Minimal

At long, long last, I’ve completed the main missions in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Judging by a semi-ancient post, it’s taken me over 2 years to do. Admittedly, there have been several long periods where I’ve not even touched it, but still... it must be some kind of record, no?

Yesterday, James and I spent the day blatting our cars round Cadwell Park and, despite a spin each, survived unscathed. All things considered, I reckon that’s a pretty good result. Here’s how it went...

First impressions

The first thing that struck me when we turned up was just how narrow the track was. The videos we’d watched on YouTube simply didn’t do it justice. It looked more like a kart track than a proper race track. The next surprise was finding out that we were using the full circuit, including the Woodland section under the trees. I knew this was a tight, twisty, undulating section of track, so the prospect of doing it in the wet with autumn leaves around was a daunting one.

Once the regulation safety briefing was out of the way, we got out on track for a few sighting laps behind a pace car. It was immediately apparent that learning the best lines was going to take a while. The Mini felt horribly twitchy and the blind crests and curved braking zones did nothing to settle my nerves. Hall Bends were bad enough, but the Gooseneck was another matter altogether. I really couldn’t predict how the car was going to react to my inputs. Scary stuff.

A lap of Cadwell

Once let loose proper, the picture started to come together a bit more. Hall Bends felt ok, provided I entered them on a line that let the car settle before making my first change of direction. The Hairpin and Barn were similarly manageable; while the car would understeer at the slightest provocation, gently lifting off would bring the nose back into line.

Coppice remained a test of nerves and I started the day entering it at just 60mph before slowing to around 50 for the following blind right-hander. My nerves were really getting the better of me there and backing off only made the car even less stable. Eventually, I’d learn that — and learn that I’d been taking too tight a line — and gain confidence, but it took a while.

Charlies presented little or no problem other than a disappointing entry speed and then we were on the back straight, reaching 100mph at the bottom of the hill. Despite keeping it floored in 4th gear, I didn’t manage to put on any further speed before reaching Park at the top of the hill. This was a fairly straightforward right-hander, but one around which the Mini wanted to swap ends (which it did on one occasion).

Next up was Chris Curve, a long sweeping right-hander not dissimilar to Hawthorn’s at Croft. Consequently, despite the high-stakes gamble of understeer near the track’s edge vs lift-off oversteer when I ran too wide, I actually felt reasonably comfortable on the run down to the Gooseneck.

Realising I could straight-line the braking zone helped a lot. Once into the Gooseneck, however, it was a different matter. It really felt like walking a tightrope. I was acutely aware of the Mini’s shifting weight while equally unsure of how much the camber could help or hurt me. I was well outside my comfort zone, but I gradually learned that the corner could help me and began to attack it more.

Mansfield, at the bottom of steep hill leading out of the Gooseneck was fairly simple. From there, all that remained was the left, right, up and over of the Mountain. Even at the low speeds I was doing, wheelspin was guaranteed over the crest unless you backed off at just the right time. I did have one major moment when the back end kicked out wide as I made the right turn, but overall, I was quite pleased at being able to control things.

Memories

There are a few things that will be abiding memories from this trackday. The first was just how greasy the track got. Mid-morning, a couple of rain showers made the track incredibly slippery in the tight and twisty Woodland section. We ended up tip-toeing round, barely able to touch the gas or the brakes. Or turn the steering wheel, for that matter. Turning in for the Hairpin, I kept on losing the back end of the car despite crawling at about 15mph. It was mental.

The second thing I’ll remember was getting to the point where I learnt to catch oversteering slides. When I lost the back end at Park, I’d made the schoolboy error of hitting the brakes. I knew I should have floored it to get the front wheels spinning and match the rear wheels’ lack of grip. I knew that stuff, but it wasn’t instinctive.

Later, after multiple oversteer moments in the Hairpin and Barn, I finally got it. Once again in the Hairpin, I’d entered with a little too much speed and the back end stepped out. I tentatively hit the gas and slowed the spin. I pressed a little more and was now just drifting round the corner. I held it for what felt like an eternity, managing the drift until the car finally settled down and I just drove away towards Barn. No tank-slappers, no fuss... but plenty of hootin’ and hollerin’ from me as I laughed like a maniac.

Finally, I’ll take away the memory of managing to turn into Coppice at 80mph. Earlier in the afternoon, I’d been treated to a passenger ride in a Lotus Elise 111R and been amazed at how well planted it felt. Where the Mini had been squirming around, the tail feeling heavy and threatening to spin, the Lotus just felt glued to the track. Its light weight (860kg vs 1140kg) and lower centre of gravity meant it was never fighting its own inertia.

