Obsessed

Macca I'd love to know what a typical day's schedule is for you in the land of the long siesta?

John McM

Thanks guys. We have four practice rounds tomorrow then 2 half hour races on Sunday so plenty of seat time on a track that suits the cars (short track).

Can't speak for Walter but my goal is to build race craft. No diving into corners or high risk driving.

John McM

Haven't seen a track tyre selection list like this before http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre-Ty...etition-Tyres/

Albeit data points are a bit suspect.

Ponto

Hi John, We have a 993 Targa tip, when I say we its actually the wife's car, I get custody on the weekends (I hope, haha)!!
I've spent the last couple of years getting my kicks on the track, so the deal was to have a less full race schedule this year and the wife got the Pcar first that way it wouldn't end up on the track to often (hence the Targa Tip) and we could just enjoy driving the local roads again and have some fun. I'll still do the SI Endurance again this year but with a reduced schedule and hope to secure myself something for the road for next summer, we'll see what turns up through Winter / Spring.
You guys seem to have a good crowd that enjoy a catch up and a decent drive so thought a good place to see if anyone was in our neck of the woods.
Cheers

Ponto

Hi, Thanks for the contact, much appreciated. I'll drop him a PM and see if we can catch up one weekend.

John McM

We've been down your way but Spokes is a resident. He has a 993 as well. Hope you get some good drives in before Winter.

Ponto

Cool, I'll get in touch and plenty of driving still left before Winter

Spokes

Hey Ponto, lets hook up, it will be good company to have another 993 in central Otago. I get jealous of all the meets, drives & coffee rides in Auckland.

S

peterC2S

There will also be the guys heading down there on the Playday South Island track tour - must be close? Be worth finding out what day they are at Highlands and popping in to say gidday.

What do you run in the endurance? Ours starts in a couple of months and seems to have gained a lot of momentum since last year. Reckon there will be some pretty big fields for the 3/6 hour.

peterC2S

^^^ was meant for Ponto - replied to wrong post!

Macca

Ponto. Welcome. Its always good to have another 993 owner on board. This must be the most popular model of aircooled 911 on this board by now I should say!

Steve (Spokes) has a wonderful example tipo coupe so Im sure you will catch up down there. Watch out for him as hes recently caught the "mod bug" and its contagious!

We will be taking another RSG group down for the SITT in March 2016. Already 10 signed up quick time and only a few more laces to fill. We will certainly look you up here. Most RSG members are on this board.

Do you know my mate Mike Robb (black Mustang race car). He does the Enduro. He was up staying with us in the Islands last year with Catherine and some friends...

Macca

Mike. Nice of you to ask!

The first couple of weeks were busy sight seeing. We had 48hrs in LA (always good for a quick stock up at Costco etc) then on to Oaxaca City in the highlands. Lost of interesting history here both ancient and Spanish so many sites to visit and things to do. the old town is preserved and very pretty with lots of great cafes and restaurants. Alot of history here as this was Cortez domain and he had control of this state. We stayed 10 days.

The last month has been on the coast at Puerto Escondido. This is fishing village with a 16 km stretch of sand with some of the best surfing in Mexico. Very pretty town that grew from 700 people 80 years ago to 50,000 today! Weather in Mexico is awesome. Its our second time to Mexico and its never rained. Blue skies every day, around 28-30 and very very low humidity, no clouds or wind.

At the beach I must confess we havent done alot. We've rented a car and explored the cost south for a few 100 km. There are some great beaches and smaller beach settlements down there - full of yoga babes and surfies. Very hip. Weve spent a bit of tie on the beach or buy the pool. Rented a board, been on a few cultural tours, shopped for food at the markets, chartered a small boat and been fishing, seen the turtles and the whales etc. The food is great, lots of fresh red snapper here caught daily. Food and alchohol even at the bets restaurants at least 1/2 price of NZ and of course you can eat even half the price of that. Accommodation ranges from $50USD a night to 150USD a night. $100 buys us a nice spacious and light 90m2 open plan pad about 150m from the beach. Alcohol is plentiful and cheaper than back home. Days have been spent reading, swimming, RLing, keeping an eye on the markets online, and 3 times a week yoga. Starting to become brown and fat so will have to devise an exercise routine soon. I think we have finally wound down. Will do a microlight flight tomorrow at sunset (sunsets here are amazing) and then we will have been here a month so packing up and heading North next week. First stop (3 days) Acupocco 400km north of us. Remember the Love Boat? Nah you were probably too long. It was crap anyway but Ive been intrigues to see the place since even if it is a tourist fest. This place is famous for its cliff divers (and lap dancers). Im not sure Ill be allowed to sample the latter! After that commercial overdose we will head another 400km north to a small own on the water apparently very nice, we have a small place rented there for a month. More sight seeing, beach hopping, tripping around. After that its back in the travel part of the journey with 10 days in the Silver Cities (a few hundred km form Mexico City) before heading to Las Vegas for 9 days (Grand Canyon, firing range, a show, Casinos - all the usual tourist stuff - weve never been!), then into Malibu for 3-4 days before heading back to NZ. So 5 weeks already NZ Xmas, 3 months on this trip, 4 weeks NZ April/May (targa and tracks) and back to The Rock in late May!

Its not a bad life. I think we are learning more and more about how to do this travel thing better and what suits our personalities. This trip too much time in one place perhaps. We have adjusted that for 2016 travel already. Its funny but Jo and I have travelled around 40 countries and in the last 7 years have travelled quite a lot but we are still constantly refining our systems. Technology has made things so much easier. Currency and payment are still the biggest challenges outside of Europe. Every trip we take less and come back with more LOL!

Macca

John. Not enough users feedback to provide anything meaningful here I feel. Also so key models missing. Tirerack has similar ratings facility but millions of miles for each tyre and many 100s feedback sometimes 1000s and you can categorize by model of car owned by person giving feedback so infinitely more useful for a Rear engined 911 owner...

O2GO

Macca thanks for the debrief on your travels. You really have life sorted and I'm sure a few of us are jealous :-)

Get that exercise sorted mate. Running in 28-30 should do it? Weight is possibly the biggest challenge with long term travelling aye.

You got good internet? Also a common travel challenge.

Boys post plenty about driving your pcars and at least rub that in!!! Can't have Macca having all the fun.

Macca

Thanks Douggie.

Yes weight/fitness is my biggest headache/challenge. I like my food and my genetics mean my weight goes up and down like a yoyo. I havent nailed it on this trip yet I admit. I brought the running shoes but the roads are not paved much here and a mare to run on without injury.

Internet as you say is the second biggest challenge. Its not that great down here truth be told, infact its damn poor! but Im hoping it will get better as we head north.

It might sound better than it really is. Im enjoying it tho. I dont think it will last forever but we needed a few years out and I guess it kinda started in Nov 2013 building up now and for the next 18 months I hope alot of travel and things to see and do. After that will have to find some work/ a living again - no idea what to do closed everything else down so starting from scratch. pretty scary/exciting stuff - but that is latter - for now is relaxing and soaking up life - just in case Ive. been given a short one want to get as much as I can squeeze out of it NOW! If i have got this totally wrong and blow all the money now and end up living to 95 as a poor pensioner, at least Ill be making good use of your tax money aye ;-P