I took Daphne (04 Cooper S) up to Angeles Crest Hwy tonight with my friends and their VR6. Since I'm not great with stick shift and definitely inexperienced with doing canyon runs, I took it really easy. It was such a blast!

BUT! I spun out on the way back down cause when I turned a corner, I ran into some gravel and the tires lost all traction. Luckily, I didn't hit anything. I'm fine, the car's fine, but after that, I was really nervous to take corners.

Does anyone else go on canyon runs up in the highway? Any advice on how to drive through SAFELY and at the same time, have fun?

 

You're not good with a manual tranny and you went on a canyon run Not a good idea. You should go to an open parking lot and learn how to drive well, heel-toe, double clutch downshift and the like and then hit a canyon. Also, attend a performance driving school or a DE event first. Finally, never ever ever push the car to its limit in a canyon, you're asking for trouble if you do.

 

Know the territory BEFORE you run it. If you're doing a night run, make sure you drive it in the daytime to survey conditions such as loose gravel, hairpin turns, off camber turns...

 

sorry guys. well the thing is, i've been up there to angeles crest before as a passenger a few times so i'm pretty familiar with the area. also, when i said i'm not great at stick shift, i didn't mean i'm bad or anything. i know how to double clutch, heel-toe, etc etc but i'm not GREAT GREAT or anything. i was in no way pushing my car to the limit at all. i didn't wanna put myself in danger. i followed the speed limit if that says anything.

i hope you guys don't think i'm trying to be speed racer or anything cause i'm not.

 

Dang, too bad that I can't join you on your next run

I don't mean to brag but I'd have to say that I'm one of the world's best shifters. Yes, it's true:

P
R
D
SD
CVT (1-6)

Hey, qpid --> Valentine's Day is exactly one month away

 

i use to live in LA and took my cars out to the canyons every weekend.

the first thing you need to do is to adapt to your MT. then, take the
car slowly through the canyons that you want to drive and learn all the
turns and crests. do this many times...i mean MANY times and learn
where there are dips, rough spots, loose gravel, rocks, etc.

after you know all your turns, then speed up and enjoy. after a while
you'll want to learn how to heel and toe.

have fun out there!

 

thanks! are there any MINI meets that do runs in angeles crest? i think it'd be kinda fun to just go on a nice little cruise together as a group

 

Join SoCal MINI Maniacs. We did an Angeles Crest run last month.
http://www.scmm.org

 

>>You're not good with a manual tranny and you went on a canyon run Not a good idea. You should go to an open parking lot and learn how to drive well, heel-toe, double clutch downshift and the like and then hit a canyon. Also, attend a performance driving school or a DE event first. Finally, never ever ever push the car to its limit in a canyon, you're asking for trouble if you do.

Agreed, if your not too good a driver yet I wouldn't go on a cnayon run...you could go with the SCMM folks...they usually take it pretty slow

Its a good idea to scout the location like others said. I made the mistake of not doing that when I first went to Muholland drive and got lost when I was chasing a WRX

 

>>Know the territory BEFORE you run it. If you're doing a night run, make sure you drive it in the daytime to survey conditions such as loose gravel, hairpin turns, off camber turns...


Without a good RECON run you are going to get hurt. Without one you don't know whats arround the next conner. That's my two cents