1 year anniversary trip
06-27-2013, 07:11 PM
#46
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Day 3: Seattle Part 2
Seriously, I did not know how brutal those offset pedals are on the left leg and lower back after 13 hours in car. This is the curse of being tall.
After I regained range of motion on the left side of my body, I decided to explore Ballard.
I found Bop Street records on Market. Dave the owner made a bee line for me and asked me what he could help me find. This place is huge! A vinyl paradise.
I bought a few choice fifties rockabilly and blues LPs and headed up the street for a cup of coffee that was super expensive and super unremarkable. I bounced around more shops and killed 3 or so hours reading.
As a resident of Chicago and its harsh climate, I was very surprised to see all these interesting older cars parked on the streets of my friend's neighborhood. People know how to live out here.
2 2002s!
A Westy 4WD
More Twins
It was a killer day of driving and it felt like a second day of just unwinding. Good times.
--Michael
Seriously, I did not know how brutal those offset pedals are on the left leg and lower back after 13 hours in car. This is the curse of being tall.
After I regained range of motion on the left side of my body, I decided to explore Ballard.
I found Bop Street records on Market. Dave the owner made a bee line for me and asked me what he could help me find. This place is huge! A vinyl paradise.
I bought a few choice fifties rockabilly and blues LPs and headed up the street for a cup of coffee that was super expensive and super unremarkable. I bounced around more shops and killed 3 or so hours reading.
As a resident of Chicago and its harsh climate, I was very surprised to see all these interesting older cars parked on the streets of my friend's neighborhood. People know how to live out here.
2 2002s!
A Westy 4WD
More Twins
It was a killer day of driving and it felt like a second day of just unwinding. Good times.
--Michael
06-28-2013, 10:55 AM
#48
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
06-29-2013, 03:46 AM
#53
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Day 4 & 5: Seattle
I don't want to bore anybody with too many details so I will keep it brief. In the last two days I have relaxed, walked around Capital Hill, downtown, Balllard, Belltown and other neighborhoods.
I visited Akers Porsche repair shop and bought another set of belts. I dropped by Red Label Moto and looked at Kie's collection of cool bikes. We had a good chat. Thanks Kie.
I wanted to visit the Crocodile rock club. A couple of my bands played there in the nineties. It is still there.
The Pike Place Market was a trip.A bit touristy but I bought some gifts for my nephews.
My friend Juan and his wife took me out to Bastille, a French bistro in Ballard, for a nice dinner. Mussels and frites is one of my favorite things. The mussels were so much better than what we get in Chicago. Duh.
Today was great as well. I went to the Experience Music Project. I love Nirvana and was happy to check out all the great memorabilia.
Kurt
Dave Grohl's drum kit!
Kurt's 4 Track
The iconic guitars
The Space Needle was cool to see too. Reminds me of the Frasier show and ill fated Frasier Crane Day Rally.
After walking around the park I decided to get some pizza in the Capital Hill area at Linda's Tavern but it was closed so I ate at another joint and went back to my friends house.
He got home at 5:30 and we replaced the three belts in his driveway. It went well. Hopefully I got the tension right.
Then we went to Señor Moose for dinner. It was excellent. I highly recommend it.
Ok, tomorrow I head out to Portland.
--Michael
I don't want to bore anybody with too many details so I will keep it brief. In the last two days I have relaxed, walked around Capital Hill, downtown, Balllard, Belltown and other neighborhoods.
I visited Akers Porsche repair shop and bought another set of belts. I dropped by Red Label Moto and looked at Kie's collection of cool bikes. We had a good chat. Thanks Kie.
I wanted to visit the Crocodile rock club. A couple of my bands played there in the nineties. It is still there.
The Pike Place Market was a trip.A bit touristy but I bought some gifts for my nephews.
My friend Juan and his wife took me out to Bastille, a French bistro in Ballard, for a nice dinner. Mussels and frites is one of my favorite things. The mussels were so much better than what we get in Chicago. Duh.
Today was great as well. I went to the Experience Music Project. I love Nirvana and was happy to check out all the great memorabilia.
Kurt
Dave Grohl's drum kit!
Kurt's 4 Track
The iconic guitars
The Space Needle was cool to see too. Reminds me of the Frasier show and ill fated Frasier Crane Day Rally.
After walking around the park I decided to get some pizza in the Capital Hill area at Linda's Tavern but it was closed so I ate at another joint and went back to my friends house.
He got home at 5:30 and we replaced the three belts in his driveway. It went well. Hopefully I got the tension right.
Then we went to Señor Moose for dinner. It was excellent. I highly recommend it.
Ok, tomorrow I head out to Portland.
--Michael
Last edited by XavierLaFlamme; 06-29-2013 at 10:50 AM.
07-01-2013, 06:57 PM
#55
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Day 5: Seattle to Portland 180 miles
I would describe these two days as a study in contrasts. Short drive vs long drive, relaxation vs stress, safety vs danger.
Day 5 to Portland was the former.
Seattle to Portland is an easy 180 mile trip. It went off without any hitches. I arrived at around 2 and spent the afternoon walking around NW Portland neighborhoods and drinking beer from my friend's keg(!!!).
We drove outside the city to a former poor farm called Edgefield(I didn't realize debtor farms actually existed back in the day) and had a walkabout and nice dinner with his family.
Off to bed. No drama.
My 993 and my friends wagon
You never know when a game of street hockey will break out.
