Miatatude

Bugless Splat?

Saturday is the MMC’s Annual Bug Splat Rally and this year we have added an extra zig and corresponding zag to the route. Monday we ran about half of the route to see how the extra roads worked out and last night we ran the whole thing to make sure that my mileage numbers on the route map were correct. Before we started I didn’t really make sure the nose of the car was squeaky clean, but at the completion of both runs the nose of the Emperor did not have seem to have any real new splats on it. Maybe the very dry, very hot weather has really decreased the insect population around here.

There are 4 prizes up for grabs on the Bug Splat Rally, Biggest Bug (winner gets an awesome trophy), Closest To The Target, Most Bugs and Cleanest Car. If the insect total tomorrow is anything like this past Monday and Thursday one car could win those first three prizes and the rest of the participants will all be tied for the Cleanest Car Award.

Started up, went down, went up, back down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 1050

It’s Alive! It’s ALIVE!

Came home from work and plunked in the new battery in the Miata. I had to set the clock to the correct time, make the one radio preset for the CD Changer, set the radio volume leveler for top down motoring and took the Emperor out for a spin.

Started down, went up, back down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 1046

Lawnmower?

After work today I decided to take the Emperor down to the local Advance Auto and have them read the battery. I hopped in the Miata and as I have been want to do lately, had to reach back into my front pocket and take out the key after I couldn’t locate the push-to-start button on the dash. As I turned the key to start all I got back was rrrr_RRRRR_rr r  r    r_click. Good thing we bought that other car a few months back.

I disconnected the Miata battery, took it out of the Miata trunk and put it in the Sonata trunk. On our way to grocery shopping tonight, we stopped in to the aforementioned Advanced Auto. When I hefted it up on to the counter and asked if they would put my car battery on the tester, the fellow behind the counter, Will, said, “Car? Looks like a lawnmower battery.”

He hooked it up to the magic box and because there was no indication of what the battery’s cold cranking amp rating was, he used the number off their replacement battery, 370. He said, “That really is only a little more than a riding mower’s 340.” “Your battery is bad, the voltage is a little low at 12.4v, but the cold cranking amps reads 90.” I thought to myself, kinda figured it would be low, cause there wasn’t much cranking going on in the garage a little while ago.

He said, “We have two of these batteries in stock.” I thanked him as said I’d let him know. You see there is this sticker on the top of the battery that says ‘Limited Warranty’ and under that are the numbers ’36/60′ and I wonder if that means 36 month replacement and up to 60 months prorated discount. Going to call the Mazda dealer’s parts department tomorrow to find out what the deal is.

Perfect Tweet

I had an idea for a blog post and if I was in the mood I know I could have stretched it into a couple hundred words, but I wasn’t, so I turned into a tweet for the MMC.

I have come to the conclusion, from swapping between the Sonata & Miata, that the Miata’s steering wheel is too big for the size of the car.

Exactly 140 characters.

Forget Something Patti?

Donna and I led 4 other Miatas to breakfast at Ms. Shelby’s in Millen, GA for the May Edition of the MMC Monthly Breakfast Runs. We formed a short line of cars along 4 lane US 25 for the 40 miles south of Augusta, where we ate in the huge, but nearly empty dining room. Rudy and Patti were the first to leave the restaurant and it wasn’t until ten miles down the road back to Augusta before she realized she had forgotten them. It was as the last of us had paid our bills and I was leaving a tip, that anyone else (me) noticed the left behind item.

The four cars remaining took the slightly longer, slightly more rural, slightly more scenic two lane roads back to Augusta. As we traveled north the train of cars slowly shortened as folks fell off the route to do other things or head home. Donna and I continued on into the heart of the Martinez shopping district to return Patti’s sunglasses to her before heading home.

Started down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Tran?si?tions since 10/24/08: 1015

Night Riders

There was a barely audible clunk as the stuck pad released its grip on the rotor. Twenty years of recall memory allows a smooth clutch engagement as we back out of the garage. At first, the air feels heavy and stagnant, but as we turn the first corner, the nighttime cool surrounds us. We are lucky that in less than a mile we are are barreling down some lightly traveled two lane blacktop.

On the final leg of our journey Donna, says, “I’m sure glad we didn’t trade this in.” I replied, “That was really never an option.”

While the Sonata is an awfully nice car, it will never be able to hold a candle to the Miata in pure driving fun.

Started up, went down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 1006

Veggie Pie

The MMC evening dinner meeting is on again, after a several month hiatus. Tonight we dined at the Polka Dot Pig Gastropub in Augusta. Nineteen members showed up, which is almost the entire Club, at least the active part anyway. The food was good, but not great. It could have been great, but it just missed in small ways, like there was too much flour left on the bottom of the crust on my veggie pizza. Someone else’s pasta was kind of watery, like it wasn’t drained entirely. Another’s burger was rarer than the requested medium. In an order of fish ‘n’ chips, the fish was a bit soggy on the bottom. Maybe that many folks at one table overwhelmed the cook staff.

Started down, went up, went down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 996