January 24

This month has flown by. It's almost February. But that's a good thing, because I am so ready for NASCAR race season to start! To help get our "motors" running, we went to Daytona NASCAR Cup Testing on the 19th for the whole day. It was great. Rudy and I got up at 6 am to be on the road and heading towards Daytona by 6:45 and we achieved that goal. We were patiently waiting in line in the truck behind about 40 others at 7:30 am. Why, you ask? Because even though we had purchased our tickets prior to this day, we (I) wanted to be one of the first 150 people in line to get a JEFF GORDON wristband so that we could get Jeff's autograph later that day! Goal # 2 Achieved!!

So when the gates opened and we were allowed into the infield through the fourth turn tunnel we made our way to the Fan Zone. I shot approximately 550 pictures of the Driver's, the crew, the cars in the garages, on the track and all around. With my 300+ zoom lens I am able to get what looks to be up close and personal with whatever my subject might be. We got lots of drivers autographs while they were in the garages and I even got my picture taken with Claire B. Lang and interviewed for her Radio show that night.

We took a nice lunch break and went to Ruby Tuesday's for about an hour. This is beginning to be a tradition with us since it is so close to the track and always has good food. Third year, I think.....

After lunch we walked around getting more pictures and autographs and watching the Cars do some drafting practice. We met some people from the JEFF GORDON Network and other fans, too and enjoyed chatting with them. One man we met just watching and taking pictures saved us a seat up from of the stage for FanFestForum. What is the Forum? Well, 6-7 drivers in 4 different sessions come out and answer questions from the audience. Of course, with front row seats, I got excellent pictures of JEFF and the other drivers.

Our friend, Janine came in the afternoon also, so Janine and I bought tickets for three hot laps around the track in a 2007 Chevy Impala SS. It was the best $20.00 I've spent in a long time and it "fed" my "need for speed"!! We went 135 miles an hour for two laps and then the third lap the driver slowed down to 35 miles an hour going into the 3rd turn to show us how the 31 degree banking felt at that speed. We could feel the G-Force at 135 miles per hour, imagine going 185 like those NASCAR drivers do for 3 1/2 hours +.

After the Forum and the Hot Laps, we were getting tired so we headed home, arriving at 9:00 pm and hit the sheets preparing for another day at the office!

Soon we will be on our way to Daytona for the 500 and the Gatorade Duels! I'm ready!

Camping Weekend

Well, it is Friday evening and we are on the road again this weekend, only this time we've headed north to just north of Clermont, Florida near Mascott, FL, camping in the woods in our RV with a group of friends that we gather with every 2nd weekend of the month to relax and enjoy the great outdoors. It is so peaceful, relaxing here, with no noise, no agendas, no sirens from fire engines or ambulances, only the creeking crickets, squaking owls and croaking frogs in the pond. There's a campfire at night where we sit and chat with the others or we can just sit under out awning with a good book. These weekends are very special and help bring us back to a place of no worries, just peace and quiet! Thanks Less & Pat for inviting us to join you and the others. We love it here!

January Update

Well, only 39 days until the Daytona 500 and I've got the Racing Bug! It's been way too long since we've been to a track and I am ready! Last weekend we fed this addiction a little by going up to Daytona on our bike for the weekend and stopped by the Daytona International Speedway to watch a little Rolex 24 Testing. Took some pictures, saw some NASCAR drivers and even got my picture with David Stremme! :-) Rudy and I had a great, relaxing time up there that weekend. We've got to do it mor often.
Next week we are going to the Daytona 500 NASCAR Cup series Testing! Jeff Gordon will be one of the drivers there that we intend on seeing. Actually I am planning to stand in line to get his autograph and chat with him. Can't wiat to hear the roar of those engines and smell the exhaust again! Daytona is very unique in that it has a FANZONE and a window into every garage that allows the spectators/fans to peer into the garage area as the crew makes adjustments to the cars and get close up looks at the Crew Chiefs and Drivers that are testing. And then hoping again all odds that one of them will come over to the window and autograph an item for you! Can't wait!!