Anyway, on seeing that its owner could fairly hurtle into Coppice at 80mph while I’d maxed out at about 70mph, I took it upon myself to match him. With an absence of further rain and with the cars clearing the worst of the track’s moisture, I gradually upped the pace in the Mini and matched the Lotus’s entry speed. What a thrill! Coming back into the paddock shortly afterwards, I was grinning like an idiot. That, I realised, is exactly why I pay daft money to do this kind of thing.

After an evening of great fun, terrible singing and much hilarity, I’m relieved to say that the money I spent on Singstar Legends wasn’t wasted. Granted, I had to get the beers in to loosen up, but once going, there was little that could stop Grant and me — we proceeded to murder song after song. ;)

I have to say, I now have a much greater respect for people who actually can sing. It’s not as easy as it sounds. I’ll bet our neighbours can testify to that too. It does help, however, to know the song inside out. Grant fairly excelled at Roxanne (not least due to his willingness to mock Sting’s screaming) while I felt most at home with Enjoy The Silence and This Charming Man.

The one let-down of the evening was the fact that one of the microphones simply stopped working. Bummer. That put a swift end to the duets and 2-player battles. Still, it was enough of a laugh in single player mode. We’re mostly still playing on the Easy level, but then our voices and abilities kind of demand it. Really, we need a detached house to make the most of it. Had we really gone for it, you can bet we’d have been slapped with an ASBO; although we would’ve improved much faster.

Anyway, if you’ve got a PS2 and don’t mind having a go at karaoke, I can highly recommend it. I maybe wouldn’t get Legends first, though — I only did so to try to entice my dad into playing (and failed). Something like the 80’s version looks much more singable for a 30-something. Speaking of which, I think I might just have to put that on my Amazon wishlist... :)

Earlier this year, I’d planned to move house to somewhere with a private garage so that I could take the next step on the sportscar ladder. I even had various bits of work done to the Mini to prepare it for sale, including the refitting of standard-issue run-flats. Given my subsequent failure to move, I’ve still got the Mini and the trackday hiatus has become too much to bear. In light of this, Friday 24th sees me heading off to Lincolnshire to take on the challenges of Cadwell Park.

The trackday will probably use the Club circuit, as the Woodland section will be treacherous at this time of year. (Track map nicked from www.msport-uk.com.)

I use the word “challenges” advisedly. Cadwell is often referred to as Britain’s mini-Nürburgring and for good reason. It’s a very narrow circuit, with lots of crests, swerves and alarmingly track-hugging Armco and tyre walls. Parts of the circuit are also underneath or close to trees, which should make it treacherous at this time of year. In fact, I’ll be surprised if we use that part of the circuit at all. One thing’s for certain — I’ll definitely be taking it easier than I have done on other trackdays. I just hope my bog-standard tyres and brakes are up to it.

So, it’s been almost 2 months since I saw Al Gore’s documentary and what have I done to make the planet a better place? Answer: not a lot. In fact, pretty much everything’s concentrated on reducing my petrol consumption. I now:

• walk into town instead of driving
• keep the revs down when driving i.e. drive normally ;)
• use the local Co-op instead of the Tesco 4 miles away
• lift-share on the way to work
• go to The Gate to watch films instead of Boldon

I even took the train to visit friends in York once. Beyond that, I’ve asked my landlord about switching to a green electricity supplier, but we’ve yet to make the change (my fault, not his). Oh, and I’ve holidayed in the UK rather than going abroad, but that was planned anyway.

On the bad side, I’ve yet to switch the Mini for something more fuel-efficient. Worse than that, though, I’ve booked myself on another trackday. Cue approx £150 of fuel being burnt in one go. I bet that easily cancels out every other saving I’ve made.

On the home front, I’ve not done anything to change to more energy-efficient appliances, but that’s really my landlord’s call. Given that I’m now planning to get a place of my own (that must be another environmental no-no), it would seem a bit much to ask him to get new gear only for me to leave.

In summary, then, I have done things that will help, but I reckon my overall footprint must still be as big as ever. In the coming year, I’ll try to stay away from flights abroad and I really must get rid of the Mini. Keep me honest, people.

I’ve not read a great deal of George Monbiot’s writings, but what I have read (in the Guardian and Observer), I’ve found quite interesting. I’m not 100% sure whether he deserves total respect or whether he’s an unbalanced fanatic, but I do enjoy his articles nonetheless. This just made a piece he wrote in the Observer Sport Monthly even harder reading:

Some sports are simply incompatible with any likely solution to the problem [of global warming]. The most obvious example is motor racing. There is a direct relationship between an engine’s performance and the amount of greenhouse gases it produces: the faster the car, the quicker it cooks the planet.
[Taken from How Sport Is Killing The Planet]

It is, I guess, a harsh truth. I really can’t justify my double standards when it comes to motorsport. Certainly not while we’re putting carbon from fossil fuels back into the atmosphere. At the same time, however, I can’t give it up. Well, I probably can, but I really don’t want to. Perhaps it really is time for Grant and me to start our own chip-fat-powered Mini race team? Would that assuage my guilt?

No, not me — I’m talking about the Tesla Roadster (hat-tip to Wilka for the link).

At just $75k (plus shipping and import tax), it’s relatively cheap too. Obviously, it’s not cheap full-stop, but if you compare like with like — sexy, roadster, 0-60 in 4 secs — you’re looking at a Gallardo Spyder, which costs $250k. Quite a difference.

I really hope this car is a success. Judging by the interest they’ve had, it looks like it might be, but you can never really tell till they post a profit. Venture capital will be all that’s keeping the company afloat for now. Anyway, we need this kind of car, if we’re to keep motoring into the later part of this century. Or rather, I need it if I’m to continue loving my driving. Fingers crossed... :)

It’s domain registration renewal time again and this time I’ve let it lapse. If this site falls off the web as a result, it should be back within the month — I’m not about to let this place just disappear. In the meantime, if anyone’s got any good suggestions for ASP.NET hosting companies, I’d be interested to hear them. Although my current hosting contract doesn’t run out for another year, I’m keen to swap PHP for C#. Cheers.

Well, I’ve been back from Wales for nearly a week now, so I figure it’s about time I wrote something about it. In short: good cottage, good food, good walking, good driving, good weather (mostly), crappy slate mine, good gaming and, of course, good friends. I think that pretty much sums it up. :)

In total, we managed only 28 miles of walking during our stay. And we didn’t do Snowdon either. I have to take the blame for some of that — once again, my boots conspired to kill me. At least this time it wasn’t heel-sized blisters. Must see about getting my freakishly skinny feet kitted out with some properly fitting footwear. Either that or I could try shaving some bone from the top of my right foot. Not sure which will be easier, to be honest.

As well as the 28 miles of walking, I managed to cram in 4 circuits of the Evo triangle, although I was passenger for 1½ of them. It’s true that the 3 roads comprising it are a good mix of surfaces, sweeps and traffic conditions. The first stretch, from Pentrefoelas towards Denbigh, is relatively rough, beginning with dry stone walls in close proximity before heading out onto the moors. This was where I had the most fun, as there are a few points at which you get to see a good distance of the road ahead.

The second side then dives into coniferous forests on beautifully smooth roads. If I were a copper, this is where I’d camp out waiting for the next Evo subscriber to push their luck. Consequently, I kept it very steady on this bit. In fact, it was decidedly boring. Were it a rally stage, it would be a thrilling ride with high speeds, but at 60mph, it sucked. Halfway through this side of the triangle, things start getting a bit more interesting again as the gentle curves and gradients are replaced by a rollercoaster ride of swoops, crests and corners. The blindness of some crests did stop you having too much fun, but at least you got to work the gears again.

The final stretch is just part of the A5 and, as such, it was much more heavily populated with traffic. I guess this is where Evo would test the cars’ overtaking capabilities, as there’s really not that much fun to be had on this artery out of Snowdonia.

Oh, bugger. I’ve only gone and spent most of this post talking cars again. Ah well, it is a vice. The holiday, however, was much, much more than driving. Despite being there only a week, I came away feeling like we’d been away for a month. I was utterly chilled. In fact, just walking in light rain on the first day was “like oil on the soul”, to borrow a phrase from HH Frentzen. I needed it and I needed it badly. Now, I just have to keep that feeling going. Time to join the Ramblers again, methinks.

A week ago, I hadn’t even heard of Calexico. Now I’ve got one of their albums (well, ordered it) and I’ve seen them play live. All thanks to Jack playing a couple of their CDs on Saturday night — and a lot of luck with the gig’s timing.

If you’re as unaware of them as I was, Calexico play a blend of... country, rock, folk, near-jazz... errr... well, they’re a bit difficult to pin down. Jack called it “desert music”. For me, that pretty much nails it. Like someone put Ennio Morricone and REM into a blender and hit pulse. Their sound combines acoustic and electric guitars, drums, steel guitar, bass guitar, double bass, trumpets, keyboards, xylophone, harmonica and more to great effect. Maybe it’s the new sound that Rudi and the Spider were looking for in the Boosh?

Some of tracks played last night at The Sage leant more towards the "exico" than "Cal", while others were more mainstream indie-rock, the latter comparing favourably to any of your NME regulars. Personally, I preferred it when they stuck with the trumpet-laden desert music, but that’s just me. I just hope my copy of Hot Rail makes its way across the Atlantic soon (it’s cheapest to order from their site in the U.S.), or I’ll end up buying a second copy from iTunes. :)