+++1. My dream to attend Le Mans. You are living my dream - what up with dat? Cheers and happy travels!Originally Posted by popowitz
+++1. My dream to attend Le Mans. You are living my dream - what up with dat? Cheers and happy travels!
It was easy to spot Xavier's carI will try to find Xavier's trunk this afternoon
The weather is perfect for a great race!
Sadly, we have crossed each other on the road so will have to find another opportunity to discuss.
And my Toyota Yaris was not so easy to identify
A lot of cars on the Classic British Welcome, some very nice.
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From the engine number, 6630289, I would say this is 911 360 0281. Very clean RS.
Last edited by 928cs; 06-13-2014 at 08:30 AM. Reason: Add pictures
Well, am back home, shortering my days at le Mans. Will write a full report in the coming days with pictures. in Short : nice trip to le Mans, St Saturnin was great (even if I missed Samuel), friday night was once of the wortest night I had so far, forgot my camera, great saturday morning and afternoon, fast trip back.
My opinion : 24h Le Mans must be great in VIP, otherwise...it s....
I let you for le Mans Classic.
Xavier
Last edited by Xavier PJB; 06-16-2014 at 10:18 AM.
O-G 26 - Early911S 2407
Here we are, no real ambition for the folowing text, just sharing my trip to Le Mans with some up and down. These are my personal feelings and I hope I do not offend anyone.
June 13th, 10h30 am. got to my garage which is not far from my house. The roofrack (thanks AFS) is mounted and ok and get the weight of the balck steel trunk which contains my clothes, sleeping bag, some blankets. tools and various other camping stuf. Tent is in the car, rear seats. Checking again the straps. Sugar Baby is ready, so am I.
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It is a lovely day and want to drive her cool. This is the first time I am driving with the roofrack loaded. I decided not to head to the higway straight, rather driving through the country which is quite beautiful. Nationale 12 to Mere, then Montfort l'Amaury, Saint Leger en Yvelines then I stopped at Rambouillet (I know this is not exactly a shortcut, the opposite in fact) to have a coffee.
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Once back to my car, a very gentle elderly man asked me load of questions about my 911 and I chatted about 45 minutes with him. He was impressed by the roofrack. (this is a really cool piece). Now need to hit the road to my second stop. Nationale 10 and got the highway to "speed up" a bit. However I do not go over 110kph sticking to the left lane and taking over few trucks.
Stop 2 : Esso petrol station - Chartres Gasville. not so far from my first stop at Rambouillet but could not miss this Porsche Pit Stop. Porsche France and Esso set up a pit stop like for the drivers going to Le Mans. Was quite funny to get into the "pit", have half dozen of Porsche technicians/mecanics refuleing, checking tyre presure, cleaning the windshield...
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I took a quizz and won several nice Porsche prices ! I was so enthusiastic I forgot to pay the fuel and left the station. I realised it soon and had to get back wich caused a 30 kms detour.
Back to the right heading, still a very niceweather, driving at low pace, many other drivers gave me a thumb up. The loaded roofrack gives is an amazing one.
Stop 3 : Saint Saturnin - Classic British Welcome of course ! Wow first time there (thanks Samuel - 928CS) for the tip. Not the biggest event, but so nice and friendly. Nice cars with some stunning ones, a village with some interesting people : Christophe Tinseau and Richard Attwood.
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Many brands represented in there, Morderns and earlys, British, American, French, German, Italian etc... There were outsied parked a RS2.7 as well as a bunch of 3 Earlys (at least looked like) I really liked the white and orange one. (pictures to follow in the next post), few others Porsches.
Howver in the main hall, there were some race ladies.
.../...
Last edited by Xavier PJB; 06-16-2014 at 10:17 AM.
O-G 26 - Early911S 2407
O-G 26 - Early911S 2407
from the outside car park:
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O-G 26 - Early911S 2407
Had a glass of Champagne (just one) before going back to drive and find my way to Le Mans.
This is where it starts to be a nightmare...it took me a bit of more than 2 hours from Saint Saturnin to Le Mans camp site, under a summer sun with the associated temperature...The good point is Sugar Baby did not overheated and handled pretty well this crappy situation.
On the road to the camp site there were hundreds (thousands ?) of people on each side of the road looking for sport cars, stopping them, and ask to high rev engine to make loud sound ! I got happy when I got stopped twice
Finally got to the entrance of the camp site, which is quite far way from the track (Yellow Beausejour, the other close camp sites were full - could not be booked). But I was not at the end of the journey... it is about 6 pm, my left arm is burnt by the sun, you can imagine the reason why.
