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Tonight, In nor-cal, on marsh creek road, a good friend almost lost his life in the mountains. Doing what you ask? What a lot of people around here do. Playing in the backroads.
About 11pm i was in a chatroom I usually frequent. Many of the people in the chat room know each other IRL. Somehow, the topic of Racing up in the twisties arose. Some trash talking started and My friend, challenged another friend to go on a "cruise". It ended up being settled that He would go to meet someone in an area he wasnt too familliar with and the guy who knew the area would lead. I sat by and watched all this be hashed out in the room. My friend left the chatroom. I called him up and asked him If he was really gonna run him up marsh creek, even though he didnt know the road. He assured me he'd be fine.
The last thing I heard was the rumble of the other guy's cobra exhaust and Him saying, "He's here. I gotta go." I replied.
"Be Safe."
That was at midnight.
12:30
My phone rings. I look at caller ID. Its a norcal number, but not one I know. I got chills..."Hello?"
"Greg?"
"Yeah, whats wrong?"
"The car is gone."
And was the car ever gone...
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This, is the end result of pushing the car too hard, in unfamiliar surroundings. He is a good driver. I've ridden with him. The car is very well set up. I've driven it. It all came down to the fact that he was in the wrong place, at the wrong time to be driving like that.
Ive seen this basic situation happen before. Remember James Hock? I do. I have his memorial decals on my cage and helmet. I thought of him on the Angeles Crest run when my car got squirrley trying to keep up with the faster cars. I backed off. And i came out ok. The previous year, the same thing happened to Howard. But he ended up slapping the side of a rock. Thankfully only his car got it.
Next time you are on a "twisty day" or a "cruise" remember these images. Remember there's a speed limit for a reason. Remember how much you love your car, your family, your friends. Do you want to throw away all that? so you can take a turn 5mph faster? There's a place for agressive driving, it's called the track. Keep it there.
It's bad enough that we have to bury this car. But at least we dont have to bury a friend...
...this time.
About 11pm i was in a chatroom I usually frequent. Many of the people in the chat room know each other IRL. Somehow, the topic of Racing up in the twisties arose. Some trash talking started and My friend, challenged another friend to go on a "cruise". It ended up being settled that He would go to meet someone in an area he wasnt too familliar with and the guy who knew the area would lead. I sat by and watched all this be hashed out in the room. My friend left the chatroom. I called him up and asked him If he was really gonna run him up marsh creek, even though he didnt know the road. He assured me he'd be fine.
The last thing I heard was the rumble of the other guy's cobra exhaust and Him saying, "He's here. I gotta go." I replied.
"Be Safe."
That was at midnight.
12:30
My phone rings. I look at caller ID. Its a norcal number, but not one I know. I got chills..."Hello?"
"Greg?"
"Yeah, whats wrong?"
"The car is gone."
And was the car ever gone...
This, is the end result of pushing the car too hard, in unfamiliar surroundings. He is a good driver. I've ridden with him. The car is very well set up. I've driven it. It all came down to the fact that he was in the wrong place, at the wrong time to be driving like that.
Ive seen this basic situation happen before. Remember James Hock? I do. I have his memorial decals on my cage and helmet. I thought of him on the Angeles Crest run when my car got squirrley trying to keep up with the faster cars. I backed off. And i came out ok. The previous year, the same thing happened to Howard. But he ended up slapping the side of a rock. Thankfully only his car got it.
Next time you are on a "twisty day" or a "cruise" remember these images. Remember there's a speed limit for a reason. Remember how much you love your car, your family, your friends. Do you want to throw away all that? so you can take a turn 5mph faster? There's a place for agressive driving, it's called the track. Keep it there.
It's bad enough that we have to bury this car. But at least we dont have to bury a friend...
...this time.
