Oakland Hilton - Time to take the family for their first drive. Needless
to say, I'm a little nervous about the kids in the back - I mean, knowing
that those little parts are expensive and that the little hands like to
try new things. I know I don't want to try the freeway again at this time
of day so I try to think of another route. I know that Oakland Hills has
a little road called Skyline that goes the length of town and is bordered
by park. A few curves and no or little traffic is what I need so I point
the car towards the hills and head out. Kids do fit fine in the back and
it's comfortable with us all in the car. The water temperature is near
the 0 in 90 on the gauge which is a little warm but O.K. I never knew I'd
hate traffic lights so much! We finally start winding up the hill and the
neighborhood improves a great deal. We notice the front bonnet isn't latched
all the way so I pull over to fix it. I'm still getting used to the clutch
and the gearbox but it's not too jerky. We finally hit Skyline and start
along it. It is a good road for this - the car is much happier along a
curvy lane and the temp stabilizes a little. We start downhill and I get
the first complaint on going too fast from my wife. I slow down and we
re-enter suburbia. We come up on a freeway interchange but I figure that
we're on the same road we came up on which wasn't too bad. I start heading
into town and start hitting stop lights. The traffic starts getting worse.
My new friend, the temperature gauge is showing its displeasure. I just
hope we're not too far away. Now there's a lane closed to construction
and traffic is merging. The temperature is still climbing and I have nowhere
to go but get in line. There's a traffic light ahead of us and we're inching
up a hill. Now the steam starts coming out. Some lady rolled her window
down and yells, "Your car is smoking!" I waved and said, "thankyou." The
three black guys in the å77 Chevy Caprice start rocking their car
with the gas and the brakes. This is the traffic jam from hell! We finally
make it through this light only to line up for the next. There's still
no where to go. Then through the next and finally we have a neighborhood
to pull off into. I pull to the curb and shut it off. Steam is still pushing
out. A guy in coveralls comes over with his daughter. "What kind of car
is that?" I tell him it's a Ferrari. He says, „I told her it was a Ferrari
and she asked - what's a Ferrari? Can you believe it?" He says if I need
anything to let him know. We let it sit and it cools down. We get back
in and head out. The temp starts out OK but climbs quickly. By now we're
close but need one more pull over to cool down. We're on this long road
with a bunch of trucks and buses. So we stand around and look at the car.
I can see the hotel across the street but the only way over is through
this oil change place. We start it up, get through the oil change place
and head into the Hilton. It usually feels good to get back to a Hilton
but this time it was especially good. I get it parked before it starts
steaming here (we do have to maintain some sort of image).
That evening we asked the hotel guys at the entrance where we
could get some water and they said there was a hose around the back of
the restaurant. They were very friendly and one said it was the first Ferrari
he had seen. We headed around back and fill it with water and bleed the
air out through the valve on the Radiator. Now the temperature stays fine.
I call Jaan and he says it overheated his first day at mile 27 of ownership.
As fate would have it his first drive had been on Skyline Drive as well.
We stop by his shop in the morning and check out the cooling system
which seems fine. With the water tank topped off we head off on our trip
back home.
The trip went perfectly with no problems. The first time at McDonalds
was amazing. It really drew a crowd. Just past Redding I get pulled over
by the California Highway Patrol. It was just for expired tags but I had
my trip permit with me so a wave and a smile and I'm on my way. Bought
gas in Willows (56,807) where it took 11.33 gallons after traveling 183
miles and getting 16.14 miles per gallon. We arrive back in Medford and
gas up at Gas 4 Less after 240 miles where it took 13.8 gallons getting
17.39 mpg.