River Cruising Water Cooler

[Coral]

1 hour ago, sharkster77 said:

I believe I read somewhere that the bison raised for meat are a bison/cow hybrid, and are as such a little bit smaller than the wilds ones that roam places like Yellowstone.

Ted Turner owns a ton of it here and not all of it is for meat. Some say he wants a wildlife reserve/conservation area..... No one really knows. It is confusing as he is a form of dementia right now so he has land here and he has bison and some go to his restaurants. No one knows what he does with the other land.

Edited March 20, 2021 by Coral

[Canal archive]

Thought you’d like this taken in the Cairngorm wildlife park last year they are the smaller cousins to the American Bison, European  and evidently raised for their meat.

[Daisi]

@CA, they are quite a bit different.  This is what I am used to seeing around here.  This was taken at a park where you drive around "caged" in your car while most of the animals roam free.  They don't have exotic animals, mostly moose, deer (various types), wolves, bison, elk, foxes and wild boars.  Great place to visit, but don't take a "good" car... 🙂

 

[Canal archive]

This guy was also at the park evidently there indigenous to the north of North America.

I had never seen one before. CA

Edited March 20, 2021 by Canal archive

[notamermaid]

That ship stuck in the Suez Canal reminded me of the hold-up that happened when a Viking river cruise ship damaged a lock on the Main Danube Canal on 6 June 2019. The impact was enormous as it closed the shipping route from the North Sea to the Black Sea for two weeks.

 

It looks like freeing the ship in the Suez Canal is major problem, you cannot just quickly lighten the load either.

 

Here is a report from yesterday: https://m.dw.com/en/suez-canal-still-blocked-as-frustrations-grow/a-56983465

 

notamermaid

 

[JerseyGem]

23 hours ago, notamermaid said:

That ship stuck in the Suez Canal !

It looks like freeing the ship in the Suez Canal is major problem, you cannot just quickly lighten the load either.

notamermaid

 

Our local TV stations, when reporting about the status of that ship, warned us to expect gas (petrol) prices to increase.   Apparently, the back-up of ships waiting to use the canal  has slowed the delivery of fuel oils, etc.  Or it could just be another excuse to raise prices.  

 

[Canal archive]

If anyone has Marine Traffic or similar you can follow some of what’s happening. CA

[jpalbny]

  

15 hours ago, dogs4fun said:

Had not considered the used aspect - still seems very strange to me. I've always loved sports cars - still love the Corvette & loved the Viper but it is no longer made. My dream car was always the Lamborghini (definitely dreaming). 

I still have my last vette parked in the garage but no longer drive it. I'm getting a little long in the tooth to consider another sports car. I would, however, consider a nice, reliable Mercedes.

Don't know much about the Audi - it looks like a beautiful machine. Hope you are again able to purchase in Europe & drive around before shipping home. 

 

Didn't want to keep cluttering up the photo game with such an OT subject but the Water Cooler is a perfect place for this conversation.

 

Thanks for the positive thoughts - not sure that they will bring the program back at all, as there is talk that it wasn't popular enough for them to continue. It was great while it lasted and if that is it, at least we got to do it twice.

 

Did you know that Audi now owns Lamborghini? They talked about this during our factory tours and were proud that they've helped the manufacturing process become more efficient (at least, Audi thinks that has happened). Haven't yet toured the Lamborghini factory to hear the other side of the story! 🤣

 

I always wanted a Corvette as a kid. Got to drive one that my parents' friend owned when I was 18 or so. They are powerful and kind of wild. The Audis are powerful too but they seem more controlled. Chris's RS5 handles like nothing I've ever driven before. It has a G-force meter and so far I've had it to 0.8 on tight curves without so much as a hiccup. The dealer says it will go over 1.0 no problem; still too afraid to try until I get the summer performance tires back on. Would love to take some lessons on a track and see what it's really capable of doing...

 

I looked into driving the Nürburgring with my S6 during our week in Germany and it looks very feasible to do. When we were in the area though, it was a rainy day and definitely not the time to try a challenging drive.

Edited March 28, 2021 by jpalbny

[notamermaid]

I am not really a cars person, but I do look at designs and must admit that I liked the red Aston Martin I saw a few years ago. Personally I enjoy the tons of boot space for Cadbury's chocolate, etc. that the trusted family Skoda Octavia provides for trips to England.

 

Nürburgring is definitely the place to show to your car (and to show off your car). There was supposed to be a race on Nürburgring race track yesterday to open the season but it was cancelled, not because of the pandemic, but snow! How unlucky can you get.