Went through the control check point, and am now in front of a HUUUUUUGGGGEEEEEE desorganised field hosting tents, caravans, vans, cars, motorbikes, monster trucks etc...erhhhh where is my slot ???????? Got to a guy form the organisation who invite me to use any free space....and wish me luck...
All right, let's find a free slot somewhere...found one at 6:42 pm...well I thought it was, we'll find out later...
Setting up my tent and the necessary confort equipement, I decide to pause and have a relaxing moment with one of my favorite pal (Partagas d4), thinking of all the nice moments tI have already enjoyed, and the ones toward me.
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This seems to be sweet.
8:00 pm, made my way to the shower, entering the queue. 8:35 pm still try to have shower. 8:37 pm abort the plan.
Time to eat something descent ! walked to the circuit and had a tour, find my seats in the Leonard tribune just in front of the pit lane, stunning view ! Look forward to tomorrow.
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On my way back to the camp site, I found a food truck serving fat, greasy kebab. Could not find a nice blanquette de veau.
O-G 26 - Early911S 2407
The night is not over.
the camp site is now into the night and ti seems that the obscur side of the Force is now embracing each single individual but me. There are waste spread everywhere covering the entine field, cans, bottle, greasy papers, etc.
Most of the people are drunk or close to be, diiferent musics are played loud from various location which create a cacophony; people are shouting and some disco lights are flashing the night : this is the CHAOS !
My gosh I need to get back to my fragile tent - am brave, let's go !
I have met cool drunk chaps, some nasty drunk a.....e, witness 2 big fights, avoid several flying cans, been close to being death cause by techno loud music. Charming trip indeed.
Am safe in my tiny sweetie tent. I was tempted to reinitiate the shower plan but while passing by, it got aborted for the second time. I need to keep in mind to clean my tent while am back home
Managed to get asleep.
3:00 am or something like that - read it caps lock : "hey you f.... p...., your tent is on my b....slot, who the f...you think you are ? I paid for the slot, get lost f... b... m......r."
"Whaaaaaatttt ???" "What is it ?" There was a (drunk) guy kicking my tent and shouting at me arguying my tent was few centimeters within HIS slot....I told him that there was not exaclty defined and precise slots....
Well was a bit useless to argue in fact...Then I moved my tent 3 centimeters away from HIS slot...the guy was pleased and went away...sure...MAnaged to fall asleep again despite the "world is burning symdrom" outside.
Believe me or not, 4:00 am or close to that, the same guy came back and kicked my tent again - I explained him shortly in sweet words what I had in mind ( in english of coure as the guy did not speak french). He stopped at once and went away, never seen him again - meaning he was not my neighbor
6:00 am - the camp site is now under the 110 db level, I could call that silence.
7:30 am the camp site is mving to the track like a slow herd of animals- people are either tired or still drunk.
O-G 26 - Early911S 2407
I said to myself what a great opportunity to have a shower ! 3rd attempt failed....not caused by the queue this time. I would hae been more dirty having a shower that none to have.
Calling my wife to ask her to buy some hard cleaning soap for me
On my way to the track, a bit disapointed by the behaviour of the people, trying to find a bit of exitment. Sat at my place, in front of the start line and pit lane. Enjoying the show of the C goup cars, the Porsche Carrera cup, the Ferrari 512, Watching the ballet of the race cars prior to the start, having teardrops while the French flag being moved to give the start of the 24 heures du Mans 2014.
What a feeling. I cannot find the words to describe the emotion - there is only one way to get it: be there ! (but not attempt to camp !)-(Goodwood Revival was a far better experince from that stand point)
I am very happy having shared this with my humble 2.7 1976 which had lot of positive comments.
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For the rest you know what was going on the race.
All the best.
XAvier
O-G 26 - Early911S 2407
Interesting experience. I was curious to find out how are the nights at the camping sites, but I'm not brave enough to try to sleep there. And I hate drunk people.
You have just understood why most people try to find a room, either into an hotel or by someone who is local.
For example, if I need to go to the track, I walk 5 minutes to the tramway station, wait maybe 10 minutes for the next one and 15 minutes later, I'm on the Tertre rouge entrance.
I advise you to find a room next to a tramway stop next time, with a closed parking place:
http://www.setram.fr/
This way, you can park your car safely, enjoy the "parade des pilotes" the Friday evening and enjoy a nice week-end.
Samuel
(Not Heinz
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