40,640 Miles - Bad Press

Ok, this was posted on one of the boards I frequent... check it out and together, we can both scratch our heads in wonderment. Here is a link to the thread that started all the commotion... post #23 is when the shit starts to hit the fan.

40,130 miles - Happy New Year

Happy New Year everybody! My MINI resolution for 2008?

1) finally make the trip to Cedar Point, the Roller Coaster capital of the World
2) MINIs on the Dragon
3) MINIs Take the States

I did not do the Cedar Point trip last year. You probably did not know I was planning such a trip ahahaa. Well, the good folks on the OL and I were talking this up as a possible June event, but the organization just never happened. MOTD? For 2007 I opted to do the Five Borough Bike Tour (and it was fun!!). MINIs take the States? There wasn't one for 2007, but there is lots of buzz on the internet that corporate is gearing up for a 2008 MTTS and it looks like it's gonna happen and it's gonna be bigger and it's gonna be better.

Of course, there will always be the other fun stuff through out the year; Jim Thorpe Run, Nutscapade, a possible NYEE springtime...

But before we close the books on 2007, I have a few blog entries in draft-mode that I will post shortly (just give me a few weeks ahahaaa). O yeah, and speaking of 2007, I hit the 40,000 mile marker on December 30, 2007... woohoo!!

39,200 miles - Blackout

... as mentioned in my Flickr.com pages, I ordered black vinyl mirror covers... not to protect my side view mirrors from the harsh winter elements, but to match the black steel winter tires I just had installed.

hahahaaa... I like the look... Leroy looks like he's all business now :)

before...


after...


motor on!

39,000 miles - It's Five O'Clock Somewhere

... that's five AM... and that somewhere is Eastern Standard Time. Getting to work early does have its privileges... no morning traffic, EZpass discount, rock-star parking next to the office entrance, leave work early...

During the warm summer months I usually arrive to work early, but with work being hectic these past few weeks, I've resurrected my summer work schedule. I do concede the 5am clock-in at the office is early even for me, but it's just like arriving to work at 9 and staying until 8pm (which a lot of my co-workers do). BTW, there are a handful of pre-7am people where I work. They usually stay until 3-4... sometimes later. In the Summer when I come to work at 7, I'm usually out by 4-4:30pm.

I hit the 39k mile marker just a couple of miles east of my office and ironically, just across rt 46 from one of our sister offices (which I should have taken a picture of but o well).

38,850 miles - Snow Tires

Tis the season for giving, and I bought snow tires for Leroy... and for me. Now that I no longer have a pick-up truck, Leroy's my only option to get me to point B (which usually is work).

I ordered the Firestone Winterforce M+S from tirerack.com, check 'em out here. They're the cheapest tires I could get my hands on, but nevertheless, these tires should provide adequate traction over snow and ice.

... and speaking of snow and ice, I was treated to the first major snow storm for the 2007/2008 winter season on Thursday, December 13. Thankfully, my tires arrived the evening before and I had them put on the following morning. My initial impression was 'man, they're ugly', but they are more for utility than asthetics... and to be honest, the black steel wheels are growing on me. Regardless... my commute home that Thursday evening was slip-slide-free. I am still a bit leary when it comes to snow/ice on the roads, so my driving was probably more conservative than necessary. In time, I will come to push the limits of these cheap wheels (Mother Nature permitting).

tidbits;
-these tires are non run-flats. As such (and also prolly due to the thick treads), Leroy feels 'different'. The bumps are a bit smoother and the car feels like it is sticking to the ground... not alot, but the feeling is there.
-non run-flats!!? Yup. I need to buy me some of that gooey tire repair stuff... and maybe I should start hauling my porto-generator/air compressor since I don't have a spare (no room for one hahaaa).
-My all season performance run-flats are in my storage unit. Prolly won't put them back on until April (I need to situate them so that they won't get wet should my basement floods up).
-LOL, I bought these cheap mirror covers to match the black steel wheels hahaaa... hey, I still gotta coordinate, don't I?



Safe motorin' this Winter season everybody!!

38,461 miles - Three Years Old

Happy Birthday Leroy. I bought you something special... LOL, it didn't arrive on time... you'll get your Birthday gift soon and I'll post pics for all to see.

38,150 miles - Addition to the Family

The new Clubman is out. Check it out. What do ya think?