Monday, February 21, 2011

The Tomaso Files: Riders On the Storm: Thoughts upon Tom Carnegie, Man’s Best Friend and Crashing Ocean waves...


saw a DEADHEAD sticker on a Cadillac
A little voice Inside my head said,
"Don't look back. You can never look back."
(Lyrics - Don Henley; The Boys of Summer: Building the Perfect Beast)

So those were the words I crooned to Mary Ellen as we began our “Moonlight Drive” southwards towards Highway 101, the Oregon coast and our ultimate destination of a sleepy Seaside town near the undulating Sand Dunes...

Thus I suppose there’s some sorta irony between my riding Shotgun in a 1992 CAD ‘O LACK ‘N Geo Phillips rekindling his relationship with the fickle Mistress ‘O Speed better known as the Speedway that very same year, eh? As I’d probably need to peruse the confines ‘O eBay in order to secure a Grateful Dead Bumper sticker, but I digress;

Now obviously (SNAP!) I’d never met the Maestro of IMS’s Public Address system, that melodically booming Baritone voice of none other than Mr. Tom Carnegie... Although I believe I heard him live upon my debutant visit to the hallowed grounds ‘O 16th & Georgetown – the 2001 USGP Formula 1 race, albeit the event is fast becoming a fleeting memory; SHEISA! Can it already be nearly ten years ago that I partook in that most memorable 17-day cross country journey... Although I cannot recollect what I heard over the Brickyard’s speakers – I can still see those shining silver aluminum bleacher seats as I witnessed the siren song of the F1 circus crackle to life for Friday morning’s practice session! Not to mention being absolutely AMAZED by how LONG the FREAKIN’ straightaway was – not to mention the Indianapolis Motor Speedway complex as a whole...

And I’m also guessing I possibly(?) heard Messer Carnegie’s voice once again during the 2006 USGP – although this seems highly improvable upon having just read that “THE VOICE” retired from active duty after that year’s memorable Indy 500...

Yet I was more enthralled in the fact that DER TERMINATOR (Michael Schumacher) WON the race and made history by becoming the first (and ONLY!) five time Indy winner...

And I may have also heard him during the 2009 Indy 500 weekend? As I suppose its somewhat symbiotic that my final mental image of Mr. Carnegie is of him looking most regal in a wheelchair with a blanket covering his lap/legs – a most symbolic pose to Mwah, evoking memories of a one Franklin Delano Roosevelt during his final days at the Yalta Conference with Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin during the latter stages of World War II. As I was totally unaware that the two men shared something in common; they both suffered from Polio.

FEB 14: Tom Carnegie, My Friend
The Churning OceanHaving arrived at our destination late Tuesday evening, we were fortunate enough to enjoy three and two-thirds days of sunny, DRY, albeit nippy weather along the Oregon coastline watching ‘N listening to the Pacific Ocean’s tireless churning of incoming waves followed by a symphonic foaming of receding waves.

After having taken many walks upon various beaches, trundling up, down – over ‘N around countless miles of sand, along with enjoying a tranquil view out into the vast oceanic reaches from Cape Perpetchua... The rain that had been promised to arrive the preceding day finally arrived, as Mary Ellen & I traipsed along an ‘Ash-fault trail in a gloomy, dark, mist whilst staring out into the fast approaching twilight towards a nearly perfectly shaped pyramid rock which reminded me of Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach... As I guess the loudly crashing waves that looked like the wind was blowing them sideways should perhaps have been a forbearer of things to come? Along with a subtle reminder of just whose really in control of the planet – As Mother Earth had plucked two somewhat daring, albeit unexpecting teenagers into her ferocious tidal surf. As just days prior to our arrival, two young men, ages 17 & 18 had been taken to Davy Jones locker when frolicking about the rocky beaches of Yachats southern reaches of Smelt Sands State Park. As their friends were unable to rescue them during the Mid-day tragedy...

Returning to our Affable Guest’s houseianna ‘N catching the Saturday evening news – it was pointed out to me that somebody named Tom Carnegie had died – as I did my very poor imitation of “IT’S A NEW TRAAAAAAAACK RECORD!” As the mute button was quickly turned off in order for me to listen to the accompanying story, which was part of the ABC news broadcast.

I tried explaining how Mr. Carnegie was an Indy 500 Institution, having called the Memorial Day classic for six decades – and how I felt cheated that he would miss out upon this year’s 100th Anniversary of the event he so cherished...

Tom Carnegie – The Voice
Man’s Best FriendIt was also upon that most Excellent Adventure to Mecca in 2001 – in the face of uncertainty towards whether or not the USGP would commence after that day known as 9/11, trekking eastwards without any communication capabilities, that ‘Ol Blue was “Loaded for Bear” with a most captivating Canine named Sarah, a magnificent ‘Hoond.

When I first met Sarah, she was part of a two “Mule” team which also included Gypsy, a wonderfully friendly ‘N exuberant Irish Wolfhound breed, with a ceaseless affliction for fetching sticks... Thus it was very sad to hear that she’d passed away on Monday – as I feel extremely fortunate to have gotten to see Gypsy one final time & that she still remembered me after all of these years... Her unfortunate demise was preceded by Sarah’s passing, albeit I can personally say they both lived exceedingly long, healthy and happy lives!

Thus, I’m not sure how all of this ties together, or if it even does? (Especially after the recent violence occurring in Libya, Bahrain, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Africa and elsewhere in the world...) As we made our way back northwards Sunday – the entire drive ensconced in steadily increasing precipitation; CRIKEYS! With “The Krakow Kid’s” seriously NASTY Rallying accident, Tom Carnegie & Gypsy’s deaths and a week away from ze Confuser; Der ‘Vurld ‘O Motorsporten seemed very far away, as the continuous frothing foam of the oceans waves seems somewhat ominous, albeit comforting in the thought that it too like a Timex wristwatch keeps on ticking... Time marches on and soon the roar of single seater racecars will roar to life as the 2011 racing season begins...