Hey folks! It's another weekend, and another bunch of exciting escapades.
Friday: After work Amber and I stopped by Arby's for a low-budget dinner, using some coupons I had gotten in the mail. Even better was that the young fella running the cash register had gotten confused over the coupons, and forgot to charge us for one of our milkshakes, so we got that on the house. We both ate a nice dinner for just over 7 bucks total. Leaving Arby's, I noticed that the new Goodwill store they had been building next door was finally open for business. We stepped in to see if we could find any hidden treasures, but we didn't. We went on to Kroger to do my weekly grocery shopping. The evening was finished off with a movie on the big screen, which was the flick '14:08'. Its a pretty creepy film.
Saturday: Today started off with a trip into Shelbyville to check on Amber's mother's kitty cat. Amber restocked the food and water bowls and we entertained him for about a half hour. I decided we'd stop by and visit Grandma Cole while we were in town. We visited for about an hour, and I gave her a box of 'Thin Mint' Girl Scout cookies that I had brought from home. We decided to go out for a late lunch at the Chicken Inn. I had a full plate with 3 chicken breasts, mashed potatoes & gravy, and green beans. It was a belly buster. We headed back to grandma's to relax for a bit and let the food settle in our bellies. I had read online earlier that the Indiana Ice hockey team was having their annual 'Pack the House' game at Conseco Fieldhouse tonight, so I called up my dad and little brother to ask them if they'd like to go. They were all for it, so we had to get moving, as it was approaching 6pm, and the game started at 7:30. Grandma had asked if I could hook up a new TV for her, so I got that done in a flash right before we left to pick up my dad, CW, and Ryan (my step-sister's husband).
It turned into a boys night out at the hockey game, but Amber didn't mind tagging along. We all piled into the Subaru and headed north for Conseco Fieldhouse. It took a little driving around to find a parking garage with vacancies, but we finally managed to find a place to park to the tune of $10, but it was only about a block and a half from the fieldhouse. We scurried to Conseco, and I walked straight up to the ticket counter to purchase the tickets. Unfortunately, the only seats available were in the balcony, which is about as high as you can get. We made our way to our seats and the game had just began. It was quite a thrilling game, but the Ice lost 2-1 to the Cedar Rapids 'Rough Riders' from Iowa. The game was over around 9:30, and we dropped the guys back off at Dad's house. Amber and I decided to stop by Walmart on the way home to pick up a couple things left on the shopping list, and I wanted to look for a movie called 'Zack and Miri' that was highly recommended by Bob and Tom on a radio show during my morning commute. We made it home and watched the movie, and it was a flop. Oh well.
Sunday: I had gotten a couple free tickets to the Indiana Home and Garden show at the Indiana Convention Center being held this weekend. I checked online to see what they had to offer, and noticed that they had garage organization products. I've been eyeing different options for my garage and thought this might be a good opportunity to see what is available, and see it in person. We drove up to downtown Indianapolis again, and had a much better time finding a garage to park in, although it was still $10 for event parking. We make a brisk walk across the street to the convention center, and hunt down the Home and Garden Show in the maze of hallways and conference rooms. We finally get to the show, and make a trip down all the isles checking out the different vendors. There was a whole slew of vendors selling windows, patios, decks, sheds, gutter guards, water softeners, humidifiers, and more. Hell, we even saw the ShamWow demonstration again. What we couldn't find, however, was a single booth that had anything to do with garages. No overhead door companies, no shelving companies, no floor sealers, or cabinets. I was a little perturbed after walking through the whole show, not finding a single thing I was looking for.
We decided to skip that joint and take the skywalk to the Circle Center Mall. We perused the mall a bit, and stopped by Johnny Rockets for a burger and fries 50's style. My mind drifted on to thinking about how I miss the warm weather in Florida and the water and the fish. I guess I can blame this on Grandpa Lahrman, who had just sent me a couple envelopes in the mail with pictures from our vacation in Florida. I got to remembering my old aquarium I had back in the day, and kinda thought I'd like to get another aquarium going. They are so colorful and lively, and a great way to bring a little of Florida to my home. So, we decided we've had enough of downtown Indianapolis for one weekend, and headed south to Greenwood to visit a place called 'Uncle Bill's Pet Center'. I've been in there a few times before checking out big aquariums, and they seemed to have some pretty nice deals. We walked around the store a bit, scoping out the many varieties of aquariums. I came across a special they were having on a 75 gallon aquarium, with a lighted hood and cabinet stand for $399. It seemed to be quite a deal, and was about perfect size for my living room. We got everything loaded into the Subaru and headed home. Everything was pretty much preassembled, which was nice. Amber helped me stack the pieces together, and clean up the glass. I did some more online shopping at PetCo for a filtration system, aeration system, cleaning supplies, rock, and plants. PetCo was having a good sale as well, up to 40% off. The filtration system I chose was $229 at Bill's, but I snagged it up for $169 at PetCo. All the fixins for my 'paradise' shrine came to $370. Its a bet of a blow to the wallet, but this tank will not only look great, but it will damn near take care of itself. That is the biggest selling point for me, as my terrible memory and busy schedule is a sure formula for dead fish. So I won't have to tend to it much more than tossing in some food. I also wanted to make sure that everything was compatible with both fresh and salt water applications, in case I want to change things up down the road for some more exotic salt-water fish. Maybe some sheephead, snook, or mullet! Ha! Anyhow, it'll take a bit of time before its a standalone work of art. For now, we'll wait on our shipment from PetCo.
