3rd Annual Fall Family Fun Festival

Looking for a day filled with Halloween festivities? DeVault Family Vineyards will be hosting its 3rd Annual Fall Family Fun Festival on Saturday, October 20th from 2PM to 10PM. Activities include a Haunted Trail, Pumpkin Chucking Contest, Pumpkin Pie Contest (Please bake a Pumpkin Pie and bring it to be judged), Children's Halloween Costume Contest, Bouncers for the kids and Face painting. Bring your towel and swimsuit to take a dip in our indoor heated swimming pool with Lifeguards on duty! Tastings from multiple wineries (For those over 21) *Those over 21 will get a wine glass*. Food, craft, and jewelry vendors will be on site for your purchases and lots more.

Call 434-993-0561 or email devaultvineyards@hotmail.com for more information

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October is Fall Car Care Month

The Car Care Council recommends 10 basic maintenance procedures to keep your vehicle operating at its best:

1. Check all fluids, including engine oil, power steering, brake and transmission as well as windshield washer solvent and antifreeze/coolant.

2. Check the hoses and belts to make sure they are not cracked, brittle, frayed, loose or showing signs of excessive wear.

3. Check the battery and replace if necessary. Make sure the connection is clean, tight and corrosion-free.

4. Check the brake system annually and have the brake linings, rotors and drums inspected at each oil change.

5. Inspect the exhaust system for leaks, damage and broken supports or hangers if there is an unusual noise. Exhaust leaks can be dangerous and must be corrected without delay.

6. Schedule a tune-up to help the engine deliver the best balance of power and fuel economy and produce the lowest level of emissions.

7. Check the heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system as proper heating and cooling performance is critical for interior comfort and for safety reasons such as defrosting.

8. Inspect the steering and suspension system annually including shock absorbers, struts and chassis parts such as ball joints, tie rod ends and other related components.

9. Check the tires, including tire pressure and tread. Uneven wear indicates a need for wheel alignment. Tires should also be checked for bulges and bald spots.

10. Check the wipers and lighting so that you can see and be seen. Check to make sure that all interior and exterior lighting is working properly and replace worn wiper blades so you can see clearly when driving during precipitation.

To help motorists follow a vehicle maintenance program, a free digital Car Care Guide can be found on the council’s website at www.carcare.org/car-care-guide. The guide is available in English and Spanish, and includes information on service interval schedules, questions to ask a technician and tips to drive smart and save money.

Article courtesy of: http://www.carcare.org/2011/09/fall-into-a-vehicle-maintenance-program/

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Best Coastal Trips

Cold weather is coming up, but that doesn't mean you can't still rent a car for a road trip!

CoastalLiving has a list of what they think are their top 10 best road trips!


MENDOCINO, CALIFORNIA
Why we love it: With Napa a few hours inland and Big Sur getting all the attention to the south, many folks miss this pastoral coast where cell phones rarely work and humble towns belie the sublime scenery that spans 96 miles of California’s Highway 1 from Jenner to Fort Bragg.

Please pull over: At Point Arena Lighthouse, day-trippers can tour the beacon for some of the best coastal views in the state, or rent a historic keeper’s house for the night; pointarenalighthouse.com.

Stay: The Philo Apple Farm, cottages from $175; 707/895-2333 or philoapplefarm.com

OUTERBANKS, NORTH CAROLINA
 Why we love it: Map aficionados can’t help but be drawn to this arch of islands curving out from North Carolina’s coast like a spinnaker taking wind. Small towns dot the islands’ landscapes of dunes and long, sweeping beaches. (Nights in Rodanthe was filmed here.) Create a circuit by taking U.S. highways 17, 158, and 64. Back on the mainland, weave through marshlands and historic towns like Edenton.

Please pull over: The Rodanthe house is called “Serendipity” and is the northernmost oceanfront home on Hatteras Island.

