Throughout our time in this friendly North Dakota town, Kim and I developed an annoying joke routine of peppering all our conversation with lines from the 1996 Coen brothers movie, Fargo. “How’s your breakfast?” I asked. “Pretty darn good, ya,” Kim responded in her best impression of Frances McDormand’s character. We were staying at a
Breakfast at the Best Western revealed a car-enthusiast waitress, who came out with the cook, dishwasher, and general manager to see our stately departure from the parking lot. The view from the Best Western St. Paul Ominously, the generator light would not go off and the needle read “discharging.” Not encouraging. Still, we managed to
I’m lactose intolerant. It’s not that I can’t eat cheese, milk and other diary products, it’s just that I’m ready to get out of Wisconsin. My cousin, Kim Morgan Jemison, has joined me on this leg of the adventure. As we flew from Birmingham to Madison, I assured her that the automobile had spent the
Escape from Cheese Country Read More »
At five this morning I bolted out of bed and made for the parking lot. Aside from the 41-degree weather and being stranded in tired Holiday Inn, it was a stunning day in Wisconsin. Mist rose off the pond behind the hotel and the sun broke through a grove of nearby trees. Down by the
Another Parking Lot Repair Read More »
My fascination with Chicago and the car’s electrical spasm put me more than a day behind schedule, so air traffic control (Catherine Russell, our office manager) routed the Brougham through Madison, Wisconsin instead of Milwaukee. A cold Pabst would have to wait for another trip, sadly. As I zoomed into Wisconsin, the car felt full
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Chicago sits just a few hours from Fort Wayne, and the Cadillac ate up the miles like Rosanne Barr at a Chinese buffet. Bucolic farms and barns soon turned to smokestacks and heavy industry. A paper mill puffed great belches of pure stank (“the smell of money!” as any resident near a mill will tell
Most collectors appreciate history, which is why they have a passion for vintage cars. With that passion usually comes an interest in the car’s provenance, the manufacturing process, and the legacy of the brand. As a Cadillac nut, I had to stop in and visit some of the Motor City’s icons. First on the list:
Motoring through Motown Read More »
I’m getting a crash course (well, hopefully not an actual crash) in running a small business. Starting Motorpool this year has been the most exciting time of my life–a very rewarding endeavor. Yet it’s also a giant pile of work. I’m the accountant, the strategist, the head of sales, the marketing VP, and the janitor.
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My wife’s brother and sister-in-law have a huge and gorgeous cabin in Hancock, Massachusetts. Jiminy Peak Resort is less than a mile away, and in winter, it’s one of the best ski resorts in New England. Summertime is a stunning time to visit, too. While I was here, the Weather Channel issued a frost advisory,
Want to learn how to fix your car? Take it on a 15,000-mile road trip. I promise–you will know your automobile, every blessed rattle, squeak, and rumble. Better still, visit someone who owns your car–who knows each nut and bolt. David King (owner of Brougham #615) and I have swapped many photographs and emails right
