Capitol Auto Credit Honors Our Veterans

Capitol Auto Credit wishes to honor all service members, past and present, this Veterans Day.

We thank those that have served us, as well as those who continue to defend our nation both domestically and overseas.

Thank you for your service and dedication to our nation. And to everyone else, please take a moment to thank a Veteran that is close to you on this day.

Our Veterans display inside our building

Cub Scouts participate in Pinewood Derby Event last Saturday

Fans cheer on as their favorite racecars pass the finish line. They clock in at 180, 190, and even above 200 miles per hour! Upon finishing, these cars come to a halt...by knocking into a plush cushion?

This isn’t NASCAR, but the young Cub Scouts who raced their Pinewood Derby cars last weekend sure felt like superstars. The Yahara New Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby was held on Saturday, November 7th, and both the designs of the cars and their speeds took center stage.

Representing a number of Cub Scout Packs in the region, these boys watched and cheered on their own cars as they went down the track. Computer technology helped ensure that each boy’s car was clocked in at the right speed, with many racers going above 190 mph (some even broke the 200 mph speed!).

Check out the images and videos below for an idea of what went down. Congratulations to all racers involved!

Head to the UW Arboretum for some great colors this fall -- before they disappear!

Fall weather means a lot of things to different people. It’s peak time for some sports fans, with the start of the World Series and football season really kicking into gear. It’s also a great time for others to enjoy Pumpkin Spice Latte’s if you’re into that sort of thing.

In Wisconsin, though, there’s one more added benefit: the change in the color of the leaves.

We’re just past the peak leaf change time, so you better get out this weekend if you hope to experience some amazing colors. What better place to do so than at the UW Arboretum.

I recently took a trip here and was just amazed by the brilliant colors I saw. (Click the pictures to enlarge)

The UW Arboretum has a storied history. It was begun as a project of the CCC during the Great Depression. Its development was led by Aldo Leopold, a famed conservationist in the Madison area and beyond.

With more than 1,200 acres of natural space, and a welcoming staff ready to answer any questions you throw at them, now’s the perfect time to go out and experience the changing of the leaves. Hurry though – the leaves will soon be gone!

Verona Road/Beltline construction delayed...until at least 2021

Road construction is no laughing matter

Don’t expect those road delays or construction to be done any time soon on Verona Road near the Beltline. The state of Wisconsin is delaying many traffic projects, including that troubled intersection, which now is being projected to be completed at the earliest by the year 2021.

There is not enough funding, apparently, in the current state budget to complete several major road projects in the timelines originally planned out. As a result, those projects will see some delays, resulting in longer construction times than initially anticipated.

Included alongside the Verona Road/Beltline project, an expansion of Highway 39/90 from Beloit to Madison will also be delayed. Other projects being delayed are in the Fox Valley region of Wisconsin. 

Parks worth checking out: Edna Taylor Conservation Park in Madison

Madisonians know that they are fortunate to live in a city that has dedicated a huge amount of land towards the preservation of parks space. Whether you’re playing a pickup game of basketball or just wanting to go on a nature hike, Madison has plenty of areas, usually just a brief walk away, that you can get to.

Sometimes just having a place to see nature is itself a rewarding experience. Edna Taylor Conservation Park is one such place. Located on the city’s southeast side (with a convenient entrance and parking on Femrite Drive), the park provides a great place to hike, observe nature, and bask in some pretty cool historical markers made thousands of years ago by native peoples.

Many schools in the area, including nearby Glendale Elementary (which borders the park), often come on field trips to discover what’s living in the park.

...the cattail-rich park is neatly and inconspicuously situated in the midst of frenetic pockets of residential housing and commercial development. Rife with frogs and birds, the hidden gem teems with wildflowers, oak stands, cottonwoods, lily-pads and blue-flag iris. Ponds here play host to everything from egrets and great blue herons to woodpeckers.

Edna Taylor, who was a teacher and a farmer, sold much of her land to the City of Madison in hopes of preserving a place for people to experience nature firsthand.

The park which bears her name has over 1.3 miles of trails, and includes Native American effigy mounds that were built sometime between 700 AD and 1200 AD – almost half a century before Europeans first made it to Wisconsin!

According to the Madison parks website:

The mounds often, but not always, have burials associated with them, but their exact purpose is not entirely understood. Mounds tend to have been built in places with beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. The mounds are considered sacred by modern Native Americans and should be treated with respect.

If you’re looking for a serene and enjoyable trek, you can’t go wrong with a visit to Edna Taylor Conservation Park!

Image via the City of Madison

#EastSideThings -- Video of a fighter jet flying over Madison

A fighter jet flies over our car lot at Capitol Auto Credit in Madison, Wisconsin. Just another site you'll see occasionally on the East Side of Madison.

Badgers Men's Basketball team makes it to Final Four!

We’re stoked that the Wisconsin Badgers Men’s Basketball team is heading back to the Final Four this year! This past weekend, the Badgers defeated the Arizona Wildcats 85 to 78 to advance in the NCAA tournament.

We’re equally thrilled that Senior forward Frank Kaminsky was unanimously selected by a panel of 65 members to the All-America first team on Monday.

Congratulations to Frank and the rest of the Badgers Men’s Basketball team. Let’s keep the momentum going into the Final Four this weekend! Go Badgers!

Warmer weather driving tips

It’s finally warming up in Madison! Who else is excited about this??? We’re excited at Capitol Auto Credit because it means more people to meet on our lot that we can help get into great vehicles.

With warmer weather, however, there develops different driving hazards than what the winter presented us. Whereas in winter we have to be weary of ice and snow, warming temperatures bring their own challenges, such as high water levels or slush.

Enjoy the warm weather – but be sure you change your driving habits as the snow begins to melt! Here are three tips for how to drive safely when the snow begins to melt.

1. Driving over slush
There are different things to look out for when driving over slush (the gray, sludgy stuff) on the road. For starters, slush, unlike ice or snow, “grabs” onto your tires. That in turn ends up slowing your vehicle down, in some cases in very significant ways.

Be careful when driving over slush, and if you get stuck or lose control, don’t panic. Lift your foot off of the accelerator, apply your brakes slowly, and regroup.

2. Potholes
Potholes are huge problems in the warming weather. During the winter, snow seeps into cracks in the road. As it freezes, the ice actually expands, causing those cracks to grow larger. The process repeats itself over and again, eventually culminating in large holes in the road.

The best defense against potholes is just keeping a vigilant eye for them on the road. Keep your eyes peeled for potholes. Don’t swerve violently to miss one – you could find yourself in bigger troubles by hitting someone – but when possible move out of the way to avoid potholes.

3. Animals
Animals are more active during winter months, especially the spring time. Many are waking from hibernation while others are beginning mating season. They often cross roads, especially in rural areas, so you must be on the alert more during these warming times!

Keep an eye on the side of the road, especially at night time. Often you can see animals sooner by recognizing the reflection of their eyes from your car headlights. Using your brights (when able to) on country roads is also a great way to deter animals from trying to cross your path.

Make sure you drive safe this spring! Take these tips and others to heart, make sure you always buckle up and pay attention to the road.

New twin polar bears coming to Madison (with video!)

The Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison announced today that a set of twin polar bears will be part of the Zoo’s newest Arctic Passage exhibit.

From Channel 27 WKOW in Madison:

The Henry Vilas Zoo and the Friends of the Zoo announced Thursday they will welcome polar bear twins in time for the Arctic Passage exhibit's grand opening this summer.Suka and Sakari, twin sister and brother are currently living at the Como Zoo in St. Paul, Minnesota.

We’re excited about the new addition – both the exhibit and the new polar bears!

Here’s video of Suka and Sakari playing when they were at the Toledo Zoo before moving to Minnesota:


The announcement comes one day before International Polar Bear Day.

Has it ever been colder in Madison? Yes...MUCH colder!

The weather in Madison has been exceptionally frigid. OK, let’s not kid ourselves – it’s been dreadful.

