My Zandvoort & Amsterdam Trip

[mr2mk1chick]

Were off to Zandvoort circuit (Holland) with bookatrack (tues 11th Aug trackday) but thought i would also do my first ever amsterdam trip :twisted: 8-)

I have never been over, so am going to do everything i should have done when i was younger: museums (Anne frank house, Van Gough, sex museum), coffee shops (and maybe not to just drink coffee), canal boat stuff, red light district (not to take part! - just 'browsing' m'am ;) ), and maybe get chance to shop at the flea markets etc. Also there are loads of nice reastauraunts (i can't decide in advance) and also the 'Bols' tour with soem cocktails and the 'Heiniken' tour for some beer :mrgreen:
A lot to fit into sat eve, sun, mon morn - but i'll have a go :+:

We leave at silly-o-clock sat morning to catch the ferry, and should get there in the afternoon.

We should have been driving the track mk1 over, but despite swapping the engine the other week in preparation, but the newer replacement engine has a dubious noise too :-:
we will prob keep running it till the bottom end goes, but can't risk getting stranded abroad.

I have decided to take the RX8 instead, and show it a bit more track action. However i have decided to take out track insurance for that 'just-in-case' moment where some numpty ploughs into me or if i 'run out of talent/grip' LOL. It's not as bad as i thought - it cost £90 for the day and covers any track incident, whomevers fault, up to a total loss, with the excess at 10% the value of the car. this may be useful to know if peeps want to do the same for a mk1. maybe the initial payment may be less too - i don't know if this is track depended or car dependent or both.

I'm really looing forward to driving a brand new circuit, as we've done a fair old few in the UK. Its the old F1 circuit, and apparently a bit abraisive on tyres due to sand blowing onto the circuit from the beach. Its quite a quick circuit too, but with what looks like loads of challenging corners:
http://bookatrack.com/-p2?941&150

We have a hotel just next to the circuit by the beach, so i hope the weather is an improvement from here at the moment (its been raining for 2 days in Leics now)

I wil try and get a few pics, as this is my only real stab at a holliday so far this year. we blew the holiday budget with the Maldives honeymoon last year.

[mr2mk1chick]

The rx8 was a much comfier drive than the mk1 to amsterdam, obviously, but i missed the looks you get in the mk1 in europe.

Amsterdam was ace :+:
I want to go again with more time to relax, as we did a whistle stop tour.

When we got to Zaandvort, we went to change the brakes on the RX8. whilst doing this we discovered a nail though one of the tyres :shock:
this was holding pressure, but the tyre was due to be replaced anyway soon, but it was too late in the day to get it fixed/changed.

We decided to drive the sighting laps with the dodgy tyre on the front right. however it then did start to loose air. it would have been too dangerous anyway to drive it properly liek this.
I spent 2 hours phoning places for a new tyre. they are soo much more expensive than in the UK :-: on quote was 600 euro for 2 tyres. in the end i got fleeced 230 euro for 1 fitted, and i'll get the other changed here for £142 black circles.

Well without the rx8, i changed my insurance over to a spare BaT caterham superlight.

I got a few laps in before lunch, and it was awesome. :+:
the circuit is really challenging, with a great mixture of stuff: tight carosel corners with banked camber, some off camber hairpins, downhill chicanes, high speed chicane, good pit straight 120mph~, fast seeping corners and ones that tighten up.
over all a great circuit to revisit. :+:
not too abraisive on tyres but we had reasonable temperature. if hotter they would go quicker.
After lunch the caterham superlight was hired out, so after getting a tyre fitted on the rx8, i went for the final laps of the day in a new caterham R300 race car. that was so much better than a regular superlight. oodles more low down torque, masses of grip, and great progressive feel. i really want to own one, but ££££

I think the mk1 would really be ace around the circuit, as there is so much variety to have a go at, rather than just all fast straight bits etc.
really gutted i didn't get to give either of our cars a good thrashing, but was nice to be offered the cats. its just not the same as driving something you own though, and all the messing about meant that the track time was limited.

Zaanvort has a lovely beach too if you have the time. soft sand, good food and bars.

will try and get some pics up soon.

[tommundy]

Great write up Jo!

I think a 2010 euro road trip isn't pencilled in for me... it's written in blood with DNA type matching to boot! I'm planning Spa, Nurburg, Milau etc etc.. We have to enjoy these cars now, it's such a cliche but within 20 years at most I can't see governments being as free as they are now, so go enjoy people, pleeeeeeeeease!!!

I can understand your frustration in not taking out your own car, but the caterhams must have been a lot of fun! I've yet to drive a car with that sort of layout, probably closest I've come so far is an MGB GT, lol. Live rear axle is certainly... interesting!

Hope to meet you again at Christmas or sometime soon, if not some other event. Crazy prices in Europe!!! I guess we shouldn't complain, but then I guess most European governments put more than a cotton bud and a few buttons towards road planning, surfacing and other allowances!... Thus no punctures or suspension issues!

Anyway, before I digress.

Good write-up, cheers!

Cheers
Tom

[crazylegs]

:+: :clap:

[Monkeymax]

Sounds brilliant! :)


on quote was 600 euro for 2 tyres. in the end i got fleeced 230 euro for 1 fitted, and i'll get the other changed here for £142 black circles.

:shock:
Even £142 ain't cheap! :wtf: Ouch!!!