THE NEW CAR!!!

out with the old and in with the new.

I have spent the past year or so looking for something to replace my 1996 Ford Exploder.

The clutch was really wearing down and the brakes were bad. Finally my brakes got so bad that I took it to Midas for an estimate. When I got the estimate for $700 to fix the rear brakes that I let grind the disks down to nothing, I decided that it was time for action.

The next day I took Kim, her dad, and Zac car shopping.

First I drove a used Lexus that had everything, but still cost a pretty penny.

I would have given it a second thought but it didn't drive quite right, and the salesman looked very shady. Too many alarms went off in my head.

Then I walked onto a VW dealership. First I drove a used Passat. This car had been through the 101 point inspection used to qualify it as a certified used car. But they forgot to check the air conditioning. It only blew out warm air. I thought that would have been first on the 101 point inspection list.

Then the salesman told me that he was clearing out their 2008 models to make room for the 2009s. Because of this, a new Jetta was less than a used Passat!!! I drove the Jetta and loved it.

But I did not buy the car then and there. You know I had to wheel and deal.

More importantly, I needed the metallic blue, not the white Jetta they had on the lot.

The best part of all, I was able to get a trade in of $700 for the decrepit Ford with 170,000 miles on it.

I can no longer say that my wife has never driven my car, because my new car is an automatic.

In fact, she took it to the movies tonight with her friends.

It is a little smaller than I was planning on getting, but with gas prices as they are, I don't mind a bit.

A Day Away from the Office

I don't have much time but I just wanted to post a few photos of the fun things I get to see along the Sacramento River as I do Levee inspections. I love to get out of the office, rent a car, and get some fresh air. I try to find any excuse I can to go do a site visit. Especially when they are in Utah.

A Get Away

Last week I traveled to Las Vegas for a two day vacation sponsored by my employer.
I was actually there to learn about designing stormwater detention ponds, which I did from 8 to 4. But after that I was able to enjoy the sights and sounds of one of the largest tourist traps in the world.
I have never been too frightened by the rollercoasters and rides at most amusement parks, but while in Vegas I was albe to get frightened by being carried off the edge of the space needle and spun while looking down at the ground hunderends of feet below. For a sample of my insanity see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbehfUGx6Rs.

The other wonder I saw in Vegas was the pool in front of the Bellagio Hotel. Fountians of water spontaneously came from the pool and danced to opera music. I found a utube post showing what it looks like (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui5gl0CRJTI). But it looks a hundred times better in person. While waiting for the show to start, I spoke with a couple who had traveled from Hokkaido Japan. They were impressed with my Japanese. At least that is what they told me.