To cut a very long story short...

The post by Andy saying he'd been out driving in his 914 and got sunburn, numerous other threads saying how winter sucks etc.

Well, I've booked a ticket and am flying out to LA on Thursday. I'm staying with a friend of mine near san Diego next weekend and leaving there on the morning of Monday 9th.

My plane leave San Francisco on Friday 13th so I have a few days to see California.

So my questions are:
What 914 places should I visit?
Where should I stay in San Francisco (there is a budget!)
Does anyone want to meet up for a beer (or two) at a hooters. I've just got to visit...

Andy

Here is a list of stuff I would recommend - I doubt you can see all of it.

I don't know LA very well, but it's fun to see the chinese theatre, and there are some great art museums if you are in to that. The Getty is fantastic, probably more interesting for the architecture and design of the museum than the pieces it houses (if you've been to an english stately home, you've seen a lot of it before!)

Moving up the coast, if you are going to drive from LA to SF, you should visit the former home of William Randolf Hearst - known as Heart Castle. It is a magical and wierd place; he collected lots of historical artifacts from all over the world and made a house decorated with them (and designed with them in mind).

Once you are there, you should drive the Pacific Coast Highway from there up to Carmel and Monterey, and take a look around. Carmel is a pretty little redwoody town with nice shops and restaurants. In Monterey bay is a super deeeeeep ocean trench (it's almost as deep as the hell hole) so the aquarium there has lots of really interesting and wierd pacific sea life.

I then recommend visiting Santa Cruz (which I recently learned is where the Lost Boys was filmed :-) ).

After Santa Cruz, I would visit the Bonny Doon vineyard (famous for their desert wine "Vin de Glaciere" and other wierd wines, including their Fromboise) in the Santa Cruz hills, and then the David Bruce (Famous for Pinot Noir) winery, followed by a jaunt up skyline drive - take woodside to 101 and you can visit Rich Bontempi, and Brad at High Performance House before tearing up to San Fran on either 280 or the PCH. The PCH will take you past Half Moon Bay (pretty sea town), and Mavericks (home of big wave surfing), and more yummy twisty roads.

I have a variant of the 49 mile drive (tour of san francisco) that I usually take out of towners on which goes via Lombard Street, the painted ladies, twin peaks, castro street, etc, etc, which I can take you on when you are in the city. I would look for a travellodge - which is where my parents stayed when in town. The cost issue will be eased by the US's beleagered currency situation.

I also recommend spending a day in wine country (I usually head for northern sonoma, which has more boutiqey wineries that are cheaper and less annoyingly pretensious than the napa lot, but napa is worth seeing too).

Yosimite. Drive there at night and stay in their hotel thingo (not the expensive one). Wake up in the morning and be shocked because you are staring at a 7000 foot rock face. Definately worth a trip, but I haven't been there in winter, it can get hairy up in the sierras when there's snow about.

Lake Tahoe is similarly beautiful, scenery-wise, and worth a trip. Due to the fact that it is pissing down outside, it should have some great power skiing in a few days - if you like to ski....

As for 914 places, my route north takes a lot of good roads, there are some great roads in the East Bay, and also up north towards Napa. The roads here are pretty good, very very twisty, but generally fairly rough surfaces. If you want a truly excellent road, head to Aberystwyth via the Elan Valley.

I'll post again if I remember anything else. Let me know when you are here and we can hang out. (I am also a brit, btw).

fiid, what a fantastic reply. Thank you. I'm so looking forward to my trip now.

With the time constraints I have, I think I'll only have time for the coastal stuff you mention. There seems to be some quality things to see on the trip up the Pacific Coast Highway.

Can we organise a 914Club get together, say on the evening of Wednesday 11th? I should be up to San Francisco by then. I'll buy the first round.
I'll have to take your advice on location. It would be so good to actually meet some other 914Club members.

Andy

Hey Andy........


We are always up for an "excuse" to hang out at Hooters in SF

If it wasn't for this board, I wouldn't have known about Hooters.

Can we all meet there, PLEASE?

As I said, I'll buy the first round

I can totally spend an eveing at hooters again - in fact Jenny and I were talking on the weekend about the need to do another evening event there. I am totally down with a Wednesday night. I might even bring my car.... :-)

l8r,

Fiid.

Hooters it is. Wed. the 11th. We will nail this when it gets closer. I just put a reminder in Outlook.


B

mhmmmm, Hoooters ....

i should be able to make it,
Andy

For us it's getting kinda cold and wet this next week, but it'll be like english spring .

Definately at Highway 1 (PCH) all the way up, at least from Santa Monica. Hs a few detours through towns, but it's a nice drive if you haven't done it. It'll also take all day.

Chyeah! We tried to do hearst castle and Monterey Aquarium in a day. NFWay!. W got to heard castle at 2:00 or so and got on the last tour of the day. Got to Carmel at about 7 for dinner and didn't get home until 10/11. I would plan on 2 or 3 days to do the trip and take in the sights.

