GRANDPARENTS ON THE GO..'CAMP GRANDMA'

Jayden learning to sew a straight stitch

"Camp Grandma"  ---- Spending one week with my six-year old granddaughter brought back such fond memories of summers home with my own children 30 some-odd years ago.  However, I don't remember being so patient and listening so intently.  I don't remember giving them choices of milks like chocolate and strawberry or even a hint of mocha.  I don't remember saying "that's ok" when something spilled or reading more than one book at night.  Did I really show my granddaughter to sew and iron this past week? Yes I did.

Making a Father's Day gift for her dad

   We did group trips with Mrs. Burford and her grandchildren and we had some unexpected adventures that turned in to lessons.  There is much to tell and much to learn from this past week.  I hope to share it on this blog including the cars we traveled in.  Our adventures will be in Discover the Phoenix Region and Grandparents on the go. 

   More to follow....
   

New Eyewear for Dogs.... Doggles

PET SAFETY IN CARS


More and more motorists are travelling with their pets. They deserve a safe trip just like our human passengers so here are some safety ideas

If you have a small dog ( less than 10 pounds) you should have your little princess in a cotton canvas carrier which will easily attach to any seat, allowing them to look out the window. This has a safety harness incorporated in to the carrier.

Doc in his harness

A travel harness for your bigger dog is a seatbelt by all accounts. It fits around the back of your dog’s front legs. You attach the harness to the auto seat tethers like the child safety seats. This also prevents them from jumping from back to front causing a distraction to the driver.

Dog Ramps for the more mature dogs or boomer dogs… the ramp allows your dog to enter and exit cars without having to leap, jump or wait for a lift. Some actually convert to floating devices for entry and exit to pools or boat docks.

How about dog goggles or “doggles”? Yes ! for pooches poking heads out the window in order to protect their eyes and they have l00% UV protection.

Pets need to stay safe too!

The 2011 Chevy Silverado Truck of all Trucks

A GRAND TRUCK


2011 Chevrolet Silverado
2500 4WD LTZ Crew Cab

By: Melanie Droz Boomer and X

Typically, not many would get excited when asked, “Can you help us move a Grand Piano?” However, when you are test-driving the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado, your eager response is, “Sure, I would be happy to help!” So, that is exactly what we did. Matt and I jumped into the Silverado and headed over to my sister’s house to dispose of the old piano before picking up the Grand.

We knew we should relax in the Silverado on the way over, before the heavy lifting would begin. Who are we kidding? I would not be lifting anything at 8 months pregnant. However, the luxuries were hard to beat. The 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 4WD LTZ Crew Cab comes equipped with Bluetooth, OnStar, auto dual zone air conditioning, XM radio, Bose premium speaker system and bucket seats.

We kept cool and comfortable while jamming to upbeat music in order to pump us up for the move. Because we were so comfortable, we were nearly tempted to use the OnStar to find last-minute movers to take our place. With hands-free calling, we could have easily contacted our OnStar advisor who, based on our location, would have been able to provide us with nearby services. In the end, we (again, I mean my husband) decided to man up and meet the strength of the 2011 Chevy Silverado.

The Silverado has a 6.6L V8 turbo diesel engine and 6-speed automatic transmission, and the Silverado 2500 4WD comes with heavy duty trailering equipment, which means the Grand Piano was no match for this truck. It is comparable to a 200-pound man dragging a piece of string; that is how easy it was for this Chevy to transport the Grand. Because of the Silverado’s pure strength, Matt and I were inspired to start moving. I was so enthused; I carried the piano seat bench.

Anyone who has seen a Grand Piano knows the splendor of its looks. However, the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado matched up nicely carrying the sleek Grand. The steel green metallic exterior, chrome rear bumper and surround grille, and 20” aluminum wheels all added to the grandeur of the Silverado’s appearance. Driving around with both made us all look beautiful and strong.

For $57,199, the price of the Silverado we drove, which is just a tad more than the cost of a Grand Piano, we felt safe moving the precious black baby grand back to my sister’s house. With a 4-star government safety rating for rollover, 4-wheel ABS brakes, theft deterrent system, stabilitrak and a rear vision camera, the piano made it home in one piece. It was only when the guys moved it out of the truck was it in trouble. Even with the EZ lift tailgate, the men struggled with the weight of the piano. One big scratch was all my sister needed to demand their next purchase be the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 4WD LTZ Crew Cab.

I would be happy to own either one… but since I don’t play any musical instruments but I love to drive… I think you know my choice.

2011 Nissan 370Z Touring

By: Bill Zervakos

The Nissan Z-car has a long and storied history of building exciting performance sports cars and the latest iteration is no exception. The test car was powered by the 332 horsepower V6 mated to a six-speed manual transmission which made for a lot of driving fun.

