skibigsky's Diaryland Diary

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Off to Wendover. Again.

Heh. I finally got an email back from Andrew. Brief, but an email nonetheless. Probably because I copy him on every comment notice I get that is really spam. (BTW, Blue O., the bot blocker has helped, so I'm only getting 2-3 a day rather than the 10-12 a day I was getting. Thanks!) But I am just want everyone to know that I got an email from Andrew. Finally. Neener.

*ahem.

Anyway. We are off to Wendover again tomorrow, for a weekend of autocrossing. We just spent $6500 in getting the truck worked on - with all the work (most of which we knew we needed to do when we bought it) being done to improve the hauling. Now this sucker is a beast. I haven't driven it, but when we were driving home, me following Mr. V. in the Pacifica, he pulled away from me like I was tied to a post (not that the Pacifica is a speed demon, but it's not awful...). No license yet, BTW; I plan on taking the test on Tuesday, when we get back. So I'm still a little illegal. Shhh. Don't tell anyone. But with all the work done on the cars, I've had to do it - and I'm getting really good at driving Parley's Canyon - the only way between PC and SLC, and it used to just terrify me. Now? I-15 terrifies me, and when I get to I-80, I feel like I can take a breather.

I've been driving the Mini the last couple of days, in prep for the races. I am getting better at shifting (although, not surprisingly, upshifting is going better than downshifting...), but I'm not competent enough to take the driver's test in the Mini (*sigh - because the suck is SO EASY to parallel park - it takes me some time, but once I find reverse (the toughest part of the whole experience) it is a piece o' cake). Anyway, I LOVE driving the little car, although I'm still a little nervous in traffic, as I occasionally find the wrong gear, and have stalled it on occasion. But I LOVE driving it (as long as I'm not at an uphill stop and there is someone pulled up rightbehind me).

Anyway, I'm REALLY excited about this autocross. I KNOW that the people there are nice, and while Mr. V. will likely yell at me from time to time, the group as a whole is going to be supportive, and while I may be DFL, and a frigtening driver, I'll have a good time. Heh. And with the upgrades on the truck, the 'boys' have been talking about giving me a chance to take on the King of Cones title - given to the person who takes out the most cones in a season - with the truck. They are talking about creating a 'fun' class DTPL (Diesel truck prepared, ladies). Which, of course, is totally illegal in the real racing, but would be a ball. And since one of the other guys (who also has a toy hauler) has a dualie (ya know - 2 rear wheels on each side), and is game to race. His wife to me, head-to-head? She'd probably kill me (maybe - I have no idea if she's ever even driven their dualie). But it would be DAMN fun, and I could CERTAINLY take out more cones in the truck in a run than anyone has taken out all season (I believe right now it is at 70-something cones). Heh.

The point of the above is that the group is fun-loving, and is open to newbies. Which is cool, in a sport that is basically frightening to me (not the driving part, but I still have this great fear of stalling in the middle of the track and pissing everyone off, and I'm afraid that I'm going to blow up the engine of the car that will be mine at the end of the month.)

Oh yeah. Did I mention that? Mr. V. is giving me (communal property, so it's not like anyone actually gives anyone anything....) the Mini. He's getting his new super-duper Miata at the end of the month, and as a present for passing my driver's test, he's giving me the Mini. I already own the Pacifica.... Again community property, and none of the ownership thing really matters. It's more the idea behind it.

Anyway, I'm really excited about the racing. It's going to be about 1000 degrees out there, and I'm a little worried about the doggies - we'll run the air conditioning, and have ice, and ice in the water, and they've had haircuts, but I'm still worried that it will be a little hot. Luckily, we won't be away from them for more than an hour or so at a time, and they will have lots of cold stuff around the RV, so I think they'll be okay. But I'm worried about them anyway. I'll feel better when we get another air conditioner for the RV (so we'll have 2) next week.

In the meantime, they get lots of Frosty Paws (ice cream for dogs), ice in their water, and ice packs scattered around the RV to lie on. (Glad we went down today to the RV and turned the fridge/freezer on!).

So, updates (hopefully!) from the races. Or at least the night before!