The title of this post is a play on the book ‘Running with the Whole Body: A 30-Day Program to Running Faster with Less Effort’ written by Jack Heggie. Written in 1996, it promises you that his revolutionary 30-day program will not only prevent you from injuring yourself, but enable you to become a smoother and more powerful runner. I’m no runner, but I do like driving.
In a previous post I’ve explained how I don’t do ordinary. I’m also prone to doing ‘roadies’ to collect items I’ve purchased online. Selling my car last year to fund the kirk was an easy decision to make, but much harder to live with than I thought it would be!
It wasn’t long before I felt the frustration of not having the independence my own ‘set of wheels’ gave me. I’d had my driver’s licence for nearly 15 years before I got my first car, but hadn’t been without one since. My lovely brother was happy to drive me around and loan me his car, but I didn’t like borrowing it from him. Likewise my 85 year-old mother was happy to lend me her car, but I didn’t like borrowing it either.
Fortunately my two lovely older sisters were happy to lend me their cars when they were out of town for extended periods of time. This gave me freedom without the guilts. I also found a couple of local car rental firms and hired everything from 10 year-old cars to more recent models.
One thing the rentals had in common was cruise control, which is a must-have for me. There’s nothing worse on a car trip than sitting in a fixed position for long periods of time without being able to move your legs. The other thing that I find helps is using my whole body for steering. Sounds a bit weird, but this is how it works for me.
If I’m driving with just my arms, I’m pulling down / pushing up with my forearms and biceps when steering around bends. This can get a bit tiring if you’re faranging around some of the minor highways and byways of the country. When I’m driving with my whole body, I’m shifting my weight from one side of my pelvis to the other and allowing my ribs to compress in the direction of the bend. This makes steering effortless and smooth, and much less tiring.
After nine months of being car-less, I succumbed to purchasing the little cutie in the featured image of this post. This is how I introduced my new car to family and friends:
“Meet Graciela (Spanish variant of Grace meaning elegant and graceful woman) my new hybrid freedom machine. Day 1 was a roadie from Hastings to Ohakune via the toilet-less Taihape-Napier road. They warn you about the absence of petrol stations, but not toilets! She’s fun to drive like my Kharmann Ghia (Marlene Von Lustbucket), comfy like my Saab (Theodora von Gwavas after we got losted in Gwavas forest), and has the driving technology of my Mazda (so boring I didn’t bother to name it). I think you’ll like driving this one <sister> – it’s got radar cruise control.”
I’m going to really enjoying cruising up to Ohakune to check out building progress. With all the technology available in cars these days, all I need to do is steer and brake when I’m going through built-up areas!
Next time: To Wi-Fi or not to Wi-Fi, that is the question
theoldkirknz.blog 