NorCal blat on Wednesday

[Sean]

Taking the day off on the 16th to go for a blat. Any interest?

edit -- Weather dependent, of course. It is still April.

[CASwede]

I already spent my hooky allowance today, generally re-tracing your trip along Mines Road to try the burger at The Junction. I had two guys at the bar explain all the reasons your car was superior to mine. Fun group. I need to run out there more often.

[Sean]

Doesn't sound like an appropriate topic! I'm not sure two guys at the bar out on 130 half-way to Patterson qualify as informed sources on Caterhams, anyway.

Let me know next time you're up for a blat. We can eat somewhere in Pleasanton instead.

[CASwede]

No, they were just being observational the way ranchers were when I lived in Texas. They were great.

I get to make time off on a semi regular basis, so I'll send out a signal when I get another clear stretch. It will be nice to put faces to the names here. I believe I'm in for the picnic this year as well. Car has come along nicely. None of my remaining issues are keeping me off the road...yet.

[moosetestbestanden]

Issues will pop up from time to time. it's part of the fun :-D.

Sean is a great guy. Y'all should hook up for a drive.

[rzempel]

Hi Sean,

Where are you thinking of going?

I'm tentatively thinking of doing a bomber run up to my daughter in Petaluma early this week, maybe I can do it in my Birkin...depending on your route. (like I really need an excuse...)


Randall

[Sean]

Where are you thinking of going?

Back to the clouds - SJ to Lick Observatory to Livermore to SJ.

[rzempel]

Look like some nice roads. Unfortunately, it turns out I won't be able to join you this time.

Randall

[Sean]

Maybe next time then, Randall.

It was just GWise and I today in one car, but a great day for a blat. A few photos:

Cyclists


Twisties


Blat splat - never caught a dead bug quite like this before!

[mopho]

Where did you end up going?

[Sean]

Where did you end up going?

We went SJ to Lick Observatory to Livermore to SJ, counter-clockwise.



There is really only one option to do the majority of that drive, which is CA 130 and Mines Road. In theory, Calaveras Road could be substituted for a good chunk of the 680 section between Sunol and Milpitas, but two hours of near constant twisty and almost deserted roads can be surprisingly exhausting, so I have yet to include that, even though I have planned to include it every time.

As this drive is a loop, it could be started from any point nearest to you, but I would suggest mapping out fuel stops in advance, as there simply aren't any on 130/Mines between the base of Mt. Hamilton Road and downtown Livermore, and the up/down left/right driving will not get you freeway mileage. Going clockwise would mitigate the risk, because from the observatory to Alum Rock has to be damn near 100% down hill, all the way.

Also, lots of bicyclists and whatnot on weekends in particular, so if cycling is your thing, it's worth checking out for that as well. If you are driving, watch out for them.

[mopho]

People keep telling me about mines road, but I haven't been willing to make the trek out that far yet given the trouble I've had with the car lately. Need to gain my trust back in it

[GWise]

I personally enjoyed 130 east of Lick Observatory more than Mines, but that also maybe because I wasn't tired at that point.

Thanks for the invitation Sean. Your car is a rocket. It will be tough to go back to 120 horsepower and a solid rear axle...

[moosetestbestanden]

Maybe next time then, Randall.

It was just GWise and I today in one car, but a great day for a blat. A few photos:

Cyclists


Twisties


Blat splat - never caught a dead bug quite like this before!

I presume you've polished that out by now...(you knew I was going to do that now didn't you?):-D

[Sean]

No, I haven't. That bee is intact, except for the abdomen part being as flat as a sheet of paper. Even the wings are still attached and sticking up as though it was still flying. It looks like it is sitting there, ready to fly away at any moment, except for the part that went splat. My son loves it; wife not so much. I'll probably hose it off in a week or three, after I deal with the bearing issue that I think I have.