Sunday, November 22, 2009

Weekly Recap: 11/15/2009-11/21/2009




Beginning Mileage: 123,221
Ending Mileage: 123,677
Total Vehicle Expenses: $30.28
Total Miles Traveled: 456


The Week of November 15-21 was not only a good week for me, but it was a great week to be out driving the Volvo.  The weather here in the Washington DC Metro region was perfect for late fall.  No rain, clear skies, and the last of the autumn leaves falling off the trees.
November 17th was a very interesting day.  I had to change my class schedule to attend the Tuesday and Thursday classes rather than the Wednesday class I normally go to because my work schedule wouldn't allow me to attend on Wednesday this week.  I also needed to drive out to Middleburg, VA to return some borrowed equipment from a friend out there.  I was a little late bringing it back (it was due soon after I got back from Toronto) but alas, it is now safe back in it's owners hands.  .  Unfortunately for me, the only time I could slip out there was when he was out on another assignment, so I did not get to see him while I was there.  There is, however, a bright side, I got to take one of my favorite roads in Virginia back home because I had an extra hour to kill that I had not planned on. (Pictured above: the Volvo in Middleburg, VA).


Snickersville Turnpike is a very picturesque winding, hilly country road, that doesn't even have a painted yellow line for the majority of it.  It's a great driving road because there are a few long stretches where you can see for about a mile ahead (which also makes for great pictures because you can see cars coming for quite awhile...see above).  This road is one that has either caused me to fall completely into love or completely out of love with every car I've owned since moving to Northern Virginia.  Believe it or not, it caused me to fall out of love with my previous car, a 2006 BMW 325i.  While that car was great, this road, which completely excited the senses in both cars previous to the BMW, seemed absolutely boring in the car.  In order to make the road fun in the BMW, I'd have to push the car to a point where I was no longer comfortable.  The Volvo, on the other hand, was very much at home on this road.  I did not have to push it beyond the point of safe driving to have a good time.  The turbocharger kicked in at will whenever I saw a long enough straight that building speed wouldn't be an issue.  The tires chirped just plenty around each of the tight corners. The brakes performed magnificently when a deer wandered into the path of the car right near the end of a straightaway.


It is probably this trip which caused my brake rotors to warp...because before it, they were smooth, now they're warped.  That'l be a repair for another week.


Since it had been awhile since I'd traveled Snickersville Turnpike, I forgot that at the end to get on Hwy 7 you have to turn right in the town of Bluemont, VA.  Also, I had forgotten that when you look to the right after making the right turn onto 7 you have a magnificent view.  Due to traffic, and nowhere to pull over, I unfortunately do not have a photo of this.  It was quite rewarding just after sunset.  35 minutes later down 7 and I was home for the day.


Aside from my tour of Horse Country, the entire week consisted of driving to and from school, and to and from work. 

*Update July 6, 2014.  Changed font color to make it more readable on a white background.  It had been awhile since I got back this far in the archives!


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