urban ku # 99 ~ avoiding the bends
Monday, August 27, 2007 at 10:12AM 
Decompression chamber • click to embiggenAfter about 1,000 miles of weekend travels that included such highlights as 60 miles of stop-and-go traffic on the Jersey Turnpike, creep-and-crawl on a Philadelphia "express"way and 2 deja vu all over again visits - one with college boy, one with college girl - to 2 different but identical Target stores (hundreds of miles apart), I'm soooo happy to be back in the real world.
The trip did feature a good Philly cheesesteak and a very eclectic restaurant meal where we got my 83 year old mother-in-law rather toasted on fine wine. And, of course, the princess daughter is now officially a college girl.
It's official • click to embiggenThe only really disturbing experience of the trip came after the dorm move-in when we were walking about campus - a traditional picture-perfect ivy/brick/granite hallowed halls park-like campus set in a very tony urban neighborhood - and noticed that all of the parking lots were filled to the brim with SUVs. Of course, the plates indicated that most were from places that feature very rugged and challenging terrain and inhospitable weather - you know, places like Pennsylvania, Virginia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maryland and the like, so I guess it's easy to understand why all these vehicles were so needed by their owners.
Actually, it's times like that that make me wish I were driving an 18-wheeler filled with the rotting carcasses of dead Emperor penquins (the ones dying as result of global warming) - enough of them to leave one on the hood of every SUV in the parking lots.
Reader Comments (8)
You do have a way with words...
actually...they are being quite environmentally friendly by owning those. You see, they cram as many friends and other students as they can inside of them and carpool. 20 friends in a Chevy Suburban XLT is better than 20 friends in 10 hyundais don't you think?
again...the range on that camera is amazing. that and the Pentax K10D are on my list to research more.
carpool? to where? the cafeteria?
the SUVs were there for freshman drop-off and would be returning home later that day to their full-time duty as status rides for mom and dad.
if the need is to carpool people, there are plenty of more space and fuel efficient vehicles than SUVs for that purpose.
Hey, Massachusetts is challenging --the drivers here are vicious!!
I thought the big ass SUV's were well on their way to becoming stigma rides rather than status rides.
I am usually against pointless SUVs, but after getting in the habit of taking two young kids and a dog on countless camping trips, carrying two sea kayaks and gear, weekend trips to Lake Tahoe, and hauling dirt, rubbish and whatnot I'm thinking about a hybrid Highlander. SUVs have their place when used for SUV-like activities.
Well, those SUVcars are quite impressive, They express the selfishness of the owners I think. In the country where I live (Holland) they will be banned from certain places, because they need to much space.
Except from the huge use of fuel, these cars are very unsafe, not to say deadly,for pedestrians an bikers.
So lets get rid of them!
What exactly is is official? That Mag's looks just her mother?