Get Out & Drive
When Was Your Last Time?

When was the last time you got out and went for a drive?

I’m not talking about the daily commute or a quick lap around the block. No, what I’m asking, is how long has it been since you last fired up your weapon of choice and really drove your car? You know, purely for the sake of it.

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I expect that how many of us define a ‘real drive’ will vary greatly, and that’s a great thing. In fact, it’s one of the best things that the freedoms of cars bring us. We shape them as reflections of ourselves and what’s important to us.

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A perfect drive could mean a white-knuckled sprint through challenging twists, high speed runs, a relaxed summer cruise with the windows down and speakers cranking, or swapping out the brakes and tires for another assault on the local race track. Hell, your ultimate drive might even exclude the tarmac by loading up your 4×4 and heading off the grid. It could even be a mix of these or something entirely different, and that’s fine.

All that really matters is finding the bond between you and machine, and the therapy it brings.

Practice What You Preach

If it’s been longer than you’d care to admit, you’re not alone. I’m also a guilty offender.

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Sure, I may daily my Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX, but for the most part that means using Project Nine purely as a tool to transport me from job to job, and responsibility to responsibility. Nothing at all like the aforementioned virtuous drive. Let me tell you now, driving an imported car with a spoiler through Sydney and its surrounding roads is not the most relaxing experience.

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Even when behaving, one eye is always glued to the rear-vision mirror on the lookout for overzealous highway patrol officers.

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Why haven’t I been enjoying the car as intended? Good question. I could probably rattle off at least 99 excuses and some of them may even be true. But really, what’s the point? Reasons won’t get me behind the wheel or out on the open road.

I’d rather waste that energy making up 99 excuses to break the routine and actually get out there and practice what I preach. You know, #joyofmachine, #maximumattack.

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Spending time around others actively enjoying their cars, even the wild builds, isn’t the same as your own garage time. In truth, there’s no substitute for time tinkering, driving and enjoying your own personal vehicle.

The Open Road

Last weekend I set out to do just that; enjoy my car. I’d blocked an entire day and night out on an otherwise hectic calendar a few weeks in advance. A whole day to drive with no set destination.

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The drive would be organized by Drivemasters, a somewhat secretive group of enthusiasts who actually seem to enjoy driving their cars more than talking about their cars. I know, strange right? Especially for a group based on a social media platform.

There was no map to follow, just a few simple instructions and a meeting point. I admit, I was a little thrown off by the code of silence at first, but after doing some homework I was reassured by mutual friends that It’d be a decent day.

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During the week leading up to the little road trip, I made the time to give the Evo a proper wash and even managed to fit new DBA 4000 T3 two-piece slotted brake rotors up front, and single-piece slotted DBA 4000 T3 rotors on the rear. But I’ll delve more into the brake upgrade soon after I’ve clocked enough hours and kilometre on them to give you all an honest appraisal. That said, my first impressions over the weekend were quite favourable.

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I may have taken my camera along for the ride, but photography was by no means a priority at the time. I think aside from half-assed snapping at the scenic vistas as we drove through them, I probably only spent about 15 minutes behind my lens all day.

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Driving was my focus. One that left me feeling rewarded too. 600km on the road in a single day can certainly renew your interest in a car.

Or perhaps it was the time spent together waiting for a herd of lost cattle to get off the road. Who can tell?

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If you can’t remember the last time you got to appreciate your car fully, do yourself a favour and draw a big, fat ‘X’ on the next free day in your calendar right now. Change the oil. Drive aimlessly. Explore the countryside. Enjoy.

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Most importantly, get out and drive.

Matthew Everingham
Instagram: matthew_everingham
matt@mattheweveringham.com

Get Out And Drive
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32 comments

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1

"how long has it been since you last fired up your weapon of choice and really drove your car? You know, purely for the sake of it."

Well.. I can easily say, that, I've never done that with my current car. Not like I'd willingly drive my 2013 Veloster with stock suspension and all season tires, in any sort of aggressive manner. Though in the past, when I had my 93' 300ZX that I owned for 5 years, with a glorious sounding Labree catback and basically the whole catalog of Powertrix suspension parts, I'd find any excuse I could to get out and drive somewhere.

Author2
Matthew Everingham

You don't need to break lap records. You could just head out for a lazy sunday drive to somewhere nice. :)

3

I know many locations in the pictures and can say to anyone who does not know NSW that this was an epic drive.

4

I can second these comments, looks like it would have been a great day out Matt.
Very envious and will have to get my car out on some drives like this more often.

Author5
Matthew Everingham

NSW is quite a scenic state if you're prepared to get away from the city.

6

Why haven’t I been enjoying the car as intended?



Always a toss-up between that and spending time with the kids. Kids always rightly win, so the toys stay in the garage (for now!).

