Stand by for a bit of a Yeti road trip story. If you don’t like travelogues, but want the stats, fast forward to the bottom...

 

 

The Mission

 

So there I was having a quiet pub meal last autumn with my good friends, Charles and Sandra when Charles casually asked if I fancied a drive down to Dubrovnik in Croatia. They were hoping to take some new kit down to their yacht which lives there – how could I say no?

 

Although they had taken delivery of a new Octy III vRS estate at the same time (March 2014) as I had taken home TIBET III for the first time, the intention was always to take the Yeti. Certainly the Octy has an enormous load area but I fancied taking TIBET III and so the planning began.

 

I hadn’t driven abroad for 30 years or so ago and the other two had no real experience of it. Fortunately, planning these days is easy as there is a massive amount of info available on the internet (AA, Michelin, RAC – even the UK government site), detailing what is required in what country to stay legit.

 

We spent a long evening route planning, estimating 50mph average speed and hotel rooms were booked online. I bought from an online source the East Europe disc for the Columbus which was need for Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina. The disc worked a treat – on start up, the Columbus asks if you want to run from the DVD, press the button and off you go.

 

 

The Load

 

The load was to include a new sail, deflated inflatable dinghy (4 person), 2.5hp outboard motor, ship’s motor starting battery, two bags of rope and a zillion other things for the boat. For the three  people there was enough kit for 10 days (two big bags, two smaller bags, various other bags including three for sleeping in) etc, etc.

 

A trial run proved it should work without taking Johann up on his kind offer of his roof box – I had got some roof rails just in case there was a last minute hitch. Charles resized the outboard’s box so that it fitted across the boot.

 

The rear left and centre seats were left at home and I made a protection zone out of cardboard so that no harm would come to the rather tasteful black and brown L&K interior. We were going to move the remaining inboard seat inwards but in the end there wasn’t the space to do it.

 

Whilst the load wasn’t massively heavy, there was a fair volume to most of it. Weight was reduced of course by taking out the 1.5 rear seats. On the final pack, the clobber went from boot floor (spare wheel fit in TIBET III) to the ceiling and the same in the passenger area. With two of us at around 5 ft 8” and one at 5ft 3” we aren’t giants of the race and there was ample seating room available.

 

Charles demonstrating a sail and dinghy:

 

 

 

 

Some of the kit being unloaded:

 

 

 

The Trip – Random Thoughts and Findings

 

It was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Everything went according to plan (bar the M26 lock down due to a fatal accident whilst heading out of the UK). Yeti was superb (excuse the pun) and faultless. The engine should be nicely run in now and it burnt less than 0.2L of oil on the trip.

 

Rear vision was restricted to the door mirrors on the way down plus P2 checking the near (off) side when required although reversing was greatly aided by the excellent rear vision camera on the Columbus.

 

KESSY was really handy as it meant I could keep the keys safe and sound secured to my person, no matter whether I sat in the front or back.

 

I’ve never ridden in the back of a Yeti before. There was ample leg room even with the rear seat slid forward an inch or two. Sleeping was not a problem – it was very quiet and comfortable.

 

The pano roof, I think, makes a huge difference to the general cabin ambience – better even for the rear seat pax than for the crew in the front.

 

Roof with a view:

 

Charles and I took it in turns at the wheel (2-3 hours at a time) whilst Sandra acted as navigator as we didn’t always want to go the way the Columbus wanted us to – it soon caught up with us though when we went of its route.

 

The vast majority of continental road surfaces are so much quieter than in the UK. Forget complaining about different tyres being responsible for road news – change the road surface!

 

Lane discipline is far better on the continent than in the UK. That said, certain countries display incredibly arrogant driving and accelerate towards you when over taking and try and bully you out of the way. Tail-gating is a way of life.

 

A good idea was the aerosol can of windscreen cleaner – clean windows every morning were a boon. Weather was superb for the entire trip bar a few showers on the way north – and torrential rain once back in the UK.

 

German autobahn are predominantly being worked on and are very, very busy:

 

 

 

Croatian motorways are nothing short of superb and quiet:

 

 

The services along the journey were plentiful, clean and not excessively expensive

 

 

Slovenia is a very, very picturesque country:

 

 

We drove through a great many tunnels – the trip was quite hilly in places!

 

Cheapest fuel by far was Luxembourg.

 

You have to pass through 9km of Bosnia & Herzegovina to go from top to bottom of Croatia as they have access to the Dalamatian coast.

 

We planned in a stop at Red Bull’s Hangar 7 in Salzburg. Through work I’m involved with one of the Red Bull Air Race aircraft and a friend looks after Hannes Arch’s machine which is based in Hangar 7 so we invited in for a guided tour. If you’re ever passing through Salzburg, do call in at Hangar 7. It’s free and on display a number of Red Bull’s Flying Bulls aircraft, F1 race cars and even Felix Baumgartner’s capsule and suit he skydived from. Oh, and the cake is something else...

 

Most of the time the roads were quiet enough (not Germany...) to be able to set the cruise control to the speed limit (130kmh in most places) and sit back and enjoy.

 

TIBET III got a lot of interest wherever it was parked up. No idea if it was because it was Brit registered, a FL, right hand drive or a rather nice shade of Tibetan Brown.

 

Not that many Yetis (or Skodas) in Germany but loads elsewhere. That said, we did sit in formation for 10 miles or so with a red/black roof pre-FL CR170 around Munich. Looked good with smart black wheels with silver rims.  Cheery flashing of lights and waving means the Yeti brother/sisterhood really is spread far and wide!

 

B & H Yeti Indoor (outdoors...):

 

There was negligible MPG difference between the loaded trip down and the lighter trip back – perhaps inertia of a loaded Yeti off sets the extra weight carried. 

 

 

The Route (with planned leg miles)

 

Day One: UK-France-Belgium-Germany (332 miles)

UK (near High Wycombe)

Le Shuttle

Calais

Aachen

 

England - M26:

 

 

Day 2 Germany (425 miles)

Aachen

Passau

 

Day 3 Germany-Austria-Slovenia-Croatia (309 miles)

Passau

Karlovac

 

Day 4 Croatia – Bosnia & Herzegovina – Croatia (343 miles)

Karlovac

Dubrovnik

 

 

 

Day 5 and 6 Dubrovnik boat fettling

 

 

Day 7 Croatia – Bosnia & Herzegovina – Croatia – Slovenia (443 miles)

Dubrovnik

Bled

 

Stunning Bled:

 

 

Day 8 Slovenia – Austria (150 miles)

Bled

Salzburg

 

Red Bull Flying Bulls Hangar 7 and 8:

 

 

 

 

 

Day 9 Austria – Germany – Luxembourg (419 miles)

Salzburg

Luxembourg

 

Day 10 Luxembourg – Belgium – France – UK (371 miles)

Luxembourg

Le Shuttle, Calais

UK (near High Wycombe)

 

 

 

England - The M25...

 

 

 

The Statistics:

 

2913 miles actually driven

8 days actually driving

Average daily mileage: 364

Average daily driving hours: 6.8

Average MPG: 41.4 (corrected, not Maxidot)

Average speed: 54

 

In Summary

 

This wasn’t the fastest, longest or most intrepid journey by a human by any means. Indeed, I’m sure many fellow Yeti owners have accomplished far more.

 

What it did do was to demonstrate that the Yeti is an excellent, relaxed machine for long distance travelling – and will carry a huge amount of kit when required. And is showed what a good time you can have crossing Europe and back.

 

What a machine (animal).

 

Now, where to go next?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a good report.

Thank you.

ohh what fun! I'd love to do some long drives, although no current passport or fuel money may limit me! I often drive around SE of UK though delivering and picking up rescue dogs in various places, and will be able to fit more crates int he yeti than current car, so looking forward to that, having purchased a decent liner for the car interior first so it doesn't get too mucky and hairy!

Great read.

Have you calculated the fuel cost average per km/mile?

Interesting read, thanks

Very well planned and presented trip, thanks.

m

Brilliant report, thanks.  Ernie

Really enjoyed reading this. Thanks for sharing.

Ta!  :clap:     

Brilliant!!

