The latest

It’s been a while since I’ve checked in; work has sort of blown up in my face since I returned from Hawaii, and it doesn’t help that I have surfing on the brain with no realistic way to deal. We started watching a Discovery show called “Pacific Warriors,” about a bunch of kayak fishermen and the amazing spear fisherwoman Kimi Werner. It’s inspiring and helps soothe my ennui.

Last week I visited the Autobahn Country Club for the Midwest Automotive Media Association Fall Rally, a day of driving and networking. I off-roaded in a Jeep Compass, Subaru Crosstrek, and Nissan Titan Pro4X; I got some track time in a Volkswagen Golf R, Nissan GT-R Track Edition, Honda Civic Type R, Mercedes-AMG GLA45, Mazda3, Toyota 86, Genesis G80, Alfa Romeo Guilia Quadrifoglio, and Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. It was raining for a good part of the morning, the track was soaked, and some of the laps were a little scary, but I made it through without incident.

(If only I had the time and money for formal track training… but I’d need a car first.)

Since my return, I’ve written a couple comparisons for U.S. News & World Report: the Chevy Impala and Malibu and the Volvo XC60 and XC90. For HowStuffWorks, I’ve examined the upcoming Mazda Skyactiv-X engine and the USNS Comfort’s deployment to Puerto Rico. And! Wicked excited about this! I completed my first assignment for Motor1, a roundup of new and redesigned vehicles we expect to arrive for the 2019 model year. Enjoy!