Changes....

As most of you know, my life took a most unexpected turn with the beginning of the school year. My ex wife accepted a promotion within her company and moved a little over 300 miles away from here. I will spare any readers that I have left of the details of this move but suffice it to say that I was less than thrilled about the situation. Over the past months, I cannot tell you how many times I have been told that, "It is too far to go every week, you'll just have to accept not seeing your daughter as much, or you can't do it." Of course, I was also told that I couldn't seriously consider moving and throwing away a career just because of this. I disagreed...what good is my career if I never see the person whom I am working and living for! I have to admit, even I was skeptical as to whether or not I would be able to make the drive as often as I had when she was only 60 miles away. However, unlike those who advised me on this, it is not really a question of whether I am going to make the drive or not see her as often...it is more a question of whether I am going to make the drive OR uproot and move to be closer. Admittedly, the verdict is still out on that one but as of right now, I am making the drive each week. It is fortunate for me, I guess, that I enjoy driving and traveling and so I have adapted, somewhat, to driving about 700 miles every Tuesday. I was in great debate the first few weeks as to whether I would be able to accomplish this all in one day or would need to stay the night up there but so far, so good. True, it takes ALL day but I still feel that getting back at 2:00 in the morning is better than getting back in the middle of the next day and then not even having a whole day to rest and get things done before returning to work. I know, it's a good thing I live alone and don't have someone else here insisting that I get off my rump and take care of the household, eh? Then again, had I stayed married I also wouldn't be having these issues. Anyways, it has been interesting, to say the least. The worst part, besides the distance, is that my daughter and I are now in a completely new, unchartered territory. We have never been to this area of our great state before and although it is beautiful, it is very isolated and a little over 2 hours from the nearest large city!! I have always been proud of how big and vast our state is but it sure sucks to be in one of the areas that is so far from everywhere that I've ever known!! I digress. So, every week, the two of us explore and look for new things to do. We are finding new restaraunts, stores, and parks in the area. We are becoming quite adept at fitting as much as we can in the short time that we get together each week. Oh yeah, did I mention that her new school starts at the same time but gets out 30 minutes later? Just my luck!! Nevertheless, I am thankful for the time that we do get and that God has given me the ability to still make this work as best we can.

Anyways, this is the reason that my blogging has fallen off of the deep end into oblivion. I know I didn't have many readers and those that I did have probably just figure I quit because I became bored with the cars or something. However, that's not the case and actually, I can probably give the best reports imagineable on what 2010 cars are best for highway driving all day long, if I could just write the posts while driving! Everyone asks me how I can do this and how I am keeping this routine of driving up but my question is, how can I not? I am certain that most of you who are parents can understand this and identify to how you would feel in the same situation. My daughter is my life and no one is going to take that away or move too far...whatever I have to do or wherever I have to move to. I may never be able to forgive my ex for this but I guess that's what exes are for, huh? As I have mentioned to friends and family members before, if you have children and you are married and miserable...stay married because believe it or not, if you separate, you are actually giving the person you separate from even more power and ability to make you yet even more miserable than you were when you were married!!! I have been on both sides and believe me, as rash as this may sound, it is so very true. There is no question, problems and differences are easier to work out together than alone when the two forces work in separate directions. Isn't the insight that we gain with age wonderful? Useless, yet wonderful:?

I know that I am so blessed to have my daughter in my life and am thankful for every second that we get to spend together. One last thought that I want to leave with everyone who has children. Hug your kids as often as you can...love them and tell them so. When they are frustrating you and making you want to pull your hair out, hug them again and think of how lucky you are to have them and enjoy the time that you have together. So many times, we don't realize how fortunate we are and we take situations for granted. Stop, take a moment today, and smell these roses that God has planted in your life.

See you on the road!

Another year

September 10th, Grandpa would've been 97 years old! Hard to imagine and even harder to think that he's not here. Just wanted to make a note that we still think about it. Happy birthday, Grandpa, I hope you had an incredible day in Heaven!!

A baby on the way....

It has been 11 years since my last up close and personal experience to a new family member coming into the world. She changed my life forever and it is with great joy that I await the upcoming entry into the world by her cousin. As I write this, Nathan and Nicole are in the delivery room waiting for our newest family member to make his/her appearance! As is typical family fashion, the little one is late...all of our babies may not have been late but my brother and I seem to always be a little tardy and so, I think that this little one is going to fit right in with us! Besides, can we really blame anyone who wants to take their time coming into this world right now?

