On our two-day drive from San Francisco to LA, Bryan was excited to discover that we were driving past world-renowned Laguna Seca racetrack just outside the seaside town of Monterey (pictured below).
A race meet was being held the following day so we were able to drive through the gates, watch the organisers set-up and check out parts of the track that Bryan had grown familiar with after years of watching the Moto GP and playing car-racing computer games.
When we reached the campground (spectators are allowed to camp onsite) we couldn't help but notice a caravan with an elaborate outdoor set-up.
A canopy covered a well-stocked outdoor timber bar, there was also a table and chairs, a sofa, and plenty of mood lighting thanks to an assortment of flickering bamboo lanterns dotted around the area. There was also plenty of racing memorabilia on display as well as a great view of the racetrack.
Enjoying a drink at the bar were four mates (three of whom are pictured below), all keen motorsport enthusiasts from San Fran who have been attending race meets at Laguna Seca with their families every year for decades. One of them even takes his pet dog along.
One of the older members of the group first attended racing at the track in the 1960s. He's been to events at lots of other race tracks, but reckons this one is definitely the best.
``This would have to be one of my favourite places on Earth,`` he told me, while he and his easygoing mates talked motorsport with Bryan and offered us drinks and travel advice.
``There's just something special about Laguna Seca.``
