I smile as I noticed my RED speck in the distance. My service rep actually phoned me last Wednesday to advise that my top had arrived and they were sending it out for installation . . . and IF everything worked out, it would be finished on Friday afternoon, ready for the weekend - so I had my toes crossed just in case
They managed to detail the interior and give it a bath. It was gleeming in the sunshine
Tony, my service advisor bent over backwards and gave me great service. He is also a car guy and used to own various muscle cars. He is looking for an Alfa Romeo Veloce 2000 GTV and I used to own one many years ago.
it feels good to have my car back home again.
On Saturday, I arrived home after breakfast with the guys in Steveston and had nothing pressing to do
so I doffed my shoes and went for a walk around the neighbourhood. It is not easy to walk barefooted on the cement pavement or gravel pathways. Then I remembered that I had to go to the bank before they closed. I made my way back home and thought that it made more sense to ride my bike. I don't want you all to think I ignore your comments (prev post), so I put on my sandals and found my way to the bank
I am not really a fan of using backpacks but I needed a way to carry my camera and tripod, while helmets are required by law in British Columbia, footwear is not
I rode around for a bit to put on a few more miles and get more exercise
You also get to see things that you don't when travelling in a car
My particular bank has two branches near where I live. I decided to go to the closer one. My original plan was to ride my bike to the slightly farther one as the bank also has a Safeway in the same strip mall and I need to purchase some supplies for the BBQ later in the evening but it was just too much trouble to "unhide" my bike
I was afraid that vandals would damage my bike if I parked it on the street, so I have hidden it out of view but since it takes more effort to bring it out, I find it more convenient to just leave it there and use my car so I basically don't commute to work with it anymore and lately I don't feel energetic enough to even use it during the weekends. It is like my bike is a prisoner of "what may happen" even though nothing may.
Last April we were contemplating a new car purchase. We paid our downpayment and through a series of errors our order got "misplaced". After brunch on Sunday (today) Mrs Skoot finally got her new wheels. It's that white Subaru VX Crosstrek on the right.
We will miss the power of our Subaru WRX sportwagon, but we feel that the more miserly fuel economy is the right thing to do
Aaahhhh...so much good, sweet news. So how are you thinking of protecting all these vehicles on the street?
ReplyDeleteLori:
DeleteI was a bit worried that vandals "would be back", since if it happened again I may have a problem with our Government Insurance provider ICBC, but I can't be held hostage . . . so I have no choice but to park on the street for a bit longer. I do have some options but storing my car an hour away is just inconvenient.
What about one of those personal storage places? One of those places where you can fit the car in and close the garage door and feel safe?
DeleteI'm glad you have your car back, and may she stay safe until you can get her tucked back into the driveway again.
ReplyDeleteI dislike backpacks for riding too, but it's a must for mountain biking. Perhaps a trunkbag/pannier for the rear rack would be handy for camera gear. :)
It's been years since I've ridden barefoot. Clipless pedals and my mtn bike pinned pedals would be wickedly painful for bare feet! I do have some bicycling sandals that are reasonably breezy when riding.
The crosstrek looks nice. I haven't seen one before. We don't have one now, but I've long been a fan of Subarus.
BlueKat:
Deletethey should make breezy shoes for riding motorcycles too ! I would definitely purchase a pair. I don't like wearing running shoes as I sweat easily and my socks get damp really fast during hot weather, not to mention that "running shoe smell", which you don't get wearing sandals due to air flow.
The CrossTrek is a new model only introduced mid August. It is like an Impreza but slightly higher, like an Outback Impreza, and it has paddle shifters in manual mode, streaming BT: BlueTooth and Navigation. We had absolutely NO problems with our prev WRX which we bought new in 2003
YAY, you got the Vette back, got out for a nice bicycle ride and Yvonne got her new ride. That sounds like a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteTrobairitz:
DeleteMust be old age, or my idea to slow down a bit and not rush around. I thought about riding somewhere on my bike but it was too much trouble to move it out. Then I thought about driving my "vette somewhere but when you are by yourself (Mrs Skoot was working) it's not that enjoyable just cruising the streets for no reason, and we were going to drive it to a BBQ later anyway. Then I needed to go to the bank and it seemed silly to drive my commuter Honda and drive home again, so I decided to ride my bike and just save the resources. I needed the exercise anyway.
speaking of which . . . how was that 5K run on Saturday ?