With low temperatures and strong winds, we’ve seen wind chills go into the negative-double digits. The next few days will seem like a heatwave compared to the last few we’ve had to deal with. In reality, it won’t be that much better:

Forecast from weather.com

It’s been a pretty cold week or so, and the next five days will remain cold. But the coldest day in Madison? For that, you have to go more than 60 years into the past.

January30, 1951 saw temperatures of -37°. That’s without wind chill. How did it happen? Here’s an article from Madison.com in 2011 that explains the two conditions that were needed:

First, a fresh and relatively deep snow cover is a great help as snow radiates infrared energy exceptionally well. With the long nighttime hours of mid-winter, by the end of the night, a lot of energy [had] been radiated away from the surface of the snow, chilling the air just above it. ...

Second, crystal clear nights are needed to maximize the amount of energy loss near the surface. The night of January 29-30, 1951, was crystal clear in Madison as a strong surface high pressure system was centered over Dubuque, Iowa. ... In fact, on the morning of January 30, the air temperature about 2 miles above the ground was minus-18 — a full 20 degrees warmer than the air at the surface.

It’s been pretty cold lately, but let’s be thankful it hasn’t been -37° cold...yet.

Worry not, Madison: your Wienermobile is safe

Oscar Mayer is known for the many delicious foods it makes, notably its lunchmeats. In Madison, we have the distinction of having not only an Oscar Mayer manufacturing plant, but also one of six Oscar Mayer Wienermobiles on the planet.

I know that I myself have had to take a quick picture on my phone every time the Wienermobile passed me by.

So it was probably a moment of shock for many Madisonians to read that one of the Wienermobiles had crashed and suffered great damage to its bun – I mean, bumper – this past weekend.

Via the New York Daily News

Fortunately no one was injured in the crash. But was our beloved hot dog-shaped transport in dire troubles?

Put your minds at ease, Wienermobile enthusiasts! The Wienermobile crash took place in Pennsylvania, not in Madison. OUR Wienermobile is safe and sound with no damage done to its exterior.

I think we can all sleep easy tonight, knowing the Madison Wienermobile is doing fine.

Tips for dealing with Road Rage in Madison (and elsewhere)

Road rage can be a hazardous aspect of driving. Even if you are a well-tempered driver, others may not be so calm when it comes to misunderstandings on the road. Or, maybe you DO have a bit of a temper, and driving around others just exacerbates it.

Once the subject of humor, aggressive driving accounts for 56 percent of driver fatalities according to AAA. We need to take road rage seriously. It’s not just a problem in other places – as you’re probably aware, Madison, too, has its own incidences of road rage.

This incident report from yesterday demonstrates just how dangerous road rage has become in Madison:

A red light at the intersection of Highway 51 and Kinsman Boulevard caused both drivers to stop. The driver who had initiated the tailgating took the opportunity to exit his car and approach the other driver. Although he locked his doors, the still seated driver rolled down his window as the other man approached. Given the opening, the man reached inside the other man's car and grabbed the driver around the neck. In response the man allowed his car to roll forward causing the other man to let go of his grip. As he let go, the man threatened to break off the other man's finger.

And that’s just the end of the incident. The lead-up to that point included “at least eight provocative acts committed by both parties” according to Madison police.

What are some things we can do to make road rage less prevalent in Madison and elsewhere? First, you should look at your own actions. Does your driving seem a bit aggressive? Always drive with others’ safety in mind, whether that’s your passengers’ safety or the safety of other drivers on the road.

You can’t always control the emotions of others, however. So what should you do when you encounter other aggressive drivers? The City of Madison Police Department suggests you “should look for opportunities to deescalate” the situation and “disengage.” In other words: do what you can to get away from aggressive drivers. And if you can, grab their license plate number and report extremely aggressive behavior to the police.

Wizard World Comic Con in Madison -- Cosplay Tips

Wizard World’s Madison Comic Con is happening this weekend, so expect to see people dressed up in costumes...and more so than what you’re used to in Madison (we’re talking about you, Thong Cape Scooter Man).

