It looks like it’s back to Arkansaw for SWMBO and me in early May. Elder Daughter will be there, too, to see her Grandma. Kinda sad, in lots of ways; SWMBO’s mom is fading perceptibly. So I’m glad we can all get together again.
Buick mileage totals will follow; the no-fly streak continues for me.
-k-
I used the Samuel Clemens spelling of our destination; probably the most literary thing I’ve done in a week or two.
I don’t know where I’ve been and how I missed this, but there’s a movie about the life and times of Dale Earnhardt that will be coming to a place near you in 2007.
When I first heard about it, I thought I’d have to follow the listings from the local Bijou, and make my first theater appearance since The Passion of the Christ. Not so; from the website, the movie will be shown in “select markets” on “select dates” during 2007. What this means is that to view the movie, a mini Search for America Tour will be necessary. It further appears that show dates fall on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
I never thought I’d be taking a couple of vacation days and driving a few hundred miles to see a movie, but man, this is Earnhardt. All I need to do now is convince SWMBO we really need to do this. And buy her breakfast at Cracker Barrel.
More to follow.
-k-
Technorati Tags: daleearnhardt, dalethemovie
The Search for America Tour, Buick Economy Rally, and Cracker Barrel evaluation finds us east of Knoxville TN, after nearly 600 miles today. We’re just over under 500 miles from home; an early start tomorrow, and we should be home before dark, get the rental turned in, and collapse into our own bed. Fortunately, we both have Tuesday off.
I’ve got lots of good things to say about the Buick Lucerne, but I’ll save that for later. Right now, a cold one, and lights out.
-k-
Heard on XM-13, this snippet from a Stampley/Bandy song:
I’m having two beers for breakfast
After a night on the town.
I’m having two beers for breakfast,
If I can manage to hold them down.
Coulda’ been my theme song, in the days of my misspent youth.
-k-
Road trips are fun. Even on Interstates. Even though there is nothing like taking back roads to search for America, there are sometimes things visible from the Interstate which are worthy of note. This is one of them, from Gaffney SC. The Peachoid, a water tower’s water tower. You will be left to your own imagination in interpreting the imagery presented on the right hand side of the tower. Maybe my mindset is perverse, but I’ve got my ideas on the matter.
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Technorati Tags: gaffney sc, peachoid
there’s no place like home. The rental car is cleaned out and returned, the voyager is recharging in its permanent at-home spot, and the cat is sleeping on his little bed atop the washer.
Final statistics: 1404 total miles driven. The average to-date MPG on that ol’ Buick was 24.5 when I turned it in, a gain of .2 MPG for today.
All’s right with the world.
-k-
We’re fixin’ to leave Roanoke, and getting an early start rolling up Interstate 81, which I call “The Talledega of the Interstate Highways”. Pass as many 18 wheelers as you can, merge right to keep the 85 MPH tailgater behind you out of your trunk. Repeat.
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Left Atlanta today; we got away later than planned because of my over-enthusiastic assistance in depleting my nephew’s beer supply, an excellent plate of spaghetti, and a nice warm apple pie. Combine that with a warm soft bed, and we slept in. 400 miles later, we’re in Roanoke VA, still 225 or so miles from home. It’s getting dark, SWMBO’s back is bothering, I’m tired, and hence we’re at the Quality Inn, formerly a Holiday Inn, where we’ve stayed countless times on Martinsville race weekends. So to the bar, to see if the beer still meets my criteria (cold, and within reach), a little bite to eat, and to bed.
Tomorrow, one more Cracker Barrel breakfast, and home.
The LeSabre’s to-date mileage is up to a whopping 24.3 MPG.
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On today to Atlanta, where my nephew assures me he’s got some cold beverages waiting to enhance our enjoyment of the Daytona 500. Last evening, an Indian dinner with Dave, James, and their families. Good food, sufficiently spicy to be enjoyable, but not spicy enough to cause any internal perforations.
Oh, and we gained another .1 MPG on the Buick yesterday. Average mileage is now 24.0.
-k-
The digital fuel economy meter on our rental Buick LeSabre read 23.6 MPG overall when I picked it up yesterday. It reads 23.8 MPG after the first leg of the trip. I’d like to credit the increase to my steady accelerator foot, but I think the cruise control is the real hero. That, and these were highway miles.
I love big ol’ Buick LeSabres. They make me feel like such an old man. Wait, I am an old man.
-k-