Earlier this month, 14 fine cars and their gallant crews completed the first-ever Pub2Pub Adventures’ Eagle Rally. And you know what? It was an absolute blast. Such a blast, you need it in your life. So, here are five reasons why you should join the 2019 rally…
The Convoy
It’s quite something, being part of it. The noise as everyone drops a cog in the tunnels. The rush as the cars are unleashed on the autobahn for the first time. The hypnotic view of a dozen dream cars, sweeping left and right, up and down, as they reel in horizon after horizon. The banter on the CB radios as everyone pushes on, sharing the moment. And the way it totally dominates every place it stops. Yep, the Eagle Rally convoy is quite a sight…
The Roads
It’s the tarmac beneath your wheels which defines a drive, and this drive has it all. Stacked hairpins teetering on the edge of the Alps. Open Autobahns just awaiting your stretched right foot. Sweeping, well sighted ribbons of rural tarmac. All served up with just the right balance, that every mile is a pleasure.
The Attractions
The purpose of the convoy is to move. But when it stops, that’s when some of the really interesting stuff happens. Think the Porsche Museum, in Stuttgart, and the glorious vistas of Lake Constance and the Alps. Think the Unesco protected city of Trier, or the fascinating, preserved steelworks of Volklingen. Think a museum with a concorde and a Soviet ‘Concordski’ on the roof, and Europe’s largest collection of F1 cars inside. Think a cable-car trip up a mountain for a morning beer in the legendary ‘Wank-Haus’, nights out hunting Steiners in Bavarian towns, and the incomparable Neuschwanstein Castle. And think back to the rally’s launch event at Gatton Manor, starring the new TVR Griffith. Yep, this is one road trip which isn’t just about the driving.
The Destination
In southern Germany, where the rolling hills of Bavaria give way to the foothills of the Alps, there is a mountain six thousand feet high. On the summit of the mountain, there is a bar. To reach the bar, you must first negotiate the steepest road in Germany. From the top of this road, a tunnel takes you deep into the mountain, where brass elevator awaits. Powered by a U-boat engine, this elevator lifts you 400 feet through the heart of the mountain, to one of the most dramatic bars in all of Europe: the legendary Kehlsteinhaus. Better known as The Eagle’s Nest, this heady destination was first built as a fiftieth birthday present to none other than Adolf Hitler. Its marble fireplace was a gift from Mussolini, its walls eluded the bombs of the RAF’s Dambusters, and its slopes were finally stormed by the US 101st airborne division. It’s not only a spectacular spot to enjoy a beer. It’s a place of history.
What a place to drive to!
The Camaraderie
While all of the above – the driving, the sights, the whole journey, in fact – are what the Eagle Rally is, what really defines it is the camaraderie. The coming together as strangers, taking on the challenge of driving to Hitler’s beer garden, and the friendships which are forged and jokes shared through the challenge. That’s what makes the Eagle Rally truly special, and why you need it in your life.
You can read more about the 2019 rally here. Sign-up opens on Sunday 21st October, so hopefully we’ll be seeing you on the road soon…
Pub2Pub 