Walla Walla Day 2

Today was hot in Walla Walla. Barb and I woke up early and had the deck at the B&B to ourselves for several hours. The days Ferrari centric events did not start until 10:45 so there was plenty of time for sitting around, thinking and writing the paragraphs I wrote prior to this one. As I mentioned earlier we were headed to Woodward Canyon Winery for lunch. Rick Small, owner of Woodward Canyon and a Ferrari owner was hosting a lunch.

If someone offered me the opportunity to make a living by driving an exotic car to a winery and having great wine and food I would probably take them up on it. This was a nice way to spend the afternoon. On the drive from Walla Walla to the winery there was some spirited driving, possibly in preparation for the afternoon’s tour. We left the winery in a group lead by Rick Small in what I think was a 250. Nice looking car. After just a few miles a black 355 suddenly pulled over, the Dino in front of me honked and pulled over as well. There was a yellow 330 and red 430 in front of them so I slowed down and waited to see what would happen. Several cars pulled over, several kept going. I am not really sure what happened. I think someone might have missed a turn, but Barb and I saw some cars go back to the hotel and some stop by the side of the road.

We decided to do our own driving tour. We went past the B&B and up into the hills outside of Walla Walla. We found some great roads. We also decided to skip the evening’s event, the cars show, awards ceremony and dinner at a bistro downtown. I could have predicted we would skip it. Group gatherings are not my thing. Barb and I got a nice bottle of wine, loaf of bread, some cheese and went back to the B&B. We sat quietly by a pool overlooking a vineyard and the hills covered with wheat and listened to the birds. It was many dimensions away from parking our car in the middle of downtown, being social, mingling, and making small talk.

This is the type of decision is helping define my Ferrari ownership experience. A choice to do my own thing, to appreciate the car on more personal, intimate terms. I have no problem nerding out about the car with a fellow enthusiast. Provided their appreciation of the car is rooted in the same ethic as mine. I appreciate the introverted characteristics of the car. The feel on the road, the responsiveness, the way it reacts. I appreciate sharing it with others. I understand the extroverted characteristics of the car but don’t really care about them. They are not central to my experience. I am willing to bet there is a breed of well balanced Ferrari owners of feel equally comfortable with the extroverted and introverted components of a Ferrari. I am not one of them.

In my Ferrari ownership experience joy and value are derived from driving the car, tinkering with it, exploring it on the track, and sharing it with others. I am interested in taking the car to the track and learning its and my limits. I suppose I am being selfish. I am not interested in spending my time with people if all we have in common is an appreciation for Ferraris. Feel free to substitute the word Ferrari for any other. Wine, music, skiing, fly fishing. I am not willing to invest the time to determine if there is more to this other person.