It’s easy to create a nice reading environment… I pick up a coffee, drive to quiet, seat goes back, shoes come off, windows down ahhh fresh air, but I’m out of the sun, phone is charging, see?
A Plain Post Title on This Sunday Night
Sorry for the lag in the blog the last couple days… Friday was non-stop everywhere, and I’m still figuring out how to balance writing this blog, and writing for the paper… the newspaper side comes with a commitment and a boss, but the blog side is why I have that stuff in the first place, and I need an assistant so bad holy crap.
Friday morning was headshots for the paper. That’s Dan Barron in the blue, and photographer, Michael. Welcome to my blog, guys!
I joined Dan at Autonet.ca, he writes great stuff read it here, and Michael is a long time Sun guy, and this is cool, Artic canoe-r.
This was also cool last week, the below photo Tweet. Hello, I’m in Windsor now! Thanks Chuck.
But. BUT. Look at the asterisk… that’s not the correct name,
my column is called, ‘Keri on Driving’, no gender glyph.
I saw this coming, remember the big eyes right before signing the contract? Didn’t see the woman sign coming though, ugh. It’s technically the sign for Venus, but it wouldn’t be my first choice, ever. But that’s the price: less-to-no control.
A lazy afternoon drive.
Think I’m going to have to buy a car, guys.
It’s too much, transit from Markham to Mississauga when swapping out cars, that’s a 100km & 3 hour investment. I’m going to starting looking into finding a $1000, manual, 1990’s something.
This week’s flowers.
Fancier than all previous weeks, eh. That’s becuase those are congratulations flowers, thanks missy ;)
Ya buddy.
And that is your Sunday wrap-up.
Here’s to a great start to your week, xo Keri
Spent Saturday Driving Shifter Karts
Hands down the best, most exhilarating track experience I’ve ever had. I was at the Mosport track via Salmon Shifters.
This is a “shifter kart”:
It’s like a super-charged go-kart. You don’t normally shift gears in a go-kart; this was a pretty rare opportunity.
Basically: it’s a Honda 125cc engine, the gas can is between your legs, there’s no suspension, you sit in a plastic seat inches off the ground, and go 130km/h while experiencing a G-force of 5 around corners.
The most pure form of driving, really.
I have a video to edit, and will write an article for the newspaper about it, so that’s it for now.
I'm Driving a Honda Fit This Week
Picked it up yesterday. I was expecting it to be the smallest car I’ve ever driven. Except it’s not small at all, it deceived me. I’ll show you better later, when I have more time.
It’s my favourite security guard, Joe! Welcome back to my blog.
When I walked into his office, he said he had something for me. Then pulled this out of his desk drawer.
That’s Honda’s star Indy racer Alex Tagliani.
Back in July I arrived to pick up a car, and walked into a celebration of Indy, how’s that for accidental great timing. Even better, I’d never seen this photo.
Joe said he came here looking for my email, to let me know he’d picked this up, but couldn’t find it OMG that’s bad blogging. Look top right in my sidebar now Joe, that’s you.
Clean ergonomics, and excellent hazard button placement.
I judge all cars by their hazard buttons, which I use a lot when driving to control the space around me.
Look at the difference in your view by putting down the rear headrest.
If you see a red blur around town this week wave hi, because The. Fit. Is. Go!
Driving a Honda Civic Si HFP at the Niagara Drive Centre
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!
