Anyone who's moved across the country knows that it isn't a cheap proposition—especially not in the face of $4 per gallon gas.
Two weeks ago this minute, I was driving through Tennessee in a heavily loaded Miata. I was halfway through my trip from northern Illinois to sunny Florida to start my new job with Grassroots Motorsports and its sister publication, Classic Motorsports. Having spent the last few years writing instruction manuals for lighting fixtures, I was ready and thrilled to start doing my hobby (writing and racing) for a living.
Preparing for the trip was no small task: my 250,000-mile ‘91 Miata was due for an engine rebuild, and I found many more broken pieces along the way. I feverishly managed to track down a used driveshaft, two used motor mounts, and four new springs in a couple days and left with just enough time to look for an apartment.
Anyone who’s moved across the country knows that it isn’t a cheap proposition—especially not in the face of $4 per gallon gas. My plan on a small budget was to leave any big things with friends and parents, and pack as much as possible in the Miata. I bought a luggage rack for the trunk, took out the passenger seat, and crammed in as much as I could manage. I think I had about half an inch of suspension travel and elbow room left.
Despite all that, I made it the 1200 mile road trip without incident (unless you count losing a wheel centercap an “incident”). I’m alive, my car’s still going, and I’m working with an excellent group of people in an idyllic tropical climate. Keep an eye out for my byline in future issues.
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