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Germany to San Marino
(Areas visited:
Bavaria ;
Lago De Gardo ;
Lazise
Brescia
and
Cesenatico)
The Mille Miglia was an open-road endurance race which took place
in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957.
The race was then banned
after a fatal crash in 1957.
However, in
1982 the Mille Miglia endurance race was revived.
Today's Mille Miglia; focuses on timing rather than speed is of the essence for the
enthusiasts from around the world who race their vintage cars,
dating from 1927 to 1957.
The course record is still held by Sir Stirling Moss and his co - driver Denis Jenkinson,
(A short video clip of
Sir Stirling Mos in Italy' s 2005
Mille Miglia).
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| We arrived at the Munich
Airport shortly after 11:00 A.M on Tuesday May 17th. Dirk and his
son Holger were waiting for us. We traveled to their home in
Rosenheim in
Bavaria. On our arrival at their home. Dirk showed us his
vintage automobiles.
We arose at 6 am on
Wednesday, May 18th as we were to leave at 8 am as the Mille Miglia awaits!
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| We all set out in a 1960
220S Mercedes, and a 1949 Mercedes Cabriolet. Our first stop was to
pick up Father Manfred, nicknamed the Maserati priest, and Dirk's
friend Jurgen in a neighboring town. Dirk son's Holger drove
Jurgen's 1967 Maserati.
On a stop through Innsbruck. |
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| On the trip to Italy the
fog made it impossible to see the Alps very well until we crossed
the border into Austria. The countryside was beautiful.
We stopped for lunch near a river call the Ein. Lunch consisted of fresh
bread and rolls/pretzels, raw radishes, onions, tomatoes, Italian
meats, carbonated water, wine and chocolate for desert. The serving
table consisted of a table cloth thrown over the trunk of Jurgen's
Maserati. |
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We stopped
at restaurant along
Lago De Gardo for coffee and cappuccino. Viewing the snow capped
alps as father Manfred explains the history of the area to us. Dirk
told us that father Manfred is quite the writer.
Father Manfred has written several books, he
currently is working on the history of the Catholic Church in 19th
century Germany it is nearly finished and is 4 volumes, 2600 pages. |
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| We finally arrived in
Lazise
Italy to the Casablanca Hotel which was beautiful. Pink was the
chosen color beautiful rooms marble floors, flowers, restaurant and
patio. |
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Thursday - Maggio 19, 2005
We left at 8:30 am to go to
Brescia
for the start of the
Mille Miglia. Dirk gave us all Mercedes hats.
It was the last time
that Mercedes 722 would enter the rally, symbolically with
Sterling Moss.
Sterling Moss and 722 are most famous
for setting a record for the Mille Miglia, which still stands to this
day. After this Mille Miglia it was retired to the Mercedes Museum in
Stuttgart, Germany.
We would later view Mercedes 722
in the Mercedes Museum in Stuttgart during our future 2006 trip.
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We left Brescia for
Cesenatico and arrived at the hotel Savoia
in
Cesenatico on the Adriatic coast.
Jurgen who is Dirk and
Gretels friend, has been so kind and friendly to us, trying to make us
feel at home. They all speak German, English, and Italian. Father Manfred speaks
these languages as well as others.
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| Father Manfred is a walking and talking Encyclopedia. He is telling us how
Leonardo da Vinci designed this bay. |
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| We departed around 9:00
am for
San Marino which was very close. I rode with Father Manfred as
he gave us a very interesting history lessons on the way. He was also an
instructor at a University, an exchange student in America in 1960
and stayed with a wonderful family. |
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| Going to San Marino was
unlike anything Anthony and I have ever seen. Going up and up,
higher and higher to the top of this fortress, reminiscent of Lord
of the Rings. I could almost visualize the character Gandalf riding
the horse to the top |
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| Anthony is so excited
and videoing everything. it is such a nice group to be with so
intensely serious about this great race. At this time it costs about
$5,000 to enter if you are accepted. Mille Miglia means the 1000
mile race. Several princes were in this race. Later we moved even
higher to another cafe to eat a bite and watch some more. The cars
sped right beside our table!
Next -
San Marino to Florence |
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| Copyright 2005
-2009 |
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