ABQ part 2
Blogger Post October 26th, 2008I am well-fed with all of Mom and Dad’s great home-cooking. We are talking red chile enchiladas, flank steak, waffles from scratch, breakfast burritos, assorted delicious baked desserts, garlic green beans, and some quality Stone IPA and red wine. Now that I’m spoiled rotten, fat, and happy, it’s time to head back to the bubble and eat my normal high fiber diet and hop on the bike.
Looneys.
Not only was I spoiled with food, but I got to drive my dad’s Z06 Corvette more than once this weekend, and I was finally comfortable “gunning” it. I mean, 5000 RPM (you can take it to 7000) accelerating to 60mph in second gear, being slammed back into the seat with the engine roaring. It’s pretty intense for me, but not that impressive for someone who drives fast cars. 
Not only that, but he goes to this exotic car breakfast every Saturday. He asked me to come along. I didn’t only go to eat Dos Hermanos burritos, but to leave some of my drool on a few of the super machines. I took some photos:
There were actually about 20 cars there. Nice!
Mosler. These things are like $300k + and it’s super light – in fact, for us bike nerds, a lot of it is carbon. The owner was trying to explain why carbon fiber is a cool material…. haha I told him my bikes were made of carbon.
The engine is in the back.
Someone also drove an Ariel Atom. It’s definitely a track car and they have to wear helmets. It’s like having a motor cycle engine with a tiny car built around it.
Note the air freshener. haha
Viper ACR $$$
Believe it or not, this truck was the fastest vehicle there.
800 HP. Apparently on the race track, the front comes up when the guy puts the pedal to the floor
BIG engine. Sheeesh.
Ok, enough about cars. You guys can just go to my flickr account if you want to see more. Sorry to bore some of you, but I think the pics are pretty cool.
I got to check out a new brewery in town called Marble Brewery. I think they are owned by my other favorite brewery in town – Chama River Brewing . Make sure you stop in one of those places if ever passing through here.
I also got spend some time with one of my really good friends, Jolene. I have known her since I was 9 or 10! We have gotten in a lot of trouble together in the past. heee heee
Got some fun rides, camping, and hiking planned for next week. Yipee!
October 26th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Don’t forget Il Vicino for some good brews!
Have fun in ABQ.
October 26th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Ummmm….wow. Lotsa of nice cars in Albuquerque and none of them were up on blocks yet? Jeni is right Wet Mountain IPA is still the best in that town, if not the state.
October 27th, 2008 at 6:51 am
Umm, yeah, this blog just got a whole lot cooler (as if that was possible)! This car guy appreciated that just as much as the daily ride updates.
Exotic cars rule…so does mashing the trottle and feeling the g’s (insert Tim Taylor…OH, OH, OH)!!
You’re a lucky gal…a cool dad who just so happens to own a Z06 too…yeah…that’s good stuff!! That Lightning might be fast in a straight line…but every other car there would demolish it under braking and through the corners. Ok, I’m getting started down a road I don’t want to go right now…need to resist urge to talk about cars…must resist urge… 
October 27th, 2008 at 7:39 am
hot cars, beer, and hot g/f, you rock!
October 27th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
That Mosler is…….ummmmmm……..wow……..amazing.
October 27th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Yes. Il Vicino has GREAT beer. They even have a tasting room… mmmmmmmmmm. I was sad I didn’t get to go there. Next time
Don, you might get a rise out of my dad as he races his ‘vette on the track. He may have something ELSE to say about how his car corners.
We’ll see.
Fixie Dave… come to the Querque. Come to Butthead.
Yes, the Mosler is amazing, and the owner was VERY reluctant to let me sit in it… so I didn’t. Plus, it didn’t have a lefty, so what do I care?
October 28th, 2008 at 5:04 am
That’s some hot iron there! I suppose there are some twisty roads there to get yer groove on too, eh?
That’s cool of your Dad to let you take a turn at the Vette.
Great looking family, by the way. You should be proud! And if I come to ABQ, can I get an invite to dinner with your fam? That grub sounds amazing!
October 28th, 2008 at 6:01 am
Hmm…that’s interesting…I just so happen to be a certified high performance driving instructor for the National Auto Sport Association (NASA, the other one)…does your father do open track events, autox, both? He was cool before…now he’s off the charts!
If it weren’t so far away…I’d drive my M3 to one of those breakfasts…”yes, I’ll take the pancake breakfast with a side of motor oil please”!! 
October 28th, 2008 at 6:25 am
Thanks Gted!
I love my family. They are awesome and really fun to be around. I’m lucky dad lets me take the Vette for a spin (but he is in the car of course). I am finally getting comfortable driving it. You’d love the grub too. 
Don- that is so cool!!!! I have thought of taking a driving class. You can take one in ABQ with Miatas for like 300 bucks and you learn how to handle them. I have never had a need b/c well, you know what car I drive. He doesn’t race in formal races, but he goes to the track and races against his own times – like drag strip (quarter mile) and then the actual track. M3!!! LUCKY!
October 28th, 2008 at 10:09 am
Ahh, yee of little faith…there are cars just like the one you drive that have been turned into all out track monsters with full roll cages. It’s not about the car you drive…it’s about how you drive the car…and the cool thing with NASA is that you take YOUR OWN CAR on road courses all over the country…and slightly insane people like me ride along and teach you how to drive the car at its limits. Fun stuff I tell you…until someone provides a near death experience…then it’s not so much fun. I tried to provide a link to a picture of you car turned track monster…but it won’t work…you’ll just have to trust me.
Ok, I’m going to start to restrain myself with the car stuff…I’m like a freight train once I get started with it. I blame it on the part motor oil I have for DNA.
October 28th, 2008 at 10:12 am
SLEEEEPER! What makes you think I don’t drive my 100HP lawnmower like a race car.
I race people off the line, they just don’t know I’m racing them. heehee
October 28th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Don,
An NASA driving instructor and an M3 to boot!!! Awesome! As you say, it is the driver. I have only taken the Z06 to the track 3 times (my first time on the track too, other than once in a Miata) and it is a trip! I’m still very much a beginner and have a hard time keeping up with well driven Miatas. Check out the link below for a few pics and videos from our local track:
http://racingsouthwest.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=62193&st=90&start=90
Come on down!!!
Brad (Sonya’s old man)
October 29th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Hey Brad!
I knew we’d draw you out once we started the track talk.
With a car like that Z06 I’m sure you jump at every opportunity to talk cars. Those things are just amazing…best dollar for dollar sports/exotic car on the road! The M3 is pretty sweet, but it lacks in the power department…that’s why I learned to drive at the limit…now I just late brake everyone and pass them in the corners instead of the straights. 
Be careful with the track driving, it has been likened to a crack pipe addiction, once you take a hit, you can’t get enough. 
I used to have a dedicated track driven car, fully gutted and caged Mustang with race tires, brakes, suspension, and harnesses that needed to be towed to the race track…so be very careful…it can get out of hand quickly. 
Arean’t those Miatas a pain in the you-know-what?! It’s all about momentum in those cars. I typically ride along with people in M3’s, vettes, Mustangs, etc…all the high horsepower rear wheel drive cars. Here’s a few tips to get faster the next time out:
Keep your eyes up, look through the corners, not at the road in front of the car. Look where you want to go, not where you are.
When you want to brake, wait two more seconds, and then brake, think threshold braking, using as little ground as possible to do the most braking possible…it’s all about efficiency.
Pretend there is an egg between your right foot and the gas pedal, it will help you with smoother transitions when applying the throttle. We often forget that, and mash the throttle, and it upsets the car more than necessary.
When you get in trouble and need a straight-a-way, open the wheel up and make one, there is no harm in not going through the corner the way you’re supposed to, but there is harm in going off track because you didn’t make a straight when you needed it.
Do your first couple laps on track in the same gear (probably third or fourth), it takes away the need to shift so you can focus on being smooth. Once you feel comfortable, start shifting again, it’s amazing what you’ll learn. Remember, smooth is fast! Also, the slower you are in the drivers seat, means the faster you are on track, sounds weird, but it’s very true.
Oh man, this post is like a book, with way more than you were looking for I’m sure. See what happens once I get started.
I promise I’ll restrain myself from here on out on the car topic.
Have fun at the track next time you go. Keep the shiny side up!
Don
October 29th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Don,
Wow! Thanks for all the pointers and I understand the addiction point. Tires are about as expensive as crack and don’t last much longer. I’ve already destroyed my street tires and I have less than 10000 miles on the car. I do get the twinge to get into an inexpensive track car, but haven’t scratched that itch yet. Also thinking about another set of rims and some Hoosiers.
By the way, you have got to have big huevos to ride along with student drivers!
Z ya!
Brad
October 30th, 2008 at 9:47 am
I smell an opportunity here…
Sonya gives you her car to make into a cheap track car, and you “loan” her the Z06 in the meantime! That’s a win-win situation…uhh…sort of.
October 30th, 2008 at 10:10 am
I like how you think! …but my car isn’t worth turning into a track car. It would need to be gutted out entirely.
October 30th, 2008 at 11:08 am
You do realize you said “gutted out entirely” to a man that is looking to scratch the track pipe itch.
You better keep an eye on your car next time your home. 
Don visualizes Brad secretly gutting Sonya’s car while she’s eating that great home cooked food…he comes into the house with dirt on his hands and grease on his face…hey dad…what are you doing…nothing honey…still hungry…look…more great home cooked food…keep eating honey…I’m just messing around in the garage…
August 31st, 2009 at 2:37 am
Student cooking, when i was a student most days we did not get more adventurous than baked beans on toast to my shame! These days i love cooking.