About this event
Saturday March 12th, 2022
PCA SDR Off-road Adventure Tour
This March, the PCA-SDR's Cayenne/Macan Off-Road Adventure Tour will head off the pavement in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The Tour's plan is to enjoy a half day of off-road driving along a route that consists of varying terrain of mostly single car-width dirt and rock trails with some wider sand wash areas that cover a 3000' elevation change. The trails are very scenic especially in the rainy season and will mostly require very low speeds to manage tight turns, uneven surfaces, steep grades, and slippery rocks and deep dirt/sand. The best part of this event is the opportunity to share this drive with your family and friends, while learning and experiencing the very capable off-road abilities of your Cayenne or Macan.
The event will have about 2.5 - 3 hours of off-road driving, departing our meeting point around 9:00AM. The drive will include a couple stops for pictures, enjoying the view with friends and family, and for exploring along the way. Required equipment include a mechanically reliable Cayenne or Macan, with all-season tires, at a minimum.
The roads are a mix of rocky dirt roads, loose sand washes, narrow rutted dirt roads, with some areas where the vegetation makes the trail pretty tight. The trail requires an attentive driver to avoid obstacles that could be of harm, like protruding big rocks, deep dips, or paint-scratching twigs. If there have not been recent rains, the trail should be dry, and dusty. If all goes favorably, at the end of the route, having a very dusty Porsche SUV is expected, which a healthy car wash session should be all that is needed to return it to its garage queen status and remove any evidence of its off-roading adventures, with only your pictures and memory of the experience remaining!
We will communicate with each other during the drive using FRS type radios/walkie-talkies. If you do not have an FRS radio, please consider buying some of these handy radios. Inexpensive versions (two radios under $40) as well as fancier versions can be purchased on amazon; just search for "FRS Radio" on amazon's site to see what's available. Depending on the state of COVID, it's likely there will not be radios to lend out.
The event is rain or shine, but if heavy rains have been occurring in the days leading up to the event, the trails will get muddy and slippery and may limit passage of Macans which have limited ground clearance and street/road focused tires and wheels. The route specifics will be provided a few days prior to the event, as the route is weather dependent, and the trail conditions can change even the day of the event. So register for the event and in the week prior to the event date, you'll receive a packet with further information about the route, preparation and driving tips. If you have any concerns about the event and your Cayenne or Macan, please contact the event organizer to discuss.
If you are coming from out of town, or even out of California, staying in the town of Julian or Ramona would put you nearest the start and finish of the event.
Event requirements
A Porsche Cayenne or Porsche Macan with no mechanical issues, with at least all-season tires, a full tank of gas, and a careful driver.
A full tank of gas should work for the entire day including the drive to and from home within San Diego. For reference, a Cayenne Turbo uses a little over half a tank of gas for the entire off-road drive, including a 1 hour drive to reach the morning meeting spot from home, plus a 1.5 hour drive back home at the end of the event.
All-terrain tires on smaller diameter wheels are preferred for decreased puncture risks, but good condition all-season tires even on 20-inch diameter wheels will be adequate. Old tires, with little to no tread depth may get you stuck in the sandy wash or climbing portions of this drive, or result in a flat tire if you hit a big rock, so please check your tires, and plan to drive carefully. Tire inflation at the lower "partial load" setting is recommended, as airing down to a setting lower than "partial load" should not be necessary for this drive. Low-profile summer street type tires and wheels 21" or larger in diameter with minimal sidewall protection should not be used due to a very high risk of punctures, or even expensive wheel damage, from the rocky terrain encountered on this drive. And due to it being the rainy season, if it's muddy due to recent rains, summer street-focused tires will likely get you stuck, and would not be appropriate for the drive.
Off-road driving experience is not necessary as we hope to aid new drivers to help manage any situations that may be uncertain. And thanks to the Porsche off-road programming and control systems, challenging terrain can usually be passed with little effort. Overall the trails are not difficult and should be handled by any version of Cayenne or Macan that is carefully driven with tires that have decent tread remaining, set to the partial load pressures.
The driver should have a working knowledge of the Off-road programming features specified on their Cayenne or Macan. The owner's manual is the best place to familiarize yourself on the suspension settings, Off-road programming settings, and other features like Porsche Hill Control/Hill Descent - read up before the event, or email the event organizer and ask any questions you might have. Using the FRS Radios during the drive, recommendations will be given regarding which driving mode to use, and when, so you can experience these capabilities.
A well-maintained vehicle is essential, which includes:
- Tires in good condition with tire pressures set to the lower partial load setting; the full load setting may work, but will be less comfortable on the bumps and have a tendency to slide off or launch rocks, and would have reduced traction compared to lower pressure setting of the partial load range. Make sure valve stem caps are installed, and if you have a full-sized spare, bring it. The collapsible spare is not off-road capable.
- Ensure fluids are at proper levels as steep grades will angle the vehicle, and if fluids are low, it may cause issues, or warnings at a minimum.
- No known suspension or chassis control faults should exist: we will be utilizing the traction control functions of your Porsche, so properly functioning vehicle systems are necessary.
- Due to the bumpy terrain and ruts, remove or restrain all loose items inside and outside.
This is a special kind of PCA SDR event since the whole family can come along for the drive. Adults will need to "e-sign" the waiver using the SpeedWaiver system. Please note, only the main registrant needs to register for the event, but all adults that are coming as passengers, need to "sign the waiver" using the SpeedWaiver system, accessed with this link:
https://pcasdr.speedwaiver.com/iuzqc
Once the above link is clicked, follow the instructions to "e-sign" the waiver. And again, all adult passengers should click that link and e-sign the waiver; they do NOT need to actualy register for this event separately using motorsportreg.com.
If minors will be attending the event, which they are absolutely encouraged to do, a Waiver for Minors must be signed by both parents. If only one parent will be actually attending the event, download the waiver PDF, print it, and have both parents sign the waiver, and bring it to be turned in at the morning tour briefing at the Dudley's parking lot. Both parents need to sign the waiver for any minors in attendance.