I got a new job, sooo ROADTRIP!

[Happy]

Originally Posted by PropellerHead

Best times for daddy daughters!

I always tell my kids, “a little elbow grease never hurts”.

[Overboost]

Looks amazing! Keep the shots coming.

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by Overboost

Looks amazing! Keep the shots coming.

Thanks everyone! I got a little bonus time on the skid pad in an M4 Comp yesterday. My instructor buddy offered the M4 as the very best car he's seen out of M. He'll be at VIR this weekend and has been at the wheel of BMWs since before he started as an instructor 20 years ago. THAT is high praise.

This one had the carbon seats. Real.. nut grabbers, if you knowutImean. THe car even has a 'drift mode' where you can analyze your best drifts. He hopped in and quickly bested the 4.25 stars to 5. It was then he told me he'd never driven that one. He'd had exactly 5 minutes at the wheel. Yikes.

My, uhhh, *performance* was, well.. not even ONE star.

In other news, our plans now include a few days at the beach in Edisto Beach, SC. From there? Well, who knows. Maybe Tampa to visit family.

[PropellerHead]

My advice for you all is that if you take someone to the Delivery Center, DON'T LEAVE! One of the instructors asked me and another dad if we wanted to do a hot lap during lunch. Uhhhh.. YEAH! Pics in a bit!

[Angel.X5]

The amount of fun in these pics!! Good show!


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[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by Angel.X5

The amount of fun in these pics!! Good show!

Ohhh my, Fellas. I just realized it's been a little over 36 hours since I posted ab my *first* hot lap of the week. It's been a bit of a whirlwind since then, culminating today in the 4th, 5th, or 6th time I shared a philosophy with my daughter: "When you're hanging out at the delivery center for a class, the answer to EVERY question should be carefully considered. I'll provide a short recap for guidance:

When a buddy comes up and says.. "Hey, you wanna get on the skid pad?"

Your Answer: Yes!

A very calm person with grey hair will then say, "OK, We'll go when you're ready." ANd YOU say, "Does that mean, NOW?" It helps to be mid-bite or drink. And just as calmly, he or she will reply: "No no, I'll come back in a minute. Finish your meal." They provide no funnels for food, but something alarming happens at the prospect of a hot lap. Lunch is suddenly over...

Now, the interesting thing ab congregating with people who share similar interests is that it's really easy to find a common ground. A father whose daughter was the only other one in the class and I were hanging out, sharing BMW stories. He was a man who leases and renews. Me? Well, I'm a guy whose E53's are among the youngest of my Bimmers. It takes all kinds, I suppose.

And so it was. I'd met a new friend who likes the same things I do and has similar priorities. This is not a place for anything but the human experience. My daughter calls it Disney for BMW's. She's not wrong. Minutes after the 1st 'Yes!" We're climbing into a 4 door sedan packing AWD and 617HP and TQ (or more).

A short orientation ensues. Within, a similar set of wake 'em up moments from the day prior occurs. I'll admit I have NO idea if BOTH the M4 Comp and M5 Comp share the option of a "drift mode." (The same M4 I'd slid up one side and down the other of the skid pad)

They may or they may not, but here's a little silliness from a car with that kind of silly power.. When he was navigating the menus, I had to ask.. "Wait.. Is this an option only *you guys* can do HERE or... Yeah.. anyone can remove AWD if they wanna screw around. I mean.. really? WTF DOES this who isn't 12yrs old? But then.. Aren't we ALL 12 at heart? And so it was...

WTF? Am I just getting OLD? They let ANYONE roll in 2WD? I mean.. Is this *on purpose*? This is 'drift mode' by another name. Here's the lil secret.. If you wanna actually experience 0-60 in under 3 seconds.. you have to use AWD. And we were advised: "It's violent." After the show we had in this 2WD sedan, we were done with violence. Lawd.I will share- (with a mix of pride and disdain for my age) that my right knee was actually sore from banging the door. And yes. It's a little like being sore from too many blow jobs in a day. Both of us giggled like children the entire time. The instructors simply have ice water in their veins. They will do things that bend physics over the couch and exit with the simple question.. "Errbody good?" I've never seen anyone whip my ass with such utter complacency. Every crisis counselor should do this. It's the core of the need to be abused. I will be back- and voluntarily so- each and every time.It's NOT ME with the problem, after all.. The *problem*? The problem is torque. Ask anyone.

