| Author | Message | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Senior Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 5605 Registered: 8-2002 |
Vince, it was the time of my life; i made some real friends and that was the most awesome part... i can't wait to go back...  | ||
| Vincent (Vincent348)
Member Username: Vincent348 Post Number: 924 Registered: 4-2003 |
DES, Living the Good Life! Cool! Vincent. | ||
| Jonas Petersen (Karsten335)
Member Username: Karsten335 Post Number: 500 Registered: 11-2002 |
Oh my god, thats some story | ||
| "The Don" (The_don)
Senior Member Username: The_don Post Number: 6171 Registered: 8-2002 |
Um... Go get a cup of coffee or something... you'll be here a while. i met a lot of people this weekend. A lot of very awesome people. If any of them play guitar, they didn't make it known; i didn't see any drum sets at any of the various houses i was in; and i didn't hear anyone singing any tunes during the course of the weekend... Still, that didn't stop the SoCal crew from partying like ROCK STARS...! We drive and drive often...? Forget that crap, the mission statement should read: We are the envy of Mick Jagger...! There's so much to tell, so i'll spare the bullshhh details about JFK and get straight to the rockstar life i lived as soon as i landed... Friday JEAN-LOUIS The flight from JFK to Long Beach was very long and overdrawn due to a sickening level of anticipation; i swear i think i had enough energy to just jump out of the plane and flail my arms really hard and fly there on my own, faster than that silly Boeing 757... Landing in Long Beach, the sun was still up, the people were happy, the scenery was palmy and an almost exact opposite of the concrete jungle i'm used to, here... i was looking at something like 16 hours of daylight at this point, but i didn't care; i knew i was in for the time of my life. After i got off the plane, a quick call to Jean-Louis guided me to the front of this very tiny airport... i walked out, called him again to let him know i was out front and before we could hang up, i heard the first of some very sweet sounds... i heard him coming before i saw him, but when his blue 348 came into view, top down, the full picture of the treat i was in for, was plain as day... He pulled up, right in front, for all the world to see; he got out, we shook hands and chatted for a moment as we placed my suitcase in his trunk - you know, the one in the front. Very hospitable, extremely laid back and easy to talk to, Jean Louis instantly became one of the nicest people i've EVER met in my entire life; i feel very fortunate to have met him - but yeah, whatever, enough about that crap, let's talk about his car...! After getting into the car, we slowly rolled out of the airport with all eyes on us... Getting out onto the street, JL hit the gas a bit getting us to the freeway... Wow... This car has power - at least that's what i thought - until he actually got into it a little later...! We talked about various things as drove down the freeway and JL was nice enough to point out different places as we passed them, getting me familiar with the area and my surroundings... Even for a Friday evening, traffic was light - maybe that's how it is in California, i don't know, but there was ample room for JL to get on the car - and get on it, he did...! When things opened up, we blasted down the freeway, top down, warm California air blowing around us as we cruised. i've never been in a 348 and i've never been in a Ferrari spider, so this was my first time for both and it was AWESOME...! JL has a signature shift when going from 1st to 2nd when he's pushing the car... There's a definitive pause in that exchange of gears and when he releases the clutch and hits the gas, the car punches hard and you're propelled past everything that was, only moments ago, in front of you... This isn't a problem in shifting as his 1st to 2nd transitions are smooth and quick while tooling around the streets... Whether he does it consciously or not, it has a dramatic effect, complete with some incredible exhaust notes that really enhances the already-very intense ride... We rode around for over an hour; JL took me to 4 different dealerships, throughout Beverly Hills and the local area... We saw some really intense cars... A Bugatti EB110 - a blue one, just like the 1:18 model i've had for some 5+ years now... Actually seeing a real one, in the flesh, was very cool... We also saw a 1999 Orange Diablo Roadster - the only one from that year, in that color of its kind... We both agreed that it's a gorgeous car and can't understand why it hasn't been purchased... 2 XJ220s, 3 Diablo GTs, a Murcielago, a Countach, a Diablo 6.0 - the first one i've ever seen in person - a few other Diablos and Diablo Roadsters, a bunch of 360s, 550s, a 550 Barchetta, a few 456s, 355s, 348s, an Aston Martin, a few Carerras - and this was all in the windows of 4 dealerships...! Very intense... The experience was a bit overwhelming and i had to remind myself just to breathe, so remembering to take pictures at that point was out of the question... Sorry. Although i knew we were on a time schedule, JL made no bones about taking our time so i could check out all these really awesome cars... Driving around with him, checking out the sites and just chatting above the gentle noise of the wind as we cruised in his topless 348 was awesome; JL, i can't thank you enough for picking me up, showing me around and everything else you did for me this weekend, i really appreciate it. You, my friend, are the real class act. Thank you. BYRON & SUNNY After hitting the dealerships, JL and i went back to his apartment where we met up with his beautiful girlfriend, Julia... Julia looked as if she jumped right out of one of the magazines JL had laying on the couch as she was definite model material; not only that, but she was a pleasure to talk to, throughout the entire night... That coupled with JLs apartment was a clear and direct indication that i was hanging out with THE MAN...! JL has great taste in artwork, which adorns an already beautiful apartment; the electronic curtains open up to reveal a sliding glass door in the middle of two wall-to-ceiling glass windows - the glass door, of course, opens to give access to the terrace... 