Finally it is time for a report from my side as we returned from a 13 days adventure with the 730i. In summary: 5500+ kilometres, 11 countries, 7 mountain passes, 1 offroad adventure, a lot of electrical difficulties (especially with the automatic gearbox), 2 tiered shock absorbers and 2 worn out front tyres. But wat a fun it was!
It all started on Monday the 4th of July. We departed from Gorinchem (the Netherlands), so we left my home around half past 5 in the morning to be in time. It was light traffic around this hour, so it was no problem to arrive in time. We had to be a the start line between 7 and 8 and we entered the grid at 7 o’clock. Not the first to arrive, but in front of the line of 500 cars.
Once in, the organization came by to check all our paperwork, our passports and if all the required safety gear was present (first aid kit, warning triangle and yellow vests). After a short technical inspection our car was approved and we got our “ok” sticker which meant access to the camp site as well. In the mean time we enjoyed all the crazy stuff that entered the parking lot and met the first participants around us.
At nine the opening ceremony was done and it was time to leave! After a shot instruction how to leave the property with 500 cars, a police escort and a lot of enthusiast viewers we drove off. Under the starting line we received the route for day 1 and the corresponding assignments for the day.
Day 1 mainly involved making a lot of kilometers, as much trough France as possible which had to with the permits for this event. A short stop in Luxembourg to fill up and hit the road to Mullhouse. This was intended as the first stop, but as France was still in emergency we had to travel to Lahr Germany and head for a local airfield. The assignments we got this year (winner gets 1500 euro) are quite fun, but we choose to drive and have fun so we left this behind for the whole week.
As we arrived in Lahr the first Carbagerun campsite awaited. All cars next to each other with the tents behind the cars, ready for food and drinks. It was freaking hot as is was a concrete surface but that means a lot of beer, a good barbeque and meeting new friends. The night advanced a bit noise and the first sirens/horns hit off at 6 in the morning, time to leave for day 2!
And what a day it was! First day fun of driving fun, at least two passes on route: the Flüelapass and the Ofenpass. This in combination with the distance to cover took us between 9 and 10 hours at least. Jumped in the car at 8 in the morning to see what this day brings us. For the diehard drivers a detour over the Stelviopass was a possibility, but this added 1.5 to 2 hours to the driving time. As I already know this route we decided to take it as it is really beautiful.
As the hours passed and we drove excellent inland roads we arrived at the Flüelapass and we climbed it reasonably fast (as fast as possible with a E32 730i, 3 big guys and 2 weeks of luggage). On the top we enjoyed the view for a moment and we headed down again. I started the descent as I would in my 323i which give almost immediate problems. As the automatic gearbox had some electrical issues it didn’t brake on the engine. After being held up by a slower car for a while I felt the brakes getting overheated. On the lookout for an empty space we made an emergency stop and it was just in time! Smoke emerged front everywhere as I pulled off for the final time.
Full of adrenaline I was very happy that I was behind the steering wheel, if one of my friend was driving I don’t’ know if we lived to tale the tale. After letting it cool down for an hour we found room to start the descent again, you have to go down anyway. Eventually we found lockup in second gear and drove down without any other problems. After that we conquered the Ofenpass in the same manner.
We did lose a lot of time and a bit of confidence in the car, meaning after a shot meeting in the car we decided to leave the Stelvio and go for the save route. I would just require a bit too much from the car and an nice beer and barbeque was also very appealing.
The second campsite was located in Gassl where we slept on a ski slope and the same ritual as the day before filled the evening. But before it came to an end heavy rain and thunder finished this and we headed to bed.
At the start of day 3 we had breakfast at the local McDonald and visited to toilet as well. As the Carbagerun campsite is limited to 4 toilets and 8 showers for 1500 contestants, this is necessary to find elsewhere. After that is was time to go to Slovenia, totally unknown but surprisingly nice!
To get there you have to go through Italy, but as I type this I forgot all the names and nice places. As I look at the pictures I see a lot of mountains and passes, so I has to be fun. Driving on the small Slovenian roads we entered the capital of Ljubljana where another campsite was set up at a horse track. But before we entered the campsite we found a place near the river to barbeque and drink some beers again as it was not allowed on the campsite due to extreme dryness. After we arrived in the campsite it was time for some tinkering and night quickly passed away.
And then you realize time flies, day 4, past the halfway point of the first week. After driving for 2 hours we enter a small town and stop for coffee and breakfast. We found a terrace next to the main road and had a great time seeing how to local people react to the fleet of craziness going by. I notice that most of the people really enjoy seeing this as they wave or give the thumbs up. There a always the two old farts which find it loud and smelly, but in general only nice reactions.
The route advances into Bosnia, even more unknown country as we drove before. A bit tens as we don’t know what to expect, you never know what to local roads throw at you. Had I only known, the road turned in to offroad and big dust clouds followed our car. It wasn’t as bad as our Belgian offroad debacle, but serious gravel road which a ditch on both sided lead us onwards.
But this didn’t mean we enjoyed this complete, so cool to drive the 7 offroad. But it did hurt man and machine, because it was unbelievably hot and without aircon this meant driving with all the windows open. This resulted in lots and lots of dust in and out of the car, but the teams that drove with everything closed had a lot of dust too. But you forget all of this when you advance on the route and look back at what we drove before.
The destination of the 4th day was just south of the capital of Bosnia, a place called Baja Luka. We were invited by the local football club FK Krupa. A beautiful place on the side of the river so it was time for barbeque and beer again! First a shower in the ice cold river and after that a great scene where a local was arrested for trying to steal from fellow drivers. Did remind me to lock our belongings better than we did before, as it was clear we took some attention.
Day 5, almost a sad day as we headed for the finish line. This was located in Porec, near the coast in Croatia. Again we did some great inland roads but the last haul was on the highway. The main reason was to finish in time and to receive a nice picture and medal. Our 730i gave more and more problems, the electrical department of the gearbox seemed to be done. Didn’t kill our fun though, we arrive in the late afternoon in Porec. Together with some other runners we found a nice restaurant near the water and enjoyed a big hamburger and beer to finish this beautiful week. Adjacent we drove to the finish line and we queued for the picture. Enjoying a cold beer and one by one we made a picture and finished the trip. We made it!
To cap of this crazy trip, a big party was thrown. The organization announced the winners of the assignments, the most original car and afterward we partied to all of that! The clock turned and when we were wasted of the week we headed to tent for some sleep. Early in the morning some teams packed to leave back to Holland and due to high temperatures we woke up around 7. Time to say goodbye to some new friends and took some other for a breakfast in Porec. Said goodbye to them to and rented an apartment in the same place. Time to take a rest of what happened in the week before and enjoy the magnificent weather in Croatia.
Of course there is more to tell and show you about the trip back, but that is for next time…
