OMG Crash!

As soon as Magellan Linden disclosed the coordinates of the new continent to the public i was awed by its beauty, and decided to go explore it's roads to see if they were eligible for a special leg of my Drive Around the World tour...
As soon as i got there i noticed that they weren-t an easy drive. The ancient surface made of rocks didn-t offer a good grip to the hard rubber of the Bridgestone Potenza of my Supra... Darn...
Despite this i tried to push harder on the gas, but in proximity of a soft turn in Hera i felt my tires losing grip with the road completely. The only thing i could do was to brace for the impact.

When i regained my senses and opened the car door with a kick i was enveloped by black smoke that made me cough. I leaped out to see my beloved Supra completely wrecked against a tree... I was not wounded, beside a couple of bruises here and there, but the car didn't sure look in good conditions....

As soon as i got out i heard the sound of engines, as Launa Fauna and Francis Chung, that were riding their motorbikes nearby came to see what happened, a few seconds later even Rickard Roentgren landed his Hammerhead near us to see if i needed any help...

Luckily, in the bad luck, the car didnt't seem about to explode, so other people gathered around me to make sure i was ok, and i was, even if the worse wound was in my pride...

Cursing my carelessness i inspected the wreck, and quickly assessed that the car was beyond repair. The damage wass too extensive and serious, so i decided to leave it there (Hera 5, 21) until the Linden Recovery Service will retrieve the wreckage...

Now i find myself without a car to countinue my tour... will this be the end of my Drive around the world?

Stay tuned!

Drive Around The World Trial - Round 8 (Speacial Urban Leg)

Race Queenw of the Day 8 - Launa Fauna and Torrid Midnight

The incredible CITY GIRLS! I am very honored to have them with me today :)

Immediately after Torrid's fashion show (that has been a great success by the way) i jump in my racing suit and head to Umber, or Midnight City as it's commonly called where Launa and Torrid are waiting for me. At the last moment even Mstress midnight joins the fray as my tird Race queen of the day... There are definately things that make life worth living... isn't it?
I couldn't persiade the fourth of the City girls (Aimee Weber) to dress in yellow, but she is present anyway, in the form on her big statue that looms over us in the background, situated on the southern coasts of Purple.

Anyway the course for today is the first urban one of my trip, and will be a complete tour of the streets of Midnight City, from the northern edge to the southern edge.

Immediately after departure i can get a good sight of the coasts of Purple, a really cute sim, where one can even find a nice railway that crosses a few northern sims.

A few seconds later i speed in front of Lordfly's shop, Lordfly is definately one of the best builders in SL, and the architecture his shop is a further proof of that.

On the second turn i can see Mistress's shop as i enter in the beautiful central plaza of Midnight City.

Launa's and Aimee's shop make a beautiful duo on the background as i gear down to keep the car from smashing on the road blocks that limit the course... Gotta love urban courses!

As i speed up on the straight i see Torrid and Francis Chung's shops side by side... did you think Francis made only weapons? I did as well, and i was wrong, she makes some awesome clocks as well.

Again cornering, while the rubber of my Bridgestone Potenza schreeches on the asphalt, and i speed between Lost's shop and the sign of the great City Girls New Designer Contest. A wonderful initiative that i will enter myself for sure. It's REALLY nice to see established designers lending a lil of their popularity and visibility to newbies like me ^_^

I'm almost at the end as i exit the plaza, in front of a very nice gothic shop...

... And a warehouse... wonder what dark secrets are hidden inside...

Sometimes a pilot has to stop and ask for info on the road... or maybe to hit on a cute city girl that happens to pass by ^_^

And i finally get in sight of the goal, as i can see a nice acquarium like casino on the other side of the waterway.

And even today's leg is done, as i am submerged by the flood of sheer beauty of my race queens... yes, life is definately wonderful... ^_^

Stay tuned!

Drive Around The World Trial - Round 7

Race Queen of the Day 7 - Canimal Zephyr

mmmh a dark cutie... ^_^

About half an hour after sunrise i am ready at the dead end in Nakaa, where Canimal is already waiting for me. I had a good night of sleep (quite unusual for me) so i am definately ready for today's leg.

AFter departure i'm scheduled to proceed west until the crossrodas in Marunogere. There i have to head northwards around the bay of Riiki to the bridge between Papa and Alulei. After crossing the bridge i will circumnavigate the island beyond it abd come back to the bridge, crossing it again and heading north and immediately west at the northern crossroads in Papa.After that i will proceed along the coastline until i reach the goal at the same intersection in Marunogere that i passed at the beginning of the leg.
Unfortunately lag is scheduled to be quite bad, and th roads will probably be in quite terrible conditions...

... in fac i immediately notice that this will be a bumpy trip.

At the crossroads of Marunogere i sight a nice cascade as the crystal lear water spills out of the rocks.

A couple minutes later i am welcomed by a cute sight of the bay of Riiki

In Papa i begin to wonder if i didnt end up in Egypt...

As i cross the bridge between Papa and Alulei i can see the beautiful bay of Papa onmy side.

In Palulop someone built a movie theatre...