20 floors above the ground, i stood on the terrace and looked out over LA... It was very intense... JL fixed up some cocktails for me, Julia and himself, only to make two more for Byron and Sunny, who arrived only minutes after we did. Byron and Sunny came strolling in through the apartment, exchanging 'what's-ups' with JL & Julia... Byron & Sunny were equally as well dressed as JL and it was quickly obvious to me that i these three were the long lost, grown up kids of Hugh Hefner... After finally putting faces to names and being introduced, we had no trouble conversating... Byron & Sunny were so easy to talk to, like we had been hanging out for years... There were no uncomfortable silent moments or hesitations in conversations... These two were very cool cucumbers and that just made my night that much more relaxing... It was soon after that i learned that Sunny would give anyone the shirt off his back; he's so totally altruistic and willing to help anyone out, in any way he can... It's no wonder he hangs out with Matt, JL & Byron - you know what they say, birds of a feather... It was long after that i also found out that Byron has 6 billion people on speed dial, on his cell phone. Yup... that's right... He knows EVERYONE on the planet. If you have a phone number or an email address, Byron has it. He's like a human phone book and if you exist, he knows you; he's also responsible for making a very surreal Saturday night a reality. Thanks Byron. After hanging out in JL's apartment for a while, drinking cocktails and discussing the following day's events, some phone calls were exchanged and we were headed out the door, on our way to The House of Blues... JL & Julia rode in the 348 and Sunny, Byron and i slipped like agents, into Sunny's black XJ6... After riding in it several times throughout the weekend, i'm pretty sure that he stole it from the Men In Black; the car has more power than i knew Jaguars had and he drove it in ways that physics says are impossible. He, himself was probably an MIB at one point in his life, 'cause they don't teach you to drive like that at the DMV... STEVE SCHWARTZ Not too long after leaving JL's apartment, we arrived at The House of Blues where, once inside, we met up with one of the coolest people i've ever met. Very vibrant and full of life, easy to talk to and incredibly hospitable, Steve Schwartz was responsible for making that incredible night possible. Steve, i can't thank you enough, i had an awesome time and i really appreciate everything. Steve was gracious enough to pull himself away from his friends and give all of us a tour of The House of Blues - this place was awesome...! Steve was constantly smiling, had no problem answering questions and showed us some very interesting things... Not too much longer, the orders from the bar were well under way as we all mingled with people Steve knew and the other chatters who slowly trickled in... Martin and his beautiful wife arrived soon after. Martin had me laughing the entire weekend, constantly cracking jokes... We took a couple of cheap shots at him about his rental car, but i didn't want to take many... He sounds just like 'Arnold' and isn't too far off in height and build. Not too long after, Tom made it and soon we were all a big group, hanging out, talking and drinking. Jasmine & Roxanne were the two waitresses who probably heard more from me than anyone else in that whole place. After 4 or 5, i lost count of how many glasses of wine i had that night... There were two other gentlemen there - friends of Steve; they were with their respective girlfriend/wife and all were very pleasant to chat with... My bad memory and the amount of alcohol i consumed won't allow me to recall their names, but they were very nice and we had a great chat; they also showed up on Saturday. MATT - THE DON Sunny and i hung out on the terrace/balcony thing out front, smoking and talking... "Where's Matt...?" i asked, eagerly waiting to meet the man who made this whole weekend possible. Sunny paged him and Matt soon returned the call... "I'll be there in 15 minutes..." he said, breaking up over the connection... Ok, i said, hanging up, anxiously awaiting his arrival... It was closer to an hour when he finally got there - or at least it felt like it... Someone called Sunny from inside and told him Matt was here and we rushed to the stairs in the back, overlooking the parking lot, hoping to see him... No where in sight... He was already by the bar, talking to Steve & Martin and everyone else... A t-shirt, jeans, sneakers and the California smile i was seeing all over the place welcomed me when i finally saw him... He was an icon cloaked in casual wear... Infamous & notorious in the Ferrari community, he was a hero; a role model... The guy who drives his Ferrari every single day... The guy who doesn't take ���� from anyone, over anything, and at the same time is very laid back and has been very cordial for months since inviting me out to California... i was in the presence of greatness. "Hey, Dan, you wanna go check out my car...? It's down stairs..." i didn't even have to ask. He knew right away that i wanted to see it and had no problem showing it to me... We DEScended several flights of stairs, emerging into the parking lot... My eyes flickered about the parked cars, searching for a grey 1977 Ferrari 308 GTS... BAM! Slightly off to the right, there it was... The moon and parking lot lights scattered themselves along the lines of the body and they slowly moved as we got closer and closer... The just-detailed car was gorgeous, complimented with a red interior... Matt opened the door, allowing me to sit in it... Whoa... i couldn't believe i was actually sitting in the Matt Mobile... Matt popped the hood - you know, the one in the back - and showed me the engine... We talked for a few minutes then went back upstairs... Soon, everyone was hanging out; Ron Shirley showed up and we were all scattered about in different rooms... At one point, Matt, Martin, Marion, Steve and i were all hanging out in a room, chatting with three beautiful women... Of which, only one whose name i can recall... Irma... She was very easy to talk to and we talked for a while... but i digress. Closing time was around 2 - and i quickly ordered one more glass of wine... i sucked it down right as we were about to leave; DEStination: Fatburger. i was fortunate enough to score a ride with Steve Schwartz in his red 355 spider... Top down, we cruised through the nightlife streets at 2AM; a caravan of cars, headed to get burgers... No freeway to blast down, but Steve still let loose in the car, providing a rich experience, full of what Ferraris are capable of... When you're in a Ferrari, you don't turn to go with the road, the road turns for you, to accomodate you; at least that's how it felt, i had a lot to drink. Steve, thanks a lot for the ride, it was awesome...! RON SHIRLEY Once we got to Fatburger, we placed our orders and sat down... i was craving a cigarette and decided to go outside. Once out on the sidewalk, i lit up and staggered in the middle of the street, ogling the three Ferraris before. Intense... Very intense... i couldn't stop smiling... When i finished, i went back inside, where Ron helped prop me up in my seat so i could pretend i wasn't totally bombed and try to eat... Someone - i can't remember who - told me i should order a Double King; that's what i did... LOL, i could barely lift the burger, let alone eat it...! i managed some of it, though, and it was great... the fries were good, too... Once we were ready to go, Ron grabbed my suit case from JL's car and carried it to his; i offered to carry it - after all, why should he have to carry my luggage - but he insisted and found room for it in his trunk. Good, too, 'cause i don't think i could've carried it, LOL...! i don't remember how long the ride was back to Ron's house, because i fell asleep, LITERALLY, in the middle of our conversation... Rude, yes, and i felt bad about it, but Ron didn't mind; he knew i was gone... Upon our arrival, he woke me up and told me we were there. Sitting in the garage, i fumbled a bit but figured out how to get out of his car... We weren't alone, though, 'cause at the other end was his Ferrari; a