Doc1647545523

It sounds as though you just went to a poorly-run restaurant. I've never known fine dining to be like that. And I've never heard of ordering dessert as soon as you sit down. Sometimes a prix fixe style of dining will ask for some of your selections in advance, but I've not known one to go all the way to dessert so early in the meal. Prices don't always correspond to quality of dining experience.

Very kewl. Congrats! :thumbup:

2009-2012 DODGE FACTORY OEM RAM 2500 3500 QUAD CAB CHROME NERF BARS (All I did was Google the part number)

Aren't they just chrome nerf bars for a Ram? You know, Google is your friend.

Sure, just apply through healthcare.gov The menus will guide you through the simple process

If you're having lock work done, I'd suggest upgrading to heavier springs to make the locks bump-resistant. I think a locksmith charged me something like $12 per lock for the heavier springs, but I felt it was worth it to make it harder for a thief to break-in. You'd think they'd offer this routinely, but I guess they don't. My .02 http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37030&highlight=bump+key

I'll be happy to have it at the Hangout. Lots of the kids in the neighborhood have been asking me to teach them how to drive a stick. Your Barneymobile will be perfect for that.

Seth Kinniard is Service Director at Crown Mercedes. He's always been super helpful to me. Feel free to drop my name if you want. Also, although he doesn't work at a dealership, Paul-Michael (FyrhzrdGT) knows more about Benzos than most guys who are certified techs.

Four spots are spoken for now, so there's room to store up to four more bikes. PM me if you'll need a space.

Costs me nothing and happy to do it. No biggie ......

For most of us, it's not quite that time yet, but the snow in the air this morning got me started thinking on the subject of winter storage. Again this year I have room to store motorcycles for CR members (only). The storage at the Hangout in Delaware is well-lit, alarmed, heated to above 40 degrees all winter, and has 110v available. You don't have 24/7 access to the bike, but with a day's notice I can let you into the garage to ride it on a warm January day or at least to start it and let it run 10 minutes. The idea would be for winter storage of running bikes only, with spring pickup by April or May. What this is NOT: --storage for your rusted old frame and box of parts that you hope to work on someday --storage for jet skis, trailers, cars, boats I suggest the following: Bring a bike cover or at least a sheet to keep the dust off the bike. Put fresh fuel and fuel stabilizer in the tank. Bring a battery tender, or at least leave the battery accessable so that I can connect a battery tender to it every few weeks. Or, take the battery home with you and keep it on a tender. If your bike leaks oil, let me know so that I can put absorbant underneath it to save my painted floors. No gas leakers, please. Here is a pic which shows some of the available bike storage area: http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/IMG_5620-M-1.jpg There's room for about eight additional bikes without parking them too close to each other. PM me with questions or to set up a time to drop off your bike. For those who haven't been to the Hangout, it is at 320 London Road, Delaware, in the Howald Industrial Park, Building 100 (first building as you come down the drive). Also, I have a year-round standing offer for members of the Armed Forces who are stationed away from home: You can leave your bike here for your whole deployment--just give me instructions on how often you want it started or whether you want a friend to take it out from time to time to ride it.

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/IFOcheck_zps432c17cf.jpg With this most recent check from the 3rd Import Face Off of the season, the total received on this project (passing out flyers) this season comes to $422.00, all of which has been donated to the CR general fund. I had hoped it would be enough for a track day, but it's considerably short of that. Perhaps a winter dinner or party? Free dyno time? Track "scholarships" for those tight on cash? Prepaid cookouts for track days? A holiday party with "free" presents for CR children? What are your ideas? CR management will make the final decision on how the money is to be used, but I'm sure they would welcome input from all of us. Thanks to those who used their flyers for spectator admission to IFO. A special thanks to those who helped distribute the flyers and to the following merchants who allowed me to place these in their businesses: Wheel Medic Slow Motion Motorsports Pickups Plus Cars Advance Auto Parts

This checkpoint required something a bit different--putting your car on a small ferry to cross the Ohio River. :nod: http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/rearBentleyonferry_zpsac2b817a.jpg Unfortunately for the Rossion, the ferry ramp was too steep and the car lost its exhaust in the attempt. :fuuuu: My navigator for the rally was my aunt, the last of her generation in our family. She's surprisingly sharp for being well into her 80's. She flew from her home at Dana Point, California, to be in the rally. http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/JoeyatstagingatTheGreene_zpsdae18fa0.jpg She did a pretty good job with just maps and tour books (doesn't use the internet or have a smart phone). A number of people asked her what she thought of the rally ... I heard her reply a number of times, "Well, this isn't my first rally, although I admit I haven't been on one since 1955." She also enchanted a few of us with her tales of driving Route 66 from end to end (Joliet, IL to Santa Monica, CA) in 1947 with a girlfriend from nursing school. She's travelled the world and been on many adventures, including being invited to the USSR in the 1960's, going to China before Nixon, and backpacking the wilds of Alaska with her husband. At the awards dinner Sunday night at Dayton's QSL, she was in typical form: half pound burger "as rare as you can serve it" and topped with deep fried cheese sticks, an antenna of pretzels with beer cheese dip, side of mac & cheese, and a dry Tanqueray martini, because ...... that's just how this lady rolls! http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/JoeyatQSL_zpsee6bad6d.jpg Ryan and his father-in-law, Brian, won third place for day 2. Once again, CR has podium finishers. :thumbup: http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/BrianRyan_zps604177d7.jpg With this event, Rally North America has surpassed $250,000 raised for charities. http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/emoticons/happyanim.gif The group is also on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rally_North_America With all of the stories and pics that many CR members have shared here over the last four years, it sometimes goes unmentioned that the co-founder of Rally North America and the organizer of the Ohio Valley Rally is a CR member who joined here in January 2008, Scott Spielman (Spieldawg) who had been told about CR by his friend, George Staton, shortly before George's untimely death. Scott, thanks for another great rally and for all the great work for charity. My personal thanks to the individuals and businesses from CR who have sponsored my teams.

