Best driving experience of 2022
 

Happy new year!

I spent quite a few fun track days in 2022, but I thought I would share my favorite driving experience:

Gokarting through the streets of Tokyo at night in costume (e.g. real life Mario Kart)!

I travel to Tokyo frequently for business, and on a trip in January of 2020 I saw people doing this and thought: hey, that looks fun; I should really try that someday...

Cue Covid-19 and I finally make it back to Tokyo in August of 2022. I look up the MariKart company website and try to make a reservation, only to find an international driving permit is required and they must be obtained before entering the country... no dice.

I got back from that trip, got my international driving permit, and returned to Tokyo in December with driving permit in hand! I go to the web site, fill out the forms and make a reservation. They send an automated reply that they will get back to you within 24 hours... 36 hours later no contact; I try calling and no answer. I begin searching the internet, but all hits point to their website. I finally Google "is Marikart still in business" only to find that the combination of a 50 million yen lawsuit for copyright infringement by Nintendo and a 99.9% drop in tourism from Covid has put them out of business. Oh no!

Further searches for any go-karting in Tokyo finally lead me to MonkeyKart. They had one open reservation at 7PM on a night I did not have business meetings, so I took it. I am in the office that day, and looking at the clock as the meeting I am in is running long and finally finishes at 5:30. I run from the offices to the trains and get back to my hotel to change out of business clothes and drop off my computer...

MonkeyKart wants you to arrive 10 minutes early for paperwork and getting into costume; I leave my hotel at 6:09 and Google maps says it will take 41 minutes to get there and although I am very familiar with the first train I have to take, I needed to switch in Shinjuku (which is a huge station) and transfer to a train line I have never ridden before on a train line I am unfamiliar with. I had only 2 minutes to transfer - I ran through the station and found the train on my second attempt, literally getting on as the doors closed. I made it to MonkeyKart exactly on time.

They didn't have my first choice (Godzilla!), and the dinosaur costume was too small, so I settled for what was left and would fit - a giant hello kitty costume. In for a penny, in for a pound - I just wanted to drive. The MonkeyKart people apparently think that not using Nintendo characters will help them avoid the copyright issue MariKart faced; I am not so sure this will last... however gokarting through Tokyo at night with a little 50cc (in order to qualify as a Kei car) gokart is a great experience!

Anyone else have a great driving experience of 2022 to share?

Getting my car back on the road for daily driving after 2+ years of it sitting in the garage.

BTW, I see the Go Pro on your head. We need to see the video of your Karting experience. :)

Hi Bob! Great to hear your car is back on the street - and thanks again for the wheels!

Indeed I have 90 minutes of karting video, including Shibuya crossing (the busiest crosswalk in Tokyo - featured in lots of films) - but I don't know when I'll have the time to edit it down into something manageable...

Autocross.

Our seasonal club end of the year cruise was my favorite. Ended up being a smaller group around 10 cars which was perfect as we pushed it til early October.

2hr 40 min driving route on some nice back roads.
https://i.imgur.com/QIDWEw7.jpg


https://youtu.be/3HVE4j9-onY

I drove my FRS up to Walmart and back and didn't back into anything.

Rode in the passenger seat to and from MI to VA this year.

Walgreens is the real test

My first hill climb proved to be everything I have hoped for and more.



https://sandlotmotorsports.com/blog/...-to-be-a-racer


https://youtu.be/HBckkSz8TJg

Didn't have any car of my own there, but headed down to Romania to visit a friend of a forum(a different forum :)). Absolutely amazing place, we spent 2 nights in the mountain with a car gang just driving and hanging out. Its supposedly one of the best driving roads in the world, and i can agree. So very long, windy, epic views, great road surface and little traffic.

https://rejsa.nu/im/user/1552/2022-1...0924132938.jpg
https://rejsa.nu/im/user/1552/2022-1...ea7b0dedde.jpg
https://rejsa.nu/im/user/1552/2022-1...0_img_0431.jpg
https://rejsa.nu/im/user/1552/2022-1...0_img_1727.jpg
https://rejsa.nu/im/user/1552/2022-1...0_img_4737.jpg
https://rejsa.nu/im/user/1552/2022-1...0923171627.jpg
https://rejsa.nu/im/user/1552/2022-1...0924131426.jpg

Ultimate weekend. 2 days at Laguna Seca then driving home down Hwy 1 through Big Sur and that amazing Central Calif coast. Everyone should do that drive at least once in their life.