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Southern Roads & Museums: Part 5

April 15 is now the 4th day of our trip.  So as not to confuse anyone… it is the FIRST day of our driving on the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway.   The Blue Ridge is quite long, traversing just over 465 total miles.   The road begins (mile post zero) at Waynesboro VA and snakes along the crests of the Blue Ridge Mountains all the way to Cherokee, North Carolina (mile post 469)

Our plan is to cover about 325 miles in 3 days.  Eventually our goal is to end up in Asheville, North Carolina, spend 2 or 3 days in this thriving mountain city and visit the world-famous Biltmore estate.  Linda and I did NOT intend to drive the ENTIRE Blue Ridge.  We figured we would save the last 100 miles or so (from Asheville to Cherokee) for another time. 

We were back on the road in our trusty Miss P (2011 – 911) by 9 am with plenty of time to cover the planned route.  Linda had found some very interesting places to visit in Roanoke VA.   Thus our basic itinerary was to take one day traveling the first 130 miles or so of the Blue Ridge and then stay in Roanoke for 2 nights and 1 full day. 

Much like Skyline Drive, the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway is a pure delight to drive in a great road car like a Porsche.  Again, since we are traveling in mid-April the roads are practically deserted. Unfortunately, much like Skyline, most of the visitor centers are still not open.  

With limited access to visitor centers and/or places for lunch, this day became what Linda and I call a “goldfish lunch” day.  When we travel, we ALWAYS take along a bag (or 2 or 3) of Goldfish.  So today we enjoy our “goldfish lunch” as we cruise along at a sedate 35 – 40 MPH and enjoy the view.  There are ample places to stop and gaze at the mountains, read the historic markers and just plain luxuriate in having the time to really appreciate this portion of the country.  

Linda had seen some road side signs touting something called “Natural Bridge”.  This was not directly on the Blue Ridge, but was perhaps 10 miles off the beaten path.  We made the detour and I must say the road leading to this rocky edifice must have been designed by a former Porsche owner.  It had more switch backs and tight turns than anything we had encounter so far.  You can tell things are about to get exciting when I switch the PDK down into the manual mode and Linda begins to “hang on” to the passenger grab handle as we swing left and right.  I was having a blast…. Linda not so much… as this exciting road was perhaps 7 or 8 miles long.  All too soon the road leveled out and we came upon a big parking lot and the entrance to the Natural Bridge State Park.  After exploring the rather modest “museum & gift shop” … and observing long lines of school age children waiting in line to gain access to “natural bridge”, we decided it was time to hit the road.  Since neither one of us are into hiking, attractions like Natural Bridge hold little appeal. 

Traveling back down the switch back road was as much fun as blasting up it.  How 45-foot-long freight trucks can make it around some of the curves is beyond my comprehension.  But they must do so as there were numerous signs saying “trucks keep right, tight turn ahead”.   Certainly, the road was more fun in a Porsche 911 than an 18-wheeler.

For the remainder of the day we continued to meander along, stopping whenever the mood struck us.   Yet after a while all the overlooks began to seem somewhat the same.   About 3pm or so I said to Linda…
“you know, all these vistas are nice, but how many overlooks can you overlook”.   In the back of my mind I was beginning to form a plan, but I kept this blossoming idea to myself … at least for now.

By 4pm or so we were pulling in to our Home 2 Home Hilton complex in suburban Roanoke.  This would be our base of operation for the next day.  A nice Mexican restaurant was across the parking lot, so we could walk to dinner, have a drink and not have to worry about DUI.  An ideal situation for sure.

Saturday the 16th we spent all day in Roanoke.  After driving downtown and finding a parking spot we explored the central city area.  There was a 5K road race happening and we watched some of the exhausted runners cross the finish.  Linda and I looked at each other with an unspoken glance thinking… “better them than me”.  If hiking is not our thing, certainly RUNNING (in our mind) is even a more outlandish activity.

During her research into Roanoke activities Linda had discovered a listing for the O. Winston Link Museum.  Mr. Link was formally educated as a civil engineer.  Yet his hobby was photography and his passion was trains (kind of like Sheldon in the Big Bang Theory).  The museum dedicated to his photograph work documenting the final days of the Norfolk & Western steam powered rail road is located in the former Roanoke Railroad terminal building.  We had planned to spend perhaps 2 hours there, and then move on just down the street to the Virginia Museum of Transportation.

Well as they say… the best laid plans often change.  So it was with the Link Museum.  We arrived about 12:30 and before we even entered the formal gallery there was a great exhibit in the hall.   This hallway display was dedicated to Raymond Loewy, a name well known in the arena of industrial design.  We have all come in contact with some of his work.  For example, Loewy designed the Coca Cola company’s trucks, coolers, vending machines, and soda fountains.  He also designed many famous company logo’s … Exxon being just one of many.

