Standing in line requires patience but often yields great rewards. I learned this recently while queuing up at the MOTHER EARTH NEWS FAIR in Seven Springs, Pa., where I met some great people who, like me, wanted to test-drive the new Ford hybrid.
One of these folks was Greg Pavlosky of Johnstown, Pa. He struck up a conversation after noticing the huge letters spelling out “STAFF” on the back of my t-shirt. Greg was having a great time at the FAIR and full of compliments about it. We chatted about our eagerness to take the new Ford hybrid for a spin. Ford, a FAIR sponsor, shipped in a corral of the 2013 electric and hybrid vehicles specifically for the event. This partnership pleased us at MOTHER EARTH immensely.
Greg and I both happened to choose the C-MAX hybrid for our test-drives. Ford bills the C-MAX as its first-ever hybrid multi-activity vehicle. Greg and I climbed into our separate cars and expected to never see each other again. But we happened to return to the lot at about the same time and then walked away together, comparing notes on our experiences.
Turns out we’re big fans of the car. Both of us liked the quiet ride and the power we experienced while climbing the hills around Seven Springs. The roomy cabin also made our favorites list. Greg is over six feet tall, and I’m 5’9″. Neither of us had any trouble climbing into the C-MAX and we couldn’t believe the headroom which made the car feel spacious. Greg planned to bring his wife back to the FAIR because she’d wanted a hybrid for some time while he’d resisted due to their typically cramped interiors. The Ford C-MAX changed his mind.
Imagine my surprise when, amongst thousand of FAIR visitors, Greg found me later that same weekend. As promised, he’d brought his wife, Teri, and they’d test-driven the new Ford hybrid together. They happily posed for my camera, holding the August/September issue of MOTHER EARTH NEWS.
Greg got back in touch about a week later to say the hybrid would most likely be the couple’s next vehicle: “We had a great time at the fair and look forward to attending next year. We also loved the Ford C-MAX hybrid and the amount of room both in the front and back.” I can’t resist adding Greg’s nice comments about the event: “I commend all of the staff you work with for the great job on the fair.”
I enjoyed meeting Greg, Teri and so many other fans of MOTHER EARTH NEWS this year at Seven Springs. Who knows, the Ford C-MAX hybrid may just be my next car, too.
Rebecca Martin is an Associate Editor at MOTHER EARTH NEWS magazine, where her beats include DIY and Green Transportation. She’s an avid cyclist and has never met a vegetable she didn’t like. You can find her on Google+.
