mountain-desert-ocean

here is a little about why i love LA...

TO BACK TRACK A LITTLE ....

ATTACHED IS MY STORY THAT I WAS ASKED TO WRITE 

A "GUEST ARTICLE" FOR CLASSIC PORSCHE MAGAZINE #10  THIS PAST MARCH..

 

 

As a kid growing up in Sheffield, porsches were a rare sight, not owning one or a driver’s license though did not stop my lusting after them.

At least I had the 930 turbo poster on my wall & wrote to the factory at age 10-

I actually got a reply back, “call us when you are a little older “or words to that affect.

I do remember fondly being driven around the great Yorkshire/Derbyshire dales & peaks,

And the infamous “snake” rd to Manchester, plus the occasional club meet  races at cadwell,donnington

Or Mallory park,,

Fast forward a few years as time flys by & am now in Los Angeles living the dream with my wife Karen

And more early 911 porsches than anyone could ever want.

KAREN & ME

 LOS ANGELES.

One of the many aspects I love about LA life is the great open driving roads & wonderful year round weather-(eyeballing celebrities is also fun !)

Within 30 mins of my downtown LA warehose I can be on some of the best empty mountain roads,

Many a time upon finishing a car I do my “infamous 300 mile shakedown run”

Thru the Angeles crest highway out to willow springs race track –thru the hilly wind turbine area of teacahapii & back thru California city ,Mohave & back to LA.

 WSIR...WILLOW SPRINGS INTL RACETRACK.

 

 TEACHAPPI.

It’s the perfect combo on high speed sweepers with some fun filled twisties & a decent stretch of Fwys,

A Sure fire way to test improvements the car has gotten & find a few gremlins that may have shacken loose!

  "ACH- ANGELES CREST HIGHWAY

I try to imagine myself on my own Targa floria  perfecting that perfect heel & toe down shift, left foot braking & raspy throttle blipping,always setting myself some sort of goal weather it be a brake marker down the road or trying to carry a little more speed thru a turn,I tell my self its all “seat time”

Many a time “hair ball” overtaking moves has to be made to gain a track positon or 2-Naturally I always obey all posted speed limits

Sometimes I find myself grinning & thinking dreams do come true 

Getting up early is  also another requirement ,helps with the sun light & traffic on the roads.

Many a time you hear one of the great aspects of southern California is the ability to ski in the morning & surf in the afternoon, Not having the desire to do either I decided to Do the route in a morning in my race car.

300 miles later here is the story…..

ARTS DISTRICT-DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES..

AT 6.30AM...

I left the grey overcast skies of my down town urban environment & hit the 10 fwy west.

 approx 15 mins later I was at the iconic  Santamonica pier snapping pictures of my race car before the tourists came out to play –this was the beach ocean surf part of the trifector.

SANTA MONICA PIER-THE OCEAN PART...

Next stop was the palm springs tramway that I was calling the desert part.

I fired up my 71 T With its revvy 2.4 S twin plug motor & got on the 10FWY east at 7.0AM

By 8.20am I had reached my destination the palms springs tramway( those interested should map quest this route for the distance) time for a pit stop & a few pictures for proof.

PALM SPRINGS ARIEL TRAM WAY -THE DESERT PART

My next destination was to be Big bear lake –the mountain part & 3 rd leg ,

 At 9 am I was back on the road again -My plans quickly changed with a closed mountain road ,I quick MAP check –(old skool driver with no sat nav or fancy smart phone) & I was heading up one of the best roads in the area hwy 18 ‘THE Rim of the world hwy” a snakey piece of road that begs you to push harder,

This could be Europe with breathtaking vistas

By 10.30 am I was 5400 ft up & rolling in to the tranquil picturesque town of lake arrow head.

A few snaps later & an emergency stop for brake fluid & was rolling back down the hill & heading for the 210 fwy.

By 12.30 I was back in LA having covered 300 fun filled miles from ocean to desert to the mountains & back in my 71 T A  40 year old streetable race car on 225/50/15 hoosiers allround-no heat & no wipers…

it was man and macnine on the open road with the roar of the flat 6 bouncing of those mountain walls.

to top it all off........

i few days later i am having a spirited early morning thrash on Mullholland in the Hollywood  hills,

who should pull up next to me?

none other than that Jay Leno guy....

he looks over,gives me the thumbs up & turns left on Laurel Canyon!

ONLY IN LA...