To blog or not to blog that a question?

Long time since last post to this blog and had a hard time finding my way back to here.


Since I post almost daily somewhere else this bog has fallen by the wayside.




Now Google+  seems to be another one stop shopping site for blogs and I wish I could just merge this one into it.


Life should be so simple!

Where Have I Been for over a Year?

Man oh man seems like with all the other places I have posted, liked and shared this blog fell off the cliff.  I spend lots of time over here www.alfabb.com helping fellow Alfisti maintain their Alfa Romeo 164 models.  Then, I started sharing my life and welcome to it on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/

One or Two of My Other Hobbies

http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/1249484-post1.html AND http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/1249686-post3.html

The Road to Nowhere

Have you ever been on road trip without a road map? And furthermore have you literally been the back seat rider (not backseat driver)? Well, I was this past Friday on a preplanned Garmin GPS controlled drive. It was a trip to "wild and wonderful" West by God Virginia to Cass Scenic Railroad State Park. http://www.cassrailroad.com/ However, getting there from Front Royal, VA turned out to be the real adventure. Looks pretty simple on the map http://www.cassrailroad.com/map.html I ask the driver if we had a WV paper map in the car and the response was no but Garmin route had been check against a map before leaving left home. In hindsight I can now say without reservation that did not give me a warm and fuzzy feeling as soon as we left the paved highway into the wild and wonderful wilderness of a crush and run road. My first response under my breath was WTF and then I voiced my concern are you sure? The response was, "Garmin sez this is the way". Turns out Garmin must have recalculated when we zigged back northwest on US-250 and WV-92 instead of zagging southwest on WV-92 and WV-28 and then forgot to tell us to make a U-turn in Bartow, WV. Anyhow it put us on unpaved Forest Rd 235 and I remember us going by the Cheat Mountain Club. http://www.cheatmountainclub.com/ The Garmin took us by this lodge on our adventure. Looks like a great place to have a family reunion but pricey! We should have checked it out. http://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/1115 We left Front Royal at 7 a.m. with plans to ride the 11 a.m. train. We got to Cass, WV in time to see the 1 p.m. train leaving for Whittaker station. so we ended up riding the 3 p.m. train. We had plenty of time for our picnic lunch while waiting on the next train. Good time was had by all and there was much laughter over this mis-adventure that turned out fine in the end. I am however, still working on my "Let go let God" routine. Not quite there yet. On the way back we drove by Radio Telescope in Green Bank, WV https://science.nrao.edu/facilities/gbt

Tis the Season again and still and I must remember that

I really feel off the blogger's wagon last year as far as this blog site goes. But I really have gotten carried away posting away here: www.alfabb.com hopefully with some helpful advise.

Just read this article in Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/greggfairbrothers/2011/12/17/this-is-the-season-3/ While not in business I find my monkey wrench advise I share about Alfa Romeo wrenching sometimes takes over my life.

Front Royal Road Trip and Winery Report

Drove up the Front Royal, VA Friday morning to install two sinks and a elder friendly high rise twolet in my Father in Law's house. After a full day doing sink installs we had steak dinner at Joe's Steak House with her dad. It was a super meal Today after finishing the installs, Mary Lee and I took a Winery Recon Ride this afternoon. Headed east on Route 55 out of Front Royal. Lots of winerys in VA and we drove by a bunch today and chose two to visit. First one was Barell Oak Winery (BOW) a dog friendly place. They have a Bow and a Wow tasting of 10 wines. I chose the Bow tasting and tried 6 of the 10 and chose to take home a bottle of BOWHaus White 2010. Their Chocolate Lab dessert wine was super, too. Next we went to MiracleValley Vineyard and tried 7 and bought 3 - Cobbler Mountain White, a 2008 Merlot and Sweet Michelle. We finished off the day with dinner date to Casteriana's Italian Restaurant in Front Royal. I had a superb Shrimp Primavera with fresh veggies in white wine sauce. ML had Tortellini Michelangelo with chicken and ham in a sherri cream sause. Tomorrow home again to VB.

