Not certain how long ago that was taken, but we sure did have fun driving around together. Now these wonderful young men are all grown up with cars of their own.
A lot happens with a car between mile 3 and 95,059. And when it comes time to trade it in the memories pay no heed to the Christmas tree and rush forward at nos induced speed. Sure there’s a new set of keys and oh, my damn the potential for torn up asphalt with so much flippin’ horsepower. But that doesn’t downshift the fact that your heart wells up with a scrapbook kaleidoscoped with history of the old one. My ’03 photo album on wheels has been closed and shelved. I’ll drive the new one with respect, wash it often, and make new memories in it. But letting go of the old one will never happen. Still frames archived in both heart and mind will never lose their relevance and the memories, as with any car worth owning, will live on.
I don’t much like having my picture taken, but when a photo says more than you can ever muster up in words then so be it. I’m holding a towel from my old car to put on the front seat of my new one, my plates, my keys to hand over, and a whole boat load of memories inside. I parked it as far away from the showroom as possible and was thankful they had already moved it when I pulled off the lot with my new one.
Perfect picture with the arrow.
A few very important things made saying good-bye to my 2003 Mustang GT a bit easier. 1. Realizing it was time. 2. Hand selecting a new one all the way down to the one-of-a-kind stripes. ….And 3. The great service I received from Dave Sinclair Ford. At every step, my salesmen Tommy Detwiler and Joe Palumbo made sure my questions were answered, my needs were met, and the process was easy. Additional thank yous to Matt Hackney for making every service visit easy, Darrelle in finance and Brook for walking me through Sync. You are welcome to meet the whole team here.
My service guy, Matt Hackney.
Joe Palumbo-One of the best salesman ever!
Joe made sure it was away from all of the other cars.
Found behind my plate!
Choosing the new Mustang involved wheels, exterior color, interior features, and the stripes. Here are slide shows of those choices.
Color….
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Wheels….
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Interior…
Thought about this in a red one….
Would have gone with this in red, but so glad it wasn’t available.
With that being said here is a look at my new car. It’s pretty schmexy with its 435 HP, voice activated everything, 12 speaker Shaker entertainment system, and the absolutely amazing potential for excitement down any road. I can’t wait to see what happens between mile 3 and …..
For all of my blogging friends out there I have a dilemma. My domain is hoodscoop03.com, but I now drive a 2015. I guess I thought I would own that car forever. No surprise…I drove it like a 5.0 and loved every single minute I sat behind the wheel.
I am fortunate enough to have the most amazing mom in the whole wide world. There is no arguing this! She wakes each day with a positive attitude (that’s where I get that from!!). Simply put, she wants people to be happy, get along, and help each other. Whether she’s making wooden cross necklaces, offering wallets filled with inspiration, or encouraging her friends to look on the bright side, she is constantly on the go. Her heart is filled with positive energy and her smile is filled with hope.
Lucky me for celebrating Mother’s Day with my mom, Joyce Kekeisen. Lunch, shopping, and new car trolling. She deserves the 2015 Corvette and I wish I could buy it for her. But she has her sites set on a Chevy Cruz or even a Sonic. Her requirements: dual exhaust, at least a 6 cylinder, and Racing Red. Is anybody surprised!?!! She’s a sporty gal, off the line with heart wide open. My mom is an amazing example of full throttle giving and a winning attitude.
I love you mom! You help me speed along in this life with a happy smile, positive outlook, and the ability to rev up, approach the line, and move forward with no regrets!
435 of them to be exact….The garage will soon take on a whole new look. Yes, my new Mustang has been ordered and the delivery date is somewhere around early June. Lots of decisions were made. A huge shout out to Tommy D, Joe P, and Matt H (my service guy) over at Dave Sinclair Ford. This is a post of few words, yet a great deal of emotion as I don’t look forward to saying goodbye to my 2003. I’ll leave you with a sneak peek of the new car.
PS A very special thanks to my dear husband who gets my obsession.
Today’s post is brought to you with a heaping dose of positive mental attitude. In my own life there is a great deal of change going on. My sons are making big decisions while looking forward to their futures. Brad and I are trying to take care of our health, save money, and live it up just a little here and there. Life ‘s challenges greet us from the moment we touch the morning alarm and it’s up to us to decide how we handle things.
How’s your attitude? While driving, working, communicating with others? A good attitude is so important! It brings about
Good Karma
GOOD KARMA. It builds your relationships with others.
Otherwise people might give you
Dirty Looks
DIRTY LOOKS …that’s never good. And
Bad Luck
BAD LUCK is sure to come knocking on your door.
