Cars

I Can See Still See In The Dark

I Can See Clearly NowToday was Donna and my annual eye exams. Good news is that neither of us have any issues nor have our eyes changed enough to warrant getting new glasses.

We went mid afternoon and some six hours later the drops they put in your eyes to dilate them has not not entirely worn off. I think I could take a book into a closet and read it with the light off. You know your pupils are open wide when the little WinXP screensaver (bouncing logo on black background) has a bright rainbow hued halo around it.

I remember a couple of years ago we went late afternoon and by the time we left the Eye Guy’s place it was dusk. The sun was down but the sky was still light. Most cars were driving with their lights on and both headlights and taillights were giving off these awesome starburst patterns. Even the traffic signals looked like they were being viewed through a starburst filter. Very cool effect, but it was difficult to concentrate on actually driving and not running into anything while looking at all the pretty lights.

We rode the tandem into work again today. I think we are going to try and make it a once a week event from now on. Because we are working our nine hour days this week, this morning’s ride start was way early and it was still dark out. We have a nice powerful light so that was not a real problem. As a matter of fact it was actually nice that time of day, there was almost zero traffic on the road and it was nice and cool (I wore a light jacket and Donna was in long sleeves.)

Right now I’m not sure what is worse, the FRS losing 6-0 to the Yanks in the sixth or having to listen to Chris Berman call the game and Bonnie Bernstein with the sideline commentary.

Started down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/07: 171

Just Flew In From Washington DC

Terminal C at DullesAnd boy are my arms tired. Bada-boom.

Good to be home. On the 60 mile drive home from the airport this evening we saw maybe a couple dozen cars, in the northeast if you go 6 miles you see a couple thousand cars.

Just realized that last Sunday I forgot to change the the top count, I didn’t leave the top down all week while the car was at the airport, it actually went up before last Sunday’s drive to Columbia. Tonight when we landed back in South Carolina it was just about as cold as it was when we left Jersey this morning, so although we wanted to ride home with the top down, we didn’t want to that bad. It stayed up.

Started down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/07: 117

Is That A Monument In Your Pocket? Or Are You Just Happy To See Me?

Washington MonumentAfter a mediocre breakfast at the Holiday Inn, hey it was free, Donna, Sally and I put on our walking shoes. We walked down to the Arlington Memorial Bridge, crossed the Potomac and visited the Lincoln Memorial. Then we did the war memorial tour, Vietnam, Korean and then the Big One, the new WWII Memorial. (Wonder where the WWI Memorial is? Kansas City) We then trooped all around the tidal basin to take in the Jefferson Memorial. Even though we are midway through the 2 week Cherry Blossom Festival, the trees refused to cooperate with the festival scheduler, they peaked a couple days before. Because of last Wednesday’s rain and wind there are very few blossoms left on the trees. It is colder and windier than it should be for this time of the year which made the walk back to our hotel a very uncomfortable one. I bet we covered 5-6 miles.

We took a minor break to let our bodies get back to normal operating temperature and then jumped in the rental car to drive to Sterling, VA. Donna and I convinced Sally to come with us and drive BMWs to benefit the Susan Komen Foundation. From looking at the BMW dealer’s website I knew is was on VA28 north of Dulles Airport. We got on 28 going north and drove and drove and drove until 28 turned into VA7 and disappeared. Donna in the back spotted a couple of the Ultimate Drive cars going the opposite way, so we ambushed one and got on his tail. We hung with him until he ended up at the dealer (even with his wrong turns.) I signed up to drive, Sally was going to drive cars too, while Donna was going to do her usual navigator details. The three of us did a familiarization loop with me at the wheel of a 750, Sally sitting right seat and Donna in the back. Next, I drove a Z4 convertible and Sally drove Donna on a loop in a Z4 coupe. I went back to the rental car to get my camera and as I walked to the front, Donna and Sally went by in the Z4 I had just dropped off, shouting “Catch us if you can.” By the time I got loaded in a 335i convertible, I didn’t see them until I was finishing my loop and they were pulling out of the dealer’s lot in an X3. I hurried and got in a 335i Coupe to try and catch them. No such luck, Sally must be driving like a madwoman, because not only did I not catch them, but by the time I returned the coupe they were long gone in an X5. Deciding that I was just getting further behind, I didn’t even get another car, I just waited for them to return.

After my 4 laps and Sally and Donna’s 5 we decided to take a lunch break. Before we left though we signed up to help them ferry the cars to their next dealer in Arlington where they would be doing it all over again tomorrow. It was a little after 2 PM and they wanted us back at 5 to get prepared for the big caravan. Earlier, while we were searching for the BMW dealer, we had passed a mall and where there is a mall, there is always a variety of restaurants. Trouble was we could remember where it was. It took us about 45 minutes and once even asking directions, before we found someplace called the Dulles Place or something like that Dulles Town Center. Ended up at a Red Robin. What we all had was good, but the bill was like $40 for the three of us, which seems a little high, even for a gourmet burger place.