Stay: Nags Head Beach Inn, rooms from $75; 800/421-8466 or nagsheadbeachinn.com

WHIDBEY ISLAND TO CHUKANUT DRIVE, WASHINGTON
 Why we love it: You can get from Seattle to Bellingham two ways: a boring drive up Interstate 5 or a Puget Sound adventure on state highways 525 and 20 that lead from Whidbey Island to the famed Chuckanut Drive. Start with a ferry to Whidbey, then work your way by Deception Pass to Anacortes and back to the mainland. Finish up on Chuckanut Drive for a winding, sunset-perfect, Sound-hugging meander to Bellingham.

Please pull over: Trails at Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve on Whidbey Island lead to a steep bluff and down to a beach.

Stay: Historic Fort Casey cottages in Coupeville, on Whidbey Island, rooms from $75; 866/661-6604 or fortcaseyinn.com

Read more: http://www.coastalliving.com/travel/ten-best-road-trips-00400000053582/

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Getting The Most MPG Per Trip

Anyone going on a trip over an hour long knows it can be a hassle figuring out how to get the most MPG out of their car... Everything plays a role, tire pressure, wheel alignment, weight, and especially speed.

Howstuffworks has a few tips to help you figure out your best speed!


This is actually a pretty complicated question. What you are asking is what constant speed will give the best mileage. We won't talk about stops and starts. We'll assume you are going on a very long highway trip and want to know what speed will give you the best mileage. We'll start by discussing how much power it takes to push the car down the road.

The power to push a car down the road varies with the speed the car is traveling. The power required follows an equation of the following form:

road load power = av + bv² + cv³

The letter v represents the velocity of the car, and the letters a, b and c represent three different constants:

The a component comes mostly from the rolling resistance of the tires, and friction in the car's components, like drag from the brake pads, or friction in the wheel bearings.
The b component also comes from friction in components, and from the rolling resistance in the tires. But it also comes from the power used by the various pumps in the car.
The c component comes mostly from things that affect aerodynamic drag like the frontal area, drag coefficient and density of the air.

Read more: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/fuel-economy/question477.htm

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Pierce Street Harlem Renaissance Festival

The 1st Pierce Street Harlem Renaissance Festival is Saturday, September 22nd from 10AM to 4PM at the Anne Spencer Garden (1301 Pierce St.). Enjoy craft, art, and food vendors while enjoying live music at the home of the acclaimed Harlem Renaissance poet, Anne Spencer. Admission is free and open to the public.

Visit http://www.annespencermuseum.com/events.php for more information

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Choosing The Right Car Color

Want to stick out among other drivers on the road?

BankRate has a list of hottest car colors, so you can pick the one that's unique for you!

Nearly 20 percent of all 2006 vehicles (the latest year for which figures are available) were silver -- the seventh consecutive year that the color has taken the top spot.

There's good reason for that, says Chris Webb, the exterior color and trend designer for GM North America. "There's no question that silver on a vehicle looks incredible," he says. "When the light hits it and refracts, it shows off the vehicle's architectural form beautifully."

Read more: http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/auto/car-guide-2007/20070801_top_10_car_colors_a1.asp?caret=2c

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Fall Vacation Spots

Autumn is among us and with it come some beautiful vacation spots, so here's a top 10 list of places you can visit to see the beauty and vast colors of the fall season.

#1 Aspen, Colorado

While it’s the place to see and be seen every winter, autumn brings a sense of serenity to Aspen – and the golden foliage of the town’s namesake tree along with it. While Colorado’s aspens don’t offer the vibrant fall color spectacle of say, the Northeast, the yellows, golds, and bold oranges that cover the mountainsides here, against a backdrop of intermittent evergreens, are still reason enough for a visit. Mid-to-late September is ideal for fall foliage travel, but with the color change lasting just about a week, timing is everything.

read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/04/fall-foliage_n_704626.html#s134270&title=Aspen_Colorado

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