A New Record!

Since my dad’s health issues began over 5 years ago, I’ve been making 2, 3, 4 or more trips into the Bay Area every month. The drive from Sacramento to San Ramon is 100.4 miles driveway to driveway. Without traffic or “pit stops”, it takes me exactly 1 hour and 35 minutes if I go 5 mph over the speed limit the whole way. I can tell you pretty much to the minute how long it takes from anywhere along the route.

At times I enjoy the total silence and time to think. At times I plug in my IPOD and crank up the radio to ungodly levels. At times I talk to friends and family on my cell phone – with my hands free headset, of course. And every once in awhile, I try to break my time record – currently 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Yesterday on my way home from my dad’s, everyone was going like a bat out of hell. I would be going 70-72 and cars were whizzing by me on both sides like I was standing still.  My theory has always been that as long as people are going faster than me, they are the CHP targets. So far, it continues to be a correct assumption.

The last speeding ticket I had was when I was 17 – hmmm, that one was trying to break my record through Cull Canyon where I rode horses. Yes, I push the limit but I certainly don’t cut in and out of traffic or do anything dangerous. I see enough of those idiots on the road not to be one!

Traffic was light yesterday morning, so I decided to join the NASCAR party that had everyone believing they were Jeff Gordon or Tony Stewart!  Even driving 75, or faster at times, I wasn’t passing anyone!

Normally, without fail when drivers spot a cop car, they jam on the brakes, even if they are only going 60 mph. Mostly that just pisses off the cops since they can’t get around the freaked out citizens afraid of getting a ticket. Yesterday about ten of us in a group were cruising down the Interstate at 75 mph when I spotted a CHP car on the side of the highway. Not one person hit the brakes or even slowed up much and the cop never moved. Whoa – maybe it’s a full moon?

My Speedy Little Nissan Versa

Years ago, a cop friend of ours told me, “Pretty much all of us will give you 5 mph over the speed limit. Many of us will give you 10 mph. But very, very few of us will give you 15 mph over the limit.” I’ve always used that as my guideline for speed.

Anyway, the point of this story is that yesterday I set a personal best, a NEW RECORD of 1 hour and 28 minutes! That broke my old record by 2 minutes – and no speeding tickets! Sometimes it’s the little accomplishments that give you the most satisfaction and pleasure in life.