tsjoel

This may be a off topic subject but what the hell. I want to go to a DE at Watkins Glenn in May but the weekend is my wifes birthday. She is not the kind to sit around at the track so I told her their are winerys up there and I think there should be things to do. She said she would go. I have never been to Watkins Glenn so I am not sure how accessible everything is. If I drive my car there she is left without wheels. I wonder if anyone has ever been in this situation at the Glen and how it worked out. I am sure there are some nice B&B's or hotels up there that she could relax at but I need some help finding a nice one. Thanks in advance for your help.

Chaos

My wife drives,really tears up the budget !

Jack667

Yeah - get her to drive! My wife loves DE's.

One suggestion is to stay at Glenora. http://www.glenora.com/

I know of a great restaurant in Ithaca named Maxie's Supper Club. Lot's of good restuarants and wineries in that area, but with no wheels and by herself, I can't imagine that she'd have such a great time on a birthday weekend. My recommendation is get her on the track or don't go that weekend.

Good Luck!

BluemaxxRacing

Not only does my wife come to the track, but she drives too. Not only does she drive, but she races with me. Not only that, but she regularly beats me too

I guess I can pat myself on the back for teaching her, right

tsjoel, sorry I can't be of any help but the surrounding areas of Watkins Glen are very nice. Look for a B&B and spent some time in the cute little town when you are not on the track. Good luck!

hinchcliffe

My wife went last year. Not much to do without a car. Although there is a Super Wal-Mart in town. Plenty of Good B&B's and winery's. But I agree that would be no fun by yourself. My wife likes the track and classes, but she doesn't want to drive. She likes seeing me have all of the fun.

Z-man

My wife doesn't drive, but I have brought her with me to many DE events. Coming home this weekend from a Pocono DE, she said, "Frankly, I really don't want to come to these events of yours anymore..." Problem is, I don't have a tow vehicle (yet!), so she's either at the hotel all day grading papers (she's a school teacher), or she's at the track watching the cars go round and round, and me floating all over the place - social butterfly that I am. Quite boring either way. Mrs. Z-man has absolutely ZERO interest in DE's, autocrosses, or anything associated with motorsports. That said, she did say she'll join me for Lime Rock in June, and Watkins Glen in August, becuase by then she can relax poolside. But I will drag her out to these events less now that she's said it's really not worth it for her.

If I were in your shoes, I would NOT do the DE event on your wife's birthday. Things like that have a way of coming back and biting you in the keester. She may say it's ok to go, but I still wouldn't. Think about it - she won't have wheels, and the time she does spend with you, you'll be either too tired to do anything she wants, (I fell asleep at dinner this past Saturday!) or you'll be talking/thinking about the track vs. spending time with her. There are plenty of other opportunities for a Watkins Glen DE throughout the year - there's only one day that your wife has a birthday. As a matter of fact, NNJR will be at Watkins Glen August 19-21 AND on October 3-4. Come and join us then!!

Regards,
-Z-man.

MarkM

My wife is now an instructor. Once upon a time I asked her to come watch a DE so she could at least appreciate my hobbie. Be careful what you ask for.

This Sunday is her birthday. I asked her what she wanted to do, so she suggested loading up the kids in the Porsche and spending the day watching the ALMS race out at Road Atlanta.

You will never know how cool your wife is unless you ask. Go do the DE. Rent a trailer and tow the P-car if you are worried about her getting around. Better yet, find a friend that is taking his wife and let them go shopping while you guys play.

Brian P

If you are going to strand her at the track, I'll offer a few suggestions:

1) Make an extended trip out of it, and use the days before or the days after to go wine tasting. Be warned though that there is a very good reason that you don't see Seneca Lake wines on the top shelf at your local liquor store.

2) Find her a set of wheels to use during the event. Other people will bring their wives. Try to hook them up so that they can all go wine tasting or touring on Seneca Lake. Believe me, she will NOT like the track if she's just sitting around watching you go in circles.

3) Sign her up for the event. It's a great way to spend the day (as you well know).

4) If she has no interest in driving, see if she can be signed up as a passenger.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that if you want to bring her to an event (especially on her birthday), the onus is on you for finding ways to fill up her time. And, as far as I know, there is no public transportation near Watkins Glen and the nearest winery is several miles from the track.

Hope that helps...

