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Originally Posted by dlockhart
That makes perfect sense. It may not be rational but matters of the heart do not need to be.
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Yeah, and like I said, for all she has put up with from me, I can certainly concede this one.
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Originally Posted by dlockhart
Your solo back country hikes would really scare me. Several years ago I went for a day trip in Nevada. Up the Alien hwy and over Ely, then back home to Vegas. I saw a "park" called lunar crater ( volcanic crater) and thought it may be interesting. I drive what seems like several miles off the hwy and get to the crater. It did look pretty neat and there were some paths down into it. I started to make my way down whem I stopped and listened to the quiet. It dawned on me that no one would would hear or see me if something went wrong. A turned ankle would be bad, a broken leg could be fatal. I turned around and headed back to my truck.
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I know it's weird, but I find a lot of peace and solace in the fact that I'm completely on my own. That, and a certain clarity of thought, and deliberateness of action. Much like a DE, but in extremely slow motion.
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Originally Posted by dlockhart
I like waving to the corner workers at the track, knowing they are the ones coming to get me. After my first big crash a few years back, I always thumbs up the track marshal at pit out. I figure he/she may be the last person I communicate with, ever.
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Yup. It's always good kharma to be good to those who are helping us have our fun, and who may very well be the ones saving our unlucky asses, or the last ones we ever got to wave at.
Speaking of crashes and their causes, I've seen a mix of both mechanicals and cranials. I had an old Alfa coup blow a head gasket in front of me going around turn two at Pacific Raceways one day, spewing anti-freeze all over the track in front of me. That was a pretty wild ride for me; as close as I've come to completely tossing it. Had a brand new Focus SVT (or whatever) explode the right front hub (again, right in front of me) going up the hill around turn six, also at Pacific. Totaled that little Focus, and its driver was darn lucky to escape unscathed. I was about half a lap behind (or in front of) and old TR6 that disembowled itself going through 5A/5B at Pacific, leaving recognizable pieces of connecting rod, bearing caps, and about eight quarts of oil all over the track. The next several cars through there were toast. Then there was the Formula Vee that split its tranny in half, leaving blue Swepco just out of sight over the hill in turn seven. A first day out, just completed M3/LS6 car spun on it, caught a berm, and rolled several times. And on and on... Plenty of mechanicals.
Granted, I've seen lots of brain farts as well. Probably an even split between the two, actually. Or, no - if we count all of the spins and harmless "offs", the brain farts win the day. I haven't seen many "harmless" (beyond the initial failure) mechanicals, though. There is usually a lot more damage about to happen to the car that just had something fail and, unfortunately, those behind it.