Cigars in Cars… God’s Gift to the Road Trip
I am telling you that there is nothing in this world that makes a long car trip go by fast than when you light up a good stogie. Bringing your favorite smoke along for the ride is like having a best pal in the car – one who doesn’t say a word, give you any flack, and just does his thing – and THAT is a beautiful thing.
I took a little trip this weekend to a friend’s house just southwest of Philadelphia, and thank God I had my happy sticks along for the trek. It’s supposed to take two and a half hours to get there, but torrential rains the entire way turned it into a four-hour marathon. Yeah it was dismal, traffic was hellish and accidents were to the left and right of me, but nothing could go wrong as long as my premium hand-rolled buddies made everything just a whole lot better.
What a psycho pig I was as I toked three on the way there and two on the way home, but like I said, when the smoke is swirling from a “car-gar” everything on the roadways seem just right. I started out in the late morning with a Romeo Y Julieta Reserva Real – a golden wrapped beautiful with nice flavor that accompanied my coffee quite nicely. Unfortunately the coffee produced a rather moving experience as I took an early rest stop at a crowded Exxon in western Jersey. Whew… you guys know damned well what I’m talking about. No need to spell it out.
It’s never too early for a second smoke, and the Frank Llaenza 1961 Double Magnum was simply magnificent as the rain pounded my windshield, but it didn’t matter on bit. That dark, rich, luscious ’61 and I were having some quality time, and a little atmospheric pressure was not going to disturb a good run. God dayum that is a fantastic smoke if you haven’t tried it yet. And if you have, then you sure as hell know what I’m talking about. Of course the stomach started grumbling so I cleared my palate with an egg sandwich and immediately started debating on the next cigar to keep my taste buds occupied. With the palate already bombarded with a myriad of textures and tastes, I needed something with some serious heft and body to cut thru the rubble, and the uber dark, rich and oily Omar Ortez did just the trick, Man, that cigar is full bodied up the ying yang and by the time it was done, I was parked in front of my pal’s abode. Sweet.
There’s a lot of great things about cigar smoking, but the companionship and camaraderie a rolled up stick of smoldering aged leaf can bring is sometimes it’s own little Master Card moment. When you’re golfing, fishing, barbecuing, or partaking in any other manly ritual, the cigar is something that just makes the moment a whole lot better. So today we salute the Car Gar – a gift from the great tobacco gods to make your trip a happy happy, joy joyful time.
Smoke cuz ya gottem, Gents.
Tommy Z,
JR Cigars Blog With the Zman
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Speaking of Cars & Cigars…
The next JR Classic Car Night will be held on Friday, August 13th in Whippany, NJ from 6 – 10 pm! Come eat, smoke and be merry as you oogle these amazing works of art!
July 11th, 2010 at 11:58 pm
The inside of your car must reek. You carry a can of Fabreze in that bad boy?
Vacation in a few weeks. I plan on a few beach ‘gars while sitting on an Adirondack chair staring aimlessly at Lake Michigan while imbibing on craft beer.
July 12th, 2010 at 12:00 am
I have to agree with you on this one, Zman. A couple of good ‘gars can make a long drive more bearable. I was stuck in traffic on the Parkway for a couple of hours once and luckily for me I had a Montecristo Taj Mahal to keep me from getting too pissed. That bad boy lasted me the whole trip.
July 12th, 2010 at 12:02 am
I hate Adirondack chairs, D_i_D. They are the most uncomfortable chairs to sit in. My ass goes numb in about 5 minutes. I hate rocking chairs, too.
July 12th, 2010 at 1:44 am
Wow. For once, Zman wrote a blog that I wholeheartedly agree with! (But of course, he didn’t bother to proof read the damned thing, as per usual… LOL)
Pretty much every May, I made a pilgrimage up to Las Vegas, where there’s a small core group of hardcore BOTL that gather from parts near and far. I flew up one year, and discovered that by the time all was said and done, from leaving my house to arriving at the hotel – it took the same amount of time to drive as it did to fly. While the flight itself was maybe 45 minutes, all of the arriving early, waiting for baggage, shuttle rides, etc. added up to about the same duration. So, I drive! And I herf all the up and all the way back. And there’s nothing that bothers me when I’ve got my herf on!