Mondial 3.2 convertible... It was gorgeous, especially with the wheels he has on it... i checked it out for a minute, then followed him in his house. Holy crap...! What a house...! As we walked in, i looked up and though, 'oh, man, they forgot to put a ceiling in here!' but it was higher than i could see... Up the stairs we went; at the top, i got the best view of his living room, decorated with beautiful artwork and sculptures... We made our way to the guest room, where Ron dropped of my suit case, turned down the bed and asked if i wanted him to show me how to use the television; i laughed. Thanks, but no thanks, i'll be going straight to sleep... ...and that, i did. i collapsed onto the bed and looked at the lamp, which was turned on. i was far too out of it to get up and turn it off, so i tried to think it off, but to no avail and fell right asleep. Saturday i woke up Saturday morning around 9... Daylight cascaded through the blinds on the window... i wanted to see what time it was, so i slowly oozed out of bed and stood up to get my phone; i was still dizzy from the night before, but without a headache... i checked the time and my messages and crawled back onto the bed, falling asleep, once again. An hour and a half later, i heard Ron calling my name from a few feet away... "Dan... Dan... it's time to get up..." i slowly regained consciousness and sat up... Ron and i briefly discussed the morning's itinerary, then i took a shower and dressed. i grabbed my suit case and made my way down stairs, once again getting a great view of the living room and the rest of the first floor... A truly beautiful home, i thought... i reached the landing and heard a television in another room... i didn't see Ron or his wife, so i took a moment to admire the artwork throughout the room... i eventually found Ron in another room and he showed me around. The back yard was beautiful with a pool joined by two waterfalls... Back inside, he showed me each room - there were a lot of rooms...! Then out to the front, to see the beautiful landscaping. Ron's wife, Sumei gives everything in and outside of the house special attention; he garden was very exotic with flowers and plants i'd never seen before. Inside, a glass of orange juice accompanied by pleasant conversation ensued for about ten minutes before Ron and i left to go get breakfast; we decided on the way, though, to just wait until we got to the launch to eat. i stood in the driveway, anxiously waiting for Ron to back out his Mondial... He started it up and the engine came to life; the bright sun shone down on me, glaring off my huge grin as exhaust notes floated out of the garage, followed by Ron in the Mondial... Once he pulled out, i got in and off we went, waving farewell to his lovely wife as we rode down the block. Whoa... Here's a car i've seen a few times but never even had a chance to sit in, let alone ride in...! Ron and i talked about the local area, the scenery and the car... It was awesome, riding around gorgeous California with the top down... Maybe it's just me, but California seems cleaner than NY... i didn't notice any difference in the air, but maybe that's 'cause i was too captivated by the palm trees and my THIRD RIDE IN A FERRARI SPIDER IN THE LAST 12 HOURS...!!! Then Ron spoke what was music to my ears: "After i get 'er warmed up a bit, i'll pull over and let you have the controls..." WHOOOOOOO...! i was gonna drive a Ferrari...!!! i watched Ron shift from 1st to 3rd, waiting for the oil to get warm... i was so excited... i couldn't believe i was gonna drive a Ferrari...! Cruising down one of the main streets, my anticipation doubled, then doubled again, and again as he slowed down for no reason... 'He's gonna turn! He's gonna turn!!!' i thought... He turned. He drove down a side street, turned onto another and parked the car. 'i'm gonna drive it! i'm gonna drive it!!!' i thought... Ron shut off the car... "You ready...?" he asked... Oh, yeah... i was ready... i've only been waiting for this moment for the last 24 years...!!! He opened his door, which was the cue for me to open mine... We got out and walked around the back of the car; he jumped in the passenger's seat and i stood just outside the open driver's side, looking down at what i've waited for my entire life; ...i stood just outside the car, door open, marveling at the driver's seat. The driver's seat of a Ferrari. The driver's seat of a Ferrari, with the keys in it, ready to be driven. By me. Legally. i've only been waiting for this for 24 years - 290 months, really; 8,816 days to be exact. 8,816 days into my existence, there i was, standing only inches from the cockpit. All that mattered in the world was unknown to me; i was about to drive a Ferrari. i reached into my back pocket and removed my brown Ferrari driving gloves - i always carry a pair of driving gloves with me, no matter where i go. i had a spare pair of black Porsche driving gloves and black Ferrari driving gloves in my suit case; i'm always ready to drive. Once my hands were firmly secured in thin Italian leather, my body turned into water and i poured myself into the car, immediately lining the interior contours with anticipation. i was alive. Ron and i dialogued; what about, i don't recall. Something about seat adjustments or mirrors or what have you - you know, the safety stuff. Important, yes, but i was a bit distracted... ...i WAS ABOUT TO DRIVE A FERRARI...! All the things i'd wondered about; would i have trouble with the clutch?, would i have trouble shifting with a gated shifter? - they were present, but no longer worries. A silent confidence guided me into the depths of the controls where i became one with the car... no problems at all. i started the car, Ron explained to me how the emergency brake is properly released and we were ready to go... A quick left up the street brought us to the main road where Ron turned off, only minutes ago. A smooth start and a smooth stop at the stop sign marked the first of many in the beginning of my first ride in the driver's seat of a Ferrari. The hazy disbelief that i was actually driving a Ferrari coated me with calmness... i was able to actually drive it, rather than jump up and down in the seat, flailing my arms aimlessly, screaming for joy, like i always figured i'd do. We headed down the main street and i was even conscious enough to understand the directions Ron was giving me. A few strategic turns brought us to another main but more DESolate road. There was a slight incline and as i looked ahead, all i saw was road... "Go ahead, open it up, the road is yours..." Whoa... Permission to 'open it up'... My heart rate quickened, my breath got heavy. 'Ok, calm down', i thought... i still needed to adjust to the car; get used it, get comfortable with it... ...but that didn't stop me from opening it up a little bit . We cruised around for about 10 more minutes until i found myself getting pretty intimate with the car's capabilities; the power in these things is almost unbelievable. Taking the traffic in front of me and turning it into the traffic behind me was almost like playing checkers against a sleeping opponent; i just jumped back and forth and before i knew it, there was nothing but me on the board. We continued through Malibu then headed up the coast. Ok, stop. Read that again: "We continued through Malibu then headed up the coast" - even without a Ferrari, that was awesome... Doing it in a Ferrari - with the top down - just made it the most memorable driving experience of my life. Ok, continue... The Mondial and i really had a thing for each other and by the time we got to the freeway, we were getting it on - even with Ron sitting right there, watching...! Although there was other traffic, there were still a few miles where the opportunity to do some spirited driving was available; and i took full advantage. 