Having inherited a convertible from my mother, I’ve enjoyed the occasional topless adventures (the car, folks…the car is topless) on my drive in to work. Coming outside this morning to achingly blue skies, I got just such an urge to drop the top and enjoy some fresh air.
Well, one small problem confronted me… a healthy pile of “Life Shrapnel” has made its home in the back seat. “Life Shrapnel” are the bits and pieces of things that accumulate over time – unread mail, empty water bottles, gas receipts, and so on. Left there with the top down, that shrapnel would quickly become random projectiles to trailing cars as the wind would whip the back seat into a flurry and whirlpool of air. A none too elegant process of dumping all the shrapnel into a box takes care of that detritus.
As is typical in the Wilds of Ohio, the weather tries to please everyone. Warmth one day gives way to chilly cold the next. Blue skies in the morning pause for afternoon storms, only to return in the evening. It’s something we live with, those of us roughing here on the Midwest Frontier.
What appeared to be a nice, spring May morning of enjoyable convertible riding turned quickly into the “Frigid Ride O’ Hypothermia”. Blue skies? Check. Wind chill factor? Double check. Even with the heater full blast, my eyes quickly glazed over with chill, the muscles ceasing voluntary movement. Other body parts either shriveling in despair or freezing in a happy salute to the cold. “Pull over and put the top up,” you say. A healthy dose of reptilian-brain ego prevented that. I must tell the world, “Yes, I made a stupid choice this morning, but I refuse to admit I made that mistake.” So, I rode on in glacial silence.
But, all in all? Great fun… and let’s do it again tomorrow!
Tags: Cars, Convertible, Driving, Frosty, Mom
The Wilds of Ohio 
May 5, 2008 at 22:36 |
Why does this sound familiar? Have i done this in the jeep? Of course… i have no heater, however, and have taken to wearing gloves and a jacket to suffer the morning ‘frost on the nuggets’ during the drive. But by afternoon? Memories of the frigid morning have (wait for it…) MELTED away!
arghh…. i need to go to bed…
May 5, 2008 at 22:56 |
tgk: Out here in the wilds of Alberta we have a saying: “If you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes.”
There are guys (and gals) here riding motorcycles already. Mind you, in an area known for having nine months of winter and three months of bad snowmobiling, the bikers get pretty itchy to get out on the road once the sun is high.
Good for you for toughing it out, though. Out of curiosity, what is the make and model of your ragtop?
df: Starting to wonder about you… now it’s frost on the nuggets? (Which reminds me of an old joke/story…) 🙂
May 6, 2008 at 04:18 |
sounds like that old crowded house song “Four Seasons in One Day”
🙂
May 6, 2008 at 05:48 |
Assuming you survive the drive home, of course.
May 6, 2008 at 07:56 |
daisyfae – wait, I should have a drum set around here somewhere…you need a someone to give rim shots (no, dear, not a euphemism) for that humor
rob – a ’96 white Mustang with black rag top…and yeah, our weather is close, but we have to wait 10 minutes for the change
nursemyra – close, but I wasn’t singing…the mouth wouldn’t move
kyknoord – of course! And daisyfae is right…as the day goes on, the memories of chill fade and it’s time to get out there again
May 6, 2008 at 08:56 |
Only when the nipples actually fall *off*, do you put the top down in Cape Town.
@ Nurse Myra – I have SUCH a crush on those boys.
May 6, 2008 at 10:17 |
My younger sister had an ’88 Mustang GT – white also – but a hardtop. 5.0L V-8 with a 4-speed. She loved that car. A little too much, though, as it brought her no end of speeding tickets.
I’ve always wanted a convertible myself, but hasn’t happened yet. For now I have to make do with the power sun roof in my Avalanche. *Sigh*
May 6, 2008 at 19:04 |
dolceii – I’d find it hard to drive then, furiously rubbing the life back into the lost boy-perkies
Rob – Mom’s Mustang was a generic 3.8L with automatic (which, to me, is just wrong for a sports car). Nonetheless, happy to have it and memories of her