Back when I was just beginning to become interested in cars, one of my favorites was the Studebaker Avanti.   Well, what do you know, Loewy was the designer of that Avanti, along with several other well-known Studebaker models like the Golden Hawk. 

What was his work doing being displayed here?  It seems Mr. Loewy designed a couple of radical (for its time) locomotives, so his work was being featured in the lobby as a precursor to the O. William Link display. 

The Link Museum was a real find.  Linda and I spent well over 3 hours here.  The Black & White photography was outstanding.  Many of the photo’s were taken at night, using a clever arrangement of flash bulbs and rapid shutter speeds.  There is a “knack” to capturing a moving image at speed, especially at night.  In many of the photos the trains are in motion, and yet Link seems to freeze them in time.  Only a few images are in color, most are black and white.  When asked why, Mr. Link’s retort was something like “the trains are black, the steam is white, the sky is black at night…. What do I need color for?”

What indeed.  If you like great photography and you happen to be in the general Roanoke Virginia area, you should plan a pilgrimage to the O. William Link Museum.  The 5-dollar price of admission can’t be beat and the time invested in the experience will be time well spent.

Linda and I we walked away from the museum (again they pushed us out the door at 5pm) with a greater appreciation of the “age of steam” and the roll that Mr. Link played in preserving on film the final days of the Last Steam Railroad in America. 

Next time…

Good Roads & Bad Decisions

-Ray Boyer

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DE Crier: Thompson Report

It was a long winter but clean living prevailed, and we finally got on the track. The NER season opening DE was over Memorial Day weekend at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park:  three days of rip roaring fun for novices and veterans alike. 

On Friday there was special attention paid to drivers new to DE and to the track.  After a classroom session by Ed Mansing and their first on-track session, the Green and Yellow drivers (two novice run groups) were sent to a big parking lot for braking and cornering exercises.  Autocross Chair Chris Ryan and his AX crew led the drivers through two sessions of exercises which included a wet skid pad.  (The skid pad was left open during the day for anyone to use.)  There were also classroom sessions for Advanced drivers led by Peter Tracy and Kevin Gross.

 

Friday saw a little mist in the morning but the day stayed dry.  Not so on Saturday where the afternoon was pretty wet (great opportunity for learning!).  Sunday was beautiful and the reduced turnout allowed combining run sessions so drivers could wear out their tires to their hearts’ content.

Saturday night there was a track social that featured a nice selection of your favorite beverages and a catered dinner.  Thanks to Judy Mansing and Pam Mascetta for their usual fine job.

 

As has become the tradition for this event, there was acknowledgement each day of the purpose of Memorial Day with a moment of silence for those who lost their lives in the service of their country. Stan Corbett distributed flags from American Legion Post 234 that had flown over the graves of fallen heroes.

Turnout for the event was a little disappointing and the current signup for the second NER DE at Palmer is also below normal levels.  What are you folks waiting for?  All those people I talked to at the Ground School, where are you?  C’mon and signup!  Here are the counts from Thompson…

Total attendees: 90

Green (Beginner): 17

Yellow (Novice): 13

Blue (Solo): 7

White (Intermediate): 9

Black (Advanced): 16

Red (Instructor): 28 

Note that 10 attendees had never been to a DE before and an additional 10 had never driven at Thompson before.  Speaking of people who had never before attended a DE, one who fit this description was Bill Miniscalco of Sudbury who came with his 2018 Boxster.  Bill was having a great time and encouraged anyone who was on the fence to give it a try.  I asked him what if anything surprised him and his reply was “what a wide variety of cars and levels of experience there are.” Everything from completely stock cars driven by those with no track experience to PCA club racers driving dedicated track cars. And all were very friendly and willing to help and offer advice when asked.

So thanks to co-track chairs Adam Schwartz and Charlie Kenney for running a great event and to Stan Corbett for all the work he does as Registrar (assisted by Paul Skinner and Judi Mansing).  There was a bit of last minute work shuffling as the Covid took out two Chief Instructors (Dave Berman and Tom Buckingham – leaving Mike Woodward in that role). And thanks to Instructor Development Chair Matthew Wallis who is hard at work molding the more experienced drivers into instructors. Our sustainable future depends on attracting new drivers – and in order to host Green and Yellow students we must have a strong cadre of Instructors.

