Kristin speaking:
For Nathan's April date, I focused on his need for friendship...
best friendship. As his wife, I am supposed to be his best friend - not like his guy friends, but even more close, more intimate, and more vulnerable. I wanted to take him on a date that would allow me to learn more about him so that we could grow in our friendship.
One of Nathan's favorite interests since I've known him has been cars. He used to always send me drawings of cars with the "love letters" he wrote me in high school and college. Unfortunately, he happened to marry a girl who knows absolutely nothing about cars. I decided to change that.
I found out that the California Automobile Museum is in Sacramento, so that's where we went! It was a complete surprise to him...he didn't find out where we were going until we got there. They happened to be having a Mustang show outside of the museum that day, so there was even more to look at than I had originally intended. Nathan's face lit up as he told me all about the cars we were looking at (what was cool, what wasn't, etc.). I can't say that I am as knowledgeable about cars now as he is, but I did learn a few things:
- Original Shelby Cobra's are cool and rare...so it's awesome that we got to see one.
- Pierce Arrow cars are my cup of tea - loved every one we saw.
- My husband is a car genius.
After the car museum, we went for lunch at Fuddruckers. Over our hamburgers and chocolate chip cookies, we talked about our friendship - what makes it unique, what we like about it, how we can make it grow. It was a great day learning more about what makes Nathan the amazing individual that he is.
Nathan speaking:
Kristin's surprise date was pretty exciting, and I was giggly almost all day. It was a lot of fun to share with her all the little details and tidbits I saw on various cars, and I'm glad they had the Mustang show that day. There were many cars that weren't Mustangs, so that made it all the better.
This late-sixties Mustang was a fine work of customization. The doors swing upward, the side mirrors are built into the windshield posts, all of the upholstery was custom formed (even with a relief image of a Pegasus on the trunk lid), and the body piece behind the headrests is custom fitted and shaped.
It is a beautiful car! Not horribly practical, but beautiful.
This is a meticulous Dodge Coronet. We really liked the red and white two-toned paint scheme.
This was Linda Rondstadt's car...that apparently meant something to Kristin.
This brightly colored Dodge Super Bee looked pretty snazzy. It looks almost identical to a Plymouth Road Runner.
Kristin wants this Pierce Arrow. It was massive car... so massive that I said it could haul nine people...
and a sheep. It had seats that fold down from the sides in the back of the car.
Kristin enjoyed posing in pretty much any and every display we were allowed to touch. She even started to get down behind one of those panels you stick your face through even though it was clearly intended for small children most likely under the age of ten. But, at least she was having fun.
We were impressed by the snow skids and tracks on this old car.
I know nothing about this tow truck, but I really liked it.
I don't know what this car is, but the grill is fancy. This car's got "bling".
This is the snazzy Pierce Arrow hood ornament.
This Pierce Arrow is HUGE. It is taller than us, and there is at least eight feet between the front window and the front bumper. I can't imagine trying to learn where the front ends when driving. It would be kind of like driving a bus from a middle seat.
Kristin liked the color of blue on this Chevrolet. I liked the slotted turn signal between the front fender and the grill.
Check out the wrap-around grill with coordinated hood trim.
This old Rolls Royce has an open front seat. The rich folks apparently didn't care if their chauffeurs were seated in the rain.
Who knows what this silly gold, car is...
I really enjoy old race cars like this, although, you'd have to be half crazy to race one. The drivers often got hit in the face by rocks kicked up by their own front tires.
This is one of those rare and amazing aluminum-block 427, all-aluminum body Shelby Cobras. Aluminum was used in the body to shave weight, but it is much weaker than the usual body panels, so it damages very easily.
Here is the rare and slightly odd 1954 Corvette with wire mesh over the headlights, and the blue car behind it is the competition of the day, the Thunderbird. I could be wrong, but I believe the Corvette was one of the first cars to be built from fiberglass and use fuel injection.
This oddity is a Studebaker Avanti. It has a distinct look, and several other companies have built their own version in the years since Studebaker went under. As a side note, Studebaker started out making wheelbarrows in the gold rush.
I saw gears and had to spin them....
Yep, it was a great day of bonding over old cars. What can be better than looking at old American cars with the woman I love? Maybe if she was packing heat... but that would just be too good to be true.
