"If only you were nearer" Back on track! Apologies...

I've just read your thread from start to finish whilst i should have been tiling the bathroom.... I think whatever i could say has been said, but my god what an adventure. Really can't wait for the rest of the story, you do realise that you can't ever stop now don't you........

I've never really liked 911s, and only seen one or two that I thought interesting. I've never seen one that I actually wanted, that I felt a proper lust for. Until now. That thing is perfect. There's patina, and then there's that, it's got a beauty you couldn't create intentionally under any circumstances, like a mine ruin on the moor with the sun behind it, or moss & creepers claiming back old stonework. It's perfect.

Many thanks for the amazing comments everyone - not that it changes anything because I want to write the story anyway, but it's really nice to hear that you're enjoying it too.


Unfortunately I was only in Vancouver for about two hours.

However, I was there for quite a while back in 2007 where it was my 'base' before I headed off on an adventure to Vancouver Island, taking in (and spending at least two or three days at each of the following places) Victoria, Cowichan Lake, Gabriola Island, Fanny Bay, Tofino, Courtenay/Comox. Then back over to the mainland to Powell River, Squamish, Harrison...then off into the mountains on an expedition followed by some time in Kamloops, then Pemberton, Whistler, Squamish (again) and finally a week in Vancouver before flying home. It was amazing!

Here are some shots from the expedition:

Setting up camp on the first night.


Getting rather merry in the mountains!


Heading deeper into the wilds, a good day from civilisation in any direction from here.


Some of the tracks were seriously steep! This one was nearly a 1:2!


Stunning scenery away from civilisation.


A good two day drive in any direction to get to any kind of town from here.


Mountain passes were breathtaking!



Back in the 'normal' world:

My first night in Victoria and I ended up meeting a bunch of amazing guys who just 'took me in'. The guy on the right, who I'd only just met that night, let me stay at his apartment for three days. He then took time off work to show me around the area including a trip in his friends yacht down the coast to Seattle. Stuff you could never plan, it just happens!


Exploring the mountains in and around Squamish with Neil and his lovely Mitsubishi Jeep.






Downtown Vancouver from Burnaby where I was staying with Mitch, who also came on the trip through the mountains, "Dude, when you're back in Vancouver, you'll have to come and stay with me" (as seems to be the Canadian way?)


Goose Spit in Comox with the Comox glacier in the background.


Mount Washington. Being on the sunny beach in Comox, then in the snowy mountains 45 mins later was a surreal experience.


One of the many lakes on the Pacific Rim highway


Long Beach, Tofino, STUNNING!


I loved Tofino. I loved ALL of this trip!


Classic jetty and floating house on Cowichan Lake


Overlooking Cowichan Lake. I was in BC for nearly two months on this trip and this was the only night I stayed in a hotel. This was because the family I was going to be staying with had just welcomed their new born baby into the world. They still showed me around but I chose not to stay at their place to give them space with their four day old child. Amazing people.


Horseshoe Bay from the ferry on my way back down to Vancouver from Powell River. I think this was my fave photo from the trip. I'd not been able to get any shots of the dolphins alongside the ferry, I only had a cheap point and shoot (this was way before I ever tried a proper camera), but the sailing was almost surreal in the mist. Magical.


That trip was the first time I'd ever flown anywhere in my life. My second ever flight was to Canada to collect the Porsche.

I think you can kind of see that Canada must have had an impact on me?

Words can't describe buddy Those photos there ^^^ in the Rockies - AWESOME

Couldn't agree more! Would be a nice keepsake to have to go alongside this thread and your memories?

One part of this that Bruce left out was after the last panning shot, a good size bull moose ran across the road in front of me... It was a very close call. Close enough to tell you that it's testicles were about the size of apples...

Unfortunately neither Bruce nor Clay got a shot of the moose but both saw it. There were 3 skid marks, 2 were on the road, one was someplace else...

I've hardly commented on this thread as there's nothing I can add to all the other superlatives. However, I will say one thing, thanks for making part of this whole journey happen and, by doing so, multiplying the story a hundred-fold.

A true gentleman!

