Lexus LS460 Road trip
Discussion
Thank you for all your replies.
Yes indeed, my returns to Skye are an emotional experience. As times pass, the emotion changes and the rawness of grief is in part being replaced by the bewilderment at how quickly time moves on. I am grateful that with the passing of time, the worst of the hospital and hospice memories have now faded and the sense of deep anxiety that was barely contained within, is also now fading to something far more manageable. My lass's cancer definitely changed me to. It's only now do I feel that i'm beginning to return to something more like the 'real me'.
I got back in to my barge on thursday morning to do a short trip. Is the measure of a good car that when you sit back in the seat again, part of you thinks something like 'well it's only five minutes up the road - you ready to do it again?' I huge part of that is down to the car - it's undemanding and unassuming and just gets on with the required job drama free.
... as for the instant read out showing 90 - yes, perhaps it would be surprising to know that it does it for quite longs periods of time; down hill mainly! I filled the tank three times. The first block to Carlisle showed 29.3mpg. Then the part to For William showed 26.1 and the return, filled in FW, on Skye and then back down past Carlisle again ,showed 28. That's par for the course for this lump on long ascents and twists and bends. (It will do about 480ish miles on a full tank at motorway/fast road type speeds)
As for the hotel, it's this http://www.eileaniarmain.co.uk/.
It's a very popular hotel and even off season is busy. It's perfect for me.
Yes indeed, my returns to Skye are an emotional experience. As times pass, the emotion changes and the rawness of grief is in part being replaced by the bewilderment at how quickly time moves on. I am grateful that with the passing of time, the worst of the hospital and hospice memories have now faded and the sense of deep anxiety that was barely contained within, is also now fading to something far more manageable. My lass's cancer definitely changed me to. It's only now do I feel that i'm beginning to return to something more like the 'real me'.
I got back in to my barge on thursday morning to do a short trip. Is the measure of a good car that when you sit back in the seat again, part of you thinks something like 'well it's only five minutes up the road - you ready to do it again?' I huge part of that is down to the car - it's undemanding and unassuming and just gets on with the required job drama free.
... as for the instant read out showing 90 - yes, perhaps it would be surprising to know that it does it for quite longs periods of time; down hill mainly! I filled the tank three times. The first block to Carlisle showed 29.3mpg. Then the part to For William showed 26.1 and the return, filled in FW, on Skye and then back down past Carlisle again ,showed 28. That's par for the course for this lump on long ascents and twists and bends. (It will do about 480ish miles on a full tank at motorway/fast road type speeds)
As for the hotel, it's this http://www.eileaniarmain.co.uk/.
It's a very popular hotel and even off season is busy. It's perfect for me.
Good writing.
I have the same car (but black on black), proud owner for all of two weeks now.
Have yet to really drive it, at this time of year we tend not to drive much on weekends, and weekdays my car is a bicycle, so to speak.
Despite having more than 50% more power per tonne than my previous driver, a manual 2.0T vw Eos, there is simply no sense of urgency whatsoever. We took it out today for a drive of around 10 miles each way, and whereas the Eos practically urged me to have my foot on the clutch at the lights ready for a perfect launch, the LS prefers to go gently and I found myself sitting in the left lane being overtaken by lesser beasts. Of course the power is still there, and I did a quick test of its acceleration from one set of lights on the dual carriageway, and the reality that it reaches 60mph a couple of seconds quicker than my previous car was apparent, albeit even this was by no means a forceful pinned-to-the-seat G-force extravaganza.
It's a car I feel best suits long journeys, providing you don't mind the v8 juice costs, there's a usefully large fuel tank so stops need not be too frequent. I am not sure how much difference interior colours make, but in the black leather the car feels like the dining room of a Mayfair hotel - spacious and reserved with conversation kept to a quiet level. On the way home we had on a Top Gear DVD (the kids in the back watching on the motorised screen) I had bought for 20p from cex, and Clarkson's racial stereotypes and cheap jokes didn't feel like the right soundtrack. OTOH, Leonard Cohen Live in London, recorded at about age 80 I think, is just about perfect, his lazy ballads made even more relaxed by age, and almost hanging in the quad zone cooled air,
I have the same car (but black on black), proud owner for all of two weeks now.
