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Pls forgive my desperate plea I know how much work it takes to organize one of these drives <3
Sorry man. It is extremely unlikely I am going to organize another large group drive before June. I don't think I'm going to have time and it would mean getting 2-3 other drivers who can lead groups too who are willing to commit their time in advance too. There is a lot that goes into safely coordinating a drive that size. A lot. I know you know, but it really is a LOT, you know?
I've said this before: anyone who really wants to can organize a drive. If you are really desperate for a group drive, then organize one.
One of the best write-ups I have ever seen is in the following link. I've previously asked regional COs if we could sticky it at the top of the forum but I got no response to my request. So I try to post it up now and then for folks in case it helps people.
If we have a drive, can we make it a bit later in the morning? Like 10 am?
Not for a big group during the summer, no. Leastwise *I* wouldn't. That doesn't mean it can't be done, but there are a lot of reasons against. Later start means more cars on the roads we like to drive on. More car means more danger, more Priuses, more distractions. PCH becomes a parking lot by 3pm and it's the only route to the 10 freeway. Ugh. It's also painfully HOT once you drive more than 5 minutes from the beach. We're talking temps in the upper 90s and into triple digit territory. Even sitting outside at lunch is uncomfortable then. Lunch...parking at lunch becomes completely impossible because everyone comes to the beach. Someone else commented the temps at Saddlepeak Road (sometimes referred to as the top of Stunt) were insane. In the summer, later in the day, it becomes unbearable. Later start also means a later finish. For some, that would make attending impossible. We have people who drive in from great distances and as far as from San Jose to attend (no lie... Gary K does this for nearly every EOQ, and he would come more often, I think, if we had it more often). Plus, the bigger the group, the earlier we have to start because it takes longer to corral everyone, roll out, wait for stragglers or people who got stuck at a light or delayed by a bunch of traffic in the way, have lunch, or just plain get in their cars and put it in gear. Plus you have to build in a little time for when stuff goes wrong (traffic tickets, fender-benders, puking passengers, mechanical issues, unexpected bicycle competitions taking up the roads) or when things go right (Leno at the Snake, a car club of exotics or very cool vintage cars shows up, The Smoking Tire guy has some car that some crazy person has been willing to loan him for a review/test-drive/merciless-flogging). So there is all that.
Now in the winter time, we *have* to start later because the roads are damp if you go too early. Piuma, in particular, will have patches that stay in shade all day and never completely dry. So we go later. But fewer people go to the beach in winter so we don't have traffic issues as much and the lunch parking problems aren't as severe.
But even with all that stated, if anyone wants to organize a drive that starts at 10am, go to it! If you keep it to less than a dozen cars total, leave on time, don't stop at the Snake, keep lunch short, and consider an abbreviated route, it can totally be done.
it was a fun drive! Thanks RMurphy for the short canyon run. My gf loves your driving.
I confess, I did kind of decide to stretch the legs a bit in that one section. It was fun! And I could hear you guys laughing back there when I did my little happy dance.
04-15-2015, 01:20 PM
