In a message dated 7/20/2005 10:15:05 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, doddk@moss
motors.com writes:
>Driving to work this morning. Just as the twisties get interesting on
>Hwy 150 by Lake Casitas between Ojai and Santa Barbara, CA.......
Hi all,
I know the road that Kelvin Dodd writes about very well. Having traversed it
during the early '70's at least twice a day going up to UCSB Goleta. More
than once when I found myself with out a car I resorted to the outstretched
thumb mode of travel. Oh, yeah there was a time when hitchhiking was almost a
way of life. Especially in that crazy part of life known as my youth. One
morning as I stood at the corner of Hwy. 150 and Hwy. 33... with my arm
outstretched and right thumb out. When up pulls a bright yellow Lotus Europa.
I
remember my outstreched thumb almost touched the car's roof top. I told the
driver
that I was headed for college and he said "C'mon, Get in! I'm headed for work
in Lompoc." Lompoc is about 50 miles north of where I was going, so I thought
"Sure why not?" The next 15 minutes were the wildest ride I've ever had in
my life. That little car really was given a work out that morning. Anyone
who's ever been in or driven one of Colin Chapman's automotive masterpieces
knows
that they are really a drivers car. And whatever the svelte little yellow
coupe lacked in brute HP or cubic inch's it more than made up with its ability
to take corners at an awesome clip. Kelvin, does that one narrow bridge still
exist on that last stretch of back road before Hwy.150 veers north towards
Hwy. 101 and Carpinteria? Anyway we ripped across that bridge diagonally at
about 80 mph. I felt as if I was on a roller coaster. When the fellow let me
off at Patterson Rd. and Hwy. 101 I was only too happy to extricate myself
from
the confines of the little coupe. Man, what a ride that was! In fact I still
subconsciously cinch up on my shoulder harness and seat belt when ever I
drive past that intersection ( Hwy.150 & Hwy. 33.) I've been on that road
100's
of times but never the way I did that morning 30 plus years ago! Youth has
it's privileges as well as it's perils...
Albert Escalante
1978 MGB, 1977 Jaguar XJ-6L
The Central Coast British Car Club (CA)
Ventura, CA
(info: www.ccbcc.org)
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