Until next time...
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Sunday, March 1, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
(10) CSCC-SCCA Autocross Fun Event
Well now that my crappy saturday consisting of 5 hours driving and 8 hours of briefings in Fort Wayne is over, it's time for the main event of the weekend. The first Autocross event of the year! Hosted by the Columbus Sports Car Club, a chapter of the Sports Car Club of America, the Solo2 Autocross events are a way for normal folks to get out and race competitively, or for their own leisure. Anyone 18+ with a valid drivers license, a maintained car, and $35 is welcome to participate. Today's event was a 'fun event', meaning it does not count for points in the annual points standings. Despite freezing weather and a morning snow dusting, a good 40 or so drivers showed up for a day of cone dodging. Amber came along with me, but drove separately so she would have a place to warm up, and we would have a ride home if the Neon decides to break.
We left Franklin around 0815 this morning and convoyed south towards Walesboro, IN. About 5 miles on Interstate 65 doing 70mph with high winds, the magnetic number sign on my passenger side decided to dive off the car and into the median. We went to the next exit and turned around and searched the side of the road all the way back to Franklin, but could not locate it. It was snowing and probably got covered up pretty quickly, so we decided to just cut our losses and continue for Walesboro. What a bummer, as I had just ordered those signs and this was the first time showing them off.
We arrived at the old airstrip just in time to walk the course prior to registration. Amber and I walked the course, and I made mental notes so that I could negotiate it later in the Neon. Theres nothing scarier and more dangerous than pulling up to the starting gate with no clue of the course configuration. We then headed back to the registration trailer so I could get signed up. My annual SCCA membership ($40 for military) saves me $15 at each race, so I only had to pay $20 for registration. I submitted my car information, car number 98SM, and signed the insurance form. The SM after my car number indicates that my car is in the 'Street Modified' class. This class is quite open for modifications to the engine, transmission, power adders, suspension, and brakes. It is typically one of the fastest classes, which in short means I am typically the slowest in the class. My car isn't purposely built for competitive racing in Street Modified, rather I just build my car how I like and happened to fall under this class due to my internal engine work. I am by far the lowest powered car in the class, which consisted of several turbocharged Subaru WRX STIs, an Audi sports car, and a souped up Caprice Wagon. I'm only making a measly 170 horsepower. Nonetheless, my goal has never been to compete with the other cars, but to compete with myself. I try to improve my driving to get faster, and improve the Neon to get faster.
My first run of the day I took nice and easy to familiarize myself with the course, and to get comfortable with the Neon. This is the first time I've raced her with the new camshafts, exhaust, and manual transmission. I completed the run in 75.131 seconds, with no cones knocked over.
My second run I pushed a little harder, but quickly identified some flaws in my driving and also got a little mixed up on the course. It was an ugly run, but still faster than the first. I completed the run in 68.615 seconds with 1 cone knocked over.
My third run I was starting to get more comfortable, but then I came out of a gate too fast and wasn't able to make a turn. I ran right over cone and it broke off one of my exhaust hangers, dropping my muffler to the ground. I didn't notice this on the track, as my car is much too loud to hear a dragging muffler. I finished the run with my mufler dragging the ground in 70.561 seconds with one cone knocked down and one muffler knocked loose.
This was the end of the first heat of 3 runs, so I drove the car back to the pits and got out to see what the damage was. I layed under the rear of the car and noticed that an exhaust hanger had broken. It was a simple enough fix, as I just unbolted the quick-disconnect clamp from the muffler and removed it. Now I'm down to just the Magnaflow catalytic converter and a Moroso spiral-flow resonator. Once I get everything back in order, I fire up the car and she is LOUD! Not a big deal on the racetrack as mufflers are not required in SM, but the drive home is going to be hellish.
Now it was my turn to work the track while the other group runs their first heat. I partner up with a fella who was driving the Volkswagen Golf GTI behind me in line. We head out to station 3. We watch the cars run their laps, and I chased down the knocked over cones and set them back up while the other guy calls in the penalty. It was cold out there, but the running helped keep me warm.
Now for our second heat and final 3 runs, and now I have Amber riding shotgun to experience the thrill of autocross. My 4th run was looking better. I was starting to get more acquainted with the track, and my driving skills were starting to get warmed up, but I took it a little easy as the muffler ordeal had me a little worried. I completed the run in 69.352 seconds with 1 cone knocked over, and the car had no problems.
The fifth run I was ready to make a real stab at a fast time. I was confident that the car was going to run good and hold together, Amber wasn't scared to death, and I was getting more comfortable driving the Neon. I let her rip and finished in 66.459 seconds with no cones knocked over. A lot of pressure to try and top that run!
The sixth run I gave her all I got, posting my fastest time of 66.368. Marginally faster than my 5th run, but still faster!
I had a great time, but I don't think Amber cared much for the cold. I'm sure she'll enjoy it more on a warm day when the expensive cars show up and she can take rides in more exotic cars. We made it home safely, and I spotted my number panel in the median on the way home. I started to stop to get it, but I decided it wasn't worth the hassle, as I can get another for about 8 bucks. It could have been ran over torn for all I could tell, and Saturday traffic isn't the best for playing Frogger.
