RTG Carrera Italia Daily Dispatch - All days - low res - Flipbook - Page 9
Day 3: Lake Como to Bolzano, 5 October 2021
Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk
Baraglia. Alternately dodging rain showers and dozens
of hard working Piaggio Apes - the ubiquitous 3x2 load
luggers beloved by the local farmers - we rose and fell
with the mountains and in and out of the clouds. When the
meteorology allowed the views were stunning and the roads
were a delight, although some of the cars found it hard going
and the sweeps found themselves in demand as usual.
Ean and Alison Lewin’s Escort Mexico needed some minor
work to its front suspension, whilst Herman Wielfaert and
Katrien Tremerie’s Mercedes temporarily ground to a halt
with an electrical problem. A Rally the Globe Toyota Hilux
generously loaned its spare battery and the silver arrow
rolled on to the second Regularity around Trivigno. This
thickly wooded section was geographical chaos. Countless
hairpins, endless changes of gradient and thick vegetation
ensured that everyone enjoyed a great workout, whether
they were steering, braking or just hanging on.
Some crews had it harder than others though. Hugh and
Lesley Apthorp’s Bentley Blower suffered a broken sight
glass which spewed oil all over the crew. So, as well as
dealing with the road book, tripmeter, stopwatch and
calling out the rhythm of the Regularity, Lesley also found
herself responsible for staunching the flow of this precious
fluid with as much tissue paper as she could lay her hands
on. Meanwhile Hugh nursed the car down towards the
lunch Time Control in Edolo and into the expert hands of
Russ Smith and Jack Amies.
Suitably repaired, refreshed and keen to get on with the
day, the crews fired up their engines and headed up and
over the Passo Tonale, down through the wine lands of the
Sud Tyrol, towards Italy’s self declared apple district of
Trento and the Time Control in Tozzaga.
Another convertible Mustang needing its roof up today, this one crewed
by Jeremy Clayton and Edward Belcher
Andrew Laing and Ian Milne’s Datsun 240Z with wipers on overdrive
One final Regularity in the hills around Proves and
another Passage Control on the Passo Mendola was then all
that lay between the rally and the comfortable night halt in
the Parkhotel Laurin in downtown Bolzano. Naturally there
was some work to be done before dinner and, despite the
rain, the sweep crews set to helping to sort all manner of
mechanical issues down in the car park. Andrew Laing and
Ian Milne’s windscreen wipers were suffering an overuse
injury and needed remedial work, whilst the Mercedes of
Mick and Grace de Haas received a new water pump.
Soon enough the spanners were packed away, the tonneau
covers snapped into place and the crews repaired to the
bar and embarked on a much anticipated night section.
The 1962 Jaguar E-type of Chris and Ingrid Woodhouse
Gerardus Mercator, Dispatch reporter
www.rallytheglobe.com