Ed Hughes

So I'm watching the Lime Rock Rolex race and a commercial for Speed's Le Mans coverage comes on. We've been waiting a year for this trip, and it finally hit me: it is almost here! I'll take a ton of pics as I cheer on the Flying Lizards for a Porsche and a US-based team win!

whalebird

What a dream trip for me. It's on my bucket list for sure. In addition to the cars and racing atmosphere, I would have to take in lots of french "culture"(read: FOOD), but also art and history.
Do you have any ancillary plans to the race?

theiceman

art ? History ?

car racing beer and scantily clad women is where it is at my friend ..

Ed Hughes

Well, we are being hosted by the American Le Mans series, and staying in a 15th century chateau. We are going to be spending time in the Michelin VIP areas at the track, so I think we'll be fed well! We will arrive at the track Thursday early evening to watch the practice and qualifying sessions. Friday we get garage tours and the pitwalk, then off to watch the driver's parade.

Saturday leading up to the race, we will watch a round of the French Carrera Cup, and a vintage Group C (962's, 956's, Jag XJR's, etc) race. Then the race. Sunday night dinner in Old Le Mans. Monday, my birthday(!), on the TGV for a couple of days in Paris.

This is going to be a memorable experience, to say the least.

whalebird

Scantily? Hell their naked on the beach. (wifes on the phone, now I can say what I really mean)

Ed Hughes

Oh, I was asked to write a blog for Autoweek.com. Autoweek Magazine is one of the hosts too.

whalebird

Great B-day present. Last year I got a pair of Wrangler jeans...this year(40th) I'll be happy with a pair of jeans in the same size.
Autoweek...thats one that faded into my vast magazine graveyard. What ever happened to Corvette Vicki?

Ed Hughes

Yep, it worked out pretty well snagging this trip and having it coincide with my b-day. It'll be weird not holed up in the garage or on the couch for 24 hours this time.

whalebird

Probably a 15-18 hour flight from the west coast.

Ed Hughes

Yep, a long haul to Paris thru Chicago. Hopefully the upgrade request will go through!

Tango635

All I can say is...you lucky bastid!!! How/when will I ever fall onto something like that?... But that's OK. It's on my bucket list too, even if I have to pay my own way and sit on some hill in the weeds and eat wilting sandwiches with hot beer with not a single naked woman for miles. I will make it!!!

lparrotta

I was at LeMans a few years ago for the first Audi R10 diesel win.

My experience sounds different from what you have planned.

My wife, my son and I took the TGV from Paris for the race. No hotel, no car – just hoping for good weather and the experience. They always talk about how hard the endurance is on the drivers and crew. The spectator experience is much more demanding (if you stay at the track the whole time) then anything the drivers see. We left about 9am the next morning to go back to Paris and recoup.

Now I watch it on Speed from the comfort of my couch.

BTW say hello to a couple of thousand of my drunken Dane friends. Those guys can party all night!

Andy Roe

I'm very jealous! I live in Paris but I have not been to watch the race for a couple of years. Next year it's a must! You're going to love it and the weather is just starting to get nice too!

Enjoy it! Perhaps look for the Porsche Club GB campsite where they'll be plenty of 911's to look at!

Ed Hughes

Yes, I feel very fortunate to have this upcoming trip. The ALMS folks seem to have gone out of their way to make sure it is an experience to remember for us.

Edgy01

What fun! Have some Champagne, escargots and Rochefort on me!