Monaco - I have been to F1's Mecca :-)

I just returned from a 12 day Mediterranean cruise. One of the last stops was Monaco. With all the discussion of accurate tracks and people always throwing "I have actually driven the track" or "I have been to the race", I would have been a total fool to not try to walk the F1 track. So complete with a Monte-Carlo street map I set out with a friend (the wife and I went with another couple) and video camera to do a lap at Monaco. I must say that with all the hours on F1 games I spent at Monaco, this walking lap was by far the most fun. I even have some "manna" from F1's Mecca. At turn one (I have a nice picture of me standing beside the old F1 replica and the red/white curbing) I found a piece of tire rubber (marble) still stuck to the curb. When I pulled it off for a souvenir, some white paint came with :-) Then at the hair pin I found some carbon fibre, probably from a wing or other body part. It was suggested that I should turn this stuff into a shadowbox/souvenir or something. I probably will. Anyway for my impressions. I will never again complain that the uphill climb after turn one is not modeled steeply enough. I was drenching in sweat after I climbed it. There were still tire marks and rubber laid down at the high breaking points from the race. Jean Alesi's donut from his celebration is still there. The hairpin was where the F1 fans seemed to end up. One guy went up to the rubber marks and just patted it and said "yeah baby". I told him he might want to kiss it, and he replied that he didn't want to dirty the track ;-) The tunnel is curved to the right way more than I imagined. Quite a bit... Also there are no bumpy curbs at the chicane after the tunnel. It is flat, so F1 2000 is definitely wrong there. After this chicane it is amazing to see how close to the harbor the track really is. I mean like a few feet away. They put up temporary guard rails for the race, but I never realized how close the water was. The TV coverage or the 'puter games do not give that impression. The swimming pool was uneventful except for 3-4 topless babes :-) The most rubber from the racing line was at the little left right chicane coming back to the main straight. This is actually an island with a "yield" sign on it. I am not sure if this is an island in F1 2000, but I do plan to do a lap in the game to see how close it was. Anyway, if anyone has more questions about the track just ask while it is fresh in my memory. I did get a nice 45 minute tape out of it (the walk was almost 2 hours). I saw 3 kick ass Ferrari's while walking the track. I was rather surprised that there was not a really good F1 souvenir shop there. That was disappointing. I did get 2 nice Ferrari polyester and 1 Ferrari T shirt on my trip though. Lastly, when I was taking the launch back to my cruise ship a couple next to me was doing a taping of Monaco. The wife was interviewing the husband and it went like this: "Well this is about as much overt elitist snobbery as I can take for one day. It is time to get the hell out of here" He was obviously a nascar fan :-) -- [email hidden]

"Greg Cisko" wrote: Great story Greg... *but*..... > Anyway, if anyone has more questions about the track > just ask while it is fresh in my memory. I did get a nice > 45 minute tape out of it (the walk was almost 2 hours). *Great* story Greg... *but*..... 2 hours - for Monaco?? That tiny little round-a-bout?? Come-on!! I've completed all glorious 13,605m of Le Mans - including the obligatoric (sp?) stop at the Mulsanne-cafe for [more] beer - in less than 4 hours! > "Well this is about as much overt elitist snobbery as I can > take for one day. It is time to get the hell out of here" > > He was obviously a nascar fan :-) LOL!!! Great comment! Thanks for sharing! ed_

Where exactly does that put one in GPL rank ;)? - Gregor Ed Solheim wrote: > > *Great* story Greg... *but*..... 2 hours - for Monaco?? > That tiny little round-a-bout?? >

"Ed Solheim" <[email hidden]> writes: > Come-on!! I've completed all glorious 13,605m of Le Mans - including the > obligatoric (sp?) stop at the Mulsanne-cafe for [more] beer - in less than > 4 hours! Too bad about the weather this year. Would have loved to do it. But our excursion in the porsche curves wasn't too bad. And I've walked Surfers Paradise. Five hours after landing in Brisbane after 36 hours flight in tropical temperatures with jet lag and probably a bit dehydrated. 1 hour hell but I just couldn't wait for it :) -- Olav K. Malmin remove .spam when replying

could you pls provide more details about the topless babes at the pool... :) "Greg Cisko" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:4wA47.23218$[email hidden]...

