Ramblings from my Christmas “Vacation” (long)

PKRWUD · 01-01-2002, 05:18 AM

Greetings All!
Happy New Year, and all that! Well, I’m back home from Florida, and I have 12 days worth of thoughts and observations to share. My journey started at 5:00 am December 20th when the shuttle company I use to go back and forth to the airport picked me up in a Lincoln Towncar. The driver jokingly said he was sorry that the regular vans were all in use, and did I mind the Lincoln. I flew out of Burbank instead of LAX in hopes of avoiding the crowds, and was quite successful. There were only 3 people ahead of me in the line to check in, and I never had to wait in any lines, other than security. I had to change planes in San Francisco, where I was scheduled to have a 3 hour layover, but because of rain, we circled the airport for an hour and a half, and I actually found myself somewhat rushed once on the ground. Fortunately, a very nice young lady named Tonya, who sat next to me on the flight, also had time to kill, so we killed it together. From San Francisco, I flew non-stop to Orlando.

Florida is a beautiful place this time of year. It rained alot, but the temps were great. Very patriotic people there, too. Where I live, about one in every 50 cars and one in every 30 houses has a flag flying. Where I was in Florida, there were easily twice that many, maybe more. Granted, Patrick Air Force Base is only 15 miles away, but I don’t think that had anything to do with it. The best pizza in the world, IMHO, is from a restaurant called Bizzaro’s New York Style Pizzeria, on the beach in Indialantic, Fla. The steak houses there are excellent as well. Almost as good as in the mid-west. The one thing that I find really cool about this little town, is that every single year, on Christmas eve, they get a few police cars and a firetruck with Santa on it, and they drive, with their lights flashing and sirens screaming, up and down every single street in the town, throwing candy at the kids who gather in front of their houses to see. This may be a common event in little towns, but I've never lived in a town that was small enough to pull it off. I think that's really cool. On the down side, Florida needs smog laws. Flying into Orlando, I saw a really thick brown layer of haze that was worse than the one I saw today flying into Burbank. Denver’s smog was the worst. The other reason I think Florida needs some smog laws was the noise. It was nothing short of annoying. It wasn’t high performance exhaust systems, it was mostly falling apart pick-up trucks with the exhaust rusted away. I heard a few nice sounding systems, but most of the noise was purely due to a lack of both money and concern.

Speaking of which, can someone explain to me why cars in Florida (and most of the east coast, for that matter) rust out so badly and so quickly? I was always told in the south it was because of the ocean air, and in the north because of rock salt in the winter. I live on the beach, and there are hundreds of cars around here that are 50 years old, or older, that have been here since they were new, with little if any rust. Ojai, the little town Skyman lives in, is about 12 miles inland from me, and is a gold mine for old cars in excellent condition, yet even in Orlando, 45 miles from the beach, it’s rare to see a car 20 years old that isn’t falling apart from rust damage. There were far more factory performance cars there, too. I saw more newer Mustangs and F-bodies there than anywhere, and several were Cobra’s and SS’. Lots of Corvettes, too. The street my Mother lives on is about a half mile long, with the Indian River at one end and the Ocean at the other. There are maybe 20 houses on each side of the street from end to end. At any given time, there were at least 5 Mustangs, including 2 Cobra’s, 4 Camaros, including 1 SS, 2 Z28’s and an RS, and 3 Corvettes, all ‘97 or newer, parked in driveways or in the yards. Neighboring streets were similar. I only saw 3 or 4 obnoxiously riced out imports, including a Celica with a 4 foot wide Toyota emblem decal across the back window that had been pulled over for something. In fact, there weren’t that many imports at all, really. Mostly Camry’s and Accords. I also love the parking lots in Florida. My Mother says it’s because there are so many senior citizens driving big cars, but whatever the reason, the parking spaces are huge! Everywhere! The aisles are wide, too. I saw a piece on either 20/20 or 48 Hours a couple months ago that said 6 of the most dangerous intersections in the country were in Florida, but their parking lots are safe! I did hate the way they string the traffic lights diagonally across the intersections, though. It made it especially difficult to see if you were in a left hand turn lane. That may have something to do with their having so many bad intersections. The two real pet peeves I developed while there were the shear number of different license plate designs (I swear to God I saw at least 30 different designs, from college and Space Shuttle plates to “Save the Manatee” plates), and the number of people who drive with their parking lights on. I don’t have a copy of the Florida Vehicle Code, but here that’s illegal. There is, after all, a reason why they’re called “parking lights”.

The women in Florida were rather remarkable, especially at the beach. It was kinda scary seeing 10 and 11 year old girls out with their parents wearing a thong bikini, but I guess that’s why so many of the college age ones looked so very healthy. Very healthy.

My Mother is the only family I have, and although we both love each other, we argue alot too. As I age, I find myself becoming Agnostic, and this upsets her. She confuses Agnostic with Atheist, and that upsets me. I believe in God, I just don’t believe in organized religion. I love Christmas for what I think of as the Christmas Spirit, not because of what it says in the bible (which, BTW, I’ve read, and think is a worthwhile read if you haven’t already). One of my favorite movies is the original Miracle on 34th Street, and AMC ran it back to back for 24 hours from Christmas eve through Christmas day. That movie expresses the love and joy and passion and caring that Christmas is all about in the same way I feel about it, and doesn't have one single religious implication. The message the movie has to offer is simple: “Faith is believing in something when logic tells you not too”. I have faith, I just seem to have it more earthly bound than heavenly bound. I don’t proclaim to be right, or that anyone else is wrong, this is just how I feel at this point in my life. My Mother can’t seem to understand that.

The journey home had me changing planes in Denver, and the skies outside of town were very clear. Having only been to Denver once before on an overcast day, I was surprised to see that the land to the east of Denver is flat, arid desert, while the land to the west was breathtaking snow covered mountains. The western United States from 36,000 feet is truly awesome. We flew right over Hoover Dam and Las Vegas. I was startled at how small Las Vegas really is. I’ve been there several times, and it always seemed big, but from the air, it’s down right puny. It was comparable in size to Barstow, which we flew by a few minutes later. Landing at Burbank was cool because our approach took us in over Van Nuys, in the heart of the San Fernando Valley, which is where I spent years 12 through 18. I grew so much in those years. I changed from an innocent preachers kid to a street racing party animal. From my window, I could see dozens of familiar sights, including two of the high schools I was kicked out of, my first apartment, the house I lived in with my parents before they got divorced, the Sepulveda flood basin, which is where I learned how to ride a dirt bike, and Woodley Park, which is where I spent the better part of the summer of 1983, drinking beers and smoking weed. These were all memories I haven’t let my mind visit in years, and they felt good.

Overall, it was a nice trip. My Mother bought me an iPod for Christmas. That thing blows my mind. If you own a Mac, and are into MP3’s, you have to get one. It holds over 1000 songs and transfers them from your computer to the iPod at a rate of about a full CD in 7 seconds. FireWire baby!!!

For those of you who are still reading this, thank you for letting me share my Christmas experience with you. I truly hope yours was wonderful!

Take care,
-Chris

tireburner163 · 01-01-2002, 10:10 AM

Sounds like you had a pretty good Christmas. Yea, your right the the traffic lights in Florida suck. My biggest pet peave in Florida is all the old lady drivers that can't even see over the steering wheel.

01-01-2002, 02:56 PM

Wow what a great Christmas you had. And am glad you are back safe and sound. Oh the movie Miracle on 34th Street is a wonderful movie, I enjoy the meaning of that one, and how cool to hear that there are still some places that send Fire trucks, Santa and candy to all the children in this day and age. Its nice to know that this is still going on, I can remember that when I was a kid, oh well, Glad you had a good and safe holiday and hope that the New Year brings you all the love, saftey, and kindness. Lee

MidNiteBlu 5.0 · 01-01-2002, 03:50 PM

Your Christmas sounded awesome and that post probably took a long time to write

Yea you do not find nearly as many old cars in the east as you do in California. I would say that at least 20-30 people drive 60's cars at my high school, mostly Mustangs but a couple Chevelles and one guy has an awesome Barracuda. Only problem is the amount of ricers in California

My relatives live in Cincinnati and I go to visit them almost every year and there are NO old muscle cars there. It's too bad. Anyways I hope everyone had a great christmas and welcome back PKRWUD !!!

Dark_5.0 · 01-01-2002, 05:25 PM

I had to go to California on a business trip last month and I flew into Burbank airport and flew out of Burbank airport and yes it does save lots of time, LAX is a nightmare

Mr 5 0 · 01-01-2002, 06:01 PM

Chris:

Good account of your vacation. You get an 'A'.