Until next time...
We left Franklin around 0815 this morning and convoyed south towards Walesboro, IN. About 5 miles on Interstate 65 doing 70mph with high winds, the magnetic number sign on my passenger side decided to dive off the car and into the median. We went to the next exit and turned around and searched the side of the road all the way back to Franklin, but could not locate it. It was snowing and probably got covered up pretty quickly, so we decided to just cut our losses and continue for Walesboro. What a bummer, as I had just ordered those signs and this was the first time showing them off.
We arrived at the old airstrip just in time to walk the course prior to registration. Amber and I walked the course, and I made mental notes so that I could negotiate it later in the Neon. Theres nothing scarier and more dangerous than pulling up to the starting gate with no clue of the course configuration. We then headed back to the registration trailer so I could get signed up. My annual SCCA membership ($40 for military) saves me $15 at each race, so I only had to pay $20 for registration. I submitted my car information, car number 98SM, and signed the insurance form. The SM after my car number indicates that my car is in the 'Street Modified' class. This class is quite open for modifications to the engine, transmission, power adders, suspension, and brakes. It is typically one of the fastest classes, which in short means I am typically the slowest in the class. My car isn't purposely built for competitive racing in Street Modified, rather I just build my car how I like and happened to fall under this class due to my internal engine work. I am by far the lowest powered car in the class, which consisted of several turbocharged Subaru WRX STIs, an Audi sports car, and a souped up Caprice Wagon. I'm only making a measly 170 horsepower. Nonetheless, my goal has never been to compete with the other cars, but to compete with myself. I try to improve my driving to get faster, and improve the Neon to get faster.
My first run of the day I took nice and easy to familiarize myself with the course, and to get comfortable with the Neon. This is the first time I've raced her with the new camshafts, exhaust, and manual transmission. I completed the run in 75.131 seconds, with no cones knocked over.
My second run I pushed a little harder, but quickly identified some flaws in my driving and also got a little mixed up on the course. It was an ugly run, but still faster than the first. I completed the run in 68.615 seconds with 1 cone knocked over.
My third run I was starting to get more comfortable, but then I came out of a gate too fast and wasn't able to make a turn. I ran right over cone and it broke off one of my exhaust hangers, dropping my muffler to the ground. I didn't notice this on the track, as my car is much too loud to hear a dragging muffler. I finished the run with my mufler dragging the ground in 70.561 seconds with one cone knocked down and one muffler knocked loose.
This was the end of the first heat of 3 runs, so I drove the car back to the pits and got out to see what the damage was. I layed under the rear of the car and noticed that an exhaust hanger had broken. It was a simple enough fix, as I just unbolted the quick-disconnect clamp from the muffler and removed it. Now I'm down to just the Magnaflow catalytic converter and a Moroso spiral-flow resonator. Once I get everything back in order, I fire up the car and she is LOUD! Not a big deal on the racetrack as mufflers are not required in SM, but the drive home is going to be hellish.
Now it was my turn to work the track while the other group runs their first heat. I partner up with a fella who was driving the Volkswagen Golf GTI behind me in line. We head out to station 3. We watch the cars run their laps, and I chased down the knocked over cones and set them back up while the other guy calls in the penalty. It was cold out there, but the running helped keep me warm.
Now for our second heat and final 3 runs, and now I have Amber riding shotgun to experience the thrill of autocross. My 4th run was looking better. I was starting to get more acquainted with the track, and my driving skills were starting to get warmed up, but I took it a little easy as the muffler ordeal had me a little worried. I completed the run in 69.352 seconds with 1 cone knocked over, and the car had no problems.
The fifth run I was ready to make a real stab at a fast time. I was confident that the car was going to run good and hold together, Amber wasn't scared to death, and I was getting more comfortable driving the Neon. I let her rip and finished in 66.459 seconds with no cones knocked over. A lot of pressure to try and top that run!
The sixth run I gave her all I got, posting my fastest time of 66.368. Marginally faster than my 5th run, but still faster!
I had a great time, but I don't think Amber cared much for the cold. I'm sure she'll enjoy it more on a warm day when the expensive cars show up and she can take rides in more exotic cars. We made it home safely, and I spotted my number panel in the median on the way home. I started to stop to get it, but I decided it wasn't worth the hassle, as I can get another for about 8 bucks. It could have been ran over torn for all I could tell, and Saturday traffic isn't the best for playing Frogger.
Until next time...
(9) My brother the hockey player...
Today was a sick day from work, as my bronchitis has really been wiping me out. I spent most of the day resting, eating cough drops, taking medicine at prescribed hours, and decontaminating the house. Amber came over and cleaned up the bathrooms real good. After dinner I got a phone call from my dad, reminding me that my little brother, CW, had a hockey game in Greenwood that evening. CW was filling in for the team's goalie, who had gotten injured, and now has been appointed to be goalie for the remainder of the season. Dad bought him a new set of goalie pads, which were to be debuted at tonight's game. Amber and I saddled up the Subaru, and headed north for Perry Park Ice Rink. The game went great, as CW's team defeated the Fishers team 5 to zip. That's called a shutout in the goalie world. CW did a great job protecting the goal, and his team did an excellent job keeping the puck at the other side of the ice as much as possible. Check out the slideshow for pictures of the big hockey star!
