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March 12, 2008
100K and Still Kicking
So our car celebrated a very momentous occasion today - it's 100,000 mile birthday!
It's just a car of course, but I have a bit of an emotional attachment to this particular one. It's a red 2002 Jetta, nothing special about it really. But it was the first car O and I bought together. Actually first item ever bought together, right before we got married in May of 2002.
And it's a stick. Again, nothing special. Except for the fact that when purchased I didn't know how to drive a manual.
So that summer, after we got married, we moved to Virginia. We only had that one car. I didn't know another soul in Virginia and so if I wanted to go ANYWHERE without O I HAD to learn how to drive the dang thing.
It could be argued that I wasn't that good of a driver to begin with so O had his work cut out for him teaching me on the Jetta. Around and around the mall parking lot we went. First gear, second gear, stop, first gear, second gear, stop, first gear, second gear, stop. Driving out on the roads for the first time was a MAJOR happening. I can't remember now but I'd bet a lot of money on the fact that I stalled out many, many times. Regardless, I eventually learned. And I eventually stopped sweating bullets every time I had to stop on a hill. We have 2 cars now, both manual and I couldn't imagine driving a standard! (in fact when we went to Clearwater last year our rental car was a standard and my left foot didn't know what to do with itself!)
Besides learning to drive it, I have a lot of other great memories with the red Jetta. It has been EVERYWHERE with us - on our honeymoon to New England (Cape Cod), to Virginia (MANY times), to North and South Carolina, to Michigan, to Illinois. It's covered a lot of miles. And besides the cup holder being broken in the front (good thing O rigged it up with some gum-bands) and the sticking radio buttons it's in pretty good working order! Happy birthday red Jetta! Here's to another 100,000!
Anyway, you may or may not read this blog because you are interested in triathlon training so I will stop boring you with car stories. :)
I did do a little of that so-called triathlon training today with a swim first this morning before work and a fartlek this afternoon after work. It was a gloriously sunny, bright (and somewhat warm) day so I was really excited to run. I gave some consideration to going to run on my favorite trail but then I remembered trying that last year around this time and the trail being covered in ice/snow/slush (despite the roads being clear). I guess it has to be pretty warm for pretty long before the snow melts down there. Anyway, instead of the trail I went hill hunting, formulating a loop that I could run the maximum number of hills. That's not too difficult around where I live. It felt really good to try to power up some uphills and let loose on the downhills. Anyway, good workouts all around.
And now it's time to pack for masters tomorrow morning. The alarm clock will soon be sounding! :)
Posted by beth at March 12, 2008 8:33 PM
Comments
It's been a great car and I hope it keeps running strong!!!!
Beth was a little iffy at first with the whole driving a stick, but she's a natural at it now.
Posted by: O at March 12, 2008 9:11 PM
The first car I ever bought was a Jetta! It was a 1987 or so, I think, and the odometer stopped working at 120,000 and we drove it for two more years before we sold it to come back to the U.S. I loved her...grey with a red racing stripe. Your post brought back some great memories!
-Danielle
Posted by: Danielle at March 12, 2008 9:51 PM
i didn't know we had the same car!
um, my blue/green 2002 jetta has 38,000 miles on it. you can tell i'm a city girl!!!!!!! (my car also has a lot more dents than yours!)
Posted by: Audrey at March 12, 2008 10:45 PM
I HAVE A RED JETTA! It's a 1999, and it's a stick and looks just like yours, aww... except I pulled off the "TTA" on the back of mine, and added "DI" instead (from the TDI badge) so that it now says "JEDI"
Posted by: Alisha at March 13, 2008 4:42 AM