Lago d'Orta
Upon dropping down into Italy I was ushered into the post-toll booth parking by a pair of smartly dressed polizia, for what was to be my first ever police stop on the continent. Possibly my most exciting brush with foreign authorities since being held at gunpoint within the Cyprus Green Line. It was to be a simple document check and on my way, but evidently the 992 driver was having a much worse day!
We made a pit stop at the first Autostrada services where I chatted to this German rider who had travelled to Italy on his Panigale with nothing more than a carrier bag taped to the tank. Now that's my kind of adventure.
Squint and you can see the lake! I've learnt from previous trips to avoid the roads immediately next to the lakes, so we booked into a hillside hotel with spacious parking and a footpath to the shores.
Prior to the trip I swapped the expensive carbon underbody panels with regular F430 fibrelgass parts, and this turned out to the right move because the ramps in this car park mullered the front undertray. Still, that's how it is when road tripping.
(I happen to like concrete forms in architecture so wanted to take a photo regardless
)
We took a boat across to Isola San Giulio. It was a pleasant stroll around the island for an hour or so.
Classics dwarfed by moderns...
Speaking of classics, a LWB XJ8 was the last car that I expected to see along the narrow cobbled streets of Orta San Giulio.
A reminder to myself just how practical the 430 really is. In addition to the luggage compartment there's also plenty of room on the shelf behind the rear seats.
Next stop, Tuscany.
