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Comments
Bobb
Oh, darn!
A thankful Thanksgiving and great weekend, all!
Cheers!
Paul
Mostly been out-of-pocket because of very hectic work situation, but also, thankfully, took a two-week vacation. We drove our Forester from Austin, TX, across southern New Mexico and Arizona, up to the Grand Canyon (south rim) and back again. with a number of rambling side-trips. Elapsed mileage was just a hair over 3,100 miles (we hooked up with some friends during our stay in southern Arizona, and they ferried us around a good bit in their RAV4, shaving at least 200-300 miles off the Forester mileage).
The Forester performed, of course, flawlessly. The closest thing to a problem was that it smelled of chiles for a long time, since we bought a bunch of riastras in Las Cruces, N.M., early in the trip and carried them around for nearly two full weeks. Took many days after the trip was over before the interior stopped smelling like a chile relleno.
A few trip highlights:
* Best road for driving a Forester (on our vacation route, at least): Highway 89 though Oak Creek Canyon north of Sedona, Ariz. Twisty and climbing and beautiful. (Counting on this entry to keep this post more or less on topic.)
* Coolest single sightseeing stop of the trip (excluding the Grand Canyon, because that's way too obvious): Wupatki National Monument north of Flagstaff. Anasazi and Sinagua ruins that were much different than what I've seen at Mesa Verde, Colo., or Chaco Canyon, N.M.
* Best (sorta) museum of the trip: The Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum in Tucson. Not really a museum, but quite a bit more than just a zoo or a botanical garden. Fascinating animal and plant exhibits; spent nearly a whole day there.
* Weirdest museum of the trip: The Titan Missile Museum south of Tucson. It's a real Titan II missile silo turned into a museum. Extremely educational, albeit a bit spooky.
* Weirdest single stop of the trip: Looking for the "Marfa Mystery Lights" outside Marfa, TX. On a whim, we shivered in some cold breezes late at night looking for the famous "ghost lights" of West Texas. We did see some sort of lights bouncing above the horizon briefly off in the distance, but could've been anything from UFOs to taillights going over a low rise. The weird part really is that we actually drove down from Fort Davis (where we were spending the night at the Hotel Limpia) to do this.
* Best single meal of the trip: Cafe Express in downtown Flagstaff. We ate at much pricier and fancier places -- the dining rooms in El Tovar Hotel at Grand Canyon and the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix among them -- but a cheap breakfast (moist, delicate corncakes with a terrific blueberry compote) at this little cafe really was my fave.
Bob
I got to drive a couple of hundred miles over the holiday to pick up a relative in Rehobeth, DE. The WRX seemed to enjoy stretching it's legs for a bit. It performed great. Our Uncle, who is in his 90's (and still driving a 97 OB), loved the ride and comfort in the front seat. He really wanted to drive it, but the manual might have been a challenge for him.
My thoughts are with you all for a great holiday weekend. My youngest turns 13 this weekend, so a homefull of girls is the order of the weekend. I hope to get some PC time later.
Patti
Bob
Best wishes to all of you!
Ron
On another note, I was out at Flemington this weekend with the wife for regular maintenance and took her for a test drive in thw WRX. We both loved the ride and comfort. Afterwards we went looking in the back where they had a silver 5spd wagon. I was already sold on the car, but she was a little hesitant, until she saw it! We kept on talking about it all weekend. She's finally talking about getting her license, so I told her she could drive the OB while I get the WRX! At lteast she didn't say no right away. Time to look for a drving school on SI that teaches stick!
Mark
-mike
Congrats,
Ed
-mike
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KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
Pretty amazing after such a poor start!
Bob
-mike
mike - Congrats!
Dennis
I'm back from the road trip to CT, "to grandmother's house we go", as they say. Dreadful 8 hour drive up on Tuesday night, though the drive back on Friday was much better.
I actually had my first problem, though I take the blame for this one. My battery gave in to the brisk temps after about 3 and a half years of abuse with (shamefully) no service ever done to it. H20 levels were way low, so make sure you check yours and add distilled water to them. One of my cells went dry and would no longer hold a charge. It was easy to jump but we went ahead replaced the battery. Learn from my mistake - check the water level and add distilled water at least once a year!
Serge: congrats on the new WRX, I'm jealous.
Da Big Meet was fun, but the Mall Cops harassed us about gathering 50 cars in their lot. I was still able to snoop around and get some pix, which I try to get up this week (gotta catch up at work first). We had THREE green Foresters, believe it or not! Saw some wild 18" rims on an Impreza, lots of cool stuff. Also saw the Moran brothers there (looks like Jake will be a Subaru mechanic at the Gaithersburg Fitz dealer!) plus all the usual suspects. They handed out a preview video for the US Rally Team, which was oh-so-cool.
Haven't seen Harry Potter yet, Ken, but we did TRY to see Monsters Inc with our "terrible-twos" daughter. Forget it. We ended up chasing her around after the first 45 minutes, and I missed the ending. Guess she's not ready for a full feature movie yet.