The game was over just before 9pm, and we hurried home because I have to get up at 3am on Saturday for a 'Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Conference' in Fort Wayne.
Until next time...
The game was over just before 9pm, and we hurried home because I have to get up at 3am on Saturday for a 'Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Conference' in Fort Wayne.
Until next time...
Sunday, February 15, 2009
(8) World Of Wheels 2009
Today Amber and I decided (mostly I decided I guess) that we would head up to the Indiana State Fairgrounds to scope out the World of Wheels car show sponsored by CarQuest. Amber had never been before, and I enjoy going, so it seemed like a fun thing to do on a whim (even though I had been secretly daydreaming about going all week). We saddled up the Subaru around 1045 this morning and headed north on I65 for Indianapolis. I shot across 465 to take the scenic East Street (US31) through downtown Indy rather than cheat ourselves out of the architectural scenery of old Indianapolis. We too Fall Creek Rd up to 38th street which puts you right by the fairgrounds. We went east on 38th a couple blocks to catch some lunch at the KFC. 30 minutes later we were well fed and ready to drool on some classic cars.
Parking was ample across the street from the fairgrounds, and was only 3 bucks. That's not too bad. We crossed the street and walked up to the Toyota building where the event was being held. Admission was $14 for adults, and I got nixed on the attempt at a military discount, so we are now up to $31 in admission and parking. We get in the doors and enter the enormous maze of classic cars. I'm feeling like a kid in a candy store right about now, ready to run wild. Knowing Amber would probably like to enjoy this as well, I decide to take a more leisurely approach to our spectating, and we gradually moved along the rows of cars. One of the first cars we noticed was P32 Traditional Rod built by the famous Chip Foose. There were hoards of restored muscle cars of all makes from the 60's and 70's in the main show area, along with different vendors. We saw some pretty rare cars such as the 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302, 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass W31, 1971 Plymouth Barracuda Hemi, and so forth.
Once we combed through the main area, we headed through the canvas hallway outside to another building. As we entered this building, we stumbled upon a platform where none other than Henry Winkler, also known as Arthur Fonzarelli or 'The Fonz', from Happy Days was signing autographs and shaking hands. There was a pretty good line to get his autograph, so I just settled for a picture from about 12 feet away. Once we got past the starstruck phase we noticed that there were a good couple hundred custom cars from the 20's to the 50's to be seen. These are the cars that really get me excited. From chop tops to rat rods, they had everything a fella could imagine. Also in this building was the 'tuner' car exhibits. Tuner cars are the generic name for more modern cars, both import and domestic, as long as they fit the enthusiast crowd's image of sporty style. Front-wheel drive, fuel injection, and smaller displacement engines have become more prevalent in today's cars, but that hasn't stopped a new generation of car enthusiasts from finding new innovative ways to customize their genre of autos with both style and performance.
The third and final show area yielded several more custom cars from all eras, along with some famous cars such as the 'Mach 5' used in the new Speed Racer movie, and 'Kitt' from the TV show Night Rider was present in both original and modern form. We also ran into some more celebrities such as Spongebob Squarepants, the Pink Panther, and 'Martha' from High School Musical. As we were strolling past the vendors, we noticed a lively demonstration taking place of a famous 'Super Shammy' that was strikingly similar to the demonstration you might have seen on TV labeled as the 'ShamWow!', only this product beared no such name. It was the classic soda in the carpet scene, and the longer we stood there the better the deal got! Well we got a great deal, because we walked away with every cent we walked up with. Next we stumbled upon an auction that was selling custom pinstriped items from famous freehand pinstripers in the auto industry. They were auctioning mailboxes, garbage barrels, signs, even toilet seats with custom pinstriping. I waited to see how much this stuff was going for, and quickly found out that I didn't have enough cash in my pocket to walk away with a $90 trash receptacle. Needless to say we moved on.
We had now seen every square foot of the car show, and Amber was starting to get worn down from the walking and shuffling through spectators, so we decided to snap a few more shots of us with cars and head for home. All in all it was a great time. I'm looking forward to going again next year. Hopefully Amber will want to tag along again.
Until next time...
Parking was ample across the street from the fairgrounds, and was only 3 bucks. That's not too bad. We crossed the street and walked up to the Toyota building where the event was being held. Admission was $14 for adults, and I got nixed on the attempt at a military discount, so we are now up to $31 in admission and parking. We get in the doors and enter the enormous maze of classic cars. I'm feeling like a kid in a candy store right about now, ready to run wild. Knowing Amber would probably like to enjoy this as well, I decide to take a more leisurely approach to our spectating, and we gradually moved along the rows of cars. One of the first cars we noticed was P32 Traditional Rod built by the famous Chip Foose. There were hoards of restored muscle cars of all makes from the 60's and 70's in the main show area, along with different vendors. We saw some pretty rare cars such as the 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302, 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass W31, 1971 Plymouth Barracuda Hemi, and so forth.
Once we combed through the main area, we headed through the canvas hallway outside to another building. As we entered this building, we stumbled upon a platform where none other than Henry Winkler, also known as Arthur Fonzarelli or 'The Fonz', from Happy Days was signing autographs and shaking hands. There was a pretty good line to get his autograph, so I just settled for a picture from about 12 feet away. Once we got past the starstruck phase we noticed that there were a good couple hundred custom cars from the 20's to the 50's to be seen. These are the cars that really get me excited. From chop tops to rat rods, they had everything a fella could imagine. Also in this building was the 'tuner' car exhibits. Tuner cars are the generic name for more modern cars, both import and domestic, as long as they fit the enthusiast crowd's image of sporty style. Front-wheel drive, fuel injection, and smaller displacement engines have become more prevalent in today's cars, but that hasn't stopped a new generation of car enthusiasts from finding new innovative ways to customize their genre of autos with both style and performance.
The third and final show area yielded several more custom cars from all eras, along with some famous cars such as the 'Mach 5' used in the new Speed Racer movie, and 'Kitt' from the TV show Night Rider was present in both original and modern form. We also ran into some more celebrities such as Spongebob Squarepants, the Pink Panther, and 'Martha' from High School Musical. As we were strolling past the vendors, we noticed a lively demonstration taking place of a famous 'Super Shammy' that was strikingly similar to the demonstration you might have seen on TV labeled as the 'ShamWow!', only this product beared no such name. It was the classic soda in the carpet scene, and the longer we stood there the better the deal got! Well we got a great deal, because we walked away with every cent we walked up with. Next we stumbled upon an auction that was selling custom pinstriped items from famous freehand pinstripers in the auto industry. They were auctioning mailboxes, garbage barrels, signs, even toilet seats with custom pinstriping. I waited to see how much this stuff was going for, and quickly found out that I didn't have enough cash in my pocket to walk away with a $90 trash receptacle. Needless to say we moved on.
We had now seen every square foot of the car show, and Amber was starting to get worn down from the walking and shuffling through spectators, so we decided to snap a few more shots of us with cars and head for home. All in all it was a great time. I'm looking forward to going again next year. Hopefully Amber will want to tag along again.
Until next time...
(7) Valentines with the Whitewater Valley Railroad
Valentine's Day has come again, some would call it a 'Hallmark Holiday', where lovebirds pour into the isles of the local supermarkets for a box of chocolate calories and one of them fancy musical cards that expresses one's love in ways no layman could.
Well this year, keeping with my sightseeing agenda, we decided to find something a little less cliche to celebrate the holiday of love. We being myself, and my new squeeze Amber. You see, Amber was my first 'girlfriend' back in highschool. On my 16th birthday I asked her to be my gal, and she surprisingly went for it. It was young love no doubt, and only lasted about a year. I took my first shots at being a romantic gentleman with her, which leads me to this story.
On February 14th, 1998 I was so excited to unveil my one-of-a-kind Valentine's creation to my sweetheart, Amber. I had worked diligently on crafting a Valentine gift that would blow this young gal's socks off. I was working as a computer technician part time, making $7 an hour, and had saved up enough money for a $99 diamond sweetheart ring from the finest jewelry store in town a 16 year old fella knew of, Walmart. So I pick up the ring, a giant heart-shaped box of chocolates, and a cute little bear with balloons and head for the check-out. I get home and open up the box of chocolates, and eat the chocolate in the center of the tray with a big sinister smile on my face. My plan seems too good to be true! I then take the ring and foam out of the ringbox, trim down the foam, and place the ring in the center of the box of chocolates and put the lid back on. After school on Valentines Day, we walked to my dad's house together. I had the Valentines gifts perched in the recliner for her. She was excited and happy to have gotten the cute bear with balloons and box of chocolates, but I couldn't get her to open the chocolates! I hinted to her, 'I ate one of your chocolates'. She wouldn't budge, so I had to tell her 'open the box!', and she broke out a huge smile followed by tears when she found the ring. Mission Successful!
Now this year, with Amber riding in the sweetheart seat again with original 1998 Valentines ring on-hand, we set out for something fun to do. Amber located this 'Rails to Romance' Valentines package being put on by the Whitewater Valley Rail Road in Connersville, Indiana. It seemed to be a good deal. For $39 each, you get a 40 minute ride on a historical railroad to a hearty dinner at Laurel Inn, and a 40 minute train ride back. Amber called and made reservations about 2 weeks in advance.
The big day hits, and following a birthday luncheon for Amber's Dad, we head down the tracks for Connersville, which was about a 40 minute drive from Shelbyville. My GPS Navigation in the Subaru, who has been named 'Donna' (Delphi) led us turn by turn to the old train station. We were about 45 minutes early for departure, giving us time to peruse the 'museum' that we read about on their website. Sadly to say, there is not much museum to speak of aside from the station and train itself. They had a few old pictures and tidbits of information, but no real artificats from the old days. I guess I was just hoping for more in the 'museum' department, but it certainly did not ruin the trip. Instead we browsed through the gift shop and scoped out some potential souvenirs for after we return from dinner.
With about 15 minutes before departure, the lobby was filling up quick with couples, and the train rolled into the station giving out a long toot of the air horn. Amber and I went outside to the loading dock to see the train and beat the crowd. I noticed the the train engine was not an original steam-engine, but a more modern twin-diesel engine. I was hoping for the real thing, but at least the passenger cars are still historic pieces from the mid 1920's. The crew dismounted the train and went on the conduct a full inspection while the conductor hollered the 'all aboard!'. Amber and I were one of the first few couples to board the front train, so we chose a seat close to the wood-stove heater. After everyone boarded, the train whistle blew and the bells started dinglin'. This folks, is my first real train ride outside of a thrill park like Disney or King's Island. The train car was very modest, and the seats would have been a bit cramped if we were at full capacity, but each couple had their own set of seats that faced eachother. We rolled along the tracks for about 35-40 minutes, snapping photos and enjoying the view. A crewman would come along every so often and put more wood in the stove for our heater. I thought it was pretty warm, but Amber's feet were cold because she was wearing heeled shoes that didn't cover the tops of her feet much.
