Drive to NYC... 180 miles & back safe and sound (and sweaty and tired and nearly deaf).

This AM I had to follow my wife to a doctor's appointment - I took the
Lotus as I've been using it a lot lately (300+ miles this weekend!).

After the appointment I had to head off to work - I usually take the
train 70 miles into Manhattan. I was between stations and the Dr.
office was just off the Taconic Parkway, so I thought I'd follow it
south to the next station... then the next... then the next. By the
time I got to Croton I called in to see when the next train was and
got the response 58 mins. So, I drove in.

Getting into the city at that hour was a breeze. The car ran
flawlessly and I managed to avoid 99% of the road hazards and pot
holes. My car is set up for the track and rather stiffly sprung - so
once into the city it was fairly unpleasant. It was hot too.

In the parking garage I got the premium spot next to the Ferrari, 911,
and high end MBs... car visible from the street - must be good for
business as they put all the lookers there (when I drive my 84 533i
into the city they part it in the 4th circle of hell and it takes 30
mins to get it out).

I checked the traffic cams online before heading out - and all looked
good. And, I made it out the West Side H'way and over the George
Washington Bridge to the Palasades without any traffic. However, the
Major Deegan feeder from the Palasades to the NYS Thruway as stop and
go for 20 miles. Car and driver temperatures got hot, really hot, but everything kept
humming along and I eventually broke free of the rolling parking lot
when I hit the Harriman toll plaza. From there home it was 90 mph the
entire way. Or, according to my speedo 45mph. I checked against the
mile markers and my speedo/mile counter is EXACTLY 50% off.

I made it home in one piece, my ears hurt from the SuperTrapp, I lost
10 lbs in water weight, and I got about 30 mpg for the entire trip. Seriously though, my pants were soaked - I looked like I'd entered a wet t shirt contest (and lost) even my shoes had sweat stains it was so hot.

Worse, I forgot to get water before getting into the car -- so I had nothing to drink.
I picked up a 6 pack of Bass at the Hess just down the street and cracked the first two while I pulled into my driveway - my four year old daughter had to drag my steaming, slumped body out of the car.On the Thruway, at speed, I noticed a pronounced bit of a vibration - so this AM I check out the right front suspension. The verdict is a worn tie rod end, boot is torn, and that's where the slop is. I've know about the mis-matched tie rods (left has no boot / no grease fitting) and I've been looking for a reason to swap these out and regrease the trunnions. Now I have it.

But, I won't be driving into Manhattan again any time soon. I got away
with it today, but I much prefer the twisty roads in upstate NY to the
grind of the grid.