DEFEND YOUR RIDE: Pat At Hoppy Brewing

Q: Only 100,000 miles on an 18-year-old car. How'd you manage that?

A: Because I only drive in the city. It's not a traveling car. You go too far in that car and you're going to have some problems. Stuff might overheat and it's scarier than heck on the freeway and being scared is not fun.

Q: Why Ol' Blue?

A: Because it used to be Baby Blue, but now she's reached the legal limit to go vote.

Q: How long have you owned this car?

A: I have owned it since 1993, I believe. My parents bought it brand new and I remember going to the dealership with them and trading in their old Mustang and I believe my mom forgot to put oil in it and the engine blew on the freeway and they traded it in. I think they got something like $100 for it or something. They bought the Geo Metro and I remember it was the Roseville Automall. I remember they had a hot dog thingy and I went and got a hot dog.

Q: You didn't go see Cal?

A: We didn't. It was John L. Sullivan, I believe. Everything on it is original. There are no after-market products.

Q: If your parents bought it, how did you get your hands on it?

A: My mom. I originally bought a Suzuki Samari from one of our family friends. That was a stick shift and I drove it a few times and I did not like it at all. So I paid $500 for the Suzuki and pretty much switched with my mom. I traded with my mom. It's my first car. It's my only car. It's my love. As cheesy as it sounds, I love that frickin' car. On a side note, my mom ended up putting a crap load of money into the Suzuki.

Q: Crap load…is that a technical term?

A: It sure is!

Q: Why did you decide to come here today?

A: Because I like drinking beer and I like supporting local breweries. Local breweries need the support of community. Sacramento was a hub for beer at one time. We need to keep it that way. Why give money to Miller when you can give money to a local beer that you know is going to taste awesome.

Q: What neighborhood do you live in? What's the zip code?

A: Fruitridge Manor, 95824.

Q: How old are you?

A: Thirty-one.

Q: What's your car's main use?

A: Getting to and from work.

Q: How much time do you spend in your car in an average day?

A: A good hour.

Q: What's the worst part about your commute?

A: The way my car bumps up and down on any slight, little bumpy, bumpy, it goes ouchy, ouchy. Let's just say the ride is not very smooth at all.

Q: Where's the craziest place you've driven to?

A: Cameron Park, believe it or not. Going up that hill. I was in the far right lane with the truckers and they were pretty much pushing me and my foot was to the floor. It was pretty scary.

Q: Who did you go with?

A: My buddy Erik. We went to go see GWAR. Yes, GWAR played in Cameron Park. And I ditched my senior prom to go see them.

Q: You ditched prom for a concert?

A: Yeah, it was either go dateless, or go see GWAR.

Q: How long did it take you to get there?

A: I think it was about 45 minutes. I can't remember. That was like 1999.

Q: Do you have in rules in your car?

A: The trip's supposed to take about three to four hours and I think we were on the road for eight. It was bad. It was like Christmas Eve, too, so it was even worse.

Q: Do you have any rules in your car?

A: Wear your seatbelt. If you're smoking a cigarette, it does not go out the window. And you better start singing some songs because I have no radio.

Q: So if you don't have a radio, what do you listen to when you're driving?

A: The sounds of my crazy brain thinking of my next video idea for YouTube.

Q: Do you post a lot of videos on YouTube?

A: I used to make a video a day, but then I kind of fell out of that habit because I wasn't that entertaining. So now I do it when I go on vacation or something cool on weekends. Or I'll just film my crazy dog Luna.

Q: Do you ever make up songs to entertain yourself in your car?

A: I make up bass lines, all the time bass lines.

Q: If your car had a theme song, what would it be?

A: "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can—Ooooooh, I can!"

Q: Why that?

A: Because it's still going, still crazy after all these years.

Q: If your car had a human emotion, what would it be?

A: Nervous because sometimes she shakes a little, especially when I start up in the morning. She'll shake for a few minutes.

Q: So it's like a Chihuahua?

A: More like a Golden Retriever that gets scared at a toaster popping.

Q: Why a Golden Retriever and why a toaster popping?

A: Because I have a Golden Retriever named Luna and when the toaster pops, she goes and hides. We have no idea why she does this. The big, bad toast is going to get her!

Q: What are some of your favorite features?

A: The horn.

Q: Why the horn?

A: Because it's so high-pitched.

Q: What are you most proud of about this car?

A: That it's still going, still running after a blown head gasket and several hoses I've had to repair and being 18 years old.

Q: What's your absolute dream car?

A: Probably an old-school Ferrari.

Q: Why?

A: I've just always liked them. I've always thought they were cool-looking and fast.

Q: Is there anything else we should know about your car?

A: Tires on that thing are pretty hard to find now, since they are 12 inch tires and there's no upgrade I can get to make them 13 like regular cars. So finding tires, I have to order them from the tire company and they're getting hard to find.

Q: You're not going to put 20 inch rims on there?

A: I wish I could, but…no, I don't wish I could.

Q: Why not?

A: Because it would look dumb. A Geo Metro with 20 inch rims? It'd be like, "Dude, your rims cost more than your car."

Q: Anything else to share?

A: Driving on the freeway is very scary in that thing. I will not do that. She is a beast of burden.

Q: Why is that?

A: First of all, it doesn't do 65 very well. Kind of starts getting a little too shaky and then when big rigs pass by, the wind difference is pretty scary.

Q: If your car is so bad, why do you still have it?

A: Because I can't afford anything else and the gas mileage is awesome! I can put $20 in there and it'll last a good week and a half on a big driving week. My work is not always in one place.