It was another great weekend coming up.
Mike Drew and JC and Jon Haas were coming to Ottawa, to meet some of our small but active Canadian Pantera crew. Sort of Team Pantera Canada hosts a weekend with the Yanks at Mark’s new big garage (with small house attached).
I was looking forward to seeing everyone again and enjoying another weekend bonding with my cat. The weekend before was a few hours of representing with 9 other Panteras at the Italian Car Day - along with 11 hours of riding to and from Toronto.
And as you all know, there’s nothing quite like quality time alone in the Pantera.
But one thing was bothering me. My eyes. I was seeing floaters (those little wavy lines and dots) every time I blinked. I had an appointment for a checkup with an ophthomologist on Friday morning, just before I was to leave for Ottawa - to make sure it wasn’t a retinal tear or possible detachment.
I waited forever in the doctor’s office (the pleasures of medicare) and then finally was given some eye drops which would dilate my pupils so that the doctor would be able to have a look inside my eyes. Somewhere around noon he did the examination and I got the all clear.
“Just don’t drive,” he said.
Hmmm, that could be problematic. I’m not missing the trip. It’s Friday afternoon. Others were waiting for me to hit the road – and there was a full agenda of activities waiting for us in Ottawa. I could not wait too long before leaving.
I could barely open my eyes in the sunlight. With no automatic controls to regulate the pupil dilation, my eyes would not be protected from the sun. And inside the car, behind the windshield, my transition lense glasses wouldn’t get dark enough. It was weird for sure. I could not even go outside for the first hour.
I paced around the garage, checking my tools and parts and stuff I had packed in the cat, waiting for something to happen. But all that happened was I was getting more and more antsy. And everyone was calling asking if I had left yet.
Eventually, I assured my wife that my eyes were perfect and got in the cat to head out. I would just have to adjust on the road.
Now, the field of vision in a Pantera is pretty restricted at the best of times. Trying to see behind you or in the blind spots is usually a challenge - best served by getting ahead of traffic so you know where you are mainly because you just left where you were.
In the wide bodied cars, like my GT5, the rear flares fill both side mirrors and the wing and air cleaner sitting on a hi rise intake end up obliterating just about all of the view from the rear view mirror. So dealing with this thru burning eyes that were far from normal was something to make the ride all the more interesting.
After some serious concentration to get thru the Friday traffic streaming out of town, we were in the countryside with nothing but big blue sky ahead. The cat was wonderful, purring along smoothly and strongly, responding to my slightest provocation with a roar every time I asked for it. But it was the strangest drive I ever had in the cat.
With the drops still messing with my vision, each time I blinked the sky ahead would turn bright green. Like a green screen on a movie set, the roads and trees and clouds like neat cut outs, with dark shadows against a bright lime green sky. I tried not to blink but eventually got to enjoy it.
After a while down the road the white clouds turned a wild shade of purple. So, blinking against a lime green background and watching the flaming purple clouds it was like I was thrown back to the 60s. Road trips on acid.
Nice how those memories survive.
I reached for my iPhone and selected some appropriate Hendrix to pump thru the hi tech sound system that I get to use so rarely. It was very fitting. Purple Haze, Castles Made of Sand, Crosstown Traffic. Sweet. Much louder than the roar of the Cleveland it sent me back to the past. It’s amazing how accommodating the mind can be.
Anyhow, for those conservatives who think I might have been taking chances or risking others on the road or just acting stupid driving under that influence – fear not.
Although the colors were intriguing, my vision was clear. I could see the road and cars and the signs well enough to duck behind trucks whenever my sixth sense warned me of a possible smokey hiding around a sweeper. I made the trip in decent time, without a single ticket.
I think all Pantera owners are similar in that we are all a little different from most other car enthusiasts. We seem to enjoy making each challenge a little more challenging.
After all, what would life be like without a little risk?
Original Post
in your head!!!