Comments:

My Dad lived in Sarasota/Longboat Key and I've visited a few times (with side trips to Miami) but wouldn't want to live there. Kind of run-down and the summer humidity makes it feel like a jungle. Nice to visit in the winter though when you're stuck in the cold, snowy northeast.

California is O.K., depending on where you live. I lived in the SF valley for a few years (Olive Tree apartments - corner of Lankershim & Victory Blvd. - pretty tacky) & while I enjoyed the weather (mostly), I missed the four seasons and greenery. Smog was bad and traffic a nightmare. I wouldn't live there unless I could make a huge pile of money to do so. Same with Florida.

Nice Christmas gift from your mom.
You must have been a good boy this year.

I won't touch your agnostic position but I once had the aversion to 'organized religion' you now hold.
I had it for years.
Having a child and realizing that you're responsible for his religious/spiritual education too made me re-think my beliefs (never lost them, just put them on a top shelf in the closet for awhile). We made a decision to join a church that fit our religious philosophy (Christian).
We've never looked back or regretted the decision.

Haven't flown for a few years but your trip sounds reasonably tame and without too many security hassles. Avoiding LAX was a bright move. I assume things have improved due to less people flying now.

Thanks again for the post. BTW: It appears you were missed around here. Can't imagine why.

6T9PONY · 01-01-2002, 11:52 PM

Sounds like Florida is a pretty nice place. It sounds like you had a good time without any complications or major hassles. Glad you're back safe!

MidNiteBlu 5.0 · 01-02-2002, 01:53 AM

California rules

Especially San Diego. Yea San Francisco area is like the most expensive place to live in the US. Luckily I live far away from there LOL. San Diego's gettin pretty expensive too. But as I like to say its one of the only places u can surf and snowboard on the same day. Ive done it!!!

mustangman65_79 · 01-02-2002, 12:04 PM

Quote:

My Mother is the only family I have, and although we both love each other, we argue alot too. As I age, I find myself becoming Agnostic, and this upsets her. She confuses Agnostic with Atheist, and that upsets me. I believe in God, I just don’t believe in organized religion. I love Christmas for what I think of as the Christmas Spirit, not because of what it says in the bible (which, BTW, I’ve read, and think is a worthwhile read if you haven’t already). One of my favorite movies is the original Miracle on 34th Street, and AMC ran it back to back for 24 hours from Christmas eve through Christmas day. That movie expresses the love and joy and passion and caring that Christmas is all about in the same way I feel about it, and doesn't have one single religious implication. The message the movie has to offer is simple: “Faith is believing in something when logic tells you not too”. I have faith, I just seem to have it more earthly bound than heavenly bound. I don’t proclaim to be right, or that anyone else is wrong, this is just how I feel at this point in my life. My Mother can’t seem to understand that.

I feel the same way. I agree with u. organized religion is just something to "passify the masses". I was made to calm everyone down and gave them something to look forward to. I am mostly a Darwin man, but I do belive in some things about god. I don't know if the Bible is a Joke(don't shoot me down for this) but who wrote it? If it was from so many years bad, the stories propaly got changed, or something like that.

I don't know. I guess I will when I die.

Quote:

California rules Especially San Diego. Yea San Francisco area is like the most expensive place to live in the US. Luckily I live far away from there LOL. San Diego's gettin pretty expensive too. But as I like to say its one of the only places u can surf and snowboard on the same day. Ive done it!!!

Ya, tell me about it. SF is costing me a fortune. I want to move back up to Oregon, with a good job. Everything is cheep there. Ex house tax.

PKRWUD · 01-02-2002, 12:19 PM

Thanks Jim, that was nice to hear from you. I feel fairly certain I will again find my religious roots, because I do often find it easier to accept, especially when admiring the artistic grace of the wind swept hills near the Cal/Nev border, from 36,000 feet. Thing is, I'm pushing 36, which means I'm still young enough to have the desire to decide for myself. I become very unreasonable when pushed, especially regarding religious beliefs. This is where my Mother and I always clash, but the older I get, the easier it is to just roll with it.

Lankershim @ Victory, huh? If it was a lime colored two story building on the north side of Victory, just east of Lankershim, I used to buy pot there regularly between 16 and 18 years old. Still, Jim, if you think that was bad, my very first apartment was on Sylvan street, about 2 blocks from the intersection of Van Nuys and Victory. Everything always seems better when I remember that.