Many thanks for the vote of confidence. I would love to do something like that, but I'm having enough trouble keeping this thread updated let alone trying to force details onto someone other poor sucker! If I do get chance later, I'll certainly see if I can put something down in writing for them. Thanks again.



The odd car or two did pass, but seldom enough that you could get some shots in well before the next one.

My local MOT man is looking forward to seeing the car. He's used to the random stuff I drive and this one came as no surprise to him when I showed him some photos of it. The thing I'm looking forward to the most is seeing that piece of paper giving me 12 months access to UK roads!

Also, now I know who you are, talk about blast from the past! It was Mrs Cowley who taught me English. Remember her? I got suspended for three days for sticking my finger up her bum! (100% true story). I still laugh about that now and can't remember if it was you or James Hassett that instigated it?




Funnily enough, I fell asleep last night writing another update. I got woken up when the computer was frantically beeping at me...only to find a 'create post' message box full of askdawsfdasfaefaskfkasdfasdfasfasfgaregasdkfassdfasdfasdfasfasdfasdkfsadfgasdgsadkfsdkafsad (ad infinitum) after one normal paragraph.

And a face with an acute imprint of my keyboard all down one side of it.

I figured it time to go to bed?

As for the cars arriving, they are already here. Want to see them?





Damn, how the hell did I forget to write that down? I'd been meaning to write it in, but guess I just forgot in the rush to get that installment posted before heading out to a family get together yesterday morning.

The seat still smells a bit 'ripe' - but more than anything I cannot believe two things: The SIZE of that moose, it was *huge*! And also that I didn't get a photo. I'd just dropped the camera down after your pass, only to hear the sound of screeching tyres. Looking up to see the 911 heading rapidly (in a cloud of tyre smoke) towards the massive beast was a chilling sight and I can only imagine how it must have seemed from the drivers seat!

Amazing save...

Once the car was loaded back onto the trailer, Scott piloted the Tundra westwards once again and we continued our way through the Rockies.

It was a long trip and I have to say, Scott was amazing....not once faltering. I offered to take over from time to time but he just pressed on into the night.

Even in the darkness the scenery was impressive and eventually the landscape started to change. The view opened up more and more, the mountains turned to hills, to the flat plain that is Vancouver. We were here....14 hours after departing, it was gone 3am and we decided to find a hotel to put our heads down for a few hours.

After calling numerous hotels, we finally found one with a spare room. The kindly opened up a closed area of the car park so that there was space to put the road train, which at nearly 4am was a nice thing for them to do! We headed to our hotel room and just crashed for a few hours.


7.30am we were up - we had to get the car to the shipping agents.



It was Sunday and they never open on the weekends, but my shipping agent in the UK had convinced Rik, the owner, to come in early on a Sunday on the basis of 'if this guy has flown across the world and then spent 14 hours on the road to get the car to the docks, the least you could do is pop down the road and open up for an hour'. It worked! Rik was there waiting for us at 8am.

We pulled the car off the trailer and I took the opportunity to drive it around the industrial estate for a few seconds before parking it in the secure yard.



Rik did all the paperwork, and that was it....just like that, after all this build up, all this time, all this planning, the car was finally out of my hands. It was exciting to know it was finally going to be heading to the UK but it was also slightly nerving to think that I now had no say in the matter. Walking away from that yard meant I would not see the car until it arrived in England. And anything could happen to it in that time?




I couldn't let that thought get to me, there were other more important things to focus on now. I had a flight to catch and Scott had to catch a ferry over to Vancouver Island. Seeing as he was 'over this way' he'd decided to head over to the island to see some family and also, seeing as the trailer was attached and now empty, it was a good chance to collect another one of his cars that was stored at his mother-in-laws.

We got to the airport and said our goodbyes. I genuinely didn't want to leave, I didn't want to say goodbye to Scott, or Clay....it would mean the end of an incredible time. But the flight was booked, and so was Scott's ferry. We gave each other a massive man hug and said our goodbyes, it was a sad moment for me but I'd made some incredible friends in the Sherman family and I knew I'd see them again one day.

Thank you Scott, Yvonne, Clay, Gracie and Roxy for making this such a memorable, unforgettable time.

I pass through the check in and watch through the glass fronted terminal as the Tundra heads off into the distance.

Time to head back to Toronto.