My Ride


MY RIDE- Carolyn Rose: 2005 Chevy Suburban LT Published on Nov 30th, 2006 0 comments Little hybrids may be all the rage, but Carolyn Hope says her Chevy Suburban suits her just fine. "We love it because when we travel we bring everyone with us," she says. With seating for eight and...
MY RIDE- Meredith Benincasa 2005 Saab 92X Published on Nov 23rd, 2006 0 comments When Meridith Benincasa and her husband, Francesco, bought their 2005 Saab 92X hatchback last year, they loved the car's sporty style. There was just one problem: they couldn't drive it. "Neither one...
MY RIDE- Helaine Valldejuli 1998 Volvo V70 Wagon Published on Nov 16th, 2006 0 comments Safety was Helaine Valldejuli's first priority when she purchased her 1998 Volvo V70 wagon last April, right after she and her seven-year-old daughter were in a car accident. The car was badly...
MY RIDE- Edgar Martin 1995 GMC Jimmy Published on Nov 9th, 2006 0 comments Edgar Martin has two cars, this emerald green Jimmy and a BMW 740i. Both are nice, but when he has a job to do, Martin says the Jimmy fills the bill. "It's just what you need when you need to do what...
MY RIDE- Damon Cyr: 2002 Chrysler Prowler Published on Nov 2nd, 2006 1 comments It's safe to say that few cars in Charlottesville catch the eye like Damon Cyr's silver Chrysler Prowler. "My car is one of only 98 Prowlers produced in 2002 in the silver color," says Cyr, who says...
MY RIDE- Doug Smith: 1995 Ford P-1000 Published on Oct 26th, 2006 0 comments The boxy brown UPS truck is a fixture on Downtown streets, and driver Doug Smith is naturally just as ubiquitous. The always-cheerful 33-year-old Smith says he loves his job– every weekend off...
MY RIDE- Leitress Garland: 2002 American Heritage Chance Coach Trolley Published on Oct 19th, 2006 0 comments Leitress Garland has been a relief driver for the Charlottesville Transit Service for a year. And while she says her favorite routes are 7 (Fashion Square Mall) and 4 (Cherry Avenue), the day we...
MY RIDE- Jim Pontuso- 2005 Toyota Camry Published on Oct 12th, 2006 0 comments Jim Pontuso liked his new Toyota Camry so much that he bought three of them. "It's the best ride for the least money, and the mileage is fantastic," says Pontuso, who reports that he drove all the...
MYRIDE- Richard Bean: 2001 Ford F-350 Published on Oct 5th, 2006 0 comments Richard Bean and his partner, Jean Rinaldi, owners of Double H Farm in Nelson County, weren't looking for a pickup truck. So when they stumbled upon a enclosed vehicle with an unusual design, they...
MY RIDE- Roger Voisinet- 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Published on Sep 28th, 2006 0 comments When real estate agent and UVA hockey coach Roger Voisinet took his previous car, a Volkswagen Passat, out to show a property on rugged terrain last year, he knew it was time for a new ride. "...
MY RIDE- Mike Mawyer- Ford E250 van Published on Sep 21st, 2006 0 comments It almost doesn't matter what car you drive when your cargo's cool and refreshing. That seems to be the take of Mike Mawyer, who for the last two years has driven a Ford van for Blue Ridge Beverage,...
MY RIDE- Howard Williams- 2004 Patriot Scooter Published on Sep 14th, 2006 0 comments World War II veteran Howard Williams has owned all kinds of motorcycles in his life, but his favorite is the Patriot scooter he purchased in 1994. Williams' first experience with motorcycles came...
MY RIDE- Eboni Bugg- 2002 Audi A4 Avant Published on Sep 7th, 2006 0 comments When car shopping, people are often tempted to buy the first ride that catches their eye. That's exactly what Eboni Bugg did about a year ago. "I just fell in love with it the first time I saw it,"...
MYRIDE-Jim Perkins-1992 Jaguar SJ6 Published on Aug 31st, 2006 0 comments Once a commander in the Navy and an employee of UVA medical center, Jim Perkins now divides his time between Bank of America, where he works part time, and Sage Moon Gallery, which he and his wife...
MYRIDE- Scott Jones: 2001 Freightliner FL70 Published on Aug 24th, 2006 0 comments Driving a beer truck has a big upside, says Scott Jones, who's been driving for local distributor Blue Ridge Beverage for the past five months. "The best thing is everyone loves the beer guy,"...
