Hi guys. I had a pretty busy weekend what with going to Monterey on Friday. The weather was misty and foggy upon arrival Friday night, as usual, but on Saturday morning it was clear and we got to see the ocean and everything on the drive to the track.
I had a great time at the race even though neither Porsche nor BMW won. But the weather was great as was the scenery. My photos can be viewed here:
Laguna Seca ALMS Race 12May2012 - a set on Flickr
Laguna Seca ALMS Race 12May2012_ 0986 by
Max_911S_fahrer, on Flickr
Laguna Seca ALMS Race 12May2012_ 0937 by
Max_911S_fahrer, on Flickr
Laguna Seca ALMS Race 12May2012_ 0795crop by
Max_911S_fahrer, on Flickr
Turn it up! 
Then on Sunday in SLO it was foggy/marine layer but I hiked up Cerro San Luis. I found out there are exactly 20*10^9 different splits in the trails. I also found out that it is really rocky. Too rocky for my combination of (lack of) skills, street tires, and an old mountainbike. I rode a little ways then decided to prevent injury to myself or my bike and hiked the rest of the way to the top. The problem was that I could not see any landmarks on the way up due to the fog. I could not see the valley floor at all. So I got way lost on the way down. But I made it back an hour before the hike I was scheduled to go on. And I did not die on the downhill, though I came close a couple times. I started riding down on a nice smooth part and then saw rocks and the gradient was steep. The problems were: going fast I could hit a rock too hard, break my bike, or flip over. Going slow was not always possible due to the loose surface and my lack of knobbies. Trying to brake either resulted in an endo from the gradient and braking or else a lockup and out of control situation. I did ditch it in a bush at one point. And it was not poison oak. Nice soft, sage-smelling landing.
The other thing too was my pedals would hit the rocks so I don't know how the experienced guys do that trail. I did see two people going up on much better bikes. I only had 26" tires, too.
Oh, yeah. I did go on the hike with the girls. Went fine. It was short but still pleasant. It's a start anyway. Didn't get into my thoughts about her since it felt awkward having a third person there in the conversation.