27 Years Ago – Part II

Here’s what convinced me to go test drive a Miata. All of the July issues of the mainstream auto magazines in 1989 had a cover article on it. After thumbing through every one that I found on the shelf of the local Food Lion, I chose the Motor Trend to take home and read. I still have it.

I’ve included the add for the BMG Compact Disc Club for an additional bit of nostalgia. At one time I was a member (probably in tandem right along with the Columbia House one as well.)

Started up, went down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 06/25/15: 205

27 Years Ago

1/4 NPT Adapter Plate

I’ve written a page with the story of how long it took to buy my first Miata (Brian Buys A Miata) and it took 108 days from first test drive to driving it home. I’ve even written a blog post showing the Birth Announcement of its arrival on the 7th of November. Earlier this week, knowing it was around this time of year, I wondered just what day it was when I put that deposit down. Backing up 108 days from the November pick up date and you come up with today, July 22nd which was a Saturday that year.

Bernie Sanders Comes To Aiken

Bernie Sanders Action Figure

Making good on his promise to personally thank each and everyone of the donors to his Presidential Primary Campaign, Senator Bernie Sanders is on his way to visit (track his progress) yours truly for my $1 contribution. He is starting out in Cranbury, NJ today and should be here hopefully by Saturday because he has to turn right around and get to Philadelphia, PA by Monday for the start of the Democratic National Convention.

Started down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 06/25/15: 204

Instructions To Seniors Need To Be Clear

Friday afternoon, I went over to the local Bass Pro Shop to get a 9mm handgun for home/personal protection. When I was ready to pay for the pistol and some ammo, the cashier said, “Strip down, facing me.”

Making a mental note to complain to the NRA about the gun control wackos running amok, I did just as she had instructed.

When the hysterical shrieking and alarms finally subsided, I found out she was referring to how I should place my credit card in the card reader!!! I’ve been asked to shop elsewhere in the future.

I still don’t think I looked that bad………..probably just need to wear underwear more often!

Started up, went down, went up, back down, back up, down again, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 06/25/15: 203

You haven’t blogged in a week and all you can come up with is a joke you got via email? Yep, but I promise, the boys in the lab are cooking up something good.

Le Château de L’arrière du Peleton

In the past we would go down to the cable company and upgrade our service for the month of July just so we could watch the Tour de France. A few years ago we stopped for a couple of reasons, but mainly because if we wanted to see it in HiDef we would have to pay extra above the already extra we used to be spending.

But we missed it.

So this year we ponied up the $30 for something called NBC Sports Gold and we now get to stream every stage to the living room TV via the Roku. On Saturday and Sunday we watch it live and during the week we stream the replay. Absolute best part of the deal, number of commercials, zero.

Started down, went up, back down, back up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 06/25/15: 198

Weekend Edition

Friday we did the usual tandem commute to work and back. For the afternoon ride home there was a stiff headwind for most of the way and the temperature was in triple digits, so we really appreciated the A/C in the house once inside. About an hour after arrival it didn’t seem as cool as it should be, so I checked the thermostat. It read 79°. It was set to 74 and the fan was running, but because it was so hot outside we didn’t notice that the air coming out the vents wasn’t properly chilled. I called up the Air Conditioning & Heating place and they said they had a technician finishing up a job and we would be next in line. It was a little before 5:00 PM when I called and we had actual cold air blowing again by 6.

Saturday morning we woke up the A/C was still running to catch up and get the house down to normal, but shut off soon afterwards. We walked to a local Waffle House for a breakfast of a waffle and hash browns. Trust me when I say the only time to try crossing busy Pine Log Road and not risk death is 6:30 AM on a Saturday morning. In the afternoon I changed the Emperor’s oil and rotated the tires. I re-hooked up the wires to the oil control valve and cleared the P0010 code. I’ve decided to try Option III, another round of the Rotella T-6 high detergent oil because the folks on the forum have said that sometimes it takes multiple tries to clean out all the “gunk” out of the VVT system. We had lunch at home and then dinner out at Sonic with a friend (Hi Jackie)!

Sunday we had our usual bike ride to Ridgecrest Coffee Bar for their delicious breakfast panini and once we got home it was pretty much TV viewing for the rest of the day. Three and a half hours of the 9th Stage of the Tour de France followed by 1-1/2 hours of the Season 2 finale of Outlander which was immediately followed by 3.5 hours of the FRS – Tampa Bay Rays game. For dessert we caught a couple random and wildly varying shows on PBS.

Neither Friday nor Sunday we used a car. The Purple Whale went to North Augusta and back, while Miata never left the driveway on Saturday.

165,000 Sunrises

165,000 Sunrises

That many sunrises would actually be somewhere just north of 450 years, so that is not how many I have witnessed, but perhaps in another life if I was Count Magnus Brahe, a Swedish noble, who was born on September 25, 1564.This particular sunrise was experienced by Donna and I on our way to work this morning.

Not too far into the trip to tonight’s MMC monthly meeting the Emperor pass thru the 165,000 mile mark.

Motoring Challenge Points 2, Approx Miles Driven 0
Totals So Far: 60 points & 970 miles

Started up, went down, went up, back down, back up, down again, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 06/25/15: 195