On a related note, it was on this date, 8 years ago, that our grandfather passed away. It seems like every year on this date, I get some strange happening or occurrence...perhaps a reminder that he and Grandma are up there watching over all of us still. It is no exagerration to say that I pretty much think about them, in some way, every day. However, it is good to get that little nudge once in a while too. (Yes, I'm weird and proud of it, hahaha!) Anyways, the strange happening today is that the hospital where this little one is going to enter the world is a very nice hospital which I have only been to one other time. You guessed it, Grandpa had a room there for a few days a couple of years before he passed away. Upon receiving the call this morning that things were underway and Big B and Lil' S were on their way to the hospital, I couldn't help but think of what today is the anniversary of and the funny coincidence that this will be only the 2nd time I have ever set foot in that particular hospital. Thanks, Grandpa, for still being there for us and for the reminder of how blessed we all are. I miss you more than anyone could ever realize and would want you to know that you live on through the many happy memories and times that you and Grandma shared with all of us. I can't wait to pass them on to this newest family member as he/she goes through life. Please watch over this new little person with all of the love and caring that you did with all of us. God bless us all and be with us today as we remember you and look to the future with our newest little addition.

Still the King

2010 Chevrolet Suburban. Definitely, still at the top of the list of the most ultimate, realistic large suv's. This last week, I had the privilege of taking the whole family to the coast for a few days of rest and relaxation. As a sidenote, for the first time in my life, it was actually cooler and nicer at the coast than back home! I digress. With six people and enough goodies packed to last several times the length of our stay, it was debateable whether even a suburban would be up to the task of hauling us. However, once we were all loaded up, there was no question about this awesome vehicle's abilities to haul many people and many things all at once!

Warning to prospective suv buyers: If you are in the market for a new vehicle and may be considering buying an suv, especially a 6 - 7 seater, and this vehicle is within your price range BUT you want to jump on the smaller, greener, more efficient vehicle bandwagon....DO NOT GO TEST DRIVE A SUBURBAN. Nothing else compares and nothing else will feel like this. It is awesome and you will very likely NOT be able to be happy with something else once you try this...it's like Jello and ice cream...Jello is great but if you eat ice cream first, do you really want to eat Jello instead?

Obviously, the first thing one notices about a suburban is the size...they are bigger than most any regular vehicle on the road and when you look at it or even sit in it, you really do feel the size. Surprisingly however, they are relatively easy to drive and maneuver around. We drove about 500 miles total, some highway and maybe 100 miles or so from just sightseeing and driving around town. I had no trouble parking or getting in and out of tight places, as I would've thought I may. The ride is very smooth, as would be expected of such a large, heavy vehicle. In fact, it reminded me of the old days that I so relish, when even regular family cars weighed over 4,000 pounds! Everything rode smoother and had plenty of cylinders to provide a quiet, comfortable, effortless ride. The suburban is what I consider a carryover from those days. As good as the new ones look and as nice as they feel, the basics of them are still the same as they were 30+ years ago when I was growing up. It's built on a large truck frame, has a V-8, rear wheel drive, and has enough room to seat even the largest of families in comfort. Sitting in it, you really feel like there is quite a bit of padding and steel between you and the road...that's because there is! This particular model was the LT so it's kind of in between a base model and the nicer, more decked out model with sunroof and DVD player. However, we had leather seats, back-up sensors, and most of the basic amenities that one would want. The first bench seat in the rear has room for 3 adults to travel in comfort without any issues of touching each other. The rear bench seat has room for 2 adults but not as much floor space, of course. The great thing about the suburban is that with the maximum load of people, you still have ample amount of space for luggage and other cargo behind the rear seat....I would guess a good 3 - 4 feet from the hatch to the back of the rear seat! It is far superior, in this way, to any of the sequoias, expeditions, yukons, tahoes, etc...etc. The closest I have come to it as far as interior room is the expedition EL but even that falls a little short when compared to this. The yukons and tahoes are basically the exact same vehicle, minus the rear cargo space. Personally, I wouldn't trade the space just to make parking a hair easier...again, the suburban was really not that difficult to maneuver..much easier than most full size trucks. As for the sequoia or the standard expedition...don't make me laugh...neither of them even has enough room for my fat duffle bag to fit behind the back seat!!