5th gear on a 5 speed Ferrari is not used too often; it's sorta like the warp speed gear. But you don't get your warp speed from 5th, you get it from 4th, because by the time you actually shift into 5th, you realize that's your last gear, look down at the speedometer in disbelief and wonder how you achieved such a speed, with such acceleration... The whole drive, i marveled at how quickly these cars respond to you when you ask for more power. Slowing down at a light or in traffic, i would downshift to third or even second and the exhaust note would jump up a few decibles, singing for all to hear... When traffic would clear or the light would turn green, my foot would move over, caressing the gas pedal and BAM! We'd be gone. Caressing led to a passionate meshing of lust and force as i pushed the loud pedal down as far as i could, the engine screeeeeeeeeaming behind our heads, accelerating until the tachometer needle would jump right up to the red line, then i shifted, pausing the acceleration for just a split second, until i released the clutch and continued my assault on the pedal on the right; but only for a few seconds... 'cause then it was time to shift again . i repeated this process many times during our over-an-hour drive to the FDC launch Saturday afternoon... it was a day i will never forget. Ron didn't have me pull over so he could take care of the stop and go stuff, either; he let me drive the WHOLE WAY THERE... He even let me park the car - and i backed it in, which makes a lot of people nervous; Ron didn't even flinch. Ron, i had a great weekend and it was very generous of you and your wife to allow me to stay in your home; i really appreciate it. However, nothing will compare to the fact that you're directly responsible for my first-ever Ferrari drive. For this, i'm eternally grateful and indebted to you. Thank you so much. Sorry, folks, i know this could've been longer, but it was my first-ever experience driving a Ferrari; that definitely DEServes a thread all to itself. i'm starting on Part III right away, hoping to have it up by later tonight or some time tomorrow morning... Once again, thank you to everyone who made the most incredible weekend of my life possible. Ron and i arrived at the launch party just after 1pm - just over an hour late. i parked next to a black 512 TR, to the left of which was a purple Diablo 30th anniversary addition. Down that same line, there was a 355 spider, a 360 spider, a black 308 GT4 Dino and a 512 BBi. Ron's topless Mondial at the end just made it a very diverse and exotic line of cars. i snapped some photos of those cars, the silver 550 and Matt's 308 before we made our way over the little overpass/bridge thingie to the restaurant where the party was being held. Once inside, we immediately met up with Byron, Jean-Louis and Sunny. A quick hello and a brief synopsis of what we missed helped usher us further inside; once i saw Matt, he asked me if i had met Roland Linder. "Who...?" i said - 'cause i know who Roland Linder is, but there was no way he was here - so i must've heard him wrong or something. "Roland Linder", he repeated... "Roland Linder...?" i stuttered; "F40 LM Evoluzione Roland Linder...?" i questioned, making sure to add in some detail for a final confirmation. "Yes." was his answer... "No way, dude! Where...?" First he told me, then he showed me where Roland was sitting... Holy crap, i was gonna meet Roland Linder...! Roland was sitting at a table, a plate of macaroni in front of him, just getting ready to eat... "Mr. Linder, hi, it's so awesome to meet you..." i shook his hand and he said hello... "i read all about your F40 in Forza; the whole story, how you did it from start to finish... it was just a really awesome story..." As he prepped his napkin with hands that have done more driving than i could dream of doing, he looked at me through his glasses and humbly replied in a rich European accent: "It is a love story..." 'Whoa...', i thought... 'This dude is cool...!' "Oh, man, that sounds awesome... listen, i don't want to interrupt you, i see you're about to eat, i just wanted to meet you..." We shook hands once again and i made my way back to the bar (for some water, people; some water!) The bar was like base in freeze tag - very busy, with people constantly sitting at it for a few minutes, then running off somewhere else. i sat there, eating a delicious plate of macaroni - the same thing Roland was eating - and downing glass after glass of water... i had the opportunity to talk to a bunch of really nice people, including Dom Vitarella, Jordan and his mother, Steve Schwartz again (i know he must've been tired of me by then ) and many others... There was so much going on at times, that i barely had a chance to get names or, as you all know, remember them... i'd like to time out here for a second and mention that i'm not a very social person. i don't go out much except to hang out with The Bird and it's rare you'll find me at a social function unless it's somehow business-related. The reason for this is that when i go out and mingle with other people (yeah, society) i find that there are always a few people who are not very nice and can be very off color, at times. This repels me from socializing unless it's necessary. It's extremely important that i note that EVERYONE i met from the minute i got off the plane Friday night to the minute i got back on, on Sunday night, was nice. Not one single person left a sour impression on me... EVERYONE was nice, EVERYONE was cordial and polite, EVERYONE was easy to talk to and pleasant - it was like the @#$%ing twilight zone and it scared the hell outta me, in a good way, of course. i felt so comfortable mingling with people i didn't even know and that's saying a LOT. Thank you, EVERYONE and please accept my most humblest of apologies i've forgotten your name, i certainly did not do it on purpose. After a while, Byron and JL tag-teamed the microphone to make special announcements for the FDC sponsors, the prizes soon to be awarded during the raffle and they even made special mention of us folks who had the chance to be there. Matt, JL, Byron & Sunny were the ones who DEServed special mention for all they had done, yet they selflessly made everyone aware of others' presence, as if we were the reason for the party. You guys are awesome, i'm so glad i was able to make it, i had a blast. After the prizes were raffled off, more mingling and conversation ensued. In between cigarettes, i had the opportunity to talk with many wonderful people. That's when Robert Callahan came over and introduced himself to me. Bob's a funny guy and i enjoy his posts so finally meeting him was great. "Hey, DES, let's go check out my car... i'll let you drive it..." NO WAY...! i thought...! i just met this guy...! He barely knows me and he's gonna let me drive his car...! AWESOME...! "Awesome, Bob, thanks a lot...! Hey, i'll meet you outside in the parking lot, i need to get something out of Ron's car..." Ok, he said and sprang out the door and made my way to the parking lot. i was DESperate need of a cigarette; all this excitement was overwhelming... i puffed vigorously as i trodded toward the lot... 