Drive Report: Targa 805 Rally

"RallyWrench" (rndlitebmw) 05/06/2019 at 17:20 • Filed to: get out and drive, drive report, event report, targa 805

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Today’s awesome drive reports from !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! have inspired me to share my own, for the recent inaugural Targa 805 rally. A few weeks ago my buddy Frank, owner of the killer Mk1 Scirocco seen below, put on a one-day drive through some of San Luis Obispo and Monterey County’s best roads. Dubbed Targa 805, it was a great gathering of people and machines from all over the state. The idea was to have a day of good fun and camaraderie without the barriers to entry posed by the popular yet expensive multi-day rallies that frequent our local roads en route to elsewhere. With that in mind, Frank put together a great route of about 200 miles, starting in Morro Bay and running a large and varied loop through the northern reaches of San Luis Obispo County and southern Monterey County, before finishing at the famed Pozo Saloon. The weather could not have been better, as the day dawned sunny and clear yet comfortable. I had really hoped to take the 911, but I wouldn’t have the injection sorted in time, so my mount for the day would be a coworker’s heavily modified black R-package NA Miata, the same one that CaptDale has borrowed for Radwood. The car is a whore, but for the first time in my life, a Miata actually was the answer. Equipped with a later 1.8, cams, tune, 6-speed, LSD, fully poly-bushed coilover suspension, Volk wheels that I used to own, and a Sparco seat intended for a much smaller driver, the car is a riot.

After donuts and driver’s meeting we set off from Taco Temple in Morro Bay, headed northeast through the rolling wine country of the Santa Lucia range. As is my habit on multicar drives, I brought up the rear to act as sweep or to help any stricken fellow rallyists. Mostly open and flowing roads took us through lush spring hills to the shores of Lake Nacimiento before picking up Highway 101 for a brief transit section South to a regroup and gas stop in San Miguel (below).

From there we struck East into the La Panzas, where a brisk but not irresponsible pace was set in the absence of traffic. Here the more serious driving began, with narrower, technical roads, uneven pavement, and rapid elevation changes in store, part and parcel of driving in San Andreas country. Heavy late Winter and early Spring rains meant multiple water crossings along the way, and the famed wildflowers were just starting to bloom. It made for an absolutely beautiful drive. At one point we stopped for a breather and photo op (desperately needed as by that point the Miata was genuinely hurting me), where we hung out for 30 minutes in the middle of an idyllic meadow, with nothing but the sound of birds and the babbling creek as backdrop. Not a single vehicle came through to interrupt our little street party:

Sleeper Dime, this car is a road trip beast with dialed in suspension and a hot L20.

I love it. I wants it.

Another hour or so of driving found us at the Pozo Saloon for more socializing, a late lunch and beverage of choice. I recommend the Pozotini, a beer with an olive in it. It’ll be hard to top this first edition of Targa 805, we couldn’t have asked for a better day. It was really special to head out into these California hills while they’re so completely green, a rare thing. Also a treat to reconnect with old friends and make new ones, all of whom I look forward to driving with again. While I knew most of the these roads from a previous life, I hadn’t properly gone driving in years and it stoked the old fire, much like the 911 has (family minivan wildflower viewing trips don’t count...). For a long time now, cars had largely lost the totemic quality that ingrained them in my life and friendships. Two decades in the industry will do that. I’m pleased that they’ve come roaring back, and can’t wait to keep the momentum going in my own car. Next up: Luftgekühlt 6 next Saturday, the maiden voyage out of town for the SC!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > RallyWrench 05/06/2019 at 17:44

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The feels . Looks like a fantastic day. Glad to be an inspiration. =)

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > RallyWrench 05/06/2019 at 17:45

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Get
Out
And
Drive

GOAD

provoke or annoy (someone) so as to stimulate some action or reaction

Ha!

someassemblyrequired > RallyWrench 05/06/2019 at 18:09

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So many amazing roads in that area, I’m super jealous.

That BMW is amazing, but I love early Sciroccos, mostly because of Dawn of the Dead (the original):

Sadly there’s only the dubbed Spanish?? version on Youtube...

CaptDale - is secretly British > RallyWrench 05/06/2019 at 18:28

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That water crossing looks very familiar. I am suprised you didn’t leave the hardtop behind. I love that stupid Miata.

I am really happy to hear the flame is back. Gotta go on a backroad day with you here sometime. 

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > RallyWrench 05/06/2019 at 19:12

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Oh damn, I wish I knew about this, I would totally have come up from LA to join! I had a few groups who I did this with regularly back East, but havent really found that out here yet. Always good to just go for a long drive with the purpose of solely enjoying a nice day with a group. Also, I do have an email chain for Socal oppos and I am trying to expand it to include more of California. Trying to use it to post about drives exactly like this. So let me know if youre interested in being on that email chain. 

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > CaptDale - is secretly British 05/06/2019 at 19:14

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backroad day on the central coast is sorely needed for me too!

