Last trip of the year with 17°C and snow

 

TL;DR rinse quickly after driving on salty roads

After a rather short cold snap in the middle of the week, the weather went crazy with a forecast of 16°C this Sunday. As the week-end was supposed to remain dry, I got the car out of the garage just in case I would feel like having a last proper drive for the year. I actually thought the 2 previous week-ends were the last ones, and already went to all my favourite places before those dark winter times.

So I picked up the car on Saturday afternoon and went to House of Speed for a quick chat about the spark plugs and the next service that's already due soon. And also to know how their previous week-end at Interclassics went. The wind was freezing our ears off went I left just before 5PM. 

Today (Sunday), I mostly planned on replacing the 24mm washers of the half-hood straps with the ones I had painted black earlier in the week. The black stainless steel screws for the expansion bottle bracket also came in the mail in the morning. Fitting the washers was done in a few minutes, and required the full-hood to be removed. I was actually surprised how warm it felt, it was too good a day no to go driving under the sun with the top off.

Equipped with long-sleeved ski underwear, a fleece jacket under my bomber, my scarf and beanie, we went to Luxemburg to get some liquor. I even filled the tank, actually a first since I got the car despite going to that mall about once a month as it is open on Sunday.

As that gas could stay in the car for longer than usual, I went for 98 RON, that contains contains 5% ethanol (vs 10% in the 95 RON I use most of the time). Some say the ethanol and water content are bad for the tank and whatnot. As I only use Totalenergies fuel, I'm on the safe side anyway.

A thermometer in a small city before reaching Luxemburg did show 16°C, but we went through way colder areas and had to put the heater on with the fan at full speed soon after. 

On the top level of the parking lot, snow piles were slowly melting under the sun and crazy warm temperatures brought by that steady wind blowing from the South since last night. An occasion to take some fun pictures.

We shopped our fair share of liquors, got some unusual wartermelon Fanta cans of chinese origin for the kids, some sandwiches and iced caramel-coffee too.

I gave her the wheel for the way back. Some leftover snow was still on the side of the road, the windscreen was ligthly spayed with salty mist when following other cars in some portions.

We stopped at a self-service car-wash close to home (17°C shown nearby) and I quickly rinsed the underbody, chassis, inside of the wheel arches, wheels, sides, and the exhaust before coming home for a complete hand-wash with soap and a rinse with distilled water (collected with the air dehumidifier in the basement - it would be discarded anyway). I did begin with the screws that came in the mail in the morning, then went on with the washing, and ended fitting the full-hood back for the week.