Bike S first spring ride

Another first for 2018. With improving weather I'm getting my Porsche bikes and cars back out of the garage for the first time this year. The last couple of weeks the Bike X and Boxster made a 2018 debut and today was my first ride on the 1998 Porsche Bike S.

This Bike S is my favorite. It is so much fun to ride. It handles tight corners like a sports car and brakes ultra quick. I rode 12 miles today from Glenshire along the Truckee River Legacy Trail to the Truckee Regional Park and back home.

It wasn't my best time on this frequently traveled route, but I enjoyed the chance to push my legs again.

About half way out I noticed the front brakes had cobwebs covering the calibers. Gross. So my bike literally had cobwebs from the long winter. I had to clean that up as soon as I got back!

Now that spring is finally here, I plan to get out there and ride and run a lot more!

Donner Lake views

I'm working from my Donner Lake office for a few hours this morning. So I drove the Boxster today and stopped for a photo. It was too cold on the way out to remove the top. But on the way home the top is coming down!

Porsche performs well at Long Beach

I had no less than five screens displaying the Long Beach GTLM race in my living room. My computer was streaming the Fox Sports One coverage. My iPad was streaming on board coverage of the No. 912 Porsche 911 RSR. My iPhone was streaming the No. 911 RSR and my other iPhone was taking photos!

The No. 912 Porsche RSR was leading much of the event, but problems late in the race moved them back in the running order.

I had a great time watching the ultra competitive race. The GTLM class is so close! Front suspension issues on the No. 912 RSR and tire issues on the No. 911 RSR took both out of contention.

Still, that was a fun race to watch on multiple screens!

The Porsche 911 RSRs appear to be very competitive. I can't wait until the next race.

A Perfect Spring Day!

Today was the first day of the year for both a drive in the triple black Porsche 2001 Boxster and a ride on the all black Porsche 2004 Bike X. Both have been in a long winter hibernation. Too long. The temperature today was in the mid 60s and very little wind. Perfect conditions to put the top down and drive the Boxster to work. The roads are finally free of snow and water and the town clean up crew even swept up all the sand off the roads used to provide traction during the winter weather. That sand absolutely ruins paint, which is why I wait until the roads are clear! I had a great time driving the convertible roadster around today. It's been too long!

With such a beautiful day, I had to take the afternoon off and go for a bike ride. Parking the Boxster I immediately changed into my cycling gear and jumped on the Porsche 2004 Bike X for an afternoon ride. I haven't been on any of my bikes in awhile. Riding from Glenshire I rode through downtown Truckee and out to Donner Lake and back totaling almost 25 miles. The first 3/4 of the ride felt great and I was riding strong and fast. I felt like I haven't lost any conditioning over the winter. Then at that 3/4 mark my legs just went soft. I ran out of energy and strength. I just went flat. I had to ride slowly just to make it home. I guess I need to ease back into cycling!

Regardless, I had a great time with two of my Porsches on an incredible spring day. I'm looking forward to more of the same.

Porsche Race Around The Track

This just caught my eye, a website promoting a two-lap race around the track at the Porsche Cars North America headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia...

And no, not driving a car around the track. A running race. On foot. Just my thing! The second annual running race is May 20th. I need to find a way to get there with my Porsche Design Endurance Boost running shoes.

Here is the link for more information. The following is from the registration site.

About This Activity
Join us for the 2nd annual Porsche Race Around the Track on Sunday, May 20th.
Get the ULTIMATE Porsche Race Experience with your friends and family at this awesome 2 lap race around the Porsche Test Track!!
Participants Experience:
Custom Porsche Life in Motion race bib & official Chip Time
Porsche Life in Motion Finishers T-Shirt
Top Finisher Awards & Honors
Affiliate Sponsor Give Aways and Prizes

Event details and schedule:
Porsche Race Around the Track
Sunday, May 20, 2018
7:15am - Check In and Race Day Registration
8:15am - Official Race Warm Up
8:30am - Race start
9:30am - 1K Fun Run for Kids

To the nines!

Here is an UPDATED list of all the Porsche road and race cars using the internal code starting with "9" that I can think of.

Just because I haven't seen this list anywhere else...

