I have been anxious for time and weather to converge so I could drive the Jaguar in the manner desired; and, like any machine and operator, become accustomed to each other. That happy confluence occurred the last couple of days.
Headed up to Bald Peak State Park (1600′) Tuesday, which lies at the top of Bald Peak Rd; known for the grades and curves. The car has a choose-your-own-adventure 5-speed auto with a J-gate manual option. Auto all the way, as I was still feeling out the car. Nothing broke, so a success.
Wednesday I took a trip to the logging town of Vernonia. State Hwy 47 is the primary access, and fun enough. Timber Road, joining Hwy 47 south of Vernonia, and crossing US 26, would be the way home.
I can drive both roads at speed with the Mazda sans brake, but the left leg is feeling it. There is a reducing-radius lefthander on SR 47 that will bite you if you don’t pay attention, but otherwise, not a difficult road. Timber Rd is more challenging.
But, not, apparently, for the Cat. It is fair to say I know both roads, but not to the point of familiarity. I drove Hwy 47 in auto, because I wanted to see how the car responded to a known road. I didn’t use the brake. The car feels planted on the road, and at 3900 pounds, should. The drivetrain and suspension belie the weight, though.
For the drive back on Timber Rd I used the J-gate manual option. The car has a 5-speed automatic, and you can flick the selector left to 4th, and then on down to 2nd. I drove the car like a manual, and it was little different. There is a slight, but significant, pause between gear selections. I suspect for similar reasons for response-lag between piston and turbine aircraft engines. In a turbine, the rotating assembly has to get up to speed, and in an automatic transmission, the fluid has to have the energy. The car works just fine in manual mode, and drives similar to a manual transmission, but with a bit more anticipation on the part of the driver.
And the difference between a sports car and touring car becomes apparent. Cars like the Mazda are all about quick accelerations, as acceleration is what excites people. Throwing gears around and braking and throttling at 45 mph is much more fun than running through a curve at 60 with minimal effort. But that’s what the Jaguar does. On the same roads I’m thrashing the Mazda, the Jag just gets on with it.
Two different approaches. I am becoming a fan of the Jaguar as a good all-rounder, but the Mazda makes me smile.
The last couple of weeks the weather has taken a turn for the warmer, we had the first rain last week that smelled of earth, rather than ice. To this point, Winter has been mild and didn’t stick around long. No complaints. Well, I have heard fans of the sliding sports complain that there wasn’t enough activity to warrant a season pass.
The woodpeckers and songbirds have been moving in, including the robin family that seems to be a staple the last several years. Robins only live about two years in the wild, but it seems the group living near the house are more tolerant and curious than before. Some wrens; some hummingbirds.
Haven’t seen the ducks yet, but have heard them. They may be setting up camp further upstream this year. There is an owl about. Owls are year-round residents, but from the call, it sounds like a new sheriff in town.
There are a couple of weeks in mid-March, or so, when the weather becomes unsettled. Cool air from the ocean meets warming air from the desert, and you will have hail, intense rain, and possibly snow, in about 30 minutes. The disturbances are localized, but intense, convective cells. Afterwards, we’ll have generally warmer rain until the end of June.
Great Moments in Journalism
From an article on the Senate’s vote to eliminate Federal masking rules, and Sen. Rand Paul:
“Paul has refused to get vaccines and remains opposed to any government action to fight the pandemic, despite his opposite stance on the Ebola virus in 2014.”
Truly, that sentence must stand on it’s own.
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