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> I just returned from a 12 day Mediterranean cruise. One of the last > stops was Monaco. With all the discussion of accurate tracks and > people always throwing "I have actually driven the track" or "I have > been to the race", I would have been a total fool to not try to walk > the F1 track. > > So complete with a Monte-Carlo street map I set out with a friend > (the wife and I went with another couple) and video camera to do a > lap at Monaco. > > I must say that with all the hours on F1 games I spent at Monaco, > this walking lap was by far the most fun. I even have some "manna" > from F1's Mecca. At turn one (I have a nice picture of me standing > beside the old F1 replica and the red/white curbing) I found a > piece of tire rubber (marble) still stuck to the curb. When I pulled it > off for a souvenir, some white paint came with :-) Then at the hair > pin I found some carbon fibre, probably from a wing or other > body part. It was suggested that I should turn this stuff into > a shadowbox/souvenir or something. I probably will. Anyway > for my impressions. > > I will never again complain that the uphill climb after turn one > is not modeled steeply enough. I was drenching in sweat after > I climbed it. > > There were still tire marks and rubber laid down at the high > breaking points from the race. Jean Alesi's donut from his > celebration is still there. > > The hairpin was where the F1 fans seemed to end up. One > guy went up to the rubber marks and just patted it and said > "yeah baby". I told him he might want to kiss it, and he > replied that he didn't want to dirty the track ;-) > > The tunnel is curved to the right way more than I imagined. > Quite a bit... Also there are no bumpy curbs at the chicane > after the tunnel. It is flat, so F1 2000 is definitely wrong > there. After this chicane it is amazing to see how close to > the harbor the track really is. I mean like a few feet away. > They put up temporary guard rails for the race, but I never > realized how close the water was. The TV coverage or the > 'puter games do not give that impression. > > The swimming pool was uneventful except for 3-4 topless > babes :-) > > The most rubber from the racing line was at the little > left right chicane coming back to the main straight. > This is actually an island with a "yield" sign on it. I am > not sure if this is an island in F1 2000, but I do plan to > do a lap in the game to see how close it was. > > Anyway, if anyone has more questions about the track > just ask while it is fresh in my memory. I did get a nice > 45 minute tape out of it (the walk was almost 2 hours). > I saw 3 kick ass Ferrari's while walking the track. > > I was rather surprised that there was not a really good > F1 souvenir shop there. That was disappointing. I did > get 2 nice Ferrari polyester and 1 Ferrari T shirt on my > trip though. > > Lastly, when I was taking the launch back to my cruise ship > a couple next to me was doing a taping of Monaco. The wife > was interviewing the husband and it went like this: > > "Well this is about as much overt elitist snobbery as I can > take for one day. It is time to get the hell out of here" > > He was obviously a nascar fan :-) > > -- > > [email hidden] > > > >

So have you thought about converting your video to a computer format? I would like to see some of your footage. Then again I am sure not everyone has this type of equipment at their diposal like I do. :-) SLG "Greg Cisko" <[email hidden]> wrote:

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>I just returned from a 12 day Mediterranean cruise. One of the last >stops was Monaco. With all the discussion of accurate tracks and >people always throwing "I have actually driven the track" or "I have >been to the race", I would have been a total fool to not try to walk >the F1 track. > >So complete with a Monte-Carlo street map I set out with a friend >(the wife and I went with another couple) and video camera to do a >lap at Monaco. > >I must say that with all the hours on F1 games I spent at Monaco, >this walking lap was by far the most fun. I even have some "manna" >from F1's Mecca. At turn one (I have a nice picture of me standing >beside the old F1 replica and the red/white curbing) I found a >piece of tire rubber (marble) still stuck to the curb. When I pulled it >off for a souvenir, some white paint came with :-) Then at the hair >pin I found some carbon fibre, probably from a wing or other >body part. It was suggested that I should turn this stuff into >a shadowbox/souvenir or something. I probably will. Anyway >for my impressions. > >I will never again complain that the uphill climb after turn one >is not modeled steeply enough. I was drenching in sweat after >I climbed it. > >There were still tire marks and rubber laid down at the high >breaking points from the race. Jean Alesi's donut from his >celebration is still there. > >The hairpin was where the F1 fans seemed to end up. One >guy went up to the rubber marks and just patted it and said >"yeah baby". I told him he might want to kiss it, and he >replied that he didn't want to dirty the track ;-) > >The tunnel is curved to the right way more than I imagined. >Quite a bit... Also there are no bumpy curbs at the chicane >after the tunnel. It is flat, so F1 2000 is definitely wrong >there. After this chicane it is amazing to see how close to >the harbor the track really is. I mean like a few feet away. >They put up temporary guard rails for the race, but I never >realized how close the water was. The TV coverage or the >'puter games do not give that impression. > >The swimming pool was uneventful except for 3-4 topless >babes :-) > >The most rubber from the racing line was at the little >left right chicane coming back to the main straight. >This is actually an island with a "yield" sign on it. I am >not sure if this is an island in F1 2000, but I do plan to >do a lap in the game to see how close it was. > >Anyway, if anyone has more questions about the track >just ask while it is fresh in my memory. I did get a nice >45 minute tape out of it (the walk was almost 2 hours). >I saw 3 kick ass Ferrari's while walking the track. > >I was rather surprised that there was not a really good >F1 souvenir shop there. That was disappointing. I did >get 2 nice Ferrari polyester and 1 Ferrari T shirt on my >trip though. > >Lastly, when I was taking the launch back to my cruise ship >a couple next to me was doing a taping of Monaco. The wife >was interviewing the husband and it went like this: > >"Well this is about as much overt elitist snobbery as I can >take for one day. It is time to get the hell out of here" > >He was obviously a nascar fan :-) > >-- > >[email hidden] > > > >

(All spelling errors are intentional and are there to show new and improved ways of spelling old words. Grammatical errors are due to too many English classes/teachers)

"Greg Cisko" (snippers)

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> The tunnel is curved to the right way more than I imagined. > Quite a bit... Also there are no bumpy curbs at the chicane > after the tunnel. It is flat, so F1 2000 is definitely wrong > there. After this chicane it is amazing to see how close to > the harbor the track really is. I mean like a few feet away. > They put up temporary guard rails for the race, but I never > realized how close the water was. The TV coverage or the > 'puter games do not give that impression.

There is also a good posibility that the curbs seen in F1 are temporary. We had a downtown Winston West race here about 15 years ago...financial flop btw....and they poured concrete curbs to separate a Y couplet from the racing streets. The kerbs were there Thurs night, friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Gone on Monday. Due to a lack of funds, all the concrete barriers and Advertising stayed up much longer...they didn't get the volunteer turnout they hoped for to pick everything up. So at least we got to tool around the course for a few days... > > The swimming pool was uneventful except for 3-4 topless > babes :-) I do beleive he mentioned a VIDEO camera.... > > The most rubber from the racing line was at the little > left right chicane coming back to the main straight. > This is actually an island with a "yield" sign on it. I am > not sure if this is an island in F1 2000, but I do plan to > do a lap in the game to see how close it was. Here too the temporary nature of Monaco is seen. i don't think we see the Island because of the Armco that surrounds it. >(snipage)

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> He was obviously a nascar fan :-) > > -- > > [email hidden] > > > >

>"Greg Cisko" <[email hidden]> wrote > The swimming pool was uneventful except for 3-4 topless > babes :-) How can that be uneventful ???� ;-) Nice report, mr. Greg! -- -- Fran�ois M�nard <ymenard> -- May the Downforce be with you... -- http://www.ymenard.com/ -- This announcement is brought to you by the Shimato Dominguez Corporation - helping America into the New World...

I also have done the same - walked and taped the track. I agree with the surprise about how close the track is to the harbour, especially on the run down to Tabac (after the chicane out of the tunnel). The swimming pool complex does have a skateramp on the left which i have never seen in an F1 game. I saw a yellow Ferrari F355 berlinetta go around Loewes Hairpin, too. The funny thing about it is everybody drives really slowly. There I was in the tunnel with my video camera, when a new-ish 911 comes into shot. I thought to myself "he's not going to hang around, such a quality motor driving on a GP street circuit..", but he drove past me at about 15mph!!

In article <[email hidden]>, Gregor Veble <[email hidden]> writes:

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> >Where exactly does that put one in GPL rank ;)? > >- Gregor > >Ed Solheim wrote: >> >> *Great* story Greg... *but*..... 2 hours - for Monaco?? >> That tiny little round-a-bout?? >>

Probably right behind me...<g> Eldred -- Dale Earnhardt, Sr. R.I.P. 1951-2001 Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett F1 hcp. +16.36...Monster +366.59... Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you with experience... Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

Thanks Greg. A very good read (Ya lucky bastard!!) Todd "Greg Cisko" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:4wA47.23218$[email hidden]...

