What I Saw Today

Yesterday, I spent a whole lot more money than I thought I would to get the ole 850* and the even older 150* licensed and reinsured down at the home of the World's Most Famous Speedway. In Florida, it is law that within ten days of moving, you have to get a new license, change your vehicle registration, and change your insurance to reflect your new location. Well, as I am getting ready to roadtrip in the Motel850*, the last thing I want to do is get pulled over by Barney Fife in Bone Cave, Tennessee, even if it is less than 10 miles to Smartt Mountain (correct spelling), and not have my credentials in order.

Several dead Presidents later, as a result of this and the fact insurance is cheaper over in Sl-Ocala, I am squared away with Florida DMV and can Mario Andretti it to my hearts desire. Actually, despite having a Safe Driver license for over 10 years, I received almost a ticket a year during my time in Sl-Ocala, so now I drive like the old man I am. Stick to the speed limits, don't run yellows, generally pissing off all the youngsters tailgating me.

Anyhow, this is What I Saw Today.

Having done all of that yesterday, qualified me to get the following for the 850*.

And getting that allows me here, completely free of charge, as many times I want and for as long as I want. You tourists, $5 a day.

And with a Nod of the Head to the jeep junkie and James visit the other day, I present the 850's* virgin beach run

with a special sand on the tires shot.

and that is What I Saw Today.

Yeah, I know, whoopie.

In an effort to keep Carri's sister Wendy interested, let's talk about the Ormond Garage. If you have been counting along with me on By The Numbers, you will know I have blogged about the Birthplace of Speed previously and won't link those posts.

As that link to the Birthplace of Speed will show you, long before Big Bill France started NASCAR down in the Streamline Hotel on A1A in Daytona Beach, and the Bonneville Salt Flats become popular, Ormond Beach hosted steam powered automobiles for speed record runs down on the beach, a 5 minute walk from my massive condo. This was in 1903. These guys were racing cars in the 120 mph range on that beach. Again, 1903. Volusia County makes me drive at a top speed of 10 mph on that very same beach.

Usually, when I drive by the reproduction of the original Ormond Garage, it looks like this

but one day, a while back, it looked like this. Of course, I had to stop and snoop around. Anyone surprised?

I hollered out but no one seemed to be around, so I just stood at the overhead door and looked inside. Being an old unemployed construction worker, one of the first things I noticed, after the cars, of course, was the construction. Those little white things nailed to that roof truss crossmember are ceramic insulators, the same things we used to use Down on the Farm to nail to fence posts to string electric fence wire in an attempt to keep those pigs, all named after Roman Catholic priests, in their pen. But I digress. On to the cars.

In the foreground is a cherry 1958 Chrysler 300M, a coupe, of course, as that is all they made back then. In front of it is a 1955 Chevy Belair hardtop.

Next to that 300M, beside that stainless, mobile BBQ grill, was, I will put it at a 1966, Chevrolet Corvair ragtop with aftermarket wheels. Nice, but I prefer stock. Underneath that body cover behind the Corvair is a 65 Cadillac ragtop. Beside the Corvair is a cool old wooden boat, but since it doesn't have wheels, I am not so interested.

So, that is What I Saw Today and What I Saw the Other Day.