It was over a hundred degrees here in New York, all the weathermen were looking for a new way to express how hot the heat wave really was. I have no room to complain, it's been perfection this entire summer- still, it was getting to me.
They said it was going to thunderstorm rain on Friday... and that was the GOOD news. Then I saw this post:
I also have a crush on the Zeattle Z3ers- these hardy souls are headed for Homecoming- the longest drive of any of us. (Yes, Frank is coming from Hawaii, and the Cali Z3ers are too- I am going to ride with them when I can!) Marty's been in touch with me all through the winter, MarkB promised me a keychain - only if I come to Zeattle to collect it, and it's possibly my last chance to ride with them... I hate to fly- but there's one new airline using all new planes with low airfares and a non nonsense policy, . A quick check of their web site and weather.com shows that yes, there are non stops to Zeattle. I could be there Friday night, ride all day Saturday in perfect weather, and Saturday night I could leave and be back home in timme for brunch and a swim on Sunday. Lesseeeeee... what were my choices again? 1) Stay in New York looking forward to the pressure cooker of sweaty maddening heat being replaced by hot thunderstorms. 2) Get on plane, let someone else do the driving, hang with the Zeattle Z3ers, and get the hell out of Dodge. doh! I dropped Zeattle Dave a line and asked if I could be his navigator if I could get in on time and kept an eye on the Message Board. If I could get to Zeattle and meet their Z3ers, I'd recognize them at Homecoming. Homecoming- the Blur. Then I saw this post:
Well hell's bells if Carlin can make it with a broken rear end, I sure can! Dave wrote back and said he'd even pick me up if I flew in. Fine, I am as good as gone. Still... I remembered the United Airlines fiasco from my last day trip to the west coast, the Malibu Canyon Run... so I wasn't sure I would really make it. On the other hand, the Malibu Canyon Run was well worth the trouble- meeting those Cali Z3ers and Boxsters and AudiTT folks... and that was one of THEIR last runs... I went to the airport without a reservation, and told Zeattle Dave that if he didn't hear from me again after 9, I would be on the plane. I climbed into the car service wondering if I was going the right thing. I looked out the back window to see the NYC skyline disappearing in a hot wet fog.  Bye Bye New York! It was almost 10pm when we took off, there were hundreds of people camped out for over 6 hours in the terminal, plane delays due to the weather. There but for the grace of God go I. The woman next to me on the plane was a hoot, she has been running with the Gennessee Valley BMW CCA for a couple years, tracking at Watkins Glen- we yakked it up about cars and men for 5 hours. Hanging out in the back of the plane with the flight attendants, me reuniting with my old pal Jack Daniels and eating forbidden potato chips. It turns out that one of the flight attendants is a transplanted Texan with a collection fo early 60's Mustangs. No thought of sleep. Dave met me at the airport gate- I was floored. It was pretty funny because I had no clue what he looked like. It was nearly 2am in Zeattle and the leader of the drive was out picking me up- boy did I feel honored! I thought I would have a hard time getting to sleep I was so excited and everything had happened so fast. Next thing I know I was waking up at 6:20am no more sleep for me! Dave was on time, I was late and it was pretty damn cold in the morning drive out of the city. I was surprised by the feel of the suspension in Dave's 1.9. Now I understand what Shawn Fogg was explaining about the feel of riding in a lowered Z3 with upgraded springs- I think Dave said they were H-R Coilovers. Note to self: Upgraded Springs are a consideration when you are nursing a Jack Daniel's hangover I couldn't wait to meet all these great people I had been reading about on the Message Board. It is fitting that the first person I saw was Marty, the Redmond Roadster. This man is one big huge friendly hug and his son is an absolute doll and a riot. Then I met the cruise virgins, Scott and Denise. It was hard to tell they were virgins because they looked so at home. Carlin (Carlos) and Denise pulled in and the first thing I noticed was their one-of-a-kind Stone Guards. A very nice silver accent on a silver car. More hugging and what fun it was to surprise everyone! Carlos and Denise didn't let a bumper bender ruin their good time, WAY TO GO Carlos and Denise! Mark B arrived and I promptly demanded my keychain. Denise...Zoom arrived with a mystery passenger and a wide smile. Have you noticed that all the women's names were "Denise"? This makes things much easier for a newcomer with a hangover and jet lag. Actually, they differentiated themselves this way:
