NOTE: The legendary Minivan of Manliness -- as of this past December -- 'tis no more. Fifteen years and nearly 170,000 miles -- all in good service. Well, mostly good. Things got a little hairy those last few years. Various battery/electrical issues, wonky doors and a strange penchant for developing flat tires on long journeys: college trip to Baltimore, the night we moved -- seriously, drove three hours in the pouring rain and next day, flat as my singing voice; and, lastly, on the interstate the day I was driving to the dealer to test drive a new car. It's nice one of us knew when our time was up.
Here's a piece I wrote about the ol' girl back in 2008 for DadCentric.
Of Minivans and Men
Whrrrrrr -- CHUNK. Whrr -- CHUNK-CHUNK.
Hmmmm, I mused. The garage Door track could have shaken loose from the ceiling again. Let's punch in that remote code two, neigh, three more times to be sure.
Whrrrrrr -- CHUNK. Whrr -- CHUNK-CHUNK.
Frickity-frick on a frickin' stick.
I had left the minivan tailgate open while it was inside the closed garage. Now the arm extending from the roller chain to the door was welded into the gate.
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