Here are some pics, as threatened, of the first fall event for Rally North America. Forever Maker and I were the only two CR teams for this event. I wish there could have been more since it was so close to us and could be done over a weekend. There was record rainfall in some of the areas we travelled, which cut down on the photos. I hope Ryan can post some of his as well. Friday night: there were informal gatherings, dinner, a band, and registration for arriving teams. Saturday: meeting old friends, checking out people's rides: http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/driversatstagingatTheGreene_zps50e03063.jpg http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/angrygoat_zps58aa9d6d.jpg http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/caratstaging_zps3dec38a7.jpg http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/teamcodysuv_zps158bb79b.jpg http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/yellowstangatstart_zps69ff8715.jpg http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/GodzillaGTR_zpseaca2b91.jpg It's not everyday that you see a Rossion: http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/frontofRcar_zpsdbda3767.jpg http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/leftandfrontofRcar_zps7729d9a4.jpg http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/rearofRcar_zpsa1f804cd.jpg The starting line at The Greene, in Dayton, which reminded me a lot of Easton: http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/1378841_600792076626658_58902649_n_zps6d0dc856.jpg http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/atstart_zpsbcc6459d.jpg The first day's driving took us around the sites of southwestern Ohio and southern Indiana to find checkpoints. Castles are always kewl: http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/BentleyatCastle_zps88ccf004.jpg We ended the day at the French Lick Casino in Indiana. It's an old spa hotel that's been renovated and converted. Old fashioned luxury. http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/Frenchlick_zpsb55a24d7.jpg Sunday driving took us through some beautiful Kentucky backroads, onto Ft. Knox, and one of the things we had to locate was the world's largest baseball bat (in Louisville, BTW): http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/JoeyDocatbat_zps743df51d.jpg We went to the Buffalo Trace Distillery, the Patton Museum, and ended up with kart racing http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/bentleyatkartracing_zps09c95b7b.jpg before finishing back in Dayton.

My condolences. And I wish you patience in dealing with the aftermath in the family drama.

Don't sell yourself short, Sam. A lot of this is clearly coming from Uranus.

Since I first saw you run last year at a CR track day, I've been impressed with what you've done with that car. I look forward to seeing how things turn out for you in the spring. :thumbup:

Welcome, Mike. I mentioned to someone yesterday when you rolled into Cars & Coffee that your car is my favorite Supra. I was surprised that PapaFark sold it, but I'm glad to see it went to another enthusiast. I hope to continue seeing it at CR events. + rep

I'll see if I can keep up.

So, if I understand you, you want a 2WD jeep? Kinda like kissing your sister, IMHO. Poor ride, cheap interior, expensive upkeep, slow, and would get likely get stuck in the first deep sand you tried to cross. Test drive the FR-S. Maybe you'll not like it, and then buy your jeep with a clear conscience. But if you fall in love with the FR-S, buy one for $26k and put $5k into a janky, used 4x4 Wrangler with a stick that you can actually use without worrying about scratching the paint or getting mud in the interior. The wifey won't touch it, but you and the dogs will love it. I would test drive both the automatic and 6-speed FR-S -- you might be surprised how much you like the paddle shifting, and your lady will love the car, too. From Car and Driver: While the computers controlling the gearswaps can’t change the fuel-saving gearing, they do deliver clipped shifts befitting the car’s enthusiast nature. And the shifts get even more brusque when you switch into Sport mode. For a torque-converter auto, this unit is about as telepathic as it gets, the chosen gear almost always matched to the right spot in the car’s powerband. Shifts requested by the paddles are likewise performed in short order, and the car always blips the throttle on downshifts, regardless of who’s choosing the gears. Sport mode even locks out the selection of higher gears based on vehicle speed. BTW, the FR-S does well with a little turbo, intake, and a tune. You don't have to sink big bucks into it to wake up that little boxer.

Okay, here's the scoop. My friend Jim still makes these pens. He had very little sales through his website, so he closed that. He now sells through eBay. Search his user name DAVVID (Advanced Search-->Search by Seller) He told me he turns that inventory frequently but tries to keep around twenty pens for sale at any one time. He has handmade wooden pens as low as $9.99 EBay has told him he can't sell pens made from real casings because it's in violation of their policy regarding ammo. Yet, I see other people selling similar products ...... whatever. He's happy to make bullet pens for you, or design a custom pen. Contact him at jdegen@columbus.rr.com and tell him you're from Columbus Racing to get special pricing. I also see a few on his eBay listing for $26-$30 depending on the wood. A number of CR folks buy from him and have been very happy. http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/pens/curlymaplebright.jpg http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Jim%20pens%20on%20desk/burlonbook.jpg http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/new%20pens/group.jpg

It was a great rally -- sorry that more CR members didn't participate in this weekend rally which was in our own backyard. Either Ryan or I will start a proper photo thread when we have time to post photos. But here's from the awards banquet last night, with Ryan and his father-in-law Brian receiving 3rd place, a real accomplishment. I think that CR members have been podium finishers for every Rally North America event we've entered. :thumbup: http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohio%20Valley%20Rally/BrianRyan_zps604177d7.jpg With this event, Rally North America has surpassed $200,000 raised for charity, $10 and $25 at a time. Many thanks to the organizers and to the CR members and sponsors who have generously donated. More of the story to follow later this week when we have more time.

Team Bentley finished 11th today with an octagenarian navigator! We're certainly having a blast. Always a good time with this group.

I haven't checked ...... how much did you beat us by? :gabe:

Don't forget, Joe, your wedding's this weekend, too.