It is pretty easy to get caught up in the day to day stuff of life. I’m very guilty of this particularly the last month or so. I have some pretty big things going on right now and finding the time to hold all the projects together, including IG has been tough. With spring here it is a great time refocus, blow off some steam, and remind ourselves why we are car guys.
Of course people like cars for different reasons. For some it’s pure aesthetic. For others it’s a status thing. For me it’s about getting the adrenaline pumping when pushing it hard through a corner while the supercharger is just screaming in my ear. A bit of hyper focus sets in and all other things melt away. At some point it becomes all about hitting your shifts just right, finding the limit of grip, and remembering what cars are all about.
I am as guilty as anyone in getting caught up in all the superficial aspects of cars. It is easy to do. You know what I mean. You see a car with some wheels you don’t like or a color that’s odd, or maybe you see a car exactly how you would want it and you think to yourself that’s how I’d do it. However when you are behind the wheel does any of that matter? Not for me. In fact I’m finding more and more that none of that matters at all as long as you can connect with the car when in the driver seat.
That brings us to the Infinite garage company car. Our lowly 2006 Chevy Cobalt SS Supercharged. It’s no ones dream car. Hopped up economy cars rarely are, but for a brief period of time on an Illinois back road in early spring it reminded me why it too in it’s own way is great. Yes the wing is stupid looking, sure the orange color is a bit flashy, and no the the 2.0L supercharged engine which after a good bit of tinkering is putting out nearly 300hp won’t win a whole lot of drag races. However as a total package the car works well. Way back when the Cobalt was new Car and Driver did a lightning lap. It pitted dozens of cars against each other and while every car competed for over all glory all cars were placed in their own category. As it turned out the Cobalt SS won not only it’s category but the one above it which was home to the likes of the then brand new 2006 Mustang GT, Nissan 350z and others.
I think when you drive a car every day like I do the Cobalt you forget just how capable it is. Sure you may get on it here and there and that puts a smile on your face, but it isn’t until you are staring down a twisty hilly back road when it hits you that you are in something made for this.
In an ideal world I would have had a camera crew and the road would have been closed. I’d be coming to you later this week with lots of great video and sound of a car that’s nearing ten years old but still drives like new. The video would show the huge smile on my face. You could have heard me swearing as I over cooked and S corner and kicked up some gravel and mud on exit as I was sure I was headed to the ditch. I didn’t hit the ditch though so in my own mind I’m a driving god.
However there were no cameras and maybe that was the fun part. At times I feel like it’s hard for me to get out of that editor of Infinite Garage mode. Sometimes I feel like I don’t see cars like I want to but I see them as potential material for the site. I love doing Infinite Garage and I’m really excited to get out at the shows and cruises and do what I do, but yesterday was pretty awesome too. Leaving the camera at home, not even thinking about writing or editing photos, or stitching together video. Just me, a serious under dog, and a back road.
I guess on this cold dreary Monday morning that is the point of this whole post. I sat down to write the week in review. In the week in review I often say get out and drive something. I preach how cars are made to be driven, and driven hard. Sometimes that has gotten me some pretty nasty emails, but this weekend reminded me of why we drive. Why we love cars. Why the road less traveled is the road we should travel. Why it doesn’t matter what you drive as long as you are out driving. So get out there and drive something!
