The Beginning of the Long Hauls
Released from his covered parking retreat, Guy was immediately put to work transporting his charges through northern Italy to France. First stop was Bolzano, Gateway to the Dolomites. We expected to struggle up some long grades, but the highway followed a valley thick with fruit trees: apples, apricots, pears flanked the highway for tens of miles. Italians loved the old car, and showered it with praise at every opportunity. “Que bella machina,” was a phrase often heard. Some other classics shared the accolades, however.
This trio of East German Trablants was a rare sight for us Americans.
After a night’s rest in Bolzano, we continued south to Cuneo, which we were told means wedge in Italian. The wedge of the town separates the Gesso and Stura Rivers. As luck would have it the town square where our hotel was located was the assembly point for a European car rally, the Ruota D’Oro Storica. The rally attracted about 75 older European classics about to take off on a weekend driving adventure. It was great to mingle with the Italian motorheads, and appreciate the work they put into preserving their cars.
