Thoughts On A Quiet Sunday Drive
07-02-2006, 10:30 AM
#1
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Thoughts On A Quiet Sunday Drive
The alarm goes off at 5:45 AM...5:50...5:55...and I get up, take a shower, dress, have half a cup of coffee, and head out to the garage.
It's time for the early Sunday morning drive, but I'm taking 'Grace', my 2003 Anniversary Edition convertible instead of the usual Sunday morning Corvette ('Lauren', my 1985 coupe, currently with the targa top on it's way to Melrose for much needed repair). So, top down, check the gauges, and off I go...
I drive to breakfast by our usual route, even though my wife is not with me today. This is a route honed over the last couple of years for its driving interest - lots of winding roads but also some chances for higher speed.
A coupe of miles on the way out, I see a lovely black Aston Martin (a DB7, I believe) heading in the opposite direction. I wave, he waves back. It must be a British car day or something - the next car of interest I see is a 1960s 'original' Mini heading into a local country club. Most of the driving, though, is just 'Grace', me, and the road: it's still before 7:00 AM. I am reminded once again of the general wondrousness of this car.
Breakfast is spent at the diner counter; eggs, bacon, home fries, toast, and the latest issue of Hemmings Motor News (full of various cars we could get if we only had the garage space).
After a quick stop at the supermarket, I stop at a Hess gas station and fill up the tank. $3.05 for premium - not too bad by today's standards. While I'm filling up, I clean at least some of the brake dust off those gorgeous champagne wheels. Than it's off to the local Lowes and, after that, time to head home. I get to hear the wonderful growl of the LS1 at high RPMs as I hit an on-ramp hard: it always amuses me to see the heads-up display telling me to shift even though I have an automatic...
On the way back, I see the first Corvette of the day (along with my wife, all the Corvettes must be at the shore
). The owner of a sharp 50th Anniversary Edition coupe gives me a wave as he turns in the other direction.
Then it's home: put the top up, get the battery tender on, and say goodbye for today.
Does anybody else have stories of their Sunday drive?
It's time for the early Sunday morning drive, but I'm taking 'Grace', my 2003 Anniversary Edition convertible instead of the usual Sunday morning Corvette ('Lauren', my 1985 coupe, currently with the targa top on it's way to Melrose for much needed repair). So, top down, check the gauges, and off I go...
I drive to breakfast by our usual route, even though my wife is not with me today. This is a route honed over the last couple of years for its driving interest - lots of winding roads but also some chances for higher speed.
A coupe of miles on the way out, I see a lovely black Aston Martin (a DB7, I believe) heading in the opposite direction. I wave, he waves back. It must be a British car day or something - the next car of interest I see is a 1960s 'original' Mini heading into a local country club. Most of the driving, though, is just 'Grace', me, and the road: it's still before 7:00 AM. I am reminded once again of the general wondrousness of this car.
Breakfast is spent at the diner counter; eggs, bacon, home fries, toast, and the latest issue of Hemmings Motor News (full of various cars we could get if we only had the garage space).
After a quick stop at the supermarket, I stop at a Hess gas station and fill up the tank. $3.05 for premium - not too bad by today's standards. While I'm filling up, I clean at least some of the brake dust off those gorgeous champagne wheels. Than it's off to the local Lowes and, after that, time to head home. I get to hear the wonderful growl of the LS1 at high RPMs as I hit an on-ramp hard: it always amuses me to see the heads-up display telling me to shift even though I have an automatic...
On the way back, I see the first Corvette of the day (along with my wife, all the Corvettes must be at the shore
). The owner of a sharp 50th Anniversary Edition coupe gives me a wave as he turns in the other direction.Then it's home: put the top up, get the battery tender on, and say goodbye for today.
Does anybody else have stories of their Sunday drive?
07-02-2006, 11:38 AM
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Not yet. We plan on taking the 2000 out today on a "pre-run" of a club function next month. But first, some yard chores. May have pictures later, if we see anything of interest, but mostly this is just my wife and I out for a quiet Sunday drive in the Corvette.
07-02-2006, 11:39 AM
#5
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Originally Posted by jarsdad1
Nice drive. Where did you ride?
Originally Posted by jarsdad1
BTW, lay off those heavy breakfasts - they slow down the car!
07-02-2006, 07:55 PM
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Not a Sunday story but a Saturday one. Yesterday, my father and stepmother visited me from my hometown, Clanton, Alabama (yep Peach town for you Bama boys
) here in Monroe, LA. Well, we had to drive to Lake Darbonne and hook-up with my father-in-law with his RV.
I drove the snot out of the car, 2nd gear pulls, 3rd gear pulls, a little in 4th, and the difference of the stock exhaust at WOT from regular driving is awesome. A stock 6-speed pulls pretty damn hard past 4500rpms, let me tell you. He never got a ride like that before in his life. I had a great time guiding my father along in style, enjoying some of the fruits of my labors with him (an experience that everyman should do, and I tried to get him to drive it but he was leary of the manual tranny, hasn't driven one in like 30 years) and just feeling like a million bucks.
I love my father and I love my Corvette. C5 is a world-class car and it's amazing we are so lucky to be able to get such a car for so cheap (I got mine for 25k, 56k miles on her, 02 coupe), and I want him to get one in a couple years.
) here in Monroe, LA. Well, we had to drive to Lake Darbonne and hook-up with my father-in-law with his RV. I drove the snot out of the car, 2nd gear pulls, 3rd gear pulls, a little in 4th, and the difference of the stock exhaust at WOT from regular driving is awesome. A stock 6-speed pulls pretty damn hard past 4500rpms, let me tell you. He never got a ride like that before in his life. I had a great time guiding my father along in style, enjoying some of the fruits of my labors with him (an experience that everyman should do, and I tried to get him to drive it but he was leary of the manual tranny, hasn't driven one in like 30 years) and just feeling like a million bucks.
I love my father and I love my Corvette. C5 is a world-class car and it's amazing we are so lucky to be able to get such a car for so cheap (I got mine for 25k, 56k miles on her, 02 coupe), and I want him to get one in a couple years.
07-02-2006, 11:31 PM
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I did a 400 mile run this weekend in my 'vert. A little rain on Friday on the way to my destination, (of course the first thing I do when I arrive is wash my car) but today was a great trip home. The whole trip and only one tank of gas too! Love my car...
07-02-2006, 11:41 PM
#14
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No stories here, but early Sunday morning, just as the sun is rising is my favorite time to drive the car. Little traffic and perfect weather, before the day gets too hot here in Florida
07-03-2006, 08:23 AM
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Nice story and great way to spend an early Sunday morning. Wish I could have gotten mine out yesterday - too much work to do around the house. 
07-03-2006, 09:32 AM
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Originally Posted by GrayC5
John, hope you continue to enjoy for many more miles and years to come!
07-03-2006, 09:38 AM
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Interesting!
