DanRoM
Forum Addict
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2009
- Messages
- 10,092
- Location
- Ruhr Area, Germany
- Car(s)
- MX-5 ND, Tracer 900 GT & two bikes
So here comes my report - with pictures.
I started on Friday morning when shad showed up, so we headed towards Wuppertal, where we met up with Dr_Grip and MacGuffin on an Autobahn rest area. We then continued in a four-car convoi until I decided that we should divert from the planned route to avoid a traffic jam. Shad had to go to Bonn to pick up Den Stig, so he had to live with the traffic jam that not really existed. I made a picture of Dr_Grip's car in case I lost him.
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0048.jpg
We then arrived at the campsite around noon, where tent-buidling and 7-repairing commenced.
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0049.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0053.jpg
Finished with that, we headed towards Br?nnchen to get some Currywurst and watch some cars. General picdump from there:
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0058.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0059.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0060.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0061.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0062.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0063.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0064.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0065.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0066.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0067.jpg
The UK has custom-plate chavs too, it seems:
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0074.jpg
After having seen enough there, we changed places and continued to watch at Breidscheid.
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0081.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0086.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0087.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0088.jpg
Ouch!
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0090.jpg
At the supermarket parking lot: Ferrari 412. Not so common.
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0091.jpg
We then shopped for groceries and, despite having two UKanians among us, neither left the shop without paying nor set it on fire. So, on return the camp looked peaceful and sunny...
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0092.jpg
At night some assholes threw a party next door to the campsite, so my sleep wasn't exactly uninterrupted. Anyway, the Saturday would be brilliant even if I was half-asleep. After breakfast, we went to the Ring again to do some proper ringing there. And we were greeted by a traffic jam on the last metres and a one-way arrangement to our parking lot that ruined our plan to sneak in through the back entrance. So, pictures were taken out of boredom on the road:
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0095.jpg
We then saw the UKanians and the Texans crawling slowly to the Ring entrance:
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0097.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0098.jpg
Some pics of nice cars:
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0101.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0102.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0103.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0105.jpg
It wasn't really hot that day...
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0114.jpg
I present... the target demographic of the N?rburgring marketing people.
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0111.jpg
As D-Fence mentioned, the track was closed soon due to an accident. That made a certain couple from Texas prisoners on the main straight...
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0117.jpg
Strietzel Stuck!
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0118.jpg
Around the early afternoon, many of us did laps. I did a lap with MXM knowing that the 7 had a tendency to fall apart in places highly important to driving safety. That's why I wore a helmet. I also did a lap myself with my own car, and was passenger to Nugget in his rented Clio Cup.
On the Ring with Nugget.
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0128.jpg
After that lap, I hurried back to the parking lot to catch the start of the Scenic Route challenge, and I managed not to miss. And it was fun, some really nice roads in the Eifel mountains...
My navigator Dr_Grip and I soon caught up to MacGuffin, and it was fun following him. Especially watching him overtaking someone on a road maybe 4.5 metres wide... and then struggling to follow him. That 535d is really fast.
In the evening we went to the Pizzeria in Barweiler. Not-so-random awesome BMW behind us:
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0130.jpg
The dinner was good too, we had all the upper floor to ourselves. Much talking and laughing, no picture-taking from me.
Next morning, the weather continued last year's traditions and was shitty. I woke up from the rain hitting my tent, and the waited quite some time before opening the door...
So why yes, I was hungry:
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0133.jpg
thomas' car was steaming:
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0140.jpg
... and I hit a milestone on the way to the ring.
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0142.jpg
We went to Br?nnchen again for some sightseeing, unfortunately it was raining, raining and raining some more. So an M3 driver hit the guardrail and then parked his car at Br?nnchen to be picked up. You can't see it on this picture, but it had body damage on the left side, no wing mirror, no window and a deployed curtain airbag.
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0143.jpg
The Sunday suddenly became much more epic. Adrian's friends appeared and offered a passenger ride in the 8 series, Adrian driving. I was the only one wanting to go, so we went to do a lap after the rain had stopped, but the track was still wet. I'll let Adrian tell the story of his lap.
After that, when standing around at the entrance, Ford showed up and opened his passenger door, and again I was the first to jump in. That way I saw that the track was drying, and I got some useful advice from Ford (thanks a lot! ). My confidence built up, I purchased another lap for myself. And at least I was better than on Saturday, increased track knowledge at work. After that, while again standing around doing nothing useful at the Ring entrance, Kip showed up and asked if someone wanted the last seat on a BMW ringtaxi lap he had sourced out of some american woman purchasing it for her son or something. After a quick look into my wallet, I decided that money has no meaning to me and joined Kip. We were driven by an engineer, he said he actually developed the M3 suspension or something like that. He certainly knew the car well, that lap was simply awesome. Even if the back seat of the M3 with stock seat belts is not really suited for track use.
After that, I really wanted to do one or two more laps with my own car, but decided it was too expensive and probably too risky, because I was too keen on getting faster. So, I called it a day and drove home.
The way home then was the most dangerous part of the weekend, because I was simply too tired to drive. After experiencing several microsleeps since Bonn, I finally found a place to rest at Schloss R?ttgen and went to sleep for half an hour, delaying my arrival till 7pm. But better late than never.
The week-end really was a blast. A big thanks to the organizers especially, to the people having me as a passenger, and simply for everyone to turn up and being awesome. It was really nice meeting so much new faces. It's easy for me to turn up at the Ring, but flying in or driving over a thousand km to attend is very commendable.
