Where is the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing? They have passed like rain on the mountain, like wind in the meadow. The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow. How did it come to this?
I might go to Suzhou for noodles (30 min by train). I had thought about Guangzhou to see friends and I hadn't been since 2015 (2 hour flight) and also Sanya (2.5 hour flight) for a golf weekend.
Truth or Consequences, New Mexico is the worst town I have been to. We drove Houston - Austin - Marfa - Big Bend National Park - El Paso - ABQ - Santa Fe (stayed 3 nights) - Mesa Verde - 4 Corners - Bryce Canyon NP - Zion NP - Las Vegas - then we got sick of being on the road and shot up back through the backside of California in 1 day taking 395 up to South Lake Tahoe and then out to Fair Oaks where my parents were. This was over a month in 2008.
On the Coast to COVID road trip, I managed to hook up with I-40 in Barstow at the beginning, and again, somewhat unexpectedly, in Wilmington, NC, at the other end...it was not planned, but rather cool.
Growing up, I spent my summers in Ensenada. My grandparents had a place there on the beach for like 30 years. (And I've been looking at places to buy in the area.)
I really want to do a surf trip south in non peak months (aka spring/summer) when the conditions are closer to my skill set. I'm also interested in checking out the port at Ensenada so it's not a mystery when I (hopefully) sail there in the next year or so.
Mexico has dumped tons of money into the port of Ensenada hoping to lure some of the port business away from California. It's so, so, so much bigger than when I used to go there
US citizens can buy but not within 50 meters from the shoreline or within 100 meters from the border. Other than that, there aren’t really any restrictions to owning property in Mexico
Lassen National Park. Been around it on all sides over the years, but have never been there. Maybe a drive down the portion of the Klamath River that's in northern Cal and west of I5 as well. Again, been north. south, east, and west of that area countless times, but never that specific scenic drive.
Went to Crater Lake for anniversary last year. Been to the Redwoods several times, the most recent for another anniversary trip. Going to Oregon Caves this summer too (been years since I've gone there, though I've driven past several times.
At a Chess tournament a few years back, there was a plastic pawn that must've been exposed to heat and was bent but not malformed. I took a picture of it. When looking for a twitter/discord icon recently, I just paid a reddit freelancer to convert the picture to a blue-and-gold gif. At one point, I toyed with the idea of creating this whole persona around social unrest and how the pawns will all rise up. Instead, I went with a cartoon face. It satisfies my inner chess geek.
whereabouts near Acadia? My mother in law & her husband have a place on Deer Isle which neatly demonstrates the difference between "close as the crow flies" and "not at all close by road"
Having learned this the hard way: it's bigger than you think! And once you're off the interstate, it takes a little longer to get to where you're going. Scenic though.
That's something I've quickly learned about the Northeast: how far something appears on a map is often quite different from how long it takes to get there.
Everything is still so much closer together than out west though. Years ago, I did a round trip Megabus weekend trip from DC to Boston that was taking the bus on Friday and Sunday night. I don't know how fast that bus was driving, but I was shocked when we arrived within 6 hours.
I once went did a same day round trip to NYC for a concert on Megabus and FWIW we were absolutely hauling ass on the way back (IIRC I got an 11pm bus and we got back to Union Station in DC maybe around 3 am?)
I mean I know you're more than capable of working that out, but even knowing that it's about 750 miles to the in-laws place hasn't kept me from feeling slightly surprised 12 hours in to the drive. The problem, as is so often the case, is Connecticut generally and the high odds of any delay en route meaning that you arrive in the Boston area just in time for the evening rush hour.
Take the Miata down PCH to LA. If No 3 goes to college in LA I'll probably do this in the fall. Also thinking of driving up to Portland to visit friends sometime after it's safe since one couple had a baby.
I did the 101 & 5 route from Crescent City to LA (and back) three times this past fall and thoroughly enjoyed the Bay Area to Crescent City sections each time. The rolling hills of Mendocino County and the thick redwood forests of Humboldt and Del Norte are spectacular.
That is a hot take, but maybe in aggregate - but the single most impressive part of Hwy 1 is Big Sur - although the Lost Coast would probably give it a run for the money, if there was road there.
Maybe i'll do that when I go to Portland. The Miata will be much better on 1 than I-5. 4000 RPM at 80 mph is a bad drone. Wouldn't want to be doing much more than that for an extended period of time. Means I'll be passed like I'm not moving on 5.
Yeah I did think about that. I was thinking of starting at 92 and 1. It does look like it will be open back up over the summer so by the fall it hopefully would be good. Otherwise I don't think I wouldn't be able to get to 1 until almost Morro Bay so I'd only be driving the southern half. If it isn't open by the fall then I'd probably wait until it was open and then drive it.
ordinarily I'd say "going to Vermont to see the missus" but the summer camp will be closed to outsiders, so that's a bust. Maybe I'll go and drive around in the more scenic bits of VA, assuming I can do that without being menaced for being a big city liberal 😂
Mind you, now that I'm responsible for feline maintenance, I'll have to find a cat sitter if I want to do an overnight trip.
dude, perfect opportunity for you to encourage the Missus to invite all the hottie camp counselors to stay with guys this summer. I see no downside here
which camp? do you normally go and hang out there for a bit?
looks like NH summer camps will be open as well. it will be nice for our younger one (14) to be back there for her final couple years after it being shut down last summer.
we usually to the drop off and pick up in person at our camp. it is always a fun excursion and a beautiful area near the White Mts in NH.
it's in VT in the upper valley north of Hanover / Norwich off 91. Technically 3 camps (younger girls, older girls, boys). I usually go up a couple times a summer to take in the fresh air and maybe join the missus on a day off, but in '18 and '19 they moved her into a different shack only accessible through a tent field, and it's much harder to visit when I have to restrict my trips in and out like that.
My wife and the older girl (who will be a counselor) will head up together. I may go and drop off the 16 y.o. in person depending on whether we can get her vaccinated before camp, her level of comfort in flying up if vaccinated, etc.
Owned: I have only owned a Datsun 210, a Honda Accord, a Land Rover Discovery, a Jaguar S-type and the current MBZ drop top. They were all awesome except the Datsun, but it served its purpose for 16-21 year old me perfectly so I can't fault it.
Rental-wise, a Toyota Corolla was far and away the worst car I've driven. It was so unresponsive and the steering was so squishy I felt like I was taking my life into my hands just guessing how it would respond every time I tried to drive that tin box. Hated it. I did once have a Mustang convertible in LA (because that was all that was left, so they gave it to me) and it was adequate but unremarkable.
The first car I ever owned was a hand-me-down 1987 Audi 5000 sedan. Keep in mind that I was driving this around 2003-2004, so it was a pretty old car. Worked well enough for a year or so and then conked out.
I'm sure if I'd been driving it in 1987 I would have loved it.
Though in reading articles about that era of Audi cars apparently they were known for breaking down fairly frequently (though also driving very smoothly when they were running).
We still have our xB and although it is no pleasure to drive it has been the easiest to maintain vehicle I've ever owned (well it's technically my wife's). Parts are dirt cheap, readily available and every repair has an east to follow YouTube video. It's good on gas, simple to park and you can store a bunch of shit in the back with the seats down.
Reading these responses, this needs to be two lists, worst you've owned, and worst you've driven. Also funny to me, I've never ever rented (on purpose) a fancy rental car like a Challenger or Mustang even though the rental guys are always pushing them.
I don't like the handling of the Camry. The suspension is way too soft. The Hondas seem to have stiffer suspensions than the Toyotas which is why I wouldn't buy a Toyota.
I had a Hertz special Mustang that time I met you all for sausages and such in Oakland - it was so much better than the Challenger, not even funny. The day I left I was taking a redeye from SFO, and my folks were pulling every old person trick in the book to delay me from leaving - so I ended up making time along Skyline to the reservoir by 280, it handled surprisingly well!
Nothing against them, I'm just cheap about some things - like rental cars. OTOH, once I was an adult and had a taste for wine it used to drive me bonkers that my Dad was cheap about buying wine in a restaurant, sure it's more expensive than at the Giant, but so is eating out in the first place! And it's not like they were struggling or anything.
I've found that rental car prices have baffling variability. The time I rented a challenger it was maybe $3 per day more than a compact for some reason (maybe because people didn't want to pay for its mediocre fuel economy?). And when we were in Denver a couple years ago a pickup truck was the cheapest rental option.
I had been renting the Ford Fusion Hybrids to save on gas, like when going to LA. Surprisingly they're pretty nice cars. Now Hertz got rid of them so no more hybrids.
Owned the worst I've driven was a 91 Geo Metro I bought from my high school auto for $50 to learn how to drive stick on. There was a valve stuck open on one cylinder so only two of the three fired resulting in about 35-40hp overall. Complete piece of junk, but you didn't need to care about it and if you parked crooked you could literally rock the back portion of the car and slide it into place (the car was <900lbs).
Rented was an early 2010s Dodge Challenger. It had good power but you could barely see over the dash which was made worse by a very short windshield and sunken down driver's seat. Combined with too powerful of power steering made for a car that felt out of control a lot of the time.
Mazda 5. I had it as a rental car once in LA. It's a weird, little hatchback-minivan thing. To say it was sluggish is a compliment to the swiftness of slugs. Apparently it had a 150hp engine but it was saddled with an ancient 4-speed automatic that made it feel like it had half the power. Nothing about driving it was the slightest bit enjoyable. It had to work so hard just to achieve basic road speeds. My frustration hit its peak when driving on I-5 in the rain on a very slight incline (maybe a 2.5% grade) near the 5-210 junction. It couldn't keep a constant speed going up the hill, so it would downshift and immediately start spinning its garbage-tier tires which couldn't get traction, which led me to back off the gas so it would upshift and continue slowing, at which point we'd repeat the cycle again. I hated that car and am not at all surprised Mazda discontinued it the following year.
Most disappointing was a Dodge Challenger that I also had as a rental. It was the entry-level V8 model and was decently well appointed. The driving experience was incredibly dull, however. It had a loud, shouty engine but it wasn't particularly quick. And the worst part was the steering: there was no feel whatsoever. Going onto a cloverleaf freeway onramp I noticed I had to judge how much to turn the wheel based purely on where it looks like the car is going rather than any feeling of resistance from the steering wheel. Obviously it's a big, heavy American car so I expected handling to be subpar, but it was disappointing even compared to my low expectations. It struck me as a car for someone who wants all the pretentions of driving a loud, V8 muscle car with none of the actual driving experience of one.
I remember I rented a Mazda 2 from Charlotte to Myrtle Beach, during probably the hottest week in May back in 2015. It struggled to keep the cabin cool and didn't have much power, though it was enough for the roads I took. Mainly the AC was underpowered so that sucked. I only needed it for the drive there because there were other baseball team parents that had cars for the week.
