Still 60 miles outside of Sanderson, cruising along in the new Pacifica with its airfoil shaped roof and its rear spoiler to trip the air flow.
"Mommy, why do we need to go to Sanderson, it has a population of 837, it's just a place they added water to steam locomotives. They only reason it is on the map is that there is nothing else around there to put on the map."
"Oh, but the community chipped in and they have a beautiful new church. That is where Pastor was able to raise the money to buy this new Pacifica. And it is so much nicer than the old Town and Country. And besides, they always love your singing there."
At their home church she had a group build up a whole pile of theatrical flats, and then to paint a manger scene on it. They measured the Pacifica to make sure it will fit. Then she had Shailynn put down a heavy cargo net, and then pull it back over the top, and then tie it good to that rear hatch. All good, but she can't see out the back window at all.
They come upon a guy in a 124 Fiat sedan, taking his time and going only 45mph. The FIAT has California license plates.
caranddriver.com
The Pacifica has unlocked its torque converter and it has dropped one gear, but it is still only turning 1100rpm.
Shailynn's mom doesn't use the 10-2 hand position on the steering wheel. She already graduated from the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. She knows that an air bag deployment can send a hand into your face hard enough to take out teeth. So she keeps her hands low.
Bob Bondurant, Champion Driver and Even Better Driving Instructor, Has Died
autoweek.com
And she is a master with counting cars and recognizing cars and using the side mirrors.
So she waits until they are over a knoll and then makes sure no one else is trying to pass at the same time, then she moves quickly into the left lane and snaps the accelerator pedal to the floor. The Pacifica drops another 3 gears as it winds up to 5500rpm and independently adjusts the intake and exhaust valve timing so that it roars like a Nascar, and it locks the torque converter.
Shailynn feels his spine pulled back in the chair.
The Pacifica, with close communications between the transmission computer and the engine computer, controlling ignition, fuel injection, valve timing, and its fly by wire throttle valve, makes full power upshifts with the greatest of ease.
Seeing the FIAT in the right side mirror, she pulls back into the right lane and backs off of the accelerator. As soon as she sees 65mph on the digital read out for the speedometer, she presses the button on the steering wheel spoke to engage the cruise control, as the FIAT goes back into top gear, 8th.
"They love your singing Shailynn, and they are very generous. So we are going to use these manger scene flats and make a Christmas promotional video."
SJG
understands cat eyes
tuscl.net