South Bay after the storms

Nice surf at a decent size south bay after the big december storms.

 

Arash AF10

Got some picture of Arash Farboud's latest adventure at the motorshow.

Looks a bit lego from some angles but  850 horsepower @ 8000Rpm 530 lb.-ft. of torque @ 8000Rpm and £320k

 

Top Gear Live in the RS200

Sitting in the Manchester museum with the kids when my dad calls, “hi do you want to come down to the NEC and help out with Nigel and his RS200 tomorrow?”….. “he is doing something with Top Gear live”

Fast forward 24hr hours and I find out what helping out is…it is turning off the Anti-Lag once we are launched and into the run. I also help out with filling the thing with fuel and trying not to be too smug about hanging out with Sabine and the stig in the paddock. But disclaimers have been signed about that bit so on to the RS200, I can talk about that right?

Waiting to do our lap it sounds like an absolute bag of nails, Nigel has to keep it going with the throttle, things I don’t understand are toggled on and off, and I occasionally have to push a button he cannot reach. Open face helmets and the intercom is on – this is the real group b deal. Nigel is an old friend of my Dad by the way, he has three RS200s and has been invited because he is one of the few prepared to use his.

Then we are at the start line, a flag is draped on the bonnet, and some guy is giving us the count down. “3,2,1, GO” ….and I experience the full Group B delivery for the first time. I have driven his other one but it doesn’t go like this. 600bhp. Wooooaahh – we are rocket launched into the 1pm Top Gear Live show and straight into the lap. Quite surreal really, being fired into an amphitheatre of so many people in something that is so biblically fast. And the track has very little grip and the car is sliding everywhere, but the way it generates pull down the track is staggering, just completely magic.

The prolonged drift under power around the long bottom corner is mental then I think he has overcooked a right hander – the Elise would have been too far rotated there – but we power out and line up for the drift onto the final straight. I am now mind-driving and Nigel’s is clearly in sync, as the power goes on hard and we hammer through the final corner exactly how I thought and hoped it would be done i.e. sideways and at insane velocity.

Lap over and our time is ruined by a hairpin the car doesn’t have the steering lock or handbrake to get round but it doesn’t matter, group b is as magic and mental as you dream it would be, it’s a hero you can meet and as absurd as it sounds the RS (you can call it Sir) didn’t look that undrivable. You could never get bored riding a RS200. Never. And we hardly got out of first gear, imagine driving it through the woods at night at full speed… the ultimate.

Sebine from the ring taxi.

The Dalveen and Mennock Passes.

Coming home from Glasgow had a quick run over the Mennock and Dalveen passes. Dalveen one of the best three or four roads in the country.

The Leon in all its glory.

Road   A702 Dalveen Pass   

Start:               Elvanfoot      

Finish:            Carronbridge           

Road Width:   Wide  

Distance:         18 Miles         

Road Info:     

This road, that forms the Dalveen Pass, is simply one of the best roads in the country. The run out of Elvanfoot consists of endless wide sweeping corners, full of camber, visibility and a decent enough surface. Crossing the summit, the road then changes scenery, clinging to the side of Well Hill as it descends into the valley. Despite the lack of hairpins, the decent is almost alpine, and is certainly nice and quick. The Dalveen pass is an absolutely awesome road, and in my eyes, the best in the region.

Road   B797 The Mennock Pass     

Start:               Mennock       

Finish:            Abington       

Road Width:   Medium (centre lines)          

Distance:         15 Miles         

Road Info:     

One of three chances to cross the Lowther Hills, (the others being The Dalveen Pass and the B740) the Mennock Pass is a great road. The climb between Stood Hill and Thirstaine Hill follows a great valley with a real feeling of wilderness. Beyond the summit the road is never straight, following a small stream and cutting through the rugged rocky scenery. The surface is mostly good; however there are a couple of dodgy sections with broken surfaces.

4Stars

nice day on the east coast

fantastic longboarding session at first light on thursday, shoulder to head, punchy long long long rides on the reef, then down for a fun but short surf at North Bay. Some good lumps coming through but closing out a lot. First surf since the baby was born in Aug.

