Right; the text was something like "While it will definitely float, it won't float indefinitely." Probably my favorite of all time. ... View more

Nice to know I've got some wheels in common with Pete Townshend. Nah, not the Mercedes. The V-dub in the background. ... View more

Oops, make that Tuktoyaktuk. ... View more

You're right; the Dempster Highway ends at Inuvik, which is in the Mackenzie river delta, roughly 60 miles from the Arctic Ocean. At the time they did this run, there was no road north of Inuvik. I've made the trip three times, in 1988 in a Jeep Cherokee, in 2006 in a Ford E250, and in 2014 in a Ford Explorer. It's a fantastic journey. Unfortunately, the road was a lot worse in 2014 than it was when the boys made their trip, because the maintenance hasn't kept up with the usage. But I hear that Northwest Territories is building a road direct to Inuvik from Fort Simpson, bypassing the Yukon, and the road will continue on to Tuktoyak, on the shores of the Arctic Ocean. When that's done you'll at least be close enough to spit in the ocean. I need to check on that; it may be time for another trip up north. ... View more

From 2003 to 2012, I drove a Ford E-250 as my daily driver.  Ace the Wonder Van hauled boatbuilding supplies and equipment, traveled north of the Arctic Circle on the Dempster Highway in Canada, south of the Tropic of Cancer in Mexico, and back and forth camping between Seattle and Key West twice as well as doing all the local chores around home.  My nephew was in the auto repair business at the time, and for Christmas (at my request) he gave me two Cobra emblems, which I stuck on the front fenders just forward of the doors.  It was a lie, of course, and everybody knew it, but over the years hundreds of people had a laugh over those emblems.  By the way, Ace's name was inspired by Annie Proulx's novel That Old Ace in the Hole, in which Bob Dollar is horrified to see a white van coming down the road toward him, because he knows that white vans are driven by perverts, escaped convicts, and the worst drivers in the world.  ... View more

Following up on Gib49's comment on color:  I have zero expertise on the subject, but based on what I've seen, the color on the Lancia seems authentic, and the Vauxhall (my favorite in this collection) seems believable, but that Rolls: Ye gads!  Surely that ugly color can't be an authentic 1919 color.  Can it?  And if not, why would someone put it on such a beautiful and valuable car?  I'm a bit mystified by it... ... View more

Nothing against the Andrettis; I've watched them all race and admired them for their many positive attributes, but the names that are all over the Borg-Warner Trophy are Unser: Al Jr 2, Bobby 3, and Al Sr 4 times.  And Penske; well, he owns the place in more ways than one. ... View more

Thanks for the ride down memory lane.  Red '67 Bug, indeed!  In 1967 I bought a new red VW just before my wife and I got married, immediately after college graduation and immediately before being drafted.  Irene drove the bug while I was in Viet Nam, and then we drove it cross-country to my next duty station in Maryland.  In Maryland, I bought a red Alfa Romeo GTV with the money we had saved while I was overseas and then we drove both cars back across the country to Seattle when my tour of duty ended.  In 1973, Irene decided she needed an upgrade, so we bought a 1973 Super Beetle.  She drove it until 1985, when an Audi Quattro supplanted it, but it stayed in the family.  Her brother drove it to work, and it survived the high school years of two nephews.  Today, Blue Max, the '73, is back with Irene and I, nicely restored and insured by Hagerty.  Max doesn't have to go out in the rain any more, but he'll stay in the family for the rest of our days and hopefully beyond.  But it all began with Rapid Transit, the red '67.  And I didn't even mention Mass Transit, the '71 bus.... ... View more

How about an infestation of Beetles (or Bugs).  It's tough to exterminate a Super Beetle.  I can't seem to get rid of my '73. ... View more

A few years ago, my wife and I did a four-month driving tour of Australia.  One day found us in a caravan (motorist's) park in Sale, Victoria.  After I did some business in the office, the young woman minding the desk said, "You're American, right?" I answered in the affirmative.  She said, "Have you ever heard of Route 66?"  Seems she and her husband had signed up to do a tour with several other couples.  They would fly to L.A., and then drive caravan style in rented Ford Mustangs to Chicago, following Route 66.  I told her she would have a great time.  Americana exported to the World.  Two years ago, my wife and I finally got around to doing the entirety of Route 66, Chicago to Santa Monica, and it was an amazing trip.  We averaged 200 miles a day, used Jerry McClanahan's guide, had a couple of other books for reference, and did what field research we could on the way.  Loved (almost) every mile.  Standing on the Sta Monica pier, we looked at each other and said, we've got to do this again! We spend quite a bit of time banging around the back roads, try to stay off the Interstates when we can.  America is just a lot more interesting that way.  Next on our list is U.S. Highway 80, the Dixie Overland Highway.  This one we'll have to dig out by ourselves.  Hope they let me drive coast-to-coast this winter! ... View more