New Book on Blue Angels

Click here: A Unique History - Phantoms and Angels: Blue Angels F-4 Phantom Teams

http://www.phantomsandangels.com/a-unique-history.html

Hi Guys,

Noel Rodriguez the author sent me my signed copy the other day. He did leave a T out of my name on the acknowledgements page but did get it right further on in the book. It was a lot of fun interviewing and emailing with him for the project.

tiny dancer

THIS IS ONE TINY ENGINE:

http://www.wimp.com/tiniestengine/

Pete's article about my 164B

Peter Vack interviewed me back in 2005 about my beloved Alfa Romeo 164B so here is a link to the originale article:

http://www.velocetoday.com/cars/cars_74.php

I still have this car I bought new in 1991. Have a couple more, too.

Tis the Season again and still

Interesting article in December Forbes: Not really just Customer relationship management (CRM)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/greggfairbrothers/2011/12/17/this-is-the-season-3/

Where has the time gone?

Winter and spring gone since I last wrote. Now we are in a summer heat wave with the 4th of July just around the corner. Afternoons are now tropical hours here in VB and time for doing some reading.

Recent June 19, 2011 Parade Magazine featured an article by the late Tim Russert's son Luke.
http://www.parade.com/celebrity/2011/06/luke-russert-lessons-from-my-father.html

Sunday at church I just happened to see a copy of Tim Russert's book Big Russ & Me in church library so it is my first summer reading program book.

I remember back in the 50's as a preteen how many times I went to library during the summer to get books to read. Russert's book about him and his date growing up brings back lots of childhood memories.

Third Places

Been awhile since I last posted. Recently got to thinking about those "Third Places" in my life. Everybody should have some even if it is the barber shop. I have been going to mine since 1980 or so with a 5 year break when I lived in Florida and found another one there that had all lady barbers so that was interesting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_place

Barber shops aren't quite the third places they used to be. Sports bars may fill a similar role but usually to noisy and they may not even know your name.

I have found church men's clubs/groups actually a better third place. My first one of note was known as Ascension Construction Crew (ACC) and we even had official ACC hats. I belong to that group for maybe ten years until I moved to FL.

In Florida we actually had a co-ed third place called Choices where we were group of Christan book reviewers/reading/social club.

Now I am in a 7 a.m.Thursday morning men's group once again reading and studying Christan books. Some of us have also joined an 8 a.m. Sunday morning group again studying Christan books and scripture.

The fellowship you can get from a third place where you meet weekly can be very satisfying.

I am also in a car club where we meet for dinner monthly and plan events for our club such as car shows and wine tours.

Another venue is lunch bunch with car folks usually on Thursdays and Saturday afternoons.

You can't hardly have to few Third Places. I may have a few to many but variety is nice.

True Grit with true grace

My bride and I went to see this new Coen Brother's version and found that Jeff Bridges did a admirable job portraying Ruben "Rooster" Cogburn but, Hailee Steinfield stole the show playing Mattie Ross. Matt Damon played such a good part as the Texas Ranger I didn't even realized he was in the movie!

Charles Portis wrote the novel in 1968 and John Wayne played the part in 1969 and won an Oscar.

I had read a review of this new movie by Cathleen Falsani entitled "Coen Brothers Strive for Simple Decency" beforehand and decided to give it a go.

We enjoyed the movie and the time together for a lazy Sunday doing things together.

About the Alfa Spider I shouldn't have ever Sold

Found this article I wrote on an old Windows 98SE computer of mine I am downloading files off of recently. I bought this car 11 years ago and I guess I sold it 7 years ago as I did not have sufficient garage space at the time to keep it indoors.

Risoldi’s Believe it or not
By Steve Patchin FFCAROC

I’m telling you -- this story was a hard one for me to believe, too. However, this is a tale of truth, so help me Alfa.



First, little background story to lead into the rest of the story of my amazing Italian Alfa Romeo find. I hope that it will also show that this is proof positive there is magic in the air that makes Italian cars dance and sing.



We were on Spring Break 99 and traveling north of Richmond, Virginia on old US-1 on Easter Sunday when my peripheral vision picks up a red Italian sitting in front of a junk yard dog’s front door. After dropping the wife and kids off at nearby Mickey’s Ds, I backtrack the mile to look see. No, it was not the Alfa of this story, but it was a salvage sale 84 Pininfarin (Fiat) Spider, complete and non-vandalized but hit in left rear wheel and wheel well. I recorded VIN and found the original owner’s registration lying on passenger seat. Now to shorten this led in story. That very evening, I called both the original owner in Alexandria and my friend Don Robinson in Richmond to set up logistics to move and store car. I called junkyard on Monday morning before we went sightseeing in DC. I bought the car with my Visa card and had it trucked to Richmond.



