Machina problems

So here's what happened. I had a whole day of meandering along twisting Italian countryside roads, looking at views that did not quiet seem real. Stopping to have lunch in a big inn with an incredible view. I had some kinds of lasagna type thing that was made with a soft cheese and ham...and a too big beer.
It was Sunday afternoon so there were tables of families...over and over I heard a man say " pronto, pronto" talking to his baby, in his wife's arms, trying to get it to say pronto...was he going to ploy it as an answering machine?

After that, I went pulled off the road and walked into the woods. The leaves were all yellow and flying around on the wind. It was snowing yellow leaves everywhere each time a gust would come through the trees. The sound was incredible. I found some mushrooms, but I think the ones that are left are not edible...I think they are still pretty. There were many chestnuts husks and very large leaves all over the forest floor. I didn't use the small camera here as my battery was low. Pics of that to come if I ever get home.

It started getting late so I decided to jump on the highway and speed off down to Florence . I had to go way out of my way to get there, to Modena. So I took my ticket and got on...it was predusk. I passed a man having his car put up on a flatbed and thought how men must be able to deal with this type of thing better as they like all the mechanical stuff... Just not me, please. My car felt like it was running good. I was listening to the new Sting cd...my head was resting back on the head rest, my only worry was finding the Agriturismo where I was going to stay.
All of a sudden the car felt funny, something with the shifting. I dropped it into 4th and still, it felt wrong, a tunnel was coming up. Some of them are miles long, I had no idea. The car started slowing but was loud and revving. I put my flashers on, pulled way over and managed to limp it out of the tunnel. I immediately  pulled over and saw it was smoking like mad....I jumped out and you couldn't even see the highway there was so much smoke. The car would not turn off and was revving like mad. I pulled the key out and it was still going. Cars were slowed trying to get through the white smoke. I jumped up and down waving my arms for someone to stop and help.

A nice man stopped a ways away and ran back to me. He didn't speak English of french...but we communicated. He was afraid the car was going to blow up. He jumped into the car and managed to get it off. Then he pushed me way back, pointing to the gas coming out of it in the front. ...and the smoke.
BUT! MY CAMERAS!
No no no...the car might blow up.
I stood there and imagined all the scenarios , none of them good.
As soon as the smoke dies down a bit, I made a break for the car. I packed up all that I could and got it out.
The man called the highway patrol, and then we waited. The sunset throwing a lovely pink into the sky. I tried to call the number I had for the agriturismo but it was wrong. The highway patrol man was a short and wide grey haired man in an acid green reflector jacket. He and I waited about 45 minutes and tried to talk. I managed to contact S and she looked up the # of the agriturismo. He called on his phone and talked to them. They said they would come and get me...wow...that was nice.
The cars and trucks continued to zoom by, rocking my car. Finally the tow truck guy came...no English either. He loaded the car on to a flat bed and then were were off in the darkness to who knows where.  We got off the next exit, where I had to pay the toll...7 euro...and then we headed toward Vado...some obscure place that was pretty far away down twisty dank country roads in a big truck..no seat belts. The man lit up a cigarette. I was starting to worry as it was really far. I expressed my concern, which exasperated him. I said to myself....what are you going to do, tell him your not going any further...let me out now with my crippled car in the middle of nowhere?
So eventually we got to a big garage. Marco was called and he spoke English and french. He sorted as much as he could for me...in his macho way. He was about 30, tall, well dressed for a Sunday night in a garage in the middle of nowhere. He had on designer jeans of some sort, and a blue and white striped button down. He knew how to take command.

The car was to stay there that night and then it would be moved to a land rover garage, wherever that might be. My insurance company would arrange all.

So Franco and his wife came and picked me up in a big blue powerful BMW sedan of some sort. It was shaped like a jaguar...I don't know what series it was. It was navy blue with dark beige interior...2 door. Franco's leather cowboy hat was on the back seat. His wife spoke English, he did not so she and I chatted the whole 45 minutes to the agriturismo. She was from Romania ( there was a bit of a hush after she said Romania) . She met Franco at a disco in viareggio where she worked as a cocktail waitress years ago. They are horse people. She has a white horse, she has a black horse. He was dressed in cowboy gear, high waisted jeans, big belt, plaid shirt, he was struggling to stay in this outfit as he was a bit chubby. I did notice he looked like he had a spray tan and plucked eyebrows that made an arch like a black seagull on his forehead. She was lovely, dressed horsey with tall boots. She looked like a beautiful model type from some Slavic country . She had a very large diamond and a keen love for animals, like me. She explained to me how she didn't care if she smelled like a horse and that it bothered some people. Too bad, she liked her horse smell. She also told me that she gives her horse lots of kisses. She had never ridden before she met Franco. Franco is from Naples.They keep their horses here at The ranch. They were filling in for the owner as she is away...yet, they still came for me.
I had to unload all my crap into Franco's power machine. I will have to rethink my car as big suitcase custom. We were over come with stuff, camera equipment, boots, too many coats for every occasion...food..a cooler and a bag with non perishable, computer, iPad, about a million wires and cords, music, books, maps.
It was more like I was from Romania.
We got I back to the ranch which is in a very obscure area as well. I said my thank you's and goodbyes to Franco and his wife.

As we were racing down the autostrada, me sitting on the back trying not to freak out....I suddenly realized that I was in an interesting position. Usually, I am on the autostrada, passing someone when a big powerful car zooms up behind me and tailgates me at 80 miles an hour until I pull over , a very fearful situation that I avoid at all costs. Well, here I was experiencing the driving nightmare from inside the offending car. Franco was one someone Clio' s tail, riding them over into the right lane. He was an expert at this kind of aggressive driving. It was strange being in the opposite situation. Not for nothing, but I think Franco and his wife are at the disillusioned phase. He seems like a bit of t thug, she seems to be bored with him. But, they are living the life. I'm just thankful that they were so generous with picking me up. She was very nice. I saw there horses this morning. I had pictures them as idealized white horse and idealized black velvet. In reality, they are just regular horse....which is good, as I love horses, but they aren't Arabians or anything. It's interesting how my mind works.