[Wayne]

Pam and I headed out between Christmas and the New Year for visits and a general drive about.

We drove a bit over 1K miles in a few days.

Speeds in the 80s for the most part.

30 mpg with the Michelin MP4S over sized tires.

The 45 sport (standard for the 45, not Recaro) seats get uncomfortable around mile 300, so that's a good time to stop for gas.

Not much else to report ... a good thing!!!

On another note, I celebrated 40 years at my job on New Year's and am now retired, converting to consulting status after spending the last four years weaning the company from my participation ?

Wishing a happy and prosperous New Year to all!!!

 

[turbolink]

Just beautiful. Loved the last one!

 

[Wayne]

That last one is the start of the Salinas River, just below the dam. A very special place. Limited access, but my son in law cares for the dam ... I'm fortunate to have special privileges.

California coastal zones are deciding between Autumn and Winter still. A great time to get out for a drive ?

A couple more from another trip the day of the GLA trip ... we're fortunate to have some great driving out here on the West Coast.

 

[gbarringer]

In my 2016 250 drove over the holidays drove 15,000 miles in 10 days mixed roads with speeds between 45 and 75 with average 55. Gas mileage average was 31.5. Very little interstate roads used old US routes. Standard seats and found them to be comfortable, 18 inch tires that came on the GLA, and used cruise control most of the time.

 

[GLAowner]

Great trip and photos Wayne!

 

[m-type]

beautiful roads

 

[RevItUp]

Congrats on the retirement, and great pictures!

 

[Huey52]

1,500 miles a day on secondary roads?

I once crossed the USA (~2,800 miles) in 3.5 days on interstate and thought that was an accomplishment.

In my 2016 250 drove over the holidays drove 15,000 miles in 10 days mixed roads with speeds between 45 and 75 with average 55. Gas mileage average was 31.5. Very little interstate roads used old US routes. Standard seats and found them to be comfortable, 18 inch tires that came on the GLA, and used cruise control most of the time.

 

[gbarringer]

In my 2016 250 drove over the holidays drove 15,000 miles in 10 days mixed roads with speeds between 45 and 75 with average 55. Gas mileage average was 31.5. Very little interstate roads used old US routes. Standard seats and found them to be comfortable, 18 inch tires that came on the GLA, and used cruise control most of the time.

Opps too many 0's it was 1,500 miles over like 5 days.

 

[Wayne]

Opps too many 0's it was 1,500 miles over like 5 days.

I was wondering about that average speed!!!

 

[Fbsdmd]

Pam and I headed out between Christmas and the New Year for visits and a general drive about.

We drove a bit over 1K miles in a few days.

Speeds in the 80s for the most part.

30 mpg with the Michelin MP4S over sized tires.

The 45 sport (standard for the 45, not Recaro) seats get uncomfortable around mile 300, so that's a good time to stop for gas.

Not much else to report ... a good thing!!!

On another note, I celebrated 40 years at my job on New Year's and am now retired, converting to consulting status after spending the last four years weaning the company from my participation ?

Wishing a happy and prosperous New Year to all!!!

View attachment 23896

Congratulations Wayne on your retirement. Maybe you should consider retirement living in that mecca for retirement, upstate New York. At least there is no ambiguity about what season it is here.

 

[Wayne]

I believe I'm OK on the West Coast ?

I grew up in Upstate. Went to school in Canton. I've known cold. I shoveled snow in shorts and T shirt ... never ever allow yourself to sweat in the cold, there's no recovery from that 8(

Then again, especially in the summer, if you don't like the weather wait ten minutes!!!

But someday soon we hope to break free and do a North America drive about getting back to the North East to visit old friends. I long to walk the gorges around Ithaca and visit the Adirondacks again.

 

[Huey52]

I graduated from SLU myself ('74). Small world.

I believe I'm OK on the West Coast ?

I grew up in Upstate. Went to school in Canton. I've known cold. I shoveled snow in shorts and T shirt ... never ever allow yourself to sweat in the cold, there's no recovery from that 8(

Then again, especially in the summer, if you don't like the weather wait ten minutes!!!

But someday soon we hope to break free and do a North America drive about getting back to the North East to visit old friends. I long to walk the gorges around Ithaca and visit the Adirondacks again.

 

[Wayne]

I graduated from SLU myself ('74). Small world.

Even smaller ... Class of '75. Small University. I suspect our paths crossed.

Majors in Chemistry and Physics with a minor in Math, although the Diploma is simply Bachelor of Science. Worked four years in the Chemistry Stockroom. Taught Physics Lab for two years.

 

[Wayne]

There was a saying at SLU ... If summer happens on a Sunday we go out for a picnic.

There was also a week in February each year where the high temperature was -30F. But it was a dry cold!!!

 

[Huey52]

LOL Yes, a "dry cold." Used the reciprocal expression many summers later spent in the Mojave desert - a dry heat.

I was part of a co-op program and took engineering courses at Clarkson (10 mile bus trip), but other courses and graduated SLU. I minored in Geology after taking an Interterm entitled "rocks for browsers." :laugh:

There was a saying at SLU ... If summer happens on a Sunday we go out for a picnic.

There was also a week in February each year where the high temperature was -30F. But it was a dry cold!!!

 

[Wayne]

I hired a guy 25 years ago who graduated Clarkson in '74 (Mechanical Engineering, still works with me). I took "Rocks for Jocks" in January '72.

Lost a windshield on my 997 while driving across the Mojave a couple years ago when a spontaneous sandstorm occurred. Sand blasting is a bad thing for glass, and paint.

Blew the clutch on my '65 Econoline on a hill on the 11 coming back from Potsdam after a car rally in 1973. The van had 150K miles of rough use so the clutch was due to fail.

Saw Harry Chapin perform at Clarkson as well. I believe that was Fall of '72.

I had an offer to evaluate shale oil drilling (now considered fracking) as a Doctorate from Columbia in the Mojave but turned it down. Ended up in Arizona instead. The West has a pull ?

 

[Fbsdmd]

You youngsters need to come back for another look at NYS. They changed summer now so it's a long weekend. Actually the big news today was that none of the lakes have frozen. There is surely some wacky weather going on these days.

 

[Shadofax]

Pam and I headed out between Christmas and the New Year for visits and a general drive about.

We drove a bit over 1K miles in a few days.

Speeds in the 80s for the most part.

30 mpg with the Michelin MP4S over sized tires.

The 45 sport (standard for the 45, not Recaro) seats get uncomfortable around mile 300, so that's a good time to stop for gas.

Not much else to report ... a good thing!!!

On another note, I celebrated 40 years at my job on New Year's and am now retired, converting to consulting status after spending the last four years weaning the company from my participation ?

Wishing a happy and prosperous New Year to all!!!

View attachment 23896

Happy New Year Wayne, and of course super congrats on 40yrs and retirement. PLANS?



We just made our final mortgage payment Dec. '18, and I'm hopefully a few short yrs. from calling it quits (retire but go to part time something, 20 or so yrs at my job, and I'm likely younger from your posts on years and college, etc.)

 

[Fbsdmd]

Monday morning is much sweeter when you are retired.