Sunday, June 27, 2004, Monday June 28, 2004




The two travellers after some hot 215 km of motorway from Athens, arrived to Rio, just at the base of the new bridge.


We had a very good lunch there, and 5 min. later we embark on Minoan Lines' "Olympia Palace" for the trip to Ancona.

  
The boat is very luxurious inside and out, and we spent a great evening and next morning aboard.


On the top deck we check the boat's speed and heading, some 162nm before Ancona. It's quite fast at 28.9kts, or 59km/h, if you prefer!


Exiting the boat, the Italian carabinieri are a bit suspicious about the absent front license plate. We will have a great laugh later on about it, during the trip! Just in case, Pavlos has it sitting on the windshield base, on the inside! Just in case!


I'm getting ready for the big trip!


As luck would have it, just 500m after the port, there's this railroad crossing. I see the red ligt come and stop right after the still-up barrier. Pavlos stops JUST below it. And then, the train comes close and the barrier comes down... ON HIS HEAD!


Thank God for the Miata's soft top! The guy just behind Pavlos, comes to the rescue, lifting the bar, just a bit, but enough so that the Miata can proceed a bit. Thoroughly checking the top, afterwards, it reveals no harm done at all! Phew!


A brief stop at an Autogrill for some water and fuel, and we're back on the road to Modena.

Thanks to the GPS (and thanks to Jim Seavey, for sending me the newer maps!) we find Beppe's home very easily and without doing a single U-turn! It helps also that Pavlos has stayed there before, so that he remembers the neighborhood a little.

There are no photos of our evening out, just our words!

I forgot the camera at Beppe's home, and so did Pavlos! Anyway, first we went for an aperitivo, in the historic center of Modena. Then, at around 8.30pm, I left, towards Formigine, to meet with the waiting Bonettis. Thanks to the GPS again, I found the place quite quickly, and stopped 300m from their home. Riky came to my rescue. He had prepared a delicious barbecue on his balcony, and I was pleased to meet Marco Marani and his wife. We enjoyed the evening, (at least I did!).

At about 11.30pm Riky guided me to a quick tour of the Ferrari factory gate, Ristorante Cavallino, Ristorante Montana, Ferrari store and finally the "secret", closest possible view to the Fiorano track!
Back to the start
or
forward: Tuesday, June 29, 2004. Touring Modena, Maranello, Fiorano!!!