7
Elon Timmerman

True, but for the 2 kids in my house turboflutter, bov noises and popping exhaust never gets old.
in the weekend's we'll often go 100km just to get an icecream.

8

So take the kids with you.

And when they're physically large enough to reach all the controls, that's when you should start teaching them to drive.

Author9
Matthew Everingham

That's a big part of what's been keeping me away, too. I've been keeping busy with a 4-year-old and prepping for another on it's way. I've got to say though, it was nice to get away and be something other than 'Dad' for a while.

10
Michael Bruce

Great photos and article. Do drivemasters take on more members regularly? I would love to get involved in more driving events

11

Gday mate, just join the group on facebook. I think there is an approval step but that's to keep spam accounts out. Open to everyone who enjoys driving their cars, regardless of manufacturer or model.

12
Anonymous Driver

Why driving gloves for a road drive ?

13

Kangaroos and wombats require quick reactions :P

14

I used to work with an Australian guy who'd been a fireman at Sydney Airport (what he was doing in Ohio, I have no idea).

I remember actually laughing out loud when he told me about the time he hit a kangaroo with his Commodore.

It's just seemed so absurd.

Author15
Matthew Everingham

lol, that's as good an excuse as any.

16

That is a huge drive. The group looks good, mix of cars, just get out there and cruise the roads.

17
The poor French Carguy

When was the last time you got out and went for a drive?

I’m not talking about the daily commute or a quick lap around the block. No, what I’m asking, is how long has it been since you last fired up your weapon of choice and really drove your car? You know, purely for the sake of it.



Well, I do that every week, and recently I even made a video about one of those drive that I called "Get Out And Drive". It's just a little sped-up video of a relaxed drive on my usual run on the nicest roads near my home, completed with some nice music that fit the mood of said drive. if you want to check it out, here the link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjsRnN_rGCE

I try to go for a drive as often as possible, but with gas prices going sky high here (last refuel was 103€ for almost 60L of 98), I won't be able to go out as much as I'd like to...

18

The last time I went out and drove was last month. Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland for a total of three weeks and ~ 6.000 km.

#getoutandroadtrip

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Author19
Matthew Everingham

Bonus points for doing it properly.

20
BitchingNotAllowed

"how long has it been since you last fired up your weapon of choice and really drove your car? You know, purely for the sake of it."

Yesterday, actually. And always at least once a week usually for spirited drive on our local mountain road. I am lucky to have time to take out my aw11 for drive every week, do a number of rounds on our mountain and talk with my petrolhead friends on the side of the road.

Author21
Matthew Everingham

#Jealousy

22

Because I watched "The Road Warrior" so many times when I was younger, to this day I just reflexively assume that Australia is one giant nuclear desert.

I know better of course, but it's still a pleasant surprise to see pictures of a country that while arid, is still pretty nice to look at.

23
Tah-Lii Jackson

I’m loving that MR2 and 1M

24

I live right at the base of the Rockies, so I drive just to drive, or to just get away and think or relieve stress all the time. If I go out to lunch, I might go to a place in the next town over just so I can take a side-route through the foothills on the way. Ten minutes from the house and I can be in some seriously windy canyons on my way to various tourist towns. Pikes Peak and Mount Evans (another paved 14'er) are just two hours away. Lookout Mountain in Golden, CO is a fun little hillclimb-style sprint up to Buffalo Bill's grave... I'm very spoiled for variety in road types around here. For my birthday one year I just grabbed some Subway in Colorado Springs and took it up to Pikes' summit for the view while I ate, got some photos of the car, and went right back home. I got lucky when my parents moved us here when I was young.

Author25
Matthew Everingham

What i hear is 'party at my place.'

26

:D I do love this place.

But, yes and no. Great places need to be experienced by all, but at the same time too many people are moving here and it's driving up living costs. You're welcome to the visit, though!

27

See if these'll work...

Estes Park with a couple friends:
[Img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4183/34837582245_07512cd101_c.jpg/img]

Said lunch, five years ago now:
[Img]https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7453/9193507443_b88d654ba3_b.jpg/img]

Friend with a 370Z invited me on a drive to Mt. Evans with the VQ Club of CO a few years back:
[Img]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5614/15587888775_255dc9f3e8_b.jpg/img]

And when you said, 'just mark a free day on the calendar and go for it,' this was one of those days. Peak to Peak Highway:
[Img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4480/36955046934_695f563430_b.jpg/img]

28
Elon Timmerman

Cool! thanks for sharing. now I feel like driving.

29
Brooke Whiting

At least once a month my 86 is driven vigorously around hills for no reason other than the pleasure of doing so.

30
Luke Habermehl

Its been way longer than i car to admit as well. Like you said I could come up with a bunch of excuses and some might be true but really its just been free time. I'm liking this idea of blocking off a day so I can go have some fun with my car.

Author31
Matthew Everingham

Make it happen.

32

damn i drove through wattle flat a week before you!

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