Jack -- travelogue of the trip so far

Pennsylvania popped up after a short jaunt through West Virginia. Eastern Ohio and W.Va. are nice, but they don't hold a candle to Pennsylvania. The hills, the air quality, the scents in the air (none of which are bovine or equine poop) and the hospitality of the people. If I stay in the United States when I retire, that may well be where I go.

These were taken on the home stretch yesterday, and I was looking for just about any diversion from the aches and pains. I'll have a look at the images I took on my phone and maybe stitch them into a composite if there are any of post-worthy resolution. Teresa got a few of them, and kept me entertained with snapshots and commentary back and forth. Bless her; she knew there wasn't so much as a transistor radio in the Hoopty.
I didn't get my real camera working until the day Dad took the car out, so I missed everything there was to shoot on the Dragon; I can't thank you guys enough for posting al those pictures.
I'm going to fiddle around with MapQuest later on just to approximate, but does anybody have the inclination to calculate how long a trip this was? (I might have bragging rights on Spyder-Woman ... :

Time to bomb the thread with pictures.
Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of Teresa with the car -- yet. We're going to change that this week.

First up for what I fdo have is my Dad driving the car. The last time he drove it was shortly after I bought the thing, and it was an unmitigated disaster. (Dad once abandoned a VW 412 on the Golden Gate Bridge that was in better shape than the Hoopty in its faded red "glory days.")
He was always too polite to say anything until he saw it last week, but then he invited his Vince-era friends over to have a look.
It'll be pretty easy to figure these out, but I'll caption them sooner or later anyway.

Looks like a hell of an adventure. I know the first part sure was fun. Glad you made it home with no significant car calamities.

AWESOME Cory! And if you wrest the road-trip title from me (I actually think it belongs to Jim Ward - RIP)- well then I couldn't think of a better fellow to have it.

I love that picture of you, Das Hoopty and the Arch.

angela

This may well be my favortite Cory-picture of the trip. A fellow named Frank Cobb was parked at a turn out shooting pictures of passers-by when we all pulled over to wait for Hoss (that criminal!) to complete his encounter with Tennessee's finest. Cory, I think you should frame this.

Great photo for the calendar if you can Photo Shop out the guys .

I really do like that shot. I'll play with it and some others here and then put them back on my card -- off to the CVS to make Kodak and some frames happen.
That guy has a great eye for details. So does Tom Raymond. I got the personal e-mails with the shots you guys took, or at least the highlight reel. Thanks!

Chris Robbins (who posted the earliest Google videos of my car when it was 'done' last fall ...), is acting as the unbiased third-party arbiter in the matter of computed mileage. He says he'll be along shortly with his computer-modeled assessment. I think Angela's (or Jim Ward's) title is intact by a couple hundred miles.

If I'd have only gone to Chicago ... maybe I should get one of those Brazilian VDO tachometer thingies that tells you how far you went.

So, there I was, minding my own business and these three japanese mafia guys come up to me and say in a really bad ukranian accent, "You can count to 3000, no?" I answer with a yes and the next thing I know, I'm being stuffed into a van, a pillow case placed over my head, and I'm told to lay down on the floor. 20 minutes later, I'm pulled out of the van and taken into a building. Soon, this Irish woman tells me that I've been selected to be an unbiased, third party arbiter. What the...

Okay, so it didn't really happen like that. It was Cory... and he asked... nicely.

The grand total mileage of "Cory's Wild Ride 2007" was an astounding 2287 miles!! All in a firmly mounted plastic seat in a ride with a very tight suspension. Ouch.

Later...

Cory:

Somewhere I remember telling you to get a couple of Spenco Gel wheelchair pads, one for the seat and one for your back.

NOW you know why!!

They work as well in Dune Buggy seats (as you have) as in a wheelchair!!

gn

I agree -- but unlike Deathrace 2000, there weren't any "eldercare" facilities to knock over. I looked, believe me.

I-O

Amy says "Hello".

Glad we could cross paths. It was a nice break from the wedding, chasing kids, etc, etc...

Blue Eyes, Red Truck update.
Who knew you could be so happy in such a short time?

Well Corey.....First you meet a Georgia Peach.....Then a Spyder drags out another Georgian in Tenn.....They are everywhere....