And speaking of moving on up, here are the promotions that occurred at this event…

Green to Yellow:   Patrick Bergstedt and Benjamin Zendejas

Yellow to Blue:  Ana Malone Oliver, Duan Yutong and Diou Shi

Blue to White:  David Timberlake, Jeff Croteau, Ana Malone Oliver (she advanced 2 run groups at Thompson)

White to Black:  Dan Zal, Bobby Jacobsen (NER Region President)

New Instructor:   Michael Bodden

 

Finally, on a personal note, I was there on Sunday with no car – planning to drive Dave Berman’s car after his generous offer.  But Dave was down with the Covid. Up stepped Bob Binder and Chris DeGrace (one of the PCA club racers!) to graciously allow me three sessions of driving. You know the saying:  “It’s not just the cars, it’s the people!”

-Bill Seymour

 

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Southern Roads & Museums: Part 4

 

Thursday, April 14 is to be a day of finally driving real southern roads. 

Up to now it has been all interstates and connecting local roads. Linda and I (well I much more than Linda) have been looking forward to these mountain roads for some time. 

Skyline Drive is about 105 miles long and snakes along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Shenandoah National Park.  It begins just south of Front Royal and ends at Afton, Virginia.         

Long before I met Linda, I was into motorcycle touring big time.  One of my dreams was to drive Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway on my Yamaha touring bike.  Now that dream would be fulfilled …. but on 4 wheels not 2.  Driving this ribbon of asphalt should be a real joy in our 911 Porsche. 

Skyline Drive is part of the National Parks System.  Thus, there is a modest $30 charge for admission.  BUT… if you have a National Parks Pass (we have had one for about 10 years) you can just show your card and off you go. 

Since we are driving on a Thursday in April, there was practically NO traffic on the road.  The speed limit is a modest 35 MPH and I need to keep an eye on the speedometer as occasionally I would look down and be hitting 60.  The road is all black top, double yellow line and is in GREAT condition.  You are constantly climbing and then dropping down, negotiating gentle curves and some tight switchbacks.  This is a perfect road for a Porsche.  But I have to remember it is a road for touring, not racing.  We are here for the scenery and by golly there is some great scenery. 

Every couple of miles there are scenic overlooks where you can pull over and take in the view.  Some overlooks will have a marker with a bit of history of the area and/or the spectacle you are gazing at.  Linda and I had planned to spend all day on this section of road.  Since it is 105 miles long and the speed is 35 MPH, we reasoned that it would take us most of the day to complete the task.  We were certainly correct in this calculation.

One fact we discovered the hard way was is that traveling in mid-April has certain disadvantages.  Due to the time of the year many of the rest areas along the drive were closed and locked.  For people of a certain age this can be discouraging.       

Fortunately, about half way along at Mile Marker 53 the Harry F. Bird 

Visitor Center was open.  A bonus for us is that there was a great little museum (no charge) that explained the history of Skyline Drive and how/why it was built.  We spent perhaps 90 minutes here and I personally was struck with the “stories” of the local people who had to sell their land to the government so that the road could be built. 

What was really fascinating (to me at least) is the fact that MANY families lived out here in the mountains of Virginia and the Carolina’s.

Their homes could best be described as rustic.  Local roads were in name only being mostly just cart tracks for horse drawn wagons.  Yet families had existed this way for many generations, living off the land and somehow managing to survive.  When the decision was made to construct Skyline Drive and The Blue Ridge Parkway all this land had to be surveyed.  A price for the land and buildings had to be determined, then eventually sold to the Federal Government so that work could begin.   Just the logistical complications of this boggled my rather feeble mind. 

Sometimes a museum can really open your eyes to a fact of life that you had never considered.  This modest but well thought out space was certainly one that gave my brain a nudge. 

Refreshed after our stop we were back in Miss P and touring the second half of Skyline drive.  The weather was gorgeous if a bit chilly and the road was pretty much our own.  We’d pull off at an overlook and gaze for a while and all this time no other car would pass by either north or southbound.  Truly we had this place to ourselves and I must say we and Miss P really enjoyed the trip.  I can’t believe it is like this in the summer time, or especially in Autumn during foliage season.  But April seems to be an ideal time for traversing these southern roads

By 4:30 we had finished our Skyline Drive journey and it was time to call it a day.  

Afton is the first town one encounters after the southern exit from Skyline Drive.  Linda had booked a room at the Afton Mountain Bed & Breakfast located the Afton / Waynesboro area.  This was our first B&B in many years.  The house was built about 1855 and had great local history.  It was clean as a whistle, the bed was comfortable, the owners were friendly and the breakfast in the morning was top notch. 

 

During breakfast we were seated with a nice couple from the Michigan Upper Peninsula.  Linda and I were traveling Skyline / Blue Ridge from north to south.   William and Susan were traveling the same roads but from south to north.  They had been to the Biltmore in Ashville North Carolina (our eventual destination) and gave us some good tips on the what to look for on the house tour. They even suggested we take the “back stairs tour” which they highly recommended.  Unfortunately, when Linda tried to book this section of the tour later that morning it was sold out.  Bummer.