San Diego is a very nice place, but I firmly believe the best place on earth is the Ventura/Santa Barbara area. Morning skiing and afternoon surfing is common. The average annual high temp is 70 degrees, and the low is 60. How does it get better than that? It rains 11 inches a year, but never a drop between May and October. The Channel Islands offer a wealth of values as well, from spectacular sunsets to awesome scuba diving.

I miss the snow, but never for more than a couple hours at a time, so I'm very content with driving to see it rather than having to shovel it.

You know what I really, really do miss, though? The Maple trees in October back east. The 11 years I lived in New Jersey were spent on a road that had a large, grassy, tree filled center median, and combined with the trees along the house sides of the streets, two perfect Maple "tunnels" that ran the entire length of Watchung Road were formed, and for the month of October, it felt like you were in the warmest, safest place on earth. Soooo beautiful. As I've mentioned to Jim in the past, there is a tiny little island off the coast of Connecticut called Fishers Island that has nothing but wonderful memories for me too. If I won the lottery, I'd buy it. Vermont is a very scenic road trip state too. I just have become a total wimp when it comes to east coast humidity. I'm sure I'd get used to it again after a while, but I'm too in love with Ventura.

Take care,
-Chris

mustangdani55 · 01-02-2002, 05:30 PM

hey Chris... i hope i didn't make you mad earlier pickin on ya. you been gone for so long, just had to pull your name out of the hat today to say WE ARE GLAD YOU ARE BACK BUD.. sounds like you had a really good Christmas. still haven't said what new years brought you. say goodbye....for now.

PKRWUD · 01-02-2002, 09:40 PM

Dani-
Phuk no you haven't upset me! I love any attention from women! especially the pretty ones! I've had a busy day, and haven't been online much at all today. For what it's worth, my Uncle did always say the red heads would always get me in trouble, and so far he's been right, but hey, I'm a gambler.

I think the women of this site, now that there are some, should have a topless picture contest , to be judged by the guys on MW. What do ya think?

Take care,
-Chris

mustangman65_79 · 01-02-2002, 09:52 PM

I now know whats happends to u Chris, when u go on vaction unsupervised. U come back with these wild thoughts.

6T9PONY · 01-02-2002, 09:58 PM

You naughty boy! I can't believe you said that! Hahaha.....I support you idea though.....

PKRWUD · 01-02-2002, 10:13 PM

kaspar-
I'm a 35 year old man. Those thoughts are always on my mind. I just happen to be tired enough right now to suggest it.

Take care,
-Chris

mustangman65_79 · 01-03-2002, 08:34 PM

Chris-
I unstand now, but I don't see anything happining about it-lol

PKRWUD · 01-04-2002, 02:23 AM

Yeah, I'm actually quite surprised, and somewhat disappointed, too.

Oh well. Live and learn.

Take care,
-Chris

mustangman65_79 · 01-04-2002, 12:22 PM

Chris-
Ya u'd think, the god of this place makes a request and everyone would do it.-lol

But then life goes on...and...and on........and on..................and on................................................ ........................................and on .................................................. .................................................. ..........and yet, still nothing happends, -lol

PKRWUD · 01-04-2002, 12:47 PM

Nice Avatar!

Oh, I didn't expect anything more than some spirited replies. There are some very witty people here, and as an after thought I figured we would have heard from some of them. No biggie. I'll probably be explaining the venturis in a 7200 VV carb to a first timer on the Windsor Board when things get fun. Take notes for me.

Take care,
-Chris

mustangman65_79 · 01-04-2002, 01:35 PM

I was wondering if u were going to notice my avatar. Ya, I fiqured a couple of replies is about all u would get, but not even that-lol

