NorCal (Bay Area) DRIVE Chat Thread

[nyrip]

Hey @PMok you know how long it will take you to get to mines? I'd love to drive but I don't get out of work until 7:30 AM. Maybe I can meet yall around the entrance to mines

[PMok]

Originally Posted by nyrip

Hey @PMok you know how long it will take you to get to mines? I'd love to drive but I don't get out of work until 7:30 AM. Maybe I can meet yall around the entrance to mines

It's hard to predict how fast or slow we will go from CV to Sunol, but let's say 30 min to get to the gas station, and then another 20 min to get to Mines. Factor in maybe 10 min we will hang out at the gas station or other delay, and that means we'd reach entrance to Mines in 1 hour, so say by 8:45AM we will be there. If you take the freeway seems like you'd be able to make it OK!
I will warn you though, there's a chance we may not make it to Neal's at exactly 10:30AM though. If it's important that you get there on time, maybe you want to skip the drive...

[07jazzrs5gt86]

So the drive for Saturday or Sunday
Just want to make sure

[Clipdat]

Both the early leg (Alameda to CV via Pinehurst & Redwood) and the secondary leg (CV to Sunol via Palomares and onto Mines Rd, back up to Concord) are happening tomorrow morning!

Originally Posted by 07jazzrs5gt86

So the drive for Saturday or Sunday
Just want to make sure

[TM]

I'll be down!

I've been here for 6 months and still haven't met any of you Norcal86 guys.

Worst, I haven't driven my car for the past 4-6 weeks. My battery is kind of shit right now and I'll probably need to jump it in the morning before coming to the meetup location.

6:30 at Starbucks
720 Atlantic Ave
Alameda, CA 94501?

[Aussie]

I'll meet you at:
Rudy's Donut House
3692 Castro Valley Blvd
Castro Valley, CA 94546
Saturday, 9/19/2015
Meet at 7:30AM.

[PMok]

Nice driving with you guys this AM! Thanks to all who came out.

Here is my pano pic from our stop at the Junction.

[PandaBRZ]

Some dashcam video of our trip up Mines Rd. I had my GoPro set up but the cheap eBay mic adapter didn't work, leaving me with tons of wind noise in the GoPro footage.

[Simpleviet]

September 19, 2015

I would have written it yesterday, however I drove up to Sacramento to help a friend and drove back. I was really tired and wanted to relax and unwind. Pretty much, I pretend drove down to LA. It all started from a post by @funwheeldrive wanting to do a drive, but he/she didn’t respond sadly. I was itching to drive then I saw @PMok post and I was wondering if I should go or not. Hours past, I woke up at 4AM, I was still contemplating about It and I needed to go to the bathroom. I shook it off and went back to bed. I woke up at 5Amish I thought to myself, screw it let’s just go! In the most simplistic form. It’s been too long that I haven’t driven with the group more than a year probably. I took my lazy time getting ready and I needed gas. I drove up to Costco and got my gas while looking at the time wondering if I’ll be able to make it. I was cutting close! 7:30AM was the meet and 7:45AM was the drive out from what I recalled last night’s skim reading. .

Eventually, I made to the meet in the nick of time. It was a beautiful day out. Nice and cold just the way I like it. I saw some familiar faces @PMok, @BigFatFlip, AJ and I think that was it? The new faces, Ethan the Apple, Rob the English, Forgot his name from NY who drove 4 days to get to California, and many others lol. I apologies for forgetting your names. It was nice to socialize and share an interest about 86 among many undiscovered things. I got to see some more fancy mods like the taillight that looked like it was carbon fiber and different exhaust shapes and sizes. I couldn’t forget this, most of the cars were clean as hell. It looked immaculate in the time of California drought. Mine was very dirty, built up dust particles and dirt combined and magnetized onto the body over several months. Such a hideous vehicle ,but handles just as. We chatted getting to know one another. I was nervous like it was first time meeting the group. The others felt that as well maybe? haha

@PMok was giving his safety driving speech and directions of the drive before driving out to Palomares road. Great job by the way and I always appreciate that. Off we go, one by one. I gotta say exiting out to the road I heard scrapes. The group decided to stage a line at the outside edge of the road. The way we drove together it was majestic. 86 behind 86, behind 86, and behind another 86. It was in a tight group and felt like we driven by instinct over years of experiences. Sounded too professional, that’s not us! hahaha. Oh one civilian SUV took some pictures at one of the intersections

