Robert Hall

Had the Jeep in at the dealer for oil change, tire rotation, front and rear axle fluid replacement, transfer case oil change a couple weeks ago. Today, got a set of Westin Oval 4" side steps installed. Running great at 69k miles.

Since most 1/2 trucks sold now are 4drs with very short beds (basically used as big sedans by normals), this would make sense...

Yes, pricy toys, nothing for real truck use.

Interesting...another integral cab/bed like the Silverado EV. I wonder when they are going to do a normal separate cab/bed pickup EV?

Yeah, I wonder if it's going to have an Avalanche-tribute rear or a more normal bed.

At the dealer for some service, wandering around checking out their inventory. Only 1 WL GC on the lot, a black 4xe at $60k. Several new and used Wagoneers in the $70-85k range (hilarious, they had a white Wagoneer for $84k w/o a sunroof...). A well worn used Tesla Model Y. A clean ‘16 CT6 AWD 3.0TT ($32k w/ 73k miles) ‘16 C7 ($36k) and a ‘23 C8 ($84k) Lots of new and used Chargers and Challengers.

Back from a quick trip to Plano, Texas to my company's HQ for meetings. We took an Uber Black from DFW airport Monday--a new black Suburban..very nice. Traffic is heavy and fast on the tollways around the Dallas area...was cruising along at 80-90. Yesterday returned to the airport in an Uber Tesla Model 3. Reasonably spacious inside for 3 passengers+ driver...very minimalist dash, plastics seemed relatively cheap. Huge rear window/skylight. Decent headroom but have to watch the sloping roofline getting in/out of the backseat. Strange door handles inside and out. Fast, but a lot of tire/wind noise on the freeway. Sitting in the back it was fun watching the battery gauge go down just like on a cell phone..the side/rear view camera views on the screen were neat when passing. Didn't see much of note around the hotel or the various restaurants/venues we went to in the Plano/Frisco/Addison area, but did see a couple Hellcat Challengers (one orange, one purple), a matte black Lambo Urus (first one I think I've seen), a sharp dark green modified early 70s Camaro on the freeway, Saw lots of trucks. Rode in a coworker's current gen F150 super crew..big interior, comfortable. Did see Toyota's massive US HQ, less than a mile from my office. Had some good BBQ yesterday, sampled a variety of local beers over the 3 days.

Wasn't familiar w/ this band, but I like this track...'Thrill' by Future Islands. Heard it last night in the latest episode of Showtime's 'American Gigilo' series. Guy has an interesting voice and the synths are great.. Which lead to this song, which has a cool video w/ some driving w/ an Civic and an Impreza I think.. Another track by Future Islands..

A third row makes no sense in something as small as the EQB...remember, this thing is smaller than an Equinox.

Googled the EQB, the local Benz dealers are listing them for $60-66k...all black, gray or white..what a dull looking turd. Couldn't imagine spending that much on such a nothing vehicle.

The colors I like on the modern 'Vette are the brown, bronze, and dark green...some were one year only (2020 or 2021) I think...alas, most people go for the obnoxious bright colors.

Saw 3 C8s last week on vacay…a bright blue one on a small town Ohio Chevy dealer lot, one in this highlighter yellow on I-86 in NY and a dark gray one park beside a church’s sign in Erie PA (odd way it was parked, was there two days).

Clean, pleasant enough. Side profile / greenhouse reminds me of the KL Cherokee... the rear w/ the taillights and how Honda is spelled out gives it a Dodge feel...with a different grille this could be a 2nd gen Journey appearance.

I haven’t been in an IKEA in years. I used to pass one on my commute in Chandler, AZ and would occasionally stop in for the meatballs or lingonberry somethings in their cafe. Liked their food.

I felt less crappy yesterday and felt fine today. Weather has been nice the last couple of days, been enjoying walking the dogs. Clambake season, going to try and go to one this weekend, lots of restaurants doing them.

Feeling seriously icky today…chills, aches and pains, really tired and washed out feeling the day after 2 vaccinations. Heard this is pretty common.

Got my flu shot and the upgraded Pfizer Covid booster today…still planning to wear a mask when I fly next week…first flights since Jan ‘20, going to my company HQ in Plano, Tx for engineering team meetings.

The Polestar 2 does look quite a bit like the small Volvo CUV (XC40?). It does, though have tiny badging that says Polestar 2 Battery Electric Vehicle spelled out on the doors...the ones I saw were both generic white w/ black badging on the doors.

On my vacation last week, I did see a fair number of EVs out and about, most on the freeways and near the freeways. Saw a couple Polestar 2s, a couple EV6 and Ionic 5s, the usual Teslas (my hotel in Erie had 6 superchargers in the lot, saw one Model S charging up)., a couple Bolts, one Lucid Air (first I'd seen in person, pretty slick). Once I got out into the backroads and wilds of PA, though, it was mostly all trucks, SUVs, and Camrys. Did see a very nice green/white late 70s K5 Blazer...

On vacation this week, rambling around NE Ohio, Western PA and Western NY. In Erie PA today, off to Lake Chautauqua and Jamestown, NY tomorrow, then the Allegheny National Forest and down to Pittsburgh Friday. Been rainy the last few days, but clearing today. Saw a few 30s Ford hot rods on Sunday, a clean ‘64 Corvette convertible today, a bright blue and a gray C8 today. Trying to relax and not think about work and real life and enjoy some hiking and beach time. Though I did bring my laptop just in case.

Looking forward to seeing it in person. I like the current generation. I like the red convertible w/ the red seat trim. A V8 convertible w/ a manual would go nicely w/ my '69 and '87.

Nice weather today. Went to the beach and saw a lot of Corvettes out and about, incl 3 C8s. The oldest I saw was this ‘68 convertible. snd

I'm sticking with my 2020 iPhone SE, even though the battery life is not good. I don't need face id, and I don't like the large form factor of the regular and Max iPhones. A small phone that fits in my pocket is fine for me.

Went to two concerts this weekend--The Fixx Friday night in Kent, and Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band in Pittsburgh last night. Great shows...lots of songs I grew up listening to in the 80s... Starr's band included Steve Luthaker of Toto (did 'Rosanna', 'Africa', 'All the Way'), Colin Hay of Men at Work (did 'Down Under, Overkill, Who Can it Be Now'), Edgar Winter, and others....lots of fun... lots of driving also. The gridlocked traffic after the show getting out of downtown Pittsburgh was tedious last night.

Haven't seen in that green...sharp. The Stinger is a good looking car...neighbor down the street has a battleship gray one w/ black wheels.