Safari Does Bad Driving

Oh yes, very  Bad - but in a very good sense! This was our second stop of Week 11 of HG Safari 2025, and like our first destination, this build is brand new.

Yara Eild, SoA BAD, and Alex Salamander

SoA BAD and Siwas have a new attraction on their grid, CCI - the Nuerburgring. Really, that should be 'Nürburgring' with an umlaut. But, as we all know, Opensim doesn't do umlauts, so there's an extra e in there. And speaking of 'extra', this build is extra in every way - extra large, extraordinarily detailed, and extra fun. The idea of having a Safari here came from two Safari regulars - Yara Eild and Alex Salamander.

Actually, that should be 'Nuerburgring with Nordschleife'  (the HG address is of course at the end of the post) and that is because this race track has a long and complex history. Nordschleife - the 'North Loop' - extends the circuit from just over 5 km to a whopping 21km. 

You may remember this track for the infamous accident back in 1976 when F1 driver Nikki Lauda nearly lost his life, and was saved by other racers, who stopped to pull him from the burning car. Through forest and fields, drivers on the rl track experience sudden changes in weather, tight curves, different lighting conditions... this is truly the queen of racetracks. 

If you're a F1 afficionado none of this information will be new to you, but not everyone knows this stuff, so by building the racetrack in Opensim, BAD has not only given us all the chance to enjoy a fun racing experience, but also to know something more about the real world. Win win!

SoA BAD [de→en]: I Ask for your Attention, Please Read and Pay Attention to What I Write. We're here at one of the most famous racetracks in the world. The "Nürburgring with the Nordschleife," also known as the "Green Hell." Recreated on a VAR 12 x 12 for a true racing experience.  Racing cars and bikes, as well as the appropriate outfits, are available in the pit lane near the start and finish. You can also rez your own car or bike if it's suitable for "Bullet Physics."

SoA BAD: A few tips for using the track.  Please only purchase or copy the provided vehicles and then rez them. Before starting the race, the cars should definitely be refueled at the gas station, slightly to the left of the vehicles. However, there are two other gas stations on the track: one at the ADAZ parking lot and another on the open road. Drive up to the gas pumps, stay seated, and click on the pump to start the refueling process. If the tank is empty during the trip you can also take the car and re-rezz then new.

SoA BAD: A quick way to accelerate or shift into different gears: To shift up one gear, press Shift and the right arrow; to shift down one gear, press Shift and the left arrow. If you don't want to drive, there's plenty to see outside the racetrack that's also available at the original racetrack. Paddock, Rock am Ring, camping at the Ring, and much more.

The camping area

SoA BAD: The F1 Ring track is 5.2 km long in real life, and the Nordschleife is 20.8 km long. Races have been held there since the beginning of the 19th century. In 1951, the Nürburgring was one of the first racetracks in the world to be converted for F1.

SoA BAD: One more note: please drive slowly as we only have four treatment places at the medical station.

Forest Azure: oh

James Atlloud: How large is this region?

SoA BAD: Please take some time if you want to drive until the sim (12x12 VAR) is fully loaded.

James showed up wearing his Racing Crocs - pure elegance

Race destinations tend to break up the HG Safari group pretty fast, as everyone is off on their own journey around the track, and in any case their hands are pretty busy holding down an arrow or a, ASWD key to keep themselves on track. That makes for very little conversation, and people drop offline without you noticing. 

A Ring Taxi will give you the racing experience, from the passenger's point of view.

Star Ravenhurst: I have an 8x8 and I thought THAT was huge! 

Outside the calendar of official races, the circuit is open to the public for a fee, and you can get out on the track with a 'taxi' - an professional driver with a high powered car who will give you a flavor of the event. 

This sim may be a 12x12 but the lag for me, whether jumping around taking photos, or driving very badly on the track, was absolutely zero. An amazing performance, but not surprising, BAD is a great builder.