William gave me a heads up, noting that certain sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway were closed and that we should be aware of this.   He commented that they had driven north about 15 miles along one section of the Parkway and came upon a ROAD CLOSED sign.  They could go no further and had to turn around and retrace their steps.  William was NOT impressed. 

As a side note, for our Porsche Taycan drivers, the Afton B&B has an electric charging station for your EV.  I asked and there is no extra cost for this feature.  Like the morning breakfast it is all included in the rather modest nightly fee.

As we depart our overnight abode, we are set to begin our first section of The Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway.  What new experiences will be on tap for today?  Only time … and miles… will tell.

Next Time

The Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway…

-Ray Boyer

                                                                                                                                

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South of Boston (SoBo) C&C May 2022

It became a glorious day for our Porsches and Coffee at our first meet of the season at Sweet Berry Farm.  More than 60 cars parked on the newly mowed lawn bounded by blooming apple trees.  The island, cooled by Narragansett Bay kept the temperature in the 70s, while inland temperatures were in the 90s.

photo: Larry Levin

I must mention the recent service on my 911 C4.  I noticed that the black paint on the radiator’s air diverter below the bumper had worn off; the leading edges were now grey, and there was a small hole in the plastic probably from a stone.  I asked the service advisor if we could just paint it; he replied “No”.   I said “I suppose the replacement costs is around $700.00”.  He said “actually it’s around $720”.  Although I didn’t try it, my advice to you is try the paint.

That leads me to another story:  My one and only Navy shore duty assignment in 20 years was my last three years assigned to the Navy Underwater Systems Center, Newport RI as the Junior Project Engineer for the Mk 117 Fire Control System (the first digital submarine combat control system).  For those of you that remember the blizzard of 78, I was the base duty officer the next day and had to drive on the base and relieve another guy.  As I approached West Main’s 2 Mile Corner I saw a pile of snow nearly two feet high across the road.  At that time, I had my 65 356C and was confident driving in the snow.  I hit the snow square on; the Porsche’s bottom pan acted like a ski and slid right over the top and I resumed driving the last mile or so to the base; no dents or bruises.

photo: Larry Levin
photo: Larry Levin

I was reminded of my 356C pan story when I interviewed newcomer Daniel Smith who arrived in his first Porsche.  I believe he was the one that told me that the panels beneath the car were missing because the previous owner removed them believing that the engine would run cooler, thereby easier wear on the engine, an incorrect belief.  Removing the panels really does negatively affect the car’s handling, especially when passing through 100. On my 996 the panels have to be installed from rear to front, ensuring that the panels correctly overlap.  

Meeting a retired ex fast attack submariner like myself, it was fun to reminisce not only about our careers but also our Porsches. This was Daniel Smith, who along with his children Elan and Eden, arrived in his first Porsche, a 95 993 with just 75k miles.  Purchased in Omaha he enjoyed the drive back home.  Daniel had a poster of a Porsche in his room as a kid, and in his neighborhood there were three Porsches.  Daniel enjoys working on his Porsche, loves the ride and the sound of the door closing, “sounds like a bank vault”.  

Sterling Vernon parked his 86 944, exterior Grand Prix White with a Burgundy interior and wood inlays, with about 120k on odometer. Owner of 6 Porsches, Sterling has always been a Porsche Guy. When he was about 8 years old his uncle took him to his first ball game at Fenway in his 1970 911 S.  Sterling’s first Porsche was a used 99 Boxster, then in 2003 a new Boxster.  Additionally, Sterling enjoys wrenching his Porsches saying “It’s the pleasure of the drive”.

Chris Casali arrived with Letitia Wallace in his stunning Maritime Blue 91 C2 with RS suspension.  The engine was rebuilt by EPE after purchase a year and a half ago, odometer displays 135k.  Chris’s first Porsche was a 91 C4 two years ago.  For the last 10 years Chris has had an affection for Porsches.  The C2’s attraction is that it is modern enough, but air cooled.  “The drive is raw and engaging”. I asked Letitia what is the fastest she has been in the car, she replied “120”.

Colin Patterson parked his 2022 GT Silver 718 Spyder, with PDK.  Purchased new, this is his eleventh Porsche.  Colin says, “the newer the Porsche the better is the Porsche”.  The only negative to his current Porsche is the sound compared to his older Porsches, the sport exhaust has an additional CAT.  He just purchased it in January and has already driven it 1200 miles.  When he was 16 or 17 years old, living in Jamaica, he saw a banker driving a Porsche; the rest is history. 

