Is It my Ego?

[wallrat]

Amen to that, curtis. I dig that sentiment.


adventureduo: I'm right there with ya. We road trip in part to get away from people. Blending in is tough with a 4X van. I've literally had an acquaintance who knew my rig knock on my truck shell early in the AM...WTF? I know anonymity can only last so long with our van, but we eschewed the obvious exterior goodies in part to keep low. One day we may want the conveniences, but right now we have to climb, bike, hike and snowboard our asses off so we really don't have serious need (or dough) for the deluxe amenities. Props to those who deck 'em out. They're really awesome machines.

[Joanna]

Wallrat,
I don't hang by my fingers from anything higher than the penthouse mattress, but my van gets me deeper into the country I used to be able to hike to. I just can't give up on being there and I'm spending a small fortune on this van to insure that I (with friends or family) can still go.
I do admire your photos.

[wallrat]

Hehe, Joanna...

Glad you're not giving in to inconvenience. The backcountry is worth, to people like us, everything we can muster to keep in touch with it. I'm preaching tyo the choir with you, tho.

We all have limitations, and they change with time obviously. I'm far less athletic than when I was young. We come to rely on tools like 4Xs and lighter/more efficient equipment to combat the aging process, no? (I think of the original dads like Norman Clyde, Muir, Brower, Salathe, et cetera and stand in complete awe.) When the battle turns in favor of aging, I'll be happy to ratchet down my adventures to whatever I can do, even if that's driving into the b/c and experiencing the mountain grandeur from my wheelchair. ¡Viva la Montañas!

[daveb]

Was called the zom-apo killer the other day. It was "really dude that's your van? We've seen it around town and in some parking lots. Yeah we call it the zom-apo killer".
I was told it means zombie apocalyptic killer

[OttoVolcomSMB]

That is awesome Dave. The wife and I have talked about taking up welding so when the time comes we can put bars, plates and other things on the sides for protection. Along with chainsaws on the front bumper. We will see.

[BroncoHauler]

Time for a personalized license plate.


Herb

[OttoVolcomSMB]

Personalized plates make it that much better

[macmcintire]

And here I thought I was the only one who looked back at my SMB when I walk away from it -- especially after it has been detailed and is all shiny. I like showing my rig off. But I particularly like telling people about the special places I've been to and the even more special people I have met on this Forum. Strangely, I feel some of my best friends are on this forum, some of whom I have never actually met. Every trip in my SMB has been a memorable experience.

[accrete]

since our rig is my wife's DD it is parked where we work (Costco)... She has been a member service gal for over 10 years and luvs greeting the members when they walk in the door. At least a couple times a week someone will ask her if she knows who belongs to the "Cool van conversion" and point out the door to where she parks the rig... with a wee-bit-O-pride in her smile she says; "It's mine"

[jima]

Yes, Sport attracts a lot of attention, it was definitely not my intention but expected based on the number of people I was bothering when I saw them prior to buying. I came into it fairly well trained based on my other car I have had for 6 years, a Lotus Elise which is about as far opposite of Sport as possible. Most of the questions for Sport I would say are more intelligent than the ones for the Lotus, so that is better. Last weekend my wife was picking us up in the skier drop off loop right at ground zero at Northstar during rush hour at 3:30, she had been pummeled for about 20 minutes and said something about unless Sportsmobile starts paying us for advertising we should get the hell out of there...good fun though, we have been providing a lot of education to folks in the Tahoe ski area parking lots, one guy was pretty disappointed when I told him 80 mph was not an option in one, 65 is good 70 starts getting a little sketchy. Cheers, .

Jim