I had to make a 200 mile each way trip this weekend and since my wife
needed the minivan, I packed up the Spitfire and off I went. On the way up
Saturday night, it was rainy and cool (low 50s) so the top stayed up. I
had some anxious moments merging onto an interstate in heavy fog (is a
tractor trailer coming?), but other than that, the trip was uneventful. I
came
back today in steady rain most of the time, so the top was still up. I don't
really like tangoing with the 18 wheelers on the interstates in the spit,
especially in the rain, so I pulled out the map and looked for the
"backroads".
You know, I can almost forget how beautiful parts of Pennsylvania are when
I'm isolated on the interstates. The back roads brought it all home for me.
The farms and the fields. The impossibly green forests. The "S" curves up
the hillsides through tree cover when I would suddenly burst out in the open
on top. Towns denoted by a 35 mph speed limit and a cluster of a dozen
old, but immaculately maintained houses on both sides of the road. And
then a rush back up to 55. What a magical drive even without the sunshine!
Well, that was my contribution to British Car Week. I eventually DID have to
go back to the main roads so at least some John and Joan Q. Publics did get
to see an LBC. Mechanically, my spit ran sweetly the whole way with the
exception of a small vibration from one of the u-joints- I replaced 2 earlier
this
year, so of course the third is now failing. Oh and I couldn't get warm air
from the heater - it was either hot or cold. Also, rain kept coming in where
the top meets the windshield header. But I think that qualifies as pretty
uneventful!
This was a good drive. I'm going to remember this one a LONG time.
Greg Rowe
78 Spitfire
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