Time For A Drive Yet?

Has the pandemic kept you off the road up until now? It has me, but now it appears things are opening up. Maybe if I'm lucky, I may get out to do some shooting in the near future. In the mean time, I've been offering more on line because all the shows that I normally do have either been postponed or canceled until 2021. Boy, what a year...

Here are two custom barn wood framed archival prints. The prints are 8"x 12" matted with white, framed, signed, wired, ready to hang and enjoy. The one on the left is, "Filler Up" and the one on the right is called, "Henry." You can order them separably or booth. Each is $125 including shipping hear in the US. Isn't it time to one of my prints on your wall?

Framed Prints

Filler-Up $125.00 USD Henry $125.00 USD

"Filler Up"

"Henry"

The Iconic Tail Light

The classic Porsche 911R. Only 20 911R's were built with 4 911S's built as prototypes. Most were painted white, one was blue, one was gold, and only one painted yellow. This is a capture of that yellow one, with it's totally unique 911R tail lights and the Porsche crest emblazoned across it. They have been copied and used on all kinds of hot rod Porsche rebuilds. The image above is 8"x 12" printed on archival metallic photo paper, matted, signed, and framed ready to hang and enjoy! I only have one of these in a 14"x 18" classic wood frame with a matching metallic finish. It's awesome in person! It's $125.00 including shipping in the US. How can you say no. Email me if you want to add it to your collection, here.

"The Porsche RSR"

"The Porsche RSR" a highly worked on print with filter light leaks, reflects the wild back and forth I go  through contemplating, do I make it a perfect representation of what I captured, or something different. You never know what will trip someones trigger. This one sold off of Facebook...

By the way, if you're on FB you can connect with me, here.

Blowing Like a Tornado...

I stopped to get a shot of my '67 911 sitting among the pumps of this old gas station. I unpacked my tripod, camera, and did the set up. After pulling the car under the overhang and making my way back to the camera, suddenly the wind began to howl directly in the direction of the camera. Thinking holy cow among other things, I'm never going to get a steady shot. Well, after squinting for several minutes to keep the sand out of my eyes, I took a chance and started taking some shots.

After posting a pre-finished shot on Facebook and receiving tons of "likes and shares" I'm now happy to introduce you to my new finished release, "Filler-Up." It's destined to become another double float print on metal ready to be enjoyed.

Hope you enjoy, and here's a link for an up close look! "Filler-Up."

"Filler-Up" © John Straub

Other Places to Keep in Touch...

Out on the road making my way to the Carmel-by-the-Sea Concour, I was able to do a photo shoot with my patina covered 1967 911, and grab some cool images. Here's one I'll share, and in a world of connectivity, some others have been posted on other social media sites. I guess the point of this is to say, if you're on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, you can find me there too...

1967 Porsche 911. This was shot in Ventura, CA.

You can click these to find me: Facebook       "Along For the Ride" Facebook Page        Instagram            Twitter

Insider's Guide to Monterey 2014...

This must have been the "Revenge of the Google Nerds" on me.

Now you gotta' know I'm no Tech Monkey or Code Geek, wish I was, because if I was, I could figure out why "Feedburner" was no longer sending out my blog post. That's right, all you guys that signed up for blog updates, were not getting them. So, it was time to switch over to another blog mailing service. This is the second going out with that new service, and it's secure. No spamming coming from me, why, because I hate it as much as you. Your email won't go to anyone, because I also hate that. You can still unsubscribe any time you want, although why would you want to? It's a blog about cars, their history, artistry, events, and creative car photography.

Anyway, with August fast approaching, the return of the Monterey Car Week is looming. One of my personal favorites of the week is the "Carmel-By-The-Sea Concours." This show is always a delight to see with new attractions every year. And what better setting can you have, but the main street of Carmel, with an eclectic variety of cars to check out as well as shops for your better half to keep them busy. It's a guaranteed "Smile Buster!" Here are a couple of shots from last years event...

Now on to the guide for the week. If you click on this link to the Calendar of events and scroll down to August 11-17, you'll see a complete list, along with event links. Enjoy... Car Kulture Kalendar

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New Kid On The Block...Porsche 911

It was the 1st 911 to race at the famous Daytona racetrack, finishing 1st in class. 1964 Type 911, a-Series, Chassis No. 300-128. One of the two first 911's delivered to the United States.

Sadly, photographer unknown

Brumos Porsche received the car for demonstrations. As Porsche said "Anybody who wanted to drive a 911 just had to get to Brumos and they could test drive the new 911."

Peking to Paris 2013 Update #11...Marching into Paris

6/ 28/ 2013- As we left Stanley and Brant in the last post, they were in the final day before reaching Paris. This post follows up on that, and includes Stanley's comments after they reach Paris, with an overview of the event.

"Long drive today....or after 30 days on the road they all seem long. Many of the cars are barely operating. Instead of doing the route and special stages they take the motorways directly from hotel to hotel. Not a lot of sport there, but they are desperate to hold their cars together and get to the Paris finish line tomorrow. On the other hand, we had our problems in Mongolia and since the car was fixed in Novosibirsk we've done most all of the stages, transits, etc. Today there were 10 Passage Controls and one Special Stage, a Gymkhana. We did them all."

