Post date: Jun 16, 2016 6:05:26 PM
A year has come and gone, and Chrysler Nationals is almost upon us. Let me update you on the events in Lola’s life. It’s been a good year for Lola. After the car show, she stayed in Carlisle by my side. I inhabited my grandmother’s house while Lola occupied my grandmother’s garage. She got to return to her original purpose: a driving, everyday car. On a nice, sunny day I could often be seen driving Lola up and down town, buying groceries and running off to the gym. (I learned that on a rainy day, that was not such a good idea… we’re still working on that.) This year, Lola got to meet another car up close and personal. In other words: somebody bumped Lola’s bumper. (All is well! It left no indentation in the chrome!) Lola also got to make a friend this year. During my year in Carlisle, I inherited my grandmother’s blue 2003 Mazda Protegé 5 who we named Dot.
Parking was a challenge, to say the least. First off was parallel parking. Now, I must tell you, I was never very good at parallel parking. It usually takes me up to three tries with even a regular car like Dot. (Sometimes I even just give up and say, “screw it, good enough.”) Learning to parallel park Lola was an entirely new conundrum in itself. At one point, I got trapped in a Dunkin’ Donuts due to a truck and a line of cars waiting for the drive in blocking my way out. Eventually I did escape, but it did require slightly bouncing over a curb on the way out.
Lola got a little break last winter. You see, in Carlisle people put salt on the roads, that was not the case back home in Spokane where we used paint-safe sand. That is actually one of several reasons that she managed to stay in such good shape before we got her. (At least she didn’t get chilly during the blizzard!)
Lola brought back many memories for some people in Carlisle. My grandmother received multiple rides, during one of which, a gentleman at the complex she lived in commented on Lola’s vintage and engine. Apparently several people who lived there, both residents and staff, recognized the Valiant, ones surrounding Lola’s vintage being parts of their earlier years. My grandmother was not one such person, but she did appreciate Lola’s beauty. (However, she did not appreciate her growl.)
At this time, Lola is not with me. She is waiting patiently for me to return to Carlisle to bring her home. We had decided to leave Lola in Carlisle so that she could be present for this year’s car show and when I chose to travel back to Spokane, Dot got to come with me on my second drive across the county. Lola’s return will be my third.
I must say, Dot had several favorable amenities for long distance driving that Lola did not. For example, cruise control. It was nice not having to let my foot cramp up from keeping it angled in the same position for prolonged periods of time. Power steering was another nice feature that Lola unfortunately doesn’t have. It makes turning somewhat less tedious but it doesn’t change how challenging getting out of certain parking positions is.
This year, you will be able to find Lola and I in the "Young Guns" category. After realizing how much more accomplished the much older and more experienced car owners were in the Chrysler section of last year’s car show, I decided to register this year in an area more to my level. As fun as it was meeting with other people with a love for Chrysler vintage and seeing what some of Lola's extended family looked like, it was clear I was much closer in age to the entrants of the Young Guns section.
See you at Chrysler nationals! I can't wait to be back!
LH (Shaelyn, "Linny" Hall)