 Ouch! Carlin and Deni's bumped bumper   The Driver's meeting  "Hey Dave, you want my Z3 car cover? I don't think I will be needing it anymore... ///Wade showed up with this heavily modified Z3. It's actually an 1988 Porsche 930 and it's unbelieveable. I made myself useful with the early part of the directions and pushing all the wrong buttons on Dave's TalkAbout... yikes! Nonetheless we made it to the geniune start of the ride ....      1st Latte Stop- an unbelieveable food stand...   ///Wade checks out the fresh ripe raspberries, MarkB Scott and Marty hangin out in the shade   One thing that never chanegs on Z3 Drives is the hanging out in the parking lot   These people are coming to Homecoming!!!! Be sure to come up and say "Hello" to Kyle, Dave (with latte go cup), Denise...Zoom, Deni and Carlin- you will be glad you did! 2nd Latte Stop-   The Rhododendron Caf¯ More great food, incessant Z3 yakkathon, sunshine and blue skies in the solarium   Dave and Kyle... and Mark B... notice in the photo of Mark B....the paper latte take out cup. That is not only not from the Rhododendron Caf¯, it's not from the food stand either... also notice what he is looking at... After lunch Denise...Zoom had to Zoom so off she went with a big grin...  bye Denise! Z you at HC! 3rd Stop- No Latte! We stopped to take in a beautiful lake view and got a major bonus- this wonderful family who had JUST picked up their BRAND NEW Indian motorcycle. It stopped the show.       Not that we didn't have some show stoppers of our own...   Carlin and Deni, Scott and Denise, Mark B...  MarkB, that's a different way to go topless! No, really, you don't have to give me the shirt off your back... just a BMW keychain... engraved.... by Homecoming... or else!  This is how close to the curb Dave parks...   Dave's car, Maximillian, is a 4 seater with these folding chairs behind the seats. Is that mark the same one on the wood trim as Big Daddy has on his? Back on the road, as usual, as the day wears on the roads just get better... cooler and greener and less and less people... MarkB went back to the Caf¯ to see if he could get what he was looking at before... la la la....   Folks dropped off as we went on... until we reached this scenic spot to Vogue a bit with the cars and Mount Baker (oh goody I remembered the name!)     Stole these shots for "Z3 Guys" pages... ///Wade will be the first non-Z3 Z3 Guy... what a way to break in! (need a blurb from youse guys for your pages)   We were cruizing right along... what a great sight it is to see that ferocious Porsche in the side mirror...  and then... we sailed by the trooper... :( We wonder if ///Wade had kept going if he would have got away clean... we'll never know... We were busted fair and square... bummer. Dave was looking up the BEL manual for a sound cue for radar when we saw this nice black Z3 coming up the road. It turned out to be more Z3ers who came too late to the meet point, but figured they'd take the roads anyway. (I forgot your names... please tell me again?) So... it was a rather expensive meeting... and no latte.;D   "A Fino" makes a stop with us
  Nice hat Dave! Last Latte Stop- And a Veggie burger and a malted... and waving goodbye to ///Wade. One more Z3- (another Black Z3!) license "Y2K M"... this happy lady, her little boy and his puppy. It's easy to make friends in this car!    The sun was setting, and I was jetting after midnight... completely beat... sunburnt... and still managing to resist drinking any latte. What a fabulous day, I feel like I sneaked out of school. THANK YOU ZEATTLE DAVE AND THE ZEATTLE Z3ERS!!!!!! What a great bunch of folks. I have been lucky to ride with so many Z3ers all over the country, 2 things they all have in common.... Generousity of Spirit and can't get them out of the parking lot! OK the flight home was packed... and I barely got on it because they booked my return for the wrong day... we were packed in like sardines... and I found the same flight crew as I had before... all fun nice people. It turns out that the same gal who has the Mustangs saw me and Dave at the hotel the night before- what a riot! The people sitting with me were nice and funny too, checking out the pics on my digital camera... I had been up for about 20 hours with about 4 hours of sleep, after flying in the day before... and I caught about 3 hours of brain shattering dozing in the upright and locked position... New York skies were mercifully gray... the city was quiet as a ghost... I napped a few hours and came here to write up the story and say THANK YOU one more time for a GREAT day and I can't wait to see the Seattle Z3ers in 3 weeks in South Carolina!!!! WOO HOO! uh... but first... I am going to crawl in bed and take a snoooooooZe! Rachel does Zeattle! |
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