'i'm gonna drive another one! i'm gonna drive another one...!!!' i thought... i could hardly contain myself... i dragged deeply, one last time, from my cancerous tobacco product, dropped it and stepped on it when i got to Ron's car... i reached in, grabbed my driving gloves, once again, ready to put them to the ultimate use... Sunny and Jordan were outside chatting... "Hey, guys, Bob's gonna let me drive his car - i'll see you later...! but i'll be back, though..." i grinned all the way across the lot as Bob came out and we walked to his car... There was no two ways about it, i was about to drive a red "sickspeed" Ferrari 355 Spider - which Bob made blatantly obvious when he handed me the keys, before we even made it to the car...! The car was unlocked. The top was up. Bob walked around to the passenger's side and got in as i slipped my hands into my driving gloves. Holy ����. i was gonna drive a Ferrari. Again. "Let's see if you can figure out how to open the door..." Bob said, with a smile on his face. Much to his cha'grin' (ok, that was bad), i knew exactly where the door handle was - under that scoop thingie. Riding in Steve Schwartz's 355 spider the night before and Billy Zisis's F355 Berlinetta here in NY had already taught me how to get into these exotic cars. Once we settled into the luxurious folds of the leather interior, Bob proceeded to take his top off - the top off of the car, people, get your mind out of the gutter...! The top comes down automatically, moving the seats as it works; pretty cool, if you ask me; i always though you had to get out and do it yourself. Who'd've thought Ferrari would make something automatic when it's not pertinent to actual driving. i was on the verge of going into a state of shock; Bob had to take the keys from and start the car for me. VROOOOM! rumblerumblerumble WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! The car and i came alive in unison... Oh, man, the exhaust note on these things is breath taking... The haze lifted; my eyes defogged and i was back to reality. Yeah, reality in the driver's seat of a Ferrari 355 spider! Ok, quick timeout here; i can't tell you how many times i've repeated aloud, whether alone or around other people, that i drove Ferraris this past weekend. Just listen to those two words: "drove Ferraris". AAAAAAAAAHHH...! What else in life matters...? Ok, get outta my head and go back to the story, i need to think . i took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. There's something about people and what they do when a Ferrari engine comes alive; the all look to see...! All eyes in the parking lot were on me...! i waved to Sunny & Jordan as i shifted into 1st. This was so awesome, when i'm done exhausting this gear, i still have five more to go...! It's a sickspeed...! The car gods must have been with me the entire weekend because, once again, i had no trouble with the clutch, no trouble shifting and i didn't jerk the car at all between gears... We slowly moved forward, i turned the wheel and down we went, making the rounds through the parking lot, DEStination: the street. i pulled out when traffic was clear, going the way Bob told me. When it was clear up ahead, i would test the waters of the car. It's funny how physics works when you're driving a Ferrari; your foot goes down, your head goes back and the car goes forward. Fast. There's that short, split-second moment that feels like gravity no longer works when you shift. Then you release the clutch; and all the world immediately rushes back into place as if magnetic. Oh, man, i'm making all these ridiculous noises with my mouth and intricate gesticulations, but to DEScribe the feeling is beyond words. There are several things to take into consideration. The look of the car: Ok, when you see one of these things in a showroom window, you don't say, 'hey, i bet that car sounds great', you're thinking, 'jeeeeeeeeeeeeeesus, that car is GORGEOUS...!' The feel of the car: Do not sit in one of these cars in a showroom, unless you're getting paid to be part of the display; take it out or have someone take you out in it for a ride in traffic. Pull up to a light, look over and you're sure to see whatever the most popular SUV is during that week. Pay close attention where you are in relation to the other vehicle. Yeah... That's right... You're staring into the wheel well, aren't you...? Yeeeeeeeah... Being that low to the ground gives you either of two feelings: A). "Um, hey... isn't this dangerous...?" or, the likelier B). "Holy ����, dude, i'm in a REAL sports car...!" The sound of the car: Ferraris are usually heard from far away... That's because there's not much else out there that's keeping up with them. Even a fellow Ferrari owner will take his foot off the gas to hear your engine note. The most beautiful sound you could ever hope to hear, penetrating your soul with lust, emanates from the exhaust pipes of a Ferrari. The car's ability: When you're in your "other" car, rushing to get somewhere and realize you've gone into a turn faster than you should, you ease off and rethink what you're doing. When you're in a Ferrari, you mash the gas pedal, propelling you and your car into the tightest turn, DESperately seeking Gs and come out of the turn thinking, 'Hmmm... i could've gone through that faster...' When you're in your "other" car and you've got the go pedal pushed down as far as it'll go, you're waiting and hoping for more power and speed; when you're in a Ferrari and you really juice it, the laws of physics punch you in the chest and push your head back against the headrest as hard as they can and as you screeeeeeeeam down the road, passing EVVERRRYTHIIIING, you wonder if NASA helped put this car together. In any case, the magic about Ferrari is that you don't need to think about any of those things when you're in one; you just know. Saturday afternoon was no different and the lust i have for driving; the lust i thought couldn't grow any more, doubled as i traced a small part of California with four very exacting tires. As Bob is talking to me about the car and telling me i should keep the revs about 3 grand, he guiDES me to the twistiest up-hill road i've EVER been on or even seen... No, i'm no exaggerating. i've driven on twisty roads, i've seen twistier ones, but this was THE TWISTIEST i'd ever SEEN, let alone driven on - and it was all up hill...! Bob made mention that, even on this road, the RPMS should never fall under 3k... LOL, Seriously...? He was dead serious. Um... ok, then... i was driving a Ferrari so the up-hill part of the road might as well have been down hill - the car just has oodles and oodles of power. So i begin making my way up this hill, moderately cruising in first, then in second... "Push it! Punch it...!" Bob