As far as regrouping mid-drive, I'm more familiar with Juanita Beach Park and that would work well, as long as there isn't a lot of construction going on in that area. If we're gonna have lunch about then, there's a Spuds Fish-n-Chips place across the street. Not sure if it will hold 30 drivers at once though as it's a small place. I'm sure we could come up with other options...

I could handle leading a group too. Let's just see who/what emerges when we begin in the morning. We may wanna trade off leading at times when we know some parts of the route better than others... And I'm thinking that some of us , who know the area very well, might even get a little creative and figure out a different way to get to the meeting spot(s) before the other group(s)

 

I'm more familiar with Juanita Beach Park too. My pre-driving formative years were spent in Totem Lake. I think you're on to something with the Spuds idea. For those who don't like Fish-N-Chips, there are a number of other options within walking distance as well.

 

Kris,

I think I found a program on AAA that will let us build our own route map. I started plugging your route in but it ran out of room after about 1/2 the trip. We can probably build 2 or 3 maps. Check it out and let me know what you think.

http://ww2.aaa.com/scripts/WebObject....1.1.0.1.1.0.0

 

My mom and I have used that before when we go to Wisconsin, if we decide we don't want to go the same old boring route we usually take.

 

Hey, I just got a phone call from my grandfather (the one who helped teach me to drive ). He wants to tag along, so I'll have a navigator again.

 

Ha ha... that is AWESOME. How many people get to blast around corners in a sportscar with their grandfather..?!

 

Yeah, I'm a fourth generation gear head and proud of it. :D The anti-authority streak goes back much further, but that's for another conversation. My mom aced auto shop in HS. I'll have to see about getting her out for one of these. Though she says my car makes her feel claustrophobic. I guess I'll have to get a convertible 8 when they come out.

 

Would she feel claustrophobic if SHE is driving? Ohhhh... Let's have a Mom's day drive or something like that. Only female drivers that day!!!

 

the drawback of that is that my wife will not drive my car, she know how i am with my car, that the only time she look at my car is wend i am with her!!!

 

^LOL! I've allowed Robbie to ride in my car twice, and sit in it one other time. I've trained him well. He sits virtually frozen in place with his hands on his lap, not touching a thing! Last time I let him ride in my car (taking him home from a party) he was all "Can you drive me home? I swear to God I won't touch a thing! I promise!"

When I had gotten to that party after I got off work one of his friends was reaching to open my door for me and Robbie grabbed his arm and smacked at his hand and said "Dude, don't touch the car. She'll hurt you!"

 

I don't have any problem with people riding in the car. If they're really careful, they can even drink a soda (but preferably water). I keep most of my cleaning stuff in the trunk anyway.

What bugs my Mom is all the dark colors on the interior, and the small space. She likes the way the car drives, but even behind the wheel, she's not fond of being in it.

 

I don't think it would matter what I was driving. I don't really feel all that comfortable with passengers. Maybe it's because I don't have what I would consider to be a lot of driving experience? I had driven off and on minimally since high school, but have only had my license since December 2005. I guess I feel like people are "judging" me and my driving and it makes me nervous.

Last week I rode with a lady from work across the street to Starbucks, because we were getting everyone their coffee they wanted (otherwise would have just walked since it's only the equivalent of about a block across the parking lots and across the street one way). I didn't particular want to take my car, but I said we would if she didn't mind walking all the way to the far end of the far parking lot. Well, apparently not because she walked over to her car (05 Camry). After she started driving she said she felt nervous driving with me sitting there since I was in to cars. LOL!

I don't have a problem with my mom riding in my car, although she can't seem to keep her legs out of the way so I can lift or release the parking brake when I need to, and her arms have gotten in the way of my shifting (I think it's time for her to stop eating so she won't be in my way anymore, LOL). She prefers driving my car, though. In general, she would rather drive than ride anytime she has to go somewhere. Otherwise she gets tired and kind of car sick, presumably from boredom.

 

Wow, that's too bad... but I can see how she might feel that way. Sometimes I feel like I'm in some sort of cockpit

 

Oh well. My folks have been eying a Sky. Their excuse for not doing is hauling the family around. My brother just needs to get a job and a car. My grandparents like riding with them to family events though, so I'm not sure how to handle that one.

I'll just keep hinting at how easy and fun it would be trade their Escape in for nice roadster to go play with.

 

Looks like I can't go to this anymore. I have family flying in from out of town on the 25th and staying until the 28th. Poop.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! Tell them you're busy or sick or have to work overtime or ... something

 

Well, explosive diarrhea always seems to be a pretty good excuse. LOL

 

Yeah, but that's usually a "last minute" situation, lol, and they'd already be on their way. We gotta think of another excuse

 

What if I told them I developed leprosy and my arms fell off so I can't drive out and pick them up?

 

I think your smiley is oozing out the wrong end. Either that or you have some seriously messed up intestines!!!

 

You were abducted by a crazed rabbit?!!

 

A little too bizarre and I think the process is slower than the time you have... How about - the company you work for sent you overseas for a couple of months and you had to leave right away so you couldn't see them before you left...?

 

Or you could do I like I do. Tell them you already have a drive scheduled and to shell out the dough for taxi fare themselves. If they arrive on the 25th and leave on the 28th, you'll get 3 days with them any how. That's 2 days too many in my book.

 

Try the Robbie approach to life. Blow them off at the last minute. Make up a dumb excuse (such as duck hunting). Laugh hysterically while trying to tell them you feel bad about it so you sound like a deranged idiot. Then go do your own thing anyway.

 

Hey Kristopher, This is totally off topic, but I was searching for something the other day and ran across this logo I thought you might like: