nothing better for curing the flu than driving fast in the hills

[Jim Ratto]

a trip up to Sespe wilderness today (CA SR 33)

[Rick Meredith]

That's not fair!!!  I'm stuck in at work!!! 

Looks like a great day for drive Jim! 

[louisb]

Looks like a great trip!

--louis

[Sam K]

Looks like fun! I had the flu a couple weeks ago and I'm still recovering. All I did was watch movies and play on the internet. 

[Jim Ratto]

thanks guys, yeah it was good to get out and breathe some fresh air. Very fun roads up in that area, and on a weekday, the roads are pretty vacant.
sorry for crap quality of pics, they were taken with a phone.

[Rennsurfer]

Good job, Jim. Any CA road with the letters SR on the sign is a good thing. Two years back, I was invited to my friend's 50th birthday bash and he wanted it held at Borrego Springs skatepark. Yes, us old farts still skateboard. Anyway, the three hour drive out to Imperial County is AWESOME with SR country roads. The only thing missing was either my '86 Porsche or my orange '66 Bug.

Cool pics that you got.

[Jim Ratto]

Good job, Jim. Any CA road with the letters SR on the sign is a good thing. Two years back, I was invited to my friend's 50th birthday bash and he wanted it held at Borrego Springs skatepark. Yes, us old farts still skateboard. Anyway, the three hour drive out to Imperial County is AWESOME with SR country roads. The only thing missing was either my '86 Porsche or my orange '66 Bug.

Cool pics that you got.

thanks MArk, yeah driving is my bag....give me any CA "SR" and a free day and I'm happy. SR74 looks like it is out that way, out to Idylwild area, on the map it looks awesome. SR33 is a diamond, waterfalls, rock walls, tunnels, elevation changes, on and off camber stuff, and vast mountainscapes.....nothing more fun than getting the Webers to open wide exiting a tight corner and listening to motor echo off the mountainsides..  (must admit, it is fun to pretend I'm behind the wheel of a 356 Carrera GT  )
I'm relatively new to So Cal (3 years now), still looking for cool places to drive. Open to any ideas.......

[Rennsurfer]

nothing more fun than getting the Webers to open wide exiting a tight corner and listening to motor echo off the mountainsides..  (must admit, it is fun to pretend I'm behind the wheel of a 356 Carrera GT  )

Amen, brother. Glad I'm not the only that feels that way on SR roads. My current roommate and childhood friend, Joe (ex-D.K.K. memeber, too) used to wait till around 11pm or midnight. We'd grab some food at Harbor House Cafè in either Sunset Beach or Dana Point. Then, we'd head south on the 5 frwy. till we got to Highway 74. Otherwise known as Ortega Hwy. GOOD TIMES! He had Solex 40P-11 carbs that sounded really good echoing through the canyon. Wish we had the money to buy video cams back then. That would be priceless to watch, now. We'd go search out roads like that. The only other freaks on the road that late were the cafè racer type motorcycles. They'd pass us then we'd see 'em at the end at Lake Elsinore.

Break out the Google Earth and start planning drives! Good to see people using their Cal Lookers on curvy roads.

[Jim Ratto]

nothing more fun than getting the Webers to open wide exiting a tight corner and listening to motor echo off the mountainsides..  (must admit, it is fun to pretend I'm behind the wheel of a 356 Carrera GT  )

Amen, brother. Glad I'm not the only that feels that way on SR roads. My current roommate and childhood friend, Joe (ex-D.K.K. memeber, too) used to wait till around 11pm or midnight. We'd grab some food at Harbor House Cafè in either Sunset Beach or Dana Point. Then, we'd head south on the 5 frwy. till we got to Highway 74. Otherwise known as Ortega Hwy. GOOD TIMES! He had Solex 40P-11 carbs that sounded really good echoing through the canyon. Wish we had the money to buy video cams back then. That would be priceless to watch, now. We'd go search out roads like that. The only other freaks on the road that late were the cafè racer type motorcycles. They'd pass us then we'd see 'em at the end at Lake Elsinore.

Break out the Google Earth and start planning drives! Good to see people using their Cal Lookers on curvy roads.

Too cool! Sounds like myself and Sheep 15 years ago, or myself and Bryan SODA Wenzel. We'd do the same thing, goof off until late, then hop in one of our Bugs and go play night rally driver. Up in San Francisco/Oakland area we had our fair share of perfect roads, SR35 from Belmont area to Santa Cruz comes to mind, SR84 west from Redwood City, thru Woodside and out to San Gregorio Beach was another. Lots of fun. At one time we all had Hella driving lights with 100W bulbs on our bumpers, not Cal Look but sure made it easier to go full bore @ night.
Sheep (Frank) and I are trying to get his '66 together for the Solvang show this year, and we are half-ass planning a drive through some of the area I drove today through Ojai and so on....  me in my '67 and Sheep in his '66....which coincidentally, will be running two Solex 40PII-4 carbs on his 88 x 74 
so let's find you a car and come on out with us!

[Jason Foster]

 Happy St. Patty's day Jim. Looks like you had a great day those are some beautiful shots the car looks great. Jason

[Rennsurfer]

Yeah, you're right about the lighting. After I sold the Bugs and got into watercooled VWs and Porsches, I always made sure that I added extra driving lights. Makes a huge difference when you're haulin' arse. Like the old rule of thumb from when we were building cars in our young days; if you make it GO also give it WHOA (brakes). To which I'd always add LIGHTS. Gotta see where you're goin'. HAHA!!

so let's find you a car and come on out with us!

