Road Trip!

fintail

Anyone hitting the road for the upcoming holiday? I'll be headed out to podunk as usual, looking forward to getting off the interstate for a couple hours. Planning to leave early Monday, before the crowds get going.

Michaell

Nothing here, though I've been jonesing for a good road trip for a while.

ab348

fintail said:

Anyone hitting the road for the upcoming holiday? I'll be headed out to podunk as usual, looking forward to getting off the interstate for a couple hours. Planning to leave early Monday, before the crowds get going.

Maybe you can stop in and check this primo garage find out - it's in Richland. Only 66 ORIGINAL (what other kind are there?) MILES!!!

$10,250 bid ATM and days yet to go. Insanity.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1974-ford-maverick-3/







The one we bought in '74 wasn't that clean underhood and underneath on the day it was delivered.

The underbody shots are interesting, both for the mix of primer coat and color overspray, and for the way it was constructed - a few crude holes cut in the floorpan, and lots of open seams to trap metal-hungry road chemicals and moisture. This one would be very little fun to drive, I'm sure.

xwesx

No wonder it only has 66 miles. In Richland, a car that color would simply disappear. The owner probably forgot where he parked it, and the rest is history! Makes me think of the invisible car in Megamind.

fintail

That Maverick is insane. I wonder why it was preserved. Maybe someone bought it and hated it from day one, and just put it away rather than be insulted by a low trade-in etc. Looks like that might be the year or two before the corporate steering wheel design. Nice period colors, but that's about all I can say, and on your line of thought, it looks like a cheap not too cheerful car.

Good place for a car to survive too, eastern WA is the land rust forgot. Just keep it indoors, and it won't age. Looks like the seller/flipper has moved it to Portlandia.

ab348 said:

Maybe you can stop in and check this primo garage find out - it's in Richland. Only 66 ORIGINAL (what other kind are there?) MILES!!!
This one would be very little fun to drive, I'm sure.

ab348

The story as relayed in the comments is that is was bought by a fellow as a gift for his sister after he received an inheritance. She didn't drive, said she wasn't going to learn how either (wonder if the car had anything to do with that!) and so it stayed parked in an unheated garage for years and years. She either died or was declared incompetent and so it was sold and now is on offer again. Best place for it is in a museum of curiosities, not on the road.

In contrast to the engine compartment pic above, here is what ours looked like after about 2 years on the road. Note the rust seeping out from the passenger side shock tower structure. That continued until the metal could be broken off with your fingers.

fintail

Left in the rain early this morning - was hoping for dry roads, but a convergence zone set up by an apparently moody mother nature ruined that idea. Surprisingly enough, the rain didn't create issues (metro Seattleites, many being Californicators, don't handle rain well even though it rains what seems like 330 days a year). Speed limit drive or just above nearly all the way, save for the usual timid drones on 405 content to toddle along at 49 in a 60.
Not even any slowdowns in Tacoma or around JBLM. Biggest hassle was LLCs, which were plentiful everywhere on the route, trucks especially. Interesting contrast in weather - pouring and 43F in the city, foggy frosty and 33F on the coast, then a little sun. No interesting cam clips, was mostly in the dark.

gagrice

Merry Christmas to all. If you are on the highways be safe. Have a great New Year.

fintail

Likewise, gagrice, everyone keep their heads up out there.

fintail

Back home. 29.7 mpg per the car, had some stop and go traffic, and I made a detour/stop on the way, which can have an impact. Weather was cool and dry, ideal for driving. Nothing interesting for cam clips, but I did notice a dearth of turn signal usage today.

fintail

On the road in the city today, watched about a dozen cars turn right. All signaled but one. Any guesses? A bright blue 2er (possibly M2/M235) of course!

andres3

fintail said:

On the road in the city today, watched about a dozen cars turn right. All signaled but one. Any guesses? A bright blue 2er (possibly M2/M235) of course!

Law enforcement for some reason doesn't see the readily apparent danger and hazards that lack of turn signal use causes. They view it as a "safe" crime. I saw another LEO say "lack of auto insurance" citations weren't accomplishing the "safey" goal either. Again, I think they are idiots. As someone who has personally and through immediate family members experienced collisions at the fault of an uninsured, it is definitely a SAFETY issue.

fintail

Funny, in WA, the brave, competent, and accountable authorities Have recently ruled that signals must always be used

Of course this has nothing to do with enforcement, and even if it did result in an enforcement emphasis, it doesn't mean anything would happen via increased attention. Similar emphasis regarding distracted driving and left lane morons doesn't seem to have created an impact.

