Dang, yesterday was the perfect day to get the HSD out for a short romp: severe clear and 70 degrees, highly improbable for January but hey….Problem was, between attending a funeral as a member of the choir, followed by lunch, followed by the usual weekend household chores and an early dinner with other family members, the window of opportunity faded all too quickly.  Yeah, the car still has radiator issues, it would’ve been a short drive, maybe just long enough to get up to the Phillips 66 station, top the car off and return home.

Today definitely didn’t provide an opportunity for a drive, will have to wait and see what the weather’s like on 10 February, when Triumph owners worldwide will observe Sir John Black’s birthday.  A week before, on 6 February, the Jaguar Association of St Louis will do a drive, but I’ll be in the camera car in support of the St Louis Sports Car Council’s Gateway Relay.  Another driving opportunity will take place on 19 February: St Louis Triumph Owner’s annual Polar Bear Run.

As for the TR8, the plan remains the same: radiator and hoses replacement in late March/early April, and have the car ready to roll again in time for the resumption of the Boeing Sports Car Club autocross season and Cars & Coffee.  Stay tuned…

I-55 southbound earlier this weekend.  Photo: St Louis Post-Dispatch

MLK Day, Monday morning and according to weather guessers the worst is past and we’re heading for close to 60 degrees today (!), in association with a lot more rain.  Amazingly enough, according to the 10-day forecast, we won’t see  freezing temps for a while.

The first of three waves of freezing rain and ice hit Friday morning, forcing the shutdown of a lot of government, commercial and private organizations, while also resulting in a few accidents.  Second wave?  Not as bad and the third wave, expected overnight Sat-Sun, dissipated with minimal damage.

In around the expected rain and spot t-storms, this looks like a good day to get the garage open and do some minor work on the TR8.  The major work – the radiator R&R – should take place in mid-to-late March, temps permitting; I’ll order the radiator probably around the first of the month, but will start getting the replacement hoses and other items early February.

In the meantime, SLTOA has its monthly meeting tomorrow night at the Kebob House & Taverna, 1543 McCausland (south of I-64/US 40), which is owned by a club member.  Come on out and join us!   It should be the usual organized chaos…

Observed in a lot off west Manchester on 7 January.

Got through some snow this week and have a three-day weekend coming up…which, from this AM’s weather reports, will definitely not provide much in the way of driving weather: ice pellets, followed by snow on Monday, oh BOY!