Reflecting on this past weekend’s family activities offers insight into the priority the Ford hobby plays in my life and the life’s of my family members during “these economic times.”
Sunday is a special day in our household. It is the one day each week the entire family (all four of us) are together from sunrise to sundown. The day usually offers some special outdoor activity for my boys who are just 1 and 3 years old. Like most American families, we are especially cost-conscious right now but are reluctant to hunker down in the house every weekend just to save money.
From September 18 – 20 the local Air Races were in full swing here in Reno, NV. The Air Races bring the musclecars of the aviation world to our hometown, the P51 Mustangs. The Blue Angels were also invited this year to show off their skills. This would be a perfect event to show my boys so we decided to go until we realized it was $27.00 per adult for entry and bringing your own food was prohibited. As a father, I did the quick math and multiplied by 1.25 to account for hidden costs.
Considering the show, the price was fair. Afterall, these are some very special planes that take big dollars to operate and maintain. However, there had to be a better option. We hopped in the Ford Freestyle and drove to an obscure off-road spot in the desert hills outside the airport. Surprisingly, there were at least 30 other cars spread respectfully across the desert landscape with the same idea… to watch the warbirds within the negative space on the perimeter of the airport, free of charge. It was awesome. Right overhead and loud! To top off the savings, we skipped the usual pre-made Deli sandwiches and worked with the ham, cheese, and sliced bread we already had in the house. Total savings for the day was easily $100 and the entertainment was spectacular.
To make the day complete, we went home and put the kids to sleep. Shortly after, I put one cold Blue Moon in my toolbag (yes, one!) and rolled down to Pick N’ Pull. Found a good ’86 Turbo Coupe in the back of the nearly empty yard, popped the top and pulled some gems. Total cost… $30. It was a great day… even in “these economic times.”
You might also like
Modded Ranger Raptor Roars On The Dyno With 700-Plus Horsepower
Nathan “Dirt” Derrick worked with ZFG Racing to make big Ranger Raptor power. With mods, his EcoBoost pickup made more than 700 horsepower.
