Cars

One Man’s Trash Is Still Trash

This morning was Adopt-A-Highway trash pick-up day with the Aiken Bicycle Club. we got about half of 3 block area picked up when the rain started.. No problem as we brought an umbrella because of the weather. I held the umbrella and bag and Donna picked up the bits of stuff on the median. There were 4 others helping us out and 6 people is just fine for our little stretch. Best piece of trash today was a tie, 2 different plastic hub cap/wheel covers from 2 different cars.

Purchased Today: $zero
Money spent since 03/03/03: $609.22
Started up, still up.
Top Transitions since 02/02/03: 109

One Smart Bear

After a hearty breakfast the four of us began the trek back down the mountain. To add a little variety to the trip we took the alternate route back down. You continued on the trail to the inn for an additional mile and ran into the Appalachian Trail Approach Trail and went back to the top of Amicalola Falls where our cars were parked.

To make amends to the Miata for leaving it out all night in the “wilderness” we used the 4 hours we had to waste before checking into the lodge on the state park and went for a drive in the surrounding mountains. We tried to duplicate the loop the bicyclists took last weekend in the reverse direction. We almost made it, missed one turn, so we didn’t drive across the one-lane bridge, but that wasn’t a great loss. The best part of the drive is GA60 north of Dahlonega. There is a stretch of it that is nicknamed “The Snake” and is a Mecca for motorcyclists because of it’s twisty loopy route over a couple of mountain passes. Yehaw! The highlight of the whole drive was about 03/4 of the way through when about 75 yards in front of our 2 car parade a decent size black bear bounded down from the woods on one side of the road and beat feet across to jump the guardrail into the woods on the other side. That was either one smart bear to wait for a gap in traffic or a lucky one.

Purchased Today: $14.50 in gas
Money spent since 03/03/03: $171.08
Started up, went down, went up, still up.
Top Transitions since 02/02/03: 71

Quiet Splendor Of The Forest

Up at dawn for the road trip to northern Georgia, again. This time we were with another couple in another Miata to go almost exactly where we were last weekend. We even used the same route we took home last Sunday to get there. Destination was Amicalola Falls State Park. we were parking our cars and then hiking a 5 mile trail to Len Foote Hike Inn where we would spend the night in the quiet splendor of the forest.

It is a fairly easy hike, mostly up, but some down too. We got a slightly early start as there was rain predicted for the late afternoon. We were prepared for rain (stuff packed in plastic bags, etc.) but just really didn’t want to get soaked. The rain didn’t come until around 7 PM and when it did arrive it wasn’t torrential. The best part was the lighting and thunder show. After dinner a lot of us gathered on the porches surrounding the various wings of the inn and enjoyed show. It was nearly dark and the lighting was going off all around us on different peaks surrounding us. As if arranged just for us, the evening’s entertainment finale consisted of a criss-crossing of almost the entire eastern sky with cobweb of lightning streaks. Almost if there was a cause and effect relationship between them, after the lightning a rainbow appeared against the gray sky backdrop. Because there is no TV and heaven forbid, no Internet, we were in bed by 9:30.

Purchased Today: nothing
Money spent since 03/03/03: $156.58
Started down, went up, still up.
Top Transitions since 02/02/03: 69

Weaving Like A Drunken Sailor

I drive a Miata. It has a tight suspension (really only slightly tauter than stock) and 50 series stiff sidewall tires. It handles like it is glued to the road. One by product of this is that bumps, holes and ripples in the road are felt a lot more than in you typical family sedan. I try and avoid them when I can, but it is not always possible. Lately in our little town, the top layer of asphalt seems to be coming out in dinner plate sized chunks along the tracks of where most cars wheels travel in. Not just one or two places, but more like several dozen. On the commute to work there must be 10 of these little patches of 2 inch drops that I try and slalom around. I think that one day if a cop follows me for any distance he will probably pull me over for my seeming erratic driving.

Ultimate Drive

Took an afternoon off today to test drive BMWs. No I’m not getting rid of the Miata and trading down to a Z4, I participated in the 7th Annual Ultimate Drive for The Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. I did it 2 years ago and had a blast. For some reason the local dealer didn’t participate last year. The idea is simple, you show up and drive a BMW and for every mile you drive BMW donates a dollar. I reserved a spot to drive a Z4 2.5 manual and then a 330 convertible with an automatic. They have a 15 mile loop laid out that they want you to follow so it is cool to see all these gray BMWs with gray & pink stripes driving around. Drove the Z4 first and like the Z3 of two years ago it felt much more solid than my 7 year old Miata and had gobs more torque. It lacked the audible feedback and the tossable feel of the lighter Miata. It was so quiet that I hit the rev limiter several time in first gear and a couple of time in second. After a couple of laps we turned in the Z4 for the 3 series drop top. If I won $10 million in a Lotto I might get a Z4, but the first I’d do would be change the muffler for something that will let me know that my engine revolutions are sweeping through the range. It was about the same car except for the visual differences and a little more wind buffeting from the open rear seats. After that we tired of the sun so took the hardtop version of the same 3 series for a ride. Quiet, comfortable and quick these cars are fun to drive if not a little isolating. With time for one more lap, we tried the X5 4.4. After the first few minutes of seeming to be driving a bus because of the height and breadth of the thing, it quickly turns into another BMW. The V8 scoots and feels quick, but for a heavy tall vehicle it handles the sweeping ess turns of the Riverwatch Parkway with aplomb.