© Photo courtesy of Tom Miller

 "We crossed the Swiss-French border late this afternoon and it was very easy. The Swiss waived us through and there was no one on the French side to even look at our passports. The highway system in France continues to amaze me; for a long time I have believed that France has the best roads in the world. As soon as you cross the French border you see vineyards everywhere. France continues to produce great wines and they don't all have to come from Burgundy or Bordeaux."

 

"The crews of competitors were almost 'giddy' tonight in the bar. They can taste Paris and can see the end of this ordeal."

Peking to Paris 2013 Update #10

The finish to drawing closer for our team and the early 911 is still running stong. What a difference in the landscape from the start in Peking to now in the Alps. Stanley reports with only two days left in this adventure:

Snow in the Swiss Alps today. Image © Stanley Gold

"Today was another great day. The ride was, in my opinion, the hardest since we left Mongolia."

Peking to Paris 2013 Update #9

The finish for the Peking to Paris adventure is closing in on our team of Stanley Gold and Brant Parsons in their '65 Porsche 911. Here's the latest report from Stanley.

6/26/2013 "The morning started, even before breakfast, with a run up the famous hill climb at Planai. The Stage was 8-km straight up a steep gravel road. After the run, breakfast was served in a rustic ski chalet with spectacular views of the valley and adjoining mountains."

 

"Then we were off on a half dozen mountain runs (20-30 miles straight up and then 20-30 miles straight down). Many of the heavy American cars elected to pass on these exercises as they are treacherous on brakes, transmissions and engines. They missed very beautiful views and homes that dot all of these roads. We even had some strange noises coming from our brakes and Brant is in the garage looking at the problem now."

"It is almost July here in Austria and Switzerland and there is still plenty of snow on the hillsides and passes."

 

Swiss countryside entering from Austria......in late June. Image © Stanley Gold

"The attitude of the crews has changed in the last couple of days. Paris is close and everybody is straining to keep there cars together to reach Paris. The drivers/navigators have become a serious lot. A few crews are still fighting for a podium finish, but for most of us reaching Paris is the prize."

Peking to Paris 2013 Update #8

Let's rejoin our Porsche team of Stanley and Brant on day 26.

6/22/2013 "We left our hotel in Kiev early for the short drive to the Seagull Circuit. This circuit was considerably better than the Belgordo Circuit in Russia. Each car was required to do approximately three laps as fast as the drivers could. Only thing strange about this test was that as we came to the finish line one had to stop the car "astride" the finish line with the front wheels of the car over the line and the rear wheels behind the finish line---failure to do so would cost a penalty point. For the car buffs, this is very similar to a Gymkhana, which is popular at some European events. One of the competitors who is running a '73 Toyota Land Rover has been driving for the last several days without front brakes and when he tried to stop astride the finish line he skidded 50 feet down the track---quite funny."

As we move west the crowds greeting us are getting larger; this was in Lviv.
Image © Stanley Gold

Peking to Paris 2013 Update #6

We re-join our team after the car was trucked to the Russian Border and Brant was able to repair the left front strut in Novosibirsk. They are now making their way through Russia with apparently a fine running car. Stanley's report follows.

This is the truck that carried their Porsche from UB to Russia border, 1800km.
 Image © Stanley Gold

Peking to Paris 2013 Update #5

Our guys march on to the Russian border and beyond. Heres' Stanley's words.

"The last three days have been exhilarating, tiring, adventuresome and a little bit frustrating."

 

"After our failure to get an early visa entrance from the Russian Embassy, we decided we would leave UB in time to arrive at the Russian border station of Tashanta early on the morning of June 7 when my visa permitted us to enter Russia."

 

"So we left the Chinggas Khaan Hotel in UB at a few minutes after midnight on June 5, covered in the last post. We had two vehicles; a truck with the Porsche and a Toyota Land Cruiser for Brant and me to ride in. Both vehicles had two drivers and it was our plan to run "Banzai fashion" for 48-straight hours, no stopping except for gas and an occasional meal for the drivers at roadside huts. This meant that Brant and I would sleep in the Land Cruiser for two nights."

 

"The journey covered 1800 km over the worst surfaces I have ever driven. Less than 5% was tarmac. The rest was dirt paths; I do not mean dirt roads. These paths had potholes large enough for a swimming pool. Worst yet was the powdered sand. This sand is like lady's makeup, except it is 5 feet deep. There are no road signs, and after going through several mountain passes, one gets disoriented, even with a compass. Add to that a couple of river crossings, and it's becoming hard work."

Peking to Paris 2013 Update #4

As you may have read in the last post, Stanley Gold's and Brant Parson's 911 had a left front suspension failure during  the Gobi Desert part of the "Peking to Paris Motor Challenge." After considerable effort, they have arranged to truck the car into Russia and implement the repairs and then join back into the event. Here's the latest news from Stanley.

"We left Ulaan Baatar at midnight for a straight 48 hour (non-stop) run to the Russian border. The car is on a flat bed and Brant and I are in a Toyota Land Rover.....all the way on dirt tracks! If everything works out, we'll be at the border on the morning of June 7 when our visas are good."

Image © Stanley Gold

Peking to Paris 2013 Update #3

Heading into the Gobi Desert things have gotten tough. The sand, very deep in places and there are really are no roads to speak of.  They have been able to manage that, along with the sleeping conditions. However they've had a left front suspension failure. I'll let Stanley tell it in his own words. Read on...



Time for a tow out of the sand.