The 2011 370Z design remains unchanged from the updated in 2009 and shares several mechanicals from the Infiniti G Coupe including the potent 332 horsepower CVTCS engine. My only squawk with the power plant was the fact that it is a pretty high revving engine ergo a bit noisy under heavy load. A minor problem to be sure, but for an old big torque dinosaur like me, noticeable.

The lines -of the new Z-car are very sleek and muscular with hefty haunches that add to the aggressive stance. Once inside you know you’re in a sports car as the seats are deep and pretty comfortable. Touring models look even more high-class thanks to their leather upholstery and upgraded faux suede door inserts. The ergonomics are easy to figure out, but I have to admit that the seat controls being squished between my right thigh and the console leaves a little to be desired.

Driving the 370Z is definitely a thrill. The ride while taut is not overly harsh and if you’re not a fan of a firm riding vehicle, you’re probably looking at the wrong car. The 332 horsepower engine is very responsive and the car handles well and when zipping into turns. If you have to stop in a hurry, no worries, the available 4-piston front calipers haul the Z-car to a swift and secure stop in just over 100 feet from 60 miles per hour.

Bottom line, with the base price on the 370Z Touring starting at just over $36,000, the 370Z a great buy. It’s sexy looking relatively comfortable even for big boys. It performs very well, numbers range from 5.1 to 5.5 seconds getting from 0-60, and does so while getting an EPA rating of 19/26 with a combined average of 23 mpg with the standard transmission. If you haven’t driven a Z-car lately, maybe you should check out the 2011 370Z Touring Coupe. I think you’ll like it as much as I did.

2011 Infiniti G37 Coupe Journey

By Bill Zervakos

I have to start out by saying that I have no idea where the Journey moniker came from, it doesn't seem to fit the G-Coupe but there you have it, my tester was the Journey. That out of the way, the 2011 Infiniti G-Coupe receives a new front fascia design, and the exterior body kit includes more aggressive front and rear fascias, sculpted side sills, a rear spoiler and chrome exhaust outlets. It is without a doubt a very aggressive looking car and actually looks a lot like the Z-Car on steroids.

The G37 Journey comes with Nissan's Premium, Sport and Navigation packages. Standard equipment includes leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, 8-way power-adjustable front sport seats, keyless entry and starting, Bose audio system with 9.3-gigabyte Music Box hard drive, XM satellite radio, USB port, automatic bi-xenon headlights, sunroof, navigation system, rear-view camera, Bluetooth cell phone connectivity, universal garage door opener, limited-slip differential, performance brakes, fog lights and P225/45R19 front and P245/40R19 tires on unique alloy wheels. All which brought the price on the tester to a cool $46,975.00 including destination charges.

Inside the cockpit you'll find form fitting seats that seem to wrap around you as you settle in, they're well bolstered and supportive although just a tad tight for my aged derriere. The leather wrapped steering wheel is perfect for giving the driver a sense of control and the overall appearance is one of sporty luxury. Aluminum trim sets off the dashboard's look and the ergonomics are well thought out and easy to use.

Driving the G37 Coupe certainly highlights a rather large fun quotient, I actually took a run to California from Phoenix in my tester and was surprisingly comfortable on the five and a half hour drive. It was very solid on the road and while it may be splitting hairs, I feel the G-Coupe is more agile than nimble, but either way, it is fun to drive.

Bottom line, while coupes are not for everyone, they should offer performance and a bit of elan and  the Infinity G-Coupe offers a pretty fair amount of both with adequate room for adults up front and youngsters in the back without breaking the bank. So if you're in the market for something with a bit of an edge, you should check out the Infinity G37 Coupe, it may fit the bill perfectly. 

FORD TOUGH ..... FUEL EFFICIENT VEHICLES

Hot Sales Pace Continues for Ford’s New Fuel-Efficient Vehicles and Powertrains

This Mustang is really good on gas

· Strong demand for Ford’s new fuel-efficient vehicles and powertrains continued in May

· Ford’s all-new Fiesta and Focus combined for 29,423 sales – Ford’s biggest small car month since May 2008

· Explorer posts highest sales in 47 months; total sales up 135 percent; retail sales quadruple year ago

· Fusion and Escape continue record setting sales pace with strong demand for 4-cylinder engines; F-150’s all-new V6 engines outsell the V8s

· Ford’s May sales totaled 192,102, equal to a year ago; year-to-date sales totaled 878,600, up 12 percent

· Ford announces third quarter North American production

CATHY'S CAR CORNER

Bill Zervakos named the "female" advice section of Two for the Road USA Cathy's Car Corner.
Here you will get the opinion and recommendations of Cathy Droz, who according to Bill "loves to give her opinion" on car stuff.  Cathy's Car Corner hopes to have a regular presence on the internet, videos and local TV.   Cathy says " Bill knows everything about cars, I'll just have my own corner to yak from."

Stay tuned for more radio stations carrying  Bill and Cathy's Two for the Road USA radio vignettes and the premier of Cathy's Car Corner.