For the canyon runners!

[deucegirl03]

so i am new to this site and want to meet my fellow socal deuce owners.
as you will all soon find out besides welding/wrenching i also enjoy writing for both business and pleasure.
a few weeks ago i wrote this brief piece after running up/down my fave mountain and i posted it on my myspace blog. well i have gotten really strong response to it and i thought i would share it with you all.
hope you enjoy!

"the scheme of things" (for the gearheads!)
Current mood: awake
Category: Writing and Poetry

"my car is like my own personal universe
she's my drug and it only takes 12 bucks to fill 'er up
and in my galaxy there ain't no room for earth
so i'm leavin it cuz i can feel my oil pressure building up
turning over the ignition of my solar system
check the gauges, push in the tape
put my foot on the brake
shift existence, light my cigarette
and take it state to state
until i crash into my fate..."
-slug

it doesn't matter what may have happened during the day, i know that The Mountain will always be there for me.
i hit the streets in the direction of my favorite local peak, feeling relief at just the thought of traversing its glorious twists and turns.
and then, a pang of excitement as it comes into view. regardless of how many times i have been up here, i get the butterflies as i enter the canyon and accelerate into the great abyss.
all my problems dissipate as i turn into the apex. i feel the stress and negative energy drain from my body, and i smile.
the tires and the ecu warm up and i push her a little harder.
the thrill of the chase. the exhilaration of the unity between (wo)man and machine. sometimes i am aware of what drives me, what i am trying to escape. other times i am not. all i do know is that The Mountain will make me feel better. help me break my problems down into manageable, bite size pieces. i find a zen like peace in this place. when i am driving i feel truly free from everything, even myself.
and when i reach the top, i pull off to the side and let my trusty steed rest for a moment. i take in the view from up high. looking down below makes me realize how petty we all are, all the bullsh*t is, how this very planet is but an infinitesimal spec in the scheme of things...
gazing upward into the heavens, i marvel at how beautiful and mysterious this world, this universe is, and how amazing it is to be apart of it. "celebrate this chance to be alive and breathing". everything is in perspective now. things are back in their place. i feel right, sane, whole, once again.
i am ready to go back down.
if the weather is good i am borderline reckless, scaring the sh*t out of anyone who happens to be riding shotgun. always in control, but sometimes just barely. its a good ride down if you manage to frighten yourself a little bit. always pushing. always wanting to know how far i can go before i reach the edge and still walk away.
when i reach the bottom, i am totally consumed by the rush. i immediately want to go back up and do it again, and again. lord knows i would if i could afford the tires. but i sure as hell can't. i'm driving on toasted suspension as it is and really have no business hauling a$s up and down canyons right now, but i just can't help myself. i make excuses to take back roads whenever possible. i have spent whole days just driving for the sake of driving. i need it, like oxygen or sunlight.
people who don't understand say its a waste of time, money, gas. they complain when you spend hours with the project or researching specs online or don't understand what you try to talk about half the time because they don't have the same addictions.
but in the scheme of things, there are far worse vices to have. in the scheme of things most people don't know jacksh*t. but The Mountain always does. i can hear it calling me, always calling...and i will always answer.

[masagsxr]

Wow... sounds like how I felt when I tear up the canyons on my sportbike days and you know we sportbike riders are caaaaraaaazyyyyyyyy . I haven't had a chance to take my deuce in the canyon tho. Which canyon do you drive at? I've been to plenty on my sportbike days (GMR, Angeles Crest, Ortega Canyon, Hemet, Idlewild, Palomar, Lake Hughes, Turnball canyon in whittier, Santiago Canyon and another one by yorba linda hills)

[deucegirl03]

thanks so much! yeah u guys are nuts that is why i hit the mnt usually at night so you guys can have it during the day....kinda a rule the local guys taught me...yes i live near Sand Canyon in Canyon country so i hit up Little/Big Tujunga and the roads that branch off of those passes at least once every other day.
when i lived in the IE i would frequent the roads out there like Mountain ave and Euclid. as i build up the Deuce i will have to check out other passes in the northern LA area, i have heard awesome things about Angeles crest etc.
keep in touch, i see you are a so cal head ;-)

[masagsxr]

Yep. cars off limits during the day hehehee. I've been to Little Tajunga and that canyon is so narrow. Moholland drive to the rock store is awsome as well. I see Jay Leno there every time I go with his jet motorcycle. Angeles crest is the most I can say I have fun with. The road is wide and not as scary.

c you around!

[Davis]

Originally Posted by deucegirl03

turning over the ignition of my solar system

Now that line is awesome.

Welcome aboard, hope to see you at the drop meet.

