Bluesie's Big Adventure

[Bluesharp]

Originally Posted by AlanL

Breathe deeply and then carefully visualize the thought that would bring you true innermost peace in such a situation:

A hood mounted phaser that would vaporize the SOB who would dare to actually do the speed limit in front of you during a Zen Zed(TM) moment

ROFL!!! Vaporize.... mmmm.... better than the explosion and ensuing fireball I'd pictured up to now. Yes... yes... I can see it... MmmmmmmMmmm.

[zee42]

it always helps me in those situations to visualize 2 things,

1. Im driving a 49 chevy with rubber tires tied all around it like a tug boat!

2. the roman with the whip behind the guy beating the drum screaming "Ramming speed" in the movie BEN HUR!!!!!!!!!!:rocks::rocks:

[AlanL]

My technique would be cleaner (no mess to scrape off the roadway) but yours would be far more gratifying

[rosierobins2003]

Originally Posted by Bluesharp

Well, at the Grand Canyon she finally met her match, but I must say, when I contemplate it all, I get this overwhelming sense of gratitude that borders on the religious. It's not just the car or the landscape or the soundtrack... it's the whole package of life on earth at this point in time, and the human condition. It just freaking blows me away that we have the power to glide over a mountain range in our space ships. And I think of all the countless people who have made it possible in this endless stream of building contribution upon contribution... it just amazes me and I'm left with a feeling of awe.

Blusie, who'd a known you would get all mushy on us. I'm going to the Grand Canyon over the 4th, and hope to see the awe myself. Don't you just love the outdoors more BECAUSE of the Z? I mean what could be better then driving with the top down to totally take in the scenery?

Rosie

[Bluesharp]

Originally Posted by rosierobins2003

Blusie, who'd a known you would get all mushy on us. I'm going to the Grand Canyon over the 4th, and hope to see the awe myself. Don't you just love the outdoors more BECAUSE of the Z? I mean what could be better then driving with the top down to totally take in the scenery?

Rosie

Definitely. The Z just makes you feel like you are there, a part of it all.

The Grand Canyon is terriffic, but you have to dismount to really see it. I highly recommend the Canyon Rim trail, especially the west side. The further west you walk, the closer to the edge the trail gets, until you are right there at the edge. Man o man... it's sort of a creepy feeling to be walking with a sheer thousand foot expanse of empty space to your right. I had this personal struggle to remember that I know how to walk, and hardly EVER just spontaneously fall off of trails. *grin*

Enjoy the trip. I would have liked to hike down inside, but I was afraid I'd end up biting off more than I could chew, and end up stuck halfway back up in the dark with jelly-legs. Next time, I'll give myself more time, so I can do a day down and a day back up, just to be sure.

(On a totally off topic thing, it cracks me up that during a recent Republican debate, the only candidate that admitted that he believes in evolution was McCain... but he hastened to add that when he looks at the Grand Canyon, he sees the hand of God at work. The funny part is, when I look at the Grand Canyon, I see the clear evidence of tens of millions of years of geological time at work, on clear display and undeniable. That doesn't make it any less awe inspiring. All the more so, if you ask me.)

[Bluesharp]

Oh yeah. I'm HOME!! YAAAYYY!!!

[20Ducks]

Grand Canyon.....hike Bright Angel Trail. You will discover many things about the canyon and yourself.

[AlanL]

Hiking down into the canyon is a completely different perspective than what you experience standing on the rim. It is not a one day hike unless you are in absolutely remarkable physical shape.

[20Ducks]

Agreed. However, necessity is the mother of invention (and motivation) if one gets to the river and knows he has to get back on top before the sun goes down.

[Bluesharp]

Originally Posted by 20Ducks

Agreed. However, necessity is the mother of invention (and motivation) if one gets to the river and knows he has to get back on top before the sun goes down.

That's a great point. I was strongly considering it for just that reason, but I know myself, and I know I like to fart around looking at rocks, and searching for fossils, and just listening to the wind. I'm pretty sure it would be getting dark before I even STARTED back up.

[20Ducks]

Isn't McCain's wife on the hawt side?

