| Author | Message | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Senior Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 5415 Registered: 8-2002 |
Matt, you took that a lot better than i thought you would...  Sorry, buddy. LOL, Sunny...! | ||
| Sunny Garofalo (Jaguarxj6)
Member Username: Jaguarxj6 Post Number: 683 Registered: 2-2003 |
Dan, no worries. You would look good with flowers in your hair and an empty wine bottle on Sunset afterall. ;) Sunny | ||
| "The Don" (The_don)
Senior Member Username: The_don Post Number: 6079 Registered: 8-2002 |
you suck! | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Senior Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 5414 Registered: 8-2002 |
Mark, Amanda, thanks...! The day gig is with an insurance brokerage - not a job i beat someone up for, but it pays the bills (well, most of 'em )... Journalism would be awesome, but that's not something that comes over night... Once this series is complete, i'll send copies to all the major magazines i think this would be in some way relevant to and see what happens from there... Above all else, i'd like those folks out in California who made this possible to get some public/national recognition for making a dream come true. Mark, if i can ever make it to the UK, i'll definitely let you know - hell, i'll tell EVERYONE...! Unfortunately, folks, it doesn't look like Part V will be ready until Monday; my sincerest apologies, please don't hit me. | ||
| Amanda Mosher (Girlgrammy)
New member Username: Girlgrammy Post Number: 1 Registered: 7-2003 |
DES, I'm not sure what your day gig is...however journalism has your name written all over it. Your excitement and enthusiasm are contagious...I'm thinking if you keep this up you'll be able to drive anyone's car you like! | ||
| Mark Collins (Markcollins)
Member Username: Markcollins Post Number: 292 Registered: 7-2002 |
Can somebody plan/ organise Des's next trip, each of his reports has brightened my day, now Des if you want to go International, then give me a shout, you'd be welcome in the UK!! | ||
| Sunny Garofalo (Jaguarxj6)
Member Username: Jaguarxj6 Post Number: 681 Registered: 2-2003 |
Ah....don't forget the video camera...... | ||
| "The Don" (The_don)
Senior Member Username: The_don Post Number: 6072 Registered: 8-2002 |
Ah....Roxanne...... Ah....Danica....... | ||
| Byron (Bmyth)
Member Username: Bmyth Post Number: 955 Registered: 10-2002 |
Martin - Oh no you didn't!... Danica Cheng? It does have a nice ring to it, doesn't it? I have seen a VERY SMALL thumbnail of Bird's pic on her site... it's a shame I can't see more. (Maybe she'll send me more via email: [email protected]) Anyways, DES... PART 5 | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
Advanced Member Username: Tifosi Post Number: 4198 Registered: 9-2001 |
martin, would you not call her - shatze (sp?) | ||
| Martin - Cavallino Motors (Miami348ts)
Senior Member Username: Miami348ts Post Number: 5233 Registered: 5-2001 |
Byron, did you see her picture???? I would be in the plane by now! DAMN! Why am I married? Why am I not young anymore? Why am I fat and love beer? Her name alone... Danica Who? | ||
| Byron (Bmyth)
Member Username: Bmyth Post Number: 954 Registered: 10-2002 |
Miss Sasha Angeline aka "bird"... Thanks for the kind words... I'm very flattered. And if/when I do go to NY, I will look you up. Dan is a class act, so I expect nothing less from his friends. | ||
| Byron (Bmyth)
Member Username: Bmyth Post Number: 953 Registered: 10-2002 |
Point taken. Don't worry - what goes on in Vegas, stays in Vegas! | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
Advanced Member Username: Tifosi Post Number: 4191 Registered: 9-2001 |
shhhh, BTW, ladies love competition. | ||
| Byron (Bmyth)
Member Username: Bmyth Post Number: 952 Registered: 10-2002 |
Tom!!! Ooooh.... don't make me talk about Anna. | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
Advanced Member Username: Tifosi Post Number: 4189 Registered: 9-2001 |
Bird you have a lot of competition with Byron - the guy has about 200 lady friends - not sure if he has one on the east coast though | ||
| Schnelles Fr�ulein (Miss_m_treiber)
Junior Member Username: Miss_m_treiber Post Number: 104 Registered: 4-2003 |
DES, i'm gonna kill you.. but yes, Byron, you are very beautiful feel free to check out my webpage.. www.geocities.com/sasha_angeline and um, if you ever need a place to stay in NY.. ;) | ||
| "The Don" (The_don)
Senior Member Username: The_don Post Number: 6065 Registered: 8-2002 |
We were WAY behind schedule and had we stopped, Kraegen would have been closed and I would still be in the desert. | ||
| Byron (Bmyth)
Member Username: Bmyth Post Number: 951 Registered: 10-2002 |
Martin, where is the love? Ok, send me a fire extinguisher and we'll call it even. LOL! | ||
| Martin - Cavallino Motors (Miami348ts)
Senior Member Username: Miami348ts Post Number: 5229 Registered: 5-2001 |
Jim, if you want I can give you the contact for these guys...have to have it around here somewhere. | ||
| Martin - Cavallino Motors (Miami348ts)
Senior Member Username: Miami348ts Post Number: 5228 Registered: 5-2001 |
DES we need a picture to make a group decision if Byron is allowed to take her out!  | ||
| Byron (Bmyth)
Member Username: Bmyth Post Number: 948 Registered: 10-2002 |
