Moving to the SF Bay area...

[Schumi]

Currently packing my Elise. took out my 5 lb. Braile battery (that cannot stay charged without a tender) and put in an OEM big-ass lead acid battery to make sure it starts after sitting in the hotel lot overnight every night.

I'm staying in Newark until I find an apartment, leave LA tomorrow morning. I'm really gonna miss this town. I remember just about 2 1/2 years ago when I first got to Hermosa, I thought that I would never leave. But it was either buck up and try and make a difference in my career, or wash away into some crap group where noone knows who you are and you don't matter.

If I don't like it up there, I'm coming back to LA and getting an aerospace job in El Segundo. That is plan C.

[ZOA NOM]

I live in Livermore, commute to Fremont. Welcome to the Bay.

[jyl]

You will like the Bay Area. It is every bit as cool and fun as LA. Keep in mind that starting out in Fremont is like if your first place in LA was Tustin, or Thousand Oaks, or Palms. You're not seeing the Bay Area at its worst, but a ways from its best. At some point you need to decide on the work life balance.

[Schumi]

Well this week was my first week, but I didn't get a chance to do much, living out of a hotel, and worked a 70-hour week (actually, I'm at work right now...) while trying to deal with signing a lease and movers and all sorts of things. But so far I'm liking it up here.

I did in fact sign a lease and get the keys to my new place- it's pricey, but it has a lot of space- a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath duplex with a giant 2.5 car garage. The garage has an epoxy floor and a nice 230V circuit, so I am set. It's located up Mission Blvd right below Mission peak. Very pretty area.

Unfortunately I have no stuff to fill the house with- movers are not getting to moving my stuff for another 2 weeks.

For now I'm looking how I'm going to Jack-Olsen my garage. I literally have zero tools or equipment - never had the need, since the facility I worked at previously had everything I ever wanted, and my beach condo didn't have a workspace for such things.


I would take the BART over to downtown SF, since I've never really done anything over there, but I'm a bit afraid of parking my Lotus as the Fremont BART station....

Actually, I'm a bit afraid of taking it anywhere around here. In LA it blended in with all the other Ferrari's, lambo's, Porsches... etc... but here it sticks out like a big red target. Maybe I'm just paranoid.

Things will get better once my motorcycle gets here (also getting that shipped)



I will have to meetup with some of you guys up here whenever I get some free time (may be a few months).

[Tobra]

How far is the BART?

On Sunday they close a lot of Golden Gate Park to cars, people walking and pedaling around. Park runs from the Haight to the sea. Bart runs to N Judah which will save you some up and down hills through neighborhoods.

Bike is a good way to get around SF, you want a mountain bike though, and good brakes. If you are looking to tour the city, it is a very not bad way. From the Haight, go to the ocean, turn right and you go through the Presidio, out to Fort Point, even over the bridge into the headlands if you are in good shape. Alternatively you could turn R when you get of BART, go past the ferry building and the piers to Ghirardelli Square, maybe take the ferry over to Angel Island. The latter would probably be better if not as strong on the bike, flatter.

One thing about riding a bike around SF. Be advised there are streetcar tracks, trolley tracks and various other irregularities in the road surface that can lead to adverse consequences.
BART - Bikes on BART

[Mahler9th]

Welcome to the area.

I live 5-10 minutes away. My shop is pretty well outfitted.

I have a friend that lives 5 minutes away, and his shop is super well-outfitted. Way beyond what Jack has done. High level race engineering stuff. PM me for details.

Come on man... there are a lot of nice cars in the area... a Lotus for many is not very exciting.

Don't forget to check out Lemans Karting in Fremont right near your new place and Club Sportiva and Club Auto Sport 15 minutes away. There is a well-regarded Lotus business in Club Auto Sport.

Sharkwerks is nearby your place too.

There are even really nice cars that park frequently near BART. The one below is sometimes driven to the 24 hour fitness right across the street from BART. No alarm, no ignition or door keys.

- Mike

[trekkor]

Bring your car to my a/x school in a couple weeks at Sonoma Raceway.


KT