It looks as though last week's experiment in technology, writing and sending in this column from our daughter's house in North Carolina, worked. It was a good week for an early vacation.
Worst part, as it always is, was the drive back. We started out at ten AM Saturday with sunshine and temperatures in the mid-60's. We ended up back in Tiffin about eight PM in snow, rain and wind. The good part was it gave Son Two a chance to drive in rain on an Interstate through the mountains in heavy traffic…while Mom and Dad offered "guidance."
If he can survive that, he can survive anything.
We took the opportunity to do some NASCAR sightseeing. Not something we would make a special trip for, but since we were down there, we thought we might as well.
We made the half hour drive to Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, NC. Of course, since the NASCAR circus was in Bristol, TN, there was not a lot going on. But visitors can wander into the grandstands to see what there is to see.
Even empty, the track is impressive. There were four or five race cars sitting in the pit area … two of them carrying the number 88 and UPS logos, obviously parts of Dale Jarrett's team inventory.
Suddenly, two of the engines fired up. We felt a moment of excitement as we thought that at least they would be headed out for some testing laps. No such luck.
Both cars just pulled behind the pit wall, went to the gas pumps and refueled. Then they returned to pit road and the engines were shut off.
The track has a nice lobby, ticket sales desk and gift shop. The gift shop struck me as too high priced.
Another day, we made the trip to Mooresville, NC to visit Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Adequate signs guide you to State Route 3, also officially known as Dale Earnhardt Road. Number 3. Get it? Too cute.
You could easily drive right past DEI without knowing it. It sits on rural farmland and there are no large signs at the rural campus announcing that you have arrived.
To one side sits the real office building … you can't just drive in there. You can just drive into the museum gift shop side.
Just inside the lobby door sits the Number 3 that Dale Sr. drove to his seventh NASCAR cup championship. Elsewhere are cars driven by Martin Truex, Jr. and Michael Waltrip.
One large room houses a wide selection of NASCAR racing vehicles. You cannot get in there unless you are somebody. However, as you look across the room through the glass wall that keeps you out, you can get glimpses of an engine shop.
Nice gift shop there. It seemed more reasonably priced than LMS, but of course that always is a subjective assessment.