It's not too soon to start my travel plans for summer 2016. Here are mine - May 2016 - Trying to get into the Ferrari Mille Miglia Tribute with the 458 Speciale. June 2016 - New Zealand is in the works. I would like to do the southern Island but could be too cold. Working with Porsche club there to take some drives. If New Zealand doesn't work, then it is back to Europe. July 2016 - Might try to do another round of Corso Pilota. August 2016 - Monterey of course!
Have already booked our main trip next year (August) for Europe (Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, and French Riviera).
Although I try to squeeze as many "vintage" road trips to my calender as I can throughout the year, my plemininary plans for next summer include few, but might not have time (or $$s) to do all or as intended (=road trips): - 20th (or so) annual +/- 1000 mile Riverside-Monterey-Riverside road trip. Duh ! - 12-14 day, +/- 2500 mile road trip from Riverside, CA to Yellowstone and back, incl. 4-5 days of driving, exploring & hiking around the park. Both expected to be traveled either in my (absolute favorite) "Hot Rod" 1932 Plymouth PB Sport Roadster or some other enjoyable "vintage" ride from my modest stable. Route planning for both includes NO use of Interstates or similar major highways, mainly back roads, 2-lane highways, etc and especially the Yellowstone trip will take us through small towns with hopes of finding some cool, older "vintage" hotels for overnight stops along the way, like the one pictured below from a recent Owens Valley, CA trip. - 2 week(?) trip to FCA Int'l Meet in Ohio and back, either in a "vintage" Ferrari, aforementioned '32 Roadster or worse case scenario, hauling a "vintage" Ferrari in a truck/trailer. If no trailer hauling necessary, might even try somehow(?) to combine the FCA/Ohio and Yellowstone trips. Image Unavailable, Please Login
As much of a car nut as myself I prefer to be away from them (except for rentals) when on vacation. Am shooting for a Baltic cruise in fall. Want to see Russia before it's "closed"
Taking a couple of my friends from Africa on a Euro trip. Trying to hit a dance festival with them, F1 race and hopefully 24h le mans, depends on their timing.
Although not particularly "summer" themed, our 2016 started with some nice driving and hiking in and around Joshua Tree National Park, including this 01-01 early morning, 40+ mile dirt road excursion to a quite secluded hiking trail head for our 4th annual "Welcoming The New Year" sunrise hike. Picture taken later in the morning, around 10 am, after the hike, which also included some obligatory enjoyment of Champagne refreshments along with "field" breakfast at sunrise. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I'm back and forth to Oxford several times this year (doing a postgrad degree in the Business School at my advanced age...), and planning one holiday with my wife - we're meeting in Paris in April (Paris in the Spring); low-key, just walking, eating at cafes, and enjoying the City. In October, going to Monterey for an AMG training/track day that came as a part of my GTS purchase. We try to go there at least once a year, almost always staying at the Seven Gables Inn in Pacific Grove and eating a dinner at the Mission Ranch Inn (even though I have yet to see Clint...). 2015 was a busy travel year, so we're limiting the trips and saving $$ for some cool stuff to celebrate our landmark birthdays in 2018. Opportunities that arise from my time in the UK may impact other travel, especially if I get a chance to do more work there or have something open up elsewhere.
Ron - have you been to NZ before? If not, and if you end up choosing NZ, let me know...I've spent many months on the South Island...so many great roads! (and great everything else....its perhaps my favorite place in the world).
