by Michael Satterfield - 04/05/2023
The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon as I revved up the engine of a brand-new 2023 Corvette convertible. It was a sleek and shiny machine, with a suspension that hugged the road like a lover and an angry snarl from the exhaust. The car had been dropped off by the fleet team a few days before and I could think of no better place to take a drop-top Corvette than the Space Coast. The Corvette is inextricably tied to the space program ever since General Motors offered astronauts the lease of a brand-new Corvette for just $1 a year, the program would last until 1971. I also decided to wear the Bulova Lunar Pilot, one of only two watches to ever be worn on the moon.
With some classic rock playing I hit the gas, peeling out of the parking lot and onto the open road. The wind whipped through my hair as I pushed the car to its limits, feeling the power and speed of the machine beneath me. Cars like this make you feel like nothing else matters at that moment except the open road and the thrill of the ride. Despite the new Corvette having all the trappings of modernity it still feels roguish and untamed.
As I left the city of Bryan behind, the Texas countryside stretched out before me, a vast expanse of green fields and dusty roads. The air was thick with the scent of cow manure and a whiff of barbecue smoke as a passed by 1775 Texas Pit BBQ. It was a familiar mix of smells, one that reminded me of home and growing up on a small ranch in California.
I was taking the long way, no major highways, through towns like Independence, Wallis, and Alvin, avoiding the terrible tangle of roads and traffic that is the city of Houston. The music blared from the speakers as I hit the gas outside of the small town of West Columbia, by now the sun was high in high in the sky, there is no higher form of therapy than the wind whipping through your hair while The Cult blares through the sound system.
I pulled over to grab a coffee and reflect on the Corvette, I had driven the Converibtle at the Ron Fellows School, but using it as a track day toy was all well and good, but driving it on the street is the true test of any performance car, is it something you can actually live with every day. Like other supercars, the Corvette makes getting in and out gracefully a challenge, if you are in a tight parking space you should consider becoming a contortionist. That and having to relearn where every button is on the console are my only gripes, the Corvette is still the best value for a midengine high-performance sports car money can buy, and 2023 marks the 70th Anniversary model.
So of course there is a 70th Anniversary special edition, which is only available on the top-line 3LT trim. But hey, if you're going to go all-in, might as well go for the gold. The trim package includes dark-finish aluminum wheels with 70th Anniversary center caps and red brake calipers. And you won't be able to miss the special exterior badging You get to choose between White Pearl Metallic or Carbon Flash Metallic paint. But wait, there's more! You can add Satin Gray or Satin Black racing stripes to make sure everyone knows you're not messing around. The special edition even comes with custom-matching luggage.
As I get back in the car for the final stretch, I make sure to set my temperatures and other settings so I can focus on driving. Ripping down the last section of country roads before we get to the suburbs, but as approached Nassau Bay, something changed. The air grew cooler, the sky darker, and the road became treacherous. I could see rain out on the bay closing in around me like a thick blanket. Sadly it was time to put the top up. The rain started just as I pulled into Space Center Houston just across the street from the Johnson Space Center, the rain just keeps coming down in buckets, so instead of taking a tour, I settle in and pull back out on NASA Parkway which hugs Clear Lake taking me towards the Trinity Bay on to Route 146 towards Galveston.
Pulling onto the Bluewater Highway, I drive along the Gulf as the storm starts to dissipate and in the distance blue sky breaks through as I find myself at Surfside Beach and make a required stop at La Taqueria de Surfside, And as I parked the Corvette on the side of the road and stepped out into the cool sea air, I can help but think that these kind of trips are what the Corvette was built for.
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