5/13/10

So, where were we on the Birkinstock story? OK, I see I'd made it to my sister’s Saturday night. Despite the sunburn, I slept pretty well. I crawled out of bed and forced my calves to cooperate with me and got ready for the day. My sister and I had gone over the itinerary for the two tour days the night before. Mom was coming to Granbury for Mother’s Day and they thought they might come on down to Glen Rose to meet us, maybe for lunch. It was then that I discovered that the whole tour on Monday consisted of the drive back to the Motorsport Ranch. I decided that I would probably not stay for that after all. I packed up my stuff and loaded the car again. I took off back up 377 to the Motorsport Ranch for the Sunday tour. It was cool but last year’s tour event was much worse. I toughed it out in a “T” shirt. I did throw on long pants because I learned the night before that my leg sticks to the hot vinyl of the center console while driving and peeling away from that to use the brakes was more uncomfortable than I was willing to up-with put. The drive up to the Ranch wasn't too bad and I arrived in plenty of time. We rounded up and headed out. It was quite fun rolling along with fifteen other Seven type vehicles on the back roads. On main highways, not so much, but I'll get to that. We snaked our way back down to Granbury and stopped for gas. I filled up the tank and went in to pee. I made the comment to one of the other guys in line that we all appear to have bladders the size of our cars. He laughed. We rounded everyone up again and rolled out. We got separated at a traffic light and I hung back at the next highway turn off to catch them. Tony was the first car in the next line and blew past the turn. I honked the horn and whipped a “U” turn to go get him. I noticed that the third car in the line had a navigator, they do rallies and stuff I think, and they made the turn. As I was headed back, Tony and the other guy had turned around and made it into line. I whipped in as the “Back Door” and we took off. I kept an eye on Dick Brink’s wife, Lynn, in the Toyota behind us and sure enough, she missed a turn off. I didn't worry too much about her because I figured she probably had a map. At least I hoped she had a map. After about an hour of winding roads, my legs were beginning to get uncomfortable. Not the sunburn, the seating position was wearing on me. And then there was the sunburn. Fortunately, we rolled into Glen Rose and pulled into the hotel parking lot before I was terminally uncomfortable. We all got out and wandered around a bit. Across the street from the hotel was the little place we were to have lunch. We headed over and were seated. My tilapia was quite tasty. My sister called as I was eating to say that she, mom, and Lester were in Glen Rose and headed to the restaurant. I got my check and paid up to go out and meet them. We went back to the hotel to see the cars and then they went to have some lunch. Everyone else finished up their lunches and we all hung out until the next tour was scheduled. It began to sprinkle. We loaded up in the cars and took off in a light misting rain. Not bad enough to get us wet, but just enough to make visibility poor without windshield wipers. We snaked our way around the country side for another hour or so and stopped for gas again. Good thing because I was beginning to hurt by that stop. My legs were stiff and sore from sitting with them stretched out in front of me. And then there was the sunburn. I went in and peed then asked how long the next leg of the tour would be. I wasn't sure if I should get gas or not. The next leg was about an hour back to Glen Rose. I figured I could make that. It was on this leg that we hit a few sections of major highway. Not like interstate major, but not two lane blacktop like most of the route. Oh, I might also point out that on every leg of the tour, the speeds increased a little bit. By this last section, we were averaging around 80! Now I will make a slight complaint about how the car was running. I think I need to mess with the carburetors a bit because she was really trying hard to keep up at the top end of that run. Up to 80-85, she was fine. But I was topped out around 95. The carburetors would spit and pop a bit under partial throttle around 65-75, but under load it was fine. I could tell the pistons in the carburetors were topped out and that was all she had. Again, I think a little more tuning will help. I'm not at all unhappy with the car. OK, so we make that last run and wind up back at the hotel in Glen Rose. I do make the final decision to go home so Tony, Dawn, and I say our goodbyes to the group and head back to the Motorsport Ranch. We load Tony’s car onto his trailer and tie it down. I say “we” but all I did was stand there and look pretty. We went to the Italian place in Beenbroke on 377 behind Radio Shack and ate dinner. From there they went home, as did I. I shuffled cars and parked The Seven in the garage then went in to crash the hell out. Monday morning I didn't get out of bed until 1000 h. Mom and I went to lunch and Lowe’s then I crashed out for the afternoon. I think I may be totally recovered because I was thinking just a few minutes ago that I might drive The Seven to work tomorrow. That is, unless it rains. Which it is supposed to. Oh well. So, there you have it, the report of Birkinstock 2010. I hope y'all enjoyed the story as much as I enjoyed the event. Have a day.