Beautiful Sunny Days.

Today in Missoula Montana was stunning. 64 Degrees, no clouds, no wind, just blue skies and sun and warmth. It was fantastic. Which makes me think about the things I love when it comes to cars and driving in the sun.

You know what the 3rd best thing about sunny beautiful days are? The long drives with the windows down. Just something about blasting along with the wind blowing through the
windows. Air Conditioning can keep you cool, but open windows are so much more fun. Plus, the wind is loud, so you have to turn your music up louder. The louder it gets, the more you want to sing with it, and the more fun you have. It all is win.

Best Thing, Number 2: Everyone with some sort of automotive toy or automotive guilty pleasure brings the Garage Queens out. Especially that first really nice day of spring. You know these people have been walking through their garages looking with forlorn glances at the shape under

the car cover, or under boxes, or months of dirt and dust. Poor Machines, locked away from their natural habitat, away from the roads and the thrill of being driven.

Course, that first nice day....

By a very very brief count today I saw: 1970 Pontiac GTO Judge, 1949 Ford F100, 1968 Chevy Impala, 2010 Chevy Camaro, 1971 Dodge Dart, 1970 Dodge Charger, a 19??? Rat Rod made of near everything, a 1920's Ford Model T, what looked like a 1940 Willys Coupe, numerous import racers, a number of Harleys, lots of crotch rockets and a pretty girl on a vintage Vespa.

All pretty, beautiful things (especially the girl on the vespa) , all out for the first time in several months. They were fantastic, some washed, water still beading on the pain, some still dusty from the garage, but all were just fantastic to look at. Makes me want one, or want to build one, or want to just work on one. It was great.

But, the best thing about the first sunny day....Number 1....

Dogs.

Seriously, Dogs. Every other car had the gleeful and stupid happy dog face hanging out

of it, ears and lips flapping in the breeze, just basking in the joy of it all. Most of the cars mentioned in Number 2? Yep, rocking the dog copilot whose duty was to man the windows in search of noms. Great fun.

My own dog, Adak, was loving every second of it, singing as the ambulance passed or just letting the wind play with his ears. Made my day just a world better if you ask me. Just the joy of driving with my dog with the radio on and adventure beckoning was enough to make me forget my woes and just relax, not let anything bother me.

I can't wait for the next sunny day.