Hmmm. I love my Mazda5. It's my daily commute car, now has over 130K miles, and has made several cross country trips. No problem getting that thing revved up and going. I agree that traction is kinda lousy as the weight distro on the low chassis makes it quite easy to slip and slide. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience.
I drove a v8 Challenger during a weekend in VT years ago - It certainly didn't have any feel in the steering as you said. I found that it would get-up-and-go if you really pushed hard on the gas pedal, but preferably in a straight line. IIRC the other rental I had that summer was a Mercedes E350, and while it wasn't fun to drive, I would have been comfortable driving at 90 all day in that thing because it was so predictable (and had the brakes and headlights to support it)
In HS my dad had a loaner from the repair shop that was an old Pinto. I had to drive that to school for a couple of days. Sometimes the auto transmission wouldn't shift into 3rd so I was driving home at high RPMs until the transmission clunked into 3rd.
'99 Chevy Blazer. It was the poster child of shitty American manufacturing. Looked okay, but everything broke on it even when it was a new car. I had trouble giving that car away even when it was only 2 years old.
there have been a few, but the standouts are a Chrysler PT Cruiser and a 65 Mustang with the straight six. (I'm skipping obvious targets like rented Hyundais)
When my wife was looking for a classic car, she was initially obsessed with 65-68 Mustangs for their look. I cautioned her to drive one before committing. Everyone I've driven felt like an oversized go cart that could fall apart at any moment. They look cool, but boy are they a disappointing dive. She ended up getting a 74 Dodge Dart, which although slow with a 225 slant 6, is so far pretty reliable and a very good looking car. Though she does want to upgrade to the v8 when the slant 6 eventually tires out.
I have only ever heard good things about Darts as an ownership proposition for classic cars. That Mustang... tons of slack in the steering and dreadful brakes, I've rarely felt as on edge while driving in clear conditions.
Exactly, probably 4 of the 5 that I've driven all felt like they were shabbily restored and could fall apart at any moment. Also 302's are very problematic motors in my experience. The Dart is a great cruiser and gets lots of looks and compliments. The 13-15mpg isn't great, especially when combined with an 11 gallon fuel tank.
my used '06 MB c230 was my money pit car, though it was very fun to drive with a six speed manual. All the plastic parts started failing five years into ownership then it blew a rod through the side of the block around 85k miles.
while i doubt tennis coaches and barbers count as essential workers, my experience in talking to these people (all men from foreign countries) is that they dont "trust the vaccine." they seem to think that if enough people get vaccinated, things will go back to normal and it wont matter if they get it or not.
My father-in-law is convinced that the vaccine will kill everyone who gets it. But he's also a full on Qanon believer who believes that Biden rapes a thousand babies a day and that drumpf is the greatest person ever.
It's frustrating that too many people feel that way, because I don't think it requires advanced knowledge of biology to know why that would be problematic.
I've been surprised to see people I know on social media traveling when I'm pretty sure they haven't even had one shot yet. I think people are just saying 'fuck it," and the rising numbers bear that out. I'm pleased to see that the preliminary data suggest that the Pfizer and Moderna shots are very effective not just in reducing the severity of a case of the 'rona but for keeping you from getting it in the first place.
I am seeing all these articles about how important the vaccine card will be, followed up with things like Staples offering free lamination of your card and weirdos in Florida selling fake vax cards for $200. But I can't see how the cards can possibly be that important given that HIPAA privacy prevents you from asking for it except to specific parties. I haven't researched it too much, but it's been on my mind.
HIPAA is not as all encompassing as people think it is. It prevents the city public health department from providing a file to, for example, Krispy Kreme of everyone who has been vaccinated. It does not prevent Krispy Kreme from saying I'll give you a free donut (or let you on my plane, or into this event) if you can prove to me you've done this thing.
I think the whole vaccine card thing is a boogie man for the anti-vaxers. I imagine that pretty much everywhere that would feel the need to ask about 'proof of vaccine' will also either be effectively closed, or 'masks ok'.
It was disappointing, but not surprising. Which is too bad; she has proven herself as a very successful coach in a place with high expectations as well as high hurdles to clear. But agree with her or disagree (and there are plenty of people in both camps, as is usually the case with a polarizing, strong willed and outspoken person) her philosophy on a lot of issues is well known, and no one should have been particularly surprised by this.
Also too bad this is distracting from the on-floor 2 point win for UConn over Baylor, with, of course, a controversial call late that was key in determining the outcome. The game, lost in the midst of the MBB tournament, should be the story.
After watching the replay I was surprised it wasn't called. The two defenders clearly weren't straight up, though that may have only been visible if an official had a side view. Had they been letting them play all game long?
this may sound odd, but it's not the permitless open carry that worries me - you can tell who to avoid. It's the permitless concealed carry that gives me the heebie-jeebies.
I read an article in the Tennessean just now, in which the TN House majority leader said that the next step was to get something similar for long guns. Which certainly is a choice that you can make.
I'd love to see someone attempt concealed carry of a long gun. Walking around like they've got a peg leg while they have an AR-15 jammed down their pants.
Got tickets for the A's/Dodgers game Tues night. Thinking about going Wed afternoon but would have to find someone else to go since tickets are sold in pods of 2 or 4. Anyone interested?