Now for the rest of the story: That same evening of the day I bought the ‘Fiat’ (April 5) after we got back from sightseeing, I decided to read my email on our laptop and check in with the office. There was the up flag “You’ve got mail”. It was from Mat Risoldi’s widow Shirley in Florida. Her email basically said this: She had Mat’s pristine 1981 Alfa Romeo Spider with only 19,500 original miles for sale and would I help her find a fitting new home for his baby. I replied that I would after I got back to Florida the following week. As I said, I just bought the 84 Pininfarin Spider that morning and I must confess I love that body style and have owned more Fiats than most have owned cars. I was looking forward to planning its restoration. After all, it was a one owner with only 63,000 and had A/C.



I really thought I would just use my network of friends to find a new home for the Alfa. I sent out email to friends and talked it up at our chapter’s dinner meeting in April. Since my family and I also had a planned weekend to Disney World April 23-24 to meet my daughter and husband. I had been in contact with Shirley by both email and phone by this time and was planning to appraise the Spider for her that weekend. Silver Springs and Ocala are on the way to Disney when you take “the road less traveled’ and that can make all the difference in the world. We set up a meeting at Holiday Inn near Silver Springs that Friday after work. We got there and were in Denny’s waiting on Shirley. Mary, my wife, who knows me far better than I know myself, was asked by our daughter Sara what we were doing here, replied, “Your dad is going to buy the car you are going to drive to high school.” Sara is now 8. I hadn’t even seen the car yet but I sensed she was right. Shirley had me real interested from her description of the Spider over the phone.



Digress here a moment, years ago at East Coast Lancia convention in Front Royal, Virginia we toured White Post Restorations and the owner Billy Thompson gave us the tour. It started by going past a line of cars waiting in his Que. Some were really gonna cost a bunch to restore. Billy made a profound statement something to this effect, ‘I recommend you buy the car after somebody else has spent the money to restore it.’ I looked at Mat’s Spider and saw an Alfa that was a 100-point car as is. This car is straight out of the showroom time capsule. Mat Risoldi had bought this car new in Pittsburgh in 1982. It was still like new. He had not restored it he had preserved it. The 15,000-mile service coupon out of the warranty book was completed at 16,003 miles in 1993 at Mastro Alfa in Tampa.



Shirley told me about Mat and all the cars that they had owned. They had been through the MG and Austin Healy lines but this was the car he stayed with. Mat retired from US Airways. He was in the Aircraft Maintenance business at their Pittsburgh hub. They both held private pilot’s licenses and owned vintage aircraft. She said the Alfa was never driven in the winter and hardly ever in the rain. They used it mainly to drive to Ohio where they hangared their planes. His Alfa has been maintained just like the airlines maintain aircraft. I myself have been in US Naval Aviation Maintenance for 40 years and can see the maintenance plan he followed. Not trying to talk too technical, but he sealed all the screw heads on the exterior chrome with clear silicone sealant to prevent “water intrusion.” He water proofed the under carriage and drive train with what looks like aircraft grade translucent sealant similar to what aircraft manufacturers use. Everything including aluminum gearbox and rear end is sprayed.



Moving on with the story: I decided to make Shirley an offer. I had money in my brokerage account since Dave Thomas had done such a good job talking up Wendys. I had recently sold my small position when it was up 10 points. I offered and she counter offered. We closed the deal but I needed more money than Dave had left me with the broker. I feel blessed that she accepted my final offer and I had the difference in my checking account. Once the deal was shook on, we agreed to transfer ownership on Sunday morning.



After seeing Mickey Mouse and my daughter on Saturday we returned to Holiday Inn in Silver Springs Saturday night. Shirley and I sat down at her dining room table early Sunday morning and went over the paperwork. I had to ask her the burning question of how did she happen to write me that email Easter weekend? Thank Alfa Romeo Owners Club (AROC) for web site and chapter links. Her son looked up Florida Chapters on National web site and they called the point of contacts listed. I just happened to be one of those whose email addresses Bernie had posted. I know Bob Miller of Orlando Chapter got a phone call. I also know that Klaron down at Stephen’s Alfa in Pompano Beach somehow knew of the car.



