A Great Day

I had one of those rare days that reinforce one's belief that its great
to be alive. If you don't want to read about it, just bail.

I live in the SF Bay Area in California, USA, about 35 miles south-west
of the city in what is Euphemistically called "Silicon Valley". While
the rest of the country is enjoying ol' man winter, this day dawned with
clear skies and temperatures that eventually reached the high sixties.
Having spent the earlier part of the week working on putting the next
issue of the magazine I publish to bed, I decided that I owed myself a
fun day. I opened the garage, slipped behind the wheel of my black 3.0
liter Alfa Romeo GTV-6, and twisted the key. I was rewarded by the
instant explosion of a thoroughbred engine coming to life. I warmed her
up some ("her" name is Sophia, BTW), and pulled out into traffic.

Accelerating gingerly and short-shifting (engine's still somewhat cold),
I drove toward the freeway on-ramp near my home, once there (with the
engine now fully up to temperature) I punched the accelerator to the
floor. The magnificent V-6 screamed toward it's 7250 rpm red-line and
and I shifted to second. By now I was up to merging speed and cleanly
integrated Sophia with the post-rush-hour flow of traffic. I headed down
I-85 toward the Big Basin Way exit occasionally touching 100 mph in the
light mid-morning traffic. I drove slowly through the little village of
Saratoga, nestled at the foot of the Santa Cruz mountains. Also known as
Highway-9, this two-lane road twists and turns it way to the summit of
"Skyline Drive" and then continues through the mountains, through
Scott's Valley, and ends at CA Highway-1, the justly famous "Pacific
Coast Highway" at the resort city of Santa Cruz.

Climbing up from Saratoga, was a driver's dream come true. There was
little or no traffic this morning and I was able to use the Alfa as it
was designed to be used. Pouring on the coal, and using all the road
(where judicious) I would point at the apex of a turn, give the car a
twist of opposite lock to destabilize the back end, and then turn-in
smartly while executing a double-clutched downshift from 4th to 3rd and
then stabbing the accelerator as soon as the nose is pointed correctly.
The back end comes around perfectly, caught with the nose pointing at
the exit of the turn by a another quick flick of opposite lock. The
smile on my face could be seen for miles - a perfectly executed turn.
After about 60 more of those (some more perfect than others), I found
myself on the Pacific Coast Highway heading north. It was clear and
warm. I had the windows down, the sunroof open - all the better to hear
that magnificent V-6 (experts agree that except for the Columbo-designed
Ferrari V-12, no other passenger car engine sounds as sexy as the Alfa
Romeo V-6); in fact, I kept it 3rd gear all the way up highway 1 just so
I could more clearly hear it sing - whatta sound! Alas, at Half-Moon
Bay, I had to turn back inland and back across the mountains to the
Valley again. Highway 92 is a very crowded road, and not much fun to
drive. Luckily its only six miles from Half-Moon Bay to Interstate 280,
which I took back home.

After 138 unnecessary miles and about 4 hours of my day, Sophia was back
snug in her garage and I felt like a million bucks! I still do. The car
had it's "Italian tuneup" and ran perfectly (as always In spite of it
being almost 19 years old).

Just thought I would share a rare day with my fellow Alfisti. Boy, life
is great!

--
George Graves
------------------
"I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French
one behind me." Gen. G.S. Patton

Great story and clearly written so I had the feeling I was on the passenger
seat. Okay, luckily those days exist.

Enjoy driving, regards, Hans.

