Of Windy Ways and Washouts

Family fun?

This weekend is an opportunity to stretch the legs of the Boxster a little, this time with a few 'brothers'. I manage to corral three other GTS owners, including my GTS Chronicles compatriot, into a Friday afternoon fun run.

The weather is perfect, and we meet up late afternoon, in the local grocery store parking lot for a quick pre-drive chat, photos-taking, and radio setting-upping.

Leaving the route guidance in the Carmine Red Cayman's hands, I bring up the rear in the tail-end Charlie position, bracketing a nice Guards Red Cayman and a brand-spanking new GT Silver Boxster.

All GTSs.
All manuals.
All silver wheels.

Kind of an anomalous group in this day and age, and we like it that way.

It's less than an hour south to the border with New York State, straight down highway 416. A brief stop at border entry, where our quartet raises a few eyebrows, and we are ready to do some exploring in the region around Ogdensburg. We are lucky enough to have our group leader be extremely familiar with the roads in the area, and he has mapped out a route for us that will take us well into the evening.

The first run heads east from the border crossing, in pleasant open farmland. It's flat, and mildly curvy, but the blacktop is typical USA-rural - that is to say - smooth and wide. I turn the mode selector into my 'individual' setting, firming up the dampers. No need for the softer settings on these roads. Why exactly can't Ottawa manage this level of road quality, in Canada's capital city? Unfathomable.

We drive and pause, repeatedly, performing short runs with brief stops to stretch and chat, and marvel at these machines. As I bring up the rear I can hear our newest member playing with his car. He's just cracked 5000 kms and is fully broken in and feeling rev-happy. His exhaust is in Sport mode and I can tell from afar just how good this car sounds as you wind up the tach to 7800 rpm repeatedly. I keep mine in the more subdued sound setting, preferring the lower profile (and yes, I realize the irony of wanting to be more low-key in a bright red sports car).

Turning south, the scenery changes a little, and we start to get a few hills, the road snaking before us gently left and right, but pleasingly up and down as well.

Having the radios is fantastic, as it allows us to keep the group tight together, and make sure no one gets left out. I frequently drop further back to stay out of 'projectile range' as we are noticing that there are some places where there's clearly been damage to the roads from the recent heavy rains we've been experiencing.

This area seems to have been hit a little harder and we cross several sand and gravel ribbons of washout. I slow right down for this stuff, while my brethren take things a little faster. I'm leery of stone chips and loose surfaces, so I take a more prudent approach. This means falling behind a little, but no matter though, as the radio keeps us all in check. Our fearless leader is good at checking in and making sure I'm still with the group.

I can tell people are gaining confidence as the drive continues. Cornering speeds are climbing. The great thing about these roads around here are:

- perfect surface
- decent sightlines
- reasonable speed limit

The little stops become minor repeats of the same conversation, with small augmentations as everyone finds something new to comment on about the nature of these cars matching up perfectly to the routes we are on. For my part I am enjoying my role as rear gunner, not feeling any pressure with someone behind me right on my tail, so to speak. I can see the two Caymans ahead, glued closely together, with a small gap to the silver Boxster. He's intent on exploring the acceleration capabilities of his new 4.0 litre flat six, and I watch and listen with a grin on my face recalling those early kilometres in Europe.

We stop for snacks and drinks, and more chats, and then turn westwards, the path starting to form a broad loop shape as our leader takes us through more and more small roads in the area. A few intended paths are closed off to us for either repaving (they repave a LOT down here - thank you!) or due to the flood damage. But no matter, we carry on to the next intersection and find a new road to try. A couple of them really are actually a bit more than just gently curvy, and our two new recruits are soaking it all in. I think perhaps they've not been along a drive like this before, one that's focused mostly on the driving, and I think they are finding it...exhilarating.

As the sun dips lower, the air cools and it's the golden time for convertibles. I love this time of the afternoon / evening for driving top down. All your senses seem to come alive as the cool air rushes past you. You can see and hear so much more, and yes, a tinge of hot rubber scent is in the air from the cars ahead. The car is alive under my fingertips - no death grip on the wheel needed here - and it responds immediately to the smallest inputs. Minor corrections to corner entry here, a touch of opposite lock when getting on the power out of a tight corner there, pretty darn perfect.

The engine is on song at higher RPMs and it echoes through the trees as we snake through some decent ribbons of asphalt, through tree-lined corridors with the light starting to come through sideways now. My headlights flick on, switching from the four-point DRLs to the full beams at just the right time. As the light fades, we make our way through the last curvy stuff. The timing is good, because now the critters are starting to come out and the risk of some 'entanglement' is growing.

It's been a great run though, a lovely introduction to the NY state roads for our new folks, and the mildly dusty and bug-splattered GTSs pull in to a US gas station to fill up with cheaper fuel before the short highway drive back to home. Another easy border transition under our belt and we are back on the 416 and heading for Ottawa, each of us alone in our cabins, but all together too, to thanks the shared experience of the day and these cars.

I keep the top down the whole way home, glancing upwards to see the stars stretched out above me.

A fine drive. A fine machine. A fine way to finish off the day.

Marvellous.

~ Luke