A traveler came upon an old farmer hoeing in his field beside the road. Eager to rest his feet, the wanderer hailed the countryman, who seemed happy enough to straighten his back and talk for a moment.

"What sort of people live in the next town?" asked the stranger.

"What were the people like where you've come from?" replied the farmer, answering the question with another question.

"They were a bad lot. Troublemakers all, and lazy too. The most selfish people in the world, and not a one of them to be trusted. I'm happy to be leaving the scoundrels."

"Is that so?" replied the old farmer. "Well, I'm afraid that you'll find the same sort in the next town.

Disappointed, the traveler trudged on his way, and the farmer returned to his work.

Some time later another stranger, coming from the same direction, hailed the farmer, and they stopped to talk. "What sort of people live in the next town?" he asked.

"What were the people like where you've come from?" replied the farmer once again.

"They were the best people in the world. Hard working, honest, and friendly. I'm sorry to be leaving them."

"Fear not," said the farmer. "You'll find the same sort in the next town."

I thought that Jack Black did a better acting job than Matt McConaughey, but that could just what the Director was going for. After all, Black was the Star; the Hero.

I heard an interview with Jack about it. He enjoyed the singing parts in it. Kindof a pitiful character in the movie. Wanted the glory of being around all that money, and did not want to give it up. the body in the freezer bit was pretty weird.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

OK (in all seriousness, it's May now) I might be taking the car on a cross-country trip, leaving in the next 2-3 days if all goes well. Ending up a bit further west than Texas, staying for about 2-3 weeks. Planning to have a fairly well-stocked toolbox, a set of replacement belts, hoses, battery charger, etc with me at all times. (Fingers crossed, knocking on wood).

Any thoughts on interesting/off-the-beaten-path things to see between here and Southern CA -- will most likely be taking the I-80 to I-70 (via Cleveland, Chicago, Omaha, Denver, St. George, UT and Vegas) route between here and the other coast, possibly the southern route back.

Basically, I needed to be out West for business, made time in my schedule, then a bunch of things got delayed by a week. So I have 6-7 days to drive instead of fly, and I've never been cross-country via land since I was 5 years old. Figure I might as well do it before I'm old and married.

Ohhhh nooooo mr. smart guy. You're not sucking us in this time!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

LOL, I'll believe it when I see it.

Why not take the "southern" route on the way out to see how average folks live. Your visualization of ppl is going to be skewed after you have been to Ca.

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Jim

Sure you are. I'll believe when you stop in Memphis for some BBQ and Mercedes visit.

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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
No longer selling Cluster Needles Paint
No longer selling New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

Tom, makes a great point!

If you are INDEED planning such a trip, start a new thread in some manner as to emphasize that your new thread is not a big ruse. You will most certainly get more constructive and useful information that way.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

i didn't see that you had a change of fuel filters and fluids on the list. And currently changing fuel lines on mine the metal lines that run along the left side under the rear left seat if you look at the lines they looked fine until the supports were remove. I do a regular 30 mile commute then drove to and from Chicago (180 miles round trip) upon my return I noticed a steady drip of diesel so if they are original i would suggesting dropping one of the supports a see if the is any thinning of the line. On the sights to see the southern rim of the Grand Canyon I think is in Flagstaff AZ or around there. When I first saw your original post I said hey with that 150k per year he could pick up a few more shares of that solar company been dabbling with.

Forney Transportation Museum in Denver. Rockies game.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I haven't been there yet but I hear tell there is a good auto museum in Auburn IN and there is always Tijuana Mexico if your going to southern Cali not to far out of the way and it's just beautiful.

The auburn museum is excellent. We also have a nice Studebaker museum in South Bend and the Speedway (Indy 500) museum is world class.....lots of race cars and they rotate the collection so a trip is always going to have a different set of cars from last time. Not too expensive either.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

All I remember between Denver and Chicago is, well, nothing. It's vast and empty out there, not much of note to see or do. Even with 6 days you still need to cover about 600 miles/day, so there won't be a huge amount of time for sightseeing.

I would drop south earlier and avoid Chicago. It's a great city, but you lose too many hours tied up in traffic.

Had to go to Omaha once. It had a surprisingly funky and lively downtown scene in the old warehouse district. SRJ may be able to advise, I think he makes annual pilgrimages there.

What, no Texas? After all the abuse you give us it only seems fair that you come experience the place firsthand!

Alibates Flint Quarry north of Amarillo. Picture Canyon if you go north from there. Capulin Volcano if you go west.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

If you're driving from Chicago to Denver, it's worth the detour to go to Ashfall National Monument in NE Nebraska. Volcano in Idaho exploded a million years ago and dumped a ****load of ash on a huge group of prehistoric American mammals sitting around a waterhole having dinner. They are perfectly preserved including the fetuses in the pregnant females. Fascinating place.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13