BMWLand

Tomorrow I set off with my neighbour Dave in his M3 Touring on a Euro road trip. I am insured on his car which has recently been to AC Schnitzer for a power upgrade that keeps the car in warranty....eeek!

We were supposed to part of a driving tour similar to the Scottish trip this time last year however 4 of the cars pulled out having paid their deposits making the trip unviable for the organisers. They did however give us a full refund and a free Eurotunnel crossing so we decided we are going anyway.

Basics are Cheshire to Whitstable, down to the Voges mountains, across into the Black Forest, up to the Rhein and then Nurburgring before heading back via Belgium. One day in the middle off driving to look around Strasbourg and surrounding towns.

I'll update with pictures and whether we struggle to find fuel in France...they do have some stations empty, mostly Total Energies.

Obviously this will need to be seen as a finished product, especially as a touring, but the approach certainly sits well with me..

https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-germancars/all-new-bmw-m350-xdrive-earns-443hp/51651

Redeemed my ticket for my birthday present from March at the Vulcan Bomber Simulator experience near to Welspool. Booked a lodge in the middle of knowhere for 3 nights, some great roads in that neck of the woods, weather was good so roof down.

If this is your sort of thing then I'm sure you'll enjoy it, I certainly did! A couple of hours with 1hr flying time including pre flight checks, all the gauges work on demand as they should, no modern stuff in the cockpit. Two successful take-off and landings from Innsbruck followed by a release of a bucket of instant sunshine and the extreme getaway from the blast (stick back, max power rolling over to the inverted then a 180 to level flight, epic stuff!! Did a take-off from my nearest airport, Carlisle then a foggy landing in Barrow-in-Furness post flying down the West cumbrian coast. Came in too fast, skidded of the runway.

Not being a racing snake these days it was a squeeze getting into the Captains seat.

Well worth the trip....