The Jeep
This weekend was big times. We went to the Subaru dealership, signed some papers and they gave us a new car (there was something about monthly payments in there too , but I wasn’t really listening). Anyway, the sad part: the jeep has been traded in. An important era in my life has come to close. This car was my 23rd birthday/college graduation present. I’ve moved between cities 5 different times with that car. I’ve taken countless early morning drives to Austin (back when we’re were in College Station) to Paddle or climb. Here are some of the high and low points of my times with this fine vehicle.
The Windshield Incident
About a month after I got he car, I still didn’t have a roof rack to carry my boat, so I’d lay the seats flat and carefully set it in so that the nose of the kayak was setting on the passenger side dashboard. On our way to Houston I got cut off and had had to slam on the brakes, sending the boat into the windshield. It’s didn’t punch through the glass, but it was damn close. It’s one of the more impressive cracks I’ve seen. A spectacular strings of expletives ensued. The best part was, after I pulled over to get everything re-situated I left my carbon-fiber bladed paddle on the side of the road in the tall grass. Took me another 40 minutes to find it. Awesome.
The Colorado Trip
Ten days. Austin to Breckenridge (via Hueco Tanks) living out of the back of the car. Awesome.
Night Run on the Guad
We were making one of our typical late afternoon runs to the river and forgot to take into account the time change. By the time we put it in was pitch black, no moon, nothing. Not really a car story but I’ve never been so happy to get back to my vehicle alive.
The Colorado Bend Trip
The fuel pump started to give up on the way out of town for this trip, so the car would just randomly die while you were going 80 on the highway. It rained the entire time, we got a flat and I managed to lock my keys in the car, after a big hike but before our lunch. (poor timing). Epic trip.
The Feats of Strength
Brian and I made a run to do some paddling in the middle of winter. He was being particularly spastic, and kept messing with the heater. Somehow it turned into a bet that the first person to turn off the heater bought lunch. And we still had a bout an hour left to drive. Brian lost, even though he’d stripped down to his skivvies by the time the ride was over. It will forever be known as the feats of strength, even though all we did was sit in the car and sweat (yes we’re dumb).
Good times with the old car. She’ll be missed.