On the road, the suburban's ride is quiet and seamless. My brother and I were astonished when I accidentally took a surprise speed bump at almost 40mph and we literally barely felt the bump. This heavy machine absorbs bumps and potholes like nothing I have driven before; or at least not within the last 20 years or so. We hit the highway and hovered in the 70 - 75 mph range for most of the trip. The engine is barely working (under 2,000 rpm) for such speeds and that's with a load of people and luggage. It easily had enough passing power in reserve and speeding up to 85 or so a few times was extremely easy and completely unnoticed to passengers. That's just how smooth and quiet it is...the same at 60 as 90. So, what price do we pay for such a nice ride that hauls so many people? Well, of course, the fuel consumption is not the greatest. We averaged exactly 16 mpg for the entire time and again, that was mostly on the highway. I suspect that on a longer road trip, perhaps 18 could be achieved as long as it was all highway but again, just a guess. City driving will likely hover around 13-14 mpg due to the stopping, starting, and low speeds involved. It does have a 32.5 gallon tank which still provided enough fuel in a tankfull to get us over 500 miles at a time. Consider that lesser vehicles such as explorers and trailblazers can barely get 20mpg at best, making this not a far jump for a much more versatile vehicle. Overall, I was impressed with this performance. It may sound bad but when you consider that if it weren't for this vehicle, many families such as ours would have to take 2 vehicles to get themselves and everything else to their destination and that would surely be much worse than just the one sub. As for the interior, it is well laid out...cupholders aplenty and lots of interior room for storage and sprawling out all over. It has separate front and rear A/C and both work extremely well...even in the 100+ degree temperatures that we're having right now, it was quick to cool down and eventually had to be turned down due to freezing occupants. The fit and finish was excellent and all materials seemed to be top quality.

All in all, the suburban is everything that it has ever been and even better. The ride quality, roominess, and versatility are second to none and at least for me, it will always be the king of the suv's. There is no substitute for weight as far as the ride goes and there is certainly no substitute for having this much room and ability to haul, pull, or do whatever else you may need to do with it. This is one vehicle that seems to be well made and serves it's purpose in maximum fashion. I have driven quite a few vehicles, of all sorts, over the past few years and I can honestly say that this is within the top 3 as far as leaving the best impression on me goes. Perhaps it could be said that it is as American as apple pie and I would say, second only to the Corvette in it's uniquely American heritage.

Happy Birthday, Kelsey!

Today is my, "Little one's" eleventh birthday! I can't believe that it has been eleven years since she came into my life and changed it forever, for the better. It's truly amazing how these little people enter our lives and become so much a part of us. Kelsey is definitely the part of my life of which I am most proud and brings me more joy than I could ever have imagined experiencing. This year, as she turns 11, I look at my brother and Lil' S and anxiously await seeing them experience this same, wonderful type of love that is just inexplicable until you experience it for yourself.

We had Kelsey's birthday party at Grandma and Grandpa's yesterday and Grandma even baked her an angel food cake from scratch....reminding me of so many of the homemade cakes that my Grandma used to prepare for us kids so many years ago! We enjoyed dinner, cake, presents, watching the baby deer play in the back yard, and just having some good family time together. We had a great time and look forward to many more! Happy birthday, Kelso!

2010 Chevrolet Traverse

Recently, I had the opportunity to go on the road in one of the new breed of crossover suv's from GM. I have been excited to try one of these out for two reasons. First of all, it is said that it is built similarly to the new malibu which came out last year and which most of you know I am a big fan of. Secondly, for a station wagon, they look pretty darn good! For anyone who feels they have to have an suv but may really not need the all-terrain capabilities such as higher ground clearance or ability to tow two boats at a time, this vehicle will impress you. There aren't many vehicles that I can issue a blanket statement like that on but the traverse has more room than one would think and is very comfortable and user friendly. After driving it for almost 1,000 miles, I will definitely say that it feels as though it has the same qualities and comfortable feeling that the malibu does. These vehicles just feel like they are put together well and it shows.

For starters, next to the Ford Edge, the traverse has probably the smoothest automatic transmission I have ever experienced. I really had to pay attention and make an effort in order to feel it shifting! The engine, a 3.6 liter V-6, has more than ample power, cranking out 281 hp and knowing just when to let you feel it. There are no issues here with sluggishness or inability to pass in traffic. It was surprising to me to be driving a vehicle this size and have the effortless acceleration at highway speeds like it does. I was very enamored with the drivetrain on this traverse. The smoothness and the power are great and only add to the comfort felt by the occupants in the cabin. I didn't believe it until I saw it for myself but the traverse WILL seat 8 people due to the fact that it has a full size 3rd row seat; unlike so many of the 3rd row suv's that merely have a small jump seat with room for 2 kids, at the most. This will be an extremely comfortable vehicle to travel in if you have a family of only 5 or six because it has so much room in the rear. Additionally, unlike so many 3rd row suv's on the market, this vehicle actually has ample storage room behind the 3rd row seat! As many of us know, the explorers and commanders are nice but with all of the seats in use, there is about as much storage room for luggage as there is in a Smart car!! That is definitely not the case with the traverse. There are A/C vents for each seat in the back and both the front and rear a/c blows as cold as ice and powerfully enough to cool the vehicle down even in the 100 degree temperatures that we experienced during our time with it. Of course, the rear seat passengers have a separate control so that the front seat Dad doesn't freeze them out! Speaking of rear seat controls, the traverse has a stereo in the rear where the passengers can control what they are listening to and how loud it is. There are headphone jacks as well so that the front seaters can listen to their old fogey stuff while the young 'uns have their hippie music going! There are ample cupholders in the vehicle, or at least as many as the best of 'em have. The front seats have 1 in the door and 2 in the center while the rear seats each have one as well. There is a huge storage bin located in the center console where one could pack even the largest magnum revolver...oops...did I type that? I mean, at least 8 - 10 cans of soda, eh?
The instrument cluster is another one with the calming blue/green lighting and all of the gauges are clear and easy to read. The mileage calculator and information center is right in the middle above the tach and speedo and is very convenient to keep an eye on while driving. All of the controls are mounted in the standard places and are relatively easy to reach and easy to figure out.

All in all, there isn't much bad that I can say about the traverse. It does have blind spots but the side view mirrors actually have built-in blind spot mirrors in the corners that work better than any I have ever seen! The vehicle is large and not quite as easy to drive as an escape or Rav4 BUT it definitely doesn't have the huge school bus feeling that so many of the larger suv's have.

The traverse rides smoothly for a crossover suv and gives it's passengers a nice, quiet, peaceful ride down the highway. For anyone who likes the roominess of a large suv such as a suburban or expedition, this is probably the closest you will be able to come to it without actually purchasing one of those larger truck-based vehicles. I averaged 20.5 mpg doing probably 80% highway driving. I suspect that in town one should expect 16-17 while all highway driving would probably yield 22 - 23 mpg. This may not sound great but consider that the Suzuki Grand Vitara that I just had was giving me an average of 18.4 over a 3 day period, with most of that being in the city. So, with the traverse, I sacrifice 2mpg for seating for an additional 3 people, a ton more luggage, a lot more comfort, and let's face it...the old bowtie on the front just has a lot more meaning than the "S" from that vehicle, right? If you are ever in the market for a high capacity suv that will be comfortable, fairly economical, and still hold all of your stuff along with your group, the traverse should definitely be one of your considerations.

2010 Chevrolet Camaro

FINALLY....the camaros are out! That's right, I finally found a car that I'm excited to add to my blog posts! For those of you who had no idea that Chevrolet was reintroducing the camaro this year, shame on you. This car has been one of the hottest, most exciting topics in the car world for the last year. There has been great anticipation by us car nuts to just lay eyes on our first one! Nicole posted a picture of a red one a few posts back and that is where I will have to refer you since my camera has been having issues lately. However, if there is still anyone in America who hasn't seen a picture of one of these beasts, it shouldn't be too hard to google it!

A little over a week ago, I had my first opportunity to see, feel, touch, and sit in the new camaro. I called my fellow car nut, brother, and crazy person to come over and check it out with me. We met up about 2:00 in the morning and drooled all over this car sitting in our warehouse. We did everything possible to check it out except drive it. In my opinion, the car looks awesome. They couldn't have done a much better job on a body as far as styling and cues that resemble the original camaros of the late 60's. Truthfully, the only exterior styling change that I would make would be to make the fake rear tire cooling vents actually genuine. Sure, something most wouldn't notice but the car has 3 indentions just to the front of the rear fender well and they are kinda cheesy looking because they have no function. However, the car is so sleek and stylish that when looking at the whole thing, these just blend in. The car has a very bold, almost wicked look to it and it really speaks to nuts like me!

Over the last 3 days, I was finally able to drive two different camaros for the first time! At this time, most will probably agree that the greatest thing about driving one of these around town is that it gets a huge amount of attention. The second one I had was a beautiful, bright yellow; for those of you who saw the movie Transformers, you know what it looks like only without the stripes. Between the yellow color and the sleek, unique look, people can't seem to help but take a second glance! If you ever wanted to feel famous, this car, at this time, will give you the opportunity. In addition to all of the stares and gawks, everywhere and anywhere that you stop, you should be prepared to answer some questions. What engine? How fast? How much? How does it feel? Can I sit in it? The list goes on and on.

