No postings since Christmas Eve?

What, are we hibernating?

"Frank Berger" > wrote:

> What, are we hibernating?

No, driving.

My sister wanted to come over for the Christmas holidays and would like
to have her car to drive but didn't want to drive by herself so I went
over, drove her back in her car leaving the Miata in her garage. Last
Sunday, the 28th we drove back to California and on the 30th I came
home with the my Miata.

The trip over was a nightmare, it rained most of the way and I got to
use my new wiper blades a lot. Passing Quartzite, AZ the traffic
slowed to a stop and the entire 20+ miles to Blythe was spent behind a
string of cars and trucks following a truck with a wide load and it's
escort cars blocking all the lanes and moving at 15mph!

The weather forecast made me decide to forego the fun route, leaving I-
10 at Indio and taking SR-74, SR-371 and SR-79 into Temecula before
getting back onto interstate on I-15.

That meant I had to also forego my usual stop at my favorite Casino,
the Cahuilla Creek Casino near Anza but I tried, I filled up with gas
at Indio and headed south into the mountains, about 11 miles along I
saw a "Chains Required" sign so went back and took I-10, US 60 and I-
315 to I-15.

Heavy traffic, bad roads and a military convoy moving down I-315 slowed
me down a bunch.

Finally I arrived after one of my slowest trips ever!

The trip back with my sister was uneventful, her Crown Vic (with police
package) cruised along nicely. Taking her back to California was also
smooth although once again, I stayed on the interstate rather than risk
heading up into the mountains and finding a "Chains Required" sign.

The trip back here in the Miata was very nice! I did use to shortcut,
I did stop at the Cahuilla Creek casino for breakfast which was very
good and very inexpensive, I also found and played my favorite slot
machine, I put in $10, played while having a cup of coffee and enjoying
a pipeful and cashed out with..... $10! That's the 4th or 5th time
that machine has given me back all the money I put in it, I usually
stop there twice a year as I to visit and always play $10 and cash out
with $10! I've had it up as high as $16 and as low as $7.50 but
always, when I'm ready to go, I cash out $10.

I filled up after crossing the border back into AZ and found I'd
averaged 30 MPG, driving with the top up really helps to cut fuel
consumption but it also cuts enjoyment.




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On Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:25:08 -0600, Frank Berger wrote:

> What, are we hibernating?

I'd post more if anything ever went wrong with my car. But nothing ever
does. Mostly I just drive. My Miata (sorry, mx5) has been my daily
driver for the past 2.5 years. It's very good at squirting around in
traffic, and the wife and I like to go for drives in it just for the
hell of it. I love my car.

"Frank Berger" > wrote in message
news
> What, are we hibernating?

I'd like to! Tonight as of 9 pm, it was 20F with a wind chill
of -3F. And it was First Night Bethlehem (a non-alcoholic,
family-oriented New Year's Eve Celebration) so I got to be out in
the lovely weather.

Tomorrow we're doing the Lehigh Valley Miata Owners Club 5th
Annual Polar Bear Drive - depending on the weather, of course.
If it's actively precipitating, we don't put the tops down. So
far we've got 10 cars signed up for the event.

Plus there's the Penn State bowl game at 5 pm tomorrow. ;-)

Iva & Vixen
2004 Classic Red
No more winkin' Miata

Carbon wrote:
> On Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:25:08 -0600, Frank Berger wrote:
>
>> What, are we hibernating?
>
> I'd post more if anything ever went wrong with my car. But nothing
> ever does. Mostly I just drive. My Miata (sorry, mx5) has been my
> daily driver for the past 2.5 years. It's very good at squirting
> around in traffic, and the wife and I like to go for drives in it
> just for the hell of it. I love my car.

My '96 is showing its age. Needs shocks, a rear window, power steering
fluid is leaking. Can't tell if it's the pump or just a hose or connection.

Frank Berger wrote:
> What, are we hibernating?
>
>
Here in the mid-midwest, our '06 has had the top down 3 times this week.
Slight change from a few days ago: ice, snow, rain, ice, rain, snow,
ice...etc.
Last weekend, temps soared near 60F and 2.5in rainfall washed away most
of the salty muck.

I've stopped by here a time or two to see if there was any activity. I've
had the Miata out a couple of times this week running errands. I've got the
old drip pan (from the MG days) under it and it looks like I'm getting
something dripping on it. If the weather is decent in the next few days, I
guess I'll try to check it out.
"CR" > wrote in message
...
> Frank Berger wrote:
>> What, are we hibernating?
> Here in the mid-midwest, our '06 has had the top down 3 times this week.
> Slight change from a few days ago: ice, snow, rain, ice, rain, snow,
> ice...etc.
> Last weekend, temps soared near 60F and 2.5in rainfall washed away most of
> the salty muck.

I've been out and about. Two weeks off for the holidays so lots of running
around. But nothing as horrible as being stuck behind a wide load for 20
miles! If would have been tempted to go Miata off roading. :-)

I got a set of door edge guards for Christmas but I'm such a chicken -
afraid to install them because I have to scrape off a strip of sealant on
the inside edge of the door. Good thing they look nice sitting on that table
over there... -Carol


"Frank Berger" > wrote in message
news
> What, are we hibernating?
>

Well, Bing has been sleeping for some time now. We have had snow, wind,
more snow and snow again last nighr ( Jan 2 ) The big problem for me
is, not so much the weather is, I had my left hip replaced on Dec 8th
and I am just getting up and walking around now. I can't drive for
another 60 days. By that time I think I can work on a way to get in and
out of Bing without dilocating the new hip,

Have fun driving out there you guys.

Bruce Bing '03 LS

Iva wrote:
> Tomorrow we're doing the Lehigh Valley Miata Owners Club 5th
> Annual Polar Bear Drive - depending on the weather, of course.
> If it's actively precipitating, we don't put the tops down. So
> far we've got 10 cars signed up for the event.

Here's a link to a short (very short!) news story that aired on
our local television station regarding our Polar Bear Drive....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6qrRdbswFI

Iva & Vixen
2004 Classic Red
No more winkin' Miata