THREW Mikes EyEz

Original Writings, Images, Video and Artworks of Mike Hartley


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Wheels

I’m glad I made it to the Coffee and Cars this morning sponsored by Mikey and Mel’s Famous Deli I believe. I like going down here because it’s close and it’s usually a fairly good show. And the only one that I know of in Howard County. Please enlighten me if I’m missing out.

An old Belair. Photo by Mike Hartley

It looked like a good turnout of both cars and spectators. My award goes to the gentleman who owned the green late 60s Camaro. As people would come up and if they had young children he would offer to let them sit behind the wheel. I didn’t get a shot of his car other than his hood.

Hat’s off to the owner of this car sharing it with the youth of tomorrow. Photo by Mike Hartley

There is something for everyone there and I’ll try to share a few more photos at the bottom of the coming posts this weekend. My granddaughter is here, a favor for a friend is needed and chores will take most of the remainder of the day.

Blue Bell of the Ball. Photo by Mike Hartley

I like car people. They are a nice friendly lot. Like most bikers are. I should have spent some more time there but there will be more shows. It’s got me thinking about the show in Ocean City in early October.

Just a little more color for the show. Photo by Mike Hartley

Random Thoughts of the Day

  • No matter how upset my granddaughter may be in when she has to leave, I can always cheer her up and get a smile by running alongside the car for a few seconds pretending I’m going to beat them home as they leave.
  • There is always something more you can do.
  • Any morning that starts out with a clogged drain is not a good morning but working to turn it around. With the help of “liquid plumber” and a car show.


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Youth Returned

When I was young I liked going straight fast. Now with some age I like going into turns fast. Well, not to fast of course. Well within our laws for those of you who are in law enforcement reading this. It’s actually the most fun driving experience I’ve had in a car. Having ridden a motorcycle for a few decades it’s the only thing on 4 wheels that compares to it. And the convertible gives it that view of a motorcycle. Plus I don’t have to wear a helmet with this vehicle.

Route 40 heading home. Photo by Mike Hartley

Route 40 heading home.
Photo by Mike Hartley

This is my first convertible and if I’m lucky enough to outlive this car my next one will be a convertible. Yes with the top up is noisier than a hardtop. But that is a small sacrifice. This car puts a smile on my face like my first muscle car. Well it wasn’t really a muscle car. It looked like one. It sounded like one. Just didn’t run like one. That small 350 wasn’t enough for that heavy 74 Camero frame.

Maryland has some great roads. Photo by Mike Hartley.

Maryland has some great roads.
Photo by Mike Hartley.

I can’t wait till my shoulder feels better and the temps warm, the trees start to green. Those hard tires which seem to lose traction in this cool weather begin to stick again. So with the temps in the 60’s this weekend I hope to get an early wash and wax on the daily commuter and weekend sports car (one in the same) and be ready to style when winter is over. Being I’m down to one arm, maybe I can get that good one hurting equally with the one already in pain.

Looking forward to a great hump day ahead, and maybe some afternoon shooting.


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Keep on Truckin

Most all my friends own pickups. Kind of scary when you think about it. I’ve never owned one myself. I’d be worried, but I’m more redneck than any of them and I’m the one without the pick’em up truck. I like the new trucks. They are marvels of engineering. But give me the durability of a 60’s or early 70’s Ford truck with 3 on the tree and I’ll show you a truck that could take ABUSE and keep on going.

I should have spent some time on this one but didn't want to start the day off with my better half wrong. Photo by Mike Hartley

I should have spent some time on this one but didn’t want to start the day off with my better half wrong.
Photo by Mike Hartley

My two friends who are brothers tried to each kill that truck. Either it had unlimited lives or was possessed. The new styles are very good-looking indeed but there is something about old classic trucks that draws my attention much more like the one above.

Well being its such a nice day I should go give my baby a bath and take a ride. We will see, lots of chores in progress.


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Rear Profiling

I’m like a small child when it comes to cars. Historic to modern-day. Anything with style, performance, color, chrome, sound. It’s just great to catch them out on the road. Because there is what the car and owner both need. It can be that open road or interstate. It can be that country road or “the strip”.  Yeah there are showroom pieces but to me a car must be driven. So here’s to driving and being behind the wheel. Sorry I don’t have more to share. Lack of sleep and not feeling my best today. But tomorrow will be better

Cruising Rt 140 on Thursday. Photo by Mike Hartley

Cruising Rt 140 on Thursday.
Photo by Mike Hartley


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Classic lines

I love automobiles, always have, always will. The sight or sound of a nice one can stop me in my tracks. I think I first realized it when I got my first V8, sat in it and grabbed that T handled Hurst 4 speed, fired it up with those Hooker headers and side pipes, and all of a sudden I was alive, I was one with the vehicle. I haven’t had that feeling in a very long time. Well with the exception of my best friend letting me drive his new Grand Sport Vette recently.

The designs and lines. The colors and shapes. The sweet sound and smells of a finely tuned system. The era they represent. They are magic to me. It’s hard to explain the feeling a great car can give and that one of the great enjoyments in life is to have your butt cheeks grab the car seat like a great white shark grabs a sea-lion. Your driving then. Not this crap sitting for hours in traffic, that’s torture. Something with 400+ horsepower and some open road, is what I need and long for.

I haven’t had a nice car since the 70’s but thinking about changing that while I still have the coordination to drive something powerful again because riding a bike again is out according to my better half. I did manage to squeeze in 30 years of 2 wheel driving. Well, sometimes one wheel if that mysterious twist in my wrist would happen.

Probably just a distant dream at this time, unless I suddenly become selfish, but getting a muscle car still on my bucket list if I get lucky. It also reminded me to add the Car Show in Ocean City to my list of events to photograph in Maryland this year. It gives me an excuse to get to the beach and that is a wonderful though when the temperature outside this morning was 1 degree and a minus 15 wind chill temp.

So like my favorite car commercial from Dodge shows. I still might have a few years before I get that Challenger.

So you have been warned, there will be more car pictures in the future but I will do my best suppress the urge to post every tire burning shot I might capture in OC.