Winter rally in Belgium

[gilletman]

As you reed going on the anual Fagnes Hivernal Belgium

pictures on Trektocht der Pioniers google

Fagnes Hivernales February 2, 2013

The Belgian equivalent of 100 miles of Amsterdam, a true two-day winter rally is certainly the Fagnes Hivernales first weekend of February. Fagnes is the area just south of the Condros and north of the Ardennes.

Starting from Verviers on the Place des Martyrs gathered despite rain and temperatures around freezing a thick 20 real Prewarcars and their pilots who work hard at the start. Idyllic images under thick blue smoke along with an appropriate tune, Ave Maria on the carillon in the background the green copper statue of Gregory Joseph Chapuis, doctor and magistrate.

Armed with bearskins, wives and modern rain suits went to the pilots about ten towards Houffalize, a village in the vicinity of Bastogne that lately quite remarkably often pops up in the blog "Hiking the Pioneers"

Given the weather conditions, perfect attendance of participants, and a wide variety of vehicle makes. Surprisingly, this time the emulated by Fiat, which 3 copies, followed by A Ford and Bugatti each 2 examples for sawing. Noteworthy that all the cars of the type Cabriolet were. A 1909 Minerva and the Lorain Dietrich were ousten from the group. Furthermore wonderful British cars as Talbot London, Sunbeam, and Americans who listened to names like de Soto, Packard, Stoddart dayton. This time only 1 T Ford. Our best French came in handy for Renault, Citroen and Peugeot, Hotchkiss by name, and the Italians sent as said Fiat. What I weeral reminiscent of the "Fiate ****", Oosmals dialect which stood for forty chickens. We of course had other ideas at.

As Baron and Jonckheer had decided to go shoot some nice shots we followed one of the first vehicles in the form of a fast Lagonda, but that went of on the route to refuel??? Thick line through the bill, but nevertheless we came back on the right track, simply through our nose to follow. How lucky that our parents then told the tale of Tom Thumb, how pebbles and crumbs can tell you the way. lucky to that Sylvain the young put a knigh in his inventions.

In this case, we followed the scent of smoking Minerva. Several loud explosions indicated that we were back in the right direction. We caught the driver then also went to the pass during a red light. Oh, hey, it existed in the time yet, and all the other drivers are very understanding when seeing this oerauto, where just went wrong with the ignition and some other old age ailments. Explanation of the driver, "which color I had seen."

Just outside Verviers went over to the next highlight, being the Botrange, 694 meters above sea level. I'm still wondering how they ever have ascertained, and whether it was at high or low tide. That makes soon a meter or 5. During this hill ahead, though the first key moments in a Renault that anyway just style found in a cluttered bochtje to stand palaveren. And, not much further began to appear again that our men and women are not real liars. The higher we palsies, and approached the 694 meters, the crazier the weather was. Bit foggy with freezing rain and then full house snowflakes thick and very strong east wind. Near Baraque fraiture, could the modern vehicle of Baron and Co. not compete with the pace of old-aged, with a leisurely pace tufting. The rear-wheel drive and summer tires were no match for the thick snow layer and the false flat where we were at. Again we were the track at one point quite, but thanks to the tricks of Small inside out, we found small traces of a probable old vehicle.

You had to be quick because the snow tracks in no time again. Once the High Fens, the parakeet better than what trafficability concerned, but it did very beautiful images, and before that we had come. Under Other how the driver of the minerva along his windshield should look, in the absence of wipers, lights and other luxury goods, including a rooftop.

Mission completes.

On a Stopping in Ster, by organizing the Jagermeister Ice and Ice cold held. A warm-up where no no to say was, while the snow with baking time from heaven flopped.

From there it went to Baron and Co. sadly returned home, but not without on the way back a stop at an eccentric personality, whose habitat one and all oldtimer determines a brand breathes. The air was just pregnant with nostalgia and bjhorende signal spikes smoke. Sufficient material for a future story, or even an entire encyclopedia, which in the last picture a tiny preview ....

[jscheib]

I would love to see some photos.

John

[oldcarfudd]

When I Google Trektocht der Pioniers, I get French and Flemish references to the exploration of the American West. Nothing on old cars. Is there a more specific website we can access?

Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ

[oldcarfudd]

And when I Google Fagnes Hivernales, I get the announcement of the event, but no pictures or reportage yet. Pictures of prior years' tours are on that site. Maybe we just need to be a bit more patient.

Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ

[Guest Mochet]

Perhaps this is the page. Lots of photos of brass-era cars, and it begins with a daring winter rally during what looks like a blizzard!

Phil

[DavidAU]

Looks like fun. I cant understand the language but it doesn't look like they needed to bring an esky to keep the drinks cold.

[gilletman]

Sorry,

Yesterday there was for some reason no accces to the blog. Try again later. www.bloggen.be/pre1930rally