commanded... So i get all up on the gas pedal; then i immediately get all up on the brake pedal as i come up to a bend in the road that's so close to being a friggin' loop-de-loop, i wonder in amazement, as i came out of the turn, how the ass of the car didn't pass me on the way around... Out of the turn, very quickly on my way into the next one, i only had time for two thoughts regarding the first turn: "Whoa, that was intense..." and then, "Awesome! i didn't crash...!" Into the next turn, which turned out to be a series of turns, i was just under three thousand - or thirty hundres as the tach reads - and Bob was telling me to push it. Now a ride in the passenger's seat of a car, as we all know, is always more intense than when you're in the driver's seat, so if he was the passenger and he was STILL asking me to push, well then, the obvious just became brazen: i don't know the first thing about real driving. Unfortunately, i learned this several times over, throughout the weekend, but i'll get to that later... Sharp lefts and sharp rights, a screaming engine, a loose and dancing grip on the steering wheel to control it, a heart crying for courage, heavy with excitement and a foot soaked in hesitation, i continued up a hill that, from the sky, must look like the silhouette of zipper teeth... ...and then it happened. As i turned the wheel to the right, hugging the curve mere inches from the trees, i speedily came up on a very bumpy surface, complete with a dip, ensuring a heart-wrenching result for any exotic car that unknowingly approached it... BUMP! SHCRAPE! AAAAAAAAAHHH...! My heart stopped. My breathing stopped. My jaw hung as if unhinged. My foot seemed to be detached from the rest of my body as it moved from the right pedal to the middle pedal; the rest of me was frozen. Even the engine seemed to have stopped singing. "Oh, ����, dude... i am so sorry..." i said, melting into an apologetic mess we slowed to a crawl. Bob looked back to check out just how much damage i just made his car do to the concrete. "Eh... it's alright..." he sighed... "Dude, i'm so sorry... Do you want me to pull over...?" my heart sank; this guy barely knows me and he throws me the keys to his Ferrari so i can live out a dream and i make his bumper kiss rock. Nice going DES...! "No, it's okay, i'll look later..." he said... He was surprisingly cool about it... "Are you sure...? it's no problem, i'll pull right over, we can check it out..." i was urgent in my apology and was devestated that i could let this happen... "No, no, keep going..." he insisted... i complied and continued up hill - not pushing the car at all. "You know, you can skip right around things like that", Bob said, "and you can stop on a dime with these brakes..." Slamming on the brakes while speeding around a bend doesn't sound like the end result would be too pleasant, but the car DOES have unbelievable steering and i could've avoided that whole thing... Sigh... Hindsight is always 20/20. The road eventually ended, with the option to go either left or right. "Pull over on the side over here..." Bob said and i pulled over and we switched seats... "Let me show what i'm talking about..." he said as we got in, referring to keeping the RPMs above 3k... In reverse, a turn to the left and we were headed back down the twisty hill... ...at more than twice the speed with which we came up. The engine must've only been talking loud before, because now it was screaming... Engine braking conducted a symphony of lust-laden exhaust notes that roared inches behind my head as we rocketed down the hill, through the turns. Bob was telling me to keep the revs over 3 and as i looked over at the tach as he Schumachered in and out of these turns, i wondered if he'd let the revs drop under 5. 'jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesus', i thought, 'if Amtrak had these kinda tires, they'd never derail...' At one point we must have been completely intangible, 'cause we went right through a mail truck; there's no way we went around it 'cause it was sitting right there when we came flyyyyying out of a turn, so i'm convinced we went right through it. At the bottom of the hill, there was a straight, ending in a stop sign. Bob mashed it. We accelerated furiously towards a stop sign, beyond which was a wall of trees, so i was sure Bob knew that stopping should commence at some point in the very immediate future... ...and it did. Only a few feet from the stop sign. 'Whoa... if my will power had these kind of brakes, i'd have lost a hundred pounds by now...!' i was in a haze as we tooled around the local streets, making our way back to the launch party. i'm still questioning whether or not Bob is clinically insane or not, but one thing was made certain: the man can DRIVE...! Bob, i had an awesome time, i can't thank you enough for letting me drive your car. Riding with you was awesome and i hope i get the chance again, some time. i feel like crap though, about what i did to the bumper. Please give me your email address so i can give you my snail mail and you can send me the bill for the repair. My stomach turns every time i think about it. Bob and I headed back to the launch, where some people had already left. The parking lot wasn�t as full as it was when Ron and I first got there, still, the remaining exotica was breathtaking. I�ll never get tired of seeing a Ferrari. Little groups of people were sprinkled about the lot, engaged in their respective conversations. Bob and I joined into one like we had never left. Among those people who were headed to Vegas, plans were being finalized. The big �guess what� of the afternoon was that Roland Linder was going to meet us in Vegas. I just hung around, bouncing from conversation to conversation, awaiting the exodus. When the last of the goodbyes had been exchanged and all were ready to go, Martin put my suitcase in the back of his <chuckle> Ford Ranger and we were ready to go. Regrouping at the gas station for go juice, I was riding with Matt in his gray 1977 Ferrari 308 GTS (damn, I�ll never get tired of saying that ). Kevin & Eldon were in the NSX, Martin & his wife were in the Ford Ranger, Steve & Tom were in Steve�s Porsche Boxster and Byron & Sunny were in the black XJ6. A 5-minute stop at the gas station was the first of several before we made it to Las Vegas. Once we were on the road, the top was down in the only Ferrari making the trip and Matt and I had the warm California air in our faces, a rumbling engine behind our heads and nothing but fun to look forward to. Matt made a special MP3 for the ride, complete with the two best driving songs I know: Smack My ����� Up by Prodigy and Sandstorm by Darude. Also on the play list was Staind. Traffic was light and the ride was smooth� for a while. A little confusion as to whether everything was ok with one of the other cars led to an impromptu stop on the side of the road. Little did we know, the joke was on us when the 308 stalled just as we parked. Steve pointed out that something was leaking from Matt�s engine, as there were drops of oil all over the back of the car. Further investigation showed that there was a cracked coil. Everyone was bewildered at how such a thing could occur � no one�s ever seen anything like that before. Me? I just hung