The Hooptie

I have just undertaken a three day workout, which might not be what you are thinking. My three day workout was an accomplishment in being brave, and as we all know bravery comes in all sizes and spices. My current triumph of bravery came in the flavor of a 2002 Dodge Neon, dark blue with a leopard blue and gray front bumper. Leopard on account of the spotted peeling paint not because this car has some sort of extra agility or speed. The object of my triumph is affectionately known as the Hooptie. Oh and the most important piece of information you need to complete the picture of my success is that the Hooptie is a standard, as in it has a manual transmission, as in the need for added powers of concentration at 7:30 am to successfully drive to work.

We had some very dear friends Mike and Lori visiting from Fairbanks and they needed a way to get around town to and from doctor appointments and shopping areas. They were handed the keys to Francesca, my normal easy driving ride to and from work, and I was to become the master of the Hooptie. Now I have driven this particular vehicle before, and knew some of the quirks associated with it, however this time it was dark winter time driving on three to four lane roads through the busy morning commute to work traffic.

We got along well, the Hooptie and I. Sure I might have hit my head on the top of the door as I reached in to grab the window ice scraper nearly seeing stars in the process. Sure I might have accidently turned on the dome light which took me five minutes in the parking garage at work to figure out my error, and well there was that moment when I shifted from second to fifth, missing third gear entirely. Oh and the one morning when I was navigating the Hooptie up the hill on Tudor to turn onto Lake Otis and prematurely down shifted into second as we hiccupped to a stop. The engine did not die but we sure looked like we were full of jumping beans.

But there were many moments of triumph that I am proud to call my own.

Thanks to the assistance of the studded tires I successfully navigated around a slow moving semi-tractor trailer and charged ahead down the road toward my work destination. There was that moment when I was last in line at the turn arrow and if I had not expertly transitioned through the gears I would still be sitting at the intersection waiting to turn left. There even was the brief stretch of road where the conditions were just so and I could shift into fifth gear to reach the posted speed limit and whoosh down the road to the home stretch and the right turn home for the night.

We got along well, the Hooptie and I. It is a great little get around town and beyond car. It starts with every turn of the key and is very forgiving if you do accidently miss-clutch.

Thank you Hooptie for taking me safely to and from work these past few days, and for helping me practice my bravery. I hope that everyone has a Hooptie in their lives, a dependable vehicle that never lets you down.

Drive safe my friends.