We finally arrived in Laurel, and stopped the train right next to the Laurel Inn. We unloaded, scurried into the inn, and located our assigned seats. There were 6 tables of 12 set up for the 42 couples. We sat down at our seats and had our tea already there for us, along with a basket of rolls. Now is when you get to find out what you ordered for dinner 2 weeks ago when you reserved your tickets, as the waitresses bring out dinnerplates 2 at a time. Amber had a nice helping of fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, while I had two nice slabs of batter-fried catfish with mashed potatoes and gravy. We socialized with the other couples at our table as we gobbled up our dinner. Next was dessert, which was cherry cobbler and ice cream. I'm not a big fan of cherries, so I traded Amber my cobbler for her ice cream. It worked out swell. After our bellies were full, we made our way back to the train, again beating the crowd to increase our chances of a seat by the heater. It worked out well because this time we sat directly across from the heater. It sure was toasty! Amber's feet didn't have any trouble for the trip back in the dark. Once the train made it back to the station, and blew the single blast of the horn, we were allowed to debark the train. We stopped by the gift shop again and picked up a spoon for Amber, and then headed for home.
Until next time...
Well this year, keeping with my sightseeing agenda, we decided to find something a little less cliche to celebrate the holiday of love. We being myself, and my new squeeze Amber. You see, Amber was my first 'girlfriend' back in highschool. On my 16th birthday I asked her to be my gal, and she surprisingly went for it. It was young love no doubt, and only lasted about a year. I took my first shots at being a romantic gentleman with her, which leads me to this story.
On February 14th, 1998 I was so excited to unveil my one-of-a-kind Valentine's creation to my sweetheart, Amber. I had worked diligently on crafting a Valentine gift that would blow this young gal's socks off. I was working as a computer technician part time, making $7 an hour, and had saved up enough money for a $99 diamond sweetheart ring from the finest jewelry store in town a 16 year old fella knew of, Walmart. So I pick up the ring, a giant heart-shaped box of chocolates, and a cute little bear with balloons and head for the check-out. I get home and open up the box of chocolates, and eat the chocolate in the center of the tray with a big sinister smile on my face. My plan seems too good to be true! I then take the ring and foam out of the ringbox, trim down the foam, and place the ring in the center of the box of chocolates and put the lid back on. After school on Valentines Day, we walked to my dad's house together. I had the Valentines gifts perched in the recliner for her. She was excited and happy to have gotten the cute bear with balloons and box of chocolates, but I couldn't get her to open the chocolates! I hinted to her, 'I ate one of your chocolates'. She wouldn't budge, so I had to tell her 'open the box!', and she broke out a huge smile followed by tears when she found the ring. Mission Successful!
Now this year, with Amber riding in the sweetheart seat again with original 1998 Valentines ring on-hand, we set out for something fun to do. Amber located this 'Rails to Romance' Valentines package being put on by the Whitewater Valley Rail Road in Connersville, Indiana. It seemed to be a good deal. For $39 each, you get a 40 minute ride on a historical railroad to a hearty dinner at Laurel Inn, and a 40 minute train ride back. Amber called and made reservations about 2 weeks in advance.
The big day hits, and following a birthday luncheon for Amber's Dad, we head down the tracks for Connersville, which was about a 40 minute drive from Shelbyville. My GPS Navigation in the Subaru, who has been named 'Donna' (Delphi) led us turn by turn to the old train station. We were about 45 minutes early for departure, giving us time to peruse the 'museum' that we read about on their website. Sadly to say, there is not much museum to speak of aside from the station and train itself. They had a few old pictures and tidbits of information, but no real artificats from the old days. I guess I was just hoping for more in the 'museum' department, but it certainly did not ruin the trip. Instead we browsed through the gift shop and scoped out some potential souvenirs for after we return from dinner.
With about 15 minutes before departure, the lobby was filling up quick with couples, and the train rolled into the station giving out a long toot of the air horn. Amber and I went outside to the loading dock to see the train and beat the crowd. I noticed the the train engine was not an original steam-engine, but a more modern twin-diesel engine. I was hoping for the real thing, but at least the passenger cars are still historic pieces from the mid 1920's. The crew dismounted the train and went on the conduct a full inspection while the conductor hollered the 'all aboard!'. Amber and I were one of the first few couples to board the front train, so we chose a seat close to the wood-stove heater. After everyone boarded, the train whistle blew and the bells started dinglin'. This folks, is my first real train ride outside of a thrill park like Disney or King's Island. The train car was very modest, and the seats would have been a bit cramped if we were at full capacity, but each couple had their own set of seats that faced eachother. We rolled along the tracks for about 35-40 minutes, snapping photos and enjoying the view. A crewman would come along every so often and put more wood in the stove for our heater. I thought it was pretty warm, but Amber's feet were cold because she was wearing heeled shoes that didn't cover the tops of her feet much.
