KeriBlog

Driving a Honda Civic Si HFP at the Niagara Drive Centre

Jun 28 2012

Honda Canada invited me to Niagara Falls to test drive their new Civic Si HFP – their “tuned out of the box” Civic.

They put me at the cutest country inn (see this blog post), and Thursday morning I walked outside to 6 of their HFPs. There’s only 400 in Canada.

HFP –Honda Factory Performance.

Non-car nerds: the Honda Civic has, for years, been a “Top 5 cars to modify” because of its good, strong base.

Their HFP package provides a ton of modifications direct from the factory, at half of what it would cost you to do it.

In the morning we toured through the country.

It was very scenic, and more nature than I’m used to.

That’s good photo-staging there; my driving partner Kanishka set it up.

We were a good team; neither of us turned on the radio (let’s listen to the engine), and he also hides from the sun (no sunroof never).

The afternoon was spent on the track.

Which turned out to be an airport COME ON.

See the airplane top left? It was a yellow bi-plane from the 20s that starred in the Amelia Earhart movie. Hello from shangri-la. Needless to say, I was out of my head all day.

I’m certain the automotive journalists of Canada think I’m this loud and hyper girl… opposite, guys! That was a dream-come-true day for me, so there was no containing that amount of joy.

I like to think that was one of the fastest times of the day.

I’m not competitive :|

The engine makes that good grrrRRR sound, which I like. Yes I want the car to move when I hit it, but I also want to hear it. When I had that red Civic two weeks ago, I was superfluously revving everywhere I went.

My instructor Daniel Morad, the first North American to win a heat race at the Formula BMW World Final in 2007 YES dude.

There’s Zach Spencer (white shirt), who travelled all the way from Vancouver, and is the host of Driving Television.

Welcome to my blog, Clare! Read Clare’s National Post column here.

Now meet Shea Holbrook, 22 year old racing professional who races a Civic Si in the True Car racing series. She’s doing amazing this season.

Just yesterday Shea climbed the podium TWICE in the Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car division. YES missy!

This is her mom Erin, and her dad was there too. They’re the cutest family you ever met.

One of my favourite parts of the Civic, and

top 3 hazard buttons I’ve ever seen.

Big big fan of the hazard button. I used it three times during a 40 km highway drive yesterday.

I’ll make a video soon, to show you my technique.

Bottom line: I’m a fan of the Civic because it’s fun to drive. It reminds you why you fell in love with driving in the first place.

Plus, it sticks to the road both in performance, and mechanically.

Then a trolley took us home.

Someone yelled, how fast have you got this thing up to? The driver yelled back, one time 90kmh! We cheered.

Thank you Honda, for one of the most fun driving experiences I’ve ever had.

UPDATE – July 31

Honda Canada just released their official video of the above day. It’s well edited, and they had helicopters!

A New Week Starts Now

Jun 25 2012

Pretty matter-of-fact blog post titles lately, huh.

I walk a lot.

Fresh air and exercise, no destination just wandering, off my phone, follow my heart around corners, sometimes day dreamy.

Like here.

—-> I imagine how I’d best get to the roof
* – I’m not alone – that plywood is someone’s security measure

Re-discovered Bulk Barn on Saturday.

Not scared of that.

Doesn’t it look like I photoshopped in my boots?

Now if ever I have to submit a photo of my plain face, I’ll come grab this one. Efficiency yes!

Sunday cleaning. Obviously.

Half the reason I declare that online each week is to remind myself one week of time has passed.

Time. Goes. Too. Fast.

During cleaning I unpacked this.

You know that item of clothing you have, a pair of jeans or a dress? That one you use to measure your weight and size, you keep even if they don’t fit, because they don’t fit. That’s this dress.

Hadn’t seen it in 9 months. Last summer the pleat in the front was splayed open and the zipper, oh.

Deep breath.

YA BUDDY. Here I am showing you it’s loose, AT THAT.

You stop eating McDonald’s all the time, and things can happen. It was a bit out of hand for a while there guys. It’s just so fast and delicious.

Have a great Monday, and start to your week!

It’s Car Swap Day, TTY on Twitter from the road.

My 5th Year as Cycling President

Jun 24 2012

If we’re just meeting, I’m president of a cycling team, and we race in the OCA – Ontario Cycling Association.

See the red logo on the shoulders? That’s my internet show, The Canadian Explorer.

2007-10 I travelled around Canada celebrating it (do more of that, okay), documented it all in 80 episodes, they were some of the best years I ever had. The site is a mess, but if you’re willing to wade around there’s some entertaining stuff over there.

Other teams have tents and buses, many are 30+ members strong.

We are small and scrappy, but we medal a lot.

We are a great team.

We’ve placed 3rd in Ontario 3 times already this season!

Who’s with me?

Click here for all cycling posts, and here’s a great post to meet the team, there’s two videos.

One of my favourite things about a race: the mobile command centre.

Another favourite part:

What a great way to mark time. You know how I feel about time.

My least favourite part.

They race for 90 minutes, so sometimes you have to feed them.

They grab the bottle at 30km/h, and if you screw up they cramp up, lose, and you are a bad president.

(note: if you ever meet someone who did this race, be impressed; that hill is gruesome)

Here’s to a successful second half of the season, team, <3 ya!

It’s Saturday, How’s That for a Blog Post Title

Jun 22 2012

I was so sick of everything yesterday, that’s why I was quiet.

I’m sick of: traffic dictating my schedule, my ever buzzing phone, how time goes faster in a big city, how no matter how much time I invest here it’s not enough because I’m physically just one girl and can’t afford an assistant and I don’t like free/intern so I’m on a plateau that is killing me, and post another photo of yourself.

What kicked it over yesterday afternoon was the entitled street kid. Nope, gave my money to the drooling guy with the broken mind, and your shoes are giving you away Mr. Rosedale.

I can’t watch that bus monitor video that went around the internet this week. Can’t. Old people are my cryptonite. Entitled youth ranks very high on my have-a-short-fuse-for list, too. Bad combo, that video.

Did you know it was a Canadian (from Toronto) who is behind the fundraising campaign? Half a million raised since Tuesday. That’s really amazing, that much that fast.

Fresh flower day. Good deal, eh.

Honda video editing.

Here I am recording the voice over. Dramatically.

The black thing is my microphone, which creeps into the frame when using the forward-facing camera, which is a problem indeed.

Learned this, interesting.

Vegas held that title for a long time, then Dubai, now, CANADA.

Went to Kensington market. No, really.

That’s Yara playing the piano, you’ve met her before. My oldest girlfriend. Which is what it takes to get me to Kensington market (note: for those not living in Toronto, Kensington is like, hippie HQ).

Strangely, this is where they were playing.

It’s strange because, see the arrow? That’s the only other place in Kensington I’ve been.

Google that exact phrase to see the place, first search result. I’m not linking it up for a reason, and have hidden the text in a photo so the bots can’t find it, oh many I have so many tricks like that to share with you over on Smarten Up, Internet.