Buick Enclave

Now that I'm back to traveling, I'll be doing my vehicle reviews again.  Hopefully since it has been a while, there will be some new models to drive.

When the shuttle pulled into the rental lot, there was the Buick Enclave right at the end.  I don't recall having had this vehicle before.  I was too anxious because I didn't realize until I got to the office that the key did not have a fob.

Not having a fob breaks one of my cardinal renting rules but it was too late.  It drove me crazy for the rest of the week.

The Enclave is a big vehicle.  It sits fairly tall and is quite wide...deceptively so.  It is actually kind of tricky to park because it is so wide. 

I am a rearview mirror user. The Enclave has a backup camera.  The display is in the rearview mirror.  The display is seamlessly integrated and is quite large..like half the mirror.  I actually found the size to be distracting. Probably once you've used it for a while, the camera and its display would be helpfull. Better get used to it because I think the backup camera and display are going to be standard.

The Enclave does not get very good gas mileage but I don't think that is why people buy one.  You definitely feel safe in this one. 

But there is a design flaw..a small but iritating one.  It was a stormy rainy week in Charlotte so the wipers were important.  I could not for the life of me find the control for the rear wiper.  Being a crossover, the back glas gets roadspray so the rear wiper is very important.  Granted I should have researched the control loacation when I first got the car but I didn't.

It wasn't until the next day in daylight that I finally found the switch. The flaw is that the control is hidden by the shifter.  Even when you know where it is, the control is difficult to use.

Overall the Enclave is a very nice vehicle. I don't think I'd want one though.

It looks like a mess but tastes so good

This is the incredible Isles Bun and Coffee coffee cake.  Famously known for their cinnamon buns, its the coffee cake that gets me going every weekend.

coffee cake

Off to a good start

I'm back to business travel.  And my first flight was an upgrade from coach to first class!

On Monday I got to the airport a little later than I planned.  The security lines were very long and moved at a slow pace.  I knew the gate and it was near security so I was not too concerned.

I was not anticipating an upgrade because this was my first flight in several months and it was just a smaller regional jet.  By the time I got through security it was past the start of boarding...Delta starts boarding way early.  I stopped at the ATM and Caribou Coffee.

When I got to the gate boarding had started as expected.  I didn't know where they were in boarding so went up to the gate agent and handed my boarding pass.  She said "Oh, there you are." and took my boarding pass and gave me the first class seat!  Sweet!

The flight was uneventful which is always what you want.  There was a full breakfast even.

I'm in Charlotte, North Carolina.  It looks like I'll be traveling here for a long time.  The weather is muggy and warm...so not what Minnesota has been like for the past several weeks.  It was 72 degrees this morning which is warmer than it has been back home since August.

Apple pie #1

Okay, it may not look pretty but there is nothing like a home made apple pie.  Especially with an apple and currants from my own garden.

It's just one apple and a mess of a pie crust.  One of what could be many because there are lots of apples.

Subaru Forester

Surprise!  I'm not traveling but I have a vehicle review.  Dave probably thought I forgot.

On our Spring Green, Wisconsin road trip we took Dave's brand new Subaru Forester.  The new 2011 Forester is much more a crossover vehicle than the old girls-of-a-certain-nature wagon.

It tool nearly the entire trip before Dave would relinquish the wheel.  Like I said it is brand new so he was enjoying the drive himself.  Driving the hills and turns of rural Wisconsin must have been fun, Dave.  I finally got to drive once we were securely on the interstate.

None-the-less the Forester drives smooth and Dave's V6 model has tons of power.  This version of the Forester stands higher than a standard wagon though not as high as my Ford Escape.  This version also has a nice wide stance with a good feel to the wheel and suspension.  There is lots of glass making road trip a treat as passenger or driver.

I'm not ready

My outdoor thermometer says it is 38 degrees.  I covered the tomatoes and peppers and geraniums.  May get to 60 today but warming up over the weekend.

Annual Spring Green, Wisconsin road trip.

Last weekend was the annual Spring Green,  WI - American Players Theater trip.
This year Rose, Dave and Jeff drove from Minneapolis. And Michael and Megan drove from Iowa. The weather was amazing and gorgeous.

Rose was challenged to find a hotel with available rooms even having started several months ago. No hotel was available in Spring Green so we ended up in Dodgeville, about 18 miles away. We've stayed in Dodgeville before but never at the Don Q Inn.

As you can see the Don Q Inn has a very special feature... this Boeing Stratofreighter in the front.

And that's kind of just the start of it.  We enjoyed our stay at the quirky Don Q Inn.

The show at APT was The Critic by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. On my gosh! The production was hysterical. At one point in the second act, I had tears streaming down my face from laughing so hard.