Learning To Drive Miss Daisy Slow

I am beginning to repent of my past misdeeds on publc roads. I never once hit anyone in the last forty rears but understand a guy relaxing on sun lit back portch might be disconcerted by 7,000rpm full throttle run just one hundred yards away by a 'berzerk' space alien landing craft.

So I deliberately drove my 12 mile 65 turn backroad paradise at speeds I would not be given a speeding ticket. And it was a good thing too! They had stationed a police cruiser on a side road where I normally would have made a quick full throttle run. I DID make a full throttle run but did not exceed 55mph. As I approached the hide-out cop emerged and simple drove off in other direction.

So just drove road in fourth and third at 3,000 rpm relaxed to take in scenery. If there is one thing we have here-abouts it is scenery. Does bucolic include cows, horses, broad pastures and low rolling mountains? Happily, the speed limit on at least half a dozen curves is very high G turn anyway.

And I STILL have half a dozen deserted secret places to exercise the Full Monty. But I must admit. MOTORING instead of DRIVING has its satisfactions. Three thousand cool running rpms. etc etc. Besides. Driving the Ferrari at any speed is something of a trump card to begin with.
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PS: An orange speed limit sign is NOT the legal speed limit. It is the suggested speed limit. The actual speed limit here is 45 mph. That means I could take these curve at 59 mph, get caught. Pay a local fine but no points!

But that speed is actually too fast since a right hand curve with limited visibility absolutely requires keeping your lane. But thats part of the fun....

 

Yeah, I agree. But the white speed limit signs are law. However! I have my secret places!

PS: You still thinking of a place that sort of looks like NH but warmer? Towns County would be a reasonable consideration. If you would like to do google property searches in the area I would be happy to take a personal look. You will have your choice from a $10,000 single wide [that would be a good one] right up to $1.5 million on the lake.

In either case we have Walmart, surprisingly adequate grocery stores, and Dollar General and at least half a dozen thrift stores. And here is a funny story. I got broader in the belly since retirement and got involved with cruising the Caribean. I needed an new blazer. Could drive down towards Atlanta and pick out a nice grey or blue blazer for $195. Instead got a decent looking polyester for $3 at a thrift store.

On the cruise nobody gave a damn. And that was 14 days.

 

She looks good. Runs better. And sits in the car port as my daily drive. Now at 9,000 miles since purchased. Very much a good use of my IRA money.

 

In one way, a rather nostalgic way from my childhood in the Buffalo snow belt, a bit of envy at your snow mobile. I actually like a heavy Winter, but can not tolerate it seven months out of the year. I know that is an exageration.

But I was out today with a chain saw in nothing more then long sleaves clearing brush and light dropped dead litter for my wood lot trails. February in Chicago. OMG. Me and a guy from Puerto Rico were looking over the streets from our 40th floor. Twenty degrees F. Blustery, snowy. He just looked at me and said: "People should not have to live like this."

I am not the only one who got the hell out. Our office manager, at his closing party, simple joked he put a snow blower on the top of his car then drove South till people whold ask him what it was.

 

Oh Jeeze...We have not been BELOW 30F but about half a dozen times the entire year. Today was about 30F, bright and sunny. Now it is 45F bright and sunny. Its actually six weeks PAST planting cold hardy pansies.

But I must admit I miss the DC metro area for all the cultural stuff. You know, among the world best museums. DOZENS of them. I miss the gothic National Cathedral. All the stuff that goes on the Mall during the year.

And here is another funny story. My very first job was as a temporary National Park Service Employee - at National Park Number One. That would be 1600 Penn avenue. I was the clerk and our office was below the driveway to the N. Portico. I think that was Winter 1972 and the Park Service was considering transplanting a permanent live Christmas Tree in the outer park.

I was selected to take polaroid pictures from the Truman Balcony as a tall Cherry Picker moved from left to right. Park service DID plant the tree, and with herculean efforts installed internal water spary and all the rest. It served one year and died anyway. It was then used to manufacture miniature judiciary gavels but I never got one.

I DO have a piece of the outer cornice of the Oval Office. Our stone mason was doing work out there and gave it to me. And I just loved that old Italian stone mason. At that time there, out in Maryland, was being construct a sort of modern 'Coloseum' entertainment stadium.

So I asked Frank, the stone mason, about the Coloseum in Rome. He said this. And I am not making it up: "Ain't no god damned coloseum in Rome when I was a kid!"

 

No. But our office was not far from the Oval Office so we would see Nixon, and I remember Bob Hope with a golf club. And there was some humours scuttlebut about Kissinger having an affair but we all said hell no. Kissinger is in charge of FOREIGN affairs.

There was one nice benefit to the location. The kitchen was just inside and we would benefit from left over Chocolate Mouse etc. Our guys were responsible for all the settting up all the events on the South Lawn. One of our 'duties' was to stand along the road to the South Portico and wave flags of visiting dignitaries. So I have a nice Soviet Flag.

Then there were Julie Nixons Bonxai plants. They had never been quaranteened at customs and so were sent down to us gardeners for safe keeping on my desk. I did not know one damned thing about a bonxia tree. But they did not die in my care. And were released back to the executive quaters after a month. Don't know what became of them. They were very small.

That was a fun job.

 

Hi Nuno.

It does not rain much here which is why I left the Corvair top down when it was my favorite Summer car. Now the Mondi is the only car I drive, and so from time to time it gets wet. And besides. Thats the only time the wipers work

PS: I have been listening to an audiobook titled "The Great Age Of Discovery - Paul Herman. Your ancestors did some serious sailing back in the day. Very deliberate explorations off the coast and down Africa. Then Vasco da Gama. What a trip THAT was.

PS: Reminds me of our own Apollo Program. But more dangerous.....

 

AND ... I liked the movie!

 

Don't yah just love dem yellow signs!

 

Reminds me of another funny story. A guy I knew from College looked me up while I was working there. He had some personal agendas. But first you may remember Nixon was undone by his own executive recording 'bug'.

Anyway, as I was saying, this guy had an agenda. He was peddling an insect control product he wanted me to give the grounds keepers for trial. I took the bottle and gave it to the chief gardener who was my boss. Don't remember what ever came of that.

Ever since then I accurately claim part of my job was to keep bugs out of the White House shrubbery.

 

Hi Nuno

As for hitting rock bottom these are cyclical things. We are all subject to the vagaries of history. We in the US [as the Chinese and even Russians and perhaps Indians] are continental peoples. Simple economies of scale in simple terms. The US has advantages in single language and global interest in our "Mickey Mouse" culture.

Of course Mickey Mouse also has silicon valey, MIT, Microsoft [evil] and many other such centers of influence. Many many centers of influence. That is a protection. It could last centuries. Who knows?

As for rust? IMHO that is only a problem if the vehicle is not sheltered. I have nothing but carports for my vehicles. That means they are almost always out of the rain. Carports are, IMHO, the best way to garage a vehicle because of they permit temperature changes and air flow. They do not become stagnant.

But that is just my opinion. Though it is based on many decades of experience. My suggestion? No problem just driving your car in good weather. No problem driving it in the rain if you park it out of the rain.

David