The Adventures of Scooter!

[Scooter]

Well gang, sorry it taken me so long to post, but I have been a little busy. In case you don't know, I bought Doug&Julie's car last Sunday and I am driving cross-country back to Seattle....the long way. The trip is going well and I am really enjoying getting to know the car.

The trip started in Seattle, where I got on a plane at 11:58 pm to Chicago, then connected to a flight to Cincinnati. Doug and Julie were very kind to pick me up at the airport, and take me to the new car. (Didn't want to check baggage, so I had to pack only the essentials)



Doug and I have been working on this for a while, so I knew exactly what to expect. Doug was extremely straight forward when he explained the car. I drove off from their house around noonish and went straight to the gas station to fill up and get going. My next stop was to be Mountain Home Arkansas, where my cousin lives. (Doug and Julie say goodbye)



The trip was pretty uneventful until I got to the Arkansas boarder and the thunder storm hit. Here I am driving in unfamiliar territory, in an unfamiliar car, at night, in the worst storm I had ever experienced...oh, I did I mention that I had no windshield wipers? Not to mention, some animal that jumped out in front of me and found his way under my car. Needless to say, it took me an extra two hours to get to my destination, because I couldn't see through my windshield from the rain (rainx was not working too well) and the fog and the lack of interior lighting. Did I tell you that I love this car! So, I make it through the storm and everything clears up, and I can see now. I am 30 minutes away from my cousins house, as I enter a little podunk town, I am sure you know what happens next, yes Mr. police officer sees a Porsche at 11:30 at night, with Ohio plates and decides to see how I'm doing. I've seen enough movies about the small town cops in the south to know that I am in trouble. I didn't do anything wrong, but I know I am in trouble. Especially when the second police officer shows up as backup! Mr. Police man asked me if I knew why he pulled me over, like I was going to volunteer that I actually did something wrong? I said no, and he informs me that I there have been complaints about my driving and I was driving erratically. I didn't have the heart to tell him that the only erratic part of my driving, was trying to keep this fine automobile under the 35 mph speed limit. They run me through the system, on the loud speaker of course, so everyone can hear, and then asks me for all my documentation on the car. All my documentation was fine, thanks to Doug. In the mean time, the second cop chats me up, and before I know it, the guy knows every Porsche I've ever owned and the story about each of them. Needless to say, they had nothing on me, so they let me go on my way. I made it to my cousins about 12:30 in the morning and had a couple badly needed adult beverages.

I spent the next day seeing the sights of northern Arkansas and picking up more rainx for the next leg of the trip. They really have beautiful countryside and great roads, an untapped resource.

I left for Dallas Texas this morning to meet a friend; some of you may recognize him.

I made my way through Arkansas going through little town after little town, on some nice twisty roads, until I got behind someone's grandparents, driving the Cadillac.

Then I hit one of the best know speed traps in the south, Damascus. A town of 300+ and what appears to be one police officer, driving a Dodge Charger with a Hemi of course. No, I didn't get pulled over this time, but he was the only cop I saw through that part of the trip. Tip, stay away from Damascus.

I continued on to my first destination of the day, Texarkana. I was determined to make it to the border on one tank of fuel. I made it with about a gallon and a half to spare. I drove through Texas the entire time behind a big rig driving 75 mph. I got a little drafting from him and I figured he would know before anybody if a police officer was around.

I pulled into Dallas about 2:30 pm and stopped to call my unnamed friend above. When I stopped the car, the heat finally hit me. Windows down at 75 mph, you don't feel the extent of the heat, but once stopped, wow! My friend, yes, it is the one and only Mark Wilson, was kind enough to invite me into his well-air conditioned home and had some iced tea. The second leg of the trip is over, but the driving wasn't. Of course we had to drive each other's cars. That 993 C4S is an incredible machine. What a beautiful car!


I am leaving bright and early in the morning for my next leg of the trip. Who knows what is in store...everything good of course.