[rosierobins2003]

Originally Posted by Bluesharp

Man o man... it's sort of a creepy feeling to be walking with a sheer thousand foot expanse of empty space to your right. I had this personal struggle to remember that I know how to walk, and hardly EVER just spontaneously fall off of trails. *grin*

Enjoy the trip. I would have liked to hike down inside, but I was afraid I'd end up biting off more than I could chew, and end up stuck halfway back up in the dark with jelly-legs. Next time, I'll give myself more time, so I can do a day down and a day back up, just to be sure.

Well, thanks for the advice, I'm meeting up with a fella I worked with at Honeywell in Phoenix two years back, he hikes up and down once a year. Don't know how he does it. And then I have my daughter who is going to be on crutches due to foot surgery. So I doubt that there will be much hiking though I'd like to do just a bit.

Rosie

[Bluesharp]

Well, in that case, the rim trail will be perfect. The Eastern part is a nicely paved, wheelchair accessible bit with lots of good viewpoints, and there is a shuttle bus that takes you to the western side (private cars not allowed), so it is all real easy to reach, even with crutches. You can wander off from the shuttlebus stops to take it as far or as easy as you feel the urge.

[Bluesharp]

Crap. I'm trying to show some more photo's but they are on my laptop, and I cant get my new router hooked up to work, or just connect through the modem. Getting close to the head-banging phase, or maybe (dread) call technical assistance.

Jeese, I am such a technotard. I'd be out mowing down the wheatfield my back yard became while I was gone, but it's raining. Maybe I'll start ripping out my kitchen in preparation for the new one that's arriving on Weds. Nothing like a good ole' fashioned demolition to ease the frustration of modern technology. Hmmmm... crowbar or sawsall? Hmmm... both are satisfying in their own way.

[AlanL]

Quite the abrupt change from your musings about Zen like thoughts a couple of days ago.

Welcome back to reali^H^H^H^H^Hcivilization

[Bluesharp]

Originally Posted by AlanL

Quite the abrupt change from your musings about Zen like thoughts a couple of days ago.

Welcome back to reali^H^H^H^H^Hcivilization

Well, I am at peace in my spirit... chanting OMMmmmmmmmmmmyGODthisfrickingrouterisdrivingmeNUTS !!

Truth is, I'm enjoying myself with the demo. Nothing like a little physical motion after all the effortless brreeeeezzyyy motion of the Z. I'm enjoying the workout.

[155MPH]

Man! I am sooooooooo jealous. I want so bad to do what you are doing! You are da man!

[takedown8]

Originally Posted by 155MPH

Man! I am sooooooooo jealous. I want so bad to do what you are doing! You are da man!

What's wrong with what you're driving?

[155MPH]

Originally Posted by takedown8

What's wrong with what you're driving?

Nothing is wrong with what I am driving, just where I am NOT driving it.

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by 155MPH

Nothing is wrong with what I am driving, just where I am NOT driving it.

Doesn't get much better than a road trip in a sports car....
We do at least one every year.
We're headed to the Gaspe next month.

[fire-n-ice]

insTg8r: Post pics don't forget! I love y'all's pictures and hearing your stories. I wish everyone would post more of their cars and the adventures they take in them.

[Bluesharp]

Okay, as promised, here's some more pics of the trip.

Here's Bluesie in the Florida Keys. The nightlife in Key West was a blast, but my favorite thing about that part of the trip was taking a walk on a section of the old seven mile bridge. Saw sharks, turtles, rays, an eagle about ten feet away, and a pellican diving for fish over and over again. I'd noticed by then that myface was all tanned from the glasses down, so I left my Seahawks hat in the car for that walk to even it out, and got my receding hairline nicely pinkified.


Here's Bluesie in the Everglades. Can you find the alligator in the background? (I also learned that day that if you drive in a thunderstorm with the top down, the water can hit the windscreen and run down the console, causing BMW Assist to contact you every 20 minutes until about noon the next day. ... I don't think they were very happy with me about that, but at least it fixed itself. )


Here's one of Bluesie being commondeered to be the team mascot in Spartanburg SC. I have no clue who those kids are, but Bluesie is a big showoff, so there ya go. I didn't think to take any pics of her at the plant, dangit.


Here's Bluesie with the best part of the whole trip, by far, in Athens GA. She's the friend I'll be meeting in Santa Cruz for the drive up the coast, per the other thread. I hesistate to use the "L" word, but she's mighty special.


More later.