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> I just returned from a 12 day Mediterranean cruise. One of the last > stops was Monaco. With all the discussion of accurate tracks and > people always throwing "I have actually driven the track" or "I have > been to the race", I would have been a total fool to not try to walk > the F1 track. > > So complete with a Monte-Carlo street map I set out with a friend > (the wife and I went with another couple) and video camera to do a > lap at Monaco. > > I must say that with all the hours on F1 games I spent at Monaco, > this walking lap was by far the most fun. I even have some "manna" > from F1's Mecca. At turn one (I have a nice picture of me standing > beside the old F1 replica and the red/white curbing) I found a > piece of tire rubber (marble) still stuck to the curb. When I pulled it > off for a souvenir, some white paint came with :-) Then at the hair > pin I found some carbon fibre, probably from a wing or other > body part. It was suggested that I should turn this stuff into > a shadowbox/souvenir or something. I probably will. Anyway > for my impressions. > > I will never again complain that the uphill climb after turn one > is not modeled steeply enough. I was drenching in sweat after > I climbed it. > > There were still tire marks and rubber laid down at the high > breaking points from the race. Jean Alesi's donut from his > celebration is still there. > > The hairpin was where the F1 fans seemed to end up. One > guy went up to the rubber marks and just patted it and said > "yeah baby". I told him he might want to kiss it, and he > replied that he didn't want to dirty the track ;-) > > The tunnel is curved to the right way more than I imagined. > Quite a bit... Also there are no bumpy curbs at the chicane > after the tunnel. It is flat, so F1 2000 is definitely wrong > there. After this chicane it is amazing to see how close to > the harbor the track really is. I mean like a few feet away. > They put up temporary guard rails for the race, but I never > realized how close the water was. The TV coverage or the > 'puter games do not give that impression. > > The swimming pool was uneventful except for 3-4 topless > babes :-) > > The most rubber from the racing line was at the little > left right chicane coming back to the main straight. > This is actually an island with a "yield" sign on it. I am > not sure if this is an island in F1 2000, but I do plan to > do a lap in the game to see how close it was. > > Anyway, if anyone has more questions about the track > just ask while it is fresh in my memory. I did get a nice > 45 minute tape out of it (the walk was almost 2 hours). > I saw 3 kick ass Ferrari's while walking the track. > > I was rather surprised that there was not a really good > F1 souvenir shop there. That was disappointing. I did > get 2 nice Ferrari polyester and 1 Ferrari T shirt on my > trip though. > > Lastly, when I was taking the launch back to my cruise ship > a couple next to me was doing a taping of Monaco. The wife > was interviewing the husband and it went like this: > > "Well this is about as much overt elitist snobbery as I can > take for one day. It is time to get the hell out of here" > > He was obviously a nascar fan :-) > > -- > > [email hidden] > > > >

Greg Cisko wrote: > > I just returned from a 12 day Mediterranean cruise. One of the last > stops was Monaco. <snip> > I found a > piece of tire rubber (marble) still stuck to the curb. When I pulled it > off for a souvenir, some white paint came with :-) You will treasure that I am sure. I was able to collect on race days a baseball sized "marble" collection one year and a softball sized one the next. Was worried if customs were to ask any questions about them. The very best souvenir(ing) I have ever seen though was a group of fans that had a rear F1 wheel with tire attached catching the train toward Italy after the race one year. My memory says that Arnoux may have lost a wheel that year? Great story - Try to get there for the race sometime and see the practice days too. You can always watch the race from the palace hill side if it is sold out. arcman <snip> > [email hidden]

"Ed Solheim" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:k3B47.572$[email hidden]... > *Great* story Greg... *but*..... 2 hours - for Monaco?? > That tiny little round-a-bout?? The hill up to casino was a killer. Also I did stop for 20 minutes at the gift shop right at the tunnel exit, and 10 minutes at the hairpin. Then... There were the babes at the swimming pool to scope out :-) 2 hours was about right. I wanted to savor the experience ;-) -- [email hidden]

"ToddT" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:LWB47.7908$[email hidden]... > could you pls provide more details about the topless babes at the pool... > :) Each one had a pair :-) -- [email hidden]

Greg Cisko wrote: > I just returned from a 12 day Mediterranean cruise. One of the last > stops was Monaco. With all the discussion of accurate tracks and > people always throwing "I have actually driven the track" or "I have > been to the race", I would have been a total fool to not try to walk > the F1 track. > I was able to drive on parts of the track in 1986, but wasn't an F1 fan back then. -- Stuff You Gotta Have software for BeOS and PalmOS http://www.stuffyougottahave.com/

We went in 1992 for the 50th anniversary. I recall numerous "pitstops" along the way for brews as well. The best was the queue of sports cars at Ste. Devote. They waited, then floored it around the corner to charge up towards Casino. Courteously, each driver waited until the prior had cleared the circuit. The police stood and watched! The best was the two Bugatti EB110's on the streets. I'm not sure of when they were intended to be shown, but silver and blue (sans spoiler) examples were simply driving with the traffic. Drivers were kind enough to let the traffic break for a photo opportunity when they saw me standing on the pit wall. The race of course was the closest ever finish in Monaco, with Senna beating Mansell by inches :-( Last 8 laps were astonishing. I digress...still have pics of the Bugattis and such if anyone's interested! Cheers, Glenn "It's easy to criticize from outside the cockpit". -Murray Walker, 1993 Australian G.P.