On 02/02/2020 01:58 PM, The Real Bev wrote:
> Public transport just doesn't go where I need to go, for the most part.
> A half-hour drive to my daughter's house is a multi-modal travesty that
> takes 5 hours. Nope. Light-rail station is about 1/4 mile away, as are
> most of the destinations I take it to, but at 35 cents/ride I'm willing
> to walk when I can. Parking is typically more than $6/hour, and I'm not
> going to pay one thin dime to park unless I absolutely have to.
When I had a long term contract in Boston I would rent a room or
apartment. At various times I was in Allston, Somerville, and on Beacon
Hill, and I would be working in Cambridge or Somerville. Theoretically
public transportation was available but I would walk. I enjoy walking
and particularly in the evening hours where the trains and buses run
less frequently it was faster.
> I have to wonder how those things work. Do the cars have to be
> repairable? The Caddy had brand new brakes and tires which could have
> been of use to SOMEONE.
They could have made a nice pickup out of it in Mexico. Say what you
will Mexicans tend to have the inventiveness Americans had 100 years
ago. They see a problem and solve it with materials at hand. There's a
lot to be said for not knowing the 'right' way to do things. Cubans are
no slouches either:
http://www.floatingcubans.com/
A friend had a '59 Buick deuce and a quarter that I always thought drove
like a boat, but I never tried to take it for a cruise off pavement.
> We rented a Yaris for a 3-week ski+tour trip to/around Utah. Packed to
> the roof + 2 people it still hit 90 when passing with no problem and
> managed to negotiate the "road" in the bottom of Monument Valley with
> much dignity and only a little scraping. Nice little car.
I think the '07 with the 5 speed manual was a little peppier than the
'11 with the 4 speed auto but it holds its own. The interstate limit in
Montana and several of the adjoining states is 80, and it has no problem
although the fuel economy suffers.
When I had the '07 I played with a Mini Cooper on Highway 1 down past
Big Sur. Some tourists might have dove off the overlooks as we screamed
by but I was still in the lead when the Mini turned off at a restaurant.
https://jalopnik.com/this-adorably-intense-japanese-yaris-race-is-everything-1822197728
It's not NASCAR but it looks like a lot of fun and it doesn't cost a
million bucks to go racing. TRD has a few goodies and there are plenty
of aftermarket options.
Depending on the season, the back of mine has skis, snowshoes, a
Montague Paratrooper bike, camping gear, an Advanced Elements inflatable
kayak in some combination, plus the usual ax, e-tool, water, rations,
cooking gear, Israeli battle dressings, QuikClot, light sticks, and all
that other never leave home without it stuff.
Except for the limited clearance it goes anywhere I want to go.
> Sentra was a hatchback, and the rear seats were also down most of the
> time. I like the fold-down rear seats on the Corolla -- I can fit my
> skis in the trunk!
Pass through trunk? I had a Geo sedan that I could get skis into, but
not a bicycle. A bike carrier on the trunk lid was a pain. That's what I
like about a hatch. The Montague is a full size mountain bike but it
folds and I can get it inside with no problem.
Love those hatchbacks. I traded a Camaro in on a Firebird in '82 when
they came out with a hatchback. I could even get a sheet of plywood in
that thing.
> Friend has race tires on her S2000. Never a squeal on the mountain
> roads. Most fun I've ever had in a car.
The Miatas look like fun but that's the other end of practicality. I had
a Sprite back in the day that had slightly more cargo capacity than a
motorcycle.
> I drove a friend's 67 or 68 Mustang. OK, but nothing special. He
> invested big bucks in restoring it TWICE, but didn't drive it much
> because his girlfriend/wife didn't like the rattles.
The early ones were mostly a pretty Falcon. By '73 they'd gotten fat,
but it was a comfortable ride despite sucking in snow. Big engine with
all the weight on the front wheels. Then came the second generation
which was a Pinto in wolf's clothing. I went for a Camaro instead.
> That's why we all need several cars.
Well, I've got three bikes and the pickup. I can only drive one at a
time and my insurance man won't give me a fleet discount. I had one of
the bikes out yesterday which for February 1 in Montana isn't too
shabby. Go global warming!