Irrational urge to push the limits

[Rick B.]

I was diagnosed with kidney cancer a couple weeks ago, which as you might expect, has me on an emotional roller coaster. The other afternoon I went completely crazy in my 2010 S5, taking it to outrageous speeds on public roads. I'd actually never driven it close to the limits (my limits ... not the car's) before, and at almost 69 years old, I have no business doing that. Fortunately the S5 is a very forgiving player. At least the backwoods Utah highway I was on (SR39 near Monte Cristo) has very little traffic this time of year. It's a superb high-speed road with a great 10-mile curvy section that starts at about 7500-ft in elevation and goes up to 9,000 feet where it flattens out for awhile. It's got one big, perfect radius hairpin curve that can be taken at 80 mph plus. I was pushing the S5 around that to the point where I could feel the stability control kicking in all around that curve. I'd characterize the S5 as a "2X" car ... one that can comfortably go twice any posted backroad limits. But just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

I guess the point I'd like to make is that it isn't just booze, drugs, and distractions you need to avoid when driving. A fragile emotional state is just as bad. I still don't know what motivated me ... maybe a combination of "bucket list" and "what have I got to lose"? I think I just needed to get that out of my system.

[0000_S5]

I was diagnosed with kidney cancer a couple weeks ago, which as you might expect, has me on an emotional roller coaster. The other afternoon I went completely crazy in my 2010 S5, taking it to outrageous speeds on public roads. I'd actually never driven it close to the limits (my limits ... not the car's) before, and at almost 69 years old, I have no business doing that. Fortunately the S5 is a very forgiving player. At least the backwoods Utah highway I was on (SR39 near Monte Cristo) has very little traffic this time of year. It's a superb high-speed road with a great 10-mile curvy section that starts at about 7500-ft in elevation and goes up to 9,000 feet where it flattens out for awhile. It's got one big, perfect radius hairpin curve that can be taken at 80 mph plus. I was pushing the S5 around that to the point where I could feel the stability control kicking in all around that curve. I'd characterize the S5 as a "2X" car ... one that can comfortably go twice any posted backroad limits. But just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

I guess the point I'd like to make is that it isn't just booze, drugs, and distractions you need to avoid when driving. A fragile emotional state is just as bad. I still don't know what motivated me ... maybe a combination of "bucket list" and "what have I got to lose"? I think I just needed to get that out of my system.

Rick, I am sorry to hear about your medical diagnosis. If you haven't read the Lance Armstrong book entitled, "It's Not About the Bike", I'd recommend you give it a read. It's about how eat up he was with brain and stomach cancer and with the right treatment, seems to be in full remission. Yes, he was young and strong (and maybe taking alternative medical treatments), but I think his mental will to beat cancer was a powerful factor in his recovery. Hang in there and drive carefully!




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