We finally arrived in Laurel, and stopped the train right next to the Laurel Inn. We unloaded, scurried into the inn, and located our assigned seats. There were 6 tables of 12 set up for the 42 couples. We sat down at our seats and had our tea already there for us, along with a basket of rolls. Now is when you get to find out what you ordered for dinner 2 weeks ago when you reserved your tickets, as the waitresses bring out dinnerplates 2 at a time. Amber had a nice helping of fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, while I had two nice slabs of batter-fried catfish with mashed potatoes and gravy. We socialized with the other couples at our table as we gobbled up our dinner. Next was dessert, which was cherry cobbler and ice cream. I'm not a big fan of cherries, so I traded Amber my cobbler for her ice cream. It worked out swell. After our bellies were full, we made our way back to the train, again beating the crowd to increase our chances of a seat by the heater. It worked out well because this time we sat directly across from the heater. It sure was toasty! Amber's feet didn't have any trouble for the trip back in the dark. Once the train made it back to the station, and blew the single blast of the horn, we were allowed to debark the train. We stopped by the gift shop again and picked up a spoon for Amber, and then headed for home.
Until next time...
Saturday, February 7, 2009
(6) Behind the scenes preparation for 'Operation Discover America 2009' has began...
Hey folks! Long time no blog! Life is lulling a bit now that I am back at my Indiana home in the midst of bitter winter weather. Starting to get back into my normal groove as I prepare for my return to work. I'd like to take this opportunity today, as I sit very relaxed on the sectional with wireless keyboard on the lap, to discuss one component of my to-do plans of 2009.
As some of you may already know, I've done plenty of traveling in my life. I've been to about 13 countries now, about a dozen states in the US, and to all corners of Indiana. However, very few of these excursions have been for recreation. As I get older, I increasingly feel the urge to navigate the US on my own accord. Not to mention, I've now got a blog to keep interesting!
So, I have devised a plan to get out and discover some interesting, and perhaps quirky, locales stretched across our great nation. Now, I realize there will be a few prerequisites involved to making this dream a reality.
1) Research locations, build itineraries, coordinate dates that compliment seasonal events for each location, calculate travel and lodging costs, etc...
I have made a few recent trips to bookstores, the public library, and the information superhighway for ideas on great weekend escapes, potential 4-day weekend adventures, as well as scenic motorcycle-friendly trips. I have ordered and received a handful of official state travel guides from states such as Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Iowa, and Texas. For those of you who were unaware, you can request these brochures free of charge from every state. Some are even available in digital format for immediate download!
Click here for a comprehensive listing of state travel guide links!
2) Reliable transportation will be necessary as to not get stranded in Anywhere, USA. I just recently purchased a 2009 Subaru Forester (2009 Motor Trend SUV of the Year), which boasts outstanding reliability, utility, and 25+ MPG to boot! Suppose I had better work up an introductory blog for you guys to meet the new Subie! I am also checking into motorcycle trailers to haul the my Buell Firebolt along for some trips.
3) Funding will be an intricate component as well. With a house, 3 cars, 2 motorcycles, and a hell of a lot of hobbies, I will have to enforce a strict financial diet for sure. Things seem to be falling in line to support my plans, as I just recently received a fairly substantial raise.
I am quite excited to bring this news to you all, as I will be looking forward to sharing my discoveries and experiences with you though the blogs. Perhaps you will find something that you'd like to see yourself, or would like to make some suggestions!
I'd also like to take this opportunity to share with you a handy book that I discovered, and nearly bought, at Barnes & Noble. It is called 'My Indiana, 101 places to see'. It is written by Earl L. Conn, who used to have a column in the Anderson newspaper about traveling Indiana. He finally squeezed several of his favorite Indiana hotspots into book form, and got it published by the Indiana Historical Society Press. Now I almost bought this book, but decided to check the library first, and again to my luck it was there waiting for me. I brought it home and read through it in one evening. You can see a photo of the books cover to the right.
Well folks, I think I've about run the batteries dead in this wireless keyboard, so I'll call this session to a close. Plenty of exciting suspense from this one I hope! If not, you can expect to see some coverage of a Valentine's day train ride from Connorsville to Laurel next weekend, followed by my first SCCA Autocross race of the season on Feb 22nd.
Until next time...
As some of you may already know, I've done plenty of traveling in my life. I've been to about 13 countries now, about a dozen states in the US, and to all corners of Indiana. However, very few of these excursions have been for recreation. As I get older, I increasingly feel the urge to navigate the US on my own accord. Not to mention, I've now got a blog to keep interesting!
So, I have devised a plan to get out and discover some interesting, and perhaps quirky, locales stretched across our great nation. Now, I realize there will be a few prerequisites involved to making this dream a reality.
1) Research locations, build itineraries, coordinate dates that compliment seasonal events for each location, calculate travel and lodging costs, etc...
I have made a few recent trips to bookstores, the public library, and the information superhighway for ideas on great weekend escapes, potential 4-day weekend adventures, as well as scenic motorcycle-friendly trips. I have ordered and received a handful of official state travel guides from states such as Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Iowa, and Texas. For those of you who were unaware, you can request these brochures free of charge from every state. Some are even available in digital format for immediate download!
Click here for a comprehensive listing of state travel guide links!
2) Reliable transportation will be necessary as to not get stranded in Anywhere, USA. I just recently purchased a 2009 Subaru Forester (2009 Motor Trend SUV of the Year), which boasts outstanding reliability, utility, and 25+ MPG to boot! Suppose I had better work up an introductory blog for you guys to meet the new Subie! I am also checking into motorcycle trailers to haul the my Buell Firebolt along for some trips.
3) Funding will be an intricate component as well. With a house, 3 cars, 2 motorcycles, and a hell of a lot of hobbies, I will have to enforce a strict financial diet for sure. Things seem to be falling in line to support my plans, as I just recently received a fairly substantial raise.
I am quite excited to bring this news to you all, as I will be looking forward to sharing my discoveries and experiences with you though the blogs. Perhaps you will find something that you'd like to see yourself, or would like to make some suggestions!
I'd also like to take this opportunity to share with you a handy book that I discovered, and nearly bought, at Barnes & Noble. It is called 'My Indiana, 101 places to see'. It is written by Earl L. Conn, who used to have a column in the Anderson newspaper about traveling Indiana. He finally squeezed several of his favorite Indiana hotspots into book form, and got it published by the Indiana Historical Society Press. Now I almost bought this book, but decided to check the library first, and again to my luck it was there waiting for me. I brought it home and read through it in one evening. You can see a photo of the books cover to the right.
Well folks, I think I've about run the batteries dead in this wireless keyboard, so I'll call this session to a close. Plenty of exciting suspense from this one I hope! If not, you can expect to see some coverage of a Valentine's day train ride from Connorsville to Laurel next weekend, followed by my first SCCA Autocross race of the season on Feb 22nd.
Until next time...
Sunday, February 1, 2009
(5) Work smarter, not harder...
Today I want to share my adventure of clearing the snow from my driveway. I came home to about 2-3 feet covering my entire yard and driveway. On saturday morning I brewed up a fresh pot of coffee and was ready to attack the snow, shovel in hand. I cleared one lane of my 3-car-width driveway in about an hour, and was quickly tiring out. It was just a bit more snow than one fella could handle. I then stopped and thought for a moment. I have over 800 square feet of driveway, with an average of 2 foot of snow covering it. That makes for 1600 cubic feet of snow I'm trying remove with a shovel that was now bent in half after the first hour, not to mention my back also showing signs of distress.
I considered my options. I could always call up a snow removal truck and pay $50 to have it plowed out. I could also go spend $400-$500 on a snow thrower. Neither were likely options for me, because I'm cheap for one, and a snow thrower would only see use perhaps 2-3 times a year, and take up valuable garage space the rest of the year. The new girlfriend, Amber, mentioned that her brother had a snowthrower. Well, a phone call later and we were heading up to Whiteland to pick it up! After a quick operators crash-course, I helped her brother load it into his Ford Escape and we set off for home. Luckily, Amber is a pretty tough cookie, or we might have never gotten that monster back out of the truck! It is a good 150 pounds and a bit bulky for one person to lift. Once we got it on the ground, I got the secured the handlebar in place and began the starting procedure. Low throttle, choke on, low gear, clutch disengaged. A few tugs of the pull-starter got her idling nicely. However, every time I closed the choke, the engine would stall. I grabbed a fuel can from the garage and filled up the fuel tank. Repeat starting procedure, close the choke, and voila! Purring like a kitten.
The rest is history. I was able to clear the remaining snow in a matter of 20 minutes. We dropped off the snowthrower back to its rightful owner, expressed much gratitude, and had a full day ahead of us that didn't involve laboring behind a shovel in the cold. Perhaps a snowthrower may be a good investment if we have too many more winters like this one, plus I could possibly make a little money in my large housing edition clearing neighbors drives and walkways. At least enough to subside the cost of the snowthrower over a couple years time. We'll see, as it will perhaps be a decision made next time I am standing in front of the driveway covered with 1600 cubic feet of snow!
Until next time...
I considered my options. I could always call up a snow removal truck and pay $50 to have it plowed out. I could also go spend $400-$500 on a snow thrower. Neither were likely options for me, because I'm cheap for one, and a snow thrower would only see use perhaps 2-3 times a year, and take up valuable garage space the rest of the year. The new girlfriend, Amber, mentioned that her brother had a snowthrower. Well, a phone call later and we were heading up to Whiteland to pick it up! After a quick operators crash-course, I helped her brother load it into his Ford Escape and we set off for home. Luckily, Amber is a pretty tough cookie, or we might have never gotten that monster back out of the truck! It is a good 150 pounds and a bit bulky for one person to lift. Once we got it on the ground, I got the secured the handlebar in place and began the starting procedure. Low throttle, choke on, low gear, clutch disengaged. A few tugs of the pull-starter got her idling nicely. However, every time I closed the choke, the engine would stall. I grabbed a fuel can from the garage and filled up the fuel tank. Repeat starting procedure, close the choke, and voila! Purring like a kitten.
The rest is history. I was able to clear the remaining snow in a matter of 20 minutes. We dropped off the snowthrower back to its rightful owner, expressed much gratitude, and had a full day ahead of us that didn't involve laboring behind a shovel in the cold. Perhaps a snowthrower may be a good investment if we have too many more winters like this one, plus I could possibly make a little money in my large housing edition clearing neighbors drives and walkways. At least enough to subside the cost of the snowthrower over a couple years time. We'll see, as it will perhaps be a decision made next time I am standing in front of the driveway covered with 1600 cubic feet of snow!
Until next time...
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