[BLACKJACK]

SHOOT - - - I WASN'T GOIN' TO ADMIT NOTHIN' - - -BUT Y'ALL FINALLY GOT TO ME.

ABOUT FIFTEEN MONTHS AGO "SEVEN" COBRAS FROM CACC (CAPITRAL AREA COBRA CLUB) WERE HEADING EAST TOWARDS A CERTAIN CITY IN SOUTHERN OHIO ON AN INTERSTATE - - AND - - WELL - - ONE THING LED TO ANOTHER AND EVENTUALLY TO "LEAPFROG". THERE WAS SURPRISINGLY LITTLE TRAFFIC FOR THAT TIME OF DAY (LATE AFTERNOON) EXCEPT FOR SEVERAL 18 WHEELERS WHO THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE HAVING A RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE.

WHEN THE DUST SETTLED AT THE HOTEL A LITTLE LATER AND EVERYONE HAD HAD A "PULL OR TWO" ON THE RAKI BOTTLE AND NOTES WERE COMPARED THE "SPEEDOMETER" READINGS HAD ALL BEEN BETWEEN 125 AND 135 AT THE TOP OF THE ARC.

NO - - WE DIDN'T HAVE GPS, NOR HAD WE RADAR, NOR WERE THERE ANY POLICE FOLLOWING US (THANK YOU, JESUS) - BUT I DO HAVE SIX OTHER WITNESSES - EACH TO OUR OWN "SPEEDOMETER" READING.

WHEN I BOUGHT MY GT-40 A FEW YEARS AGO - I MADE IT A POINT TO PICK IT UP IN NEW JERSEY ON THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING - - ALMOST NO TRAFFIC ON THE JERSEY TURNPIKE. I WAS CRUISING AT WHAT I THOUGHT WAS ABOUT 85 TO 90 (SORT OF). WHEN I FOUND THE SPEEDOMETER - IT WAS LOCATED ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL - BARELY WITHIN MY VISUAL CAPABILITIES - IT WAS APPROACHING 130 MPH. STARTLED - I BACKED OFF AND LOOKED AROUND GUILTILY. (LOOKING "AROUND" IN A GT-40 IS A SERIOUS OVERSTATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES). AT ANY RATE A FEW MILES FARTHER ALONG I WAS ON A STRETCH OF THE J. TURNPIKE THAT, IN ADDITION TO BEING VACANT, WAS MAKING A VERY LONG, GRADUAL, SWEEPING LEFT TURN. THE CAR FELT GREAT AND SEVERAL HOURS OF CONVERSATION WITH THE BUILDER GAVE ME A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN THE CAR - - - I FLOORED THAT SUCKER. THE "SPEEDOMETER" NUMBERS ONLY GO TO 160 MPH BUT THE GT WAS DOING EVERY BIT OF THAT AND A LITTLE MORE. WHAT REALLY SURPRISED ME WAS THAT THE GT WASN'T STRAINING AT ALL AND SEEMED TO HAVE PLENTY MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM. (I DIDN'T). THANKS FOR BUILDING A GREAT CAR, GARY.

NOW, IN THE ABOVE INSTANCES YOU WILL PLEASE NOTE THAT I, AT ALL TIMES, REFERRED TO MY "SPEEDOMETER". HOW FAST WAS I REALLY GOING?? DON'T REALLY KNOW - - DON'T REALLY CARE, EITHER. IT WAS FUN. (STUPID - - BUT FUN).

AND - - FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT LIKE (TRUST) MY SPEEDOMETER (OR ME) PLEASE OBSERVE THE MISTLETOE PINNED TO MY COAT TAIL.

I "AIN'T" EVEN GOIN' TO DISCUSS AN OLD LINCOLN FOUR DOOR SEDAN ON BEAUTIFULLY PAVED ROADS (THEY'RE ALL BACK ROADS" THERE) IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN.

AND, BILL. I SEE YOU'VE BEEN TAKING YOUR "EVAN PILLS" REGULARLY. GOOD BOY!!!!

Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY GREAT (AND SAFE, DAMMIT) DAY.

BLACKJACK