6/1/2011

I so do not want to be here today. I hate coming back to work after vacation. [ I know, right!!! - SM ] Oh well, what are you going to do? OK, I guess I ort to get cracking on getting y'all up to speed on my life. As you may remember, if not from actual memory at least from that first pair of sentences, I took Thursday, Friday, and yesterday off for Birkinstock. Monday was Memorial day so I wouldn't have worked that day anyway. As if I do much actual work when I am here, but I digress. Thursday I met John and Dave at the shop to see how they were progressing on Barbecue Bob. I decided to take The Seven so I could check out a few things before the track day on Friday and the countryside tours Sunday and Monday. I started the car and got it warming up while I put on the Birkini top and did the usual preparatory work involved in driving that car. As I was just about to get in, the engine began to sputter and died. I noticed I didn't hear the fuel pump so I checked the switch. It was on but no pump. I checked a few things and decided to roll the car back into the garage so I could jack up the ass end and have a look underneath. For some reason, just as I got it inside, I decided to try the switches again. This time I heard the pump running. I restarted the car and rolled it back out. I decided to risk driving it knowing I could always call someone to come get me if it crapped out. It didn't. I got to the shop and “helped” John and Dave work on Barbecue Bob while also filling the tires with air and checking the oil and water levels in The Seven. When we’d decided we’d done all we could that day, we went to lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings again. This time I ordered a milder sauce. It was almost hot enough. We split up and I went home. I don't think I took a hoon, or at least not much of one if I did. I don't remember how I wasted the afternoon but Tony arrived around 2000 h with his Seven on the trailer. We parked it and for some reason went to the shop. I guess it was to kill some time, or something. We got back to my house and crashed out since we were planning to leave for the Motorsport Ranch at 0730 h Friday morning. I got up at 0530 h and took my shit and shower, shaved my teeth, and inserted my eyes. Tony was up around 0630 h and we were on the road at 0730 h, or so. At the Ranch we met up with the rest of the folks and had our driver’s meeting. Since there were no corner workers or safety crews on hand, everyone had to wear driving suits. Bernie Long got the biggest suit leaving me with one just a tad too small. I almost blew off driving at all at that point. We took to the track at 0900 h or so and had a good time... more or less. Thing is, the track stuff just ain’t my bag baby. I sort of enjoy it, but don't miss it if I... um, miss it. If you know what I mean. The car ran well and handled great, the only bit of drama was in the first turn out of the hot pits, when the tires were stone cold, the ass-end got a little squirrelly on me. After they warmed up though, they stuck just fine. When it came time for the second session, I blew it off and watched from the pit wall. Third session; yeah, pretty much the same thing. Fourth session, or at least what we thought was going to be the fourth session, I got in with Tony in his car for a ride-along. We got to the pits and were told it was a motorcycle session. We went back to the paddock and got out of the car. There was a tech seminar on superchargers right before lunch, then we went to lunch. I took off the driving suit, as did most of the other guys, and gave Tony a ration of shit for being “That Guy” who goes to lunch in his suit. After lunch I never even put the suit back on. I was done with the track for the day. I managed to stay out of the sun for the most part and didn't get a massive sunburn like I usually do. By the end of Friday, I had decided that I was going to give most of Saturday a miss since I wasn't going to be driving and didn't need to just hang out in the sun all day. Besides, one of the snaps on the Birkini top broke and I needed to fix it before the road tours Sunday and Monday. I went home, leaving Tony to get to his own home since he had classes on Saturday and Sunday he couldn't miss. And speaking of classes, I probably ort to shut up and finish my on line class since I’ve blown it off for the last week. I'll tell y'all about Saturday tomorrow.