This year Dave and I decided to rent a travel trailer instead of a motor home.  That way we would have a way of going into town if we wanted to.  The unfortunate side of it was I forgot to book one last year, so the only place I could get one was in Benson, Arizona.  A 3 hour drive South from Phoenix.

At least this time Dave did not have a 5 hour wait in Los Angeles.  He flew into Phoenix on Monday.

We drove down to Benson on Tuesday July 18th and picked up the trailer.  What a difference from last year!  The trailer was completely stocked with linens, plates and everything we would need, except for food of course.

I needed to stop in Tucson to visit a friend I had not seen in a LONG time, as it was her .........0 Birthday :)  So it was necessary.  We visited for a while and then headed out for California.

My truck is a Dodge Ram 4 door 1500........with a HEMI! :)  It gets approximately 12 mpg normally even towing small loads, but I know this 27' Travel trailer was going to make a difference...........it did, approximately by 4 mpg.  So there was a lot of stops for gas, but the truck had no problem pulling the trailer.

We took Interstate 8 across to San Diego and the truck didn't even blink at the hills (mountains to some) :)  It went up them happily at 50 mph. (but probably about 6 mpg).

We stopped for gas just after we took the 805 turn off.  First problem encountered.  I noticed the shade covering the front window on the trailer was coming apart.  No big deal pinched a screw from another part of the frame and put it back together.  Off we went again.

We traveled through the night and the traffic in LA was surprisingly little.  We decided to stop at Thousand Oaks and rest for a few hours before continuing.

Wednesday, July 19th.  We pulled off the 101 at Westlake Blvd, 23 south at about 3am.  I knew there was a couple of supermarkets there, so we could stock up on food when we got up. Pulled into the parking lot and went to sleep.

Dave got up about 6am. to go outside for a smoke.  I was awake and could hear his conversation with the "Rent-a-cop" security guard.  Like most he was a power hungry little Hitler.  He tells Dave he is not allowed to park here overnight.  (I never knew 3 hours constituted "overnight") Dave says, "We didn't. We've only been here about a hour." (He had no real idea of what time it was) R-a-C tells Dave "I've been here all night and I at least had the courtesy not to wake you"  "You have to leave or you will get a ticket."  I was laying in bed smiling, thinking What kind of ticket can he give us on private property?

I waited a little longer before getting up and took a picture of the truck and trailer with the R-a-C in the background. :)

It was still too early for the supermarkets to be open, so we filled the tank with gas, grabbed some coffee, and headed North.

We stopped in Buellton at the Bakers Square, again this year, for breakfast.  We did not take in the Motorcycle museum this year, because we wanted to get to the track to get a good parking place.

We had checked the tickets and they had a note on them that said the track would start "staging" parking at 2 pm. Wednesday. (Whatever "staging" is!)

My timing was great! 12:58 pm Wednesday we arrive at the main entrance at the top of the hill. Security tell me 2 pm. NO exceptions!  So we decide we have enough time to go into Del Ray Oaks and stock up food and fill the water tank on the trailer.

We finally find a place to fill the water tank at an RV camp about 20 minutes up the coast.  We head back to Laguna Seca.

No problems this time.  Security says "Turn left at the stop sign and follow the staging line."  We drive in passed turn two and up the hill.  No clue where we are going, no signs to tell us where to go.  I was a little bummed at SCRAMP about this, but still in a good mood.  After all..... we are at Laguna Seca!

We arrive at a corner in the road and another gate, which has Semi Trucks (Articulated Lorries) and commercial vehicles trying to get through this gate.  Everything is jammed up.  No one is going anywhere.  We couldn't!  No one knows where to go......there's no signs!  Even the guy trying to direct traffic was holding his hands in the air, then shrugging his shoulders.

Eventually they decided we could go through this gate and go to the right.  Still no signs!

We get to the top of this hill and more security.  So I ask where we are supposed to go for the Corkscrew view parking.  He tells me "Twenty dollars please."  (That is for the extra night camping)  Then he tells me to "enter the gate on the left and enter the "Staging" area."  We will be allowed to move out at 7am to our allocated (general camping) camping.

We pull through the gate and this SCRAMP guy tells us to pull over to the right, by this little picket fence, next to the pole with number 5 on the top, behind the small camp trailer. He tells us that's where we will be spending the night until 7 am, when everyone will turn stupid trying to get in first. 

So we do as we are told.  It doesn't look too bad either.  Only maybe 40 RV's and camper in front of us.  So we feel pretty good.  We just park it as level as possible and kick back for the evening.  Good job we had lunch at our favorite restaurant in Del Ray Oak, the Happy Dragon. 

We take a walk around, check out where we actually are in relation to the track and meet some of our temporary neighbors. Just over the top of the hill behind us we can see the pits, bottom of the corkscrew, turn 10 and 11. Plus the camping area we are headed for.

Time to open a beer and watch a little TV..... Ah! no TV, that would mean hooking up the generator. :)  Well then 2 beers and bed.

Thursday continues......