Opinions & Editorials
tripleZoom Op/Ed: What Do I Know? - Spring Cleaning
By by: A.J. Teixeira
Apr 26, 2005, 08:02

Ground Hog Day was a disappointment this year, as Punxsutawney Phil indeed saw his shadow and sentenced us all to 6 more weeks of winter. What ever happened to Global Warming?

So we’re all a little anxious to see things warm up, since the wait was extra long this year. That just makes the arrival of spring even sweeter.

First things first, if you winterized your summer ride, now is the time to start getting it ready for the road again.

Trickle-charge that battery, change the oil again, like you did just before storing and covering it - you did that, right? Get it ready for the warmer days ahead.

If you live in the Snow Belt, odds are you have a white layer of salt and road grime, and it’s time to wash that off. Don’t forget the under carriage. Start the driving season off with a good coat of wax, also.

Those winter tires ought to be coming off soon, and you’ll be glad to have the summer tires back on again. Check the tire pressures while you’re at it, and this would be a good time to clean those rims. If they’re painted, go ahead and wax them for good measure.

After all that snow and ice, your wiper blades probably look more like a wiper brush. Swap those out as well, and don’t forget the rear wiper on your Tribute or MPV. Rain X can help keep all the other windows clear, so apply a fresh coat of that as well.

If yours is a Miata and you have a hard top, make room in the shed for it. Just get that patio furniture out of there.

Store your snow boots, and break out your driving moccasins. They’re in the back of your closet, behind the work shoes. Find your string-backed gloves and sun glasses, too.

If you’re lucky enough to own a Nomex driving suit, take it to your dry cleaner because by now it smells like a high school locker room.

Ready to go? Not quite.

If you made an automotive resolution this year, it’s likely you told yourself to get more driver training or at least some time at the track. I’m not talking Driver’s Ed, I’m talking Bob Bondurant or Panoz. You didn’t do as well as you’d hoped last year at Mazda’s Rev It Up event, now, did you?

So depending on your budget, plan ahead for some fine-tuning of your skills at your favorite driving school. At least plan for autocross or a Friday At The Track (FATT) event. Summit Point is calling your name.

As the daffodils start to bloom and the days get longer, you’ll be glad you started your Spring Cleaning early. You can thank Punxsutawney Phil for giving you a little extra time to prepare. And what is summer without a nice road trip? Perhaps this would be a good year to visit Punxsutawney, PA, and do that covered bridge tour your significant other has wanted to do all this time.

Tell Phil I said "Hi."

For more discussion on this story, click on the link to our discussion forums to the left.

© Copyright 2003 by YourSITE.com