RICK @ the RACES .TEXAS TRIP (1 to 11 April 2015)
1 April Salmon Run Mall Car Show, Watertown NY
4 April Gator Motorplex, Willis, Texas
I always like to get away at Easter on a road-trip, but this year was going to be a little different, and I was really looking forward to it. I was heading to Austin, Texas for a week at my daughter, Carla’s place. As I’ve done in previous vacation reports, I’ll tell you about it day by day.
Wednesday 1 April.
After lunch , I left home in Cornwall, Ontario in my HHR bound for the USA border at Ogdensburg NY. Once into New York State, I drove down to Watertown, arriving there at about 4-00 pm.
The Salmon Run Mall in Watertown were hosting a race car show organized by the local Can Am Speedway at nearby Lafargeville. There was a good display of cars which I quickly took pictures of, before heading back on the road.
My destination was the Best Western Hotel beside the airport in Syracuse, where I’d be staying the night, ( for a Park and Fly deal) prior to a next morning flight. Once booked in, I took off for Tullys in North Syracuse for an evening meal, before retiring for the night.
Thursday 2 April
After breakfast, the Hotel shuttle bus drove me over to the terminal where I awaited my first flight of the day, to Newark, New Jersey. Once in Newark I awaited my connection flight to Austin. As usual, when connection flights are concerned I had the inconvenience of delays, and was about an hour late arriving in Texas about 7-00 pm . I was met at the airport by Carla, son in law Alex and my two year old grandson Benji. Before long we were back at their place in the north of the city.
Friday 3 April (Good Friday)
Alex had to go into work on Good Friday so first thing on the agenda for Carla, Benji and me, was a toddlers Easter Egg Hunt in a park, that had been organized by their residents association.
After a sumptuous lunch at the Golden Coral we took a ride over to their new house. They were in the proccess of moving to a new place they’d bought in Leander (an area of Austin)
They were due to move in, in a weeks time, and part of my vacation was going to be utilized as a ‘removal man’. As you can imagine, they had plenty of things to do, so I’d arranged to ‘get out of their way’ for the day, on Saturday.
Saturday 4 April.
Lucky for me, Alex and Carla are a two car family, and I had the use of Alex’s silver Mazda SUV/cross-over for my Saturday plans ( they have two Mazdas the same) . Around mid day I left Austin, in the direction of Houston where at nearby Willis, the Gator Motorplex is located. It was about a three hour drive from Austin, and after taking it leisurely, I was there around 4-30 pm.
The Gator Motorplex is a dirt oval speedway of about, a quarter mile and amongst the well appointed list of divisions, the IMCA Modifieds and 350 Sprint Cars were my main point of interest.
I was made very welcome by the speedway staff and I joined the track photographer out on the middle. The track surface, which was a lovely red clay was in excellent shape and the racing was first class.
I watched most of the nights racing but with a long journey back to Austin, on unfamiliar roads I decided to leave early.
The Gator MotorPlex, Willis TX became
Track # 218 on my TRACK CHASER TOTALS
Sunday 5 April (Easter Sunday)
We had a relaxing family day with a lovely Sunday roast cooked by Carla.
Monday,Tues, Wednesday, 6/7/8 April
Both Carla and Alex had to work the rest of the week, while Benji was at play school , so I had the use of Carla’s white Mazda for my ‘removal man job’. Although a removal company had been booked for the actual move, there was stuff that needed to be taken to the new place before the day.
On Tuesday it was Alex’s birthday so I met him at work, and we went out to a great eatery called ‘Bone Daddy’s’ for lunch. In the evening, I baby-sat Benji while he and Carla went out for supper.
I was due to fly back first thing on Thursday, so we all went out to eat at PF Changs Chinese restaurant on Wednesday night.
Thanks to the world of technology, I was able to keep up to date with the progress of the Ottawa Senators and their fight for a Stanley Cup Play Off spot, during my stay in Texas by listening on-line via my lap-top. While I was away, wins came their way against Tampa Bay Lightening, Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins, but suffered a loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs
Thursday 9 April
Carla drove me to the Airport first thing in the morning for my flight back to Syracuse via Chicago. Illinois. On arrival at the airport I had some bad news, with my Chicago flight being delayed. Nasty weather and Tornado’s in the Illinois area and Mid-West had caused major disruptions. My 8-20 am flight kept getting delayed, and delayed until it became obvious, I wouldn’t make it in time for my connection for Syracuse. I had to phone my company in Cornwall, to say I couldn’t get back into work for 5-30 am the next day, so was given the day off. Luckily the airline were able to jiggle my flights, and got me on to a plane to Atlanta, Georgia, that could get me back. Instead of leaving Austin at 8-20 am as expected, I eventually got out of there at about 6-30 pm bound for Atlanta. I had enough time in Atlanta to grab a bite to eat before my Syracuse flight at 9-00 pm. ( I actually got to try ‘catfish and chips’ for the first time, from the airport Popeye’s, and it was really good ! ) I got into Syracuse at 11-00 pm and by the time I’d picked up my HHR from the Best Western it was 11-30 pm. A quick stop for some groceries was made at the 24 hour Walmart at Central Square before heading towards home. I crossed the border at Ogdensburg at 2-00 am and by 3-00am on Friday morning I was back home in Cornwall.