2007 July1st - 5th Porsche Parade San Diego
photos by Diane Westmoreland
Porsche Parade, July 1st - 5th, 2007
San Diego, California
After Parade in Portland last year Diane and I had not thought seriously of attending Parade 2007 but the more we pondered it the more appealing San Diego looked to us. We had entered our Gulf Blue 74 Carrera in the Concours at Portland where there were only two cars in our class. We felt we had the better car but we came in second anyway. Because of that experience I wanted to enter the car in the San Diego parade where I assumed we would have more and better competition. I love to drive and looked forward to the nearly 3000 mile round trip. We solicited opinions on the best route to take but I have to admit I was predisposed to taking the direct route from Spokane to Burns Oregon on Hwy 395 then making a left turn to Winnemucca then to Battle Mountain Nevada then south through Austin and Tonopah then southeast to Las Vegas. We would then drive straight south to Blythe, CA then to El Centro and come into San Diego by the back door.
The route planning was excellent, we drove 13 hours on Thursday and 13 hours on Friday and 4 hours on Saturday and arrived at the Parade
Headquarters about noon. That was just what I wanted, Saturday
afternoon and all day Sunday to prep the car for the Concours. What I
didn't plan on was the weather. I had no idea that the High Desert
which we were in for most of the three days would be quite so hot. To
add to it we managed to travel during a record setting period even for
the desert. The 74 Carrera is NOT air conditioned and even if it had
been we would not have been able to use it because just keeping a 33
year old, air cooled car cool in temperatures that reached 120 degrees
requires a light foot on the throttle and constant monitoring of the
oil temperature and the oil pressure. Fortunately the car ran like a
dream and as long as we kept it between 70 and 80 the temperature
stayed in safe limits. The high desert is different. It was so cool
in the morning leaving Battle Mountain on the start of our second day
that we had the heat on. By noon the temperature was close to 110
degrees.
There are pictures on the INWR web sight of the scenery that made the trip well worthwhile. The desert is totally stark but it is also
absolutely beautiful. There were several times where we went for an
hour without seeing a sign of life. We could imagine some traveler
years in the future finding our bleached bones strapped in an old
Porsche. This experience just reinforced the rule that smart,
informed people do not drive the high desert during the middle of the
day in July and that also explains why the Navy and Air Force use this
part of Nevada as a bombing range. Even the most inept pilot that
misses the target does not have to worry about hitting anything but
rattle snakes and the occasional skinny jack rabbit.
Based on the advice of fellow members of the INWR that took Hwy 395 all
the way to San Diego we took that route home. It was shorter and took
about two hours less driving but we LUCKED in again and came home in
the middle of the heat wave that gave Spokane near 100 degree
temperatures. You guessed it, as we passed on the west side of Death
Valley the temperature again reached 120 degrees and this time because
we were not in the high desert we didn't have the early morning cool
time. It was over or near 100 degrees all the way.
Diane spent much of her time putting ice water soaked towels around my
neck and passing the water bottle as it was a serious concern that we
would suffer from heat stroke. Perspiration was not a problem because
100 to 120 degree air blowing over your skin at 70 or 80 miles per hour
dries it as fast as it comes out. Diane is now of the opinion that an
air Conditioned water cooled Porsche is the way to go.
One of the most interesting experiences happened in a small town on
395, Independence California, I was watching for traffic when Diane
said, "Do a 180". I turned around and there was an old abandoned gas
station. In front of the gas station was a 49 or 50 Chevrolet without
an engine but painted on the window of the gas station was the Porsche
Shield. The station was empty, sand had blown into the stall area, the
gas pump price for gas was 44.9 cents. 44.9 cents a gallon, if memory
serves me means the gas station shut down in the early 70's. I walked
around and through the station thinking I might find some more Porsche
stuff but it had been picked clean. Some day I will go back and
investigate the history of the Porsche part of the station. You never
can tell, I might discover a barn find.
After arriving at Parade Headquarters the first thing Saturday
afternoon was to wash the road grime off the car. We then found a spot
with some shade where we could start prepping. The problem with the
space was it was enclosed and very hot. Just as we started to prep my
cell phone rang. It was Tillie, she and Chip had saved us a double
space next to their car in the official concours prep area. At this
parade the "official concours prep area" was under the hotel convention
center with great lighting and AIR CONDITIONING. We prepped our car in
a cool 70 degree, dust free underground garage. It made the work a
pleasure.
The INWR had two cars entered. Chip and Tillie Hammond entered their
new 997 Targa 4S. This is a truly beautiful car which was immaculately
prepared. It was it's first concours and in a very competitive class
they came in second. As I recall they had points taken off for too
much grease on the door hinges. That is a factory function but that's
the way judges judge. In this Concours we were in a class of four
cars. We were really bummed out when the results were posted and we
came in forth. However, the competition was very good and the result
we were given after the Concours was acceptable because of the
interest shown by the spectators. The car received a lot of interest
the highlight was Hans Peter Porsche taking several pictures. He even
got down on his knees so he could get a straight on shot of the hood
stripes. He subsequently signed our photo album and commented that we"Had a very nice car" Our thought at the time was if Hans Peter
Porsche thinks we have a very nice car then who cares what the judges
think.
That evening at the Concours awards banquet which was very nice and a
lot of fun even tho we were not going to be presented an award we would
cheer for Chip and Tillie. About half way through the presentations I
had to heed the call of nature, (its a senior citizen thing). I was
just walking back into the banquet room when (I believe it was Chet
Hinman) runs up to me and tells me that they called our name for the
second place award. After making sure I wasn't being set up, we were
sitting with our friends from the Tri Cities and with that group you have to be careful. Diane and I went up front where I told the presenter that we came in forth. He said that was a mistake and the we were second, I didn't argue with him. What a great way for Diane and I to end the evening. We received a trophy as a reminder and reward for all the work we did.
The bottom line is Diane and I had a great time in San Diego, took one day off from Parade and visited down town San Diego, had dinner in the Gas Light district, rode the train from the hotel to down town and back and saw some of the 4th of July fireworks as we headed to our hotel. This was a truly great Parade.
Diane and Bob Westmoreland
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