Looks like you had a great weekend The shop looks like they take good care of their customers (hard to find these days). I also am not a fan of wearing a backpack while cycling but always had either panniers or baskets of all of my bicycles. I've seen some nice folding cloth baskets with hard backs to keep them out of the spokes. Looks like a convenient way to carry stuff.
ReplyDeleteI had not heard of the CrossTrek either. It looks a bit larger than the WRX.
Richard:
Deletethe backpack was to carry my Tripod and Sony NEX. I don't want to have my camera bouncing without suspension so it is better to wear it. I have a neat tripod which I should blog about. It is of a unique design the way it folds up very small, yet still goes full height.
we wanted a car with a slightly higher ground clearance. Our WRX was very low and the last time it snowed the centre got caught up into the undercarriage.
Read more CrossTrek info HERE
The Vett looks awesome!
DeleteGlad you doffed your sandals for that bike ride.
My feet hurt whilst I was reading your previous peddling post! :=(
Deb:
Deleteyou have to build up endurance. If you walk around barefooted you will find that you get tougher and able to endure more, even when it is colder. It's just that you have to wash your feet more as dirt gets imbedded and gets harder to clean.
tempus fugit. ride while you can. I feel time's wing'ed chariot hurrying near, though perhaps I am less inclined to yield to it.
ReplyDeleteMr Conchscooter:
DeleteLife's getting shorter, do what you want to do NOW. Turn your dreams into memories before it is too late. You never know what's behind the next corner
Dear Bob:
ReplyDeleteThat Corvette on the street is first-class theft-bait. If it were mine, it would be someplace secret, with a double lock on the door. And another thing, wear sandals on a bicycle makes as much sense as wearing them on a motorcycle. I'm sure I've seen mesh swimming shoes, or something like that, that would offer marginal protection if you got a foot caught between the pedal and the ground someplace.
They did a great job with the Corvette. What a beautiful car! I can't believe hoe expensive that roof was. And it was great chatting with you on the phone last week. Your calls are always welcome and appreciated.
Fondest regards,
Jack / Reep
Twisted Roads
Jack:
DeleteI already have secured parking in a Garage with an armed alarm. It's just that I cannot access it right now due to a construction project, so I have to park on the street, probably another month or so. We are not in an area known for vandalism. I am stressed just as much as the rest of you also having to hide my bike out of view, which means I can't ride as often as I wish.
I already have mesh running shoes, Soloman Amphibians or something like that. I have a whole collection of sandals made for water use so I don't have to wear socks. I also had mesh undergarments, but they used to catch on delicate parts so I stopped using them
They did a very good installation job on the top. Better than new and I hope it stays that way. I can't worry about what may or may not happen and let the bad guys rule our lives, so I am going to start leaving my bike on the street again so I can ride . . .
Glad to see you have the Vette back and Yvonne's car finally came in, very nice. You've also inspired me to dust off my bicycle, but I'll wear shoes, I know all too well about getting a foot caught. Have you considered parking your V-Strom up by the front door? Unlikely that someone will enter a yard with a motion sensor porch light just to vandalize a bike. Maybe you can park the Vette on the lawn too (temporarily).
ReplyDeleteTroubadour:
DeleteI cycle with shoes in the colder weather, it's just that I don't like to sweat in runners. Our neighbour parks his Shadow on his front lawn with a bike cover. Actually nothing happened to my bike, perhaps I should just continue to park it on the street covered. I only got paranoid and hid it from view. I actually dug it out this morning and commuted to work.
My 'Vette is very low, I need a very low angle ramp so as not to hit bottom with the front spoiler. If you cleared your bikes out of your garage, I could park it in there, and of course you can have the key to keep the oil & fresh gas circulating.
Yes, I would do that for you. I'd have to park the bikes in the backyard but that's not a problem.
Delete(Before I say anything else, Troubadour, just say "yes.")
ReplyDeleteBob: Glad you got your little red toy back in time to enjoy the weekend and I love Mrs. Skoot's new ride too (by the way, just noticed - one Red and one White, how Canadian!)
Hey, Karen:
Deletewhose side are you on ? It Troubadour wasn't so far away I would do it. Then he could experience wind in his hair without a helmet
I never thought about patriotic colours before ! I like the way your mind thinks