Shipping my RS America To Europe, Going to Le Mans and a 4 month drive around Europe Options

[DonTraver]

About 6 years ago, went on a trip to Germany, even drove the Ring in a new 997S. Great trip.
While there, I got this weird idea. How great it would be to drive my RSA in Europe and the autobahn.

Well, it’s taken about a year of research and work, but it’s going to happen this year,

I started receiving all the import/export licenses a couple of weeks ago for the RSA. I got all the forms in this week. Shipping has been arranged to ship my RSA in her own private container to the UK with approximate arrival on May 19th.

Found an insurance company that will insure me in 29 countries for about $165 a month.

Joined the Porsche Club Great Britain, got my membership card on 3/31/10. I’m going to Le Mans with them.
They put together a 5 star camping trip to Le Mans every year, they camp in the Porsche Curves at Le Mans, they even put up your tent for you, It runs about $800 for 5 days at Le Mans, Euro Tunnel Pass, tickets, fully catered camp site, private restrooms and showers. How cool is that. I’ll be traveling with the PCGB from the UK to Le Mans, should help me not get lost. I’ll get to watch testing, practice, qualifying, and the race, wow.

I’ve been a member of a 964 Porsche series group for about 7 years. Since I told the group about my plans, I’ve received invitations to all over Europe, Luxemburg, France, Germany, UK, Portugal, Spain, and the Ring. Planning at least a week at the Ring.

After Le Mans heading south, Normandy, Madrid, Lisbon, Valencia, and maybe Monaco. After that head north to Germany, Berlin, Leipzig, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, the Ring. Etc. Want to catch a couple of Formula 1 races, Spa, Ring, etc. At least that’s the tentative schedule so far.

Found this website that lists a lot of the tracks in Europe and if they have open track days, they do. So I might get to drive Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Spa, and a bunch of others. http://www.trackdays.co.uk/tracks/

Just finished a 60k service on the RSA, new rotors, pads, brake fluid, set valves, new tires, new O2 sensor, had a ipod cable put in for tunes, and waxed and detailed her, dyno tested 250hp at rear wheels.

Had a set of PSS10 Coilovers installed, with new alignment and corner balancing last week, sweet.

Oh yeah, since I won’t be in any one country more than 4 months, I get to keep the California plates on her, cool. I wrote a lot of emails to a lot of countries to confirm that, all said fine by email, printed out all those emails, just in case.

The RSA ships in 2 weeks, when I get a confirmed delivery date, I’ll book my plane tickets.

So long story short. I’m going to Le Mans and will be spending over 4 months driving around Europe in my RSA with California plates, a dream is coming true.

Here's a picture of my RS America at the Lake Arrowhead Porsche Timeline last year.

Don

[DonTraver]

5/29/10

Today was just so cool. So how cool was it, hit numerous traffic jams and just smiled.

Left Felixstowe a little after 8am, heading for Stonehenge. I hit rain after being on the A12 for about an hour. Then rain the rest of the day. Got within about 10 miles of Stonehenge, 1st gear the rest of he way. I pulled off for gas before I got there, got back on the A303, 1st gear again. I was thinking,”are all these people going to Stonehenge?” No, I have no idea where they were going, but the backup continued way past Stonehenge, like as far as you could see. I was glad to be out of it.

So there was rain at Stonehenge. It wasn’t hard, just a drizzle. Maybe because of that it wasn’t too crowded. So I paid for parking and entry, only 10 pounds. Hey, I got the senior discount, whoa, never thought I’d last that long. I took a lot of pictures, 40+. I don’t know when I’ll be able to upload them.

That T mobile thingy has a maximum upload/download of 3 gigs. I maxed it already with pictures and stuff. Here’s the screwy part, that’s a per month maximum, they won’t sell you any extra until after 30 days. Then they’ll sell you another 3 gig. So even if I buy another one, uploading 40+ 5-6mb pictures will wipe it out quick again. Here’s the next surprise, the hotel just upgraded their wifi, so now it’s not free, it’s 4.95 pounds per hour and can only be connected with in the bar, cough. They did suggest that there’s a McDonalds and Starbucks close by with free wifi. So I’ll try that, might be able to upload a few at a time. It will let you surf, email, and stuff for the rest of the month, just no uploads or downloads. Hey, that beats 4.95 an hours at the bar.

The next surprise, yesterday the hotel confirmed my new reservation. When I got here, I was told, we can only provide a room for one night. But they did make reservations at another hotel for me at the same rate. Oh yeah, they don’t have an elevator either. So I unloaded the RSA and let them carry all the bags and bicycle up the stairs. Thank God for that, I’d be half dead if I’d had to carry all of the stuff up 3 flights of stairs. I’m going to let them carry them back down the stairs too tomorrow morning. Getting old does have some advantages.

I drove the RSA over 325 miles today, most of it in the rain. I like driving in the rain, it takes more skill to drive safely and avoid the other drivers. I saw 4 accidents today and one spin out on the M3. I don’t think anyone got hurt at any of them. Drivers and passengers were just standing around looking depressed,

I really like the GPS I bought in London, it got me to Stonehenge and Canterbury. It’s got all this new stuff my 5 year old one in the States doesn’t. Think it’ll be time for a new one when I get back.

So overall, it’s been a great wonderful day. The RSA ran perfect, didn’t miss a beat. She did start to get a little hotter than I like, so when I stopped for gas around Stonehenge, I pulled the fan relay and hooked up the manual switch operation that I put in years ago to help her cool down after coming off the track. After that, what heat.

The Charger for my Cell Phone died, so I need to find a car charger. So please no calls unless it’s an emergency, it’s already just about dead. Trip maintenance.

I’ve got a couple of questions for the UK guys.

What is a Variable Speed Zone? Does that mean traffic flow or traffic density or something?

Traffic Cameras. I ran into a lot of them today. The GPS would alert me and I’d do whatever it said, however when I did that I was usually getting passed, sometimes like I was standing still. The question is, what’s the fudge factor, how fast over the limit before it takes your picture and they send you those nasty bills with points.
I’d rather not support the government that way. They’d just waste it anyway.

I got a email from someone, brains a bit foggy right now, saying something about a notice or something about me was posted in the PCGB monthly magazine. My copy is on it’s way to San Diego, checked the PCGB website, you guy don’t post the magazine online do you? Would someone let me know what’s going on? I’d appreciate it.

Let clear up something that’s starting to bug me. I’ve been emailed a few times about writing a couple of articles and maybe even a book about this trip. Ya know, that sounds great on paper and it is flattering that someone would actually want to hear something I’ve got to say beyond emails. If any of that happens it’s going to be after the trip is completed and I and my RSA are back home, nor will I drive 3-4 hours one way so someone can take pictures of my RSA. Hey, if we meet up, that’s fine, but I will not turn this trip into work.
I have invested too much time, effort, and money to let anything get in the way of this once in a lifetime trip.
Nuff said.

Well, that’s it for today, I’m going to go find the Starbucks and McDonalds and just look around a bit. I’ll admit I’m tired; but it’s such a nice tired, it’s going to be an early night.

Don