Halfway between Tillamook and Lincoln City at the juncture of Highways 101 and 22 there is a small town called Hebo. If you drive up a windy steep forest road for 5 miles east of there (off of 22) you'll come to a little tranquil lake by the same name. We enjoyed camping there, walking the trails, playing Scrabble at the picnic table, and listening to the frogs after dark.
The next day we went to Lincoln City and did our favorite things--walk on the sandy beach, shop at the mall, and lunch at Mo's.
We got home on Thursday afternoon just in time to watch Susie being hauled off. (It was donated to OPB.)
That car has a long and colorful history. We bought it in 1992 and I remember going up to get it with Carl and how they treated us like royalty. We lent it to Mike and Brenda for their honeymoon, which must have been fun, driving a brand new car. Then Carl took it out to see how fast it would go and tore out the clutch. It died in front of Tann's house and had to be towed away on a flatbed for repair. We got a lot of good use out of it and then sold it to Neil and Pam. His family named it "Susie" and I'm sure they have many good memories too. Lately Emily has been driving it and added a dent or two. Good bye, Susie. May you rest in peace.
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We bought her from you when we were living in St. Louis and needed something more reliable than Penobscott, probably while Pam was pregnant with Karna. You kindly had AC installed prior to an elaborate delivery plan involving the Lakes for your return trip. I essentially totalled it returning from the Seattle temple. I jerked the wheel on an icy road after drifing while comparing the altitude on my new GPS with the road sign on Snoqualmie pass. It's antilock brakes worked going backwards. After getting the frame straightened we pocketed the body-work insurance money. Another accident was when Emily got rear-ended by a truck. In spite of the messed-up trunk she told the driver not to wory since the car wasn't worth anything anyway. Emily learned the need to exchange insurance info. Over the years Suzie also taught Emily how to replace a clutch, motor mount, and timing chain. We kept the old chain as a souvenier. Years ago she went through a period of not starting for inexplicable reasons, requiring occasional rescues or just patience. Then she was reliable for years until she taught me the existance of an EGR valve. It was ironic she died in Corvallis. It took some complicated scheduling to get us all home in other vehicles, and I really appreciate your help with that and with getting her donated and disposed of. As I was cleaning her out I found the emergency helium baloon Larry had given each of us decades ago. Dad still has his token of overpraredness too.
Wow, she has been places and done stuff! Her dramatic life deserved the dramatic ending.
I'd say you got your monies worth out of her.
We still have our balloon too. Maybe we can light them off next reunion to see if they work.
I sent an emergency balloon off on a canoe trip on the Willamette. This was before I'd met Velvet, and I'd written a romantic message on the balloon for the person I was canoeing with. That may have very well been the beginning of the end of that relationship.
-Carl
We're very happy you ended up with a mentally healthy, level headed, capable, patient, loving person!
It was SO fun to drive that car on our honeymoon. But we were embarrassed to be in such a luxury vehicle. We felt like impostors, pretending to be high class when we were just poor college kids.
Sidenote: it's good to have at least one level headed person in every relationship. Mike and Velvet could start a support group.
Why don't I have a balloon?
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