March Madness Elite 8, USC vs Gonzaga and Michigan vs UCLA, also sad times for Oregon State they just simply couldnt rebound against a very tenacious Houston team.
Pac-12 might be out after tonight...and the Conference of Champions can only fall back to the Indoor Track and Field (Oregon), Skiing (Utah), Men's Water Polo (UCLA) championships won so far in 2021.
A couple key turnovers really hurt. Ethan Thompson stepped on the back of a Houston defender's foot and tripped, and right when that happened, I though it could be the play that tipped momentum.
So much action on DBD today! What is it, the nice weather or the hot topics?
i was surprised how much people had to say about their terrible cars!
much longer paragraphs than usual
Yes, and lots of short entries on road trips. Clearly, driving cars is of great interest!
We all just want to go SOMEWHERE, even in a crappy Dodge Challenger
I'm reviewing an application for a woman named Lolita... did her parents have no idea? Grandmothers name?
or maybe...
boom chika wow wow...
https://smartypants.store/collections/feminist/products/girls-just-wanna-have-funding-for-scientific-research-sweatshirt?variant=39446345580743
How did it end up like this
It was only a kiss
It was only a kiss
A road trip within 12 hours of you that you wouldn't mind doing this summer.
I might go to Suzhou for noodles (30 min by train). I had thought about Guangzhou to see friends and I hadn't been since 2015 (2 hour flight) and also Sanya (2.5 hour flight) for a golf weekend.
I would love to drive to Arizona, then New Mexico, then Austin. I love driving through endless desert.
Truth or Consequences, New Mexico is the worst town I have been to. We drove Houston - Austin - Marfa - Big Bend National Park - El Paso - ABQ - Santa Fe (stayed 3 nights) - Mesa Verde - 4 Corners - Bryce Canyon NP - Zion NP - Las Vegas - then we got sick of being on the road and shot up back through the backside of California in 1 day taking 395 up to South Lake Tahoe and then out to Fair Oaks where my parents were. This was over a month in 2008.
I enjoyed the drive through Flagstaff, Albuquerque, and through Amarillo far more than I expected when moving across the country.
Flagstaff is really enjoyable.
did you stop in Ft Sumner? i lived there for 3 months once.
that is where Billy the Kid is buried!
Advices from Lincoln say PALS
We stuck to I-40 for the entire length of the state except for one diversion to go see the Pollos Hermanos building from Breaking Bad.
On the Coast to COVID road trip, I managed to hook up with I-40 in Barstow at the beginning, and again, somewhat unexpectedly, in Wilmington, NC, at the other end...it was not planned, but rather cool.
Las Vegas NM is a very charming little town
Never quite made it there, but visited the Pecos NM on the way there from Santa Fe.
Maybe that can be the way you get to TCU in Sept.
if only I could take that much time off.
I'd love to do Ensenada to the south or Zion (and surrounding parks) to the north/east
Growing up, I spent my summers in Ensenada. My grandparents had a place there on the beach for like 30 years. (And I've been looking at places to buy in the area.)
I really want to do a surf trip south in non peak months (aka spring/summer) when the conditions are closer to my skill set. I'm also interested in checking out the port at Ensenada so it's not a mystery when I (hopefully) sail there in the next year or so.
Mexico has dumped tons of money into the port of Ensenada hoping to lure some of the port business away from California. It's so, so, so much bigger than when I used to go there
it's massive but has nowhere near the infrastructure to load/offload cargo like San Pedro or Oakland can
Also A LOT more cruise ship traffic
Lease 99 years if you're an American, I think. Stayed in beach house there some time ago.
US citizens can buy but not within 50 meters from the shoreline or within 100 meters from the border. Other than that, there aren’t really any restrictions to owning property in Mexico
Ah, well he didn't explain that! Was a nice place, great view, hot tub etc..
Lassen National Park. Been around it on all sides over the years, but have never been there. Maybe a drive down the portion of the Klamath River that's in northern Cal and west of I5 as well. Again, been north. south, east, and west of that area countless times, but never that specific scenic drive.
Lassen is beautiful, and you can bang out Redwoods and Crater Lake NP's on the same road trip.
Went to Crater Lake for anniversary last year. Been to the Redwoods several times, the most recent for another anniversary trip. Going to Oregon Caves this summer too (been years since I've gone there, though I've driven past several times.
Highly recommended. It's a great park with many beautiful vistas, not very crowded (thinking of the sardine-like conditions in Yosemite).
Its worth it just for the sulfur pits alone.
BentPawn, that's a great picture of you. How'd you get bent?
At a Chess tournament a few years back, there was a plastic pawn that must've been exposed to heat and was bent but not malformed. I took a picture of it. When looking for a twitter/discord icon recently, I just paid a reddit freelancer to convert the picture to a blue-and-gold gif. At one point, I toyed with the idea of creating this whole persona around social unrest and how the pawns will all rise up. Instead, I went with a cartoon face. It satisfies my inner chess geek.
Brevard NC - i already did this twice last year.
my cycling coach lives there and it is a perfect getaway for me to ride my bike all week on good hilly roads that i cant get near NYC.
also, i can easily work remotely at about 50-75% effort and still ride 3-4 hours each morning.
My wife went to Brevard College back in the day (like 25 years of days). Based on the description of life there, haven't had any desire to go.
That sounds like a pretty ideal work schedule. Although I may take a bit to ramp up to 3-4 hours per day...
Maine. I've never been to many of the states in the Northeast and wouldn't mind seeing what's going on in Maine.
we are going!
we booked a house near Acadia for 5 days and then another 3 days in Portsmouth NH w/ my sister-in-law's family.
there is the rugged coastline part of Maine which is great.
there is also the inland Appalachian part of Maine which is also great.
i highly recommend you check out the AMC Lodges within the 100 mi wilderness.
whereabouts near Acadia? My mother in law & her husband have a place on Deer Isle which neatly demonstrates the difference between "close as the crow flies" and "not at all close by road"
we are staying in Sullivan about 25 mile from the park on the roads. i imagine it will take us 45-60 min in summer traffic.
we booked a little late so we didnt have too many choices. it was hard to find a place for a group of 8 in mid-July
Having learned this the hard way: it's bigger than you think! And once you're off the interstate, it takes a little longer to get to where you're going. Scenic though.
That's something I've quickly learned about the Northeast: how far something appears on a map is often quite different from how long it takes to get there.
Everything is still so much closer together than out west though. Years ago, I did a round trip Megabus weekend trip from DC to Boston that was taking the bus on Friday and Sunday night. I don't know how fast that bus was driving, but I was shocked when we arrived within 6 hours.
I once went did a same day round trip to NYC for a concert on Megabus and FWIW we were absolutely hauling ass on the way back (IIRC I got an 11pm bus and we got back to Union Station in DC maybe around 3 am?)
I mean I know you're more than capable of working that out, but even knowing that it's about 750 miles to the in-laws place hasn't kept me from feeling slightly surprised 12 hours in to the drive. The problem, as is so often the case, is Connecticut generally and the high odds of any delay en route meaning that you arrive in the Boston area just in time for the evening rush hour.
I'm thinking Kentucky because why the fuck not. Mountains. Woods. Cooler weather. Bourbon.
you forgot meth, inbreeding and some racism
because Kentucky...
Take the Miata down PCH to LA. If No 3 goes to college in LA I'll probably do this in the fall. Also thinking of driving up to Portland to visit friends sometime after it's safe since one couple had a baby.
HOT TAKE: the drive up 1 from San Francisco to the border is considerably more beautiful than the drive down 1 from SF to LA.
I've never gone south, only done North. Right by the Oregon Border there were like 20' waves. It was intense.
I would like to try that out
I did the 101 & 5 route from Crescent City to LA (and back) three times this past fall and thoroughly enjoyed the Bay Area to Crescent City sections each time. The rolling hills of Mendocino County and the thick redwood forests of Humboldt and Del Norte are spectacular.
That is a hot take, but maybe in aggregate - but the single most impressive part of Hwy 1 is Big Sur - although the Lost Coast would probably give it a run for the money, if there was road there.
Maybe i'll do that when I go to Portland. The Miata will be much better on 1 than I-5. 4000 RPM at 80 mph is a bad drone. Wouldn't want to be doing much more than that for an extended period of time. Means I'll be passed like I'm not moving on 5.
Well, much of California north of SF is considerably more beautiful than the area between SF and LA.
Just make sure you start below the landslide area on Hwy 1 or plan for a long inland detour in the middle of the state
Yeah I did think about that. I was thinking of starting at 92 and 1. It does look like it will be open back up over the summer so by the fall it hopefully would be good. Otherwise I don't think I wouldn't be able to get to 1 until almost Morro Bay so I'd only be driving the southern half. If it isn't open by the fall then I'd probably wait until it was open and then drive it.
As nice as the drive south from Morro to LA is on the PCH the whole drive loses a lot of its beauty if you can't do the ~90mi of Big Sur
I'm so glad the length of it was open when the missus and I did our road trip from LA to Monterey before moving away in '15.
Yeah that was the part I was most looking forward to.
It's too bad, they just re-paved it, and the part I tore up and down in October was smooth as silk.
ordinarily I'd say "going to Vermont to see the missus" but the summer camp will be closed to outsiders, so that's a bust. Maybe I'll go and drive around in the more scenic bits of VA, assuming I can do that without being menaced for being a big city liberal 😂
Mind you, now that I'm responsible for feline maintenance, I'll have to find a cat sitter if I want to do an overnight trip.
Drive down to Asheville.
My feelings about going south are affected by vaccine / mask shenanigans, I get that it's not going to be much of an issue for me but...
dude, perfect opportunity for you to encourage the Missus to invite all the hottie camp counselors to stay with guys this summer. I see no downside here
I don't even know if there will be any traveling foreign counselors to have visit, I'm very distressed.
which camp? do you normally go and hang out there for a bit?
looks like NH summer camps will be open as well. it will be nice for our younger one (14) to be back there for her final couple years after it being shut down last summer.
we usually to the drop off and pick up in person at our camp. it is always a fun excursion and a beautiful area near the White Mts in NH.
it's in VT in the upper valley north of Hanover / Norwich off 91. Technically 3 camps (younger girls, older girls, boys). I usually go up a couple times a summer to take in the fresh air and maybe join the missus on a day off, but in '18 and '19 they moved her into a different shack only accessible through a tent field, and it's much harder to visit when I have to restrict my trips in and out like that.
My wife and the older girl (who will be a counselor) will head up together. I may go and drop off the 16 y.o. in person depending on whether we can get her vaccinated before camp, her level of comfort in flying up if vaccinated, etc.
Mt. Lassen trip and hike up to the summit.
The trip, yes; the hike, not so much.
The hike is not bad. only about 6 miles (straight up the hill). And the summit is pretty cool.
Behind the scenes of the album cover shoot for Sgt. Pepper's
https://www.vintag.es/2014/06/photos-of-making-cover-for-sgt-peppers.html
First time I got see Leo Gorcey's pic, as he was afterwards brushed out since they wouldn't pay his then paltry fee.
Worst car you've ever driven
Owned: I have only owned a Datsun 210, a Honda Accord, a Land Rover Discovery, a Jaguar S-type and the current MBZ drop top. They were all awesome except the Datsun, but it served its purpose for 16-21 year old me perfectly so I can't fault it.
Rental-wise, a Toyota Corolla was far and away the worst car I've driven. It was so unresponsive and the steering was so squishy I felt like I was taking my life into my hands just guessing how it would respond every time I tried to drive that tin box. Hated it. I did once have a Mustang convertible in LA (because that was all that was left, so they gave it to me) and it was adequate but unremarkable.
The first car I ever owned was a hand-me-down 1987 Audi 5000 sedan. Keep in mind that I was driving this around 2003-2004, so it was a pretty old car. Worked well enough for a year or so and then conked out.
I'm sure if I'd been driving it in 1987 I would have loved it.
those were good looking cars if you're into sedans (and as it happens, I am!)
I did like the look of it.
Though in reading articles about that era of Audi cars apparently they were known for breaking down fairly frequently (though also driving very smoothly when they were running).
They were LEMONS!
Rented a Toyota Scion BB and that had absolutely no power at all, driving on highway was a struggle.
We still have our xB and although it is no pleasure to drive it has been the easiest to maintain vehicle I've ever owned (well it's technically my wife's). Parts are dirt cheap, readily available and every repair has an east to follow YouTube video. It's good on gas, simple to park and you can store a bunch of shit in the back with the seats down.
I realized two mistakes. First it's called xB in US. It was called BB in Japan where I rented. Second, it was Nissan Cube not Scion lol.
Lol I can't speak for the cube, but the xB is quality base level car. No frills, but reliable and cheap to own.
Reading these responses, this needs to be two lists, worst you've owned, and worst you've driven. Also funny to me, I've never ever rented (on purpose) a fancy rental car like a Challenger or Mustang even though the rental guys are always pushing them.
Owned cars: I've only owned a Camry and an Accord. The Accord is so much better, though the age difference of the cars likely plays a difference.
Any cars: Hyundai is beyond the worst cars I've ever driven.
How new was the Hyundai you drove? I thought the stuff in the last 5 years was pretty good.
Don't recall exactly but definitely within the last five years.
I don't like the handling of the Camry. The suspension is way too soft. The Hondas seem to have stiffer suspensions than the Toyotas which is why I wouldn't buy a Toyota.
That's pretty much my opinion of the two cars.
Probably also similar between Acura and Lexus as well (not counting the IS-F or the LFA).
Lexus has gotten better, but the early 00s they all felt like you were driving on a cloud. Good for comfort, not great for road feel.
I had a Hertz special Mustang that time I met you all for sausages and such in Oakland - it was so much better than the Challenger, not even funny. The day I left I was taking a redeye from SFO, and my folks were pulling every old person trick in the book to delay me from leaving - so I ended up making time along Skyline to the reservoir by 280, it handled surprisingly well!
Nothing against them, I'm just cheap about some things - like rental cars. OTOH, once I was an adult and had a taste for wine it used to drive me bonkers that my Dad was cheap about buying wine in a restaurant, sure it's more expensive than at the Giant, but so is eating out in the first place! And it's not like they were struggling or anything.
I've found that rental car prices have baffling variability. The time I rented a challenger it was maybe $3 per day more than a compact for some reason (maybe because people didn't want to pay for its mediocre fuel economy?). And when we were in Denver a couple years ago a pickup truck was the cheapest rental option.
yeah I generally only get the indulgent rentals if they're on sale - whether in advance or a "day of" upgrade special.
I had been renting the Ford Fusion Hybrids to save on gas, like when going to LA. Surprisingly they're pretty nice cars. Now Hertz got rid of them so no more hybrids.
Owned the worst I've driven was a 91 Geo Metro I bought from my high school auto for $50 to learn how to drive stick on. There was a valve stuck open on one cylinder so only two of the three fired resulting in about 35-40hp overall. Complete piece of junk, but you didn't need to care about it and if you parked crooked you could literally rock the back portion of the car and slide it into place (the car was <900lbs).
Rented was an early 2010s Dodge Challenger. It had good power but you could barely see over the dash which was made worse by a very short windshield and sunken down driver's seat. Combined with too powerful of power steering made for a car that felt out of control a lot of the time.
Mazda 5. I had it as a rental car once in LA. It's a weird, little hatchback-minivan thing. To say it was sluggish is a compliment to the swiftness of slugs. Apparently it had a 150hp engine but it was saddled with an ancient 4-speed automatic that made it feel like it had half the power. Nothing about driving it was the slightest bit enjoyable. It had to work so hard just to achieve basic road speeds. My frustration hit its peak when driving on I-5 in the rain on a very slight incline (maybe a 2.5% grade) near the 5-210 junction. It couldn't keep a constant speed going up the hill, so it would downshift and immediately start spinning its garbage-tier tires which couldn't get traction, which led me to back off the gas so it would upshift and continue slowing, at which point we'd repeat the cycle again. I hated that car and am not at all surprised Mazda discontinued it the following year.
Most disappointing was a Dodge Challenger that I also had as a rental. It was the entry-level V8 model and was decently well appointed. The driving experience was incredibly dull, however. It had a loud, shouty engine but it wasn't particularly quick. And the worst part was the steering: there was no feel whatsoever. Going onto a cloverleaf freeway onramp I noticed I had to judge how much to turn the wheel based purely on where it looks like the car is going rather than any feeling of resistance from the steering wheel. Obviously it's a big, heavy American car so I expected handling to be subpar, but it was disappointing even compared to my low expectations. It struck me as a car for someone who wants all the pretentions of driving a loud, V8 muscle car with none of the actual driving experience of one.
I remember I rented a Mazda 2 from Charlotte to Myrtle Beach, during probably the hottest week in May back in 2015. It struggled to keep the cabin cool and didn't have much power, though it was enough for the roads I took. Mainly the AC was underpowered so that sucked. I only needed it for the drive there because there were other baseball team parents that had cars for the week.
Hmmm. I love my Mazda5. It's my daily commute car, now has over 130K miles, and has made several cross country trips. No problem getting that thing revved up and going. I agree that traction is kinda lousy as the weight distro on the low chassis makes it quite easy to slip and slide. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience.
I drove a v8 Challenger during a weekend in VT years ago - It certainly didn't have any feel in the steering as you said. I found that it would get-up-and-go if you really pushed hard on the gas pedal, but preferably in a straight line. IIRC the other rental I had that summer was a Mercedes E350, and while it wasn't fun to drive, I would have been comfortable driving at 90 all day in that thing because it was so predictable (and had the brakes and headlights to support it)
In HS my dad had a loaner from the repair shop that was an old Pinto. I had to drive that to school for a couple of days. Sometimes the auto transmission wouldn't shift into 3rd so I was driving home at high RPMs until the transmission clunked into 3rd.
'99 Chevy Blazer. It was the poster child of shitty American manufacturing. Looked okay, but everything broke on it even when it was a new car. I had trouble giving that car away even when it was only 2 years old.
there have been a few, but the standouts are a Chrysler PT Cruiser and a 65 Mustang with the straight six. (I'm skipping obvious targets like rented Hyundais)
When my wife was looking for a classic car, she was initially obsessed with 65-68 Mustangs for their look. I cautioned her to drive one before committing. Everyone I've driven felt like an oversized go cart that could fall apart at any moment. They look cool, but boy are they a disappointing dive. She ended up getting a 74 Dodge Dart, which although slow with a 225 slant 6, is so far pretty reliable and a very good looking car. Though she does want to upgrade to the v8 when the slant 6 eventually tires out.
I have only ever heard good things about Darts as an ownership proposition for classic cars. That Mustang... tons of slack in the steering and dreadful brakes, I've rarely felt as on edge while driving in clear conditions.
Exactly, probably 4 of the 5 that I've driven all felt like they were shabbily restored and could fall apart at any moment. Also 302's are very problematic motors in my experience. The Dart is a great cruiser and gets lots of looks and compliments. The 13-15mpg isn't great, especially when combined with an 11 gallon fuel tank.
distinct from driving - the worst I've owned was a 96 Audi A4, what a money pit that was.
my used '06 MB c230 was my money pit car, though it was very fun to drive with a six speed manual. All the plastic parts started failing five years into ownership then it blew a rod through the side of the block around 85k miles.
Saab 99 EMS that I bought for $900 as a Cal student. Had a bad transmission that caused the car to slip on grades when the clutch was engaged.
isn't the Oakland - Berkeley area quite hilly? That would seem like a problem.
It was. Driving up Marin Ave. was quite an experience.
the lady friend's mom lives at the top of Marin Ave. That is not a fun street to drive stick.
No it is not.
PSA
TMobile subscribers, sign up for MLB At Bat for free starting today in the TMobile Tuesdays app.
i have the Google Fi plan which is mostly Tmobile, but i guess it doesnt get me access to that app
No you have to have a TMobile account because you have to use their TMobile Tuesdays app.
Today in Covid
Updated poll on vaccine willingness:
https://www.axios.com/covid-vaccine-enthusiasm-poll-growing-faba295c-645d-44f2-87c5-bccd7c38183e.html
The good news is that it is going in the right direction (except ND & WY).
https://twitter.com/rebeccaballhaus/status/1376874696726175749
That's bizarre to see essential workers and 18-29 year olds as two of the three most hesitant groups.
while i doubt tennis coaches and barbers count as essential workers, my experience in talking to these people (all men from foreign countries) is that they dont "trust the vaccine." they seem to think that if enough people get vaccinated, things will go back to normal and it wont matter if they get it or not.
My father-in-law is convinced that the vaccine will kill everyone who gets it. But he's also a full on Qanon believer who believes that Biden rapes a thousand babies a day and that drumpf is the greatest person ever.
Growing up under communism is a hell of a drug.
It's frustrating that too many people feel that way, because I don't think it requires advanced knowledge of biology to know why that would be problematic.
damn anti-vaxxers. The reason we see measles outbreaks.
All this reopening, all the people traveling...it's like not taking a full course of your antibiotics. Rinse and repeat.
I've been surprised to see people I know on social media traveling when I'm pretty sure they haven't even had one shot yet. I think people are just saying 'fuck it," and the rising numbers bear that out. I'm pleased to see that the preliminary data suggest that the Pfizer and Moderna shots are very effective not just in reducing the severity of a case of the 'rona but for keeping you from getting it in the first place.
