Well, haven’t done that in a while!
This past weekend, I drove over 900 miles in less than two days. Most would say that’s insanity, I would call it bliss. Tiring for sure, especially towards the end, but long drives are my kind of jam. Man, machine, and the open road for hours on end. If sitting down silently is not the type of meditation you can get into, I highly suggest going on a road trip. The stuff that comes to mind when the going seem interminable can be fascinating.
The occasion for the near thousand mile jaunt is a car meet down in Southern California. I mean, what else could it be? The love of cars have made many an enthusiast drive ungodly hours just to hang out with fellow like-minded pals. Granted, I would do such a thing for a friend’s birthday, but then I would simply fly (way less time consuming). The only reason to take the car would be show off said car once you’ve arrived.
It was the first time I’ve taken my BMW M2 Competition on a long road trip. I didn’t realize that after about two and half hours of continuous driving, the infotainment actually alerts the driver, asking if you would like to take a break. Obviously, I’ve never driven the car for that long until last Friday. I am happy to report the M2 driver seat passes the butt pain test. The only reason to stop, then, is to refuel, or relieve.
The road trip reminded me what a godsend cruise control is. Even the basic ones where the car will only keep the speed for you (not the fancy types where the the car will slow down or speed up with the car in front) is such a luxury to have on an endless stretch of highway. The freedom to move and stretch the right leg makes longer stints possible. Speaking of possible, it’s impossible these days to to buy a new car without cruise control, right?
Endlessly.