As if we didn’t walk enough in the morning, after lunch we walked around both floors of the mall to aid in our digestion. We then headed back to BMW of Sterling to wait until it was ferry duty time. I guess we must really be gluttons for punishment because when we got back the three of us loaded up in a 335i sedan and did a loop with me at the wheel. Quickly followed by Sally driving Donna and I around in an X3.

Seeing as we are staying in Arlington, it didn’t make much sense for us to ferry two cars to Arlington, get a bus back to Sterling, only to have to drive back to Arlington in the rental car. So Donna elected to drive the Pontiac G6 and jump in the 19 car BMW caravan and follow us in, saving about an hour and a half or two of DC driving time. Sally drove an X5 and I drove a Z4 Coupe. Donna was originally going to follow me, but when Sally went by first she just hooked up with her. I started about 6 cars back from them, but with all the traffic and stoplights there was no way to keep everyone together. As a matter of fact I got split from their group at the first light and once again never saw the ladies until I got to the end at the next dealer.

It was just a 10 minute drive back to drop of Sally at her place where we said goodbye. A quick circle of the block and we were back at the Holiday Inn. Man that was a long, but very fun day. The only way it could have been better was if it was sixty degrees instead of forty.

Baby You Can Drive My Car

NoseI posted 24 pictures out of the 74 that Donna and I took at yesterday’s BMW Ultimate Drive. They are posted on page 2 of the 2007 gallery. To the left is one of the 50 that didn’t make the cut. So far I’ve got just titles on them, but I hope to add captions over the weekend to both yesterday’s event and from the Augusta event a fortnight ago.

We are already thinking about next year. The crew that was in Columbia had just come from Charleston and said it was a blast and the food was good, so we may head down there in 2008. We are also thinking of helping out by ferrying the cars to the next city. There are 19 numbered cars in the fleet, a crew X5 plus the support van and they have just 5 crew members, so they need at least 16 people to help get the cars to the next city. When you drive the cars depends on the distance to the next location. Short hops can be done right after the event or early the next morning. For these you drive to the next location, they feed you and put you on a bus back to where you started. Long hauls are started the morning after the event and you may get two meals out of it and a longer bus ride home. Might be fun to drive in a 21 vehicle caravan.

But why wait until next year, the Southern Fleet will be in Columbus, GA (about 250 miles away) in 3 weeks on Saturday April 21st…

Started up, went down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/07: 100

101 Post Offices

101st Post OfficeJust got back from Columbia where we participated in our second BMW Ultimate Drive of the year. The weather today was the opposite of what we had 2 weeks ago. In Augusta it was sunny and bordering on hot, but today was cloudy and bordering on cold with a little rain tossed in.

Today’s loop was only 10 miles and Donna and I took it a little easier this time, we only made 10 laps in 8 different cars. There always seemed to be a lot of cars just sitting there not being driven, I think the gloomy weather was keeping the crowds away. Here is a rundown of what we drove/rode today:

  1. 530xi Sport Wagon
  2. 2 laps in a 335i Convertible (w/folding hardtop)
  3. 750 Li
  4. 2 laps in a 650i Convertible
  5. X3
  6. 328xi Sedan
  7. 335i Sedan
  8. 335i Coupe

While as friendly as the Southern Fleet Crew in Augusta, these folks seemed a little less organized than them. Might have just been an off day, the rain probably and they were a bit burnt out. The day before in Charleston they had a mob, 207 different drivers.

Taylor BMW in Augusta won in the refreshment category as well. All they had here was water, soft drinks and Subway sandwiches. In Augusta they had a couple kinds of sandwiches, wraps, pasta salad, cookies and brownies to go with the drinks.

Like last time we had lunch before we drove over. Don’t ever get the Southwest Chicken Salad at Hardee’s – yuk. We shared that, a small drink and a small order of curly fries.

Meal Cost: $7.39
Tip: None
Spent on this Meal: $7.39
Year to Date: $744.96

After driving, our plan was to drive home and have linguine & clam sauce, but it was rush hour and I-20 was backed up, so we got off an exit and headed into Columbia against traffic flow. We’ve missed placed our Columbia city map and I’ve misplaced my memories of how to get around, so boy did we get around. Hopelessly lost we stumbled onto Five Points which has plenty of eateries, so we stopped and ate at a place called Yesterdays. Eeeh, I’m sure there is some place better right around the corner, but we didn’t know any better. Lasagna and salad for me and Donna had black bean chili and a salad. The usual water and tea to wash it down with.

Meal Cost: $16.49
Tip: $3.51
Spent On This Meal: $20.00
Year to Date: $764.96

To top the day off, we caught the elusive 4th Post Office in Lexington, the Pastime CPU [29072-2117]. As luck would have it, the PO was in the same shopping center as an ice cream place. We had desert and finished the drive home.

Started down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/07: 99

56,000 Specks of Pine Pollen

We were going to eat our usual bagel at the Atlanta Bread Company, then it changed to Waffle House, but because we had some time to spare before our trip to the Columbia Airport we opted to dine at the local IHOP. Pigs in a Blanket for me and Eggs Benedict for her. I had OJ and Donna stuck with water.