There are some things about the camaro besides the faux vents mentioned above that I question. However, they in no way deter from what the car is or how awesome it makes me feel just to look at it. Driving the car, it is quickly noticed that there are 2 large blind spots where the roof sweeps down alongside the rear window. The rear window is a bit small and due to the corners of the roof being larger than most, these blind spots are also larger than most. This seems to be a problem on many of the newer, more stylish vehicles but it just means that the driver has to be aware of these areas and compensate for them. This brings me to another window issue, the small triangular rear side windows. You may think they look small from the outside but they look even smaller from the rear seat! Still, they are stylish and definitely add to the retro look of the car. Unfortunately, they do not open like the originals did in the 60's:( The interior gauges and dash lighting are a nice, calming, light aqua-blue color...much like that of an indiglo watch. The door lock switch is located on the lower portion of the center console, meaning that there is only one power lock switch which can be reached by either the driver or passenger. This seemed stupid to me at first because I can't understand why these manufacturers just don't leave universal, NORMAL, things alone. However, I suppose it saved something by only having to put in one switch as opposed to two, right? The SS model also has an additional cluster of four gauges, just to the front of the center console as well....very retro in appearance! The thing I hate most about the interior is that the information center controls (trip meter, fuel consumption meter, system check, etc..etc..) are located on a stalk instead of a push button on the dash or the instrument panel itself, as with most normal vehicles. This drives me crazy and in three days, I have yet to become used to it and accept it. Finally, my second biggest gripe about the interior is, once again, the cupholder issue. Holy crap, what are they thinking...muscle car guys use muscle car cups, right? So, how about some room for them? There are the 2 standard cupholders in the center console and that's it! Come on Chevy, you took the door lock switch out of the door so how about adding a cup holder pocket, eh?

This is one BAD SS car all the way around. The exterior styling is obvious and this thing just pours out tough, mean, and wicked, all in one glance. The SS model has a few styling cues that are different than the lesser LT models, allowing it to look even more mean. Of course, it is. The SS has a 426 HP V-8 that will still average over 20mpg. However, even the base model has a V-6 with 304 HP, much more HP than most vehicles on the road, and only 11 HP less than the new Mustang GT's V-8! The camaro's V-8 is much like that of the G-8 GT which I previously reviewed. It is more than potent and makes acceleration effortless and seat slamming for those sitting behind this power plant. The V-6 obvoiusly has plenty of power to do the job and do it more quickly than most...it will outrun most of the Mustang GT's that we all grew up with and it's missing 2 cylinders in comparison! However, my complaint about these new GM musclecars is that the throbbing feel of the power plant just isn't there unless you're really getting on it. Sure, it slams you in your seat and puts a grin on your face like a kid in a candy shop but when I get in a muscle car, I want to hear and feel that there is something powerful lurking under the hood...not a refined, smooth, racing engine. If I want that, I would buy a supercharged 4 banger or V-6 sports car. In short, if I were to buy one of these camaros, it would, of course, have to be the SS and I would have to spring for an aftermarket exhaust kit in order to man it up a little bit. Don't misunderstand me, I don't want one to set off car alarms but I would like it to make my heart throb a little bit, even when sitting still! As far as the two power trains, the exhaust note is my ONLY complaint. Fuel consumption, for what you are driving, is great...almost 30 on the highway with the base model and I'm pretty sure I could baby it over the 30mpg mark if I wasn't in a hurry. Again, even the V-8 powerhouse gets 25 on the highway and just under 20 in the city. The tranny seems flawless, shifting as smoothly as many luxury sedans and with the six speed, highway cruising is very comfortable and quiet. Besides the look of the car, probably the thing I was most impressed with is the ride. This car has a remarkably smooth ride and seems to handle even the roughest roads without any trouble and most importantly, without beating the occupants to death as many sporty cars seem to do. I wouldn't hesitate to plan a road trip in one of these if there were only 2 adults or 2 adults and a small kid or two in tow...comfort would not be a factor nor would economy.

Overall, if you can't tell, I am very impressed with the new camaro. I believe that it will carry the name well and do Chevrolet very, very proud so long as the government doesn't force them to stop making these cars that none of us supposedly want. The car is as stylish as can be, basically looking like a concept that became reality! For me, there will never be a substitute for a good ole' American big block V-8 and there will never be a substitute for the cars of yesteryear. However, if I needed a new car and wanted an awesome looking, good performing, well made muscle car that embodied the same spirit (and still a V-8!) that made me love the first ones, the new camaro SS would be at the top of my list!