Tweet
Here's how my weekend went.
Went to bed around 8 PM Friday because I'm getting up early Sat. Don't get much sleep because I'm too keyed up about my upcoming excellent adventure. Alarm wakes me at 4 AM; do all the normal morning things like breakfast, getting cleaned up, watch the news. Ex-wife comes to pick me up at 6 AM to take me to the airport in St. Louis for my 7:30 flight to PA. No luggage, just briefcase. Get to airport, fly to Philly, wait one hour for flight to Harrisburg. Alternate between reading book and scoping out hotties. Arrive in Harrisburg, get to airport entrance just as Simon comes in. We both do a double-take and simultaneously figure out who each other is. It's now 1 PM eastern time.
Jump into Casper and head back to his house. Simon knows how to drive, and this car can take it. Built-up Escort GT 1.8 DOHC, about 140+ HP and set up for racing. I'm thinking we're heading into corners way too fast, but it gets thru them with no drama. Stop off at Wally World for some necessities, like seat cushions for the racing seat and some tools. I like to have tools along when going on road trips, just to make sure I won't need them. Go over the car, look at the extra stuff that goes with it. Chat with his dad, and another guy who came along just as we needed his pocket knife. Go inside to do the paperwork, and play with Simon's Sheltie.
Finally get on the road at 3:30 PM for the 850-mile trip back to St. Louis. Good directions and a road atlas eventually get me to I-70. I drive straight through, pretty much. Car runs perfectly the whole time. Pulls like a freight train up steep hills, no doubt shocking a few people. Started up a steep hill at 68 MPH, and in no time was doing 92. I'm sure it'll pull redline in 5th, which works out to about 138. But I digress...
My main concern is driving at night and hitting a giant rodent known as a "deer", in a car that is not licensed or insured. The briefcase contained plates from one of the other Festys, which might get me by if the cop doesn't check the dashboard VIN. Mostly I drive at/near the speed limit, except when passing.
Car is ridiculously loud due to no resonator in the exhaust, and no interior behind the driver's seat. Make mental note to rectify these issues. Feels like being inside a drum for 850 miles. Possibly opening windows would help, but I don't think of this until back home. Ventilation system is sitting on spare tires behind me, so I have to open driver's window a little to get some air.
At 4:30 AM Sunday I pull into a rest stop in east IL. Gotta sleep. When I try to nap, I notice that it is completely impossible to get comfortable for sleep with the racing seats in there. I use my two seat cushions to pad what I can and manage to doze off for 30 minutes, just because I'm so exhausted.
I wake up at 5 and know that's it for sleep. Stagger into the restroom to lighten the load before heading on. Get on the road, and manage to make it to dawn without giant rodents randomly leaping into my path. Finally get home at 7:30 AM Sunday. Feed cats (ex fed them while I'm gone), notify various peeps about safe arrival, fall into bed for six hours.
A tough drive all in all. Rested and starting at dawn, it would have been a piece of cake. But I finally got to meet someone from the Phesty Phorum, got in a road trip, and scored a fantastic ride. Luckily I just happen to have a white parts car to stick in the stuff that's missing...and it's getting a resonator and inspection tomorrow.
Went to bed around 8 PM Friday because I'm getting up early Sat. Don't get much sleep because I'm too keyed up about my upcoming excellent adventure. Alarm wakes me at 4 AM; do all the normal morning things like breakfast, getting cleaned up, watch the news. Ex-wife comes to pick me up at 6 AM to take me to the airport in St. Louis for my 7:30 flight to PA. No luggage, just briefcase. Get to airport, fly to Philly, wait one hour for flight to Harrisburg. Alternate between reading book and scoping out hotties. Arrive in Harrisburg, get to airport entrance just as Simon comes in. We both do a double-take and simultaneously figure out who each other is. It's now 1 PM eastern time.
Jump into Casper and head back to his house. Simon knows how to drive, and this car can take it. Built-up Escort GT 1.8 DOHC, about 140+ HP and set up for racing. I'm thinking we're heading into corners way too fast, but it gets thru them with no drama. Stop off at Wally World for some necessities, like seat cushions for the racing seat and some tools. I like to have tools along when going on road trips, just to make sure I won't need them. Go over the car, look at the extra stuff that goes with it. Chat with his dad, and another guy who came along just as we needed his pocket knife. Go inside to do the paperwork, and play with Simon's Sheltie.
Finally get on the road at 3:30 PM for the 850-mile trip back to St. Louis. Good directions and a road atlas eventually get me to I-70. I drive straight through, pretty much. Car runs perfectly the whole time. Pulls like a freight train up steep hills, no doubt shocking a few people. Started up a steep hill at 68 MPH, and in no time was doing 92. I'm sure it'll pull redline in 5th, which works out to about 138. But I digress...
My main concern is driving at night and hitting a giant rodent known as a "deer", in a car that is not licensed or insured. The briefcase contained plates from one of the other Festys, which might get me by if the cop doesn't check the dashboard VIN. Mostly I drive at/near the speed limit, except when passing.
Car is ridiculously loud due to no resonator in the exhaust, and no interior behind the driver's seat. Make mental note to rectify these issues. Feels like being inside a drum for 850 miles. Possibly opening windows would help, but I don't think of this until back home. Ventilation system is sitting on spare tires behind me, so I have to open driver's window a little to get some air.
At 4:30 AM Sunday I pull into a rest stop in east IL. Gotta sleep. When I try to nap, I notice that it is completely impossible to get comfortable for sleep with the racing seats in there. I use my two seat cushions to pad what I can and manage to doze off for 30 minutes, just because I'm so exhausted.
I wake up at 5 and know that's it for sleep. Stagger into the restroom to lighten the load before heading on. Get on the road, and manage to make it to dawn without giant rodents randomly leaping into my path. Finally get home at 7:30 AM Sunday. Feed cats (ex fed them while I'm gone), notify various peeps about safe arrival, fall into bed for six hours.
A tough drive all in all. Rested and starting at dawn, it would have been a piece of cake. But I finally got to meet someone from the Phesty Phorum, got in a road trip, and scored a fantastic ride. Luckily I just happen to have a white parts car to stick in the stuff that's missing...and it's getting a resonator and inspection tomorrow.
Comment