I've never been a beach person - nor much of a water person for that matter - there are only lakes and rivers in the land-locked Prairies scoured out of the ground by the glacial action of the last ice age and the meltwaters of the Rocky Mountains .
But, I think I could be... Place name links like Carolina Beach, NC go to Wikipedia. Place name links like Carolina Beach use the local tourism or government website.
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| 2012.09.27 |
Preparations While-U-Wait |
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Now it's all in the waiting. I could almost leave right now. My renewed passport came in the mail this morning. The car is getting some TLC that should be done tomorrow.
But I have a couple landmark dates to pass first. My Mom's 79th birthday is on the 30th, and Canadian Thanksgiving is on October 8. I can't leave before then. So October 9 seems the next choice.
While doing my morning eBay search for Rootes Group memorabilia last week, I saw a comment on one item with some serendipitous news. The Sunbeam Alpine Owners Club of America is holding their Invasion XII 2012 meet October 11-14 in Nashville, TN . I have a Sunbeam Alpine, sort of, so this is lucky timing.
Google Maps suggest 3 driving routes to Carolina Beach, NC , of 45-47 hours. The first-choice route is a diagonal (the shortest route on a Mercator Projection map) that skirts under the Great Lakes through Minneapolis, MN and Chicago, IL and Indianapolis, IN . The second-choice route dips south after Chicago through Lexington, KY and Knoxville, TN then east. The third-choice route dips south at Minneapolis and tracks west of the Mississippi River until St. Louis, MO then on to Nashville, TN and east.
I chose the third route because I want to see my Bristol hosts if I can, and the Jack Daniels Distillery and maybe another try at Pigeon Forge and a drive through the Great Smoky Mountains . And now, there's a Sunbeam Alpine club meet conveniently along my way. It's 36 hours to Nashville; should be easy to do in 4 days. The other reason the third route is advantageous is that it's flat and not so populated. Should be easier to move a little, ummmm... faster through those emptier parts and make good time. Now some maps!
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Nice bite-size pieces of about 10 hours driving and a few options to go a little further on the earlier days to get to Nashville before the show and look around the town. Though the Sunbeam meet is 4 days long, I'll only go to the car show part on Saturday, held in conjunction with the Nashville British Car Club's all-British show. Hopefully TFS can meet me there and we can drive back through the Great Smoky Mountains with the leaves turning, maybe even stop in Bristol. |
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| 2012.09.28 |
Tick, Tick, Tick |
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Over the next 10 days there isn't so much to do. Unfortunately our Indian Summer is nearing the end before I could take the Cabrio out in it a lot. But it'll get out and around plenty enough, even to the Golf driving range or a couple rounds with PM. Gotta test how I can fit my clubs in the trunk. Might track down a couple things for the car like a boot for the top and some unscuffed hubcaps.
Mom needs her Christmas lights put up and windows washed, real early this year but at least before it gets freezing.
RM is fairly settled here, between my place and JG's. We've spent plenty of time together and he's even helped me diagnose what was wrong with the Civic, which was fixed with a new battery and (unnecessary but good to have) new main relay. He's got work coming up that will leave him little time for much more than working. I need to prep the place for him and collect notes on things and take my tomato plants down. Thankfully he'll also be able to handle Squirty's demise. Gerbils only live 3-4 years and though she's still healthy and lively, I've had her for 3.25 years already so that day is looming and will likely happen when I'm gone.
Won't be driving the Cabrio until Monday at the earliest - Westside Automotive needs to rustle up a few things, and the timing belt is of a precariously-unknown age, so the safest thing to do is replace it since a failure would be catastrophic. It's nice dealing with a shop that focuses on one car marque - they know the ins and outs of each model year and they're as much fans of the cars they service as the owners and want to keep them going well. |
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| 2012.10.04 |
Outlook: Weather-y |
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Got the Cabrio from the shop, just in time for the weather to turn cold and wet. This morning was the first frost and -2°C when I got up. I've only driven it for a few errands, but it drives real well, it's comfy, and the heater could cook food. :) Nice to be able to listen to CKUA while I drive. An early-season winter storm is sweeping through the US upper-midwest, with weather advisories for northern parts of North Dakota and Minnesota . Being a weather nerd I've seen how a bulge of cold air descends on us here and moves (south)eastward through those parts. It will have passed by the time I get there and the forecasts look sunny and progressively warmer. |
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| 2012.10.08 |
Leaving Eve |
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Very slight change in plans: all the Estevan m/hotels listed in Expedia are booked for tomorrow night, and I don't want to take a chance on the others there in town. So I booked a place in Weyburn, an hour up the road. It'll make the 1st leg an hour shorter and the 2nd leg an hour longer. Leg 2 will end in Bloomington, a bedroom community of Minneapolis. |
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< Previous
But First, a Little Homework... |
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Start
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Next >
Into the South Again |
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