The mad authenticity of this place is off the chart. If you've ever been here in RL, you can't help but be amazed to see everything represented so well and with such a feel of authenticity. BAD's RL experience is palpable.

SoA BAD [de→en]: I drove 3 times with a motorcycle and 2 times with a car

This huge, wooded area is nothing like the municipal park feel of Monza or Melbourne, and it's nothing like Silverstone's restricted rural feel, or the alpine air of Spielberg. The circuit boasts hotels, a camp site, and even a rock concert area, all recreated here, and ready for future Opensim events. 

BAD has even added the ADAC office - that's the German Automobile Club - and the prestigious Mercedes Center. In SL, if you start putting commercial logos on buildings, you're looking for trouble. In Opensim, we have the freedom to make high quality and authentic looking, fan art.  

Mercedes Center and bistro

There were a number of different vehicles available to use during our visit. Fitheach Eun opted for the motorcycle shown here...

Fitheach Eun

... while Yara and Alex raced in the Mercedes 450 cabrio. The door seemed not to be shutting quite right - made me think of Ken Miles in Ford vs Ferrari. However, Alex kept that car glued to the tarmac in a way the rest of us courl really only dream of.

Alex Salamander and Yara Eild 

Star spent a good bit of time doing some cross country but she kept the bike going until she returned to the track, which was impressive! 

Since I spent much of my time on the track going in the wrong direction, it would be unfair to criticise others. In the end BAD took pity on me.

SoA BAD [de→en]: Thirza I can help you, LOL, do you want to drive with me.

Being taxi driven is the best. The whole experience, not just managing the curves and the straightline stretches, but also the pitstops, the fuel stations and so on, it's a very immersive experience, even if you're not the one behind the wheel.

Eva Nova got the best time of all of us, in her grey Morgan

SoA BAD [de→en]: Eva, very good time under 10 minutes, congratulations

eva Nova: Thanks BAD, but you know I already knew the track :)

James Atlloud: Thankfully the track has bumper rails!

Star Ravenhurst: I still managed to get off the track.

Taarna waits by the cars

Forest Azure: I lost Taarna

Taarna Welles: I can't drive long. Getting car sick :)

SoA BAD [de→en]: I hope it was fun here

George Equus: Quite realistic!

Thirza Ember: BAD... your favorite driver, of all time?

SoA BAD [de→en]: Schuhmacher was the best

James.Atlloud: This is a huge track and the everything, cars, track, perform great.

Star Ravenhurst: How long did it take you to build this BAD??

SoA BAD [de→en]: 2 months

James Atlloud: only 2 months - wow!!

SoA BAD [de→en]: Bikerworld was longer, almost 6 months

James Atlloud: Bikerworld has a lot of terrain detail too.

Star Ravenhurst: I would imagine that Biker World was much harder to build. I mean, the way it was built, this one is on the ground at least

Thirza Ember: idk Star, hard to get it all right... even though it's another huge build, Biker World is NPIRL, more of a fantasy, make it up as you go, track, albeit very skillfully and challengingly made

Star Ravenhurst: Yes This one is very realistic. It is like we are there.

SoA BAD [de→en]: I've already driven the Nordschleife 5 times myself, real

That Iceland bus seems to be following us...

Thirza Ember: I want to return and see if I can complete the circuit without flying...

Forest Azure: use the bus, Thirza, way more stable

Thirza Ember: we survived this week...  great to see all

James Atlloud: Agreed, thank you Bad and thank you Thirza.

Forest Azure: well, maybe not all

Thirza Ember: thanks siwas and BAD for the hospitality  and thanks Yara for giving the idea to do safari here

Star Ravenhurst: Thank you for the visit  here. It was awesome!

George Equus: Vielen Dank für einen sehr beeindruckenden Bau und Erfahrung!

SoA BAD [de→en]: Come home well and take care of you

HG Address: hg.cc-group.cc:8002:CCI Racing - Nuerburgring with Nordschleife