We were naturally travelling fast (we had a lot of miles to cover after all), the usual fast but comfy 130-ish, whooshing into the darkness with the odd tail light here and there ahead was an interesting experience. I lifted my visor a coupla times, but this was just a target for the hugest bugs in Italy to smear their disgusting insect carcass's over my eyeballs (which stung quite a lot), and resulted in the by passing air catching the visor and trying to rip my lid from my head.
Towards the end of this particular stage, not far from the Province of Monaco (our next stop) I checked the mirrors to make sureFast Ed was still in tow (he was there at a respectable distance). I did notice behind him though a black car, close to the ground, halving the distance between him and Ed at a very rapid pace, unbelievably he was giving it the big headlight flashing manouvere. Outrageous! We had not been overtaken once thus far on the whole trip, I was struggling to come to terms with the temerity of the man, made me feel guilty for just loafing along at 120-130. I knew we were in Italy and they loved their fast cars but this was ridiculous. I guess he either wanted a race or was just in a hurry. Game on!
I pulled into the slow lane without slowing down to see what would happen next. Eddie pulled over (yes, believe it) and the black estate car (yes estate car) with blacked out windows bearing no visible insignia cruised past, the driver appeared to be fiddling one handed with the radio as he swept past me, it was a science fiction moment, a vanadium coated stealth bomber had just intruded into our space, had a look and was off, shifting through the atmosphere almost effortlessly.
Phil also pulled in and the car swept past him, I again checked the mirrors and saw Eddie pull out, the fiery irishman was not going to let this go lightly. he must have dropped a cog and wound the big red TLR right up and let it go. I stayed in station behind Phil as Eddie thundered past in hot pursuit of the stealth bomber , crudely bungeed luggage oscillating violently in the wind blast, then I pulled out, stuck my head under the paintwork and pressed my nose to the speedometer, as did Phil a few seconds later.
I was viewing 150 and not gaining on Eddie when another tunnel, mouth agape beckoned us in. Stealth bomber hit the anchors and slowed to about a ton in deference to other traffic. We closed up behind him in formation, saw a gap and sped by. It was a four hooped Audi (six months before the first mention of RS6). From that day to this it is still the car I desire most.
The driver demanded respect for this performance and I gave him a thumbs up as we went past which he acknowledged. fair play to the man!!
At the next fuel stop Fast Eddie said he saw 165 on the clock and was just starting to gain ground, another 10mph and our reputations would have been in tatters. Shortly afterwards the same scenario looked like it was going to happen, this time a cheeky git in a posh Porsche two seater, it looked pretty 'fat' and he thought he'd have a go, this time though we thought we'd let him chase us, moments later he was gone, lost in the traffic detritus that was our spent air, we were into calmer air and made steady progress towards Monaco. We were kings of the thunderdrone, disciples of the stoned age! Our ears only heard the wind and static
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