01-01-2002, 05:18 AM	#1
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	Ramblings from my Christmas “Vacation” (long) Greetings All! Happy New Year, and all that! Well, I’m back home from Florida, and I have 12 days worth of thoughts and observations to share. My journey started at 5:00 am December 20th when the shuttle company I use to go back and forth to the airport picked me up in a Lincoln Towncar. The driver jokingly said he was sorry that the regular vans were all in use, and did I mind the Lincoln. I flew out of Burbank instead of LAX in hopes of avoiding the crowds, and was quite successful. There were only 3 people ahead of me in the line to check in, and I never had to wait in any lines, other than security. I had to change planes in San Francisco, where I was scheduled to have a 3 hour layover, but because of rain, we circled the airport for an hour and a half, and I actually found myself somewhat rushed once on the ground. Fortunately, a very nice young lady named Tonya, who sat next to me on the flight, also had time to kill, so we killed it together. From San Francisco, I flew non-stop to Orlando. Florida is a beautiful place this time of year. It rained alot, but the temps were great. Very patriotic people there, too. Where I live, about one in every 50 cars and one in every 30 houses has a flag flying. Where I was in Florida, there were easily twice that many, maybe more. Granted, Patrick Air Force Base is only 15 miles away, but I don’t think that had anything to do with it. The best pizza in the world, IMHO, is from a restaurant called Bizzaro’s New York Style Pizzeria, on the beach in Indialantic, Fla. The steak houses there are excellent as well. Almost as good as in the mid-west. The one thing that I find really cool about this little town, is that every single year, on Christmas eve, they get a few police cars and a firetruck with Santa on it, and they drive, with their lights flashing and sirens screaming, up and down every single street in the town, throwing candy at the kids who gather in front of their houses to see. This may be a common event in little towns, but I've never lived in a town that was small enough to pull it off. I think that's really cool. On the down side, Florida needs smog laws. Flying into Orlando, I saw a really thick brown layer of haze that was worse than the one I saw today flying into Burbank. Denver’s smog was the worst. The other reason I think Florida needs some smog laws was the noise. It was nothing short of annoying. It wasn’t high performance exhaust systems, it was mostly falling apart pick-up trucks with the exhaust rusted away. I heard a few nice sounding systems, but most of the noise was purely due to a lack of both money and concern. Speaking of which, can someone explain to me why cars in Florida (and most of the east coast, for that matter) rust out so badly and so quickly? I was always told in the south it was because of the ocean air, and in the north because of rock salt in the winter. I live on the beach, and there are hundreds of cars around here that are 50 years old, or older, that have been here since they were new, with little if any rust. Ojai, the little town Skyman lives in, is about 12 miles inland from me, and is a gold mine for old cars in excellent condition, yet even in Orlando, 45 miles from the beach, it’s rare to see a car 20 years old that isn’t falling apart from rust damage. There were far more factory performance cars there, too. I saw more newer Mustangs and F-bodies there than anywhere, and several were Cobra’s and SS’. Lots of Corvettes, too. The street my Mother lives on is about a half mile long, with the Indian River at one end and the Ocean at the other. There are maybe 20 houses on each side of the street from end to end. At any given time, there were at least 5 Mustangs, including 2 Cobra’s, 4 Camaros, including 1 SS, 2 Z28’s and an RS, and 3 Corvettes, all ‘97 or newer, parked in driveways or in the yards. Neighboring streets were similar. I only saw 3 or 4 obnoxiously riced out imports, including a Celica with a 4 foot wide Toyota emblem decal across the back window that had been pulled over for something. In fact, there weren’t that many imports at all, really. Mostly Camry’s and Accords. I also love the parking lots in Florida. My Mother says it’s because there are so many senior citizens driving big cars, but whatever the reason, the parking spaces are huge! Everywhere! The aisles are wide, too. I saw a piece on either 20/20 or 48 Hours a couple months ago that said 6 of the most dangerous intersections in the country were in Florida, but their parking lots are safe! I did hate the way they string the traffic lights diagonally across the intersections, though. It made it especially difficult to see if you were in a left hand turn lane. That may have something to do with their having so many bad intersections. The two real pet peeves I developed while there were the shear number of different license plate designs (I swear to God I saw at least 30 different designs, from college and Space Shuttle plates to “Save the Manatee” plates), and the number of people who drive with their parking lights on. I don’t have a copy of the Florida Vehicle Code, but here that’s illegal. There is, after all, a reason why they’re called “parking lights”. The women in Florida were rather remarkable, especially at the beach. It was kinda scary seeing 10 and 11 year old girls out with their parents wearing a thong bikini, but I guess that’s why so many of the college age ones looked so very healthy. Very healthy. My Mother is the only family I have, and although we both love each other, we argue alot too. As I age, I find myself becoming Agnostic, and this upsets her. She confuses Agnostic with Atheist, and that upsets me. I believe in God, I just don’t believe in organized religion. I love Christmas for what I think of as the Christmas Spirit, not because of what it says in the bible (which, BTW, I’ve read, and think is a worthwhile read if you haven’t already). One of my favorite movies is the original Miracle on 34th Street, and AMC ran it back to back for 24 hours from Christmas eve through Christmas day. That movie expresses the love and joy and passion and caring that Christmas is all about in the same way I feel about it, and doesn't have one single religious implication. The message the movie has to offer is simple: “Faith is believing in something when logic tells you not too”. I have faith, I just seem to have it more earthly bound than heavenly bound. I don’t proclaim to be right, or that anyone else is wrong, this is just how I feel at this point in my life. My Mother can’t seem to understand that. The journey home had me changing planes in Denver, and the skies outside of town were very clear. Having only been to Denver once before on an overcast day, I was surprised to see that the land to the east of Denver is flat, arid desert, while the land to the west was breathtaking snow covered mountains. The western United States from 36,000 feet is truly awesome. We flew right over Hoover Dam and Las Vegas. I was startled at how small Las Vegas really is. I’ve been there several times, and it always seemed big, but from the air, it’s down right puny. It was comparable in size to Barstow, which we flew by a few minutes later. Landing at Burbank was cool because our approach took us in over Van Nuys, in the heart of the San Fernando Valley, which is where I spent years 12 through 18. I grew so much in those years. I changed from an innocent preachers kid to a street racing party animal. From my window, I could see dozens of familiar sights, including two of the high schools I was kicked out of, my first apartment, the house I lived in with my parents before they got divorced, the Sepulveda flood basin, which is where I learned how to ride a dirt bike, and Woodley Park, which is where I spent the better part of the summer of 1983, drinking beers and smoking weed. These were all memories I haven’t let my mind visit in years, and they felt good. Overall, it was a nice trip. My Mother bought me an iPod for Christmas. That thing blows my mind. If you own a Mac, and are into MP3’s, you have to get one. It holds over 1000 songs and transfers them from your computer to the iPod at a rate of about a full CD in 7 seconds. FireWire baby!!! For those of you who are still reading this, thank you for letting me share my Christmas experience with you. I truly hope yours was wonderful! Take care, -Chris __________________ Webmaster: Rice Haters Club Jim Porter Racing Peckerwoods Pit Stop Support Your Local RED & WHITE! Last edited by PKRWUD; 01-01-2002 at 05:46 AM..