Moments later you'll find yourself the unwitting partner in a fully unexpected (and probably not UNwelcome) bit of shenanigans with the poor fella that drew the Mini Experience hot lap. Just LOOK at the glint in our Instructor's eye.

I have this feeling that they so rarely get to have fun outside of sliding newbies around a track that messing with one another is pretty much the best times they can have. And if you watch them together, this is the banter. It's like any sport any time but the playing field is levelled. Bring us a girl, I hear them say in my head. She'll get better, too. These are good people. The most fun of the hot lap is when the driver catches up with the tire smoke from the previous turn. Why is it so satisfying to blow through air we can see and smell? The smell of paper mills on the side of the highway as a kid were just never this fun.

And so we returned to the paddock. I took some shots, but I did miss the *pristine* 4.6is there for a scheduled service. Ya see, there lies within the grounds a facility wherein they rotate cars to the Zentrum. I've been advised that it's worth 100's of millions of dollars (to the rt buyer I have to suppose), I understand it contains such old-made-new novelties as Elvis Presley's 507 from his Army days. If you ever thought BMW was just a driver's brand, I will offer that BMW *gave* him a 507 while in Germany. These folks *knew* what they were doing.

Oh, and BTW.. the 4.6is with like ZERO miles on it sits alongside. No word on any other E53's but the Nieman Marcus one. But I have to believe the LMB 4.8is I saw there during the 2006 delivery of my buddy's E90 330 sits somewhere within. The 4.8is was a special moment while M figured out how to do an SAV.

Tomorrow after we pick up wifey in CHS and arrive on the SC coast, I will most likely go for a bike ride. But I'll catch us all up on the bonus factory tour and yet another 'YES!" moment.

It has been the best week in a LONG time.

[plasstik]

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by PropellerHead

Tomorrow after we pick up wifey in CHS and arrive on the SC coast, I will most likely go for a bike ride. But I'll catch us all up on the bonus factory tour and yet another 'YES!" moment.

Gentleman, we are three. Nice to be together again. We arrived in CHS after a stop to visit Clemson University (again). My daughter LOVES the ice cream place downtown, and I like the burgers at a place called Loose Change. "Fire" as the kids are calling these days. We so enjoy the visits there, we returned before our departure for a steamed bagel. It was all I needed to eat for the day.

I stopped into a local bike shop in Anderson, SC that I'd discovered a few weeks back when my daughter was on an overnight tour of Clemson. We may be further along on our way to a fat bike if we can find parts. Fat Bike. Do want.

This was 70 miles outside of Charleston, SC. I swore we'd be two hours late for her flight. But, just as there was ZERO apparent reason for the backup, there was the same lack of reason for the clearing traffic.

I've never been to the SC coast, but Edisto Beach is ab as quiet a place as I have ever been. One loop around the island is a 7 mile ride. This morning's ride was a calm one except for the one redneck who doesn't understand bicycles are the same as any other traffic. I offered him the return of his single finger salute with my very own as well as my most passionate offer to discuss it more personally and in deeper depth. He declined. It was early and he did not make the cut.

But it's tough not to have a good day when it starts the right way.

We're off to Savannah, GA to visit with an old college buddy today. I owe you guys some reviews from our last day at Spartanburg. I haven't forgotten. For now, this bit of clamaity was a fun surprise from Anderson, SC.

I leave you for the day with the trend I can't seem to change. Whether it's a '+1' mile pic or a +'10'. I just cant seem to remember to snap in time,

[EODguy]

Prop, it looks like you and yours are having a blast.
Congratulations!!!

*side note

I was worried I needed glasses because your X was looking like a Nissan, plus I thought it was parked outside a club with neon flamingos

Aww crap I do need glasses (preferably filled with bourbon!



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[wpoll]

JDM cars are certainly always well optioned... :-)