Just some added points of interest:

1) The car is getting about 21.26 mpg.
2) From the moment I jumped into the car, it felt like home...fits like a glove.
3) I successfully drove from outside Cincinnati to Dallas Texas without seeing one Porsche; therefore, no obligatory p-car waives in my new car.
4) Mark's home is beautiful, and I am very jealous of that garage.
5) The C4S is a joy to drive. The driving impression was exactly what it is, one step further than where my 964 left off.
6) Sorry if this writing is a little choppy, but I'm a little tired.

More to come soon... stay tuned!

[FenderGuy]

Wow

this is pretty cool and ballsy...but then again its a Porsche

[Mark Bryan]

Great post - Good luck on the rest of your trip, Scott - Look forward to checking out the new ride at the XXX!

[ruf-porsche]

Three letter next time you do a cross country trip

GPS

I wouldn't leave home without it.

[ianc]

The car is getting about 21.26 mpg

LOL,

ianc

[Scooter]

Originally posted by ianc
LOL,

ianc

I don't get your comment.

[WPOZZZ]

Drive safe.

[MattAlpha]

Thank you for the thread and advice.

Who knows when you're going to be able to enjoy that much time in your P-car.

Enjoy the rest of your trip. Best wishes with your journey home.

-Matt

[450knotOffice]

I think he was chuckling at your precision - 21.26(234158934907856...) mpg.

Great writeup!

[HardDrive]

Cool! Funny, how small the Porsche world is. I have NO idea how, but I remember Doug and Julie getting that car. Didn't they trade it for a Boxster???

Ok man, now we have MUST hook up one of these days so I can check out the new P-car.

[ianc]

think he was chuckling at your precision

Yup. The 'about', and the '21.26' in the same sentence made me smile.

ianc

P.S. And yes, great writeup!

[jeffgrant]

Dude! You got a long-nose!

Congrats! Great write-up, and nice pics.

Have fun and stay safe.

So, on our upcoming wine tour... you bringin' the boxster or the LN?


...jeff

[Jeff Higgins]

Way to go, Scooter! You da man! I'm envious as hell; what a cool adventure. Can't wait to see the car when you get it home. And if it gets too hot along the way, remember what I told you about how that early air conditioning works...

[williecoyote]

Kind of reminds me of the movie Vanishing Point. Scooter is out blasting around the country, and all the lawmen are out to get him.

Drive careful. Sounds like a fun time.

[1973911s]

Sounds like fun, and I know what you mean about those storms in Arkansas. I have done two full roof replacements this year in that state because of storms.

Michael

[Drago]

Originally posted by Jeff Higgins
Way to go, Scooter! You da man! I'm envious as hell; what a cool adventure. Can't wait to see the car when you get it home. And if it gets too hot along the way, remember what I told you about how that early air conditioning works...

Same as on a bike? Drive faster.

Congrats on the new LH Scooter. Can't wait to park 'em side by side at the next XXX get together! Although, with the color of mine and the color of yours some people in attendance may loose their appetite!

[scottb]

I'm subscribing because I don't want to miss the next chapter of this "excellent adventure!"

[msterling]

Hmm, living in Seattle and no windshield wipers. You gotta fix that. You are taking the long way home. Good choice!

Very cool car and great thread. Stuff like this is what makes this forum addictive.

[defcon65]

What? The legendary Porsche defogging system failed you? Which of the seventeen thousand possible settings did you have it on?
Great road thread and nice 911 - I find myself liking the brown color the more I see it. Enjoy.

[cubby911T]

Scooter: congrats again! It's very cool to see my old T making a cross country trek. I'm glad (for you) that I installed a new Bosch fuel pump in that car a couple of years ago. One less thing for you to worry about on a long drive. I have high confidence that "Foxy Brown" will deliver you without incident back to Seattle .

Hard Drive: I traded the 70T to Doug&Julie (plus some cash of course) in June '05 in exchange for Doug's last Boxster, which I in turn just sold in June '06. I used the proceeds to buy my '89 Carrera. Doug's old Boxster is now tearing up the North Dakota countryside somewhere!!