Some pictures taken from one of yorkshire's glamour waves

another day on the backroads

Settle - Hawes - Egglestone - Stanhope - Hexham - Kielder - Bonchester Bridge - Aberlady

Featured Road :

Unmarked Road      

Start:               Kielder Visitors Centre        

Finish:            Saughtree      

Distance:         9 Miles           

Road Width:   Varying         

Road Notes:   

This is a road I have known about for many years and keep returning to. Busy in the high season, the run alongside the reservoir has long sweeping bends before things tighten up after Kielder Village. There is even a Kielder style wooded rally section before a narrow, but totally open section running alongside a stream. Attacked with second and third gears, it’s a mini rollercoaster of a road. Remember to keep a lookout for logging trucks, which frequent these roads.

4 Stars 

porsche evolution day, silverstone

So I did the Porsche Evolution Course at Silverston Yesterday with a couple of other elise owners.

First the amusing bit, two of the three Elises broke down getting either there or back, they had clearly taken the hump. For reference mine did about 90 miles on battery alone before I was stranded on the M40.

Anyway, we arrive at the smart centre on the outfield and are ushered upstairs to a very very Porsche dining area where we meet our instructors and get a free Cappuccino and breakfast delicacy.

So the story is we drive an old Whale Tail porka, a 993c2 and a 9972C2, which turns out to be a GTS – back to back 30 minutes in each car.

993 C2

So car number 1 for me is the 993 – radio switch falls off when I close the door! Strangely enough my instructor announces he doesn’t like the old cars…slightly off putting I love 993s and if I had any money I would like one. Anyway out onto the circuit and it’s a good old thing to punt around in, but if I am honest it is more about learning the circuit than feeling the car at this point. The handling circuit is basically a good Scottish twisty right down to the lack of run off.  It’s fast and neat rather than fast and leary like you might be on track.
Then we take the 993 on the ice hill and low friction course. Ice Hill, you have to slalom downhill through two fountains at low speed in second. I have a couple of spins and a couple nice slides and catches – fun. Then the low friction course, its tight 1st gear corners that you pop the back end out of on exit.  and you do have to boot them, there is a fair bit of friction, I find it a bit micky mouse, would rather have a faster corner in 2nd  than slow 1st.
Anyway time over in the 993 and I am a bit undecided on it, the RS I have driven feels so much better, maybe understandably so, but it didn’t feel like I had long in it, given that I was spending time thinking about the layout and having the features and track explained to me..
Anyway next up the 997 GTS

Handling circuit.. This thing really goes.. not dull, not boring etc etc, it’s a flyer and it really handles. It is wickedly entertaining on the handling circuit and would be absolutely sublime on a good country road. Then onto the kicker..a device that you drive over onto a low friction area. As you do so it kicks the back end sideways. After a couple of false starts I get the hang and am soon drifting the GTS on the power for the length of the area – this is huge huge fun. The default speed for the kicker is 5 and as we have it to ourselves my instructor gets out and cranks it to 8. His best is 32mph over the kicker on level 8 – I spin, then again, then again. I just cannot get the lock on fast enough. Fun though.
In summary this car is absolutely brilliant.

Last car, the old whale tail 911

What a dog of a car, the gearbox is totally fucked, Almost impossible to get into 1st even when stationary – down changing on track is a no no, even tired some heel and toe. On track I just leave it in third. And the slow speed steering is painfully heavy, unbelievably heavy. It feels like there is something wrong with the car heavy.. Its fun on the low friction stuff though then onto the handling circuit for the last 15 minutes. This was maybe the best 15 minutes of the whole experience, the circuit was full of people in new GTSs and I was hunting them down in the shagged out old nail. Magic. It really was a lot of fun round the track, but then again my Elise steering felt magic heading for home.

sporting bears charity trackday, aintree

Note that are all photos are by Paul Griffiths whose website can be found below

http://www.paul-griffiths.net/

Great trackday for Sporting Bears giving rights to families who have children in various hospices in the north west.

Thanks from the parents & families

I was invited by Claire house children’s hospice, which is a very special place my family loved to visit with my son Harvey. Sadly we lost Harvey last year age 4 but our whole family are continually offered support by Claire House. This event was especially important to my 9 year old son Charlie as he misses visiting Claire House and meeting his friends.

I did not know quite what to expect of the day and to be very honest the first hour was very emotional for me as I know Harvey would have loved to travel in a racing car! I have never in all my years of attending Claire House events seen so many happy, excited, smiling children’s faces. It is difficult to find an event that the whole family can enjoy together but you succeeded, I could see whole families with healthy children and children with health problems all smiling and enjoying the thrill of being a passenger in a fast car. The look of joy on one of the boy’s faces as he was lifted out of his chair and sat in a very fast yellow car will stay with me for a long time, I am sure the boy and his family will also treasure the memory.

My Son said it was one of the best experiences of his life and even wrote about it for last night’s homework when he had to describe the best day of his school holidays. I will attach his short piece but pardon any inaccuracies he is only 9!

++++++++++++++++++++++++I just got off the phone from an Andrew Lomas (Emily’s Dad). He just wanted to say a huge thank you for yesterday. Andrew was genuinely moved by the gesture and could honestly say, quote, “it was the best day they have had in their lives”. Due to Emily’s condition the family are not often able to a) afford or b) have the time to go out with the boys so for this to happen was a true gift for them as a family
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I just wanted to write to say a massive thank you from myself and my family for providing us with such a wonderful day.My daughter Holly has complex health needs so it is very rare for us as a family to be able to go out and enjoy an activity all together.
Myself and my husband were blown away by everyone's kindness today and the fact that they all give up there time and petrol and of course their amazing cars so that our children can enjoy a day out is just so lovely.

Today my daughter Holly got to ride in a Bentley and feel the sensation of driving at speeds of up to 100mph and that is something I never thought I would see and it's a memory I will treasure forever and without each and every one of you that would not of been possible.

My other two children Josh and Ruby have not stopped talking about it since we arrived home and Josh said it was one of the best days of his life,so from the bottom of my heart thank you for brightening up our lives today and all the other families from Claire House I don't think I have ever seen so many beaming faces.

playing with 911s

So the plan for yesterday was to hook up with my two best friends from Uni, Ash and Ben and take three of Ben’s Porches from their storage facility over to a show at Hedddingham castle in Essex. All three of us have run Elises and are (or were) seloc members. Not a bad plan, given that the cars are as follows – 1973 911 2.4S,  993RS and 964 RSR and pictured amongst this text..

The storage is outside London and having cashed in all my good behaviour tokens with my very pregnant wife I am on the road from Manchester to London at 5am, a schlep despatched in two and a half hours! If the baby arrives today I am deep in the shit.

On arrival the news is that Orange car wouldn’t start last night – gutted -  Ben was going to be in the RSR and ash and I were probably going to share the Orange car and 993 RS. I have driven both before and I was really looking forward to the 2.4s. For its age it is an amazing machine, tighter than any Elise I have driven that is for sure.

Anyway, here is the boyhood dream bit, we head to the storage unit…out of respect of the owners who have their cars there I am not going too say much or post a picture (well maybe a sneaky one below)…but opening the gates to the Porsche’s barn reveals my lotto win dream garage. A narrow barn with cars nose in on each side with a narrow path down the middle to run them in. 20 cars in all. All in humming Carcoons. First in on the left is a Jimmy Clark F1 Lotus!!! My jaw hits the floor – the name Paddy Hopkirk will give a clue on what sits opposite. And it goes on from there, essentially the modern classics we all dream of driving one day, lined up, sitting, waiting.

So anyway, we roll out the old car and its dead, gutted. Next out we shuffle out the RSR and fire her up – smoke, lots of smoke, we wait for it to clear its throat, but it is still spitting oil – oh this great plan is going tits, I am driving to the show in a bloody Leon at this rate! Five minutes later the RSR is shut down and rolled back inside. Hmmm, I enquire about Ben’s track slag… an 964 he has taken up to RS spec. But it is away having a cage fitted.

No worries says Ben, we will go

back to the house to fetch my new car and take that instead. So we go and get his...new GT3 RS....from the shed next to his rented house, it was parked indoors next to the owners DBS cab FFS!!!

Fast forward an hour and I am sat behind the wheel of the 993 RS hammering down the B1051 towards Thaxted being pursued by the GT3 RS. I have driven this car to a TD at Spa before so I know the car pretty well and am comfortable pushing on. This car is fuckin brilliant, proper class. As much fun as an Elise down a twisty, yep easily. Porches dull? Not this car, its epic. We stop so Ash can ride in the GT3 RS and I get to chase now. Holy shit the 3 takes off like a scolded cat through some fast sweepers…lets ‘ave it!! Best half hour of driving I have had this year.