MYRIDE- Garry Anderson: 1988 Ford Mustang GT Published on Aug 17th, 2006 0 comments We trust our cars with "precious cargo"– whether family members or trusty construction materials– and safety features are usually a big selling point. But sometimes a brand name alone can...
MYRIDE- Kali Murphy: 2002 Volkswagon Beetle Published on Aug 10th, 2006 0 comments In an age where mammoth SUV's command the streets, it takes a car like Kali Murphy's 2002 Volkswagon Beetle to put them all to shame, reminding folks that good things really do come in small packages...
MYRIDE- Greg Gough: 2006 E-Ton Beamer Matrix Published on Jul 27th, 2006 0 comments Riding a scooter has its perks, says Greg Gough, who bought his latest ride, a black Beamer Matrix model, about four months ago. Ease of use is one. "It has no gears," he says. "I put the key...
MYRIDE- Mike Johnson: 2001 Dodge Intrepid Published on Jul 20th, 2006 0 comments Photographer Mike Johnson sees his 2001 Dodge Intrepid as more than a car– it's also an excellent traveling companion. "I've driven everywhere along the east coast, to New York and Florida,"...
MYRIDE- Carol Harllee <span class="s1">2001 Subaru Forester</span> Published on Jul 13th, 2006 0 comments .PHOTO BY DANIELLE UNGER The open road is host to all kinds of drivers– speed demons, show-offs, and drivers who just want to arrive at their destination in one piece. Cautious driver Carol...
MY RIDE- Kevin Reilly- 1992 BMW 850-I Published on Jul 6th, 2006 0 comments While rabbits' feet and precious gems serve as good luck charms for many people, Kevin Reilly prefers something a little bigger– his BMW 850i. And not only is it lucky, it's unusual. "During...
MY RIDE- Charles Carrier- Cannondale F3000 Published on Jun 29th, 2006 0 comments While droves of area teens eagerly sign up for driver's education classes, Charles Carrier sees fitness and the environment as more important than a driver's license. "My school is close enough to...
MY RIDE- The Nice Jenkins- 1989 Dodge 350 Ram van with turtle top Published on Jun 15th, 2006 0 comments The turtle top is cool, sure, and so is the band's name painted on the side. But the best thing about this van, belonging to local rockers The Nice Jenkins? "The urinal!" laughs drummer Adam Brock,...
MY RIDE- Charlie Hufnagle- 2000 Chrysler Town and Country Published on Jun 15th, 2006 0 comments Charlie Hufnagle has imagined himself as a lot of things– existentialist philosopher, pretentious filmmaker, even dictator of a small country. But soccer mom? That wasn't something the 17-year-...
MY RIDE- Thomas McFarlane- 1997 BMW 318IS Published on Jun 9th, 2006 0 comments Keeping up with stylin' South Beachers was the inspiration behind this sleek sedan. "I lived in Miami at the time, and everyone drives those fancy cars down there," says McFarlane, a 2005 graduate of...
MY RIDE- John Carden- Segway Published on Jun 1st, 2006 1 comments It's been nearly three years since John Carden bought his $4,500 Segway personal transporter, and he's still charmed with his ride. "It sure beats sitting in traffic," he says. "You never suffer road...
MY RIDE- Rose Purdy- 1984 Volvo 240 Published on May 25th, 2006 0 comments "It's a work truck," says Rose Purdy, who runs her Mobile Auto Detailing business out of her Volvo wagon. "The back is my workshop," she says, gesturing to cleaning supplies and equipment filling the...
MY RIDE- Justin Shimp- 1976 BMW 2002 Published on May 18th, 2006 1 comments "I like its vintage 1970s color," says Justin Shimp of his jade green 1976 BMW 2002, one of four currently in Shimp's Beemer fleet. Twenty-four-year-old Shimp, an engineer, found the little green car...
MY RIDE- Ron Heller- 2005 Chrysler Crossfire convertible Published on May 11th, 2006 0 comments There's no need to analyze why Ron Heller yearned for the 2005 Crossfire he bought a month ago. "It's cool," says Heller, a psychiatrist who had two other convertibles before his latest purchase. One...
MY RIDE- Eric Lund- 1994 Saab 900 convertible Published on May 4th, 2006 0 comments A lot of people think that what they drive is what they are, says Charlottesville businessman Eric Lund. They think their car represents their identity. If thats the case, Lund has a very multi-...