Eddie and Mari Lopez parked their 2018 Cayman 718.  Purchased used less than a year ago this Porsche has a carbon fiber kit.  Eddie has two additional Porsches; his first, five years ago, was a 97 Boxster.  Eddie always loved Porsches and Ferraris saying, “I can afford Porsches”.

The next SoBo is scheduled for 12 June (10-Noon) at Sweet Berry Farm, 915 Mitchell’s Ln, Middletown, RI. The event as always is FREE, and no pre-registration is necessary. The only requirement to park on the grass is your Porsche. A Porsche logo sign should be in place directing you to the parking area.  Sweet Berry Farm is child friendly, encouraging small children to enjoy a working farm, so when entering and exiting, drive carefully. And, as always, for any SoBo related questions, please email me at:  [email protected]

Rog Slocum
127 Center Ave.
Middletown, RI 02842
e-mail:  [email protected]

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Southern Roads & Museums: Part 2

With the rain pelting down we head out from our Bellingham, MA home just after 9am on the first part of our multi-day southern tour.  The itinerary will include all of the 105-mile Skyline Drive (just south of Washington, DC) and 3 portions (about 325 miles) of the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway.  Hopes are high that we will have fun… but first we have to get there.

As most of us who live in this area know, unless you are going north to Canada, there are really only two logical ways to get OUT of the general greater Boston metropolitan area if you are heading south.  You go due west on the Pike past Worcester, then to Route 84 and down around Hartford.  The alternative is our choice.  Since we live almost on the Rhode Island line we travel through my home state, picking up Route 295 South in RI and merging into Route 95 South and head on into Connecticut along the BORING 95 corridor.  Yes, it’s boring, but it is pretty fast and on a Tuesday morning traffic is somewhat light.

Unlike the rain which is NOT light at all.  My baby is getting wet.

Since we have never really driven Miss P in a long recurring rain storm, we made an interesting discovery.  The windshield wiper system on this P-car is really rather neat… and SMART.  I never noticed this before.  Yet driving in steady rain, with the wipers set at a moderate speed the frequency of the blade’s swipe change with the intensity of the rain.

“Hey Linda, look at this” I mention to our trusty navigator.  She always has a map on her lap and many times she is looking down, tracking our path on the old school paper display.  “Watch the wipers… they speed up or slow down depending upon how hard it is raining or how fast we are going”. 

We observe this phenomenon for several minutes and several speed changes before either one of us speaks.  Linda is the first one to break the spell.  “Wow, that is pretty neat.  I’m not sure how it works… but it’s a good idea.  I’m glad you bought this car.  It certainly amuses you”. 

She is right.  Amuse is perhaps not the exact word I’d use.  Intrigue or inspire, or perhaps aspire is probably a better word.  I have always “aspired” to own a Porsche but it was not until I was almost 70 years old that I took the plunge and actually bought one.  Now after 2 plus years of ownership Linda and I are still learning new things about our P car. 

One feature we really like is the Navigation system.  Now remember our car is a 2011 model, so things have probably improved in 10 plus years.  FYI, we own a 29-foot motor home and tow a 20-foot race car trailer to various SCCA event.  In 2018 we bought a new state of the art Garmin GPS for the motorhome.  For this southern trip with took the Garmin along as a “backup”.   In 12 days of traveling, we never took the Garmin out its case. 

Linda does all of the navigation and we have used the P-car Nav system many times in the past.  Yet for this trip we REALLY used the Navigation.  Only once in the multiple days we were on the road did the system fail us.   We were looking for an “odd address” in Asheville North Carolina and the Porsche Nav system could not find it.  So Linda, needing never to be lost, pulls out her trusty I Phone.  She puts in the mysterious address and guides us in to our destination.  Kind of like an air traffic control operator at an airport. “You are clear to land Miss P.  Use Runway 32 Left…. You have reached your destination.  Your destination will be on the Right.”

One of the nice features of the Porsche Navigation system that I like is that the big center screen display can come up (in condensed form) on the instrument cluster right in front of me.  Thus, when we would get close to some destination, or turning point on a highway, I would bring the Nav up on the center display.   Then once the command had past, I would switch back to my preferred display which is usually “Miles to Empty and Miles per Gallon’. 

On our first day out, as we worked our way south to Wilmington, Delaware, the Nav system really came into its own.  Things were going well on 95 South until we hit New Haven.  Traffic is stopped and appears to be backed up for miles.  It’s still raining, the uniqueness of the magic windshield wipers is wearing off and it’s time to get off the road.

I find the first available exit and make our escape.  

“What are you doing” asks Linda, rather surprised we are not sticking to our agreed upon route.

“We’re not going to sit here all day waiting for the tow trucks to come and clear the obvious accident up ahead.  I know the Merritt Parkway is over that way somewhere.  Let’s see if we can find it.”

