Cars

Be Careful

We missed any rain on the drive up, although the clouds looked like we might get a downpour, it never materialized. We put it up when we got to the hotel, as everyone wanted a driving break after the 6-hour trip up. But the break didn’t last long, as the siren’s call of 318 turns just up the road, had us back in our cars in about an hour. We managed to get one complete spirited run through out of both passes. On the north run we came up behind a small car at about 2 miles in that didn’t take the hint to pull over until about 5 miles later. On the way back south we had to chill until halfway through and we passed Sheriff’s car #2. We knew there were 2 Sheriff’s cars in the gap, because they passed by us as we took a break in the big gravel lot at the Tennessee end. One stopped and chatted with us a bit and asked if we were enjoying ourselves and told us to be careful, we were. At dinner that evening I balked at putting the top up, but Donna insisted, so up it went. As usual, Donna was right, as it had started to sprinkle before we were done eating.

Started down, went up, went down, went up, still up.
Top Transitions since 02/02/02: 236

The Taurus Diaries

Lexington Park, MD to Lexington, VA. Today was a beautiful back-road jaunt through the middle of Virginia. Made a stop in Richmond to visit a cousin of Donna’s. We had a couple of hours to kill before we could get together so we visited the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. Nice place to visit and it was in very good shape considering the drought that central Virginia is in the middle of. After lunch with cousin Suzy & her daughter we finished the day’s journey by heading west on US 60, a very straight road with lots of ups and downs until you hit the Blue Ridge Mountains. Then it winds it way to the top where it crosses the Blue Ridge Parkway and then winds itself right back down into the Lexington area. The Taurus didn’t do to bad on the twisty roads, a set of higher performance tires and I’m sure we could have given some of today’s “sports” cars a good run.

That night I went to my second high school football game ever. The last one was almost 29 years ago while in my senior year of New Britain High School. Some friends and I snuck into the Thanksgiving Day game with our big cross-town rivals, Pulaski High. Tonight I “snuck” into the game between cross-county rivals, Rockbridge County High School and Parry McCluer High School. Stuart is the RCHS Marching Band Drum Major and tonight was his first football game in that capacity. Mom Sally is the president of the Band Booster Club, so she asked us to come along and help out. We followed the tractor pulling the trailer of band equipment down the road into the field to keep stuff from falling off. We just waved at the guy guarding the gate as we walked on by. Later that night I thanked Sally for helping fulfill a life-long dream of being able to get backstage somewhere by just saying, “I’m with the band.”

A Couple Of Quick Toots

Well it wasn’t exactly crowded out there, but when you are used to only seeing a dozen cars total on the 10 mile trip, 30 or so seems like a lot. Almost all of them on the one road that goes by the entrance to a middle school.

One thing happened to make up for the downer traffic though, we were barreling down a back road and noticed a half dozen kids just standing around or sitting on their book bags waiting for the school bus. As we got closer one little girl about 8 or 9 notices us coming, she jumps up shouting and pointing, “That car’s got teeth on it! That car’s got teeth on it!” All the other heads turn our way, a couple of quick toots on the air horns and everybody’s, kids and car occupants, morning just got a little brighter.

Started down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/02/02: 205

Ice Cream on a Summer Night

We headed out for a little shopping expedition this evening and it was still hot and ugly humid out. On the way back we stopped at an ice cream place to get a scoop each. Most folks were eating their ice cream on the benches surrounding the stand, but quite a few were inside their air conditioned cars. I don’t know about you, but part of the reason you eat ice cream on a summer night is get cooled off, just doesn’t seem like the same enjoyment can be had from eating it inside the air conditioning.

Enterprise Car Rental

When we picked up the rental car and were doing the walk around, Donna mentioned to the agent that the left front tire looked low. She replied, “We are on a hill.” I looked, and the way the car was parked, it looked like a reasonable response. After about fifty miles of driving we were thinking about seeing if we could swap cars in Orlando because it had a vibration that was bordering on annoying. At a stop for refreshments on all level ground the tire still looked low. We put some air in it and the vibration went away. What do you know? Never doubt Donna when she says a tire is low!

Silver Fish

You’ve seen them on the backs of cars, those symbols of Christianity placed so you can tell that the person in front of you is a religious sort. Tonight I was behind a car that had a variation of one on the trunk lid that I had not seen before. In place where the eye of the fish would be, there was a small cross. I suppose it was there to maybe clue in the uneducated as to what the fish symbol meant, but I thought the x-ed out eye made it look like a dead fish.

Stoplights And Shops And Cars And Stuff

Drove home from Chattanooga, TN today. We left the Hotel at 9:00 PM and pulled into the Garage at 6:00 PM. That is a lot more driving than we really like for one day, but it is done and we now have the next 4 days to recover from it before heading back to work. We know better but somehow forget to leave all big towns via the Interstate for about 20 miles before getting onto US or State Highways. Left out of Chattanooga via US 27, then 41 figuring we would be in the mountains sooner, NOPE. Just lots of stoplights and shops and cars and stuff. Oh well, once we got into north Georgia we found some awesome roads. The trip to Elijay vis GA 52 was excellent. The rest was pretty good too, but after 150 miles of it we were ready to be home. Stopped at Amicalola Falls for a peek at the 729′ water fall, cool, but a bit of a hike/walk/climb to get to it. They have a neat lodge in the State Park and we plan a revisit to spend a night and explore more.