When I added going to the Florida Keys in a convertible to my list of 30 Things to Do Before I Turn 30*, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would get to go in a Corvette. But thanks to General Motors Cars to People program, not only did I get to go in a Corvette, but I got to go in a 2011 Corvette Grand Sport Convertible. A car with a 6.2 liter, 436hp engine that goes from 0 to 60 in 3.95 seconds...and yet still gets better highway gas mileage than my current vehicle. A car that handles like a dream, so hot that it gets looks, comments, and pictures everywhere it goes (more on that later).
My weekend with the car ended up being Mother's Day weekend, which worked out perfectly, as my mom and grandma are on the way to the Keys, and my mom and one of my sister's birthdays were the week before. So not only could we stop in and catch up a little bit/ celebrate, but I could also give them a ride in one of the hottest vehicles in town.
My husband and I showed off the car on Thursday and Friday with friends (it's nice when valet leaves your car up front in the expensive areas of town!), then woke up early Saturday morning to begin our trek down to Key West. First stop - breakfast with my parents, my sister, and my nephew, before cruising down Indian River Drive with my mom and sister (don't worry, my dad and nephew got rides too, just elsewhere). Since I can remember I have wanted to drive down that road in a convertible, and the weather could not have been more perfect.
Then we continued on to my Grandmother's place, and I got to take her down A1A (beachfront avenue!) in Ft. Lauderdale before meeting back up with my husband, aunt and uncle for ice cream. We had fun cruising and talking, and I learned that my Grandma once rented a motorcycle in Colorado and took it out on the mountains there...without ever having been on one before. Another pretty awesome road trip!
Then down through Miami and on to the Keys. Is it odd that I saw no fewer than 3 small trucks carrying refrigerators that day? We had reservations in Key Largo, and made it to a beachside tiki bar just in time for sunset.
Next morning we finished our mission and made it to the end of US 1, driving around the historic district before stopping in at the Southernmost Beach Cafe for lunch and some quintessential key lime pie (yum!). I'm told there were some museums that would have been great to visit, among other places, but we were a little short on time so took a driving tour. Driving around, it was fun to watch people try to inconspicuously look; some downright stared. A few people in the Keys took pictures (one did say thank you), and from Orlando to the Hemingway House, people called out "Nice car!" It is genuinely fun to drive, and I really enjoyed being in a convertible - I took a gaggle of pictures from all angles of the car while my husband was driving.
On the way back we stopped a few times just to wade out into the water and soak it all in. The water was so clear that even while we were driving I could make things out in the water - typically rocks, but I did see a stingray and some dolphins. Small islands were everywhere, and I wish we had had enough time to rent a kayak and paddle out to a few of them. Next time.
When I told people we were driving down and back in two days, their response was typically something along the lines of "That's a long time to be in a car!". But that was really the whole point (and I used up my PTO in South Africa), and in truth the car never did get uncomfortable. I have been in really nice cars, but never have I been in one that hugged me like this. Not only did the seat adjust a multitude of front ways and back ways and slant ways (ok, maybe that was an elevator), the sides also moved in and out to make you feel one with the car. So any time I got a little antsy I just adjusted the seat until I was back in heaven.
While I know this is a top of the line car, I got to participate in another event the GM team had maybe 6 months back and drive a bunch of different Chevys, and I can tell you the same amount of thought and detail go into each one of their vehicles. Naturally, this car was amazing; the only changes I would make overall would be to have bigger cupholders (not really big enough to have two cups in there at the same time) and maybe some kind of collapsible visor. But truly, a delight to drive.
I have enjoyed doing all the things on my 30 list, but I think this will be one of my favorite memories. If you have been considering going to the Keys, do it. I'm not sure why we waited so long to go, but I know we will definitely go again...and stay longer.
*Thanks Lauren for the idea! And thanks to GM for letting me experience the new Corvette. Http://drivingthesoutheast.com
Some of my other favorite pictures from the trip:
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