Day 6: Portland to Seattle: 650 miles
The day started off nice enough. I don't have a lot of time to burn on this trip so I am going the fastest routes. Interstates. I am using my prescious time visiting with friends.
So I get to Medford, Oregon and decide to check oil and do my daily walk around the car and underside inspection.
I look at my right rear tire and almost have a heart attack. I am down to white thread! Seriously. I realize it is Sunday. The 295s I need are not available most places on a good day.
I decide to see how far through the mountains I can milk that threadbare tire. I come to terms with the fact that it will blow so I drive 50 mph through the passes and valleys. Palm sweaty white knuckle stuff. I also decide that when it blows I'll change to the donut and ride that SOB until it blows.
So I get out of the last pass before Redding, Ca and down to the bottom of the hill and it blows. I pull off on an off ramp and and try to find a level-ish portion of the shoulder. I open the door and am assaulted by 110 degree heat. Wow. I pour a bottle of water over my head and get to work.
That emergency jack is a dangerous toy. The spare is red! Awesome. I inflate it and get back on the road.
290 miles to Oakland on a spare donut in 110 degree heat. I just hoped it wouldn't blow dangerously from the heat.
I set the cruise control to 50 and wobble along much to the anger of all the car bullies in their lifted, loud exhausted trucks. That was not cool but I was just a little worried about the donut so I kept pressing on ignoring everything else.
I just needed to get within 100 miles of Oakland before it blew and I would be fine. I have AAA and the tow radius is 100 miles. Man, 300 miles takes forever at 50 mph. Well, 6 hours anyway plus the stops for water and tire cool down breaks.
Oh, and the "air conditioning." You all know. Sucks. Anyway, I limp in to Oakland leaving a wake of angry drivers. Tired, stressed and exhausted but happy.
I call Darin at FD and he calls back( on Sunday!) and he tells me he can get me a set of tires. I already had an appointment for Stage IIIs for Monday.
I have to limp the car back out to him on the donut another 50 miles in the morning but that seems easy after the day I had.
My friend and his family hooked me up with beer and Burmese food and all was well. Tomorrow hopefully no blow out and a new exhaust note. I am psyched.
-- Michael
I would describe these two days as a study in contrasts. Short drive vs long drive, relaxation vs stress, safety vs danger.
Day 5 to Portland was the former.
Seattle to Portland is an easy 180 mile trip. It went off without any hitches. I arrived at around 2 and spent the afternoon walking around NW Portland neighborhoods and drinking beer from my friend's keg(!!!).
We drove outside the city to a former poor farm called Edgefield(I didn't realize debtor farms actually existed back in the day) and had a walkabout and nice dinner with his family.
Off to bed. No drama.
My 993 and my friends wagon
You never know when a game of street hockey will break out.
Day 6: Portland to Seattle: 650 miles
The day started off nice enough. I don't have a lot of time to burn on this trip so I am going the fastest routes. Interstates. I am using my prescious time visiting with friends.
So I get to Medford, Oregon and decide to check oil and do my daily walk around the car and underside inspection.
I look at my right rear tire and almost have a heart attack. I am down to white thread! Seriously. I realize it is Sunday. The 295s I need are not available most places on a good day.
I decide to see how far through the mountains I can milk that threadbare tire. I come to terms with the fact that it will blow so I drive 50 mph through the passes and valleys. Palm sweaty white knuckle stuff. I also decide that when it blows I'll change to the donut and ride that SOB until it blows.
So I get out of the last pass before Redding, Ca and down to the bottom of the hill and it blows. I pull off on an off ramp and and try to find a level-ish portion of the shoulder. I open the door and am assaulted by 110 degree heat. Wow. I pour a bottle of water over my head and get to work.
That emergency jack is a dangerous toy. The spare is red! Awesome. I inflate it and get back on the road.
290 miles to Oakland on a spare donut in 110 degree heat. I just hoped it wouldn't blow dangerously from the heat.
I set the cruise control to 50 and wobble along much to the anger of all the car bullies in their lifted, loud exhausted trucks. That was not cool but I was just a little worried about the donut so I kept pressing on ignoring everything else.
I just needed to get within 100 miles of Oakland before it blew and I would be fine. I have AAA and the tow radius is 100 miles. Man, 300 miles takes forever at 50 mph. Well, 6 hours anyway plus the stops for water and tire cool down breaks.
Oh, and the "air conditioning." You all know. Sucks. Anyway, I limp in to Oakland leaving a wake of angry drivers. Tired, stressed and exhausted but happy.
I call Darin at FD and he calls back( on Sunday!) and he tells me he can get me a set of tires. I already had an appointment for Stage IIIs for Monday.
I have to limp the car back out to him on the donut another 50 miles in the morning but that seems easy after the day I had.
My friend and his family hooked me up with beer and Burmese food and all was well. Tomorrow hopefully no blow out and a new exhaust note. I am psyched.
-- Michael
Last edited by XavierLaFlamme; 07-01-2013 at 07:17 PM.
07-01-2013, 08:07 PM
#56
Rennlist Member
^^^^ Sorry you didn't track one of us down, probably had a mounted tire/wheel that would have worked in someone's garage at Thunderhill. Not to mention several sets that could work in a pinch here locally.
Glad things are going well otherwise!
Glad things are going well otherwise!
07-01-2013, 08:41 PM
#59
Nordschleife Master
07-01-2013, 08:43 PM
#60
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Thread Starter