July 12th, 2010 at 3:44 am
‘fiend…you hate rocking chairs?
July 12th, 2010 at 3:45 am
Oh yes he does! Fiend HATES them rockin’ chairs – ever since one rocked right across his tail…
July 12th, 2010 at 6:02 am
I kind of cringed reading about Z enjoying “quality time” with his “happy sticks.” I was thinking “well who is in this car with him,” and then I read about the “uber dark, rich and oily Omar Ortez.” Never mind Frank Llaneza’s “double magnum.”
July 12th, 2010 at 6:50 am
I hate chairs that DON’T rock!
But no way would I ride in a closed up car with the windows rolled up because it was raining, and smoke several cigars. Maybe if I was moving fast on a freeway or highway, with the driver’s window at least half open, I might consider it. Both I and my car would reek to high heaven. I guess Z loves to reek; that’s why he sometimes skips his Saturday bath.
July 12th, 2010 at 7:35 am
You guys have to find the bright side of smelling funky. The worse you smell, the more dogs will like you. Z is very popular with the dogs in his neighborhood.
July 12th, 2010 at 8:31 am
I only smoke in the car when I take the top off. Would be kind of hard to do in the rain. I don’t like the comments I get from the wife about how the car smells if I light up a cigar with the windows closed. She’ll spend hours going over it with air fresheners.
H-Brian: yeah, the descriptions could have been a little better or maybe Zman was targeting a different audience.
BTW, where are the babes? One lonely road sign and no women.
July 12th, 2010 at 8:49 am
If youre a girly-man that don’t like the wonderful aroma of multitudes of fine cigars having been sacrificed to fire within the confines of your vehicle, you need to give your keys to your wife!
I smoke in my vehicle, whenever I want, which is anytime I’m on the road long enough to justify smoking a cigar. I don’t smoke in my wife’s vehicle, because she’d have a fit.
To smoke in a pouring rain: Turn the A/C or heat or vent on – doesn’t matter which, just so long as your not using recirculation. Put it the fan on the maximum setting. The idea is to “pressurize” the passenger compartment a bit, with fresh air from the outside. Crack the driver’s side window enough to “ash” your stick, and you’re good to go.
To smoke in your wife’s car:
Same as smoking in a pouring rain, except every single window has to be wide open and you have to be driving at freeway speeds prior to sparking up, and it’d be best if you sprayed a bunch of Ozium in the car afterward and leave the windows cracked when you park the car, hopefully in the sun. Oh – and you gotta toss the stick before you get off the freeway. If you’ve got a window of a few days, you may get away with this. On the other hand, you’re risking your cajones, so proceed at your own risk! LOL
July 13th, 2010 at 1:58 am
Cotty, don’t you drive a 1996 Geo Metro or something like that? That car begs to be smoke in/on/around….
July 13th, 2010 at 4:29 am
Cotty, you’re a brave man if you actually try smoking in the wife’s car. If you suddenly disappear from this board, we’ll know what happened!
As for smoking in your own car, I think it’d be great (I’ve never tried it). But I’m not sure even I could stand getting in the car the next morning.
July 13th, 2010 at 8:26 pm
Yes, nothing like the stench of stale cigar smoke first thing in the morning to let you know that you’re alive.
July 14th, 2010 at 3:12 am
But then again, we’re men, it shouldn’t bother us.
July 14th, 2010 at 4:24 am
It could be worse. You could have to smell Zman’s farts first thing in the morning. He’s the only one who would enjoy that.
July 14th, 2010 at 4:27 am
It’s not a stench! It’s the wonderful after-glow! My truck smells so delicious… Especially when you first turn on the A/C. LOL
Yes, I drive a ‘94 Geo Metro and a ‘66 Chevy pickup – both of which I herf in!
July 14th, 2010 at 7:32 am
For a second there, Cotty, I thought that remark about a “wonderful after-glow” was a reference to Z’s farts!
July 14th, 2010 at 6:24 pm
i smoke both cigars and my pipes in my truck… and screw anyone who don’t like it, they can walk.
had a guy piss me off when he drove my truck at work and had to deal with his pos truck untill he got back. smoked 4 papayos in it and tucked 2 of the butts under the dash for him to enjoy after he brought mine back.
July 15th, 2010 at 7:00 am
I like your style, madman.