While the festivities are sure to be enjoyable, one thing that stresses many convention-goers is what to wear. Going in Cosplay – dressing up as a familiar popular culture icon – can be intimidating. Don’t sweat it! We have some tips for you.

1. Get inspired, don’t get scared

Doing a Google search of what character you want to go as can be a double-edged Sword of Omens. On the one hand, it can generate a great idea that you hadn’t considered beforehand. On the other hand, it can create a huge mess for you, as you begin to compare your crafting skills to those on the Image Search Results page. Don’t sweat it – go as what you want to go as. This is supposed to be an enjoyable experience, so do the best you can and have fun with your costume.

2. Remember the details

The best parts of any costume are the details. Thor is nothing without his hammer, Magneto is just another guy walking around without his helmet, and Frodo is just a nameless Hobbit with big feet without his ring. If your character has an important element to it – whether that’s a prop or anything else – you should tailor your costume to accommodate it.

3. Bring a repair kit

It happens to the best cosplayers. It never fails. You’re walking along the exhibits, maybe admiring the intricate details of someone dressed as Lorne the Host, when you trip. A piece of your costume got stuck under your footwear, and just like that you need a repair job.

You’re fortunate: you’ll be surrounded by a community of cosplayers, and probably one (if not a dozen) among them will be willing to help you out with your predicament. Still, you know your costume best, and you should bring a repair kit with you just in case you need to fix something. The elements that your costume is composed of will help you determine what you need – sewing needles, thread, glue, duct tape – so keep that in mind when you’re putting your kit together.

4. We can’t all be Deadpool.

Even if eating all the chimichangas you can stomach is your life's goal.

5. Ignore the Haters

You could roll up to the doors in the flashiest, most awe-inspiring cosplay costume the world has ever seen – there will still be people criticizing you. Ignore them. You’re not dressing up for them, you’re dressing up for fun and to engage in a culture of cosplayers who advocate acceptance. Those who try to bring you down aren’t worth your time.

Snow, cold on its way...

Here’s a visual weather forecast from Weather.com. It's going to snow in Madison today, and get colder tomorrow afternoon.

And here’s what Channel3000 has to say about it:

Today will be mostly cloudy and not as cold with light snow developing in the afternoon. High temperatures will reach the upper teens. Snow will taper to flurries later tonight. Light snow accumulations of 1-3" will be possible, with the highest totals north of Madison. Wednesday will be mostly cloudy with a slight chance for light snow or flurries, mainly south of Madison. It will become breezy and turn colder with high temperatures reaching the upper teens Wednesday morning, before temperatures slowly fall in the afternoon.

Read their extended forecast here.

Welcome to East Wash and Aberg!

Welcome to East Wash and Aberg, a Madison blog that will take a unique look at the capital city of the Badger State and its surroundings.

We’re Capitol Auto Credit – a dealership in Madison, Wisconsin, that specializes in helping people with challenged credit to finance their vehicles. We’ve been in Madison for a few decades now, and we’re proud of our roots. We love our customers – but mostly we love seeing the smiles on their faces as they purchase a vehicle from us.

We know what you’re thinking – is this site going to be just about cars or financing? Is this another site for Capitol Auto Credit to promote itself? While we do plan to occasionally talk about how we operate and what we offer, we’re also going to take a look at what makes the City of Madison one of the greatest places to live in. We want to write about different neighborhoods, talk to local Madisonians, recommend restaurants and other locations, and just talk about the area in general.

It’s our hope that you’ll come back here from time to time to read about our great city. We also hope you have Capitol Auto Credit in mind for your vehicle and financing needs. If you have challenged credit or no credit, we’re here to talk with you.

Stop in and see us at 3100 E Washington Ave in Madison. Chat with us live on our website at www.capitolautocredit.net. Follow us on Twitter @CapAutoCredit, or Like us on Facebook.

Have a suggestion about the site? We’d love to hear from you. Send us an email and tell us what you think, what could be better, or even a tip on a great restaurant for us to check out. Our ears are open!

We’re excited about this new site, and can’t wait to share the experience in growing it with you, the Madison-area community!