So here we are, 7:40pm on day 6, having just pitched our tent at a campsite on the outskirts of Luxembourg.
Today, we drove from Dijon to Nancy and Bitche allowing us to complete two of the three parts of @Ouchy’s challenge. After that, since we were so close, we invaded entered Germany via one of the border’s many connecting D roads. After a few km, we got onto the autobahn and I proceeded to lose my mind at the constant speed limit changes. In less than 500m, we went from unlimited to 120, 100, 80, then 100 and 80 again. I swear that constantly changing the maximum allowed speed is more dangerous than allowing drivers to judge for themselves based off warning signs.
Eventually we arrived at a clear stretch of unlimited speed limit, and I put my foot down to see just how well the Honda performed. 50-100mph. Up to 80mph, she pulled fantastically, as she has been doing throughout the past week. Above 80, a horrible death wobble began to creep into the steering wheel, causing everything to shake, but, this passed a few mph later. At 95mph and 3700rpm in 5th gear, it seemed as if she had nothing left to give, but, eventually 100mph was reached, and she held onto it for dear life catapulting us along the outside lane of the ancient german road past slower cars. After a km or two had passed, and running at 4500rpm while watching the fuel gauge visibly decreasing, I slowed down to a more manageable 85mph, and we cruised for another 45 minutes until we reached the border.
Autobahn driving has been something that I have wanted to do since I was a child, that general dream of having a stretch of road with no speed limit and barely any other vehicles, allowing you to choose how fast you wanted to go. Having done it, I have to say, it isn’t all that it is cracked up to be. Hundreds of other drivers are competing for the same end goal – to drive as quickly as possible along the outside lane. You dive in and out passing slower vehicles while watching your mirrors for faster vehicles approaching, then, you get stuck at 90km/h behind a truck and it’s impossible to get back out again due to the speed difference. It isn’t as stressful as Italy was, but, in a car not designed for constant high speed and extreme levels of acceleration, it’s not as enjoyable as it could be.
Would I go again? Probably, but, it would have to be in a car that was capable of long high speed runs and stopping quickly if it needed to. Perhaps if we’d been in my old Saab, it would have been a completely different experience.
Now we’re sat inside a Quick “Quality Burger Restaurant”, awaiting a Supreme Pepper burger. We tried to visit a supermarket, but, unfortunately, Luxembourg suffers the same problem as most of France – everything closes at 8pm. We’ll endeavour to go in search of edibles earlier tomorrow.
Pictures will come later, we need to pull them off iphones & camera, but, keep an eye on our twitter stream/facebook pages for uploads from the road.
