I drove over Teruel at night in really filthy weather once; you could hardly see the road edges and hundreds of lorries were on the road that night. I fetched up at the village of Catanania (I think it’s called, or very near offer), after leaving the mountains and heading towards Zaragoza coming home. I got stuck there for the weekend, so I parked outside the hostal off the main road, had a good meal and went to bed.
I was woken next morning to the sound of a brass band so I went to investigate. To my amazement, the village was celebrating its wine harvest festival, it being autumn. All the streets were lined with stalls laden with local produce. The mayor arrived with his entourage and a huge procession wound through the streets led by the brass band. Everyone then piled into a massive ancient church with wonderful faded frescoes on the walls. A noisy family service ensued and the wine was blessed. After the short service, we all marched to the village square where, lo and behold, the civic fountains were cascading fresh local wine into large ornamental pool - all wine! There were glasses and plastic cups and everyone just filled up from the pool whenever they fancied a slug of vino. It was an astonishing weekend. Being Spain, I didn’t see a single drunk the whole time. And the weather was perfect! Robert
harry:
I used to do customs with Ralph every Monday morning in Bilbao. He had only one motor then and was loaded with fish. I had a Swiss fridge wag and drag.
Yeh, but he’d be back down on Thursday with another one.
Jeff…
harry:
You asked about the drive train on them old Henchels, Robert . It was a straight six lump with a ZF box. They did the job ,that’s all I can say.
Cheers Harry. I clearly didn’t miss out on any treats there, then! Robert
harry:
You asked about the drive train on them old Henchels, Robert . It was a straight six lump with a ZF box. They did the job ,that’s all I can say.
Cheers Harry. I clearly didn’t miss out on any treats there, then! Robert
At best Rattle Traps. We had one that had a V8 Mercedes turbo in it but it kept breaking down with young Swiss drivers thrashing it all the time.
robert1952:
Andorra was always a puff and pant for me because I only ever went there fully-freighted! Robert
43210
That’s what happenes whn you put a whole country on top of a mountain, the only exports are tourists and duty free.
I remember those adverts for ZF gear boxes back in the 70’s " Smooth as butter " and a photo of a guy sitting at the wheel of truck with a gear stick sticking out of a block of butter. I had a 480 Turbo Star with a ZF box in it and I was fightened to stand on the gas as I thought it would trash the box. It never gave me any confidence in the truck.
The Swiss put all their junk on international work because the local fuzz were red hot on truck maintainance.Thats why when you went to Swiss you only saw piccobello tip-top rigs on the road. Anything flapping & it was certain tug.
robert1952:
Andorra was always a puff and pant for me because I only ever went there fully-freighted! Robert
43210
That’s what happenes whn you put a whole country on top of a mountain, the only exports are tourists and duty free.
I remember those adverts for ZF gear boxes back in the 70’s " Smooth as butter " and a photo of a guy sitting at the wheel of truck with a gear stick sticking out of a block of butter. I had a 480 Turbo Star with a ZF box in it and I was fightened to stand on the gas as I thought it would trash the box. It never gave me any confidence in the truck.
Jeff…
Spot on Jeff! ‘Smooth as a baby’s bottom’ would have been a better epithet: all ■■■■ and no action. I’d have given my great-granny’s false eye-lashes for a set of decent Fuller cogs up and down Andorra’s picturesque terrain. Robert
That’s Carinena from memory Robert. Sadly all those villages and cracking hostals are all bypassed now.
Along with the narrow seat chewer that was the La Almunia short cut
I used to love doing that road. On the wire up to Rosies bar, bit of fodder, a few cortados and 4 1/2 to the cabbage patch at Zaragosa All those lovely flowing bends and architecture of the villages, hams hanging in sun Always safe from the Guardia at night while they dealt with the Spanish fridge that was on it’s side. Usually up north of the prison on that bit where the road crested a hill and swept down and to the right. With the white restaurant on the left that overlooked the valley. The one with the shop and bar downstairs and comador upstairs. Did a belting potato soup
billybigrig:
That’s Carinena from memory Robert. Sadly all those villages and cracking hostals are all bypassed now.
Along with the narrow seat chewer that was the La Almunia short cut
I used to love doing that road. On the wire up to Rosies bar, bit of fodder, a few cortados and 4 1/2 to the cabbage patch at Zaragosa All those lovely flowing bends and architecture of the villages, hams hanging in sun Always safe from the Guardia at night while they dealt with the Spanish fridge that was on it’s side. Usually up north of the prison on that bit where the road crested a hill and swept down and to the right. With the white restaurant on the left that overlooked the valley. The one with the shop and bar downstairs and comador upstairs. Did a belting potato soup
Bloody hell I’m rambling like Tobyabc now
Sigh, your rambling brings it all back! And you’re right, it was Carinena (with a wriggly worm on top of the 2nd ‘n’). We were lucky, mate. Robert
And here’s another shot of the Karakoram Highway in Pakistan, with Chinese container lorries nerving themselves up for the horrendous hills and landslides. Robert
Berriedale braes I hit that one winter night in a hard frost going south, which is the opposite direction to the photos. Bit of a bum twitcher. I told an English driver on the CB, that was following me it was about 400 feet from the sea. I didn’t tell him it was straight down though!!!
That’s a still from the Rotta Karachi film, I think that’s a bit farther down the road than Tahir. Tahir is more open than that and less sandy, If I remember right that bit was in Afghanastan. It actually says on the comentery where it is, I’ll have look tomorow.
All those lovely flowing bends and architecture of the villages, hams hanging in sun 
Always safe from the Guardia at night while they dealt with the Spanish fridge that was on it’s side. Usually up north of the prison on that bit where the road crested a hill and swept down and to the right. With the white restaurant on the left that overlooked the valley. The one with the shop and bar downstairs and comador upstairs. Did a belting potato soup 