Mat kept the car with the steering wheel club locked in his own garage. It is pretty brown metallic, tan interior, medium brown rugs, original coco mats, power windows, mirrors, tan canvas top and top ‘boot’ cover. The spare has never been on axle. The owner’s manual, warranty book and tool kit are intact. There is Spica manual all colored coded and labeled by Mat, and the IAP shop manual plus all copies of dealer service invoices from 1982 to 1998 were included.



Here is what I found out is not original on the car. The battery, tires, filters, fluids, and rear mufflers and tan canvas top have been replaced. New top was installed by European Sports Car in Longwood, Florida March 98. If you know Florida Alfa dealers you know this one. Some service work was also done at Mastro Subaru Alfa in Tampa and the rest was done at Auto Palace, Inc. of Pittsburgh. All OEM parts have been used except maybe the top. It is a perfect tan canvas top, both inside and out, but not black inner like original. He had the fuel filters and Spica pump oil filter changed annually along with engine oil changes. Mat knew the importance of flying safely even on the ground. If you have ever pencil drained a fuel sample from an aircraft wing and found water you know the importance of planned maintenance.



I want to thank Shirley and her son for looking me up. I now have the new sports car I never knew existed in 1981. I was still into Detroit iron until 1983 when I bought a used 76 Fiat 131 coupe. I have been an Italian car owner ever since.



Since I left Silver Springs that Sunday and drove up through Ocala National Forest back to JAX, I have put 1000 miles on the Alfa. I took it to John Hagadorn’s surprise birthday party that very afternoon. He was chapter president of local Alfa Owners Club before me. I had to be careful not to steal his wife’s show with the car. But once the party was underway even the ladies checked out the new Italian Miss with the golden brown tan. We have named her JENNA II after our daughter Sara’s Jenna. She is a beautiful ‘red’ pedigree dachshund with shiny brown coat like the Alfa and she loves to ride in it.



I have taken a few road tours with JENNA II. Last one was 100 miler. First we staged at AROC member Tom Turner’s First Floor Sports Car Store in downtown JAX and he led us off to his father in law Otto Bowden’s hobby garage. Let me tell you Otto and his lifelong bud Gene both in 80’s going on 40 have a setup I would do something for. They own the whole block and rent the front building to a Florida History Museum. Their shop is in the back. No Alfas, but three Ferrari’s, a Bugatti, an Allard, two Morgan 3-wheelers, a Model T and a London taxicab. They even have HO train setup. This garage scene has the making of a future story with real history and I will let our chapter VP Dan Scanlon have first shot at it.



We ended up down state about 50 miles at Kings Head British Pub for lunch and JENNA II lead the dash to the pub. She is one road worthy Alfa. Her road manners are impeccable and she being an 81 will only do ‘85’. She works the curves well with stock 81 suspension. After lunch a couple of us went on south to San Sebastin’s Winery in St. Augustine. While at the tasting bar we where interrupted by the manager who wanted to know how to shut the lights off on an Alfa Romeo. Sure wish she had auto light shut off like my 91 164 has and all my Fiats had.



In closing let me say this. This is one of my stories and I am sticking to it. Believe this it or not, at days end we stopped for a pit stop upon returning to JAX at place known as Bayard City Hall. It is Harley Davidson riders’ watering hole, and parked safely in the parking area marked ‘Harley’s Only all others will be crushed’ and survived. The bar keep named Joe owned and drove a 67 Spider while living in Italy. And like he said, when I talked about Italian cars, Hogs and Miatas, ‘Most Asian stuff is great……..but you drive Alfas, Fiats and Harleys to put a ‘Smile on you Face’. Oh by the way I’m working a deal to add a GTV6 to my Italian collection once owned by a guy who sold it for a Miata to get a warranty. So help me Alfa that is what he told me while I was tracing the history of the car.



Ciao

=

Garages I have owned with houses attached

I have never been able to pull off owing a detached garage but with houses attached here are a few:1. Pensacola, FL 1972 my first was a one wide two deep carport under same roof as house. Had Fords under it2. San Diego, CA 1975 two wide and 1 1/2 deep with a third side workshop with people door. Had same Fords in it.3. Virginia Beach 1977 two wide 1 deep one side and 2 deep other side, but could get four Fiats and Lancias in it.4, Orange Park, FL 1995 three wide 2 deep but could get 164, GTV6 and Spider in it.5. Virginia Beach 2000 one wide and 1 deep if car was no longer than a 164 but couldn't walk around car if garage door was shut. We have now made that small room into a living room for our apartment at beach house.6. Virginia Beach 2003 two wide and 2 deep but with a three wide and 3 deep driveway OUR CURRENT ALFA RETIREMENT HOME ex-Man Cave.Now this is a small garage see guy putting away his Fiat 126 I believe it is on our web site here: http://maarc.blogspot.com/2010/08/need-new-garage.html Sure reminds me of our beach house one when I had my 164 in it.

Ciao, Alfisto Steve

We ate all the Ice Cream now what?

My daughter and I moved inland last night just in case the Right Coast takes a beating. Had to let the dog out at 4 a.m. and rain bands were starting here 10 miles inland.

Video on the Weather Channel showing Route 12 in OBX underwater and gale force winds getting stronger. Seems like a slow moving storm so sure hope it doesn't linger off the coast like Dennis I believe it was did years ago and rain just keep raining and raining and raining for what seems like eons.

Now showing an early version of Wake up with Al from Kill Devil Hills. He looks wind blown in his yellow slicker and Stephanie in her blue one.

It amazes me that they don't have sense enough to get out of the rain, Oh now I get it "special effects" from the scene of those storm stories!

Prepping for Hurricane Earl!

Never to soon to get ready to be ready just in case a hurricane gets to close for comfort. Last night my daughter with the help of her friend and I installed our super dupper Dade County approved corrugated galvanised used only once before storm shutters on the Right Coast side of our beach house in Ole Virginna.

Haven't had to install these puppies since before Isabel hit in 2003. Now that was a storm to remember as we were ordered to evacuate the ocean front and I am glad we did.

May move inland this time, too if things get iffy looking tomorrow.

Requiem for a Lightweight - Old Nero the Alfa 164 Organ Donor Obit 1990-2010

http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/164-168-1991-1995/169239-requiem-lightweight-old-nero-alfa-164-organ-donor-obit.html

He was down to just skin and some unibody bones. Can you believe his carcass remains weighed in at only 540 pounds. It was a far cry from his advertised weight of 3395 lbs (1540 kg) when in perfect health.Well, while final his burial/cremation is to follow in a furrin country to be determined later, we let the magnetic and jaw clamping crane operator at the recycler's site ungracefully lift Old Nero's body out of a borrowed funeral hearse aka a former landscaper's trailer (now a ATV hauler) today at 1100 hours.My son and I finished stripping out his under carriage and front subframe early this morning. I literally sawed off his front end right up to front strut strut towers in case somebody gets kissed hard in the front end and needs front end radiator support and cross rails.His carcass was picked clean of everything that could be unbolted or unclamped from his skeleton. Nary a wire or metal component left on his bones. He did go to the great boneyard though with a multi cracked front windshield that failed to let go without a fight and gave up so we were able to only extract it's chrome trim pieces. Rear window came out intact but not without a fight.You could say Old Nero fought a valiant fight to the very end but finally let go in the end and went quietly into the night.May his many remaining organs give life to his many cousins still out there somewhere.

Cars and Coffee now on the Right Coast

Brian attended one of these on the PCH at a coffee shop with a friend who worked for Steve Saleen while visiting in CA so he brought the venue to the "right coast" so he literally put Hampton Roads on the Map. See the map here: http://usa.carsandcoffee.info/

I attended my first Cars and Coffee event yesterday as my friend Larry had been telling me about it. I shot a few pix of our furrin cars in amongest the mix. http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/897459-post7.html

Poor Andrew Johnson ranks against the rest

This is quite an interesting read about ranking the prez:

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/07/01/poor-andrew-johnson-poll-ranks-worst-and-best-presidents/?icid=mainhtmlws-main-wdl1link3http%3A%2F%2Fwww.politicsdaily.com%2F2010%2F07%2F01%2Fpoor-andrew-johnson-poll-ranks-worst-and-best-presidents%2F