Slow Miata to Texas Day 13

Greetings from ALABAMA
1. The birth place of Helen Keller, Tuscumbia. 2. Big Spring Park, Huntsville. 3. Wheeler Dam, North Alabama.
4. Vulcan, Birmingham. 5. Dock Scene, Mobile. 6. Bunker Tower, Anniston. 7. Denny Chimes, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. 8. Azalea bushes in full bloom. 9. Noccalula Falls, Gadsden.
10. State Capitol, Montgomery.
Bill,
Day 13 of 14 of the “Slow Miata to Texas” tour. Memphis, TN to Decatur, AL. 215 miles. Today’s highlight was dinner 300′ up in the Renaissence Tower overlooking Wilson Dam in Florence, AL. Good thing the view was spectacular, because the food was so-so. Got to see the lock system go through a cycle for a barge heading down stream.
Brian & Donna, Aiken, SC		 Bill Kirby
The Augusta Chronicle
P.O. Box 1928
Augusta, GA 30903

Dream Car

Painstakingly restored by the fine folks at Lamborghini, this Miura is probably worth well over a million bucks. That price is helped along by it being one of only 6 finished in this blue Azzurro Mexico color and having been owned by renown Italian singer Little Tony.

From the CarBuzz article:
In addition to supplying the car’s production specifications from its archives, Polo Storico also offered its expertise on the right working methods to “ensure that not only the final appearance was perfect but also that all the phases of the restoration work respected the way things were done in that era in Sant-Agata Bolognese.”

The most important thing I want to know is, before I plunk down that kind of coin, does that 8-track player still work? 🙂

Slow Miata to Texas Day 12

The Pyramid soars into the sky 32 stories (321), rising out of the Mississippi Delta like a great shining diamond. It could hold 200 million gallons of water. Its base is as big as six footballl fields. The interior height, 280′ from the floor to the Observation Deck above, is greater than the exterior dimension of the Astrodome or Superdome.
The focal point of this stainless steel wonder is The Pyramid arena. This 22,500 seat sports and entertainment complex hosts a vast array of major touring family shows, concerts, sports and community events. The Pyramid is proud to be the home of the University of Memphis Tiger Basketball.
Bill,
Day 12 of 14 of the “Slow Miata to Texas” tour. Eureka Springs, AR to Memphis, TN. 315 miles. Long day, but we wanted to see the Triple A Memphis Redbirds play the Albuquerque Dukes in Tim McCarver Statium. Last time we were here we saw Tim Raines play for the Double A Memphis Chicks (1979.) This is the last year for Tim McCarver Statium as next year the team moves downtown to the new 14,000 seat “Autozone Park.”
Brian & Donna, Aiken, SC		 Bill Kirby
The Augusta Chronicle
P.O. Box 1928
Augusta, GA 30903

Slow Miata to Texas Day 11

FLAT IRON BUILDING – Downtown Eureka Springs, Arkansas
The Flatiron Building, destroyed by fire many years ago, was recreated in 1985, and today has glamorous specialty shops on the lower floors and luxury lodging accomodationson the top. The photo was taken from the Basin Park Hotel, in the heart of historic downtown Eureka Springs.
Bill,
Day 11 of 14 of the “Slow Miata to Texas” tour. Hot Springs to Eureka Springs, AR. 195 beautiful back road miles. If I thought Jefferson, TX had a lot of B&Bs…this place seems as if every home in town is a Bed & Breakfast. Every business downtown is tourist related. Out on the “strip” there are several large music theaters.
Brian & Donna, Aiken, SC		 Bill Kirby
The Augusta Chronicle
P.O. Box 1928
Augusta, GA 30903

Slow Miata to Texas Day 10

NIGHTIME FALLS ON HISTORIC HOT SPRINGS
The sun sets as another day is slowly fading away in historic downtown Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas. The last breath of sun shines on the old Army/Navy Hospital (1933) in the upper left as the lampposts light up the historic district waiting on nightfall. Some of these historic buildings date back as far as 1912 (Buckstaff Bathhouse.)
Bill,
Day 10 of 14 of the “Slow Miata to Texas” tour. McAlester, OK to Hot Springs, AR. 198 miles via the Talimena Scenic Byway. This was one of the first highways designated as scenic by the U.S. Forrest Service. Maybe we will get to see it next time. We were either high enough to be in the clouds or low enough to be getting poured on by those clouds. Hot Springs is an interesting place, we’ll come back when it isn’t raining.
Brian & Donna, Aiken, SC		 Bill Kirby
The Augusta Chronicle
P.O. Box 1928
Augusta, GA 30903

Track, Daily, Crush

On the last Everyday Driver podcast I listened to, one of the social media questions was “Track, Daily, Crush: a UPS truck, a FedEx truck or a DHL truck?”

Now I’ve heard of F#@k, Marry, Kill. It typically is 3 actors or actresses, but can be applied to most anyone. From the three guys or gals in your high school Biology class to the three Baristas at your local Starbucks.

But I’ve never heard Track, Daily, Crush before. Its the same principle, just applied to cars, so given a list of 3 different vehicles, which one would would take racing, which one would you use for everyday and which one would you sentence to the scrap heap. If I was to apply it to say, the first 3 generations of Miatas, it would be NA for the track, NB for daily (naturally) and crush the NC.

The three items idea works, but I think given a larger list of similar items might be fun too. How about this idea for Track, Daily, Crush. Go to the car auction web site Bring a Trailer on a certain day at a certain time and out of the couple hundred cars listed pick which one you’d track, which one you’d daily and which on you’d crush.

Okay, here you go, at Thursday, May, 23 2019 at 9:30 PM eastern time:

Track Daily Crush
1957 Porsche 356A 2003 BMW M5 2001 Jeep Cherokee Sport
No mistaking this look for a street car. Back when M5’s still had the sleeper vibe. No sleeper look, just pedestrian looking.

Slow Miata to Texas Day 9

INDIAN TERRITORY – OKLAHOMA
In 1834, 70,000 Native Americans in over twenty tribes were forced to leave their land and relocate into Indian Territory, reserved by the U.S. government. Located west of the Mississippi River, much of Indian Territory is in today’s Oklahoma. By 1907, the remaining Indian Territory became part of Oklahoma.
Bill,
Day 9 of 14 of the “Slow Miata to Texas” tour. Day 4 of 4 of “Miata World ’99.” Didn’t win the new car last night, but I did win a door prize of leather seat covers. And at brunch this morning I won a $10 gift certificate, so I can’t really complain. Spent a couple of hours at the speedway this morning as we tried to line up 400 cars for a photo on the finish line. Dallas, TX to McAlester, OK. 175 miles. The wind really does come sweeping down….
Brian & Donna, Aiken, SC		 Bill Kirby
The Augusta Chronicle
P.O. Box 1928
Augusta, GA 30903