 

These are the webcams of the area: https://www.nuerburgring.de/en/fans-info/interactive/webcams.html

 

notamermaid

 

[Ritabob]

We took our rental car around the Nurburgring many years ago.  A Renault station wagon was fun, but I can imagine your car, JP, would be way better. Especially now as  I have gone to formula 2000 racing school .

RB 

[dogs4fun]

1 hour ago, jpalbny said:

not sure that they will bring the program back at all, as there is talk that it wasn't popular enough for them to continue. It was great while it lasted and if that is it, at least we got to do it twice.

It is always a disappointment when a special perk disappears. I hope you get another opportunity to purchase & drive your car in Europe.

 

1 hour ago, jpalbny said:

Did you know that Audi now owns Lamborghini?

No - I had no idea. What most appeals to me in a sports car is brute power and body style. I absolutely drooled over the black Lamborghini Countach and still have a framed poster in my home office. If satan drove a car, it would surely be the wicked, black Countach (or maybe the Veneno). There were so few made each year that it was very difficult to purchase one (assuming one had the $$$). Prices for this classic car can reach as high as 1.1 million.

The Veneno is absolutely awesome but I think that only a couple were sold to customers & it is also no longer in production. Online lists the last sale price of a Veneno at 8.3 million. Such a gorgeous car!

 

1 hour ago, jpalbny said:

I always wanted a Corvette as a kid. Got to drive one that my parents' friend owned when I was 18 or so. They are powerful and kind of wild. The Audis are powerful too but they seem more controlled. Chris's RS5 handles like nothing I've ever driven before. It has a G-force meter and so far I've had it to 0.8 on tight curves without so much as a hiccup. The dealer says it will go over 1.0 no problem; still too afraid to try until I get the summer performance tires back on. Would love to take some lessons on a track and see what it's really capable of doing...

I wanted a Corvette since the time I first saw one in a magazine. I attended the Indy 500 in 78 with my mom's friend and the pace car was a Corvette. Oh man, I sure wanted that Vette (my mom used to roll her eyes)! 

The same year that I purchased my 94 Vette, my friend purchased a 94 Acura NSX. His NSX handled better than my Vette but I preferred the Vette's body style - funny how one is loyal to a particular brand. The NSX was a cool car!

When I first purchased a new Vette in the late 80s and early 90s, I immediately headed to Montana (there was a time when Montana had no daytime speed limit). The minute I crossed the Wyoming/Montana border, I put the pedal to the metal & let her rip - it was a thrilling adrenaline rush. Those days are long gone as Montana finally instituted a 75 mph speed limit. 

https://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/remember-reasonable-and-prudent-speed-limits-long-controversial-in-montana/article_06be4f06-f083-571d-a359-dd1698b56b77.html

I think that you should definitely find a track to test the limits of your car - you only live once and the day will come when you no longer feel that you have the reflexive chops to handle top speeds. Time's a wastin' ! 😁

 

Although I still admire sports cars, my speedster days are over and I am now content with a reliable "grocery getter". 😟

 

 

Edited March 28, 2021 by dogs4fun

[dogs4fun]

30 minutes ago, Ritabob said:

I have gone to formula 2000 racing school .

I imagine that was a blast!

[dogs4fun]

On 3/20/2021 at 3:09 PM, Canal archive said:

 

 

I've no clue - what is this???

[Canal archive]

It’s a Wolverine not something you want to come across on a dark night. They are indigenous to North America, Canada, Sweden and Finland and a few other countries.
Where watching the first formula 1 race of the season in Bahrain at the moment, which reminded me on one of our cruises an excursion was to Hockenheim race circuit very good day no formula 1 but open motor bike racing interesting in the drizzle. Then on a side track drift racing quite a bit of fun. CA

[Coral]

I can rarely impress people with where I live on this board - we have a secret museum that no one knows about here, even locals. I toured it as we were invited through work. Apparently they are going to open for the public soon. It supposedly has been publicly open previous but everyone I know has gone through a private event. It was in our paper today. The people who own this museum have a lot of money!