around taking pictures. I don�t know a cracked coil from a candied apple, I just know that ���� happens. As luck would have it, there was a Kragen auto parts store only a few miles from where we pulled over. Steve & Matt jumped in the Boxster and made there way over there to get Matt a new coil. The rest of us just hung around for the 15 minutes they were gone, chatting about whatever. Steve & Matt returned with a new coil for the 308 and cold drinks for the rest of us. The new coil was leaking before it even came out of the box, but Matt still put it in; what choice did he have? He got in the car, turned the key and she started right up. So after a brief but seemingly harmless scare, we were ready to restart our journey. Pictures of the infamous cracked coil will be posted soon. Although things were fine and the only stops we made after that were at gas stations, Matt�s 308 was still running high water and oil temperatures and when your car is doing that in the middle of the DESert, it�s kinda hard to have fun. The fact that he was carrying a hefty passenger didn�t really help the car, especially on hills, but we still made it. Shortly before sundown, we made our last stop before Vegas, for gas. Martin bought everyone burritos while Matt played with the cute b!tch from the next pump over. The ride down the final hill into Vegas was like one from a book or television show. A caravan of varying sports cars, inhabited by people from across the country, strolling through a crepuscular heat inconspicuously mingled with the Sin City traffic. We were there. We made it to our DEStination, all cars and persons therein, in tact. I guess I was the only one in the group who�d never been to Vegas. I yielded that signature look that all tourists are cursed with as I thrust my camera at every obscenely lit structure we passed. Traffic was apparently thicker than usual; a notion I picked up from Matt�s verbal displeasure with the number of cars on the road. His colorful use of profanity at the duration of each red light was another indication that his previous trips to Vegas went a little smoother. Deep down, he was worried about his car. We all were. Vegas Ok, so we�re there, right�? We�re in the city of lights. Sin City. Las Vegas � suspiciously rhyming with Lost Wages, as so eloquently pointed out by The Don. So what happened, you ask�? Well� What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. That was the agreement. However, the council has permitted me to elaborate on one or two things. For your edification, of course. We arrived at our hotel, where Roland Linder had already made it and was waiting. Five or ten minutes were taken for room check-ins and then we agreed to meet back downstairs in 30 minutes and go for dinner. Showers and a change of clothes were in order and we all made our way to our rooms. A half hour later, one by one, we slowly trickled downstairs to the meeting place. After the majority of us had convened back to the meeting point, Matt & Kevin decided to go to Auto Zone so Matt could pick up two more coils. He had called information before we made it to the hotel and there was actually a twenty-four hour Auto Zone only a few blocks from where we were staying. �Only in Vegas�, I thought. They went off as the rest of us waited for the final few who had not yet made it downstairs. Finally, we were all together again; a decision was made on where we would have dinner and separate taxis ushered us to P.F. Chang�s. If, by some chance in life, I get to write for some famous car magazine, that night will definitely be recalled in any given �memoir� article you see some columnists write. It was a night I�ll never forget. In a city as foreign to me as New York City is to anyone who�s never been, there I sat at a dinner table, in a restaurant with some of the most interesting and diverse people I would ever meet. To my right was Martin; not happy that his beers weren�t being brought to the table fast enough. In between deep sighs, he cracked jokes and kept me laughing. Next to him, his lovely wife, Marian, who was always smiling. To my left, after coming back from Auto Zone, was Matt. Downing iced tea after iced tea, he seemed to feel a little better about his car was a little more relaxed. Across from me, next to Martin�s wife, was Tom. A native East-Coaster, having just as good a time as I was. Next to Matt was a young man from France who couldn�t have been any older than myself and probably has more driving ability in either of his little toes than I can ever hope to have. He spoke no English but I was honored all the same to be in his presence. Next to him, Roland Linder. Do I really need to continue�? Here is someone who used to race cars back when my father was half the age I�m at now and his attitude was just as, if not younger, than mine. A man who doesn�t rush when he walks or talks. He takes his time with everything, enjoying everything life has to offer. I thought about Forza�s May issue, # 45; the one with his F40 Evoluzione on the top strip of the cover. �FERRARI RESSURECTED� it reads, in all caps. The car in the magazine, undoubtedly a Ferrari to be whispered about and marveled at for many generations to come, belongs to the man sitting two seats down from me. I almost lost consciousness when the topic of the French Quarter Classic in New Orleans came up. Someone mentioned that I was going. Surprise, surprise, Roland would be there, too. He and I started talking about it. It was unbelievable. I�ve only wanted to strap myself into a racecar for the last 24 years and here I was talking to someone who actually did it. Not only that, but I�m going to see him there � and he�s bringing the F40 LM�! The whole dinner was very surreal, talking with people I had only met in person some 24 hours ago. I was eerily aware that everyone I spoke to throughout the weekend was really nice; that night was no exception. After we left the restaurant, we [edit] Sorry. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. The night graduated into morning, sleepless and hazy. Matt was leaving early to beat the heat and traffic so as to avoid any trouble his car might give him. At 5AM, we passed each other in the lobby of the hotel, he on his way out, I on my way upstairs. I was going to leave with Sunny, Byron & Tom at 7:30 and decided it would be best that I didn�t sleep or I wouldn�t wake up in time. I wandered the casino, watching the older folks take advantage of the down time, as they casually gave their lives away, one quarter or nickel at a time, with each pull of the slot machine arm. I�m not much of a gambler. Ok, that�s a lie. I�m not much of a gambler anymore and the knowledge of the true odds in any �gambling� situation keep me far enough at bay that the allure of slot machines, card tables and roulette wheels don�t tempt me. I went back up the hotel room, flipped through the television channels and gazed out the window, watching the sun come up over a city I had just spent a very surreal 9 hours in. Eventually, the phone rang; it was Tom asking if I was ready. We would meet downstairs in 15 minutes. I stuffed my things into my suitcase and headed for the elevator. I was the first one downstairs but not for long. Once we were all a group again, we made