Time attacks

[MiniMike]

Would anybody be interested in posting their times along a defined route? That way we can be all super dramatic and competitive and scream at each other like on initial D.

I know Mike (big) knows some good roads, and I have a particular loop that I enjoy so maybe we could get some good spirited competition going on.

[Sirdeuce]

Ideas on how to get our times recorded?

[MiniMike]

Unless you want to meet up and time each other i think it will have to be on the honor system with stopwatches. Just stop the watch when you complete a run, the faster you grab the watch and stop it, the better.

[Sirdeuce]

My best time from my house to 168 is just under 11 minutes. I think it's around 13 1/2 miles. Averages about 73 MPH. Bone stock Tacoma. I'm sure the 3 can do better, but never tried to time it. That was at night with no traffic, mid spring.

[BigMike]

Hey! This is a really great idea. We could just pick some starting point, could be a unique tree or a road marker, and then use a simple stop watch while you drive to another marker. If you encounter traffic, that's fine, just specify so, such as... "Bill: Sample Rd, 12:21 mins (got stuck behind a Grandma for 2:33)"

Or, better yet, if you have a GPS enabled smart phone, you can use the free Endomondo phone app to show our average & top speeds and everything.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm This makes me want to get back out on the mountain roads!!

[Sirdeuce]

Highway 41, Kettleman to Stratford, Night and HOT! 4 1/2 hours. Construction.
Figure  fast times need a counter, so here's a slow time.

[Colston]

There are some great rodes south-east of fresno, specifically near Heatland Christian camp. There is also a great long stretch east of P'ville. I recorded a few of my times. There is a 9 mile stretch to Heartland that i have never seen a cop on, and is empty a lot of the time (especially during non-farm or cattle seasons). https://www.google.com/maps/dir/36.6084628,-119.0135274/36.6516734,-118.9572435/@36.6295637,-118.9868653,13.98z?hl=en

I start at the sign that says (Heartland 9 ->) and end at the camp office. I usually pull of in the dirt and start my timer (Ipod nano) i have Velcroed to the rear-view mirror then go when it hits 10 seconds, then subtract 10 at the end. I got 14:52 when i was 18 and just got my mr2. This time was at 1am, it was damp in the shade and there was snow at the end but with no traffic.

Then there is this one: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/36.1121282,-118.5539197/36.1326002,-118.7774811/@36.1378065,-118.7804252,14.25z/data=!4m2!4m1!3e0?hl=en
I start in the dirt behind the California national forest sign with the same timer and race all the way up to a half dirt forest road that ends at another summer camp. when the camp is closed there is a green steel tube gate at the end of the forest road with just enough room to turn around. Its kind of like a road rally with a special stage - I got 39:19 uphill with my gutless stock mr2. I used to work at the camp this ends at - so i used to set times every time i went up, but i lost the book i kept them in. This road is littered with cops, so I made a rule for myself to never cross the yellow line when setting times. I have gotten a 350$ ticket twice for crossing yellow, but every time i have been pulled over just for going fast i get off with a warning.

google map any other roads you guys like.

[Colston]

I found these times in an old notebook - I will try and do another run of both of them by Christmas.

[BigMike]

Just came across Colston's posts above.

WOW those two routes look amazing, especially the second one! I would love to try this once it warms up some (less risk of snow/ice).

I am planning on doing like a YouTube video series of my favorite local foothill touge roads. Might get a chance to take some test footage this weekend

Regards,
BigMike

[Colston]

I am going to find a way to jimmyrig my phone mount (to cut vibration) and film my times. I forgot to post it, but that same road up to heartland has a lower 16 -- 8.1 mile section that is great because there are not that many hairpins and is perfect for momentum cars - with the added bonus of just a few blind corners.

I posted this wrong the first time, below is an updated link - Start from the first dirt section to the right of the road where the double yellow lines end, and stop the clock as you pass the stop sign at the fork.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/36.5191503,-119.0182482/36.6084433,-119.0136716/@36.6084635,-119.0143047,286m/data=!3m1!1e3

[Colston]

I ran this course uphill and set a good benchmark. There was a light sprinkle of rain at the end but road was dry, not a single car in my way with maybe 6 or 7 on-coming. This was on Sunday 3/13/16 at 3:00. (i met all the campers driving home) with a full tank of gas and a passenger. Bone stock N/A 88 MR2.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/36.5191503,-119.0182482/36.6084433,-119.0136716/@36.5691528,-119.0661916,12z

My time was 10:19.47

[Colston]

I am mainly putting this down as a self reminder - Parkfield Grade would be another great spot, W HW 198.

[Sirdeuce]

Parkfield grade. Looks interesting! Any idea of the road surface condition?

[Colston]

The road condition is fairly smooth and typical mountain road surface until it turns to dirt half way through. The dirt surface does not have any rocks bigger than a lug nut and would be a great road to practice gravel rally driving uphill/north (down hill the outside of every turn is a cliff with no barrier)

[Colston]

I have found my new favorite road - Dunlap road, which connects the 180 and 245 east of Fresno. No cops what-so-ever and a dotted yellow line the whole way! Its a twisty beautiful mountain road with a few residential sections. I am planning to take this rather than the 99 down to visalia (adds 45 min and 30mi to go through badger, but more than worth it) once a week, so once I learn the road a bit more I will be adding markers and times.