A Few Answers
Afternoon Gentlemen:
Answers to questions from your PM's and emails.
1. The Route: The Google route map that Dave posted is accurate, except for a few random tangents that I took. The total distance driven from Austin to Seattle, including side trips I haven't mentioned, was ~3,500 miles. If I'd taken the most direct route suggested by MapQuest, the distance would have only been around 2,300 miles, but my route was anything but direct. What's the fun in that?
2. Fact or Fiction: All the cities, restaurants, motels, and characters are real. If you were to drive the same route today, you could easily identify all the places I describe and possibly even find some of the same characters. I think the only name I made up was little Arturo, the kid in New Mexico. Obviously Ken and Barbie, Pancho and Lefty, George and Lennie, Yosemite Sam, and probably some others I can't remember, are all names I came up with, usually because I didn't know the real names. All the conversations are re-created but I'd be willing to bet none of them are off by more than a few words. What was said and by whom is 100% accurate. I started keeping a journal as soon as I hit Oklahoma City, which was day one, so it hasn't been difficult to remember exactly what happened. For some of the episodes such as the encounter with Gayla, the New Mexico road stop girl, I don't need a journal to jog my memory. You don't forget things that memorable. At least I don't.
3. Pictures: I wasn't traveling with a digital camera or a camera equipped smart phone. I did buy several disposable cameras at a Wallyworld in Pueblo, and used them between Colorado and Washington. Some pics were later scanned and stored on my laptop, and I've posted them here whenever they fit the narrative. Somewhere among the junk at my house, I have the other pics that didn't get scanned. With any luck, I'll find them before the thread is done and post the best ones here. A couple of you have asked that I post a photo of Army. I have a photo taken of him at age 33, in Big Bend National Park. It was one of his personal favorites. I'll scan and post it here, soon.
4. Book: Believe it or not, I started this thread to document the rebuild of my 40, which began in March of last year. Someone, I think Dave Gonzalez, suggested that I make it a narrative instead of a traditional repair thread. He said I should begin with the tale of The Turtle and our epic road trip, and end up with repairing the old rustbucket. So that's how this all started. I never thought of this as book quality material but now that I'm into it and there seems to be some interest, maybe it is? Every one of these short posts could be expanded into a real chapter without much effort. So, I'm not ruling anything out, but first I have to finish this thread and there's a long way to go.
5. What's Ahead: We're about to leave Wyoming and enter Big Sky Country. I've already started writing that chapter and I think it'll be one of the better ones. After Montana we'll drive across Idaho and Washington, stopping in Spokane to meet a Cruiserhead friend, then on to Landpimp's estate in Gig Harbor. We deliver The Turtle to the shipper in Seattle, then end the story of Uncle Meldon's 40 by flying to Kona, Hawaii. Couple of tales from Kona and then back to Texas. But that isn't the end of the story. Before getting around to the rustbucket repairs, we still have to drive Yoopers 40 from Vancouver Island, BC to Marquette, Michigan, another ~2,500 miles, fly from Marquette to Pittsburgh, then pick up the rustbucket and drive another 2,000 miles from Ohio to Texas. As I said on the first page, there's no shortage of road trip material and this thread could end up being longer than War and Peace.
6. Write Faster: Sorry guys, but I can't. I'm doing the writing in my spare time, primarily late at night, and I don't have a lot of spare time. If I was a real author and could write faster, I would. One chapter a week is the best I can do at this point.
Hope I didn't forget anything. If so, remind me and I'll answer it next time around. And thanks again for the encouragement.
Carry on,
Lee
work to do on the old rustbucket before it's expedition ready. But first I have to figure out how to tear you away from your new 60" TV.