"George Graves" > wrote in message
...
> I had one of those rare days that reinforce one's belief that its great
> to be alive. If you don't want to read about it, just bail.
>
> I live in the SF Bay Area in California, USA, about 35 miles south-west
> of the city in what is Euphemistically called "Silicon Valley". While
> the rest of the country is enjoying ol' man winter, this day dawned with
> clear skies and temperatures that eventually reached the high sixties.
> Having spent the earlier part of the week working on putting the next
> issue of the magazine I publish to bed, I decided that I owed myself a
> fun day. I opened the garage, slipped behind the wheel of my black 3.0
> liter Alfa Romeo GTV-6, and twisted the key. I was rewarded by the
> instant explosion of a thoroughbred engine coming to life. I warmed her
> up some ("her" name is Sophia, BTW), and pulled out into traffic.
>
> Accelerating gingerly and short-shifting (engine's still somewhat cold),
> I drove toward the freeway on-ramp near my home, once there (with the
> engine now fully up to temperature) I punched the accelerator to the
> floor. The magnificent V-6 screamed toward it's 7250 rpm red-line and
> and I shifted to second. By now I was up to merging speed and cleanly
> integrated Sophia with the post-rush-hour flow of traffic. I headed down
> I-85 toward the Big Basin Way exit occasionally touching 100 mph in the
> light mid-morning traffic. I drove slowly through the little village of
> Saratoga, nestled at the foot of the Santa Cruz mountains. Also known as
> Highway-9, this two-lane road twists and turns it way to the summit of
> "Skyline Drive" and then continues through the mountains, through
> Scott's Valley, and ends at CA Highway-1, the justly famous "Pacific
> Coast Highway" at the resort city of Santa Cruz.
>
> Climbing up from Saratoga, was a driver's dream come true. There was
> little or no traffic this morning and I was able to use the Alfa as it
> was designed to be used. Pouring on the coal, and using all the road
> (where judicious) I would point at the apex of a turn, give the car a
> twist of opposite lock to destabilize the back end, and then turn-in
> smartly while executing a double-clutched downshift from 4th to 3rd and
> then stabbing the accelerator as soon as the nose is pointed correctly.
> The back end comes around perfectly, caught with the nose pointing at
> the exit of the turn by a another quick flick of opposite lock. The
> smile on my face could be seen for miles - a perfectly executed turn.
> After about 60 more of those (some more perfect than others), I found
> myself on the Pacific Coast Highway heading north. It was clear and
> warm. I had the windows down, the sunroof open - all the better to hear
> that magnificent V-6 (experts agree that except for the Columbo-designed
> Ferrari V-12, no other passenger car engine sounds as sexy as the Alfa
> Romeo V-6); in fact, I kept it 3rd gear all the way up highway 1 just so
> I could more clearly hear it sing - whatta sound! Alas, at Half-Moon
> Bay, I had to turn back inland and back across the mountains to the
> Valley again. Highway 92 is a very crowded road, and not much fun to
> drive. Luckily its only six miles from Half-Moon Bay to Interstate 280,
> which I took back home.
>
> After 138 unnecessary miles and about 4 hours of my day, Sophia was back
> snug in her garage and I felt like a million bucks! I still do. The car
> had it's "Italian tuneup" and ran perfectly (as always In spite of it
> being almost 19 years old).
>
> Just thought I would share a rare day with my fellow Alfisti. Boy, life
> is great!
>
> --
> George Graves
> ------------------
> "I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French
> one behind me." Gen. G.S. Patton

George Graves wrote:

> I had one of those rare days that reinforce one's belief that its great
> to be alive.
<snip>

*sigh*
--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 2.0 TS
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

On Fri, 17 Dec 2004 06:58:33 +0000, George Graves pee'd inna snow:

> I live in the SF Bay Area in California, USA, about 35 miles south-west
> of the city in what is Euphemistically called "Silicon Valley". While
> the rest of the country is enjoying ol' man winter, this day dawned with
> clear skies and temperatures that eventually reached the high sixties.

Some of us US-based Alfisti live in mid Florida... so far the mornings
have started inna low sixties, progressing to mid-seventies by noon. This
Alfisti's 50+ mile drive to "work" is usually with the hood down on the
Spider ;-}

It IS great to be alive.

--
Dr E--
mhm 17x1

Linux: Load it, Learn it, Love it.

George Graves wrote:
> I had one of those rare days that reinforce one's belief that its
> great to be alive. If you don't want to read about it, just bail.
<snip>

<sigh> I had to make do with 30 miles on the M4

George Graves wrote:

> After 138 unnecessary miles and about 4 hours of my day, Sophia was back

Unnecessary miles are always the best ones.

> Just thought I would share a rare day with my fellow Alfisti. Boy, life
> is great!

Thanks a lot for a great tale, it was just what I needed on this,
the darkest day of the year. My Sud is hibernating, but not a day
goes by without me looking at pictures of Alfa's and making the
appropriate sound, both in my head and externally. My life SO need
a fast forward button, spring can not come a moment to soon.. :-)

--
Hygge..
Thomas

<http://www.carftp.com> - a library of car videos.

cupra wrote:

> <sigh> I had to make do with 30 miles on the M4

I love freeways. They have the wonderful ability to draw people
like moths to a flame, leaving all the great, twisted by-roads
totally uncluttered and traffic-free for me and my Alfa! Freeways
rule!

--
Hygge..
Thomas

<http://www.carftp.com> - a library of car videos.

In article >,
Thomas Strandtoft > wrote:

> cupra wrote:
>
> > <sigh> I had to make do with 30 miles on the M4
>
> I love freeways. They have the wonderful ability to draw people
> like moths to a flame, leaving all the great, twisted by-roads
> totally uncluttered and traffic-free for me and my Alfa! Freeways
> rule!

That's certainly one way to look at it!

--
George Graves
------------------
"I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French
one behind me." Gen. G.S. Patton