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I love that you actually drive thr car it was meant to be driven. I love that you just DRIVE no destination no errands just driving to drive. I do it every weekend and so relaxing and no one can understand the feeling unless theyve done it.
Pushing the car to so how far it and you can go. Nothing beats it. Most people dont like turboe car because its a "surprise when the boost kick in" but those people just dont know their car well enough
Well, now! Doesn't that bring back some memories of my childhood. It looks like you drove through a couple of "small" towns that I used to live in. And I see the Winchester Mystery House on your map, which I thought was way cool when I visited as a kid.
Originally Posted by turboed350z
I love that you actually drive thr car it was meant to be driven. I love that you just DRIVE no destination no errands just driving to drive. I do it every weekend and so relaxing and no one can understand the feeling unless theyve done it.
Pushing the car to so how far it and you can go. Nothing beats it. Most people dont like turboe car because its a "surprise when the boost kick in" but those people just dont know their car well enough
Thanks all for the compliments! But y'know what? I write my journal not for compliments or self aggrandizement... Nope, it's just so that I can re-live the many great drives that I'm blessed with around me.
Used to have a blog covering all sorts of things.... technology, ecological issues, cars, family life, the rest of the nine yards but it got to the point where people were expecting more and more, day by day. Nyet.... so I just chose to shut it down and do it all for myself, whenever, not on any self imposed "deadline".
And yes, I do the "journal thing" and write about all of life's good and the bad around me, not just my car thing. Observations of life as it were. There's some sad stuff, there's some good stuff, but mostly, there's the memories. Gush gush, Mic gets all gushy... Grab your barf bag.
Dave, you lived in the area, eh? I live right on the border of San Jose/Campbell, CA, literally right behind the EBay HQ on Hamilton (convenient for the occasional projects I did for them). Just a quick scamper from Winchester Mystery and Santana Row (which could explain why I'm always there ranting about the poseurs.... )
T'bo, interesting observation about "just driving". I've been doing that since I could legally drive. Did it in my hot rods, my cruisers, and of course, in my Datsuns. All of the roads I travel now are the same ones I "practiced" on back in the day. But in all the time I was married/raising kids, it was these roads I missed MORE THAN ANYTHING else in my life.
So yeah, "just driving" relaxes. Clears my head for work stuff. Makes me comfortable doing what I love where I love to do it. Alternating between white knuckle adrenaline rushes in the twisties and/or settling down for at-the-speed-limit relaxed stretches of open road does me just right.
Fog, rain, rivlets, and other reasons I love "my" hills.
On my way into the office this morning... the "lonnng way".
Unretouched....
Gots us some serious fog (which turned into light rain along Skyline drive, the road running along the top of the Santa Cruz mountains).
Usual coffee stop above and below.
This ought to give some perspective.
As should this.
Christmas tree farm just above Palo Alto!! I love this juxtaposition of car and trees (man made versus natural contrast). Fun!
Same lookout I took shots of the silver car recently (Woodside Overlook). Difference: No View! "Gee, y'think?"
Again, this is unretouched. It was that foggy even in the 20 feet between me and the car.
Ewwwww..... that there is brake dust (I believe) leeching out from the inner barrels. Never saw this before but then, rarely drive the Z's in this kind of wet.
North side of the tree? Am I navigating by human GPS markers?? If so, I'd be lost. Don't believe the old saying about moss only growing on the North side of trees and rocks, it's a myth. Check it out here. And there's your biology lesson and myth debunking of the day. You're welcome.
And so it goes..... way to celebrate a birthday (from a few days back), shooting some new test shots with new cam. Thank you Wifey!!
Drivin' da car, even at legal, sane speeds..... great joy.
Cheers! And have a great Thanksgiving all!! (I'll leave the inane my350Z Thanksgiving comments to those who are thinking it. Laff.....)
Drivin' da car, even at legal, sane speeds..... great joy.
Cheers! And have a great DUGAN-DAY all!! (I'll leave the inane my350Z Thanksgiving comments to those who are thinking it. Laff.....)
Happy, happy birthday, Mic! Excellent shots as usual and love seeing those foggy Cali shots. I could do some seasonal shots here in Colorado, but even if I drove my Z in the snow (which I don't), the snow has been so heavy lately, you wouldn't be able to even see it.
Great pics of the PCH. Of course, it's on my ever growing list of roads I hope to drive. I recently got back from my trip to Arizona and had a great time. I hope to have a similar post ready in the next few weeks.
HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY AND
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO SERVED!!!!
I know I make jokes about "first world problems" and stuff like that but I am truly thankful to have the luxury of living in it and I know it's because of all of you Veterans who have done so much to make it so!!
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I am also fortunate to have delivered a work project AHEAD of time and the next one doesn't commence until after Thanksgiving so finding time for some fun. And you know what my definition of "fun" is, right?
