PHOTO GALLERIES
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My October 2004 trip to the west (my 1st solo journey farther than Texas) was not well documented with photos. Images in the below gallery were mostly taken by other people. However, after the trip was over, I wrote this & posted it to the message boards & groups of which I was a member at that time:
Ever have the experience of seeing rest areas just after you start out on a trip…but not when you really need ’em?
That seemed to be a theme to my trip out west…. But, I’m home now & don’t have to be concerned with rest areas…not that I really used ’em anyway.
*grumbles*
I’d love to be back on the road….but, ah, well…bills must be paid.
*pauses*
Anyway…I had an absolute blast going west!
Met in person for the first time…
Dave in Kansas (tripleplate)
Kate in Kansas (xf)
Dan in Kansas (xf)
Saul in Kansas (elky)
Jake, Mel & Chance in Kansas (mcml)
several vr.comers in Colorado
Dave & Janet in Colorado (1st gen MC)
Dave & Mickey in Colorado (1st gen MC)
Clint in Colorado (mcss)
Gayle in Utah (Ray’s ex-wife. Please pray for her.)
Crazy Bill in New Mexico (mcml – RIP)
Vince in New Mexico (1st gen MC)
Travis in Oklahoma (former mcml)
Brian in Texas (tripleplate)
Kelly in Texas (elky/chevytalk)
Ryan in Texas (chevytalk)
Will in Texas (chevytalk)
Janet in Texas (vr/chd)
Suzy in Texas (chd/acha)
Niki in Texas (vr/acha)
Jim in central Illinois (mcml/mcss)
Also visited with some “old friends” along the way…
Steve in Missouri (mcss)
Ray in Utah (elky)
several vr.comers in Colorado
Michael in Texas (former mcml)
Tommy in Texas (2nd gen MC)
Janet in Texas (vr)
Along the way, I saw…
7 1st gen MCs
7 2nd gen MCs
5 3rd gen MCs
31 4th gen MCs
67 5th gen MCs
94 6th gen MCs
Songs heard most (when I listened to the various radio stations, instead of my CDs)…
Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying”
Kenny Chesney’s “I Go Back”
Restless Heart’s “Feel My Way To You”
Finger 11’s “1 Thing”
Uncle Kracker/Dobie Gray’s “Drift Away”
Green Day’s “Time Of Your Life”
I discovered…
Missouri & Kansas are not _that_ boring to drive through….
Colorado is absolutely gorgeous
Wyoming has beautiful formations
Utah has breathtaking views…even in rain with a rainbow for good measure
New Mexico does have rust-free cars
The guy who does the “voice work” for Rockford’s 104.9, “The X” (rock) also does “voice work” for New Mexico’s 105.1, “The Range” (Classic Country).
Oklahoma does have character
Texas drivers take the speed limits as suggested limits
Hawaii does have license plates (saw one on a Ford Explorer in Texas)
Arkansas does not take that long to drive through….
I’d rather be driving than working….
Misc notes…
Spotted a 1979 Buick LeSabre “Palm Beach” edition for sale in Utah…even had factory honey maple wood treatment on the dash & door panels
Considered buying an ’81 MC in Utah for a winter beater, but the cost of “ditching” the rental car (Chevrolet Classic) early was more than the price of the ’81 MC
Spotted a 1975 Chevrolet Caprice Classic convertible for sale in Texas…I’ve always wanted one of these….
Johnny Lightning is making a ’72 MC to go along with the ’70 & ’71s they’ve produced…Tommy (2nd gen MC) gave me one!
3 of the longer captions:
> Mickey (First Generation Monte Carlo Club), me, Clint (MonteCarloSS.com), Dave (from Seattle, First Generation Monte Carlo Club), and Dave (from Colorado, First Generation Monte Carlo Club) admiring Mickey’s 1972 Monte Carlo outside of The Golden Hotel in Golden CO, where the ValveReplacement.com Reunion was held in 2004.
> Me with Tommy’s “Molly”, a 1974 Monte Carlo. After we stopped at the park, we drove to the lake, where this pic was taken. It was over an hour of total driving … and that was the farthest Tommy had driven “Molly” at that point.
> Tommy (73-77 a body showcase, yahoo; 2nd gen MC group) with his “Molly”, a 1974 Monte Carlo. We had a great time this afternoon of driving around and taking pics. We stopped at a local park first.
PHOTO GALLERIES
intro-main page HERE