After it was all over it was a relief to get back in the Miata. Sounded just right and the short throw Voodoo shifting were music to my ears and arm. There is no place like home.

Purchased Today: $14.25 in gas
Money spent since 03/03/03: $156.58
Started down, went up, still up.
Top Transitions since 02/02/03: 67

No Trespassing

We had downloaded the route directions for yesterday’s and today’s stages from the Tour web site and used this to plan our viewing strategy. Using it and the Georgia state map we had, worked out real good for Friday, but for the life of us we couldn’t follow all of Saturday’s route. They had to be using some roads that weren’t on the map. We decided to get up earlier and drive the route from just past Ellijay to pick our first viewing spot. Using the printed directions and the orange arrow signs that get put out early, tracing the route was easy. Sure enough they were riding on roads that were not on the big state map. When we stopped for a soda break on the drive there was a Georgia Mountains map that showed the roads they were riding, so we bought it. Our original plan was to find a spot on the second King Of The Mountain climb to watch them pass, but realized if we did that there was no way to leapfrog the rolling blockade and make it to the finish before the riders. Plan B was devised. There was a cool little one-lane bridge the riders crossed outside of Ellijay that looked like a nice spot and it also had quick access to GA52 so we could get by the riders and make it to Gainesville to see the finish.

We made it back to the bridge with about an hour to kill waiting. We spent the time chatting some locals who had come out to watch thinking it was going to be like one of those charity rides. After we indoctrinated them a van of race volunteers showed up to sweep the gravel off the bridge. We tried to get them to come back with us and sweep the course of our next bike ride, but they would only do it if we would drive them around and feed them too. After a breakaway group of 6 cyclists passed over the bridge a couple of motorcycles skidded to a stop just past us. The official Tour photographer was on one and the official Tour videographer was on the other. The video guy hopped a fence, oblivious to the “No Trespassing” sign, and set up shop to the right. The photographer must have thought we were in a good spot as he came over and stood next to me. He was actually balanced on the guardrail to avoid the poison ivy I was standing in (I’m not allergic, so it doesn’t bother me) and needed to lean up against Donna to keep from falling off.

After the race passed, we got on GA52 and headed towards to finishing city. About 10 minutes into the trip a GA State Trooper car comes flying up from behind with his flashers and siren going. I slowed and pulled half off the road expecting him to zip on by as the road ahead was clear, but instead he stayed right behind me until I got all the way off the road. Then he took off around me. WTF? So I got back on the road and started driving again. 30 seconds later I found out why he wanted me off the road. A line of about 25 state patrol cars with lights flashing and sirens going came careening by at 70+. They were doing the same thing I was, leapfrogging around the race, only unlike me, I’m sure they were off to block the roads somewhere ahead of the pack.

Because the cyclists still had a mountain to climb we got to Gainesville with plenty of time to kill. We had a leisurely lunch, toured the festival area (again not going for official Tour jerseys at $70) walked back to where we had lunch and had an ice cream dessert before setting up shop on the 3rd floor of a parking garage 20 feet from the finish line. We watched the breakaway group of 6 charge the line with Fred Rodrigeuz winning the sprint, for his second stage win in a row. About 5-1/2 minutes later a chase group of 12 or so finished up. It was then about 10 more minutes before the rest of the peleton arrived. Of course they had to sprint to the line in a testosterone induced and meaningless fight for 20th place.

When the dust settled we hoped back in the car and drove back north to a town the riders had passed through earlier in the day to spend the night. If you are ever in Dahlonega, GA, I highly recommend Caruso’s Italian Restaurant, their pizza is excellent.

Purchased Today: $12.00 in gas
Money spent since 03/03/03: $130.82
Started up, went down, went up, still up.
Top Transitions since 02/02/03: 63

Was I The First To Run It Update

I’d like to call my wife to the stand. She swears that the signs were not in place at 4:20 when I made the left into my subdivision yesterday. Also the yellow diamond shaped signs warning of a stop sign ahead weren’t there either. When we left the neighborhood this morning there were 2 city cop cars out making up for the cost of the signs by catching unsuspecting drivers as they motored through the new signs. One had somebody pulled over and the other was just lurking on our street far enough back not to be seen from Two Notch Road.