I did a similar journey this time last year via Hull, Rotterdam to Frankfurt to Munich to Bertisgarten, Bavaria to Saltzburg to Kranskja Gora, Slovenia

I averaged 47 mpg

A couple of pics:

We climbed this Mountain...Kepa/Mitagskurgel (On the Austria/Slovenia border)

At Planica:

Triglav..Highest mountain

Many thanks for all the positive comments and 'likes'

 

Ryeman, pence per mile was as follows:

 

Germany refuel     Shell FuelSave     £1.231/litre     13.65 pence/mile

Austria refuel     BP Ultimate     £1.387     15.09 pence/mile

Croatia refuel     Ina diesel     £1.126     12.62 pence/mile

Croatia refuel     Ina diesel     £1.121     13.10 pence/mile

Austria refuel     BP Ultimate     £1.206     13.72 pence/mile

Luxembourg refuel     Shell V Power     £1.066     10.85 pence/mile

High Wycombe refuel     Co-Op diesel     £1.369     14.94 pence/mile

 

Average worked out at 13.42 pence/mile.

 

All the TIBETs have been fed BP Ultimate whenever possible. On the trip I allowed a bit of standard diesel, given it wouldn't be making the engine and exhaust dirty for long considering the cruise speeds.... 

 

Then I got back to my local village BP station with a Co-Op attached only to find out that it is now Co-Op fuel.....    It had been a long day so did refuel with it but will be back to BP Ultimate (or Shell V Power) next tankful.      

Thanks for that aerofurb.

I keep hearing of the special properties of BP Ultimate out here also but for some reason NOT Shell V power.

I've often wondered if its advertising hype or some exclusive proprietary additive backed up by strip-down reports.

Great report - cant believe Ive only just seen it! Thanks for the write up and photos.

 

This is actually the first year mines not gone into Europe for a major roadtrip and Im really missing it! Hoping to do something spectacular next year or in 2016 though but until then its just a drive to South Germany to see friends and the Costa Blanca for her. I always try to pace it so Im running dry once into Luxembourg and then get a full tank sorted, as youve noticed, its by far the cheapest. Good luck with any future trips. It is kind of addictive!

Nice trip!

Great report Jerry...  and I'm glad you got to take it all without need for my box, which by the looks of it would have come back empty - and have stopped you staring at the mountains from out back. The roof is really best appreciated from the back seat. In which I've only traveled twice in my car too.

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again: those Origami wheels are hideous. Sorry Jerry. Thankfully you have Matterhorns on some of the time in the winter to get those solid hub cap looking space ships off the car. 

I've said it before and I'll say it again: those Origami wheels are hideous. Sorry Jerry. Thankfully you have Matterhorns on some of the time in the winter to get those solid hub cap looking space ships off the car. 

 

I think Matterhorns are hideous, so there you go.

 

'Each to their own.' 

I think Matterhorns are hideous, so there you go.

 

'Each to their own.' 

 

I know, I know...  And I know Jerry can take my banter about his ugly wheels. I'm just (not so) subtly trying to convince him to get rid of them and get another set of Matterhorns so we can have our perfect Duracell Yeti back!

Re BP Ultimate: a few years back we were working with the BP special fuels gurus at work to create some unleaded fuel for piston engine light aircraft. The BP team invented Ultimate. I asked them if it was that much better and there was a definite pause - of a few seconds.... They felt that in reality, a user would be unlikely to see any real performance or consumption gains but it was cleaner and quieter (quieter was something to do with the cetane rating apparently).

 

I just like using the best of whatever is available for my engines. Perhaps there isn't a huge advantage over standard fuel from the big companies but it makes me feel better - and hopefully being cleaner, the DPF likes it! Fallen for the hype? Possibly...

 

Supermarket stuff is a real no no for me unless it's an emergency (or I've just got back from a 3000 mile drive and don't feel like going hunting for the better stuff).  

 

I was convinced that Luxembourg would be the most expensive place to buy fuel given the hotel costs and we were stunned to see how cheap it was! Probably cheaper to drive to Luxembourg to fill up if you live in Kent than buy locally!!  

 

As for the wheels.... Actually, Johann, I think the B&S Origamis are really cool. Perhaps a tad bling but that goes with the (part) silver roof rails and door mirrors. Matterhorns are under wraps till December. I might send you weekly pictures of the Origamis just to make you feel slightly queezy....

 

[i'm quite happy for people to say what they want regarding their likes/dislikes. Not everyone will like everything - boring world if we all wanted the same (Jungle Green) thing...!  If you're that touchy about criticism, don't post...]