Every Wed I go from Hwy26 and Cornell to Scappoose. It's assumed that I take Cornelius Pass, but I don't. Well,.... I do a little bit, to Skyline, and then Rocky Point. It's the high point of my work week. Better than Friday. Better than pay day. It just wonderful!
I started timing my runs between Cornelius Pass/Skyline and Hwy30 (From the moment I turn right at the Right Turn Permitted Without Stopping sign, to the moment I stop for Hwy30, to be precise). Up until a few weeks ago I was driving on dangerously bald tires and getting times in the 17 minute range. The day I got new tires it jumped to 15 minutes flat! A two minute improvement greatly pleased me. Then the leaves came falling down and I had to slow down on the corners. But at the same time I was getting better acquainted with the road so my times were improving with each run. Not huge improvements like the tire ones of course, but shaving a few seconds off 15 minutes, with worsening road conditions, is something to be proud of. My new record was 14:50.
Today I had to come to a complete stop because there was a giant Llama in the middle of the road! It's taller than my car, and probably has more animal power than me and my Geo do. Plus it's more aggressive and less predictable than the worst of all lemmings. I just didn't see swerving around it to be a wise option. So I stopped, got it's attention so I wouldn't spook it, then crept around it. When it happened I thought "Well crap! There goes my record of improving my time on each run". And then there's the fact that It was the first day since last Spring that i woke up to ice. This road is not very traveled, doesn't get treated in any way, and it has A LOT of shaded corners (and no corner signs as warning. You just gotta know where they are). My Geo is no performance car, and although I like the new tires they just aren't capable of handling ice. I spent the whole time thinking to myself "If I hit ice in this situation, at this speed, at this angle, I can recover by doing this." It had an impact on my nerves to say the least. But, in my opinion, thinking out such scenarios is key to developing real life performance driving reflexes. You don't get to be born with those. So I made the best of the low time llama situation and accepted it as good healthy practice for dealing with less than ideal road conditions. I crawled through every corner that showed signs of moisture that could be ice, and all the ones I knew for a fact to hold a high potential to be icy. But, since I'm much more familiar with the road than I used to be, I could scream through sections I knew to be safe. I only actually hit ice once, and at that point I gave my self a little gold star for handling it well and keeping the slide under my control.
I got brake fade about 4 corners from the end. It's the 3rd time I've had it happen so I was expecting it and it didn't take me by surprise. In a real car with real brakes I could have shaved 2 seconds just by being able to stop in front of the highway at the end of the run. But, I have what I have and I do what I can with it. I'm not resentful, I consider it all to be good practice. I came to a stop and hit the button on my stopwatch,.....
HELL YEAH!!!!!!
Came to a complete stop for a llama. Slowed a lot for ice threats, and still improved!!!! I'm infatuated with myself for this! Recap: 14:50 was my best, and I just did a 14:41!!!!! (I don't count the fractions of a second, my button pushing is not THAT precise).
So,..... I'm wondering what kind of times people in real cars get making this run. Any of you willing to try it and share with me?
nicetrousers, you said you would check it out,.... have you done it? I know dadahomiesquid has been there. Care to return with a stop watch?
I started timing my runs between Cornelius Pass/Skyline and Hwy30 (From the moment I turn right at the Right Turn Permitted Without Stopping sign, to the moment I stop for Hwy30, to be precise). Up until a few weeks ago I was driving on dangerously bald tires and getting times in the 17 minute range. The day I got new tires it jumped to 15 minutes flat! A two minute improvement greatly pleased me. Then the leaves came falling down and I had to slow down on the corners. But at the same time I was getting better acquainted with the road so my times were improving with each run. Not huge improvements like the tire ones of course, but shaving a few seconds off 15 minutes, with worsening road conditions, is something to be proud of. My new record was 14:50.
Today I had to come to a complete stop because there was a giant Llama in the middle of the road! It's taller than my car, and probably has more animal power than me and my Geo do. Plus it's more aggressive and less predictable than the worst of all lemmings. I just didn't see swerving around it to be a wise option. So I stopped, got it's attention so I wouldn't spook it, then crept around it. When it happened I thought "Well crap! There goes my record of improving my time on each run". And then there's the fact that It was the first day since last Spring that i woke up to ice. This road is not very traveled, doesn't get treated in any way, and it has A LOT of shaded corners (and no corner signs as warning. You just gotta know where they are). My Geo is no performance car, and although I like the new tires they just aren't capable of handling ice. I spent the whole time thinking to myself "If I hit ice in this situation, at this speed, at this angle, I can recover by doing this." It had an impact on my nerves to say the least. But, in my opinion, thinking out such scenarios is key to developing real life performance driving reflexes. You don't get to be born with those. So I made the best of the low time llama situation and accepted it as good healthy practice for dealing with less than ideal road conditions. I crawled through every corner that showed signs of moisture that could be ice, and all the ones I knew for a fact to hold a high potential to be icy. But, since I'm much more familiar with the road than I used to be, I could scream through sections I knew to be safe. I only actually hit ice once, and at that point I gave my self a little gold star for handling it well and keeping the slide under my control.
I got brake fade about 4 corners from the end. It's the 3rd time I've had it happen so I was expecting it and it didn't take me by surprise. In a real car with real brakes I could have shaved 2 seconds just by being able to stop in front of the highway at the end of the run. But, I have what I have and I do what I can with it. I'm not resentful, I consider it all to be good practice. I came to a stop and hit the button on my stopwatch,.....
HELL YEAH!!!!!!
Came to a complete stop for a llama. Slowed a lot for ice threats, and still improved!!!! I'm infatuated with myself for this! Recap: 14:50 was my best, and I just did a 14:41!!!!! (I don't count the fractions of a second, my button pushing is not THAT precise).
So,..... I'm wondering what kind of times people in real cars get making this run. Any of you willing to try it and share with me?
nicetrousers, you said you would check it out,.... have you done it? I know dadahomiesquid has been there. Care to return with a stop watch? 