Car Crazy

This may turn out to be "car week" since I have cars on the brain. I have always loved hot cars and fast cars. The Met wasn't hot but I didn't pick it out and I loved it anyway. I was the only person I knew who had a compact car if you didn't count VW's! Who doesn't love a gift car at age 16? I've had plenty of hot cars and I need to look for pix of them.

Since Sanne lusts for a Corvette (in addition to her Opal GT), here is a picture of mine. Bought it new in 1976. Still have it. Need to sell it to an appreciative new owner. This picture was taken in the early 80's one day when DH and I were tooling along the north Florida Atlantic coast. I used to stay tanned but I haven't been in the sun in years. Not good for the skin.

1976 Corvette Originally uploaded by flaurella.

Some ancient history: Two weeks after we bought the Corvette in September of 1976, we took off on a road trip to Pike's Peak in Colorado. I loved it when we were younger and got a wild hair and just did whatever, whenever without worrying about the details. Just watch me when we retire! But, as usual, my mind is wandering.

You are supposed to break a new car in nice and easy. :::rolling eyes::: Well, that didn't happen and we loved driving that car so much we drove for 2 days straight, taking turns, fighting over who got to drive and for how long, with no sleep. At the time, we lived in West Palm Beach and by the time we got up into the USA heartland, I must have been sort of loopy for I missed a left turn towards Colorado and next thing I noticed was a road sign that read, Joliet, Ilinois, 30 miles. Ack!

I am usually an ace navigator but as I recall, I was making hors d'oeuvres in the front seat and juggling a little cooler of beverages when I should have been watching for road signs. Anyway, we missed the turn to Kansas and instead had to go back. When we got to Saint Louis, the sun was on the Arch and it was all orange and on fire and just spectacular! Everything happens for a reason. I can't remember whether it was sunrise or sunset but that was the time I decided we needed to stop driving and get some sleep.

I also remember fields of sunflowers as far as the eye could see in flat, flat Kansas. (And I thought South Florida was flat!) Of course, S FLA is like a jungle and so many trees and flora abounds that you can't see more than to the corner unless you are standing in a field but Kansas was glorious with all of those huge, tall sunflowers as far as the eye could see in any direction.

At just past the Kansas state line, I could see these little black bumps on the western horizon. I watched that black thing most of the way across Kansas until it dawned on me that it was the Rocky Mountains. I just could not imagine being able to see that far. I grew up boating in the Atlantic and you sure can't see very far from a 16 foot boat. Kansas was a unique surprise and I loved it.

That 1976 road trip was a blast and my first trip out west. We still love going out west but as usual, I have gotten off subject and I need to look for more old pictures to share. In the meantime, here's a pic of DH with dark hair in the mid-late 70's. When we lived in Miami and were between boats, on the weekends we would pop down to the Florida Keys to go fishing. There are drawbridges to go from the Atlantic to the Gulf and the traffic stops and you wait on the boat traffic to go under the raised bridge. Waiting was never a bad thing when you were on your way to go fishing if the sun was shining and you had a cooler full of cold ones. You can see how we used to tie the salt water poles to the T Top bar with a bandana.

1976 Corvette, Florida Keys
Click the picture to enlarge

In the photo above (click to enlarge), we are on the Overseas Highway, water all around on all sides as far as you can see. My goodness, we traveled light back them. Happy memories.

Foofoo Lamarr suggests that in my quest for palpitations, I look at a mid-engine cars. Been there, done that, pix tomorrow. For now, DH arrived home from Orlando and immediately dashed off to a Land and Zoning Planning Council meeting for which he sits on the Board. I hope it's quick. I am hungry. I'll hook up these links later tonight. I need to get dinner on the table.