Scottish Elises

…driving an Elise in the dead of night without the roof…

~ warm / fuzziness ~

I’ve hardly driven the car since the SIDC day on the 7th – Being somewhat mortified at my lack of pace / at times ragged driving I’ve subconsciously left the Elise languishing in the drive, preferring to use my family tin-top instead…

However on Wednesday night I had to pop through to my folks to collect some stuff, and decided to fire Elsie up…After the usual histrionics associated with starting an elderly S1 which has lain outside on a wet drive for a while, I got going, sans roof…

I reckon around this point I realised that there’s something quite magical about the Elise that perhaps I’d forgotten in my focus on track performance – The run out to my parents was to a gorgeous sunset, which was somehow enhanced when viewed over the curves of the front clamshell…

The run back was even better – No traffic, the warm amber glow of the stack and burble of the stainless steel exhaust…You always tend to get strange looks when you drive around in the pitch black without the roof, but part of me feels that this is really what Elise ownership is all about…You feel completely at one with the car, and when I launched it off an empty roundabout, down a straight stretch of ‘B’ road at around 100 tuts, I reckon there’s no other feeling in the world quite like it…

Needless to say, there’s absolutely no way the Elise will ever again be spending so much time dormant in my drive – I feel privileged to have the opportunity to drive a car like this, let alone own one…

~ /warm, fuzziness ~

Ross.

Aw, Ross, you getting in touch with your feminine side?! Next thing you'll be getting married. D'oh, you are!!

Know what you mean though. A number of my runs in the car this year have been at night, minus the roof. Campaganza journey to Skye was the highlight.

Even the run back from Lawrence's on Saturday, just down the m-way, was pretty sublime.

You gotta love 'em, right enough.

Campbell

you been at the weed again?

Scotty C wrote:you been at the weed again?

Nah - Just getting a bit sentimental in my old age...I turn 30 tomorrow...(!)



Ross.

Happy birthday Ross, you still look to young to drink though.

tut

Cheers guys!

Off to Edinburger in a few hours to drown my sorrows with my good lady...Night's digs booked at the Scotsman, with swanky restaurant and George Street drinks beforehand...

Hic!



Ross.

Happy birthday you old git

Welcome to the most inexclusive club in this community!

As opposed to me, as I think I am in the most exclusive one........

tut

Tut - you really are a one off - for which we are all truely grateful

Fluoxetine wrote:…driving an Elise in the dead of night without the roof…

Have to admit that some of my most enjoyable runs were at night with the roof off with Skye all wrapped beside me. Hopefully might get to do it again someday (Though didn't win the Elise Fifth Gear were giving away last week )

One run I remember really well was when Skye and I went for a midnight run at the bells and being able to hear and see fireworks exploding all over the sky as we toured the Glasgow area as they brought in the new year. The wobbly characters in the City streets smiled as we drove past and were frinedly and happy. We even got challenged to a race from traffic lights by a guy in a motorized wheelchair (well let him win from the first set ) . You wouldn't be part of these celebrations in an ordinary car but the Elise normally brings a smile to peoples faces, not just in the car. The night was finished off with a run up the campsies

Happy birthday Ross, make the most of your Elise and if you do want to leave it unused on a drive then I have room on my drive

Iain