I don't know whether a lot of this is poor LEO leadership not encouraging better enforcement, or simply a lack of resources when simple speed is always the low hanging fruit, thus being easier and faster to generate air tight citations.

andres3 said:

Law enforcement for some reason doesn't see the readily apparent danger and hazards that lack of turn signal use causes. They view it as a "safe" crime. I saw another LEO say "lack of auto insurance" citations weren't accomplishing the "safey" goal either. Again, I think they are idiots. As someone who has personally and through immediate family members experienced collisions at the fault of an uninsured, it is definitely a SAFETY issue.

andres3

fintail said:

Funny, in WA, the brave, competent, and accountable authorities Have recently ruled that signals must always be used

Of course this has nothing to do with enforcement, and even if it did result in an enforcement emphasis, it doesn't mean anything would happen via increased attention. Similar emphasis regarding distracted driving and left lane morons doesn't seem to have created an impact.

I don't know whether a lot of this is poor LEO leadership not encouraging better enforcement, or simply a lack of resources when simple speed is always the low hanging fruit, thus being easier and faster to generate air tight citations.

andres3 said:

Law enforcement for some reason doesn't see the readily apparent danger and hazards that lack of turn signal use causes. They view it as a "safe" crime. I saw another LEO say "lack of auto insurance" citations weren't accomplishing the "safey" goal either. Again, I think they are idiots. As someone who has personally and through immediate family members experienced collisions at the fault of an uninsured, it is definitely a SAFETY issue.

City Police enforcing non-maximum "basic speed law" prima facie speed limit violations are not as "air tight" as you'd think. However, with the Traffic Court system, they are pretty air tight. That's the sham, so many tickets go uncontested, I highly doubt their conviction batting average would go down from enforcing "hazards" rather than low hanging fruit. Maybe the conviction rates go down, what... 2.... .4% at most? Still over 90% conviction.

fintail

Unless they are careless and don't calibrate their equipment, or you are going for the "reasonable/percentile" speed limit angle which I suspect most traffic court judges will laugh out of the building (I wonder how much money the insurance cabal will donate to the cause this year), it is pretty air tight,and enforcement is easier than anything else behind the wheel - so it remains the emphasis. With the moronic "vision zero" cult taking charge of dopey cradle-to-grave city planner types, don't expect a change.

andres3 said:

City Police enforcing non-maximum "basic speed law" prima facie speed limit violations are not as "air tight" as you'd think. However, with the Traffic Court system, they are pretty air tight. That's the sham, so many tickets go uncontested, I highly doubt their conviction batting average would go down from enforcing "hazards" rather than low hanging fruit. Maybe the conviction rates go down, what... 2.... .4% at most? Still over 90% conviction.

fintail

Got lucky last night. Had hockey relatively late for a weeknight, cruising home on a fairly empty (yay holiday) wide suburban arterial under-posted at 40 (would be 50-60 in other areas, but if you ask for SL methodology around here, you'll receive crickets from the brave souls setting regulations and probably need to submit some kind of FOIA request to get data, they don't take well to those who dare to ask questions). Downhill section has a small park entrance used as a speed trap, didn't expect one in a low traffic time, was headed down the hill at around 55-60, and there it was, an Explorer police car. I touched the brakes to get down to around 50 and expected the worst, apparently I wasn't that bad, as nothing happened. Either I wasn't so bad, or they were trolling for more egregious offenders - I know that stretch of road can see very fast traffic.

Also saw a Sentra with no lights at all, and a CX5 (I think) with only DRLs - no rear lights. A couple people flashed the latter, no response.

imidazol97

.

fintail

Going to be fun on the roads here soon - with buses zooming around on chains and the composition of many road surfaces apparently a mixture of school glue and sawdust, there will be some potholes. Plenty of cars on the road with windows not cleared, too - should be a significant ticket. Always amuses me how a couple inches of snow can make a mess.

fintail

Drove on 405 and 167 a bit today. Gack, unpleasant. A little rain, a lot of timidity, a gaggle of LLCs, a metric crapton of trucks, a dearth of turn signals. I was thrilled with my ~35 mph average speed in-between rush hours. This morning, Tacoma to Seattle and Everett to Bellevue drives were approaching 2 hours. What a place!

fintail

Ventured down to the south sound and back today. Plenty of LLCs as usual, typical Tacoma congestion that's been going on since 1993, otherwise easy drive on the sunniest day possibly all year. I took the long way home just to enjoy the sunshine.

Caught one funny thing, possible road rage incident in the lame way one would expect around here. I had noticed a rental-looking Armada with a young guy in a Sunday suit/rental wedding suit occasionally hanging out the passenger window. I paid it little heed, thinking it was just a kid trying to be wild and crazy. Just before I exited, he hangs out and throws something at another car, possibly a large paper cup or something similar:

https://youtu.be/f_mvuiVtAKc

fintail

Was planning a little day trip to BC tomorrow with a friend to buy a little end of season sale hockey gear. Plans are still on as of now, but who knows what the border situation could be in the morning. Chaos is everywhere.

cdnpinhead

My guess is that it'll be deader than Elvis. The sheep have all headed for the barn.

Let us know.

Michaell

I'll be heading to Target later today for a few things. Hopefully I'll get what I need.

fintail

Right now both northbound and southbound waits at Peace Arch and Truck Crossing are 5 minutes or less. Unheard of for a sunny spring Saturday.

I'd rather deal with crossing the border than a target right now

Michaell

fintail said:

Right now both northbound and southbound waits at Peace Arch and Truck Crossing are 5 minutes or less. Unheard of for a sunny spring Saturday.

I'd rather deal with crossing the border than a target right now

Target was surprisingly quiet, but there were a lot of empty shelves, too. Supposedly, a truck will arrive on Monday. I got about 65% of the items on my list.

fintail

Paper goods being among those not in stock?

Michaell said:

Target was surprisingly quiet, but there were a lot of empty shelves, too. Supposedly, a truck will arrive on Monday. I got about 65% of the items on my list.

fintail

Ended up not going, my friend got cold feet, leery of border difficulties. Ugh, what a time this is.

fintail

Drove around town a little. Traffic volumes are probably half of normal at most, but man some people are going slow - going 5-10 under seems to be the new thing. Might be a stress factor due to the big story.

andres3

fintail said:

Drove around town a little. Traffic volumes are probably half of normal at most, but man some people are going slow - going 5-10 under seems to be the new thing. Might be a stress factor due to the big story.

Funny, I find myself driving faster....after all, half the normal traffic is a condition one should adjust to, and not ignore. $3.19 for 91 at Costco (cheap for CA) is a bright side to this chaos.

andres3

fintail said:

Ended up not going, my friend got cold feet, leery of border difficulties. Ugh, what a time this is.

What a pansy!

xwesx

andres3 said:

Funny, I find myself driving faster....after all, half the normal traffic is a condition one should adjust to, and not ignore. $3.19 for 91 at Costco (cheap for CA) is a bright side to this chaos.

That is about like here in Alaska. These guys with their sub-$2 fuel..... that's just craziness.

xwesx

My friend, who is using/storing my 2008 Forester for the winter, sent me this little milestone a couple weeks ago:

fintail

A bit nippy up there along with the miles, I wonder if the Achilles heel has been dealt with.

I think PUG was $3 roughly on the nose at Costco. I am driving at normal speeds, even though traffic here has somewhat evaporated - nowhere to go right now. My street can be fairly busy, and at this time of day the intersections can back up a block or two. Right now there are huge gaps in traffic where I could get on my hands and knees and crawl across the street (2 lanes in each direction along with median/turn lane) with no risk of being hit. It's like traffic used to be at 11 pm, but during the evening rush.

xwesx

fintail said:

A bit nippy up there along with the miles, I wonder if the Achilles heel has been dealt with.

I think PUG was $3 roughly on the nose at Costco. I am driving at normal speeds, even though traffic here has somewhat evaporated - nowhere to go right now. My street can be fairly busy, and at this time of day the intersections can back up a block or two. Right now there are huge gaps in traffic where I could get on my hands and knees and crawl across the street (2 lanes in each direction along with median/turn lane) with no risk of being hit. It's like traffic used to be at 11 pm, but during the evening rush.

Strange times, indeed! Sadly, any sort of road trip is not an option. I need to re-up my passport so I can get out of here!

This particular Forester had head gasket replacement at 109K, IIRC. It was work the prior owners performed (paid), but I have the records on it. Hopefully the work was done well enough to keep it in play for a while. I check for the tell-tale signs of the internal HG failure, and everything was clean during last summer's checkup.

We had some brutally cold temps for the first week+ of March, with several mornings in a row below -30F, and one nearly -40F. Things are turned around now, though. The last three days running, day temperatures are several degrees above freezing.

fintail

Was that the one that rolled?

Looks like the passport won't even get you through right now, not a good time to drive to the lower 48.

Another irritant of the new crisis - the weather here has been spectacular for several days with more ahead, but now there's effectively nowhere to go. Nice for a walk, I suppose.

xwesx said:

Strange times, indeed! Sadly, any sort of road trip is not an option. I need to re-up my passport so I can get out of here!

This particular Forester had head gasket replacement at 109K, IIRC. It was work the prior owners performed (paid), but I have the records on it. Hopefully the work was done well enough to keep it in play for a while. I check for the tell-tale signs of the internal HG failure, and everything was clean during last summer's checkup.

