Well, for those who don't know, I'm in the 101st Airborne at Fort Campbell, KY (which is on the border of TN/KY). I actually live in Tennessee. Anyways, I'm getting ready to leave (driving) to Spokane, WA to visit my parents for a few days (I'm originally from Seattle) and then head down to California, where I was previously stationed, to pick up my 1979 Trans Am that has been left with a brilliant body mechanic for the last couple years. I'll then be headed home again. Normally I love road trips like this but I'm a little stressed out right now. My wife is about three months pregnant (that's not an issue that stresses me out by myself but as you will see adds to other things), my great old dog is getting quite old, I will probably have to leave for my next tour in Iraq about two months, and then just the typical stresses of being an adult with a teenager and [yucky] responsibility and everything else. I know I'm actually very blessed for everything I have in my life but, you know, sometimes stuff just gets to you.

How does this affect you? Well, unfortunately many of you will have to do without my supreme intillect to tell you what to think of things. I will try to get online a couple times at my parents to set you guys straight so don't worry too much. Seriously, though, I really like just about all of you to include those who we mutually give the most grief to <winks at Ictus, Tenshu, Freelancer, and DJ Yoshi>.

Well, anyways, here are some pictures of what my car would have looked like brand new (it will not look like this when I pick it up. It will be all black, no decals, and I will still have to complete the interior work) and my aged dog. I'll post some pics from the journey in a couple weeks.

Time to start packing!

Good luck! Put a bullet in one of those insurgents for me will ya.

Where abouts in California?

Ahh, Fort Campbell. Their blackhawks are always flying by, hehe.

*snicker*

Sorry to see you go, man. See you laters.

Somebody knows something about Campbell! <,< >,>

Well, I'm not leaving for good yet. I'll just be off the forums for most of the next two weeks. When I do get to Iraq I expect to have a fair ammount of internet access. I did last time.

Find some insurgent forums and troll them >.>

where in california?

Aite homie, peace out bro

Have fun on your trip, and try not to let your stresses get to you. You deserve some relaxing time away. Stay safe, and hope to see you again soon.

I'm sorry. Fresno area. If I leave via the southern route I'll probably only get as far south as Bakersfield before I start heading east. I'd sure like to hook up with some of you in California but this doesn't look like it will be the trip to do so.

Good luck and be safe.

Also, that car is cool as hell.

so true

I'm a four (six if horrendus L.A. traffic) hour trip from Bakersfield. Page has an hour or so head start on me(he's in Long Beach).

I live pretty close to fresno.


Good Luck with the trip\stresses Wookie.

Dude, realize that I love you.

All the best!

So..you taking the car to Iraq?

It's probably uberkitted up with swords and lasers and swordlasers. And machinegun-firing-swordlasers. Or something. And the machineguns fire more swordlasers! And they explode.

Have fun!

Good luck.

If you're in the Seattle area and want to learn how to wakeboard you should drop me a line

That is one sweet ride!

All the best, Wookie - hope you have a great trip, and that it gives you a chnce to leave (at least most of) your worries behind for a time.

Oh, and I love the T/A.

Gosh, for some reason I thought you were in Cali but now I remember otherwise. On the Screensavers they showed how you can select an option in IE that shows the website owners info (can anyone remind me how?). Anyway, I remember now that it was a Washington address. I wish I could visit. I think we'd have a fair ammount in common to share.

Well, I had mentioned in the beginning of this thread how my old dog was getting old. I took him to the vet the day before we left. My wife wasn't quite ready for me to put him to sleep. I should have. He hasn't done well on this trip. Probably the heat and being cramped in the back of the Jeep. He barely walks now. He can, with labor, but it's not good. He used to hate me picking him up. As he got older I would have to help him but he didn't like it. Now he seems to accept it as I pick him up to help him get outside or back in (my parents live on a forth floor apartment). He lays in one spot for hours moving only feet and eating and drinking little. I have to put him down.

I've made an appointment at a vet across the street from my parents. A distance so short we could have easily walked together a few years ago. I will pick him up, carry him to the car, and drive him across the street tomorrow around seven in the morning. There I will leave my beloved friend after watching the life expire from him.

Believe it or not, the last few sentences have taken me sometime to finish. I am not happy now and I will not be tomorrow.

I'm sorry Wookie. I really am. I know what it's like to lose pets. But at least he'll be out of his misery.

Thanks. It was peacful. He just went to sleep. I snipped a small tuft of hair off of his cheak.

There are a lot of people in this world I wouldn't cry for.

That's only because you don't know them like you know your dog.

I too am a Trans-Am lover. And good luck.

PLEASE do not derail this thread Free. It'd be seriously in bad taste.

Tell us how it goes, Wookie.

No, that's fine. An animal "loves" a person unconditionally. They depend on us for their existence and, if treated right, they are always happy to see you. Sure, if I lost my wife or child I would value that higher.

This must be the lamest leaving thread ever. I think I post more gone! Lucky for you all my hotel offers free wireless internet. So I am in Fresno, CA. I've driven over 3300 miles so far. When I got here the front of my Jeep looked like this:



Cleaned up good though:



Then I went and checked out my 1979 Trans Am. Don't get excited. It is not yet a finished product but it is immensely beyond where it was when I left it here two years ago. I will still have work to do:




Finally, I found the most recent pictures of my dogs taken around the beginning of June. The last pictures ever of my friend Ian. Here you see him and his little buddy Peppy saying hello to one of the friendly neighborhood cats:

That Trans Am is still freaking sweet.

Are you going to pay alot of car insurance on that 1979 Trans Am?

It looks really nice! Where do you live?

I'm like a couple of hours from fresno. Unfortunatly i have nothing fun to do with you.

sorry about your dog. how old was he? He's really beautiful from what I see in those pictures.

And nice car. Good luck with you and your wife's baby. Do you know if it's a boy or a girl yet?

steve. that car f'n rocks!!!!
have fun man. i love driving the long distance drives.

Take good care of lumpy

Once I get it fully up and running I may look at special collector's insurance but normal insurance on it is dirt cheap. It's a paid off nearly thirty year old ride! Tennessee is my current state of residence.



I had Ian for ten years. The previous owner estimated him at 3-5 years old at the time. So 13-15 years old. I won't know until next month whether to expect a boy or a girl.



I normally like long drives but not this time around. Whenever I get around to getting a big diesel truck it will certainly be a pleasure. Maybe after I get back from my next Iraqi vacation. I emailed you for your address awhile back so I could send you a small souvenier for your help the last time around. PM it to me if you want.