Envision this somewhat fictional scenario:
During a ceremony, there is that all too familiar question posed,
"Is there anyone present that feels this couple....blaaaa-bla-blaaaa-bla- blaaaaaa?"
Immediately, the last two rows of speedster owners wearing their formal James Dean shirts simultaneously rise to their feet...
Shortly there after, the happy couple drive Hoopty off into the sunset dragging a long chain with old Tri-Mills exhausts in tow :)

Yo, Alan: rushing things a bit?? And where do I get one of those T-shirts??

So Bert (aka Teresa), let me see how serious this is here: How far have you driven the Hoopty?

Cory: This is all so cool . . .

More power to ya, my brutha!!

The Hoopty still remains undriven by me. It was parked at the shop, and Cory and I didn't make it that far away from his house on my visit down there... It was also raining...

I'm sure I'll be down there again, and I'll drive it. And I'm sure Cory will be taking pictures, and promptly posting them here. I think I may need a few telephone books as a booster-seat-material, as I am neither as tall nor as long-limbed as Cory is.

We have plans to take the Hoopty out for some fun on long and winding roads. Maybe some of y'all in the area will catch up to us ...

One Speedster on the road is just a cute car going somewhere; two or more is an Event. Or so quotes G. Nichols. I am always up for an Event, w/ appropriate consideration for the weather, and at least a little notice ahead of time. There may be a day or two yet this year where it might all come together. And of course, I have both heat and a top, so it will more than likely be YOUR call.

Sheesh!!! Go out of town for a few days and here's what happens. Dang, Cory, it sounds like the crew here is about ready to marry you off. Does Teresa know you're insane yet?

Insane... naaaa the hoody sting just was too tight :)

Anybody busy on October 11, 2008?

Something you would like to share with us my Speedstah Brutha? Could be a most interesting bridal registry/bachelor/bachelorette party with this raunchy bunch!

angela

We're doing really, really well so far. If this trend keeps up, we might be goin'a see old Elvis in Vegas.
Might be veggie shopping in time for Carlisle. I'm not making any promises, but things are going better now than in any relationship I've EVER had.
Sometimes, I really can see the good things in life for what they are.

Road trips are the BEST! If you hadn't done this, you wouldn't have met BERT!

angela

Cory - this kind of happiness couldn't happen to a nicer guy! More power to ya my friend! I'm keepiing October 11, 2008 open for whatever!

Peace - Out!

Wishing everyone a Merry Whatever. Life's good here.

Merry Merry, yada yada to y'all too. I hope everybody here has a great holiday.

And no, I don't have anything scheduled for 11 Oct '08.

Me. I would have predicted this. Are you and BERT going to join the Southeast Caravan in Hagerstown next May? BTW, was it a Shoney's? I was so stoked by the day's drive and meeting up with you that some of the details have spilled out.

Happy Holidays to all.
Hoss

Hoss, I think it might well have been a Shoneys. I think I remember more about what we ate for lunch than I do about the restaurant in Hagarstown itself.
And she's a "Go" on the cruise to the show. Heck, she might be driving. She just told me on the phone from Atlanta last night that her Dad had come up with a canvas Army Air Corps flying helmet for her.

Count me in to catch up with you all in Hagerstown MD or Chambersburg PA for "noon tea" ~Alan

Here's a shot for y'all. The earlier post about no driving time for Bert is very much OBE. I believe she is now certified. Hanging out w/ Cory, she would be definitely certifiable . . .

Good thread title too: the trip so far. Bert, Hoppty, Cory -- that is some trip. Could not be happier to see it unfold, whatever the time line turns out to be. It is clearly a trip in progress. Cheers!!

PS to Alan: When you gonna have your pre-Carlisle planning party, aka Merklin's Winterfest: beer and pizza and big lies told out back in the car barn? I heard this was a tradition. When's it scheduled?

OK sh*t happens.... I got a tad behind in my speedster project plans, home renovations are now 96% done.... when you guys were here it was still nothing more then a thought.
Diesel truck tranny and more parts took a dump almost three weeks ago finally that will be up and runnig tomorrow. Speedster project parts are on an actual list and to get ordered next week. Yes, there will be a post holiday speedster block sanding gathering then on to the spray booth. ~Alan