Yep, off I went for a long run today! And not just up into the hills but did a full roundabout that included fast sections in the hills, some not-so-fast sections coming down (see below), a new road explored (and it was awesome!), a trip down to the beach (a stop in Santa Cruz for coffee refill), back up along the edge of the United States (Pacific Coast Highway) and back inland along the usually fast Hwy 84 (with a stop at Alice's to grab lunch... again).
So yeah, I joke about my first world status and this morning was a real example of how spoiled I am. As I'm about to walk out the door to the garage, I'm standing there UNABLE to make a decision WHICH CAR I'm going to take. Uhhhh, that's pretty pathetic.
Brought both sets of keys out to garage and then just went with my heart.... Love my Nismo but my '03 is, well, just "special". And now that it's wearing a new set of dancing shoes - I had to take it out for this run. (Then again, may take the Niz out tomorrow for "comparative reasons". Heh heh...)
Sitting in a turnout along the tiny highway 236 into Boulder Creek so I could drink some coffee and take some pics of the sun filtering through the trees. (Also catch my breath after covering most of Hwy 9 at, uhhhh, well, greater than pedestrian speeds.... Shhhhhh.... )
After miles and miles in the relative dark beneath the trees covering the roadway, I emerged into the light of a Santa Cruz morning!
And wound up here after pitting for fresh coffee.
The offshore structure known as "Natural Bridges", named for obvious reasons. I love this thing! It's just cool.
As I head back North along Hwy 1 - Pacific Coast Highway, I just alternated between cranking up the stereo and then shutting it down to let the car do the singing through the open windows.
Intoxicating.
This is the Pigeon Point Lighthouse (above), just on the tip of the jetty in Pescadero. It is still functional and also has a hostel located there. My kids' school's 5th grade "field trip" was several days at this place. It's really cool up close.
From Pigeon Point, I continued North and just as I reached the Hwy 84 junction/terminus and was turning right to begin the 20-some mile trek back inland and up into the hills where this highway meets 35 (and Alice's Cafe), I noted an ambulance rolling Southward towards me Code 3. "Hmmmmm, wonder if he's going to turn in behind me?"
Yup. So I did what any normal person would (with as much of a lead as I already had by the time he turned onto the road), I laid heavy on the loud pedal. He never did catch up but then after I ended up tucking in behind a pickup truck and a dump truck, I just cruised it and was ready to pull over if the ambulance got close.
Nope.... we came upon the reason he was headed this way. Cycle down. These roads are legendary for sport and touring bikes but can be pretty treacherous, especially in the morning when the sun can't dry the roads due to the shading of the trees.
From that point on, just exercised restraint and cruised at 40-45 limit and usually less due to the dump truck. But lots of other police on the road anyways.
Anyhow, this pic about sums up the morning. Calm but powerful ocean waves, beauty as far as the eye can see, and a chance to dance with my car in the only manner fitting.... Tight, fast, in control.
I love my Zs.
Cheers,
Mic
Map of today's run (which I do for my own records/journal... and the journal entry of which you just read, above. )
Usual disclaimer and warning: PLEASE exercise caution when driving on roads you don't know. These particular roads (above) are meant to be shared with cyclists so always leave yourself enough room for safety maneuvers and never exceed yours or your car's capabilities. How do you know your limits? Welllll, they teach you how to determine it and increase it in driver's school. Heh heh....
Thought you were going to be able to read a MicPost without a mention of driving school dintcha?
good god i love those wheels on these cars. very nice sir
Thanks for all the nice comments! Appreciate the appreciation.
Hope y'all survived "Black Friday".... and thank gawd that's over with. If I hear that expression again before Nov 25, 2016, I'm gonna pook. Sic....
Me and wife were at a really nice memorial service for a friend's mom yesterday so no shopping, thankfully. We're out in Central California in a agriculturally based town I've never been in before. Actually did see a trick Z here in Porterville. (Note Z content. Heh! )
I think that’s a great idea. I’d love seeing your car on a Minnesota scenic drive(s). As you mentioned before, there are some great drives in Minnesota (e.g., North Shore, Twin Cities drives, etc.).
Originally Posted by SmoothZ
It's funny how this thread is getting traction. I've always taken photos of my drives and thought about starting an appreciation thread on my Z.
I've got something big planned for the spring, so I'll have to remember to do this.
11-12-2015, 05:14 PM
Grab your barf bag. 
Don't believe the old saying about moss only growing on the North side of trees and rocks, it's a myth. Check it out here. And there's your biology lesson and myth debunking of the day. You're welcome. 
Wait for it!
These roads are legendary for sport and touring bikes but can be pretty treacherous, especially in the morning when the sun can't dry the roads due to the shading of the trees.
)
