GailLA's Miata Page

April 22, 2004

Our Baby in the Garage
First picture of our 1999 Classic Red Miata, "Gnarly". Except for a little dust on the tire which is still turned from putting on the bra, this car is clean. This is what a day of washing, waxing and general futzing over the car will get you. It would have been nice to take the pics outside, but there is tree sap out there so just one pic inside before the cedars drip on it!

May 14, 2004

It took a while to take my first real road trip alone. It is a great Miata Drive. From Grass Valley follow State Route 49 to Downieville. You can walk just about all of Downieville in about an hour. I arrived in town before the Pizza Restaurant opened at11:30 am so I just grabbed a cup of coffee at the espresso place next door. While I drank my coffee, I admired that wax job on Gnarly ;-). Next I headed out of Downieville and on to Sierra City. Past Sierra City, I headed south on State Route 89. There is still snow up in the high country and it was crispy with the top down. Driving across an alpine meadow was kind of magical because the air was filled with cottonwood fluff. It was sort of like dry snow falling to go along with the snow on the mountains. I took 89 to Truckee, and then I-80 to State Route 20 back to Grass Valley.

Distance 210 miles. It took about half a day including a leisurely stop in Downieville.

Map -- click to enlarge