-juice
first real snow of the year and its going to be a good one! They are calling for 12+ inches in some parts on Minneaota. Hopefully a good amount in northren Wisconsin too.
--Jay
Ain't life grand? We have a signed poster from Karl Scheible, and now a chat scheduled for Thursday with Mark Lovell.
For those who don't already know, they are the Group N and Open Class US Rally Champs, respectively.
-juice
Bob
-juice
Harry Potter coming up this weekend... my oldest's birthday, so he's (read that: we're) taking some classmates of his for pizza & Potter.
Juice: try Monsters, Inc. again! Went yesterday afternoon, and it was great! The birds short at the beginning was almost worth the price of admission by itself! SPROING!
Cheers!
Paul
Serge..I'll look forward to seeing the blue WRX wagon when I bicycle thru Coral Springs, especially on Thursday mornings. Congrats and happy miles.
Patti..Your thoughts and good wishes are a wonderful tonic. Marianne has started her second round of chemo (only eleven more sessions to go) and really has had a rough time of it. It has to get better. The oncologist is trying to come up with a less debilitating combination. You and the "Crew" have become "family" and I thank all of you.
It's good to be back and able to participate once again. Any bicycle questions while I was "gone?"
Don
Ross
(oh well, there's plenty more from where they came from!)
I see I've been made the British correspondent. I'm honored, but I'm wondering what the heck I'm supposed to do ... (thanks Juice!)
I am seriously missing Canadian weather right now. My ex calls me up and tells me there's snow on the ground, and all I get is a bit of rain and bone-chilling days. But I'm going back to Canada for 3 weeks in Dec., and I am going to spend all that time outside!! Too bad I don't have a sube anymore. I'll just have to do parking brake jobs with my mazda.
anyway, hope everyone's well -- ash
Great job - we're proud of you.
Patti
Patti
Patti
Loosh! Oh, man. My brother was in a play and I had to bolt about an hour after it started. Did you pick up that video they handed out? Sweet!
Don: just one question - where can I move so that the weather either lets me bike around with my toddler, or there is snow on the ground, both extremes, nothing inbetween?
Tell the wife to hang in there, she's got a nice husband with lots of friends who care. A close friend at work had a hard time during chemo, but he's in remission and remember - the tough times don't last, tough people do!
Nice to hear from you, Ash. I think you're being modest and you're really a player! ;-)
-juice
All the best!
Ron
-Frank P.
Bob
Ash: As nominated "British correspondent," maybe you can clue us in on the response to Richard Burns' 2001 WRC driver's championship. Burns doesn't appear to be returning to Subaru in '02, nor is he the most popular driver, but his success - as well as that of this coming Thursday's guest, Mark Lovell - will do a lot to boost Subaru's reputation in the public eye. It seems Subaru can do a better job of "race on Sunday, sell on Monday" than many other marques these days. Reminds me of the days when NASCAR cars really were "stock cars" and much closer to their production counterparts than they are now.
Subarus have had an enthusiast following in the UK for a long time. Maybe you can keep a non-roving eye on that, too? ;-)
Ed
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
-Dennis
juice...become a snowbird...we welcome them with open arms here (or at least we welcome their money). You can stay with us..you just have to walk Dina; a little bit different than walking Hadji.
I can't wait to take my daughter sledding. She began to like it last year.
-juice
Or you can drive to "Death Hill", which has a double-jump, and is conveniently located next to Holy Cross Hospital! Really!
Though I think I'll keep my 2 year old on the slightly smaller hills. :-)
-juice
mike k
Mike, congrats on the auto-x win!
Don, our thoughts are with you and Marianne.
Tex & Ash, good to hear from you.
I drove my wife and two boys in the GT wagon from Silver Spring, MD to my in-laws in Boston, MA on Thanksgiving. Left at 4am and made it in 7 hours, including a 15 min refuel and relief stop.
Results yesterday (Monday) weren't as good as Burnsie's; 6am departure gave us ample time to experience the morning rushes in several Connecticut cities. The George Washington Bridge in NYC was no fun, either. Made it in (ugh) 9.5 hours.
Watched the Australia WRC (twice) with my kids on SpeedVision; they loved seeing Richard Burns get airborne. Wish I could get SV in DC.
Fuel economy was 26.8mpg north and 26.4mpg south at 62-73mph with 12,000 on the odometer.
Patti, I sat proudly when passed the Cherry Hill, NJ exit sign on 95.
Cheers,
..Mike
..Mike
You could probably do the same by going up I-270.
Bob
Teusday night was awful going up to CT, Friday was good coming back, though. I guess the lesson is go up Thursday early, go back on Friday. That's a quick visit, though!
Passed by Bob's house on the way up, though that road I take off 97 to your place was closed this time. Drove up past Hutch's exit, too, then by paisan's, and on and on.
-juice