Miata Washings

87,000 Pieces Of Spanish Moss

We traveled straight to Florence on the interstate to have breakfast with Donna’s cousin (Hi Laurie) and came back entirely off of it. Last night we looked for someplace along the return to catch a walk in the woods, Pointsett State Park fit the bill perfectly. While trying to follow the photo copied trail map we came to where we thought was our additional loop and started along it. It took us about a 1/4 mile before we were positive we were following the park’s border fire break and turned around. Sure enough, about 50 yards down the rejoined trail, there was the plainly marked Hill Top Loop. We are definitely going to make a return trip to this park the next time we are over this way.

Somewhere southwest of Columbia the (recently sponge bathed) Emperor passed through the 87,000 mile mark.

Started up, went down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 105

Thanks Axl

Got my letter from the Doctor today. Now I just have to remember to drink it slow.

In spite of my washing the car just 8 days ago, the Emperor got another washing tonight. Had to clean the Florida off him.

There are now two Miatas in the parking lot at work. The Assembly Engineering Supervisor finally pulled the trigger. He really liked the new body style Miatas when they came out in 2005 and has talked about getting one since 2006. Last week he found one he just had to have, a 2006 Grand Touring model in silver with black interior that had 45,000 miles on it.

Started down, went up, back down, up again, down again, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 73

Lazy Sunday

We almost didn’t go out at all today, except for me walking into the front yard early to get the paper.

We threatened a walk in the woods…

But didn’t. The picture above is from yesterday’s running around, the photo is not the best as I only had time to take 3 shots before he hid on me and plus I was using the digital zoom to get close.

Finally around three o’clock I decided to back the Emperor out of the garage and wax him. With me out of her hair Donna got down to writing out most of the rest of the Christmas cards. When I was done waxing I put the MAZDA & MIATA badges back on the car, it was easier than having to get the wax residue out of the little holes in the bumper. In the fading daylight we took a short drive around town to naturally blow off the rest of the wax dust that had adhered to the car due to the static charge created by rubbing a cotton cloth on a metal object in low humidity air. We mailed the Christmas cards, so go ahead and wait by your mailbox.

Started up, went down, back up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 56

Creepy Nutcracker

If you have small children it may be best if you don’t let them check the mail for the next few weeks, unless of course, unlike me, you don’t think this year’s Christmas Nutcrackers Stamps are creepy.

We went out this afternoon and cleaned the rest of the leaves off the driveway and sidewalks and such. Afterward I pulled the car out of the garage and gave it a washing. It was pretty dirty from the rains of a couple weeks ago and the drenching it got last Saturday on the trip back from HHI. Maybe tomorrow I’ll pull it back out and give it a wax.

For the first time in a while we went for a bike ride today. At first we were going to ride our single bikes this afternoon, but changed it to the tandem tonight. We went out around 7 PM when it was fully dark and cruised a couple neighborhoods looking at Christmas lights.

Started up, went down, back up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 54

Sunday

One more walk on the beach before loading up the car and we were on the road to Aiken by 8:00 AM. We like to get home so we can eat lunch at the house, plus we need the rest of the afternoon to grocery shop for the coming week and do the laundry without feeling rushed.

We also had time to watch a movie, rake leaves (front yard only) and I washed/vacuumed the sea salt/beach sand off/out of the Emperor.

Now I just have to tweak and re size the photos and edit the text for the condo web page, then type up the MMC meeting minutes from Thursday — tomorrow.

Started up, went down, back up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 26

82,000 White Rabbits

Tonight we watched episode 5 of 82 of TDTVS. It was the one we should have watched on Friday, but we weren’t home, we were in Myrtle Beach and I forgot to bring the DVD.

Finished up the weekend today by taking the long way home and snapped 10 more PO Portraits giving us a total of 23 for the 3 days. We are now 93% finished with the project and all that remain are the ones right around Charleston and the 6 military bases in the state.

Somewhere west of Branchville the Emperor cruised past the eighty two thousand mile mark, so when we got home I gave him a well deserved royal bath.

Started up, went down, went up, down again, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/08: 370

Squeak Removal

I made an attempt to eliminate a couple of unwanted sounds that the Emperor has been making tonight.

First up was a high pitched ringing or whine that it seems that only I and possibly certain breeds of dogs can hear. I’m hoping that this is what it was in the past, a singing clutch actuation fork. A bit of grease needs to be applied on the fork where the slave cylinder rod touches it. It seems like there was still some grease on there, but I applied some more and worked it around a bit.

Second was the annoying belt squeal, mostly brief when the AC kicks in and occasionally long, loud and embarrassing on damp morning start ups. I’ve been treating this issue with belt dressing with limited success and decided it was time to attempt to tighten the offending belt. I have been avoiding this because I didn’t think that I could manage it without making it worse. Turns out in the intervening 25 years since I last tried tightening an automotive belt they have made it easy. Once you’ve loosened the mounting bolt, there is now a fancy screw that you can tighten with a wrench which increases the tension. Heck, if I’d known that, I wouldn’t have had to listen to that squeal for the past year.

When I finished the maintenance I pulled out Meguiar’s Quik Detailer and gave the car a sponge bath.

Started down, went up, back down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/08: 326