Fast Cars

We went all the way to Provence to see Lee's nephew, Nick, drive a car.

Let me back up.  I remember Nick as a towhead little kid waiting (not so) patiently for cake when we married. He is now about 12 feet taller than I am (everybody is) and is racing cars internationally.   He can tell his story.  Still, when we were planning this adventure to France, I told Lee that we had to go see him if we were remotely close at all.  Lee was supposed to work, but due to the timing of so many other things (making plans in life), he took Friday off to drive to La Ciotat.  Let me rephrase - we went to La Ciotat.  He never stops working.  It is why we are here afterall.

Saturday was the race. It is the Ricard something something race track.  Look it up if you are actually interested.  We decided to go early to meet up with Nick and see the meet and greet.  We had tickets into the pit.

I don't know how to explain it to you.  Drive way up in the hills away from the coast and amongst the campgrounds and hiking trails and beyond a small town in Provence, is an international race track.  There is a five star resort, an airport (for private aircraft), and  Best Western for the poor folk.  And us.  What else is there to say.

We pulled up to the gate and there were several Ferraris, Porsches and Lamborghinis parked and driving around.  As we drove up the second time, Lee mentioned that he should let the Lamborghini pass us.  I said, "Nope.  Because dude, we can go like 0-130 km in like, 8 minutes!  We are in the European version of a mini van.  It is horrifying!  And we should give the 4 hamsters running this car an extra pellet tonight."  So we just, you know, held up traffic again.  Just because you can open that thing up, doesn't mean you should.

Peugot - seats 7, run by hamsters, has a GPS, very cool seat back airplane tables and sounds like an egg beater.

When we got to the event, it was a dealership of (okay, exotic imports to us, but really, domestic cars around these parts) Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Bentley.

I fit in.  What with my Old Navy $10 jeans and my sensible Keen footware.  Whatever.  It's not like I will ever see those people again.

I told Lee I was going to hitch a ride back to the beach... oh and here comes my ride... a Lamborghini. He laughed - I needed to ditch the three little ones.  "Oh and the husband.  Duh."  Nah, the Lamborghini doesn't have enough drink holders and only seats 2.

We met up with Nick.  We walked around the pits and the meet-and-greet.  Nick let H2 sit in the car, which started some grumbling with the other visitors.  "Americans!"  Disgusting behavior, I know.  GO F* YOURSELF.

So these cars are driving by on the track, you know, like so fast they are a blur.  And they are loud. We were walking through the pits and when a car comes off the track some dude in a vest blows a whistle and moves everybody back so they don't get hit by the car and damage the car (Forbid!  Damaging a car that costs more than your house - sheesh!).

As we were walking along, I cannot help myself, because I am such a horrible person.  I hear a car about to pass us on the track, and I scream at Lee and the kids, "LOOK OUT A CAR IS COMING!!"  Lee grabs K by the neck and runs off to the side and H1 kicks it up to the side.  Everybody around us just keeps walking.  And I bust out laughing.  And I mean, belly laughs.  It is the first time in a week I've laughed like that.  Totally worth the $1,000 it cost (my credit card)  to go to La Ciotat.  Because the look on Lee's face was hysterical.  Mean prank, I know.  But I couldn't resist.  Even they thought it was funny.  Good one, mommy.

We showed up later just in time for the start of the race.  We were on the rooftop and watched the cars zoom past.  Couple of spin outs... almost a collision.  Expensive cars - don't want to do that.  I sat up there with the beautiful view and the setting sun and I realized, my dad would have loved this.  Just watching the cars, the noise, the activity.  Not really my cup of tea, but the kind of thing he would have enjoyed and enjoyed hearing about.  So at that moment, I was glad I was there.

SpecK eventually curled up on a bean bag during the rooftop party and fell asleep.  My dad took me to a race once; I fell asleep.  H2 never stopped bouncing around; he was excited and loved watching the cars race around.  H1 admitted it was pretty cool.  We stayed until Nick finished driving, went and said good bye.  It was worth the trip - a very special, once in a lifetime trip.