As i am about to cross the Alulei bridge again i can get a quick sight of Midnight City, home of the City Girls, that will be the stage of a special urban leg tomorrow.

At the end of the bridge i am welcomed by the beautiful Papa Waterfalls.

After a couple minutes, still in Papa, i can see the coastline is quite busy...

... until i see a great looking villa on the other side of the waterway in Marawa.

As i get in Marunogereagain i can eventually see the goal at the crossroads...

... And conclude even this leg, it's not been easy this time. So far the worse road condition i encountered during this trip. Hopefully next time will be better.

Stay tuned!

Drive Around The World Trial - Round 6

Race Queen of the Day 6 - Daphne Molinari

She looks tuff as much as she looks cute ^_^

After a day of break i'm ready to start round 6, in the same sim that was the goal of round 5. Daphne is already waiting for me in front f Cerucial Creations... maybe she was shopping?

Today's leg is quite simple. I will depart from Gama and head north to the intersection in Fudo, where i will head north-west until the crossroads in Koleamoku. There i will turn right and proceed in acircular path all around the continent until i will get back to the goal at the same crossroads in Koleamoku.
The road should bein decent contitions, but the main problem will be the lag, that will probably be quite grim for the whole trip...

... In fact it hits me badly at the intersection in Fudo, where i have to really fight with the steer to keep the car in the road.

In Baku i notice that some people really really would need to get a life...

... And after i get attacked by the usual "cyber terrorist since 2004" that bombards my car with particles for some good 5 minutes trying to lag me to hell, i shrug and move on, entering one of the best looking sims on the grid: Koleamoku, where Wisper Patel (in my opinion one of the best creatives in SL, I have many of her wonderful bonsai in my office) seems to be planning to share some of her skill with everyone else.

A few seconds later i am greeted by Wisper's beautiful gardens that definately enrich the sight... too bad she has to bear some horribly rude neightbors...

But as much as i proceed in Koleamoku the grief disappears, soothed by the bautifullness of the environment there, a great sim decorated by some great gardens and builds that blend perfectly into the environment...

... and in Poliahu i can enjoy this nice seaside view.

As i reach the northern corner of the continent for a second i begin to think i ended up in abbots, but i finally understand that i am at a club called Easy Street...

... The whole place is designed to be a vehichle heaven, even the interior of the club is fully driveable... truly a nice idea. Here i am as i take a quick break near a nicely designed Mustang.

Another nice garden in Manua...

... And immediately after i am faced by some gothic buildings in Ku.

The whole zone seems to be decorated by nice small gardens, like this one in Apukohai...

I eventually reach Koleamoku again, surrounded by beautiful gardens and countryside homes...

... And soon get in sight of the goal.

And even today's leg is done, afyer all the road was decently driveable, and after entering Koleamoku the environment was really a pleasure to see.

Stay tuned!

Drive Around The World Trial - Round 5

Race Queen of the Day 5 - Bree Pennyfeather

Love those red bangs ^_^

After transporting the car to the very north of the grid i am ready for departure, as Bree wishes me good luck. Today the lag will be quite grim, since we are on one of the oldest group of sims of the whole grid.

I'm scheduled for departure from Tenjin at the dead end of the northern highway system, this whole landmass is actually a big island archipelago so i expect many bridges to cross. The road (actually a big highway) is broad and in good conditions, even if the lag won't sure make this leg easy.
After departure i will proceed in a long straight until the crossroads in Hotei, where i will turn left, then will turn right at the intersection in Benten since the road on the left brings to a dead end. Will drive beyond the crossroads in Raiden (that will be the start of tomorrow's leg) and will turn right at the Y in Yamato that will lead me to the goal at the crossroads in Gama.

Immediately after departure i see a nice industrial build on my left, called Tenjin Waterworks.

A few second later in Uba, immediately before passing in Fujin, the situation becomes suddenly grim, some broken roadblocks and warning signs signal that the bridge in front of me is out of order... I need to take a decision quick...

I push hard on the gas pedal and shift-up to 6th as the engine roars in it's steel cage. I speed up on the broken ramp of the bridge and suddenly feel a sensation of void as the wheels loose their grip on the reassuring asphalt for the frightening leap...

It's been a wild bet and it seems i managed to win it, as the Supra flies in the air like a crossbow bolt. As i feel the gravity grab my car and pull it towards the water a big bump shakes the springs as the wheels bite the asphalt on the other side... Phew!

The Second Life Land Management did me a very bad joke, but i swiftly regain control. The car responds correctly and seems to be undamaged as i reduce the speed a bit to counter the lag and the GOM financial building in Shinda appears on my right.

Shortly after i enter Hotei and i find myself surrounded by the Gotha of car making in second life, Cereal Milk's and SteveR Wiplash' shops on both sides, wow!

A few seconds later i turn left on the crossroads in Kojin,

When i reach Raiden i am welcomed by an odd pairing between a japanese garden and a Madcat Mech...

Soon i pass the Y in Yamato as i turn right towards the goal, speeding beyond a cute marketplace on my right...

... And as soon as i reach Gama i get in sight of the goal...

Broken bridges and terrible lag didn't stop me today, but the trip is far from finished, how will tomorrow be?

Stay tuned!