our way to our respective vehicles. With Sunny at the wheel, the ride home was a quick one. Plans were made for a drive later that afternoon via cell phone, thanks to Byron. Our first stop, however, would be at Johnny Pastrami�s, for lunch with JL. From there, we reconvened to JL�s apartment only to relocate to a nearby park, about 15 minutes later. The cultivation of exotics ensued and a fabulous Sunday drive was ahead of us. Sunny, Byron, Tom and I were the first ones to arrive in the park, immediately accompanied by Tenney in a Rosso Barchetta 360 Challenge. Tenney was very hospitable in letting me take pictures and even let me sit in his car. A few minutes later, JL showed up, followed by Rick & Valerie only a short time after. Jordan and his brother Brian showed up in Jordan�s white Mustang right after Steve pulled in, in his 355 Spider, top down, dog panting out of the passenger�s side window. Lastly, Amanda pulled up in a black Corvette. Then I heard this low, blaring muffler. I instantly recognized it. I hear it all the time back in NY. It sounded just like an import with an aftermarket exhaust that you can hear from 4 blocks away. 4 blocks later, in pulls Hubert Otlick with his friend Kier, in a Honda Prelude. �Is he going to be able to keep up with these Ferraris?� I thought; had I only known. Phone calls were made as to where we would meet up with Ron and then Bob. Once everyone was in agreement with the itinerary and meeting points, we were off. �Hey, JL�, I called out, �do you have a passenger�?� �Uh, no�� he said. �Do you want one�?� I asked. �Sure, hop right in�!� Awesome! I immediately replaced the empty space in his passenger�s seat with myself and away we went. A short time later, we met Ron and his wife, at a gas station. A few cars filled up, others just parked and as we all got out and mingled. A quick use of the bathroom or a beverage purchase finalized our pit stop and once again, we were on our way. Once we freed ourselves from the grip of traffic, the drive was a blast. JL stayed ahead of the pack for a majority of the ride up to Santa Barbara to meet Bob. Ever present, however, were Rick and Valerie in the 360, always looming in the rearview mirror. Further down the line, I could count the cars: Ron in the Mondial, Amanda and Byron in the black Corvette with the Jaguar immediately behind; Steve couldn�t join us, but drove with us to the freeway. Tenney was busy and couldn�t make it either. Bringing up the rear was Jordan and Brian in the Mustang. So where�s Hubert�? I searched high and low in the rearview mirror, but to no avail. That�s because he was riding right next to us. At one point, we were on a one-lane road that got really twisty. JL blasted through the turns, ensuring that no one, not even the 360 would keep up; lo and behold, Hubert was so close behind us, he might as well have been in the car with us�! The dude can drive to say the least. If he wasn�t right behind us at any point during the drive, it was because he was in front of us. Pictures and words can only throw together a collage of ideas of how gorgeous the landscape was. You have to be there, you have to see it for yourself. It was great. There was a one-lane-each-way, very twisty road we all went on and, save for the times we were stuck behind some slow-moving vehicles, the roller coaster-type ride was fabulous. There�s nothing quite like the feeling of a Ferrari on an open road. Of course, JL�s driving didn�t hurt, either. After some very spirited driving, we met up with Bob in Santa Barbara. There he was, sitting in his 355 Spider, waiting for the rest of us. One by one, we all pulled over behind Bob, so the drivers could communicate and a new plan could be made as to where we would be going from there. Neatly filed on the side of the road was a line of sports cars from a Prelude to a 360. It was definitely a pleasant sight for any onlooker who passed. Back in the cars, we all followed Bob� um� as best we could. Have you ever gone to Beverly Hills as a tourist�? You know those maps you can buy, that give you an exact route to take, to see all the celebrities� houses�? Well, I think Bob has one of those, except it doesn�t have celebrity homes on it; it has the location of all the windiest roads in California. So it shouldn�t take Sherlock Holmes to guess where he took us; we immediately found ourselves on a road that had virtually no straights, whatsoever. I think everyone�s steering wheels got a workout that afternoon. This continued for a while until we stopped briefly, so those who were behind, could catch up. There, the decision was made to relocate to The Enterprise Fish Company for a bite to eat. As quickly as we sat down, we had to get up; Tom realized it was getting late and that we had quite a ride in front of us, to get to our respective airports. Sunny decided he would part from the group and give us both a ride to each airport. And so it was time to leave. One by one, I gave my thanks and, regretfully, my goodbyes to all the wonderful people I had met. I�d like to say the weekend was about the cars, but it really wasn�t; it was about the people. Sure I drove a Ferrari for the first time in my life, but Ron�s kindness and generosity that allowed it to happen only made it that much better. Same thing with Bob; he didn�t have to make my second experience in the driver�s seat so good � especially considering his car came back with less paint than it left with � he was just as enthusiastic about me driving his car as I was. Matt, JL, Sunny, Byron, Steve et al � these guys didn�t have to be so kind to me and Tom and Martin and Marian; the hospitality, the kindness, the generosity, it all came swirling together blending a shared passion for cars and a great time. The theme of the weekend was Ferraris but the memories of a lifetime are the people. They�re what made it so awesome. Reluctantly, once in the parking lot, I enclosed myself within the tinted windows of the backseat of a Jaguar, like some hated politician cowering from an angry public. My heart is in California and it�ll stay there until I�m able to return for it. Time was of the essence and the �hurry up and wait� tension of traffic showed little signs of a checkered flag in our race against time to make our flights. Unfortunately, Sunny sacrificed a perfect driving record so both Tom and I would have sufficient time to check in. My airport was the first stop and I exited the car only a few feet from where I had been picked up just 48 hours prior. I lamented at knowing that the easy-going, carefree smiles of the airport employees would be replaced by hard-faced, defensive glares once I landed back in NY. Still, with my boarding pass in hand, I walked on air to my gate, recalling the great times I just had. From Massapequa to Pasadena; from Sunrise Highway to the Sunset Strip; from Long Island to Long Beach. I traveled from one end of the country to the other; 3,000 miles across a country filled with almost 300 million people. At the other end, I met a tiny handful of those people; unbelievably nice people who made dreams come true. A lifetime of anticipation, all cashed in for 48 hours of unreal reality. A year short of a quarter century of existence met with a weekend of living. The time of my life. |