This is one of the advantages of old school paper maps.  Linda always has a general idea of where we are on the map. 

“Ok, fine.  What’s the route number for the Merritt Parkway” she asks.

Racking my brain for a moment I blurt out “Either 32 or 15.  I’m not sure.  But I think it’s either 32 or 15”.  We are in city traffic now and I’m beginning to tense up. 

The map reader takes a few moment (Recalculating… Please wait) and says “Ok… here it is.  Let’s figure out how to get there.”

Ah… the beauty of having a calm navigator at your side.  “Don’t worry captain… we’ll get this plane on the ground just as soon as we find a suitable airport and runway to land on.  It should not be too hard to find in all this rain.” 

With a combination of the Porsche Navigation system (find Merritt Parkway… it does) plus a dedicated human navigator, we work our way along New Haven city streets (Hey look, that’s Yale University) and get on the Merritt Parkway, heading south naturally.

Once on the Merritt things decidedly take a turn for the better. 

“Linda, look at the sky up ahead, I think is getting lighter.  Plus the rain seems to be tapering off now. 

Linda looks at the map.  “What way are you going to go now that we have altered our course?”

Without hesitation comes the answer.

“Merritt Parkway south and cross into New York.

Pick up 287 west and cross the Hudson on the Tappan Zee Bridge.

They now call it the Mario Cuomo bridge by the way, if you can’t find the Tappan Zee on your map. 

Then pick up the Garden State Parkway once we get into New Jersey.”

I’ve been this way many times (haven’t we all)… so I know the roads rather well.

“Got it” says the map lady.  She finds a spot in New York and pulls out her trusty I Phone and consults the oracle. 

 “What’s the weather now in Nyack New York” she types.   

Within seconds she has the answer. 

“Right now, in Nyack it is not raining and it is expected to be sunny and about 55 degrees by 2pm.  I think we are driving out of the rain.”

Slowly I begin to relax and enjoy driving Miss P.  The rain abates and the roads dry.  The wipers are off and now it’s head down and full speed ahead as we motor on to Willimgton, Delaware.          

We easily make the Managers Special at 5:30pm at the Embassy Suits Hilton.  One dollar a drink and free cheese and crackers till 7pm.

Plus a day of driving Miss P.

What’s not to like? 

Next Time

Air & Space Museum plus Skyline Drive

-Ray Boyer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Southern Roads & Museums: Pt 1

“You realize don’t you, that if we take this trip, Miss P is going to get wet.  If we are on the road for 10 or 12 or 14 days, EVENTUALLY it is going to rain.  And Miss P will get wet.  You realize what you are saying… right ?”

That is my wife Linda talking and she is telling me the facts of life.

Facts which sometimes I fail to recognize or refuse to acknowledge. 

Miss P is our first Porsche, a 2011 Carrera model 911.  Basic car, two wheel drive, PDK.  We have owned her since August of 2019.  She had just passed 41 thousand miles when we (well I really) claimed her.  Now she had just over 59 K, so in only slightly more than 2 full years we had clocked up about 18 thousand miles.  Miss P is certainly not a garage queen but she definitely is pampered. 

Linda and I like to go for “rides”.  During the early days of Covid Miss P was our lifeboat.  If it was a nice sunny day we’d get out of the house and go for a ride.  It did not matter where… just getting out for 2 or 3 or 4 hours was an escape from being house bound due to the pandemic. 

Notice the phrase “a nice sunny day”.  The Porsche NEVER started out on a “ride” if it was raining, or even threatening to rain.  I would consult with Linda and she would check the forecast on her phone and if things looked clear we would take off.  Once on the road, if it happened to turn dark and threating to rain, and if we were close to home (say 40 miles or less) often times we would turn around and head for the barn before the rain drops fell.  If we were beyond the range of a safe return, we would tough it out.  Linda would say “she’s just a car…she’s tough.  She can take it”.  But I would think “My baby’s getting wet … and DIRTY.”

God forbid !

Thus my proposal to take a road trip down south to drive the Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway sparked a bit of surprise from my better half.  That many days away would certainly entail some risk.  Yet the lure of mountain switch backs and interesting museums (Linda and I love museums) eventually overcame the desire to keep Miss P clean and dry.

We began planning for this trip just after Christmas time.  The Porsche was safe (and clean) in the garage.  She had no inkling of what we were cooking up.   At first we thought about traveling in Mid-March.  But that seemed a bit optimistic because we reasoned that there could be SNOW in the mountains down south.  Miss P had never even SEEN snow and was not about to on my watch.  So, we altered our initial thoughts and moved the departure date to April 12.