[deucegirl03]

thanks! i wish that was my line but its Slug's...his older flows are so sick his newer stuff is way too winey for me...but yes i am planning on being there in Feb i am so excited to meet you guys! see you around...

[Mark_Dorman]

Nice writing kiddo. I must say you're not your typical girl...or car owner for that matter. I think you'll enjoy our group a lot. We all love our cars and the road. I'm excited to hear about your plans for the car. Let me know if you ever need help researching parts...i've been done way too much in the past year and could probably help save you some time.

As for Angeles Crest...it's awesome. I used to drive it back in highschool and the summer's when I was home from College. I grew up in Pasadena so I'm quite familiar with it. You can tear around those twists and turns in the middle of the afternoon and not see a soul...you'll have to hit it up sometime for sure.

Glad to see you're posting and getting out there. I definitely enjoy your writing and I think we'd all like to see more of it

[deucegirl03]

thanks mark you rock!
i am kinda a unique being aren't i? i just really really love cars and metal and i like to express myself in various artistic ways, what can i say?
yeah i know Angeles crest is amazing but since i am spoiled and have the Tujunga passes right here in my backyard i always end up running those. they are really convenient for those 1am "itches"...
as for Project Deuce i will def be hitting you guys up for advice as i have an idea of which direction i wanna go but still working out the specifics, which due to the extensive nature of my plans i am sure will be an ongoing process. but that is the fun of it right?
yeah i will be making more appearances on the forum...thanks again for your help!

[datguydeni]

welcome to the board ^^, great stuff w/ the poetry

[mr.ac]

wow, welcome to the boards, If thats not poetry I don't know what is. You should deffentily come to the track with us some time, just save up a little cash.

[deucegirl03]

thanks! i would love to go w/ you guys....
but right now i am saving money for a daily driver so i can park the 5S and start stripping her down...she is bone stock in my opinion there is just no point in track time at this point, especially when i have canyons in my backyard...
so its gonna be a minute before i go to the track but will so be worth the wait!

[Mark_Dorman]

It can be fun to track your car even when it's stock...it lets you push the car a little harder without flying off the side of a mountain

I do understand the desire to fix up the car before tracking it. Makes it more fun when you get there. And yeah...canyons/mountains are free

What kind of daily driver are you looking for? Davis is selling his 92 camry for $500...

[deucegirl03]

i am lookin for a Toyota Pick up. i had a 91 5 spd about 6 years ago and i fell in love w/ the 22re motor and the small fuel efficient size of that make, but i put it into a light pole when i fell asleep at the wheel 4 yrs ago. *sniff* may she RIP.
so i have decided to get another one. i need a truck anyway then i can throw my tools and parts and stuff into the back...
i have thought about posting a thread looking for one but i don't have money yet for it so i have to wait a few months before i really start looking..

[jigtrix]

Cool writing ! Welcome aboard Deucegirl03 !

[masagsxr]

^jigtrix (Richard) I remember you said you are not getting the right mileage on your car. Your wheels might also have something to do with it. The wider your wheels/tires are the less mileage you'll get... Oh thats also other than like what mark_dorman said, your car is running a little richer.

Also check the CEL codes to see what they are. I've noticed a few things under there that you dont have like the thermostat sensor wire so that could also play some factor.

[datguydeni]

Originally Posted by deucegirl03

thanks! i would love to go w/ you guys....
but right now i am saving money for a daily driver so i can park the 5S and start stripping her down...she is bone stock in my opinion there is just no point in track time at this point, especially when i have canyons in my backyard...
so its gonna be a minute before i go to the track but will so be worth the wait!

future plans for the two?

[deucegirl03]

yes evil plans MWHAHAHAHAHAHA!
i don't want to worry about keeping my SW20 street legal in any manner so i am getting a daily driver.
then i am gonna throw the 2 on a rotisserie, strip her down, and rebuild her, fabricating as many of my own parts and composite pieces as possible...

[deucegirl03]

oh and yeah Mark i do know there are major benefits to track time that one cannot get out of the street (like a controlled environment etc) but i am making so little fettia that i gotta scrape together what i have to maintain the 2 and save money for my dream truck w/ the 22re....

[Mark_Dorman]

Can't wait to hear more of your specific plans

[jigtrix]

My car's gas mileage was already pretty horrible when I got it w/ stock rims and tires. I am doing 220 miles on a full tank.
I would lilke to test drive your car to check if there is a difference in performance.

Originally Posted by masagsxr

^jigtrix (Richard) I remember you said you are not getting the right mileage on your car. Your wheels might also have something to do with it. The wider your wheels/tires are the less mileage you'll get... Oh thats also other than like what mark_dorman said, your car is running a little richer.

Also check the CEL codes to see what they are. I've noticed a few things under there that you dont have like the thermostat sensor wire so that could also play some factor.