If you get pulled over, use your english drivers license. Beware - the california cops are single-handedly trying to make up for our budget deficit, so really keep the speed down. I have never seen cops on the PCH, but I did see a Highway Patrol car on Woodside the other day, so it may be hapenning. Watch out.

OH! And get travel insurance in the UK. It ought to cover your healthcare here in the US in case anything unexpected happens.

Fiid.

I "Priceline" San Mateo and get the San Mateo Marriott everytime. $55.00!!

Did the same in Lake Tahoe and got Cal-Neva for $65.00

I'll be in San Mateo the 8th through the 11th.

No way... it takes two otherwise you're hate'n it. Especially from LA. I left there way early in the am and made it to Monterey around 9:00-9:30. Missed a bunch of cool stuff (Big Sir) driving around cool 30mph curves IN THE DARK!

There's some cool hotels just past the castle (if'n I recall) that are perched on the cliffs. Some Cali's here could probably name a few. (I'd be interested for future reference)

My $.02 Hope it helps. Maybe I'll see you there.

Eric,

Can you make the Hooters event that night ?? Its about 20 minutes north of San Mateo. Make sure you stop by and see us, we are located 10 minutes from San Mateo.


B

Look REALLY close at the SF Hooter's gals....you NEVER can be too sure it has the right plumbing.....

Hey Brad....find that targa top piece?

I'm going to try. I'll be working and doing client dinners most of the nights. Right now my Sunday is "VERY" open. I'll get in around 1-1:30? I'll be looking for the teener in the Taxi line outside SFO

I'm going to shoot for Hooters on Wed... I heard the food there was great!

Eric,

When using priceline do you select a 3 or 4 star hotel to get the Marriott?

Where will you be in San Diego? Maybe a few of us can get together.

I use Orbitz and Sidestep to get the best internet prices. Last year, we stayed downtown in a decent Hotel for $75 a night. Close to everything, walked to Chinatown (you have to see that) grabed a literail train to the Waterfront...
Get your rental car setup online too as its cheaper than just showing up at the desk.

I think the food is pretty bad at HOOters but the view is excellent! Ah hell, you are from England so you will love it.

Geoff

Yamashiro Restaurant in Hollywood

You can get passes to Magic Castle if you stay at the Magic Hotel

PM me if you have any interest in the above mentioned links!

Jeff

3

twas a joke...

Brad, are you still going to order the chicken sandwich from Hooters??

Jen

Damn! You just narrowly beat me to it. Great minds think alike! We even used the same smilies.

Jen

You're fired.

I've booked the Marriott on Amphlett Blvd. for the nights of Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th.

Is there any chance someone can give me a ride to Hooters in their 914?

BTW Eric, I used priceline as you suggested.

Andy

Andy, Priceline rocks huh? If'n I can make the Wed. night event then I'll need a ride from there as well... Any 914 station wagons out there?

HOOTERS! HOOTERS! HOOTERS

Im there.

OMFG!!!

I just had a visual of Rich chanting "HOOTERS! HOOTERS! HOOTERS!"

ROTFLMAO!!

--DD

I want that on videotape. LOL


I can come get you from the hotel if noone is coming up that way, but you have to promise not to laugh at my car.

Fiid.

Caption for DDDD's avatar....

"Dude, where's my car?"

Looking good... were is this white trash hell hole (Hooters that is, not HPH)? Are they going to be showing NASCAR re-runs there? Is Janet Jackson coming?

I have a digital cam that will take some 17 sec mpegs. If Rich shows we'll get the "Hooters Chant" to disc.

Anybody up for a brew on Sunday? (check San Mateo thread)

Hey Z... DD's avatar always seems to remind me of Radar O'Riley looking for choppers at the beginning of the M.A.S.H. re-runs

Hooters is on Fishermans warf, I believe.

I'm here in California now. Enjoying the warm sunny weather.

Fiid,

Can I take you up that offer of a ride if it's not out of your way. It would save me having to find out where hooters was. Anyway, why would I laugh at your car? It is safe isn't it.

Andy

Look on a tourist map, Hooters is at Fishermans Wharf. Thats where the sourdough bread, Chocolate shops, and seafood is in Frisco. Take a trolly down or those train thingys.
Dont miss Chinatown and have Dim Sum for lunch, mmm


Geoff

Andy, still planning to stop by here? Let me know, we can post and try to collect some more 914 perverts.

Well Dave, At least you've had one thrill this week! LOL

Confirmed? Hooters in the Warf district? Time?

Andy... we're staying at the same hotel. Do you have a ride yet?

Lets shoot for 7pm

I'll nail this on Monday.


B

I'll bring the flat four powered 4 seater.....

probably should have added to this post, but Andy is on his way to San Fran and Hooters. Here his is with my 914 after short canyon blast.

link

Stop cross posting links... I'm getting dizzy(er)