Have yet to really drive it, at this time of year we tend not to drive much on weekends, and weekdays my car is a bicycle, so to speak.
Despite having more than 50% more power per tonne than my previous driver, a manual 2.0T vw Eos, there is simply no sense of urgency whatsoever. We took it out today for a drive of around 10 miles each way, and whereas the Eos practically urged me to have my foot on the clutch at the lights ready for a perfect launch, the LS prefers to go gently and I found myself sitting in the left lane being overtaken by lesser beasts. Of course the power is still there, and I did a quick test of its acceleration from one set of lights on the dual carriageway, and the reality that it reaches 60mph a couple of seconds quicker than my previous car was apparent, albeit even this was by no means a forceful pinned-to-the-seat G-force extravaganza.
It's a car I feel best suits long journeys, providing you don't mind the v8 juice costs, there's a usefully large fuel tank so stops need not be too frequent. I am not sure how much difference interior colours make, but in the black leather the car feels like the dining room of a Mayfair hotel - spacious and reserved with conversation kept to a quiet level. On the way home we had on a Top Gear DVD (the kids in the back watching on the motorised screen) I had bought for 20p from cex, and Clarkson's racial stereotypes and cheap jokes didn't feel like the right soundtrack. OTOH, Leonard Cohen Live in London, recorded at about age 80 I think, is just about perfect, his lazy ballads made even more relaxed by age, and almost hanging in the quad zone cooled air,
MrMoonyMan said:
Really poignantly written story there.
It certainly is; not often I wander in to Reader's Cars, but I'm glad I did tonight. Thank you very much for sharing such a personal journey.I do wish they'd hurry up and get the roadworks finished at Pulpit Rock (Loch Lomond) finished though. I live on the west coast and it's a PITA when going to Glasgow, although the alternative via Inverary and the Rest and Be Thankful isn't a hardship.
Not been to Skye since I was a young boy, really must make the effort seeing as I'm now a lot closer to it than I used to be.
Loved every minute of this. I remember reading the other thread a while back as well.
Sorry for your loss I am pleased you shared it with us though. I lost my dad a few years ago and find myself heading up most years to a small cottage up near Gairloch and it feels that for those few days I am somehow transported back in time when I would sit there looking out at Loch Ewe and just reflect on the good times.
I often remember the ending to the Crow film where it said...If the people we love are stolen from us the way to have them live on is to never stop loving them. Buildings burn. people die, but; real love is forever."
Sorry for your loss I am pleased you shared it with us though. I lost my dad a few years ago and find myself heading up most years to a small cottage up near Gairloch and it feels that for those few days I am somehow transported back in time when I would sit there looking out at Loch Ewe and just reflect on the good times.
I often remember the ending to the Crow film where it said...If the people we love are stolen from us the way to have them live on is to never stop loving them. Buildings burn. people die, but; real love is forever."
A great read and brings back fond memories of holidays north of the border, my dad a Scotsman born in a school in Hilton north of Balintore in 1944 would shepherd us to either the East coast to visit relatives or out West which amongst other places included Skye for annual holidays.
He passed away in March this year and little things like your story bring back evocative memories of getting lost in the fog up Cullins, eating at the Three Chimneys, or staying in various cottages around the Highlands and Islands.
I remember one time approaching the Kyle, my brother and I has set off from Hampshire at 04:00, must have been August 94 early afternoon and the car had only stopped to pay a toll over the bridge and refill once. We caught up with a SL65 V12, roof down who then decided to make some progress.
We followed them across onto Skye for what was a memorable trip up to Uig.
It's Gods country up there, I need to revisit with my brothers and our own families.
Thanks for sharing,
He passed away in March this year and little things like your story bring back evocative memories of getting lost in the fog up Cullins, eating at the Three Chimneys, or staying in various cottages around the Highlands and Islands.
I remember one time approaching the Kyle, my brother and I has set off from Hampshire at 04:00, must have been August 94 early afternoon and the car had only stopped to pay a toll over the bridge and refill once. We caught up with a SL65 V12, roof down who then decided to make some progress.
We followed them across onto Skye for what was a memorable trip up to Uig.
It's Gods country up there, I need to revisit with my brothers and our own families.
Thanks for sharing,
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