901 - First 911
904 - 4 cylinder mid engine race car
906 - 6 cylinder mid engine race car
907 - 6 cylinder mid engine race car
908 - 8 cylinder mid engine race car
909 - Bergspyder 8 cylinder mid engine hill climb race car
910 - 8 cylinder mid engine race car
911 - 6 cylinder rear engine street car
912 - 4 cylinder rear engine street car
914 - 4 cylinder mid engine targa street car
916 - 6 cylinder mid engine larga street car
917 - 12 cylinder mid engine prototype race car
918 - 8 cylinder hybrid mid engine super car
919 - 4 cylinder turbo hybrid mid engine LMP1 race car
923 - 912E
924 - 4 cylinder front engine street car
928 - 8 cylinder front engine street car
930 - 6 cylinder turbo rear engine 911 street car
931 - 4 cylinder 924 turbo front engine street car
933 - 4 cylinder 924 front engine race car
934 - Group 4 6 cylinder turbo rear engine 930 race car
935 - Group 5 6 cylinder turbo rear engine 930 race car
936 - Group 6 6 cylinder turbo mid engine Spyder prototype race car
937 - 924 Carrera GT
939 - 924 Carrera GTP
940 - Indy car
944 - 4 cylinder front engine street car
946 - 924S
951 - 4 cylinder 944 turbo front engine street car
954 - 911SC/RS Group B evolution of 911SC
955 - Cayenne SUV
956 - Group C 6 cylinder turbo mid engine race car
957 - Cayenne SUV 2nd generation
958 - Cayenne SUV 3nd generation
959 - 6 cylinder turbo rear engine super car
961 - Competition version of Type 959
962 - Type 956 modified to meet IMSA regulations
964 - 3rd-generation "911" Carrera 2 and 4 production model
968 - Marketing designation of Type 944S3
970 - Panamera front engine four door sedan
971 - 2nd generation Panamera front engine four door sedan
980 - Carrera GT V10 super car
981 - 3rd generation Boxster/Cayman 6 cylinder street car
982 - 718 Boxster/Cayman mid-engine 4 cylinder turbo street cars
986 - Boxster 6 cylinder mid-engine street car
987 - Boxster/Cayman 6 cylinder mid-engine street car
991 - 7th generation of the "911" Carrera and Carrera 4
992 - 8th generation of the "911" Carrera and Carrera 4
993 - 4th-generation "911" Carrera and Carrera 4 street car
996 - 5th-generation "911" Carrera street car
997 - 6th-generation "911" Carrera and Carrera 4 street car

PCA Region monthly board meeting

This evening was the PCA Sierra Nevada Region's monthly board meeting. I'm the current Vice President and marketing guy. We have been meeting lately at the only German restaurant in Reno, Bavarian World. I like to arrive early and get a German beer I can't find anywhere else in the Reno/Tahoe area and a giant pretzel.

The board meetings focus on our Region's financials, membership, events and of course marketing. The parking lot outside looks like a mini Concours with a 911, 944 Turbo, Macan, Boxster and my Cayenne.

We have a great group of people on our board and we get a lot done. And have some German beer and food too. I look forward to these meetings every month!

Crazy cool image...

I took an image with my iPhone in the garage of the Cayenne S with a reflection of the Boxster. The Boxster chrome rims, Carmona Red Cayenne and pine trees created an interesting image. Turned out pretty cool. This was after my first spring cleaning. Both cars were so dirty from another long winter.

Team Project 1 Porsche 911 RSR race livery

I think the new Team Project 1 Porsche 911 RSR race livery is the best ever! I love this photo! This is the new color scheme for the upcoming WEC Super Season. Drivers Joerg Bergmeister, Patrick Lindsey and Egidio Perfetti will be driving the mid-engine Porsche 911 RSR in the GTE-Am category including Le Mans. I'm looking forward to watching this car on the track.

What a cute baby!

My last blog post was about the 1979 world-record speed cycling attempt drafting behind a Porsche 935.

I thought I should add that the 935 used for this endeavor was a 1977 Porsche 935/2.0.

This particular 935 was nicknamed ‘Baby’ for it's smaller displacement engine compared to the other 935 race cars Porsche manufactured at the time.

The 935 ‘Baby’, based on the successful 935 Group 5 race sports car, was created in 1977, after only four months of development, specifically for entries in the small division (up to 2000cc) of the German Sports Racing Championship.

A quick history lession: A 935 is a Porsche 930 street car further developed for the previously mentioned Group 5 racing category. The "5" was added to the 930 renaming it the 935. Porsche also made a 934 for the Group 4 and 936 for the Group 6 categories.

Compared to the Group 5 car, this little 935 'Baby' had a six cylinder turbo engine of 370bhp, reduced to a displacement of just 1.4-litres. A thorough diet helped ‘Baby’ meet the minimum weight of 750kg as dictated by the rules.

At a race in Germany, only on it's second race start, the ‘Baby’ set the fastest qualifying time and went on to score an outright victory by nearly a minute. So, this car is fast. A good choice to attempt a cycling world record.

I even had a scale remote control version of this 1977 Porsche 935/2.0 race car. It was a Christmas present from my parents in 1979. I wish I still had that today!

1979 Porsche and bike combo

Long before the first prototype bicycle Porsche produced in 1990, French racing cyclist Jean Claude Rude wanted to set a new cycling speed record drafting a 800bhp Martini Porsche 935 in 1979.

The first Porsche bike was the Bike Spyder 9.85 that was hand-made by Porsche engineers at the Porsche factory in 1990.

So, even before Porsche's first efforts into road and mountain biking, a Porsche 935 was modified to attempt a world cycling speed record.

Unfortunately a flat tire prevented a try at the world record. And sadly, I read Rude was killed on a later date when investigating the effect of cycling at speed alongside an express train. He was sucked into its path.

As a Porsche bike enthusiast, it is hard to ignore the early connection between Porsche and cycling. A scale model was even produced based on the Porsche 935 and Jean Claude Rude combination.

Maybe I should modify my 2001 Porsche 986 and use my 2004 Porsche Bike X to attempt a new world record? I think not...