Kid was almost to Norman OK, 1150 miles and got the dreaded CIL. With only 50 miles to go I told him if it's running smoothly and the light is NOT flashing, just keep rolling and get the code when you get there... PO744, hope it's just low fluid or a clogged filter. But, he did his entire freshman year there with no car at all. We'll deal the hand we're delt. He had a good summer job and saved a couple thousand dollars so it will be OK even if spendy..
Go that way really REALLY fast. If something gets in your way, TURN!
Timber, I'm assuming since you stopped in Tuscaloosa on the way home that your drop was somewhere beyond that which is a long trip. Did you take the Alfa and if so, how'd it perform on a long haul?
I still call it The Jake.
Louisiana Bmills. Btw, I saw no signs of watermelons for sale anywhere around Smith County. I think it's a ruse. The Alfa stayed home and we rented a minivan, 1-way. I wore shades and a fake moustache. I couldn't do that drive both ways. But the Alfa would have been fun as I didn't see a single cop south of Winchester VA--I'm not advocating speeding, more for the handling aspect as minivans are a bit ponderous around curves and such.
"timberridge is terminally vapid" -- a fortune cookie in Yueyang
Right on. Maybe pop over to the Rentin' cars superthread or Bobby's Carfax and BBQ emporium thread and drop a minivan TR?
Oh, and that's the beauty of Southern highways. Once you're south of this Automotive Mason-Dixon it's hammer-down and stfo of the left lane. You'll see more state troopers in bordering states like Ohio and Virginia than in the entirety of the area below that line.
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I still call it The Jake.
Not to interfere with this impressive thread-drift but I’ll give an update:
Dropping her off was the hardest challenge I’ve had as a parent. I cried more the last week than I have the last 30 years combined. It’s such a strange combination of immensely proud and devastatingly sad at the same time. I thought I wasn’t going to struggle, but I was wrong. She and I are super close and I just miss her so much. She’s an awesome person (see my old “kids are rad” thread).
But, today is day 3. She’s on the CC XC team and they are all camping out at some cabin near Pikes Peak. She just sent us some pictures and she looks beaming and happy and surrounded by other kids going through the same process.
It’s like a best case scenario; a great school that is close (but not too close, about 5hr drive), full scholarship (some of these kid’s parents are shelling out ~$75,000/year), she’s on the running team so she already has a crew of friends, and she already knows her roommate who seems awesome (not on the team but also from SWCO so they share similar passions and love for mountains).
My sadness is all selfish; just because I miss having her around. But watching her launch into this next phase has my tears (they haven’t really stopped yet) turning to tears of pride.
Thanks for letting me vent!
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FKNA!
"fuck off you asshat gaper shit for brains fucktard wanker." - Jesus Christ
"She was tossing her bean salad with the vigor of a Drunken Pop princess so I walked out of the corner and said.... "need a hand?"" - Odin
"everybody's got their hooks into you, fuck em....forge on motherfuckers, drag all those bitches across the goal line with you." - (not so) ill-advised strategy
You should be very proud TT, that’s an awesome accomplishment for both your daughter and you as parents, congrats!
I still call it The Jake.
Congratulations TT and your daughter! As an alumni I know it’s an awesome place. The block plan does have great block breaks so you’ll probably see her more than many other places. It was always great to have 4 days off with no commitments. The cabin if it’s the one CC owns is an amazing place.
When we had finished moving our daughter in and were leaving her for her first night in the dorms, we could tell she was very, very nervous. Just as we said our good nights, a girl called out her name from across the courtyard. It was another freshman member of the track team who had recognized her and called her over to meet a few other girls from the team. It was very comforting to see. The kids find their tribe pretty quick and the T&F/XC teams are awesome tribes.
The goodbye the next day was pretty brutal on mom. Full on waterworks.
Last edited by I Skied Bandini Mountain; 08-19-2023 at 02:38 PM.
^^^For incoming freshman that have the opportunity to be an athlete in college (at any level)…especially a fall sport athlete….they have a distinct advantage over the “NARPs’”. They get an instant group of friends and because they arrive early for training, they get the “lay of the land” as they learn the ins and outs of campus……before all the rest of the students show up.
Good luck…being a student athlete on a college campus is fun!
You hit on why I didn’t cry. I was more proud of her and what she’s both accomplished so far and what she’s about to. We could not have raised a better child.
Now come about Thursday of next week I’m sure the sadness will come. House being empty and quiet. Don’t have my buddy to bullshit with around all the time. Not having a ‘child’ anymore to teach things to, enjoy with…..the hard part is definitely coming for this dad.
This isn’t easy. You younger dads will find this out too.
Godammit, that post was enough to start the watering eyes.
Counterpoint from an empty nester; its fucking awesome. Congrats all!
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He seems happy from texts we’ve received.
Not sure where we are yet with the changes…we’ll be in the empty nest tonight to see how empty it feels.
Whelp, mechanics in Norman are saying it won't shift in to 3rd and torque converter is the diagnosis. Good thing the kid saved most of the money from his good paying summer job. He worked a lot of overtime too. But, that's gonna wipe out most of the $4k he had saved.. College life lessons.. Owning your own car is expensive sometimes..
Go that way really REALLY fast. If something gets in your way, TURN!
Driving away from thing#1 who was standing there looking lost and like tears might be imminent was heart breaking. It was a cold rainy night in a somewhat foreign country and during international student orientation so campus was empty. And the roommate was a total dud. It all got sorted within a few days. All other students arrived. A few new best friends were met. The dud roommate moved into a single, which gave my kid a defacto single for the price of a double. It all worked out. The kid was excited to go back every time after that. And fuckin pissed that part of third year and all of fourth year was remote due to COVID-19.
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