haha... Dan... just tell me when. I can be out in NY by tomorrow morning. I am planning to head out there pretty soon, though - if not sometime this fall, then definitely early next year. I don't think I've seen a picture of this ever-elusive "bird" but Webster Hall sounds like fun! | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Senior Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 5406 Registered: 8-2002 |
Thanks, everyone - i figured you'd all be tired of it, by now... i'll try to get on Part V right away and have it up tonight... Matt, i thought we all made a pact: What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Byron, The Bird was looking through some of the pictures that others posted and she thinks you're cute; let me know if you're ever in NY. You think you had a good time at Rain...? LOL, go to Webster Hall with her... | ||
| James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Intermediate Member Username: Napolis Post Number: 2063 Registered: 10-2002 |
Congrats Carbon! | ||
| Jim E (Jimpo1)
Intermediate Member Username: Jimpo1 Post Number: 2110 Registered: 7-2001 |
Martin, would you be interested in selling a fire extinguisher? | ||
| Martin - Cavallino Motors (Miami348ts)
Senior Member Username: Miami348ts Post Number: 5220 Registered: 5-2001 |
Byron, I'll take the tranny.... always looking for nice display pieces in my office. Just got a box of fire extinguishers delivered. Wish I had them last Friday and I could have brought some. Let me know when you have the next raffle and I will send you some. Chrome, very nice! | ||
| "The Don" (The_don)
Senior Member Username: The_don Post Number: 6061 Registered: 8-2002 |
Part 5!!!! Were's Vegas? | ||
| Martin - Cavallino Motors (Miami348ts)
Senior Member Username: Miami348ts Post Number: 5218 Registered: 5-2001 |
I am wondering if one of the club mags would not want to pick up this story. With all the political BS though that may not happen.  The writing is just great DES. Keep it up. | ||
| rob guess (Beast)
Junior Member Username: Beast Post Number: 88 Registered: 5-2003 |
I think i know what the job offer that DES got. It is a publishers contract for the New Your Times bestseller "DES goes west: The Ferrari Files" Keep them comming DES | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
Advanced Member Username: Tifosi Post Number: 4188 Registered: 9-2001 |
Des, you DEscribed my similar ride with Bob in SB perfectly - up through the hills was awesome! | ||
| Anthony_Ferrari (Anthony_ferrari)
Member Username: Anthony_ferrari Post Number: 330 Registered: 11-2002 |
Loving it! When does it come out in hardback? | ||
| L. Wayne Ausbrooks (Lwausbrooks)
Moderator Username: Lwausbrooks Post Number: 2130 Registered: 8-2002 |
Bob, care to share? | ||
| Robert Callahan (Rcallahan)
Member Username: Rcallahan Post Number: 274 Registered: 7-2002 |
Sorry, I meant to say medications. | ||
| Robert Callahan (Rcallahan)
Member Username: Rcallahan Post Number: 273 Registered: 7-2002 |
My car is pure stock. The driver has had some modifications Bob | ||
| Sunny Garofalo (Jaguarxj6)
Member Username: Jaguarxj6 Post Number: 677 Registered: 2-2003 |
Ahh working, can't post quick enough. Byron, did you get your fire extinguisher? Oh, thats right.. they are included as of June. Towards the end of summer, maybe toolkits too.. heh heh. ;) Sunny | ||
| Sunny Garofalo (Jaguarxj6)
Member Username: Jaguarxj6 Post Number: 676 Registered: 2-2003 |
The last time I was behind Bob's car was Marty's Welcome Drive... Bob, did you get a tubi?? Sunny | ||
| Byron (Bmyth)
Member Username: Bmyth Post Number: 945 Registered: 10-2002 |
NO WAY. It sounds very close to Steve's 355 with Tubi... I must just be delirious from all the coding. Still sounds awesome, though. I'm steering closer and closer to the 355 every day... And no, Martin, you can't have the 348CH back!! Do you want to tranny, though? haha... LOL!! | ||
| L. Wayne Ausbrooks (Lwausbrooks)
Moderator Username: Lwausbrooks Post Number: 2127 Registered: 8-2002 |
Yeah, tell us about the part where you stopped in to see me as you passed by on your way to Vegas! | ||
| "The Don" (The_don)
Senior Member Username: The_don Post Number: 6058 Registered: 8-2002 |
Byron, it's a stock system. No Tubi. | ||
| "The Don" (The_don)
Senior Member Username: The_don Post Number: 6057 Registered: 8-2002 |
PART 5 with Vegas!!!! | ||
| "The Don" (The_don)
Senior Member Username: The_don Post Number: 6056 Registered: 8-2002 |
Where's part 5 | ||
| Byron (Bmyth)
Member Username: Bmyth Post Number: 943 Registered: 10-2002 |
"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." DES, I know just what you mean by this. I followed Bob's car during our jaunt through the hills of SB and I just couldn't help admiring the sound of his tubi!! I had to let go of the gas just to enjoy the sheer ecstasy of its tone. Great story. And yes, Bob can drive. I've witnessed it in more than one occasion. Great heart-pounding story. | ||
| Robert Callahan (Rcallahan)
Member Username: Rcallahan Post Number: 272 Registered: 7-2002 |
DES, It's just a flesh wound. It'll heal! | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Senior Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 5400 Registered: 8-2002 |
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. |