Meal Cost: $15.44
Tip: $2.56
Spent Today: $18.00
Year to Date: $710.83

We weren’t flying anywhere from Columbia, but we were escorting a women who was. She works for ASCO in Florham Park, NJ and is contemplating making the same move Donna and I made 18 years ago, i.e. transferring down to the Aiken plant. She has been been here since Thursday interviewing and looking at houses. The job here, I think, is pretty much hers for the asking, all she has to decide is if she wants to make the leap.

After dropping Joan off at rental return lot at CAE we heading around to the other side of the airport to take a photo of the Columbia AMF (Air Mail Facility.) We of course had a line up of other Post Offices in the vacinity to take photos of as well, ten total, truth be told. Two others in West Columbia, the one in Cayce, three in downtown Columbia and the three we didn’t get in Lexington the other week.

Normal temps this time of year is lower seventies, but today broke an all time record as we hit the 90 mark. It was already almost 80 by the time we started picture taking and the pine pollen was so thick it looked like a yellow fog. As we drove, we could look at the other cars around us and see pollen rooster tails behind them!

Yellow Haze<— Incredible Simulation of the atmospheric conditions around midday in the SC midlands.

Plan B became forget the Columbia and Cayce POs and get the 2 West Columbia ones and because Lexington was on the way home, we’d get those three as well. This worked out nicely because when the day started there were 94 POs in the gallery and this would make a nice even 100. Plan B hit a major snag when the 900 block of North Lake Drive in Lexington held nothing other than a Shell gas station and a Hardee’s. Crap, looks like we would finish the day one shy of the century mark.

In the beginning of this quest I was skeptical of taking pictures of the Postal Service’s Contract Postal Units (AKA CPUs), figuring they wouldn’t have any signage marking them as Post Offices, but so far, of the 4 we passed, all had a big sign out front and had posed to have their portraits taken. Plan C was born. Aiken has a CPU, maybe, just maybe, that would be 100. Sure enough, after covering most of the western side of the state on Post Office safaris, photo number one hundred was taken just a little over a mile from number one.

On the way to the airport this morning, somewhere close to Couchton, the Emperor passed by the 56,000 mile mark.

Started down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/07: 95

Boy, Is My Left Foot Bored

Big GrinWe drove a ton of BMWs today and not a single one had a manual transmission. One of the workers said they quit a couple years ago because they were burning up too many clutches…

It is probably easier to name the models I didn’t drive (6 series convertible, 5 series wagon & a 3 series 4-door), but let me list the ones I drove and the order we drove them before I forget.

  1. Z4 Coupe
  2. 335i Convertible (the new hardtop model)
  3. X3
  4. 550i Sedan
  5. X5
  6. 750 Li
  7. 335i Coupe
  8. 650i Coupe
  9. Z4 Roadster

Because the BMW dealer had moved a couple miles further out on Washington Rd we had a whole new loop this year. It was a mile shorter than the previous one at 14 miles and a little more suburban. It wasn’t too bad until school let out as it passed three different institutes of education. Maybe because it was a nicer day than last year, there seemed to be a lot more folks out driving today, so we didn’t do any double loops. We drove each car once for a total of 125 miles. For you math majors, I know that nine times fourteen would be 126, but a slight navigational error on the first loop brought us in a mile too soon.

Highlights: The 335i Coupe with enough horsepower to achieve earth orbit if you could get a ramp of the right angle. The 5 series sedan and the X5 had a HUD speed display that hovered just above and in front of the hood on the driver’s side.

Lowlights: I-Drive and the abrupt throttle response from the drive by wire system. (I’m sure both of these would turn into highlights or at least invisible if I had more than 14 miles to figure them out.)

My navigator missed a turn call out on the first loop, but I had my own oops moment when we got in the X5. The rep got us in the car, I got it started and he reset the odometer and marked down the mileage. He then asked if I had any questions and being as this was our fifth loop and I’d driven aN X5 last year, I said, “Nope.” I hit the window up button, bzzzzzzzit. He walked away and I grabbed the shifter and pulled back to put it in drive, it didn’t move and nothing happened. Pushed it forward with the same result. Pushed a button on the side and then tried to move the shifter, still nothing. Bzzzzzzzit, I hit the down button for the window. “Excuse me,” I say, “Just how do I put this thing in drive?” The nice rep leans in the window and points at the button I pushed earlier and said, “Hold that in while pulling back.” “Ahhh,” I said, “I tried each separately, but didn’t try the combination.”

Even though we knew there would be food at the BMW dealer, we weren’t sure what and Donna wanted a fish sandwich, so we stopped at McDonald’s before heading over to drive cars. Fillet-O-Fish for her and a Southern Chicken Sandwich for me. We split a small drink and fries.

Meal Cost: $6.61
Tip: None
Spent Today: $6.61
Year to Date: $628.25

Turns out he food that was available was good, so we had half sandwiches and wraps with some pasta salad at the end of the day that we called dinner. The brownies were so awesome I ate two.

Started down, went up, back down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/07: 84