Finally, we got to Palomares rd and this train went full throttle cutting up the forest over hills, side-winding and beatifically curved roads, and the many tight left and right turns we all enjoy the feeling of handling this beast of a machine and how much we could just push it farther and farther. You know you want to! I was grinning a big grin and some yelps of woo here and there. I was feeling the rush of excitement and fun. Although I wanted to do a fist pump in the air, I was more focused on driving and being alert of my surroundings. The view of this Palomares was captivating because of the way the foliage goes hand in hand with the road. There was a spot I love where the tree lines were covering the road on both sides and it looked like a man made tunnel of nature. I wanted to take a picture there! We got to the Super Gas Station, octane ranging from 91 – 100 (correct me if I’m wrong). Some were filling up while others chill and parked. Minutes past, a cop arrived. Good day good sir good day. @BigFatFlip parted ways. I forgot one more thing, near the end of this road there’s a stop before the stop there’s a blind turn wouldn’t have thought we would stop there just for fair warning for others.

Next road to conquer is called Mines road. A road filled with grape vines a place to drink wine yeah? Hahah. This particular road opens a path into the valley on an uphill battle…against gravity. Along the way, there are drops, tight u-pins and a large one, blind turns, the many twist roads that makes up this wonderful pleasing drive. I spotted a car not the same shape and type and it was another beast machine driving with us. I was thinking to myself, pretty cool whoever this stranger was. I was enjoying the pace of like 40mph or something like that? My car slips bit more easily now that my tires are slowly getting worn down. I love it! The way this car can handle the feeling of the car swaying right when you curve left and swaying left as you curve right. The nooks and cranny of the roads giving feedback into the wheel. Sigh. This place was mountainous with a lot of green shrubs and trees that can withstand the drought. Looking down is quite a steep drop. I don’t think anyone would want to fall into the ravine and be stranded there. Muahahaha. Some of the roads were narrow always gotta be careful. Some bicyclist along the trip, we did pretty well not to piss them off. Everyone hazard light on each time there some obstacle in the way. I liked it and keep it up! After a long drive, we reached to the junction. We took fancy pictures. I would like to share it. We chattered and I hope the new faces enjoyed the trip and experience! I enjoy it each time I get to drive. Mmmmm.

Overall, it was nice being able to drive with the group again after a long slumber. It was fun and invigorating experience. I still have an itch to drive and I need it to be curbed down. The next time it happens I’ll have to go when there isn’t anything planned for that day. Lol If there is anything wrong grammar and any information just let me know and I’ll fix it :P Thanks for reading.

Updated September 21, 2015

I want to say those that are lurking and thinking of joining this drive. Definitely come join us. Give it a try. I'm not saying this is the best group, but this group is filled with passionate drivers who love their cars, loves carving up roads and most importantly having a very fun experience while being safe! I like to say it was nice meeting you all and I hope to you all in the future drives. Enjoy life as much as you can and cherish every moment of it! End Transmission.

[BigFatFlip]

Originally Posted by Simpleviet

September 19, 2015

I missed your "TLDR field reports" lol, glad to see you again!

[TM]

Originally Posted by Simpleviet

Forgot his name from NY who drove 4 days to get to California, and many others lol

That would be me. My name is Tony lol. There was another guy that went to the same school as me in NY. He drive from CA to NY for school and back afterwards. I don't know anyone's real name vs. their forum names. Except @PMok; I was driving behind him for a while and his license plate is ingrained into my head.

Anyway, the drive was great. I enjoyed the the first leg (from Alameda to CV) the most. This was my first drive and I didn't know what to expect. The first curve woke me up and I was having a ton of fun after that. I also enjoyed the part where we turned around after the junction, going back downhill. I definitely need tires now. The traction control was screaming at me on these stock primacies.

It was great meeting all of you NorCal guys. A great experience. Overall, I had a ton of fun. Glad I decided to wake up at 5am and make the trip from SF.

[funwheeldrive]

Looks like there was a really good turnout. I'm bummed that I couldn't make it. I work most weekends, so I have to do my drives during the weekdays.

[lamune]

WHERES MAH STAR @PMok

[PandaBRZ]

Originally Posted by lamune

WHERES MAH STAR @PMok

Oh yeah! We never got our cards punched, @PMok! :eek: