My wrong turn, and some pointless pics

[Chuck Moreland]

I decided to do a quick drive up Mt. Hamilton early evening. Lot's of twists and switchbacks, scenic and NO TRAFFIC. Good thing about the traffic too, because the road is so narrow that it would be easy to do a head-on if you are a little out of position.

There are plenty of places where a brain-fart means tumbling down a mountain, and with many blind turns the pace needs to be very safe. Sporting yes, but safe.

If you are in the bay area, this is a great area to drive. Though just outside San Jose, it's really remote. There is nothing out there, and truly no cars. I could drive 10-15 minutes without seeing a single car, either direction. Never came up on anyones bumper.

So I stopped to take a few pics. No particular reason, but we all love pics.









Love it or hate it, these show the new oil cooler setup clearly. It sure works well.

Also put on the new windshield banner that MikeZ made up for me.

So I'm just cruising along and not pushing too hard. I'm just focusing on the sound the engine makes as I wind it through the gears. Pure music. Generally just feeling at one with the car.

Suddenly I realize that I've missed my turn, and missed it a long way back too. I'm tired, out in the middle of nowhere, there are no turns, no signs, no people, nothing. Just a narrow, twisty backroad strip of blacktop. And it's getting close to dusk.

I weigh the option of turning around and backtracking. This is guaranteed to be another hour of demanding driving. So I opt to drive on, figuring the road had to lead somewhere.....

Long story short, an hour later I emerged from the wilderness and popped out in Livermore. My quick drive turned into about 3 hours. But it was a good 3 hours.

[nostatic]

There is a certain joy in "being lost". And always a bit of relief combined with a let down when you finally figure out where you are.

[RSBob]

Love the pics of your car, the new banner (very nice) and the scrub oaks of the Calif hills. If I still lived there, I would probably be tearing along Sunset or running the twisties to Half Moon Bay. Great drives in the coastal range. Chuck - thanks for sharing.

[450knotOffice]

Beautiful pics, Chuck. It sounds like you had fun nonetheless, even if you did get "lost".

I was flying up and down the state today and will wholeheartedly agree that it was a gorgeous day out here.

[ruf-porsche]

Three letters "GPS" never get lost

[herman maire]

Originally posted by Chuck Moreland

So I opt to drive on, figuring the road had to lead somewhere.....

Long story short, an hour later I emerged from the wilderness and popped out in Livermore. My quick drive turned into about 3 hours. But it was a good 3 hours.

I would have done the same darn thing, sound like a nice detour.
I wish I had more roads out hear like this one.
Btw what are youre oil temps with the new cooler?

[silverc4s]

Chuck,
I think that the road from Mt Hamilton (Home to the Lick Obsevatory, a story in itself) to Livermore is called Mines road. If you drove past a lot of rugged looking bluffs and over innumerable cattle guards, you were on Mines road.
The story goes that in the early 20th century when the movie industry was just getting started, this area was the location for a ton of westerns. Later that all moved south as Hollywood came into being, but there are many early westerns that feature that area's rugged countryside.
When I lived in San Jose in the 80's, we used to run up to that area all the time. Neat drive, to be sure. Thanks for the pictures and the memories.
Bill
now stuck in Austin, TX

[mshriner]

Chuck,
Drive sounds awesome and the pictures look great. Question: where did you get the grille for the front oil cooler. Really looks good in silver. (Mine is bent and I need to replace it). Thanks.

Matt

[Tooth911]

Chuck loved your posts on your 911 and cooler. It looks way cool! when I drive alone without much traffic I sure enjoy that 911 conection! thanks Chuck

[930addict]

That's the road I used to drive when I cut class back in high school. I would stop at Lick Observatory though. Of course I didn't have a porsche back then but my sister had a mercedes and since she was away to college...well you know how it is.

MT. Hamilton road has about 33 miles of twisties - and that's just to the observatory. It's a fun drive. Any pelicans running it please be careful because it is very narrow and would be quite easy to go head on with another car or fly off a cliff.

BTW...nice picks!

[Chuck Moreland]

Herman - when the car is moving temps are 195-200, right where the tstat wants it.

Bill - I went up to Lick observatory. It was my intention to take some pics with the big telescopes in the back. Unfortunetely there was no place to get that perspective, the main parking area was closed to cars. Huh? Maybe I got there too late.

I did then proceed down 134 and ultimately picked up Mines road. Lot's of cattle guards and a narrow 9 mile section that has no divider lines, just a warning the it's a "one lane road ahead".

Matt - the grill is a stainless mesh that I got from McMaster Carr.

[mshriner]

Thanks Chuck....now of course I need to ask...how did you mount it and which size mesh did you choose? Current one is riveted in place.

I may do the opposite drive and start out on the Livermore side. Thanks for the "heads up" to a nice drive.

[KNS]

When I used to live in Pleasant Hill (East Bay Area) I would go cycling on a little road southeast out of Clayton. Very little traffic, twisty through the oaks just like in Chuck's pictures. It's called Morgan Territory Road and eventually takes you into Livermoore. I miss all those back roads!
BTW, loving my Poly Bronze spring plate bushings...

[Chuck Moreland]

Originally posted by mshriner
Thanks Chuck....now of course I need to ask...how did you mount it and which size mesh did you choose? Current one is riveted in place.

I may do the opposite drive and start out on the Livermore side. Thanks for the "heads up" to a nice drive.

It is part# 9238T321

Punch that into the search at www.mcmaster.com

I didn't want any bolt heads so I glued it in place using an "adhesive caulk". Just like regular caulk but it sticks better, very thick so you can form up through the mesh. I just ran it all around the perimeter.

[mshriner]

Just ordered it! Thank you very much. Once it gets here I may have to ask for close up pictures so I can figure out how to trim and glue it. Thanks again!

Matt

[ZOA NOM]

Hey Chuck, don't start draggin all your friends out to Livermore. We've got a nice, quiet little secret out here, and I don't wanna see any traffic on the backroads I drive every day.

[LakeCleElum]

Thax for the memories Chuck......I rode up the on a m/c 20 yrs ago and took a backroad to the east. Was remote enough to cross a creek and then I ended up on the I-5....