Linda began planning her wardrobe well before our start date.  Twelve or more days on the road requires her to give a lot of thought as to what to bring and how to fit it all into a 911.  At first Linda was thinking she was only going to bring a small overnight bag, like you would carry onto an airplane.  I heard what she was saying but felt she was being unrealistic.  She would NEVER be able to get by with a small overnight bag, not for so many days on the road. “But there is not much room in the Porsche” she lamented.  “I will just have to make it work”. 

For long trips Linda has a good-sized piece of travel luggage that is about 28” wide, 10” high and about 12” deep.  I took the bag (along with Linda) and brought them both into the garage.  I open the front trunk and slipped the big piece of luggage into the space.  It fit like a glove (a tight glove for sure) and there was a little space remaining for a set of Jumper cables and a few hand tools.  Now Linda had many more options for clothes and alternative paring of outfits.  She was a happy camper. 

Besides the “big bag” in front we also each brought a small overnight bag.  These fit nicely side by side on the shelf where the rear seats fold down.  For myself I have a decent sized soft sided luggage bag that I have used for year.  This conveniently slide into the remaining space right behind the driver on the new “shelf” we had made with the smaller overnight bags.            

 

Linda had one smaller portable bag that fit on the new “shelf” behind her seat.   Add in some full winter coats (a good decision on our part) some maps and other nick knacks and the rear portion of Miss P was rather full.   Yet I could still see out the rear window… so from a driving perspective everything would work out.

We planned the route with great care.  About 350 miles per day, or slightly less, is a comfortable mileage goal for us.  So, day 1 would get us from the Metro West area of Boston to Wilmington, Delaware.   Linda is a “Hilton Girl”.  We like to stay at Hilton locations and Linda finds a Hilton unit whenever she can.   For Wilmington it was the Embassy Suites and our objective was to be checked in with plenty of time to make the Managers Special which begins at 5:30pm.  Free wine and cheese … what’s not to like. 

Tuesday the 12th arrives and we are up and packed and ready to go by 9am.  I look out the window and guess what?    It’s RAINING !  We have not even gotten out of the garage and it’s raining.  And not just a light rain either.  “It’s raining really HARD Linda” was my lament. 

Linda can tell I’m thinking about alternatives, like maybe waiting a day before starting out.  She can see the doubt in my eyes and hear the hesitation in my voice.  “You know it’s raining out” I say again. 

Her reply is soothing but somewhat forceful.

“Look, we discussed this.  It had to rain sometime.  Today’s its raining.  So what?? She’s just a car. She even has heated seats if it gets cold.  She can take it. She’s tough.  So, let’s stop hemming and hawing and get on the road.”

So, with dread in my heart and rain on the windshield we hit the road.

The adventure has begun.

-Ray Boyer


NEXT TIME

Driving in the rain, new Porsche discoveries and museums to explore.

 

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Driver Education Ground School

NER’s first Driver Education event of the season took place on Sunday April 24th at Palmer Motorsports Park.  No, this wasn’t your usual DE, rather it was the annual Ground School – held at a racetrack (rather than the usual location at HMS Motorsports in Danvers).  And a great idea is was as it allowed those attending to do parade laps and see what a really cool racetrack looks like.

There was an excellent turnout:  40 registered and 37 of them showed up plus there were 24 “day of” drop-ins for a total of 61 Green student wannabees.  The day started with coffee and pastries (courtesy of David Peterman and Panera) served in the main Palmer garage. Once all were settled we were greeted by co-Track Chair Charlie Kenney (Adam Schwartz stayed home so we wouldn’t catch anything bad) followed by a series of presentations that explained what DE is, how to sign up, how to prepare for an event and then what to expect at an actual DE event.  Driving tips (apexes, friction circle, flags, etc.) were NOT explained – that will come at the events themselves. What the attendees DID learn about were…

  • Dave Berman explained the instruction process and instructor/student pairings
  • Paul Skinner explained how to register, car numbers, etc.
  • Aaron Murphy detailed the car tech form and tech line process
  • Cody from HMS talked about the required safety equipment
  • Judi Mansing promised wonderful social hours once the track is cold
  • Ed Mansing described how NER’s program fits with our sister region NCR’s parallel program
  • Mike Woodward talked about what goes on in a typical track day and how to get the most out of it.
  • Charlie highlighted the tracks we visit

With all of that good stuff in mind, attendees were then sent out to do some parade laps so they could get totally psyched up. The laps continued until the “meatball” flag was shown which signaled that pizza (courtesy of HMS Motorsports) had arrived (they should have shown the “pepperoni” flag but that apparently was at the F1 race in Imola that weekend). Good pizza, some soft drinks, some more chat and everyone went home happy and newly knowledgeable.

