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28 Nov 2017

Blowing out the cobwebs



 Due to my illness it's been nearly five months since either of my Porsches has had a good fast run in the country so when friend Colin  suggested a drive for this week I was onboard. Craig and Ashley were also able to make it so we had an early 911 quartet and nearly a silver quartet.
We took a favourite route -up the very scenic Wollombi Road from Kulnura to Broke and then onto Enzo's Cafe in the Hunter Valley. It's a favourite because it is such a great fast and challenging drive -on a weekday.  It's a different story on a weekend when it is full of motorcyclists.
Today it really was the open road-we saw almost no traffic.
If you are not into classic cars or do not understand the appeal of over 40 year old Porsches let me try to explain. Early 911s are really unique. They are not fast by modern sports car standards but they are a very involving drive as they are so light, small and so direct and nimble. There is no power assist on the steering, the clutch or the brakes. The driver inputs all the effort. The early gearbox takes some mastering. There is no aircon. An early 911 is driving in its most pure form. You can really only appreciate them on a fast challenging road. In slow traffic you can easily hate the car. Your left leg gets cramps and if it is a hot day the engine starts to get irritable but get onto that open road and it is driving heaven.
There is really no comparison at all between an early 911 and a modern 911. The modern Porsches are very fast and competent but they are incredibly complex and the driving experience is no longer involving- in fact it is detached.The 911 has lost its soul.
For me my early Porsches have soul in the same way that my Leica cameras have soul. Both are a pleasure to use. Both put a smile on my face.
I did 301 kms in the roundtrip this morning. Thanks to Colin,Craig and Asley for a really great drive.

Just a few photos taken along the way. Above the quartet at Enzo's. Below horse and foal in the Yarramalong Valley, a shack under jacaranda trees at Kulnura and a broken service station at Broke in the Hunter Valley.



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