So, what did you do today?

[Wade]

I had lunch at Cafe Capri in Bryan. The food was excellent and the owner seemed like a nice guy.

Why didn't you call me? I haven't been there since Tuesday :-(

[Rob Liebbe]

I can’t really touch that one but I flew to Odessa, TX for lunch and back today on a friends private Cessna Citation Jet. Oh how the other 2% live. I could get used to it.

I was in Midland, then Odessa, then Abilene, then back to Odessa, then back to Midland and then finally back to Houston on Tuesday. All without the benefit of a private jet.

[Rob Liebbe]

Why didn't you call me? I haven't been there since Tuesday

It was spur of the moment. Catch you next time.

[ShadowBolt]

I was in Midland, then Odessa, then Abilene, then back to Odessa, then back to Midland and then finally back to Houston on Tuesday. All without the benefit of a private jet.

You should see the Goodyear test tracks. They are really cool. I wonder if they ever rent them out?


JJ

[ShadowBolt]

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...&t=h&z=13&om=1


They have a five mile oval!

JJ

[Rob Liebbe]

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...&t=h&z=13&om=1


They have a five mile oval!

JJ

I used to work there as a tire test driver/engineer for ride, noise, dry handling, wet handling, off-road perfromance. It is a very cool place, with tons of test surfaces. The five mile circle (not oval) was used in the 60's through late 80's as a high speed tire durability durability track. It is a parobolic bank with neutral speeds up to 120 mph, meaning that at 120 mph you could let go of the steering wheel and the car would follow the top lane of the track all by itslef. Since it is parabolic, it is neutral for other speeds at the lower lanes. The old timers tell a lot of funny stories about the place. Unfortunatley, the circle is in a fairly advanced state of disrepair. They do rent out the facility, but all use has to go through the legal department these days and it is very expensive ($8000-$12000/day) and a pain in the rear.


Google Continental/General Proving Grounds in Uvalde, Texas. Similar setup without the high speed oval but does have a large dry/wet handling pad, road course, ride roads, and a Jeep Jamboree course. We rent this one from time-to-time at about $5000/day but there is no legal department involvement. They are usually very busy though.


You can also check out Cooper's track, The Tire and Vehicle Test Center near Pearsall, Texas. It is a smaller facility but has a large pad, a road course and a Moab Jeep course.

BF Goodrich/Michelin used to have a track north of Laredo before moving to South Carolina, Firestone has a track in Ft. Stockton and Southwest Texas Research has a track west of San Antonio.

For various reasons the tire companies built tracks in Texas and the car companies built tracks in Arizona, Florida, California and of course Michigan.

[rleng1]

I used to work there as a tire test driver/engineer for ride, noise, dry handling, wet handling, off-road performance.

Obviously, off-road was your speciality.

[GlennCMC70]

I did one of the bet things any CMC'er could do - I started Rob Who's cage today. Main hoop bent and fitted. Diagonal and harness bar to come. No pics.

[Rob Liebbe]

I did one of the bet things any CMC'er could do - I started Rob Who's cage today. Main hoop bent and fitted. Diagonal and harness bar to come. No pics.

Cooooooool!!!! I may in the DFW area next weekend. I'll give you a call to see when you will be around. Maybe I can come check it out.

Thanks Glenn!!!!

[Fbody383]

Main hoop bent and fitted.

Did you use the #70 to bend the main hoop?