You mean that once the parachute has deployed, I can't cut it away and assume that I'll continue a slow, safe descent to the ground?
I am seeing all these articles about how important the vaccine card will be, followed up with things like Staples offering free lamination of your card and weirdos in Florida selling fake vax cards for $200. But I can't see how the cards can possibly be that important given that HIPAA privacy prevents you from asking for it except to specific parties. I haven't researched it too much, but it's been on my mind.
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/imz-managers/laws/hipaa/overview.html
I mean it's mainly to travel, right?
HIPAA is not as all encompassing as people think it is. It prevents the city public health department from providing a file to, for example, Krispy Kreme of everyone who has been vaccinated. It does not prevent Krispy Kreme from saying I'll give you a free donut (or let you on my plane, or into this event) if you can prove to me you've done this thing.
I think the whole vaccine card thing is a boogie man for the anti-vaxers. I imagine that pretty much everywhere that would feel the need to ask about 'proof of vaccine' will also either be effectively closed, or 'masks ok'.
Boomers got the vax
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hekDuCBxCc
The South Park vaccination episode was fantastic as well.
Elsewhere in college
Chattanooga opts out of the rest of the season due to lack of players due to Covid
https://gomocs.com/news/2021/3/29/chattanooga-football-opting-out-of-the-remainder-of-the-2021-spring-fcs-season.aspx
This seems really on brand for Baylor
https://twitter.com/TheAthletic/status/1376731695915786245
Mulkey's an asshole, so that's very much on brand for her.
It was disappointing, but not surprising. Which is too bad; she has proven herself as a very successful coach in a place with high expectations as well as high hurdles to clear. But agree with her or disagree (and there are plenty of people in both camps, as is usually the case with a polarizing, strong willed and outspoken person) her philosophy on a lot of issues is well known, and no one should have been particularly surprised by this.
Also too bad this is distracting from the on-floor 2 point win for UConn over Baylor, with, of course, a controversial call late that was key in determining the outcome. The game, lost in the midst of the MBB tournament, should be the story.
I have seen some people on Twitter praising the MBB schedule this year. The changes have really come at the expense of the WBB tournament.
After watching the replay I was surprised it wasn't called. The two defenders clearly weren't straight up, though that may have only been visible if an official had a side view. Had they been letting them play all game long?
Reference: https://twitter.com/BadSportsRefs/status/1376703909985669134
OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY
Matt Gaetz threatens us with a good time
https://www.axios.com/matt-gaetz-retirement-congress-newsmax-e1a0e6bb-0279-4e97-ab22-508e28f4347a.html
I am sure this is purely a coincidence
https://twitter.com/ktbenner/status/1377014158147919879?s=19
Matt Gaetz is bailing water on a sinking ship of hanging out with 17 year olds.
Trump Lashes out at Fauci and Birx after CNN Documentary
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/29/trump-fauci-birx-cnn-documentary-478422
whatever, he'll get distracted soon enough and fuck up a bar mitzvah or something.
I wonder how Trump felt that he was left out of the Vaccine ads with all the other former presidents.
TN on verge of becoming 19th state with permitless handgun carry
https://www.wvlt.tv/2021/03/30/permitless-carry-bill-passed-by-tennessee-general-assembly/
this may sound odd, but it's not the permitless open carry that worries me - you can tell who to avoid. It's the permitless concealed carry that gives me the heebie-jeebies.
I read an article in the Tennessean just now, in which the TN House majority leader said that the next step was to get something similar for long guns. Which certainly is a choice that you can make.
Very true, I've heard lots of stories of road rage quickly escalating to handguns being pulled on people in Florida
I'd love to see someone attempt concealed carry of a long gun. Walking around like they've got a peg leg while they have an AR-15 jammed down their pants.
taking the suggestion that it's a dick enhancer _very_ literally.
PRO
There is a black ownership group that wants to bring an NFL team back to Oakland.
https://theundefeated.com/features/black-ownership-group-aaseg-looks-to-bring-jackie-robinson-moment-to-the-nfl/
What should it be called?
Panthers
I've always liked "Back to Oakland".
The Oakland Town Business
Oakland Traders.
But it isn't the same ownership group.
unless the intention is to honor those who have bought, sold or exchanged goods, i.e. "Traders" not "Traitors"
Got tickets for the A's/Dodgers game Tues night. Thinking about going Wed afternoon but would have to find someone else to go since tickets are sold in pods of 2 or 4. Anyone interested?
I'm waiting for vaccination before I go to any games.
I'll have 1 of the 2 so I'm going to be careful and make sure I have my mask on. No 3 and his GF are going as well so they'll need to be careful.
CAL
Go Bears!
March Madness Elite 8, USC vs Gonzaga and Michigan vs UCLA, also sad times for Oregon State they just simply couldnt rebound against a very tenacious Houston team.
Pac-12 might be out after tonight...and the Conference of Champions can only fall back to the Indoor Track and Field (Oregon), Skiing (Utah), Men's Water Polo (UCLA) championships won so far in 2021.
Or shoot at the end...
they came back to tie at 55 i think with a couple min to go. but down the stretch they couldnt rebound or make a basket.
Yeah I watched only the last five minutes of the game. OSU just couldn't pull it out.
A couple key turnovers really hurt. Ethan Thompson stepped on the back of a Houston defender's foot and tripped, and right when that happened, I though it could be the play that tipped momentum.