Date:         Tue, 2 Oct 2007 07:43:40 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Subject:      NVC Porsche 911 Toronto>Phoenix (long story)
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See if you can find a good radar detector to use.  Once you get into the
outback, it can be easily and safely driven in the high triple digit speed
ranges, and you will find it ridiculous driving at oh, 75 or so...You can
reach those speeds in first gear with that vehicle..
  I've done many highway trips in a Porsche...928..  It's amusing.  When you
see on a map the next town, in Nevada or Oregon or Idaho..whereever..is 90
miles and you think.." Ok, that is just 30 mins, if I don't really push
it"..
  Often we drove hwy 50 in Nevada, billed as "The Loneliest Road in America"
on our way to those Open Highway high speed rallies like this
http://www.silverstateclassic.com/
  Hwy 50 passes through the desert east of Fallon Air Force Base, where the
Navy Jet Jockies come play war and have that Top Gun flight program.  Those
guys flying the f-whatevers used to get a big kick out of "painting" us with
their missile target radar as we cruised along out in the desert in the
Porsche 928 at 150 or so, obviously all alone, (we thought) on a road where
you could see for 30 miles, crossing one  long valley after another.   We
finally figured out why our radar detector was often  picking up these weird
signals,  when one pilot came right down on the deck and flew alongside for
a few miles (about 45 seconds at that speed) , giving us a "thumbs-up" wave
and then turned skyward and hit his afterburner!
  I also had an indication of radar once west of Ely, Nv and slammed on the
brakes hard!  "Aha," I thought, "I escaped again" but the State Trooper
swung around anyhow and I looked down to find I had been 'speed-drunk' a
common phenomenon when driving at autobahn speeds.  I had only slowed to
what I felt was really slow but turned out I was still going over 100..That
trooper loved the Porsche, asked if he could 'try it on' by sitting behind
the wheel..But he couldn't fit inside with his Smokey Bear flat hat on...so
I held it for him....and of course, I had to try THAT on...Musta been some
sight, me standing there in my flipflops  with  the fully lit police cruiser
behind a black exotic supercar, Me, with shorts, no shirt and the Smokey hat
on, standing by the door of the Porsche, talking to the trooper inside..He
wrote me anyhow, but only for 80mph..(top of first gear, in that Porsche)
  Don Hanson