Week Twenty- Five I Have Been For A DRIVE!

I do feel a lucky soul. For I have just returned from the Lake District. Apart from the wonderful M6 expressway tollroad, the drive was a bit tedious each way, actually taking exactly as long as the navigation system suggested at outset. My rate of general progress has always distorted my worldview, so I found this boring! However the Lake District is the most wonderful spot and although it can get terribly crowded, we both caught the weather and avoided the school holiday crowds. After a long gap, we even drove over the famous mountain passes. For many years now with my old Volvo estate, I had not dared venture past the threatening roadsigns that basically add up to, ‘All hope abandon ye who enter here’, with dire indication of 30% gradients, tight bends and utter impassability in icy conditions.
The funny thing is with Volvos, is that despite being the darlings of the mechanics’ weekend drift entertainment scene, all of them having a perfect 50-50 weight distribution, their handbrakes have always been awfully boring. For one, that big old bus was for ever stretching its handbrake cable, so much so that I never dared to take it anywhere like over said Wrynose and Hardknott passes. My new car does not even have a handbrake per se, so much as parking brake. But on this trip I learned more about my magical flappy paddle gearbox and how going up very steep hills is best done in manual mode. Moreover Hill Descent Mode is really for loose gravel and means the car brakes for you.
The OEM electronics inside my Volvo are right up there with some of the finest, so I shall be doing some coverage. In particular, the wonderful camera installation and how well it works. The ‘How well I swagged it’ video isn’t getting many hits after all!
As ever at this time of year, I am somewhat behind in my administration work and have got a year’s accounts to get sorted out, so I had better pull my finger out! Meanwhile, I am truly thrilled about the prospect of another T-meet for Talk Audio and wanted to offer up a deep felt and very public thank you to the individuals who are making this happen. I will certainly do my bit.
As is so often the case, engaging with the guys at Team Impulse in Watford has resulted in finding out about some cool cars. So with a bit of luck I may be able to pop down there and swag some more video. They are still deliciously old school with brands such as Dynaudio, Focal and Alpine. And of course as I confessed last week, I do kind of need their help to install the Transit Connect with the JVC head unit.
Adam Rayner On Line Editor!