Put Your Back Into It!

March 14, 2022 Michael Carnell Articles, Editorial Comments Off on Put Your Back Into It!

Just a fairly short one this week. There hasn’t been a ton of news coming out, but what there have been are event submissions. I have received a ton of events over the past week or two, and I actually believe I have them all entered. Please take a look, see if you spot any that are missing, and find a few near you to attend. Or better yet, find an event far away from you to attend, and then get out there and drive.

Put Your Back Into It Travels with the Spitfire Ready to Go
Travels with the Spitfire – Ready to Go

If you will allow me to make one recommendation for that drive though, it would be to get things in shape for the trip. And this time I don’t mean the car. I mean get the driver in shape. As I am sitting here nursing an aching back and suffering every time I get in and out of a car, I am reminded that we ourselves are often the weakest link in our car.

Put Your Back Into It Travels with the Spitfire Packing
Travels with the Spitfire – Packing

Back in 2016 I was setting my sights on the longest drive I had ever taken in one of our little British cars. I was making lists of spare parts. I was trying to assess all the weak spots on the car. (There were a lot!) I was trying to figure out how to save a pound here and there when packing. And then I realized that if I really wanted to reduce the weight in the car, that I should start by reducing my then over 300-pound personal weight. And I should do some squatting exercises to make getting in and out of the car easier so that I did not have to roll around on the ground when getting out. You get the picture. And no, it wasn’t a pretty picture.

Put Your Back Into It Travels with the Spitfire at White Castle in Louisville
Travels with the Spitfire – at White Castle in Louisville, KY

I cannot tell you what a difference it made to both my enjoyment of my cars and my overall happiness in life. I dropped over 100 pounds by simply (nothing is ever simple) eating right, drinking water, and exercise. Nothing flashy, nothing amazing, just basic stuff we have been taught since we were kids. Well damn, it worked.

Nothing to sell you on here, no products to promote. Just please take care of yourselves. I want you all to be around a long time. Even the cranky and cantankerous ones of you. If I had taken better care of myself earlier, I wouldn’t have as many back problems now. And back problems are a major issue when you are trying to lean over into an engine compartment.

Sorry, enough preaching for now. But do let me know how things are going for you. Now get out there and drive those cars!

Thanks for reading,

Michael Carnell
Publisher / Editor

Michael Carnell
Editor at Just British

Michael Carnell is the editor and founder of the Just British Online Motoring Magazine. As a lifelong British car enthusiast, he has owned or driven British cars of all ages from Austins and MGs to Jaguars and Triumphs. He currently owns a 1966 Vanden Plas Princess 1100 and a 1977 MGB. But there is always room for more - no matter what his wife says.

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