Hey, Tiger Folk:
I wanted to get The Garage Queen out over the weekend so I checked
out hemmings.com; they have an on-line listing of car events. Selecting this
past weekend and Maryland, I got a few hits including "A Gathering of
Gearheads" in Glen Burnie, MD. Not too far, and who knows, I might see Tom
Calvert and his Tiger in the vicinity.
So, I turn down a sailing trip, and head out Saturday evening. It's
almost exactly 30 miles, and the temp might've dropped a degree or two from
the high of 98. Jeez, and two weeks ago it was below 60; what wacky weather
we've been having! I'm pleased that the temp gauge did not get above 185,
even though I had to sit at a couple of traffic lights.
The speed shop 'hosting' the event wasn't too hard to find, and we
pull in. The only other car out front is an early 1980's Corvette, so we
park next to that. No people, and no signs, no nothing. Uh-oh. Well, we were
a bit early, I guess.
We sit an hour. Yeah, there are more than a few street machines
running up and down the highway, but none pull in. I walk, eh, 1/4-mile in
each direction looking for a convenience store or fast-food place to pick up
some cold drinks or some food, but the area is all industrial. Susan was a
saint, sat it out with me until it sank into my brain that there wasn't
going to be an event.
The ride home wasn't much more interesting, except that we ran
side-by-side with a 1968 Mustang for a while, and I saw going the other way
on the highway a car I could not identify; it looked like a cross between a
Ferrari 365GTC/4 and one of those Brazilian Volkswagen SP2's.
The lesson? Don't take events posted on the 'net for granted;
_confirm_ them. I tried calling the phone # listed with the event & got no
answer. Either the event was cancelled, moved, or it was too hot for anyone
to show up or it started _really_ late Saturday nite. Oh, well.
BTW, I had just capped off the fuel, and the 60-mile trip consumed 4
gallons (imp) for the trip, indicated. That's 15mpg, driving 60mph indicated
in 5th for most of the trip, which I think is a bit excessive. However, my
last few tanks have shown consumption all over the place, from the low 20's
to about 11mpg. This is the 1st season I've kept a gas log book, though.
Larry Wright
"I can't get no-- Satis-Traction"
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