Miata Mailing List: August 1999, Message #85

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Just some recollections and thoughts from my trip

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Contrary to lots of gloomy predictions, I didn't really think
that there were more people this year than there were last year.
Parking certainly didn't seem to be nearly as bad as some had
predicted. I'm thinking that perhaps there is a natural capacity
for this non-event, and that we're seeing that in action.

...

To paraphrase something I overheard Doc saying, this thing 
used to be about getting everyone together to make at least
one big run at the Gap; now it's just about coming here to
hang out with friends. 

You gotta love that.

...

All of the honking and waving was awesome! On our way from the
hotel in Townsend down to the Lodge on Saturday morning, we
honked at so /many/ Miatae that my horn quit working for a
while! Miata people are the absolute best.. Being able to walk
up to a complete stranger and strike up a conversation is 
something that is unfortunately becoming more and more rare
these days. How lucky are we to own cars that can bring us
together and foster the kind of attitude where this is possible?
Very lucky, I'd say.

...

Run-wise, this was my best Gap trip ever. For such a humble
little car, the Miata can give a good accounting of itself
against more exotic machinery if given the right combination
of route and driver. This weekend, I saw glimmers of that in
several of my runs thru the Gap and the Foothills Parkway. For
once, I think I've lost my fear of the car and learned to 
listen -- with respect -- to what the car was trying to tell
me all along. It is an addictive feeling, and one that I'm
sure will have me looking at driving school sites later today.

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Like Will, I shoulda changed my brakes before I went.

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Speaking of the Foothills Parkway, this road probably needs to
get more public acclaim. A wonderful road in its contrast to
the Gap, made even better by the fact that the two are almost
connected. Where the Gap gives an intense impression of speed
by throwing /lots/ of curves at you in rapid succession, the
Foothills really hides the speed, giving you loooooong, smooth
sweepers that can be taken at speeds I dared not even think 
about in the Gap. I don't think I would make the pilgrimage 
just to drive the Foothills, but I certainly won't ever run
the Gap without running the Foothills too.

...

Kudos to Tapoco Lodge and its staff! The A/C in the TV room
was an absolute godsend for me on Saturday.

...

The price I paid for my Cibies last month was really justified
during the run thru the Gap/Foothills Friday night. I remember
thinking at one point that I was using the high beams; I wasn't.
These lights really push a lot more light than the wimpy stock
units, and I've yet to see complaints about them from passing
motorists.

...

So, so many people but so little time to hang out with everyone.
>From old friends I only got to wave at in the BBQ line to people
I hadn't met but knew were there, it just didn't seem possible 
to do all of the stuff on my list this weekend. 

Hey, here's an idea.. Let's do it again next year!

-Stu & a very tired, dirty, but happy Molly