast and they pack up so small.
Utilize the space under your passenger's legs for smaller items (although she will want her handbag there too ! Storing stuff on the parcel shelf is great in theory but I found it a pain in the ass when putting the roof down. Maybe try to confine it to smaller items. I never needed one but you could use an external boot rack so increase your luggage capacity. Again, trial pack before you go to and play around with the possibilities. And ask yourself if you really need certain items.
My other advice to you is:
Avoid autoroutes (motorways) - they are boring and can be really expensive in France. Stick to the Route National (RN road numbers on the map) or better still the smaller roads.
Maps - you might be using a GPS but I would advise getting a Michelin map of France or any other country you are visiting. The detail on these maps are far superior. The scenic routes are highlighted in green which is a Godsend for enthusiastic drivers. I find it's nice to plot a route on the GPS while looking at the map for the overall picture.
You will need a vignette for Switzerland if using the motorways. This will cost you approximately €37. I avoid the motorways there and hence don't pay it.
Fuel - again avoid the motorways. Big supermarkets (LeClerc, Super U, Intermarche) can be much cheaper. Fuel in France is a buit cheaper than here as is Germany/Austria. However, fuel in Italy will be more expensive. You have a choice of 95 or 98 RON: the 95 is cheaper obviously and does fine.
Since you're camping you might be cooking - Lidl and Aldi are even cheaper than they are here I find so you might want to buy any necessities there. The motorhome community swear by these retailers for their food needs ! Lots of the campsites have bar/restaurants too and they are usually priced decently.
The Alpine passes like the Stelvio, Timmeljoch etc etc will be busy at this time of the year. Doing these passes during normal hours will have you seeing lots of coaches, cyclists and motorhomes so you may not be able to do these roads in a spirited fashion !!
For France you will need to carry spare bulbs/warning triangle and hi-viz vest for each people (must be stored in the car, not the boot). I also brought a litre of oil (you may not be near a forecourt if you need it !), a spare spark plug (all four are unlikely to fail !) and jump leads.
Notch is right - ditch the laptop...you're on holiday ! A tablet is better if you have access to one.
That's all I can think of for now.......if you can think of anything else drop me a line.
Posted: Thu, 07 Jul 2016 11:25 +0000
........please !
