Vandenbergring idea

[delise]

I often go up to central cali wine region and always visit the best steak place on the planet Hitching Post Casmalia. It is way out in the boonies on the edge of Vandenberg AFB and Lompoc. The roads back there are in great condition, very twisty and lots of fun to drive. After driving the Nurburgring in May I became inspired and I thought it would be fun to ask the folks at Vandenberg AFB if they would have any interest in hosting a sports car event where people would register and pay per lap to run timed intervals on a closed one way 10 - 14 mile loop around the back roads of the AFB and possibly portions of the back runways ( their runways are long enough to handle a space shuttle landing ).

Well the bad news is they have way too many people deployed in the middle east to hold any events that would require security and such this year. The good news is they sounded fairly interested and asked me to check back with them periodically. Also I had mentioned to them that the Navy is hosting the Coronado Speed Festival and how The Vandenbergring event could possibly be turned into some kind of vetrans support or charitable thing as well.... maybe some time in the future this can happen.

If you look closely below from the A marker up at Casmalia down to the VAFB and runway you can see all of the twisty and sweeping roads. So many that I would think a course could roughly emulate a very crude Nurburgring layout, lots of elevation change as well.

[mikester]

Nice, keep up the good work !

So, the Casmalia location is better than the Buellton location ? I've only been to the Buellton HP and thought it was great. I love their wines as well

[delise]

Originally Posted by mikester

Nice, keep up the good work !

So, the Casmalia location is better than the Buellton location ? I've only been to the Buellton HP and thought it was great. I love their wines as well

Well it is the original one and used to be a stage coach stop back in the day. The vibe is a lot less LA Sideways crowd and more old school Vandenberg people and local wine makers, farmers. Supposedly the wood fire pit has not gone out since the 1950s! I have been to both and I think the food is pretty much the same, each one is owned and and run by a different Ostini brother. And yeah the HP wines are awesome ! They also have a huge mobile BBQ which gave me the thought that they could have it at said event.....
Will keep on top of it, if VAFB say yes eventually then will start to drum up sponsors and such I guess.

[ms355]

Very cool idea, Del. A Nürburgring without rain!

[delise]

Originally Posted by ms355

Very cool idea, Del. A Nürburgring without rain!

And hopefully no accidents every 20 minutes

Hope to make it over there again, I think I really lucked out and found the one sunny day that whole week to drive the ring ! You still need to come to California and let me show you the famous roads ! ( though it would be very boring for you compared to the Nordschleife )

[ms355]

Originally Posted by delise

And hopefully no accidents every 20 minutes

Hope to make it over there again, I think I really lucked out and found the one sunny day that whole week to drive the ring ! You still need to come to California and let me show you the famous roads ! ( though it would be very boring for you compared to the Nordschleife )

Sure - but nothing will be boring in California.

The second half of May and the beginning of June were rainy indeed. However, we had a pleasant (= dry) August and September.