Chapter 4

Reasonably flabbergasted ... she surprised me ... again. I mulled over the possible consequences. Her performance behind the wheel was careful, situational awareness was excellent. Even though we were the only people present, she looked both ways, set her emergency brake when opening doors ... and generally displayed all the earmarks of safe driving.

“Let me think on it,” I said.

Back at the base, she cooked up my favorite, Baked Italian spaghetti with grilled mild sausage, steamed garden grown vegetables, crusty garlic bread ... and chianti. I have a grape malady ... no wine for me. I made regular purchases of craft beers ... the meal was presented with a mild porter.

Replete ... I leaned back in my chair, sighed, wiped my lips, sipped the porter ... the staff cleared away and Gen pounced.

“Well?”

I knew what she wanted.

“Is it legal?” I asked.

“Chief Barnsley...”

We have a chief of police ... Barnsley coordinates with the local agency ... who ... by the way ... were fully cognizant of the change of ownership. They didn’t care for it ... until they were visited by the Alphabet Soup. We pay well and ... money, don’t you know.

So the locals patrol on a regular basis ... the Gibraltar cops rove and many of the area Deputies show up for the scenery ... in the spring, summer and fall ... our little community college is popular ... and cheap. The beach is clothing optional ... Canada is just accros the river and they don’t seem to care.

“Chief Barnsley should be here soon. Hi, Chief.”

“Hi Genevieve ... Mr. Austin.”

Oh sure ... notice the kid first and then the adult.

Barney ... surely you expected that ... said, “It’s private property. As long as you stay on our side and you obey the traffic laws ... have at it. If you’re going to have exhibitions of speed ... do it at the runways. Okay ... show me the cars.”

I drove ... since there were only two single seaters ... I had to drive back home ... rats.

The Eighty was a shock.

“I didn’t know this was here ... ah ... oh ... that’s cute.”

After the demonstration ... at the airbase ... Barney said, “70 KPH ... no problem. I think there are going to be more of these.”

There was quite the audience ... spectators ... followers. The pair had driven south on the Green Road to Rucker and west to Meridian ... the wise would turn left on Meridian ... the show-offs turned right, past the school.

They did an exploratory turn through the school parking lot ... chased each other, they did. The parade of followers commenced after they left the school.

Then a right turn on Manchester ... a little cat and mouse demonstration on Manchester ... Manchester is residential... 25 miles an hour, please. Right on East River ... East River is a through road... 35 mph ... but it’s also residential ... pay attention ... driveways.

35 is getting up there in these little cars.

Right on Groh ... left at the first Airbase access ... Private property ... hairpin on the perimeter ... blast past the Quarry ... left ... through the trees, right at the first opportunity and on to the old runway ... exhibition of speed ... run the triangle and stop at home.

East Grosse Ile has a bunch of retired folks, Bored retired people. Retired first rate die makers ... class act machinists, bored middle level executives and their wives ... and a few grandchildren.

The little cars struck a chord. Not go-karts ... adult karts with motorcycle wheels. By the end of summer? Twenty five miniature representations of bygone and missed single seat open wheel racecars.

Class guidlines were set, to wit:

A cyclekart is a one-seat car using Honda or similiar 17 × 1.75 or 2 inch (432 × 44 or 51 mm) rims, 17 × 2.50 (432 × 64 mm) tires, a 38-inch (965 mm) track, wheelbase as close to 66 inches (1676 mm) as the aesthetics of the car will allow, weight no more than 250 lbs (113 kg), and powered by a 200 cc class, single cylinder, 6.5 hp (4.85 kW) Honda or Honda Clone OHV engine (the GX200 or Predator 212). A cyclekart should not cost more than $1100 to build in 1975 dollars and the driver is required to build their own car. Power is transmitted via a Comet TAV-30 or clone torque converter unit to the rear axle. Braking is also on this same axle by disc brake. Certain deviations allowed by aclaim

. (Wikipedia.)

Welding classes ... wheel truing ... steering geometry ... safety. The Junior College started a Continuing Education Class ... Cycle karts 101. Instructor: Genevieve Austin.

Then it was Races Friday and Saturday ... potluck dinner on the grounds Sunday.

The first time a wife tried a car ... yes ... you bet. A whole new group.

Detroit heard rumors ... attendance soared

They weren’t bored.

Neither was Gen.