 

If you happen to be driving across the country - it is worth a stop: Museum of American Speed https://www.museumofamericanspeed.com/

 

Here is an article in our paper today: https://journalstar.com/entertainment/lincolns-best-kept-secret-museum-of-american-speed-set-to-reopen-april-1/article_9f9ff2e3-8cde-58b5-9d50-11bed0be5ec8.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1 

 

There was another recent story in our paper that it has one of 3 prototype Dale cars - the Dales were recently featured in an HBO mini series. https://journalstar.com/entertainment/television/finding-the-dale-prototype-of-never-manufactured-car-featured-in-hbo-series-enshrined-in-lincoln/article_2f9ac6be-e6e2-586d-83fa-44fc7670bfbd.html 

 

Edited March 28, 2021 by Coral

[Coral]

1 hour ago, notamermaid said:

I am not really a cars person, but I do look at designs and must admit that I liked the red Aston Martin I saw a few years ago. Personally I enjoy the tons of boot space for Cadbury's chocolate, etc. that the trusted family Skoda Octavia provides for trips to England

 

I stayed at a hotel in London (Kensington) that was near an Aston Martin dealership. What an eye opener. 

[Ritabob]

42 minutes ago, Canal archive said:

Where watching the first formula 1 race of the season in Bahrain at the moment, 

A good start to the F1 season.  

RB 

[dogs4fun]

1 hour ago, Coral said:

If you happen to be driving across the country - it is worth a stop: Museum of American Speed https://www.museumofamericanspeed.com/

 

There was another recent story in our paper that it has one of 3 prototype Dale cars - the Dales were recently featured in an HBO mini series. https://journalstar.com/entertainment/television/finding-the-dale-prototype-of-never-manufactured-car-featured-in-hbo-series-enshrined-in-lincoln/article_2f9ac6be-e6e2-586d-83fa-44fc7670bfbd.html 

 

How interesting - I would like to visit. 

I recall seeing a program listed on HBO - think it was The Lady and the Dale. I must make a point to watch the show.

Edited March 28, 2021 by dogs4fun

[Canal archive]

Aston Martin beautiful car lovely ride only a couple of times when I was a lot younger and fancy free! CA

[Daisi]

2 hours ago, Canal archive said:

I
Where watching the first formula 1 race of the season in Bahrain at the moment, which reminded me on one of our cruises an excursion was to Hockenheim race circuit very good day no formula 1 but open motor bike racing interesting in the drizzle. Then on a side track drift racing quite a bit of fun. CA

 

1 hour ago, Ritabob said:

A good start to the F1 season.  

RB 

 

 

Best race in years.  Glad to see real racing again and not the leader running away with it.  Looking forward for this year.

[Coral]

1 hour ago, dogs4fun said:

How interesting - I would like to visit. 

I recall seeing a program listed on HBO - think it was The Lady and the Dale. I must make a point to watch the show.

Yes - that is the series.

[dogs4fun]

@Coral - I attempted to watch The Lady in the Dale last night & found it a snooze fest. The con was just too weird for me & I thought the series poorly written and filmed. Couldn’t even finish the first episode. I did check out the Dale online - it would be interesting to see it in person.

[Coral]

1 hour ago, dogs4fun said:

@Coral - I attempted to watch The Lady in the Dale last night & found it a snooze fest. The con was just too weird for me & I thought the series poorly written and filmed. Couldn’t even finish the first episode. I did check out the Dale online - it would be interesting to see it in person.

You saved me a nap! I haven't attempted to watch it yet. I may go to the museum once it re-opens though (not right away). The plot sounded weird even though it is true....

Edited March 31, 2021 by Coral

[ural guy]

On 3/28/2021 at 11:59 AM, Canal archive said:

It’s a Wolverine not something you want to come across on a dark night. They are indigenous to North America, Canada, Sweden and Finland and a few other countries.
 

Those guys, pound for pound, kilo for kilo, are some of the strongest animals out there, and will not back down from anything.  Pretty amazing video out there, they'll take on animals much larger and win.  They're the crazy guy in the bar fight, who really enjoys a good scrap, so you just avoid at all cost.

 

Buffalo-  there use to a farm near us that raised them for meat, I would take my kids out to watch them.  They always seem pre-historic to me.  In the brutal winters out west, they survive with a super thick coat, and they use their strong neck and horns to dig through the snow down to the grass.

 

2 super neat animals, thanks for posting those.

 

Gearheads-  my choice has always been motorcycles.  Almost have 1000 miles on my FJR 1300 so far this season, and it's only been out of winter storage for 10 days.  Between that and my Ural being back on the road, my mood has skyrocketed.  It seems like so much has been out of my control lately, just like most of you with Covid.  On the backroads of upstate NY, I finally get to be mostly in charge; slightly twist my wrist and magic happens, I shift my hips and pivot through an S curve.  Closest to ballet, or being a fighter pilot, that I'll ever get.  And I always have the voices in my head to keep me entertained, with no radio or podcast interruptions.  

 

Keep the shiny side up!  Better times are coming. 

[Ritabob]

I have a need for speed!