Sunday Drive

After the detail day it was time to do what the FR-S excels at... actually driving it.  As nice as it is to look at all shiny, it's still much better to get out and drive it.

Today's weather was fall perfection.  Mild temps, no rain, the leaves just starting to turn. My copilot was eager and ready for more country driving in the FR-S.  We headed out west before too much traffic was on the road, with no particular destination in mind but looking out for places to snap a few pictures of the new gloss on the car.  It had been over a week since driving the FR-S last, due to needing to jockey all of the other vehicles in for routine maintenance and Virginia safety inspection before the end of the month.

Our first stop was Hillsborough Winery on Charlestown Pike.  They were not yet open, but they have a great vista and nice hills with rows of vines.  Below are some pictures from their lot. In the bright sun, I'm finding this red is hard to photograph.

Shot with the grapevines in the background.

We left here and ended up in West Virginia driving some hilly, curvy roads.  Didn't hear many banjos, but did make a pit stop and grab some snacks and beverages.  Headed back into Virginia and through some farmland roads.  Stopped at a historic site on the way, in Aldie.

All in all an excellent journey.  These are the kinds of trips I used to make in my 1996 Miata, with the top down but without company.  I can now definitively answer whether or not I would regret not having a drop top.  The answer is no regrets.  The FR-S with windows down is plenty of fresh air, and it has a back seat, and if you have the right copilot, the journey will be that much better.  I couldn't have this passenger in the Miata: