About This Site

 Automobiles and motorcycles. When looked at by most, they are forms of transportation. But some of us, not many, see them in a different light. They are rolling works of art, gateways to the soul, and best friends. More than machines or simple transportation, they allow us to explore the world around us and ourselves as well.  The feeling one get's when you ride or drive your machine is what this blog is about. If you take a glance at your car before you enter your place of employment, just to get one more look at your "baby". If you get up early on Sunday mornings because the open road is calling you to ride. If you feel anything at all about your vehicle, you might want to join me on this journey, a road trip through an enthusiast's soul.

 History

 I remember most of the cars my parents owned when I was a child, but one stands out. A 1981 Toyota Celica, canary yellow. It stood out, and it wasn't just the bright paint job. She handled different from the Dodges, Fords and Chevys before. Taking a curve was actually fun, and the car liked to be driven. This was the car that started my fascination with performance.

 I never had the chance to drive that little Celica, but she stayed in the back of my mind. In 1985 we bought two new cars, a Toyota Tercel and Mini-van. The Tercel was a great piece of transportation, but she was gutless. I think the gas pedal was only for show. Pegging it to the floor resulted in a lot of noise but hardly any extra foward motion. While reliable and rugged, the little Tercel had no soul.

 1987 was the year I bought my first car. I loved it, because of what it represented but not for what it was. It was not a Toyota like I had hoped, but a 1977 Ford Granada 2-Door coupe. Baby-Powder Blue. With a vinyl roof. Last but not least, a 302 V-8! She didn't look all that hot, with several rust spots, but she could do some accelrating when needed. She was mine for almost three years, all the way up until I graduated high school. It was time for something new.

 1989 was just a great year. I graduated high school, the family took an awesome trip out west, and I bought my Supra. The car that all others that follwed have lived under the shadow of, for this car was incredible. Five-speed transmission, inline 6-cylinder engine, great looks, and superb handling. It was everything I could have hoped for and more. This was my "baby". The first night I had her , I couldn't drive a manual, so I sat in the car turning the lights on and off to see the headlights pop-up. That sound lives with me now, and I return to that moment whenever I hear it. My Supra came with me to Tennessee from Ohio and lasted until 1995, when the problems started to happen. Unfortunately for my Supra, Ohio gets a lot of snow, which means the roads are covered with lots of salt. Salt is BAD. Things started to fall apart, and they all went back to Ohio's salt. The gas tank sprang a leak (rust) and the connecting bolts had to be chiseled off (rust). The radiator sprang a leak (rust, I know, it's aluminum, but not ALL of it is aluminum), the timing belt broke (not rust), the doors started to rust from the inside (more rust), the alternator went south. It was just one thing after another. I finally had enough when she died at the drive-up ATM and I had to push her out of the way. I bought my Tacoma a few days later and the dealership picked my Supra up at the bank lot. I almost cried.

 The Toyota Tacoma was a mixed bag. I bought it in December of 1995 for $10,200 with 2,042 miles on the odometer. It was an excellent buy, or so it seemed. I didn't realize just how bad a truck was on ice (not that any vehicle is any good on ice, mind you). In January I slid off the road and hit a guardrail. Because the Tacoma model was so new it took forever for the rplacement parts to come in. I was stranded for six weeks. I learned to stay off the road when it looked like it could ice up. That didn't stop me from hitting my first deer a few days before Christmas of 1999. The damage was minor, but it never was fixed. A month later I slid on ice again and hit the concrete divider on the interstate. The impact was more violent than I expected, but again the damage was minor because the frame actually took most of the impact instead of the bodywork. The bumper pushed in until the front tow hooks contacted the divider and delivered the shock to the frame. I bent the top of the steering wheel back about an inch when I braced againt it. By August 2000 I was having financial problems and the Tacoma was reposessed. I bummed for rides until October, when I got the Tempo.

 Here's how A Guide to Used Cars Sold In The United States: 1975-1990 describes the Ford Tempo...

 Basic transportation - and quite good at point-a to point-b as long as you don't demand excitement and style.

 Exactly, and this car is even worse. Because the previous owner hit a curb almost head-on, the frame is bent. The car pulls to the right and constant pressure on the wheel is needed to keep the vehicle straight. The styling is bland, oh so bland. It's the first car I can't find ANYTHING attractive about. I don't hate the car. I don't love the car. I have no feelings towards it whatsoever. Kinda sad, really.

 Now I own a 1992 Ford Probe GL. The Tempo is still here, and I switch between the two daily, but I love the Probe days. While not as good as my Supra, the Probe is close. It handles well and has very acceptably acceleration. With such hugh marks for the base model, I wonder just how good the GT version is. I feel that a part of me that was lost has been returned. I love this car.

 Motorcycles

 A movie is to blame for my fascination with motorcycles. That would be Top Gun. The motorcycle scenes are not a major part of the movie, but they had a profound impact on me. My first bike was a 1989 Kawasaki 250R Ninja, a sweet but ultimately dissapointing bike. It's just too small. It was adequate for a year, but I needed something larger. That's when I found the Zephyr. It's a 553cc, 1990 model, and does everything I require out of a bike. Except run. I haven't ridden in three years, but I'm finally in a financial position to get the Zephyr running again.

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