Oh, the irony of that statement. I just got in from looking at a couple of cars. Sadly, they didn't want to part ways with the all orig. '67. But tomorrow is a new day and I've got cars lined up to check out. Also found a beige '68 to be looked at on Wed. Sorry to get off topic. Back to tearin' up rural roads in fast cars.

Next?

[javabug]

Here's a view of Lake Elsinore I took from the Ortega Highway last time I was out there.  Great road!!!

[Jim Ratto]

Happy St. Patty's day Jim. Looks like you had a great day those are some beautiful shots the car looks great. Jason

thanks Jay and congrats to your blistering pass @ Drag Day,
I wanna go for a ride next time @ Nicks 

[autobarnhauler]

cool and the gang

[mg]

Here's a view of Lake Elsinore I took from the Ortega Highway last time I was out there.  Great road!!!

Sunrise on Ortega hwy even better less traffic...
2nd picture is a bunch of us with the flu north of LA.

[Dave Galassi]

Too bad you didn't feel better Uncle Jim, there are hot springs up there that you can hike in to and they are GREAT!  Beautiful area.

[Sarge]

Nice pics everyone!  Though we didn't have the flu and it was by no means a fast drive in the hills, I have to say the lure of the open road in a bug has always been with Sharon and I.  This was shot entering the east gate into Yosemite sometime in May...it was the day they opened the road into the park from Highway 395.  We had spent the night in Lee Vining and were eager to get into the park until we tasted that icy road...a drive that should have taken an hour through the park took two hours plus!  The elevation got to nearly 10,000 feet...couldn't get out of there quick enough.

[Sarge]

Hey Jim, how about a quick lap on Hwy 25

[Jim Ratto]

Hey Jim, how about a quick lap on Hwy 25

Let's GO. Talk about a perfect backroad!! Too bad it isn't in my backyard anymore....

Sheep and I used to goof off on 25

[stealth67vw]

Was that a green bottle flu Jim? Nice looking roads. We've got a few good sports car roads up here in Oregon too. This road goes from Galice/Grants Pass to Gold Beach, Bear Creek Road. You don't want to break down out here. I saw 1 car on the 4 hour drive and no cell signal until you get to the coast. This is the same road the Kim family got lost on 2 winters ago.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear_Camp_Road

[TOM / EINHEIT 11]

looks like SAN BERNARDINO Pass in Switzerland. Cool i feel gooooood.........Now i know what i have to do next weekend if weather  is better ( we still have winter )

[Jim Ratto]

looks like SAN BERNARDINO Pass in Switzerland. Cool i feel gooooood.........Now i know what i have to do next weekend if weather  is better ( we still have winter )

Switzerland? LUCK- EE

Dude what a dream it would be to pilot some noisy sports car thru the Alps.... ever seen original "Italian Job" with the opening scenes....the orange Miura..... 

Take some pics for us! 

[speedwell]

looks like SAN BERNARDINO Pass in Switzerland. Cool i feel gooooood.........Now i know what i have to do next weekend if weather  is better ( we still have winter )

Switzerland? LUCK- EE

Dude what a dream it would be to pilot some noisy sports car thru the Alps.... ever seen original "Italian Job" with the opening scenes....the orange Miura..... 

Take some pics for us! 

or lancia stratos or 904 gts 

[Jim Ratto]

looks like SAN BERNARDINO Pass in Switzerland. Cool i feel gooooood.........Now i know what i have to do next weekend if weather  is better ( we still have winter )

Switzerland? LUCK- EE

Dude what a dream it would be to pilot some noisy sports car thru the Alps.... ever seen original "Italian Job" with the opening scenes....the orange Miura..... 

Take some pics for us! 

or lancia stratos or 904 gts 

  ! 

or 911R 

[Tony M]

My parents live in Medford - been down that road to Golds beach - what a cool drive - esp. in a baja - lots of good fire trails  - I bet there are a lot of nice fire trails in tha alps too

[speedwell]

looks like SAN BERNARDINO Pass in Switzerland. Cool i feel gooooood.........Now i know what i have to do next weekend if weather  is better ( we still have winter )

Switzerland? LUCK- EE

Dude what a dream it would be to pilot some noisy sports car thru the Alps.... ever seen original "Italian Job" with the opening scenes....the orange Miura..... 

Take some pics for us! 

or lancia stratos or 904 gts 

  ! 

or 911R 

check here jim  it's cool french forum just found now  pictures with the amleras bros (porsche specialist) : http://www.forum-auto.com/sport-auto/theme40/sujet378497.htm

[Jason Foster]

Happy St. Patty's day Jim. Looks like you had a great day those are some beautiful shots the car looks great. Jason

thanks Jay and congrats to your blistering pass @ Drag Day,
I wanna go for a ride next time @ Nicks 

  You got it Jim! you got a date with my passenger seat on April 6th after Bug-in.

    And thanks alot for the congrats!    Jason

[TOM / EINHEIT 11]

looks like SAN BERNARDINO Pass in Switzerland. Cool i feel gooooood.........Now i know what i have to do next weekend if weather  is better ( we still have winter )

Switzerland? LUCK- EE

Dude what a dream it would be to pilot some noisy sports car thru the Alps.... ever seen original "Italian Job" with the opening scenes....the orange Miura..... 

Take some pics for us! 


NOW. Weekend is over and weather is still shity. Sorry no swiss alps rally pics yet. Buuuut. Cars are ready to hit the asphalt. I will post some pics soon ( as soon as the weather is good enough for drifting the GT 3 or my old school Alfa Berlina across the curves )

ps: check angle of vision out of my Renault 5 Turbo 1 Corse last weekend ( RAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIINNNNNNN )