Last Sunday of the month Santa Monica Mtns run 2012.
05-27-2012, 07:37 PM
#152
I had a great time. Thanks for organizing this event and keeping the monthly event going R. I was a little more cautious than I might have been, as I did not want to repeat a spin out. Thanks for waiting for me at the stops. This is definitely a highlight of my year. I appreciate your hospitality.
05-28-2012, 10:23 AM
#153
Thread Starter
Great pics! Thanks for posting them!
Drive was good. Weather was absolutely perfect. Couldn't have asked for nicer.
The blue 914 and red Porsche were not with us (for those wondering while checking out the pics). They just happened to be parked up at the top of the Snake when Group 1 arrived so I pulled us up around in front of them and then Group 2 pulled in behind them. We had 14 cars total (I have a little video which maybe I'll post later) so we tried the splitting into two groups thing for the before lunch part of the drive. We had moderate success with it and I think I'll keep doing that whenever we have more than 10 cars. I may have to reiterate that it's important to *stay* with the group and not deviate without letting others know what or why you are doing it. Gets a little confusing for anyone following who doesn't know the area. At very least, if you choose to stop and turn around (or deviate from the discussed route) for a reason other than mechanical, give the others behind you a wave-by so they know to continue on and NOT to follow you.
Was great to arrive and find an NSX in the group at Vons. Very cool. The drive up toward the Snake was uneventful and nice. Just a little debris on Stunt mostly toward the edge of the road. Some of the bicyclists were having to use a little more space because of that though. Their little tires don't like big rocks and when they get up a good head of steam on a downhill, they need to avoid obstacles which can send them arse-over-tea-kettle. I don't blame them, but it makes safely getting around them more challenging.
Anyway, the Snake was quiet since we were there earlier. That has pluses and minuses. We could park in our usual spot and there was significantly less traffic, but it meant not as many cool cars and no Jay. :-D
The drive down Latigo became interesting. About 2 miles into it we got a rather emphatic warning from an oncoming motorcycle to slow it down. So we interpreted that as likely LE activity or something coming up so we backed out of it. Sure 'nuf, we came up on a cluster of motorcycles and a CHP car stopped. We waited while they cleaned up the last of what we *think* may have been a motorcycle down (but not a bad one since we couldn't see any debris and there was no medical on scene). Then we got what amounted to a police escort following the cop the rest of the way down to PCH. Best part of it is he wasn't just coasting either. He was after it with some purpose (no lights, just driving it like he meant it). That was kind of cool because it's interesting to watch a vehicle that size haul it down a canyon road like that, never cross the double yellows and never look out of control, yet definitely not just out for a Sunday stroll either. His lines were pretty nice. And of course, as fate would have it, I had my video camera turned off. *sigh* Murphy's Law, naturally.
But the above incident on Latigo was source for confusion for some in Group 2. Concerned about possibly getting a ticket, a few cars decided to turn around. Now, there was no danger of getting a ticket, but they didn't know this (all they knew is we mentioned "cop" on the radios) so they turned around. This was a problem for the Group 2 leader (Alan) since he didn't know why all of a sudden a group of cars following him just disappeared. Eventually we all got back together (I went back to hunt people down after it was longer than 10 minutes down at the bottom of Latigo) and had lunch.
The after lunch group was down to seven cars so we consolidated and had a some more fun for the more hardcore portion of the run. :-D Nice time was had by all.
Mark from AZ didn't have any afternoon plans for his holiday weekend so he joined me down in Hermosa Beach at Fiesta Hermosa where we checked out the beer garden and watched my friend Mara and her band on one of the stages there at the festival. Nice way to end out a day, but I was completely exhausted by the time I got back home at 7:30. So glad I have today to kick back with a cup of coffee, fuzzy slippers, and a chance to recuperate after travelling all day Saturday and driving around all day Sunday. :-D
Drive was good. Weather was absolutely perfect. Couldn't have asked for nicer.
The blue 914 and red Porsche were not with us (for those wondering while checking out the pics). They just happened to be parked up at the top of the Snake when Group 1 arrived so I pulled us up around in front of them and then Group 2 pulled in behind them. We had 14 cars total (I have a little video which maybe I'll post later) so we tried the splitting into two groups thing for the before lunch part of the drive. We had moderate success with it and I think I'll keep doing that whenever we have more than 10 cars. I may have to reiterate that it's important to *stay* with the group and not deviate without letting others know what or why you are doing it. Gets a little confusing for anyone following who doesn't know the area. At very least, if you choose to stop and turn around (or deviate from the discussed route) for a reason other than mechanical, give the others behind you a wave-by so they know to continue on and NOT to follow you.
Was great to arrive and find an NSX in the group at Vons. Very cool. The drive up toward the Snake was uneventful and nice. Just a little debris on Stunt mostly toward the edge of the road. Some of the bicyclists were having to use a little more space because of that though. Their little tires don't like big rocks and when they get up a good head of steam on a downhill, they need to avoid obstacles which can send them arse-over-tea-kettle. I don't blame them, but it makes safely getting around them more challenging.
Anyway, the Snake was quiet since we were there earlier. That has pluses and minuses. We could park in our usual spot and there was significantly less traffic, but it meant not as many cool cars and no Jay. :-D
The drive down Latigo became interesting. About 2 miles into it we got a rather emphatic warning from an oncoming motorcycle to slow it down. So we interpreted that as likely LE activity or something coming up so we backed out of it. Sure 'nuf, we came up on a cluster of motorcycles and a CHP car stopped. We waited while they cleaned up the last of what we *think* may have been a motorcycle down (but not a bad one since we couldn't see any debris and there was no medical on scene). Then we got what amounted to a police escort following the cop the rest of the way down to PCH. Best part of it is he wasn't just coasting either. He was after it with some purpose (no lights, just driving it like he meant it). That was kind of cool because it's interesting to watch a vehicle that size haul it down a canyon road like that, never cross the double yellows and never look out of control, yet definitely not just out for a Sunday stroll either. His lines were pretty nice. And of course, as fate would have it, I had my video camera turned off. *sigh* Murphy's Law, naturally.
But the above incident on Latigo was source for confusion for some in Group 2. Concerned about possibly getting a ticket, a few cars decided to turn around. Now, there was no danger of getting a ticket, but they didn't know this (all they knew is we mentioned "cop" on the radios) so they turned around. This was a problem for the Group 2 leader (Alan) since he didn't know why all of a sudden a group of cars following him just disappeared. Eventually we all got back together (I went back to hunt people down after it was longer than 10 minutes down at the bottom of Latigo) and had lunch.
The after lunch group was down to seven cars so we consolidated and had a some more fun for the more hardcore portion of the run. :-D Nice time was had by all.
Mark from AZ didn't have any afternoon plans for his holiday weekend so he joined me down in Hermosa Beach at Fiesta Hermosa where we checked out the beer garden and watched my friend Mara and her band on one of the stages there at the festival. Nice way to end out a day, but I was completely exhausted by the time I got back home at 7:30. So glad I have today to kick back with a cup of coffee, fuzzy slippers, and a chance to recuperate after travelling all day Saturday and driving around all day Sunday. :-D
05-30-2012, 06:56 AM
#157
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Found some more pics online
http://www.flickr.com/photos/victory...57629937766348
http://www.flickr.com/photos/capfacs...57629963261718
http://www.flickr.com/photos/victory...57629937766348
http://www.flickr.com/photos/capfacs...57629963261718