Stephen Drivick's Blog - Posts Tagged "firebird"

This is my thirteenth entry in the A-Z Blogging Challenge for April. Today we look at the letter M – Motorcycles.

So it's Spring again, and I am thinking (again) about getting a motorcycle.

I live in North Georgia where I think it might be a law that you must own at least one motorcycle during your lifespan. Every Spring, after the last frosty mornings have passed, the roads become saturated with all forms of two-wheeled vehicles.

North Georgia is a natural playground for the motorcycle species. I live in the shadow of the North Georgia mountains with their twisty roads and wide scenic vistas. Trips up north in the spring bring wildflowers and trees in bloom that make the landscape look like a expensive painting. Trips in the fall bring dramatic colors to the trees and fresh, cool mountain air. Old towns with their wooden buildings and skinny main drags make great backdrops for photos and a great place to take a quick break.

I've enjoyed the North Georgia mountains in my Firebird. Take the T-tops out, and it's a great all-day cruise limited only by the gas in the tank. I've been on many a trip up to the mountains, but never on a motorcycle.

But there is a harsh reality. I am a complete klutz. Motorcycles require a certain level of dexterity I do not possess. Flying off a mountain at speed is a real possibility. Rides to check out the scenery are no fun when you're constantly picking yourself up off the road.:)

On second thought, four wheels sound pretty good. Maybe I'll remain a spectator for now.:)



M is also for Mailing list, and I have one! If you want to keep up to date on future book releases and other stuff, just sign up at http://eepurl.com/Sus2b. I promise ...no spam.:)

In North Georgia, when Spring arrives and the yellow fog of pollen finally fades away, the attention turns to car shows.

Pictured is my 1995 Pontiac Firebird parked at the 33rd annual Peach Blossom Buick, Olds, Pontiac, and Caddy car show in Marietta, GA. It's one of the longest running shows in the area, and I've been to about fifteen of them all in my '95. Some of the coolest Buicks, Oldsmobiles, Pontiacs, and Cadillacs show up on the showfield lovingly polished to a high sheen.

The weather could not have been more perfect - cool, in the 70's with a slight breeze. Usually in May were broiling by now. The sun at this show (asphalt parking lot) can be brutal. I had SPF 100 sunscreen, and I still got a little red.

I didn't take any awards home, but no matter. It was a great day and it was good to get the old girl out of the garage.:)

I spent the weekend at one of the longest running car shows in the south - F-Body Gathering 18. F-Body was the internal designation used by General Motors to describe the 1967-2002 Camaro/Firebird. This was my sixteenth appearance.

It has been described as a party with a car show attached. Hundreds of Camaro/Firebird lovers show up at a Marriott hotel in Marietta, GA, park their cars, and have fun. It's a great weekend of fast cars and good friends.

One of the highlights of the weekend is staying up late hanging out with other car lovers in the parking lot. I used to be able to hang around until one or two in the morning, but now that I'm older I hit the hotel room by about midnight. Those Marriott beds are so comfortable.

Because my car is only a lowly V6 coupe, I don't have all that much in common with the go-fast crowd. Some of the other cars can probably double or triple my 200 horsepower. It's okay. I like my little V6, and it's a Gathering veteran. It has been to ten shows.

All in all, a great weekend. Lots of fun, great cars, and talking to friends. Not to mention I signed three copies of my book, Sometimes We Ran, for a couple of readers and my car won an award in the V6 class.:)

Boy, was it hot.

It was so hot my shoes started to melt. So hot the flavored ice guy made about a million dollars. So hot, camels were needed to ferry people from the parking lot to the show field. if it hadn't been for a fellow car club member setting up a tent and a fan-water mist device, I might have melted into a flesh-colored pile of goo right there in my folding car show chair.

Warmth aside, it was a pretty fun day. It was a charity show for a local Boy Scout troop and they did a great job setting up the show. No trophy this time, but it allowed me to get my sleeping beauty Firebird (pictured) out of the garage.

But boy, was it hot.

Did I mention how hot it was?:)

More photos at my Facebook site: http://tinyurl.com/lqo6ncq

The weather in North Georgia turned downright nice, so it was time for a cruise.

I took my 182,000+ mile daily driven road warrior Firebird Formula in Pewter Metallic to the great city of Canton, GA. It's home to the Po Boys Car Club Cruise-In, located in the Riverstone mall off of Highway 5 North.

It's billed as one of the largest cuise-in's in the South, and does it deliver. At its height, it probably drew about 1000 car crazy owners and about twice as many spectators to the mall. Some nights, they had to park them in the aisles.

These days, 400-500 cars usually show up. It's a eclectic mix of 1950's showboats, hot rods, muscle cars, and other strange, automotive creations. One night, an old Greyhound bus showed up and took up about a row of spaces.

Everyone is very friendly, and the talk usually turns to cars we used to own, races that were run, cops that were eluded, and college football.

And the best part of all. After the night is over, I have a simple, 20 minute ride home on a pleasant Georgia night. No judging, no trophies, just a great cruise.

It's been a month with my Buick Regal Sport Touring, and I have to say I am impressed. I really do like this car.

I had some doubts about the 2.0 liter turbo motor, but it has good power all the way up the dial and doesn't lag at all...really puts the "Sport" in "Sport Touring." It's not a muscle car...the dragstrip is not where this car will shine. But on the street, this little beast of an engine (a diminutive 122 cubic inches) works great. The gas mileage is amazing, touching 30 MPG at times. The 6-speed auto transmission works well but can be a bit indecisive at times. Shifts are positive and get this bulky car moving. Haven't tried the "manumatic" shifting yet. Maybe I'll take a Sunday drive somewhere and check it out. Car has fantastic handling...can't believe it's a Buick. Special callout to the steering. I'm not usually a fan of electric power steering, but they got it right on the Regal.

Very comfortable car especially for my large frame. Plenty of room everywhere. Lots of technology, but not so much tech you're afraid it's all going to fail. Love the automatic climate control and the bluetooth phone system. Trunk is enormous. Black Cherry Metallic exterior is growing on me. At first, I feared it might be too purple.

This is the third Buick I have owned, and it's definitely the best one. This might be the best car I ever owned. Sporty and actually kind of fun to drive. It might be (gasp!) better than the Pontiac Firebird Formula that came before. Not as brutally fast as my former daily driver, but I think it could out handle the old bird. I know the Regal is a lot more comfortable to drive. My old knees and back are thanking me for the change.

The Regal is the first new to me car I've bought in sixteen years(!), and I think it's a good one...so far.