Last Night in Pocatello

I wrote this last night, but Mom's been too lazy tired to post it. So just pretend that it is still Sunday night.

You are getting sleepy.... You think it is Sunday night...

Our final night in the House With Wheels for a while, so I'm savoring my moments on the couch, watching teevee:

(note from Fi's Mom: yes that is an IV bag - TaiChi gets fluids under the skin so she doesn't get dehydrated; with the couch there, the kitchen cabinet is the best place to hang it), harassing TaiChi and making sneak attempts at stealing cat food (note from Fi's Mom: somewhat unsuccessfully, but not entirely).

This weekend was Octoberfast (yes, I KNOW it's September; but you know humans - they don't ever seem to be quite on the ball); which is apparently a big rivaly autocross race between the Utah and Eastern Idaho regions. It is held every year at the Pocatello regional airport (which means that sometimes they have to stop the race so a plane can taxi on the side of tarmac) where the races are held.


Mom and Dad went two years ago when they were racing the Mini Cooper, and it snowed!!!! Mom and Dad were VERY happy that the Mini had a roof, and a windshield, and, best of all - says Mom - heated seats! (Note from Fi's Mom: Yep. The heated seats were HEAVENLY!!! It was COLD then!)

Mom in the Mini two years ago. For the record, this was the first time Mom ever spun a car. A front-wheel drive car, at that! Additionally for the record, this weekend Mom spun a front wheel drive car both days! Must be something about Idaho! Heehee!

This weekend, however, was nothing like that. Instead of snow, it was sunny and warm, and beautiful!

We arrived in Pocatato on Friday in the House With Wheels, and Uncle Charlie and his kids arrived shortly after we did with the Corvette in the trailer. Mom wasn't feeling well (she had a cold - she's getting better now), so she decided to hang out in the motorhome with us while Dad and Uncle Charlie did a practice session in the Corvette. Apparently the tires were a little more worn than they had thought, so after the practice session the tires were getting "thin".

Because this event is a BIG rivalry between Utah and Eastern Idaho, there were a lot of Utah people here, including a couple (Ed and Carolyn, for reference) who had offered on multiple occasions to let Mom drive the wife's car, a Chevy Cobalt SS (apparently is it "super-charged"- whatever that means). Wanting to help save the tires so that "the boys" (as Mom calls Dad and Uncle Charlie) could get as many runs out of them as possible, Mom asked Carolyn if the offer to drive her car was still open, and the answer was a resounding yes.

So on Saturday morning, Mom found herself driving the Cobalt. The last time we were up here in Pocatato, this summer (for, you guessed it.... Summerfast), when the Miata (aka The Grenade) broke, she drove another Cobalt. So it wasn't like this was the FIRST time she had been in a front-wheel drive car since the Mini, but her experience was limited.

Anyhoo, it turns out that Mom was the more experienced driver of the two women. Really. Seriously. Mom is actually more experienced than someone. Yeah, I can't believe it, either. So she ended doing stuff. Like checking tire pressures. And adjusting tire pressures when she didn't think they were right. You have to understand that in the past, Mom would sometime checks tire pressures, but she checked them to be whatever level she was told they were supposed to be. But this weekend? Mom actually made Her Own Decisions about tire pressures in an attempt to make a car run more to her liking. My. Mom. (!!!) This is just groundbreaking stuff for her!

And Mom clearly had a ball. She was giggling and smiling, and very obviously very happy.

So, after the first day, Mom was all excited about changes that she was going to make on Sunday to make the Cobalt run even better. It's a stock car, so there is only so much she could do. Besides, her knowledge is pretty much limited to tire pressures! But after the first day, Dad and Uncle Charlie had pretty much run the life out of the tires on the Corvette, and they weren't sure what they were going to do.

Ed, Carolyn's husband, has a new model Corvette, and had offered to let Dad drive his Corvette.


Dad in another Big Yellow Car. What is with these people and Big Yellow Cars?!? Oh. Yeah. Corvettes are SUPPOSED to be yellow. Porsches are red.


So Dad took him up on the very generous offer, and Ed even offered his car to Uncle Charlie, as well. I guess there were some set-up issues with the Corvette, too, so Dad and Uncle Charlie worked with Ed to get his car running better. And at the end of the day? It sure seemed like everyone had a good time, and I know Mom was very excited about learning and being an "example" this weekend. And she still got to hit cones, so she was happy! *grin*

Me? I had a great time!!! Because we were at an airport that is (or maybe was) a military base of some sort, there are all these little streets with no houses, and Mom took me on lots of walks.


And there was lots of pee mail to check!


And we played tug-of-war with the leash. Mom said she had to take this picture specifically because she wanted to post it on the internet so all my friends could see that I look like a doofus. THANKS, Mom! (Don't be surprised if I leave a present for you some cold morning! Teehee!)

And I got to bark at cars, and people. This car (an A Mod, for those of you who might wonder) broke in the test and tune on Friday, but the owners were around all weekend, and I got to bark at them a few times, since they were parked right in my teevee.

And yes, we have a little trash can by our door. That's because we are "responsible". (That's what Mom says, at least...)

It was REALLY fun. I'm so glad we came.


And here is Mom, being all artistic like. The airport is also a military base (I think - there were a couple of Hueys that landed on the second day - Mom was working and didn't get pictures, but it was an impressive sight, if somewhat chilling for some of the racers who had seen similar helicopters in, ah, less congenial environments), hence the barbed wire.

But there were plenty of places for me to walk around, and I was Quite Happy.


And so now, rather than getting home in the dark, Mom and Dad decided to spend the night camped where we were all weekend, and we'll leave in the morning. Now I'm off to harass TaiChi!

*kissey face*
-Fiona, The Autocross Dog!

Pee Ess. We are home now, and TaiChi and Bufus and I are snoozling, as any hard traveling people should do. My stummy is much better - after I saw the vet on Wednesday, I took some pills (covered in peanut butter - thanks, Mom!), and I didn't throw up again after I saw Dr. McDonald. But thanks for all the comments. And so you know, TaiChi and Bufus are traveling pros; we are happy to be home, but we are all really happy that we get to go with Mom and Dad when they travel. There is nothing better!