I started on Friday morning when shad showed up, so we headed towards Wuppertal, where we met up with Dr_Grip and MacGuffin on an Autobahn rest area. We then continued in a four-car convoi until I decided that we should divert from the planned route to avoid a traffic jam. Shad had to go to Bonn to pick up Den Stig, so he had to live with the traffic jam that not really existed. I made a picture of Dr_Grip's car in case I lost him.
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0048.jpg
We then arrived at the campsite around noon, where tent-buidling and 7-repairing commenced.
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0049.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0053.jpg
Finished with that, we headed towards Br?nnchen to get some Currywurst and watch some cars. General picdump from there:
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0058.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0059.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0060.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0061.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0062.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0063.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0064.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0065.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0066.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0067.jpg
The UK has custom-plate chavs too, it seems:
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0074.jpg
After having seen enough there, we changed places and continued to watch at Breidscheid.
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0081.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0086.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0087.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0088.jpg
Ouch!
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0090.jpg
At the supermarket parking lot: Ferrari 412. Not so common.
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0091.jpg
We then shopped for groceries and, despite having two UKanians among us, neither left the shop without paying nor set it on fire. So, on return the camp looked peaceful and sunny...
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0092.jpg
At night some assholes threw a party next door to the campsite, so my sleep wasn't exactly uninterrupted. Anyway, the Saturday would be brilliant even if I was half-asleep. After breakfast, we went to the Ring again to do some proper ringing there. And we were greeted by a traffic jam on the last metres and a one-way arrangement to our parking lot that ruined our plan to sneak in through the back entrance. So, pictures were taken out of boredom on the road:
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0095.jpg
We then saw the UKanians and the Texans crawling slowly to the Ring entrance:
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0097.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0098.jpg
Some pics of nice cars:
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0101.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0102.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0103.jpg
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0105.jpg
It wasn't really hot that day...
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0114.jpg
I present... the target demographic of the N?rburgring marketing people.
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0111.jpg
As D-Fence mentioned, the track was closed soon due to an accident. That made a certain couple from Texas prisoners on the main straight...
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0117.jpg
Strietzel Stuck!
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0118.jpg
Around the early afternoon, many of us did laps. I did a lap with MXM knowing that the 7 had a tendency to fall apart in places highly important to driving safety. That's why I wore a helmet.
I also did a lap myself with my own car, and was passenger to Nugget in his rented Clio Cup.On the Ring with Nugget.
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0128.jpg
After that lap, I hurried back to the parking lot to catch the start of the Scenic Route challenge, and I managed not to miss. And it was fun, some really nice roads in the Eifel mountains...
My navigator Dr_Grip and I soon caught up to MacGuffin, and it was fun following him. Especially watching him overtaking someone on a road maybe 4.5 metres wide... and then struggling to follow him. That 535d is really fast.
In the evening we went to the Pizzeria in Barweiler. Not-so-random awesome BMW behind us:
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0130.jpg
The dinner was good too, we had all the upper floor to ourselves. Much talking and laughing, no picture-taking from me.
Next morning, the weather continued last year's traditions and was shitty. I woke up from the rain hitting my tent, and the waited quite some time before opening the door...
So why yes, I was hungry:
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0133.jpg
thomas' car was steaming:
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0140.jpg
... and I hit a milestone on the way to the ring.
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0142.jpg
We went to Br?nnchen again for some sightseeing, unfortunately it was raining, raining and raining some more. So an M3 driver hit the guardrail and then parked his car at Br?nnchen to be picked up. You can't see it on this picture, but it had body damage on the left side, no wing mirror, no window and a deployed curtain airbag.
http://pic.armedcats.net/d/da/danrom/2011/08/14/IMG_0143.jpg
The Sunday suddenly became much more epic. Adrian's friends appeared and offered a passenger ride in the 8 series, Adrian driving. I was the only one wanting to go, so we went to do a lap after the rain had stopped, but the track was still wet. I'll let Adrian tell the story of his lap.
After that, when standing around at the entrance, Ford showed up and opened his passenger door, and again I was the first to jump in. That way I saw that the track was drying, and I got some useful advice from Ford (thanks a lot!
). My confidence built up, I purchased another lap for myself. And at least I was better than on Saturday, increased track knowledge at work. After that, while again standing around doing nothing useful at the Ring entrance, Kip showed up and asked if someone wanted the last seat on a BMW ringtaxi lap he had sourced out of some american woman purchasing it for her son or something. After a quick look into my wallet, I decided that money has no meaning to me and joined Kip. We were driven by an engineer, he said he actually developed the M3 suspension or something like that. He certainly knew the car well, that lap was simply awesome. Even if the back seat of the M3 with stock seat belts is not really suited for track use. After that, I really wanted to do one or two more laps with my own car, but decided it was too expensive and probably too risky, because I was too keen on getting faster. So, I called it a day and drove home.
The way home then was the most dangerous part of the weekend, because I was simply too tired to drive. After experiencing several microsleeps since Bonn, I finally found a place to rest at Schloss R?ttgen and went to sleep for half an hour, delaying my arrival till 7pm. But better late than never.
The week-end really was a blast.
A big thanks to the organizers especially, to the people having me as a passenger, and simply for everyone to turn up and being awesome. It was really nice meeting so much new faces. It's easy for me to turn up at the Ring, but flying in or driving over a thousand km to attend is very commendable.
Last edited:
