The first drive of the year

OK so we can be really technical. It wasn't the first drive of the year. I'd driven it around town, out to a restaurant and to the petrol station. But Sunday May 15 th was the first proper drive of the car. We got into the car and drove from Princeton down to Eden Prairie and back to visit the out-laws. The sun was out it was in the 70's, it was a wonderful afternoon for a drive. After two minutes on the road we realized what a wonderful experience driving in a car with the roof down is. Sun on your face, wind in your hair, all those cliches. Unless you've done it you can't know how much fun it is. We drove around with silly grins on our faces all the way there and back.
Let's not forget the reactions of people who saw the car. Many people took a second look at it as we passed. One fellow, a passenger in a large SUV had his face pressed up against the passenger window glass as they overtook us. I won't forget his wide eyed stare in a hurry. It would almost pay to have a camera mounted on the car somewhere to capture their expressions.
The only bad spot of the trip was the loss of first and second gear a few miles form home. Yes it felt pretty bad at the time but the car pulled away in third and once you're on the move on many roads in the states you don't need any other gears. So we got home with no problems. We have since discovered that the loss of gears was caused by the loss off a bushing in the gear shifter linkage. A five dollar part probably. The car is 35 years old so these things are going to happen. There's no point in getting too upset about them. Perhaps I should have to learn how to fix them myself rather than send the car down to my local repair shop, as much as they love to work on the car. I have the help of the MGexperience.net forum to help diagnose and advise. At some point I will have a go.
One thing, I need to find some proper roads to drive on. Not interstates or multiple lane highways. Driving these are ptretty boring. I need roads with sweeping curves to feel the car turn. That's what driving a sports car is about.

Playing catch up

I'm a bit behind here lately so here's what's been going on.
The last week of April the car came off the dollies and was readied for the road. Notable aspects of that day were lying on my back underneath the car topping up the oil in the gearbox. This is not an easy task at all. I suppose it will get easier with time and practice. Getting the filler plug out was also a struggle but with a long handled wrench and a hearty cry of "You bastaaaad" it came loose. Filling was quite easy once I got a small hand pump to do the job.
Then it was over to Jim's Auto repair here in Princeton to have the car given the once over as I hadn't had the chance to do so in November before the snows set in.
To say the guys there love the car is an understatement. They love the change of pace that it provides.
Th e car was checked over and my new radiator was fitted. Great! I thought time to get on the road. First trip out and the car was leaking anti-freeze. Panic set in initially but it was nothing more than the top hose perishing after 35 years.
So we now have another chance to get back on the road. A 100 mile trip to test things out and 19 miles from home I lost 1st, 2nd and reverse at a set of traffic lights. Luckily the car has enough power in it to start off in third.
Another trip to jones reveals nothing more complicated than a worn off bushing in the gear shifter linkage. A simple job to replace but the part will take a few days to get here.
So there we are . Less than a month into MGB motoring and we've been back to the garage twice. But nothing serious, nothing terminal to the summers motoring. Which is a good job because that drive last Sunday in the sun was nothing short of wonderful.