The Altamont pass is where I580 transitions from the Bay Area to the San Joaquin valley. Over the pass 580 is 4 lanes, with big trucks going 45 mph in the slow lane; the fast lanes run at 65-85, depending on traffic. This morning at around 8:00 a.m I was traveling from SF to Stockton for a 9:00 meeting. Just past the summit of the Altamont pass I had to take a fierce leak, so I pulled off the freeway into a big, gravel turn out where big rigs stop to check tires & brakes before the five mile descent into the valley. There were two big rigs parked and I slipped up behind them and took a leak over the edge of the hill. Just when I hopped into my M3 to get back on the road, I saw a silver E36 M3 convertible with the top down blow by in the fast lane at about 95 - looking extremely casual. I pulled out of the gravel parking lot (carefully, with traction control on so I wouldn't rip up too much gravel) and began to catch up to the 'vert to wave hello. By the time I got up past 90 and began to gain on the 'vert I saw a strange movement off of the left side of the freeway which turned out to be a big cloud of dust and gravel being spewed out from the back of the big CHP black & white which had been hiding off the freeway behind one of the hills in the pass. Naturally, I backed off to about 70 and the CHP pulled away, running up to at least 120 before activating the flashing lights and closing on the helpless 'vert. Busted!

I guess that if I had not pulled over to take a piss I would have been the silver E36 M3 that got run down by a pretty clever cop.

'Fess up 'vert. R U on this board?

MisterMotorist
'97 M3/4