Maxie and Carla's road trip

Casual conversation ended when she saw the sign indicating the whale viewing point at the edge of town. She started scanning the water intently. I repeated what Henry had explained: that the whales of breeding age would have returned to feed in the frigid Southern Ocean after the mating season, but that there was always the chance of spotting one of the older resident ones. I'd taken her up the mountain to the Steenbras Dam lookout point in the hope that we might spot one, but even the higher vantage had yielded nothing. Still, whales or not, it was a lovely drive on a beautiful day. "I've always thought I should get a Miata," she said. "Especially whenever I'm on the Tail of the Dragon. It's perfect for roads like this."