If you have a good
Attitude
ATTITUDE, make
Wise
WISE choices, and have a true
Love of Life
LOVE OF LIFE then you’re sure to be happy. Ask yourself …how
Jammin’
JAMMIN’ do I want my life to be today? Breathe in , breathe out…there are
Clear Skies
CLEAR SKIES ahead. Don’t settle, don’t give up because life should never be about just
Squeezin’ By
SQUEEZIN BY. Whether you need to fine tune your inner self and
Adjust
ADJUST to life’s every day challenges…or look to the Duke for answers…
What Would Jesus Do
WHAT WOULD JOHN WAYNE DO! It’s time to say
I’m Awesome
I’M AWESOME and live a happy life
Because
BECAUSE you can.
As for me… I
Live to Ride
LIVE TO RIDE and can’t wait to go
Cruising
CRUISING in my new 2015 Mustang.
Open mind, open heart, and open road. A pretty good combination and that’s
This post is dedicated to my brother, Mike. Riding on the back of his 5-Speed Schwinn Sting Ray while he went free handed down Rogers Avenue in South St. Louis seemed so scary at the time. But those far-away, exhilarating moments in time were foundational in my becoming a girl that loves the thrill of going fast…the number of wheels is unimportant. Besides, if you ride a bike, you never have to worry about rolling the windows down.
Being too big to wrap, Santa left it under the tree with a bright red bow tied around the handlebars. My brother, Mike, got one too. Both were Schwinn; mine was a Lil’ Chick, and Mike’s was a 5-speed Sting Ray. Not sure which was more exciting…getting a bike from Santa or riding on the back of my brother’s. (Here’s a pretty cool kaleidoscope.)
I wasn’t a dare devil back then, but my brother perfected the free-handed coast, sometimes at my mercy. We grew up riding bikes, motorcycles, appreciating adventure. I haven’t thought much about bike riding in these past years, but things always happen for a reason…
Recently I had the occasion to visit South Side Cyclery with my mom, as she was purchasing helmets for her twin great grand sons. Immediately I was impressed with the service we received from the store manager, which prompted an interview.
On the day of the interview, to no surprise, I felt immediately welcome in the world of two-wheel excitement…
South Side Cyclery is a place where families and individuals go to pursue an interest, fulfill a dream. One might see cycling as a way to get in shape, spend time with friends and family, or even scratch the adventure itch. There is something for everyone at South Side Cyclery and customer service is top notch. You can count on a friendly and knowledgeable staff with Jean and Chris on the sales floor ready to greet customers, many by their first names. In the back, Don the Legend performs his magic as South Side’s technician. He has been with SSC for 29 years.
Chris….loves his pizza
Tim
Chris
Don the Legend
South Side Cyclery is unique in that it facilitates needs for the whole public. There is a warm neighborhood feel to the store, and its inventory is comfortably multifaceted and matched to the needs of all cyclists….a child’s first bike, riders with custom fit needs, and those who have racing in their heart. SSC holds ‘customer appreciation’ events where bikers get to ride with fellow cyclists and gain a comfort for riding on the road. The shop accommodates Scouting groups looking to earn their bicycling belt loop. Finally, giving back comes easily to this local bike shop. The store is a donation site for Major Taylor, an organization dedicated to giving recyclable bikes to inner city school children. Click here to learn more.
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The guy that keeps the wheels spinning on excellence at South Side Cyclery is Manager Tim Cole…a down to earth family man who considers himself lucky to come to work everyday surrounded by something he loves. He takes great pride in working for SSC and speaks highly of his co-workers, management, and the history of the shops. While typing out an answer to one of my questions a customer was served happily, quickly, and without missing a beat. A tire was patched with explanation, and a satisfied customer was on his way.
Tim’s great smile, ready to greet a customer!
Tim’s advice for the first-time cyclist: “don’t force it, let it come naturally, and above all-enjoy the ride”. Hmmm, that’s exactly how I feel during a stoplight race!
Tim’s suggestions for riding: Recreational-Grant’s Trail, River Des Peres, and Mississippi River Front Trail Off-Road-Lost Valley, Greensfelder, and Matson Hill
It’s no secret I will always prefer my adventures to be two-lane fast on four wheels, something of the small block variety, with a window-rattling rumble. Thanks to the wonderful folks at South Side Cyclery, I now appreciate the beauty of traveling about on two wheels, under one’s own power, enjoying the solace of nature’s song. Remember…You’re never too old to ask Santa for the perfect set of wheels. Two or four-both are unique to the individual and the rewards that come with them are without a doubt too big to wrap. Untie the bow and set about on your own adventure. It’s a big road out there.
South Side Cyclery is one of three family-owned shops. The other two are South County Cyclery located on Lin Ferry and Trans-Am located in Farmington. Click here for a detailed history of the shops.
Whether you are looking for a new bike, repairs on an existing one, or the inspiration to jump into the world of cycling a visit to one of these great locations is a must!
6969 Gravois Ave.
9985 Lin Ferry Dr.
Many reasons to stop in!
Neighborhood go-to spot!
And finally….there are always options. Or as I’d like to say-Bike Bling!
Please feel free to take my just-for-fun polldaddy poll! As always…windows down, heater on, and radio up!
hoodscoop03.com 