01-01-2002, 10:10 AM	#2
tireburner163 It's a lot like a race car Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Meridian, MS Posts: 4,130	Sounds like you had a pretty good Christmas. Yea, your right the the traffic lights in Florida suck. My biggest pet peave in Florida is all the old lady drivers that can't even see over the steering wheel. __________________ 1987 Buick T-type 1998 HD Electra Elide

01-01-2002, 03:50 PM	#4
MidNiteBlu 5.0 I got something to say Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,557	Your Christmas sounded awesome and that post probably took a long time to write Yea you do not find nearly as many old cars in the east as you do in California. I would say that at least 20-30 people drive 60's cars at my high school, mostly Mustangs but a couple Chevelles and one guy has an awesome Barracuda. Only problem is the amount of ricers in California My relatives live in Cincinnati and I go to visit them almost every year and there are NO old muscle cars there. It's too bad. Anyways I hope everyone had a great christmas and welcome back PKRWUD !!! __________________ 91 LX Hatch 5.0 - made for the twisties 89 LX Hatchback 5.0 5spd. stolen/stripped 4/7/05 http://www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/...splay.cgi?3494 1987 Toyota Pickup Ricer Haters Club Member #33 Want a custom gauge cluster for your Vintage Mustang? www.jmeenterprises.com

01-01-2002, 05:25 PM	#5
Dark_5.0 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Staging lane Posts: 4,337	I had to go to California on a business trip last month and I flew into Burbank airport and flew out of Burbank airport and yes it does save lots of time, LAX is a nightmare __________________ 92' LX-Big brakes, Lots and lots of suspension, GT40X heads, Ported cobra intake, stock cam, Vortech SC trim. 00' Lightning-Stock 88'CRX-13 second ego killer