We had some brutally cold temps for the first week+ of March, with several mornings in a row below -30F, and one nearly -40F. Things are turned around now, though. The last three days running, day temperatures are several degrees above freezing.

xwesx

fintail said:

Was that the one that rolled?

Yes. Five years and nearly 40,000 miles distant at this point.

fintail

Traffic today seems even lighter than usual lately, save for the amount of construction-related traffic, which seemed ramped up earlier today. I wonder if some are trying to wrap things up in case of a lockdown coming soon. And as usual, they are driving with endless care and minding speed limits in their clean and no doubt well maintained trucks.

An injured friend of mine wants me to take him to Tacoma this weekend to pick something up (that he could easily have shipped to him). Assuming he can get his item, I'll probably end up doing it - maybe the biggest road trip I'll be taking for awhile.

fintail

Went out for a walk - this is downtown Bellevue just before 5pm. These streets are usually bordering on gridlock at this time of day - not in the current reality:








SB 405 is usually backed up about a mile behind this point - not quite so bad today:

xwesx

How wonderful! It seems this might be good four our "gotta maintain our routine" mentality. Let's see what happens in a few more weeks when the hysteria settles down.

fintail

I just hope it does settle down. Weird how 3 weeks ago seems like an eternity. The reduced traffic is nice, less noise save for the aforementioned tradebros.

fintail

Took a drive down to Tacoma today - cruise set at ~70 and barely tapped the brakes there and back. North Tacoma streets were almost as lightly traveled as downtown Bellevue, which continues to be almost eerily empty.

xwesx

Silver linings!

I spent a good part of the day today working with a well drilling/service company to get my well back to running. The drop pipe in the well itself had rusted and come apart just below the pitless adapter. So, no water for the last four days. I spent a few hours on Thursday and Friday clearing snow from the ~100' long x 12' wide section needed to connect a reasonably driveable surface between my driveway and the location of the well. Then, with all the warm weather we're having (hovering around freezing) combined with fresh, wet snow, the guy had a helluva time trying to get up my driveway just to get to the area I cleared for him. I ended up plowing out the driveway, then towing him with my plow truck, then getting the plow stuck and having to tow THAT with my Q7.

Finally, I just got the truck out of the way and pulled the service rig up with the Q7. After he made it to the area I cleared, which was around 45 minutes in, he had no further issues. A couple hours of various trials and tribulations later, and we finally had the well line replaced, cleared, and connected.

Running water is such a luxury.

fintail

A well, that's something where people make wishes, right? At least it wasn't a septic failure!

Took my now daily walk at ~5pm, usually the height of rush hour. We are on a ramped up stay at home policy now (although plenty of activity is "essential") , but as this is a city mostly inhabited by tech/office workers, it can get really quiet. Still cars on the road, maybe a little less than when I took pics last week. This is NE 8th and 112th in Bellevue, a 5 way intersection - one street is the most major arterial in town, the other is merely a very busy arterial, and a major interchange at 405 is adjacent, so this usually sees endless traffic. Not when I was walking through it today:

xwesx

That's starting to look a little creepy.... Not a car in sight.

kyfdx

Charles Schwab has closed their offices.

tifighter

fintail said:

Took a drive down to Tacoma today - cruise set at ~70 and barely tapped the brakes there and back. North Tacoma streets were almost as lightly traveled as downtown Bellevue, which continues to be almost eerily empty.

Honk next time you're in North Tacoma. I'll hear you.

fintail

I could probably make it there in an easy 30 minutes these days, and not need to speed too egregiously.

tifighter said:

Honk next time you're in North Tacoma. I'll hear you.

xwesx

fintail said:

I could probably make it there in an easy 30 minutes these days, and not need to speed too egregiously.

tifighter said:

Honk next time you're in North Tacoma. I'll hear you.

Yes, but you could speed to get there... and there is something to be said in that!

fintail

I wonder what highway enforcement is like right now - lighter volumes must be tempting to chronic speeders, maybe like shooting fish in a barrel. Fortunately for me anyway, LEOs here seem to give leeway if not more than 10 over, and I don't usually speed more than that for any significant distance.

xwesx said:

Yes, but you could speed to get there... and there is something to be said in that!

andres3

fintail said:

I wonder what highway enforcement is like right now - lighter volumes must be tempting to chronic speeders, maybe like shooting fish in a barrel. Fortunately for me anyway, LEOs here seem to give leeway if not more than 10 over, and I don't usually speed more than that for any significant distance.

xwesx said:

Yes, but you could speed to get there... and there is something to be said in that!

In CA they seem to be lax.... as long as you keep it 99 and under.