I just returned from being in South Carolina for the weekend. I met my Dad there for the 2004 BMW Roadster Homecoming. All Z3's and now Z4's and X5's are made there for the whole world. Each day had it's major event:
Friday was taking a tour of the Plant.
Saturday was three driving experiences. 1.Driving the X3 on BMW's off-road course, 2.Driving a BMW 330iHP in a wet circle placing catch up to 330i. 3. Driving a Z4 with a SMG tranny on their road course. All three were a lot of fun.
Sunday was the culminating day. We started off at 9:00am meeting at an Exxon and caravaning 7 deep through some cool SC highways leading to Brevard, SC for lunch. From there Dad and I broke away to slay the Dragon. What's all this dragon non-sense I'm talking about? Glad you asked...it's a stretch of road on US 129 from NC - TN. There are 318 turns during an 11 mile stretch of road. All I can say is intense. It's pretty much like every car commercial where they're barreling down some twisty mountain road except there's people hauling ass from the other way. Sweep a corner wide? Chance taking out a crotch-rocket sweeping his corner wide. Yea it's pretty intense. I read on the official website, www.tailofthedragon.com, that they avg. 1.3 deaths/yr.
"MYTH: Riders die every week at the Dragon. We have kept an accurate count of the deaths on the Dragon since 1995. The total count is 12., for an average a little better than 1.3 deaths a year. That is too many, but compared to the number of riders who come each year it is very low. We know of no deaths in cars or trucks."
All in all, I can't wait to buy myself a roadster and go drive this baby some more.