Mille miglia 1999

[Chris <chris@domain.elided>]

The "Mille miglia 1999" is from Thursday may 6th thru Saturday May 8th.

A few tips:
Make sure you arrive at Wednesday (the 5th), search for a nice Hotel
in the vicinity (think 30 miles vicinity :) Desenzano might be a place
to "park", or any other place south of the "Lago di Garda".
On Thursday morning get to Brescia, and _try_ to park your car somewhere
(be careful, the Italian police is not so forgiving on such events!)
Now wander around till you get to "Piazza Vittoria" (the staring point);
through the day the competitors are arriving to check-in, which
- - in true Italian style- messes up the entire inner city of Brescia.
You cannot walk without stumbling from the one beautiful car to the
other gorgeous one :) don't forget your camera!!! (I did, and I'm still
kicking my behind because of it!)

Now's the time for decisions . . .
Do you wanna drive with them? Or do you want to see the start?

1st case, get out of Brescia before 5pm. so you don't get stuck in
traffic. Have some pizza or so and wait till the start, which is at
20.15. The drivers are heading to Ferrara, and you can squeeze in
almost everywhere along the route- provided you've got an Alfa Romeo,
your blinkers (hazard lights) on, and the nerve :)) -
(It an experience in the true meaning of the word, to drive an
Alfa Romeo in Italy with hundreds of people around you shouting and
applauding, and waving and . . . and . . . <sigh> I'm there this year
again!)

2nd case: I don't know, never did it :)

You may want to ride along to Ferrara, but I suggest leaving it there,
(all hotels are full), and take a day to explore Italy a bit.
Verrry nice Junkyards, with "asgoodasnew" Giulias being crushed by
taxi's (Mercedes, you know the kind) and really cheep parts . . .
(bring a dictionary!!!!) or you might go to Maranello, and visit
the Tazio Nuvolari Museum, or to Portello to visit Ferrari, or for the
historically inclined visit Sirmione, on the near-isle of "Il Lago di
Garda", there's a cute little castle there you might want to visit,
choises, choises, choises . . . :)
Just make one thing sure:
BE IN FLORENCE (Firenze) ON SATURDAYMORNING.
(oh and by the way, make sure you filled up on Wednesday, cause the gas-
stations have a habit to close(strike) on the 1st&2nd day of the MM)
The race exists Florence and enters two mountain passes: "Passa Futa"
and "Passa Raticosa", these are the best bits of the MM, make sure
you're there! Either driving along (with hazard lights: "Hey I'm a
follow car, for equipe tsjentotsjingkwantosay!"
("Sono macchina extra per equipo centocinquantosei!")
It Works! Especially if you ripped off one of the MM "billboards"
found all over the route and put it on your dash . . . don't be shy,
you're expected to!)
Or just drive up the pass, park somewhere (there are very nice little
towns, with great restaurants along this route!) and enjoy...

The finish in Brescia is not very spectaculair, and you better got back
to your hotel (you did book 4 nights right?) have a nice evening in
Italy (they know how to make pizza's better than anyone else!), and
ponder on what you've just been through.

This is somewhat a history of last year when I went to Italy with
my 75(milano)2.5V6. If all is as planned I'm there this year too!
(look out for a "bianco argento" (silver white) with license plate:
JJ-XT-93 (the 75) or, a red Alfetta Sedan: KP-01-VT
Don't know which will be in working order yet :)

Cheerio mates,
	Chris Piepers
	The Netherlands

PS.
Alfa's are not like BMW's, Chevy's etc. which require as "masqulin"(?)
owner . . . Alfa's are made for people(M/F) who like to _DRIVE_
And whether you're male or female, it don't give a F*, just as long as
you
drive the car as it's supposed to be driven: With passion!
"Alfa's are no cars, they're a way of living"

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