She and I had never really spent any quality time together. Before it was too late, I took my car to route 5. And she took to it pretty well.
Make no mistake, we have treaded many miles. 10000 in four months to be precise, but most of these trips were on the patchy snowy Erie roads or on the mottled Interstates. Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Pennsylvania, she has seen them all. But this was different.
After dropping my roommate off at the airport, I chose between two roads. One that went home and the other on to Route 5, a road on which I have never traveled on but only heard off� Without much ado, I veered her on to route 5.
PA Route 5 is a backroad that primarily runs parallel to Interstate 90 that heads to New York City but more importantly it runs along side the blue lake of Erie.
And as back roads go, it rarely stayed straight. Further, it never stayed level. She shifted between the 2nd 3rd and the 4th cogs only to return to 2nd for the next turn. Speed limits continued to threaten 40mph and 50 mph while she bullied them back with 65 mph on turns and 75 on the straights. Dashes on the roads meant passing was fair play. As I inched up a slugging truck, she begged me to drop a gear while she charged by the monster with sheer contempt. Our talks continued for a good part of a hour when both she and I slowed to take in the crystal lake and the wine yards on the way back.
I returned home with one of the biggest smiles on my face for a long time.
Here is to more paths off the beaten track!
to me the greatest thrill of driving is when “she begs me to drop a gear”….when you do drop one, and feel the surge of the torque and the “fresh” revs it is simply ecstasy….or no…maybe it is when you take a long turn on the limit with the tail threatening to break…but then these arent easy choices.
How about slowing down before a turn, getting the launch gear ready, taking the apex correctly and then powering your way out of the turn? Isn’t that the best of both worlds?
Dear Dunna,
Happy Independence Day.
Two yours to that Travel leading you to Blacked out America. Great Help by Dahads.
As usual I hoisted Flag at Company. Only this time it was GIL, Bangalore. I have Good photographs and will send by E – Mail.
Baba & Aaee