Ryan V

My wife is becoming a track fiend! This weekend will be our 3rd DE event at Texas World Speedway (since December). We even worked as corner workers at a club race recently. We argued over who would drive the first event. We were both trying to be considerate to let the other drive first. Well, she signed me up for the first event. She was miserable! She told me it was like going to watch someone play golf...from the clubhouse. Every few holes that person woulf come in to tell you how they are doing.

After that weekend, she told me I needed to get my own car because I would not be driving her Boxster at the track again. I then bought a 944S. She drove at the second event and I watched. I have to admit, she was very fast her first weekend out. She came out of turn 15 and zinged her base Boxster past a turbo 996 on the front straight. This is a high point for her of the whole event. This weekend will be our first event to both drive together. We are both still in Green, and she has been trash talking me around the house (all in jest...I think). We are falling down this path of becoming "Track Junkies" very quickly. Two cars...two sets of wheels (for each)...etc.etc...

My family is now starting to question our sanity. Life is GREAT!

If you could get your wife behind the wheel for a DE, it might all fall into place for her (and you).

Good Luck!

sjanes

I agree with Brian on the mini-vacation thing. The last time that my my wife came to The Glen with me, we took a extra few days before and after the event to check out the area. The Gorge in the town is a nice afternoon hike/walk, and we wandered some of the local shops. While I was on track, she hung out with some of the other wives that went down in our group. After the weekend, we took the 911 and toured the finger lakes region and wineries for a few days, staying in B&B's and checking out the local restaurants.

You'll have to get your wife some wheels while you're at the track though. I don't think spending her birthday sitting alone on the stands watching you drive by every few minutes is going to cut it, at least it wouldn't for my wife. There's not much within a short walk of the track.

Now that we have a little one, my wife only goes with me to Mt. Tremblant. Between the pools, shops, spa, etc, there's a lot to do there.

tsjoel

The voice of reason on a porsche board that has got to be a first. I needed to hear that this might not be the best idea. I am lucky that my wife is easy going because I most likely would be divorced and scratching my head saying "you mean leaving you alone on your birthday while I drive my car in circles is why you are pissed?". Now if I can find a friend for her to go along I might be able to pull this off. I guess I should start trolling for another DE. Anyone Know of any de's at Mid Ohio in the near future? Our local region got bumped this year.

Brian P

NNJR has a DE on Mother's Day weekend. I somehow convinced not only my wife (mother of 3) that it was a great way to spend Mother's Day, I also convinced my own mother of the same thing. Mom is going to do a 6 hour trip (each way) to watch me drive in circles.

Z-man

NNJR will be at Mid-Ohio on May 6-8. There are still spots open for that event. It is on mother's day, so that may open a whole NEW can of worms with your wife. (Why do you think I'm not going!??!) Send an email to Arlene at trackchair@nnjr-pca.com. I believe there is still room in the lower run groups.

-Z-man.

tntporsche

NNJR will be at Mid-Ohio on May 6-8 (Mother's Day Weekend). We have room in the event and would enjoy having you join us.

If your wife has no interest in driving, I think the only track where she will have fun without transportation is Tremblant. There is plenty for the non-driver to do there.

You could try to rent a car at Watkins Glen. There are some nice places to visit at the Glen . . . wineries . . . the town of Ithaca is fun . . . college town with lots of nice shops and restaurants . . . a visit to Corning is also worth the trip . . . The Corning glass museum is a pleasant afternoon. I know of several people who have attended glass blowing classes at the museum and have really enjoyed them.

You might also contact the organizer of the event . . . sometimes there are groups of non-drivers who are regulars at events and often they go shopping or the wineries or whatever. Perhaps the organizer can put you in touch with someone else who is attending with their wife.

Geo

I don't DE generally, but I race (if I'm going to spend the money it will be on racing). My wife has no interest in participating. But, when we get there, nobody cares about me. They all want to know where my wife is because she usually bakes cookies. She does come to almost all my races.

Watkins Glen is a beautiful place, but you don't want to be stuck at the track w/o wheels if cars is not your thing. Sadly it's almost certainly too far from anywhere to rent a car for the weekend so she can get around. If you went by way of Rochester you could rent a car there, but I can't imagine where in the southern tier you could rent a car. Corning perhaps but I would imagine most people flying in to visit the Corning Glass Works would fly into Rochester or Syracuse and rent a car there.

Good luck. Pamper her on her birthday weekend. You want to be able to go to the track again, right? And if you can do it subtly enough you might be able to play something of a martyr and win major brownie points.