Congrats Pov. Sounds like a great time. Obviously hanging out with your girl was the best part of all of it.
I used to go twice a year to NHRA, you know we're lucky to have the season opener and finale at Pomona (literally 10 mins from my pad ). We can actually hear top fuel runs from the house.) There is an US Army program called YES (Youth Education Service) that i am associated with, i take teenage "at-risk" youth there. Now, I go about every other year, but it never gets old for a kid to see their first top fuel pass or motorcycle run. It's like watching a child react to a magic trick. The program is great because they meet drivers, hospitality staff, logistics staff, techs, team principals, and anybody associated to make the entire series work. Plus of course they get to experience a bunch of stuff the Army brings like simulators, physical training challenges, exposure to opportunities, etc.
I make it a point of taking these youngsters to watch and listen when they warm up the funny cars, and of course they jump back 9 feet when the unexpected BRRRRAPPP is throttled to clear the engine. They're crying from the fumes, with an contorted expression on their faces, half disbelief, the other a pure amazement at the sheer power. It's great! I get a kick out of it because never would these kids get that opportunity, the damn tickets are like 50-80 bucks now. Lucky the Army provides admission.
(Geez, it sounds like in infomercial, but really I'm quite grateful they provide this opportunity. ) The kids can't believe how complicated it is for a series of this magnitude to travel around the nation like a well oiled machine.
It's a blast, I can relate to your joy of taking your girl. I took my boys for the first time a bit back and they were floored. They just couldn't believe what they were seeing. I sat them near the end of the strip so they could see the final speed of the pass. Then I took them near the start so they could 'feel' the explosion of the start. I had them equipped with the hearing protection they use when we go to the shooting range, but even with that they were like, dad, this sounds like a bomb went off. I says, one did, inside that massive engine we saw in pieces just a couple hours ago. Hell, I can't even wrap my mind around it, surely they can't either.
I had a great father's day too. I'd say without exaggeration, one of the best of my life as a dad (the others were celebration of my father which we're always great. I'm lucky, I had a great father). Too much to say, and frankly I feel it's better shared privately because it was such a special weekend and I don't want to get all into it here. I'll just say being a dad was awesome this weekend. The "gift" I got was part of my own father's legacy wrapped in the overall occasion, one that left me like you, proud and happy to be alive.
Holypuck, very cool. You made him proud of you. Mine are still youngsters, but if every they buy me tickets to a GP someday, I can tell you with certainty, the race wouldn't be the best thing about it.
If you live in a glass house don't throw rocks.