01-01-2002, 06:01 PM	#6
Mr 5 0 Conservative Individualist Join Date: May 1997 Location: Wherever I need to be Posts: 7,487	Good Vacation Chris: Good account of your vacation. You get an 'A'. Comments: My Dad lived in Sarasota/Longboat Key and I've visited a few times (with side trips to Miami) but wouldn't want to live there. Kind of run-down and the summer humidity makes it feel like a jungle. Nice to visit in the winter though when you're stuck in the cold, snowy northeast. California is O.K., depending on where you live. I lived in the SF valley for a few years (Olive Tree apartments - corner of Lankershim & Victory Blvd. - pretty tacky) & while I enjoyed the weather (mostly), I missed the four seasons and greenery. Smog was bad and traffic a nightmare. I wouldn't live there unless I could make a huge pile of money to do so. Same with Florida. Nice Christmas gift from your mom. You must have been a good boy this year. I won't touch your agnostic position but I once had the aversion to 'organized religion' you now hold. I had it for years. Having a child and realizing that you're responsible for his religious/spiritual education too made me re-think my beliefs (never lost them, just put them on a top shelf in the closet for awhile). We made a decision to join a church that fit our religious philosophy (Christian). We've never looked back or regretted the decision. Haven't flown for a few years but your trip sounds reasonably tame and without too many security hassles. Avoiding LAX was a bright move. I assume things have improved due to less people flying now. Thanks again for the post. BTW: It appears you were missed around here. Can't imagine why.

01-01-2002, 02:56 PM	#3
gt lee Guest Posts: n/a	Wow what a great Christmas you had. And am glad you are back safe and sound. Oh the movie Miracle on 34th Street is a wonderful movie, I enjoy the meaning of that one, and how cool to hear that there are still some places that send Fire trucks, Santa and candy to all the children in this day and age. Its nice to know that this is still going on, I can remember that when I was a kid, oh well, Glad you had a good and safe holiday and hope that the New Year brings you all the love, saftey, and kindness. Lee

01-01-2002, 11:52 PM	#7
6T9PONY All about the Windsor. Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 2,052	Sounds like Florida is a pretty nice place. It sounds like you had a good time without any complications or major hassles. Glad you're back safe!

01-02-2002, 01:53 AM	#8
MidNiteBlu 5.0 I got something to say Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,557	California rules Especially San Diego. Yea San Francisco area is like the most expensive place to live in the US. Luckily I live far away from there LOL. San Diego's gettin pretty expensive too. But as I like to say its one of the only places u can surf and snowboard on the same day. Ive done it!!! __________________ 91 LX Hatch 5.0 - made for the twisties 89 LX Hatchback 5.0 5spd. stolen/stripped 4/7/05 http://www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/...splay.cgi?3494 1987 Toyota Pickup Ricer Haters Club Member #33 Want a custom gauge cluster for your Vintage Mustang? www.jmeenterprises.com

01-02-2002, 12:19 PM	#10
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	Thanks Jim, that was nice to hear from you. I feel fairly certain I will again find my religious roots, because I do often find it easier to accept, especially when admiring the artistic grace of the wind swept hills near the Cal/Nev border, from 36,000 feet. Thing is, I'm pushing 36, which means I'm still young enough to have the desire to decide for myself. I become very unreasonable when pushed, especially regarding religious beliefs. This is where my Mother and I always clash, but the older I get, the easier it is to just roll with it. Lankershim @ Victory, huh? If it was a lime colored two story building on the north side of Victory, just east of Lankershim, I used to buy pot there regularly between 16 and 18 years old. Still, Jim, if you think that was bad, my very first apartment was on Sylvan street, about 2 blocks from the intersection of Van Nuys and Victory. Everything always seems better when I remember that. San Diego is a very nice place, but I firmly believe the best place on earth is the Ventura/Santa Barbara area. Morning skiing and afternoon surfing is common. The average annual high temp is 70 degrees, and the low is 60. How does it get better than that? It rains 11 inches a year, but never a drop between May and October. The Channel Islands offer a wealth of values as well, from spectacular sunsets to awesome scuba diving. I miss the snow, but never for more than a couple hours at a time, so I'm very content with driving to see it rather than having to shovel it. You know what I really, really do miss, though? The Maple trees in October back east. The 11 years I lived in New Jersey were spent on a road that had a large, grassy, tree filled center median, and combined with the trees along the house sides of the streets, two perfect Maple "tunnels" that ran the entire length of Watchung Road were formed, and for the month of October, it felt like you were in the warmest, safest place on earth. Soooo beautiful. As I've mentioned to Jim in the past, there is a tiny little island off the coast of Connecticut called Fishers Island that has nothing but wonderful memories for me too. If I won the lottery, I'd buy it. Vermont is a very scenic road trip state too. I just have become a total wimp when it comes to east coast humidity. I'm sure I'd get used to it again after a while, but I'm too in love with Ventura. Take care, -Chris __________________ Webmaster: Rice Haters Club Jim Porter Racing Peckerwoods Pit Stop Support Your Local RED & WHITE!

01-02-2002, 05:30 PM	#11
mustangdani55 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana USA Posts: 334	hey Chris... i hope i didn't make you mad earlier pickin on ya. you been gone for so long, just had to pull your name out of the hat today to say WE ARE GLAD YOU ARE BACK BUD.. sounds like you had a really good Christmas. still haven't said what new years brought you. say goodbye....for now.

01-02-2002, 09:40 PM	#12
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	Dani- Phuk no you haven't upset me! I love any attention from women! especially the pretty ones! I've had a busy day, and haven't been online much at all today. For what it's worth, my Uncle did always say the red heads would always get me in trouble, and so far he's been right, but hey, I'm a gambler. I think the women of this site, now that there are some, should have a topless picture contest , to be judged by the guys on MW. What do ya think? Take care, -Chris __________________ Webmaster: Rice Haters Club Jim Porter Racing Peckerwoods Pit Stop Support Your Local RED & WHITE!

01-02-2002, 09:52 PM	#13
mustangman65_79 My poor 79 RIP Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Suisun City, Posts: 2,320	I now know whats happends to u Chris, when u go on vaction unsupervised. U come back with these wild thoughts. __________________ '84 mustang GT turbo '85 LTD '89 Camaro Irocz z28 '94 Lightning '96 Trans am

01-02-2002, 09:58 PM	#14
6T9PONY All about the Windsor. Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 2,052	You naughty boy! I can't believe you said that! Hahaha.....I support you idea though.....

01-02-2002, 10:13 PM	#15
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	kaspar- I'm a 35 year old man. Those thoughts are always on my mind. I just happen to be tired enough right now to suggest it. Take care, -Chris __________________ Webmaster: Rice Haters Club Jim Porter Racing Peckerwoods Pit Stop Support Your Local RED & WHITE!

01-03-2002, 08:34 PM	#16
mustangman65_79 My poor 79 RIP Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Suisun City, Posts: 2,320	Chris- I unstand now, but I don't see anything happining about it-lol __________________ '84 mustang GT turbo '85 LTD '89 Camaro Irocz z28 '94 Lightning '96 Trans am

01-04-2002, 02:23 AM	#17
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	Yeah, I'm actually quite surprised, and somewhat disappointed, too. Oh well. Live and learn. Take care, -Chris __________________ Webmaster: Rice Haters Club Jim Porter Racing Peckerwoods Pit Stop Support Your Local RED & WHITE!

01-04-2002, 12:22 PM	#18
mustangman65_79 My poor 79 RIP Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Suisun City, Posts: 2,320	Chris- Ya u'd think, the god of this place makes a request and everyone would do it.-lol But then life goes on...and...and on........and on..................and on................................................ ........................................and on .................................................. .................................................. ..........and yet, still nothing happends, -lol __________________ '84 mustang GT turbo '85 LTD '89 Camaro Irocz z28 '94 Lightning '96 Trans am

01-04-2002, 12:47 PM	#19
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	Nice Avatar! Oh, I didn't expect anything more than some spirited replies. There are some very witty people here, and as an after thought I figured we would have heard from some of them. No biggie. I'll probably be explaining the venturis in a 7200 VV carb to a first timer on the Windsor Board when things get fun. Take notes for me. Take care, -Chris __________________ Webmaster: Rice Haters Club Jim Porter Racing Peckerwoods Pit Stop Support Your Local RED & WHITE!

01-04-2002, 01:35 PM	#20
mustangman65_79 My poor 79 RIP Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Suisun City, Posts: 2,320	I was wondering if u were going to notice my avatar. Ya, I fiqured a couple of replies is about all u would get, but not even that-lol __________________ '84 mustang GT turbo '85 LTD '89 Camaro Irocz z28 '94 Lightning '96 Trans am

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