RallyWrench > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 05/06/2019 at 19:34

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Next time! Frank, the organizer, capped this at under 20 cars to test the waters among guys he already knew because he hadn’t organized before. We’ll be doing it again for sure, p ut me on that email list and I’ll try to keep you in the loop for anything else up here. E mail (without spaces): r n d l i t e b m w @  g mail 

RallyWrench > CaptDale - is secretly British 05/06/2019 at 19:51

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I don’t like convertibles and I burn easy :)  Definitely need more driving soon. 

CaptDale - is secretly British > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 05/06/2019 at 19:52

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Yes yes yes!! Central coast Oppo meet and drive

RallyWrench > someassemblyrequired 05/06/2019 at 19:52

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I’m a VW nerd at heart too, that Scirocco is a ripping little car. He’s had it forever. 

RallyWrench > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 05/06/2019 at 19:54

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Now I see what I did there ;)  If this goads others into driving, all the better! It’d be cool to see more drive/trip/event reports here. I’ll try to do my part. 

CaptDale - is secretly British > RallyWrench 05/06/2019 at 19:55

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*cough* sunscreen *cough* but I understand the burning, not the convertible hate.

More driving is always needed

RallyWrench > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 05/06/2019 at 19:56

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Thanks for the push. It was a day of feels, no doubt. Smiles for hours, it was just so cool to be immersed in driving again. I hadn’t felt that focus in a long time . Need to do more in the SC now!

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > RallyWrench 05/06/2019 at 20:01

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email sent!

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > CaptDale - is secretly British 05/06/2019 at 20:06

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I was thoroughly sunburnt on DAY 1 when I bought the new miata. I knew that Miata life was back when I got home to extreme farmers tan. Thankfully I had my floppy safari hat on though because I dont fuck with head, neck, or face sunburn.  

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > CaptDale - is secretly British 05/06/2019 at 20:07

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You plan it and I’ll be there. Pending my ridiculous travel schedule for work... But Im hoping to have time this summer at least. 

RallyWrench > CaptDale - is secretly British 05/06/2019 at 20:11

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I’ve rolled a car. I like roofs, even if they’re just a fiberglass suggestion of one :)  

someassemblyrequired > RallyWrench 05/06/2019 at 21:09

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Once you’ve gone single wiper, you don’t come back

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > RallyWrench 05/06/2019 at 22:00

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Yes! Love to hear it. 

CaptDale - is secretly British > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 05/07/2019 at 11:31

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Sounds good

CaptDale - is secretly British > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 05/07/2019 at 11:31

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SUNSCREEN!

CaptDale - is secretly British > RallyWrench 05/07/2019 at 11:31

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That what the roll bar is for

RallyWrench > CaptDale - is secretly British 05/07/2019 at 11:51

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It’s a psychological thing. Also road noise, wind, weather sealing, chassis flex, I’m actually a vampire and hate sun, etc etc ;) 

CaptDale - is secretly British > RallyWrench 05/07/2019 at 11:56

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-_- you are wrong because that hard top makes that car noisier , but the vampire thing pans out.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > CaptDale - is secretly British 05/07/2019 at 15:33

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CaptDale - is secretly British > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 05/07/2019 at 15:35

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You don’t keep a bottle in yours? That is the first thing I bought and threw in my buddy’s.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > CaptDale - is secretly British 05/07/2019 at 16:04

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I have two in the other Miata, at least two at home , one in the Subaru, and one other with my camping gear. So I have plenty, just didn’t remember to grab one when I went to pick up the new car. Have since moved over the bottles from the other Miata. I've had enough sunburn in my life that I tend to try to avoid it without trying to stay out of the sun. 

Cruiser > RallyWrench 05/22/2019 at 20:35

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Nice write up Tucker! It was a great day, looking forward to the next one. 

Frank Virnig > RallyWrench 05/22/2019 at 23:20

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Thanks for the write up. It was a lot of fun putting it together and making it happen. Truly good for my soul. My joy in creating these is getting old and new friends together to share the passion and share their cars with each other and the general public. Once you become an adult with all our commitments and responsibilities you find it harder to drive for enjoyment. Last year, I finally realized a dream to do a vintage car rally (Coastal Range Rally) and my good and longtime friend Pete, who is as much a gear head as me and kindered spirit , co-drove with me and told me that it had been so long since he had driven for fun. That struck a chord. My goal: to give an excuse to remember the joy of driving, use our old cars that sit in the garage, maybe getting driven to cars and coffee and actually excercising them and remembering why we like them and why we like cars in general in the first place. Beyond that, while cars are great, the people are what it’s all about, I have another rally coming together in the late summer/fall I this year. I  think it will have the SC’s name all over it!

Frank Virnig > RallyWrench 05/23/2019 at 11:00

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Sounds like we will have more takers for the next one. Tucker or I will let you know about the next one—probably in the fall. This kind of driving is good for the soul and we need to do it any chance we get. We aren’t getting any younger so it’s nice to create memories with old friends and meet new ones. It also keeps our old cars healthy right? I know the Scirocco takes a good 10 miles before everything loosens up and feels right. Agreed,  single wipers rule!

RallyWrench > Cruiser 05/28/2019 at 13:43

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Ian? Thanks! The next one can’t come soon enough. 

Cruiser > RallyWrench 05/29/2019 at 11:49

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You guessed it!