                                 

 

In my role as DE Crier I made sure to chat up some of those attending. While most were clearly there with the intent to do DE there were also some who saw this as an opportunity to meet some PCA folks, see the Palmer race track and MAYBE get talked into doing a DE. I suspect some will indeed start down the slippery slope. One such was Joanne Young of New Braintree who showed up in a very pristine 2005 Boxster.  I was her right seat passenger for a few parade laps and then took the wheel to better demonstrate the Palmer “line.”  Great fun.  During pizza time I had another nice chat with mother and daughter combo Nita and Jenna Moton.  Nita recently moved from Los Angeles to be closer to her daughter and her 911 is in the process of being shipped here. I forgot to tell them that it’s OK to share a car at DE (although difficult if both are Green novices). 

           

 

So all in all it was great day with good learning and the fun of parade laps. If you were there I know you will agree.  But let’s end with this note:  if you haven’t done a DE, would like to, but missed the Ground School, YOU CAN STILL SIGN UP FOR ANY OF OUR DE’S. See you at the track – and come and tell me a good story.

And thanks again to Panera, HMS Motorsports and hosts Palmer Motorsport Park!

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NER Autocross School: Sat. May, 7

The NER Autocross Team will be holding its popular Autocross School at Devens this year on Saturday, May 7th. The format will be similar to previous years with driving exercises held in the morning, followed by lunch (Pizza supplied by NER), with actual timed runs on a full autocross course in the afternoon.

We are taking a new approach to the Autocross School this year to maximize student driving time and engagement between students and the instructors.  The three morning exercises will include a slalom, a figure-eight, and offset clamshells with one instructor assigned to a pair of students for all three exercises to provide increased instruction and feedback on the students’ driving.  The afternoon will consist of 4 – 5 student runs on a full autocross course with the option of letting your instructor drive to demonstrate the proper line through the course.  While attendance at the school is not requisite for attending events during the season, it is highly recommended. Regardless of whether you intend to autocross or not, this is a fabulous introduction to the art of driving at a fraction of the price of most schools of its kind. Teenage drivers are encouraged to attend. Licensed teens (full license, not a permit) under the age of 18 must provide a signed waiver and have at least one parent present throughout the course of the event.  For more information, please contact the registrar.

You must be a novice to attend this school.  Please don’t sign up expecting a Test n’ Tune.

Autocross allows you to learn car control skills in a safe environment. We are fortunate to enjoy probably one of the best venues in the area (Moore Airfield at Fort Devens). The wide runways and ample open space allow participants to get close to or exceed the performance limits of their cars without risking damage to cars or participants – so you can see what your Porsche feels like when pushed like it was meant to be. The driving skills you’ll learn here are not just useful for autocross events, but also for DE events on the track as well as driving on the street. Plus it’s also a social event – you’ll have the opportunity to meet a friendly group of men and women who enjoy socializing with each other while having fun with their cars, and working on driving skills together. We hope you’ll come out and give it a try! In the meantime, check out our excellent instructional videos on our website at www.porschenet.com produced by Autocross Team member Richard Viard. They will give you some good ideas on what to expect, how to prepare, etc.  

 

Registration

You must register for this event in advance. Registration is currently open online at www.pcaner.motorsportreg.com. We are limited to 48 students so register now to insure a spot.

 Price: $60 (includes a free registration to one NER Autocross Event in 2020)

 Eligibility: This event is for novice autocrossers only! Participants must have participated in no more than four autocross events in the past two years to be eligible.  As always, special circumstances may apply, so contact Chris Ryan at [email protected] with questions.

 Instructors: You must register for the event on motorsportreg as an instructor (you will not be charged) Please be on site at 7:00 AM.

Students: should plan to arrive after 8:00 AM but no later than 8:30.

 

For event and eligibility questions contact NER Autocross Chair Chris Ryan at [email protected] . For registration/payment issues contact  NER Autocross Registrar Jeff Johnson at [email protected] .

 

Directions:  The event will be at Moore Airfield on Route 2A which is separate from the main Army base. The Google maps address is 90 Fitchburg Rd. Ayer MA.     From Rte128 or I-495: Take Route 2 West. Take Exit 38B (Route 111 North) for 2 miles. At the rotary, take Route 2A West toward Ayer. Stay on 2A as it turns right in downtown Ayer.  Follow Route 2A bearing left at the fork by Tiny’s Restaurant. Continue past the Shop & Save market on your left – the entrance gate will be on your left just after the railroad tracks with a sign reading “State Police Driver Training”. Enter through the main gate, look for the “Autocross” sign and bear left up the hill to get to the airfield. At the top of the hill there will be someone to check you in, and greet you with instructions. 

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