The M Files

Thanks to the folks at LB Smith Ford Lincoln Mercury, tomorrow I’ll take temporary possession of a Fusion hybrid. I?ó?é¼?äóm told the vehicle is Motor Trend?ó?é¼?äós 2010 Car of the Year. I haven’t validated that and, truthfully, it doesn’t matter.

Ford's sponsorship helps make Ironman triathlon what it is: the best race series on the planet.

I asked for a test drive several months ago after McClure Company purchased a standard engine Fusion as a company car. There are many reasons why I?ó?é¼?äóm a fan of Ford Motor Company:

• We’ve used Fords as our family vehicles for 18 years. They’ve been good cars and our dealers have been easy to work with. Our Explorer has been to every family sports event (we might be talking thousands!) since we’ve owned it. It’s become part of our family DNA.
• Ford resurrected itself without taking a single government bailout penny. Enough said.
• Ford is the primary sponsor of Ironman triathlon. Ironman is by far the best-run triathlon series on the planet. Ford’s sponsorship helps make those races what they are. Thank you, Ford!
• I had the opportunity to meet Ford’s CEO, Alan Mulally, at a charity dinner this past winter. He’s a very thoughtful and engaging man. A one-of-a-kind engineer with an incredible ability to communicate. Here’s a great summary of Alan Mulally by one of the attendees.
  

  Me with Ford CEO Alan Mulally, moments after thanking him for Ford's sponsorship of Ironman triathlon.

The Fusion hybrid will be my second big weekend adventure in a Ford. My first was as a college student in the British Islands in the late 80s. I and three other American chaps drove a Ford Festiva from Leeds, England to John O’Groats, Scotland and back over the course of three days, a distance of about 1,000 miles. In a few words:

• Sleep deprived.
• Cramped.
• Pints with locals.
• Belly laughs.
• Unforgettable stench.

Go ahead and laugh at my hair. It was the 80s and you know yours was just as bad.

Here we are taking a break somewhere in Scotland.

This is a Loch Lomond version of a youth hostel. Nice stopping point, although we were certain the place was haunted.

Feeling the effects of our Festiva. We had to use it as sleeping quarters on night #2. Do not attempt this at home.

The 40^th anniversary of Earth Day is Thursday, April 22. In past years I’ve let the day come and go without more than a fleeting thought. After all, everyday should be Earth Day, right? This year will be different. For a number of reasons, including a recent commitment to routinely engage in social media, my environmental awareness is at heightened level.

This year I’ll commit to introducing several small changes to my routine with the hope that some or all of them will become permanent. Small steps, as opposed to bold measures, are the key to sustaining lasting change. Taking bunches of small steps over the course of five or 10 years, while remaining focused on a big vision, can produce incredible results. And small changes can easily be permanently incorporated into daily life. Seemingly crazy goals can be achieved in this manner.

I have a couple of personal examples framed over the course of the past decade:

• Transformation from regular guy to Ironman triathlon* finisher.
• Fourfold growth of our energy services business unit at McClure Company.

Both goals were achieved as a result of casting bold visions and implementing a long series of small, sustainable, deliberate steps. Both were reached in the face of plenty of naysayers and obstacles.

Back to Earth Day

Please join me as I blog about my activities over the course of the next several days. It should be fun. The highlight of my weekend will be parking my BMW in favor of a Ford Fusion hybrid from the trusting team at LB Smith Ford Lincoln Mercury.

How do I feel about hybrids? Let’s just say this VW commercial makes me laugh out loud.

I’m unconvinced that hybrid gas/electric vehicles are the right incremental step to achieve the bold vision of a sustainable and energy secure future. It seems we could do better by advancing other technologies. That said, I drive a lot. It’s the least green thing I do.

I take the train and car pool when able but could definitely reduce my carbon footprint by burning less gas. Will this short-term change make a lasting difference in my perspective? Stayed tuned, and we’ll find out together.

*Most often associated with the Ironman World Championships in Kona, HI, an Ironman distance triathlon consists of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile run. Contestants have 17 hours to finish the race. I completed a full distance Ironman in Lake Placid, NY in 2007 in slightly over 12 hours. I intend on returning there in 2011 and crushing that time.