And He Didn't Even Say, "Goddag..."

 As I waited for my tank to fill, I glanced over at the Dodge parked in front of the store. That's when I noticed the license plate with the word "ODENSE" on it. 

Not many people know what that word means.

There's a city on the Danish island of Fyn called Odense. It's most famous for it being the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, beloved author and spinner of yarns. I lived in that town for four months back in the mid 1980s. It's a beautiful city with incredibly nice people (as long as you're not talking religion...). 

On the day I filled my tank and saw the car, I happened to be wearing my Dannebrog, or Danish Flag t-shirt. That, and the fact I have a DK sticker on my car--I thought would allow the owner of the car with the license plate of Denmark's third-largest city, would see me, the shirt, the sticker, and if not say "hi," at least acknowledge another lover of the country.

I was Dansk-decked out for just such and occasion.

As the gasoline continued to flow into Donk, the Subaru, I saw the owner of the silver car emerge from the store. I tried catching his attention in as non-a-creepy-way as possible. He looked over as he opened the door, then...

He climbed inside and drove away.

No big deal, really.

Still, it would have been fun to at least say, "Goddag," or give the ol' lifted chin greeting, signifying we both understood something communicated non-verbally. Heck, for all I know, the car might belong to his dad, or mom, or sister, or someone else who would understand the significance of all that Danish Dynamite emanating from across the parking lot. The driver might not know much about Denmark at all.

Yeah...I think I'll go with that.

Technology Lacking In A 1960s VW Beetle...

 Last week I drove my son to school. He's got his license, but getting a foot of snow overnight is not something he's experienced yet, so we hopped in Donk, the trusty Subaru Forester, and we headed out.

As those who have driven in snow know, when there's snow on the road, it ends up on your windshield, both from falling from the sky and from being thrown up from the road. Thankfully, my car--built in the twenty-first century--has a mechanism to clear the windshield...an ingenious little system that pushes windshield wiper fluid onto the windshield where the windshield wipers come along and push the schmutz away allowing the driver and everyone else inside a clear view ahead.

A very important safety feature.

Unfortunately, my first car lacked this safety feature. Well...that's not entirely true. The brilliant Germans did install a windshield cleaning solution in the 1960s Volkswagen Beetles. You see, they used the pressure in the car's spare tire to give pressure to the fluid. I guess it worked in theory, but in actually, not so much. If there was any leak in the tubing, the spare tire would lose its air, and the same thing happened if it worked and you cleaned off your windshield too much.

Mine never worked, so the only way to get a clean windshield was to drive close to a bigger vehicle (basically, every car on the road...) and have it throw schmutz onto your windshield, then you quickly turned on the wipers. You had to do this over and over to keep the windshield clean.

Last week, I kept having to clean the windshield and as I stopped behind a semi at a traffic light, all those memories of trying to safely drive the '65 bug returned.

I snapped a photo and posted it on social media with the caption, "Reminds me of my '65 VW Beetle days...If you know, You know." I received some comments on the picture. Apparently, my photo conjured other memories for some, namely, drafting behind a semi and using the huge truck to help pull my little car down the road because the 36 horsepower engine lacked any strength whatsoever. I forgot about drafting. I used semis to do that, too.

A powerful engine...yet more technology lacking in my first car.

A Completed Subaru...

 We had a a free day before we went home last week, so we decided to take a hours-long road trip north and west to Solvang, California.

Lovely town.

I've been to Solvang twice before, though I'd heard about it for years. "It's like a little Danish village in the mountains of California." I was excited to finally see visit. My first impression when my wife and I drove into the city...doesn't really look like a Danish town.

This isn't to say they haven't tried. There are European aspects here and there. Once I realized I wasn't going to re-live some of my most cherished memories of arriving in a small quaint Danish village, I accepted the town for what it is...a place to find some Danish stuff.

When we considered going, I thought about what I could pick up if we went. The pastry in town is delicious, but no matter how much they try, they can't match real ægte dansk weinerbrød. There was something, however, I didn't have that I've wanted since I bought my little Subaru almost four years ago.

A DK sticker.

The little international stickers are everywhere in Europe. Because you can travel to numerous counties in a single day, the stickers let everyone know where the car is from. It probably saves time and helps in communication and other issues. There's probably other practical reasons for the stickers...I don't know. I've always enjoyed having them on our cars. And I could have ordered them through Amazon, but where's the fun in that?

We drove to Solvang and I bought a sticker. When I got home, I cleaned off the back window, removed the backing, and stuck it on. The car's now complete.

There's not a lot of cars with DK stickers on this side of the Atlantic, but it's fun when you see a car drive by with one of those stickers on it. And now, my car's one of those, too.

Good Product...A Little Extra Information Would Have Been Nice

 The process turned out to be anything but simple. And it's not done yet. 

If only...

Several months ago I bought a small trailer that was once the back end of a Datsun pick-up truck. The problem--none of our cars could tow it. I installed a hitch on the back of Donk, the Subaru and was able to bring it home. When you add an aftermarket hitch to a car, you need to figure out how to make the trailer legal, or in other words, how to add working break lights and turn signals.

I thought it would be an easy, and maybe it would have been (easier...) if only I could have seen a small bit of information that appeared on the package I ordered through Amazon. Unfortunately, the dates of the automobile years and models for which this product was no where on the Amazon webpage.

A little extra information would have been nice.

I don't understand why it was missing on the website. I'm sure I'm not the only one who ordered the wrong part. I re-checked the website after finding out it wouldn't work and couldn't see anywhere it was made for a 2010 Subaru Forester. It would work for '98 to '08 models, but not mine. I've often wondered how much returned products cost companies, especially with clothes. For me, I need to try stuff on. Even if things fit, you may not like the look of them. It's why I've thought internet shopping would never fully solve all problems, even though it's getting close.

Thankfully, the return process for returning the product is smooth. I just take it to a UPS Store and they'll send it right back. I've already ordered a new part and I made sure it covers the 2010 Subaru Forester. 

At least, I think it does...I won't know for sure until the earliest date of May 2nd.

Yet Another Reason...To Drive A Stick

 Saw the headline...

Knew exactly what happened, as do you.

Years ago when I attended the LTUE conference, I remember parking my car and as I crossed the parking lot, an author friend pulled up. I waited for him to get out so we could walk to the conference together. I don't remember the exact make and model of his car, but I haven't forgotten the conversation we had as we walked.

I mentioned the car and he said how great it was. It was an older compact, but he said it had an Anti-Millennial Theft Device, in other words, a manual transmission. I laughed--it was funny. Truth be told, I've stolen that line several times since then...each time, it gets a laugh.

When I learned to drive, oh, around 40+ years ago, there was a good chance whatever car you climbed in had a manual transmission. I think back then, almost every make and model came with the option of having either an automatic or manual transmission. Since my first car was a VW beetle, I pretty much had to learn how to drive a stick or I wouldn't have been able to go anywhere (to be honest, that bug was so unreliable at times, often I was unable to go anywhere...). 

Fast forward four decades, the manual transmission is a dying breed. I recently replaced the manual transmission in Donk the Subaru. My mechanic friend told me that the "powers that be" want to get rid of all manuals. He was told they get worse gas mileage. We both know that's a lie.

If you want to read the article, click: HERE, even though you already know the story just from the headline. It's another excellent reason to drive a stick.

Truckless In A Truck-Filled World

 I've been posting a daily picture on social media for over thirteen years. Every once in a while, a photo will generate some conversation on the interwebs. I like it when that happens...it means something I did caused others to take action, even if it's only posting a simple comment.

A few weeks ago I left church and noticed something funny...my little Subaru dwarfed by large pickup trucks, in a row, in the church parking lot. I should admit something here. I actually set up the picture--not completely--but subtly. When I pulled up to park, there were three trucks already backed in and waiting for their drivers to return after the meetings were over. There was one spot in between two of the trucks, so I backed in. I laughed when I came out...several other trucks had lined up.

I snapped a picture...

And posted it.

It was funny, but the photo also shows something about where we now live. I joke that we're "truckless in a truck-filled world." It's not completely true--not everyone owns a truck--but it certainly feels that way sometimes. Trucks are incredible machines. They serve an important function in our society, especially up here. I don't bemoan anyone who has a truck. Heck, I'd like to be numbered in their ranks, but for now, I love seeing Donk, my little Subaru parked wheel-to-wheel with the big boys. Now, Donk can't tow a travel trailer, or pull other trucks out of a ditch, but it'll get me home on snowy roads and do it using less gasoline.

Yes, my little car looks strange among the giants, but for me, I believe it belongs.

Glad To Have Donk Back...

 Last October, while driving home from my Halloween gig, my trusty Subaru (we've lovingly called, "Donk,"...) began to sound a little funny...

And not in a good way.

We decided to park Donk. Thankfully, I only worked that gig on the weekends and I was able to borrow the family minivan to finish out the season. Donk sat in the garage waiting for an opening at our favorite mechanic's shop. The date came and we took in the car. The result? Pretty much what we suspected.

The transmission was shot.

Bummer.

I was especially bummed because I really liked that car. I bought it two months before covid hit and it served us well giving us a second vehicle and one we felt confident driving in the snow. Plus, the cost of replacing the transmission eclipsed the value of the car. We resigned ourselves in saying good-bye to Donk and we started looking for another car. I snapped a picture of Donk and lamented on social media that I was sad because I really liked that car.

Many of my friends saw the photo and some offered condolences. But one, went a step further. He asked what was wrong with Donk. I told him. He then said he'd check out something and get back to me. The fact that my friend is a master auto mechanic with decades of experience.

We saw a glimmer of hope in a dark space.

Fast forward four months and Donk once again sits lovingly in our garage, but it no longer makes the horrible sound, it no longer worries me that it'll leave me stranded on the side of the road. No, Donk has a new transmission and the ride is ever-so smooth, as smooth as a manual transmission can be.

After something like this happens, you look back at the things you've learned. I learned that the used car market is full of cars that--to me--don't seem worth the asking price. But, if people buy the cars, then I guess they are worth the asking price. Some people out there are extremely good and will go the extra mile to make other's people's lives less crappy. I've learned that we live in an incredible time and country. I've learned how important it is to have a vehicle you can trust parked in the garage.

Thanks go out to my friend for the support. The car is running just fine.

Took The Youngest For His First Driving Lesson...In A Manual

 For the other kids, we had a spunky little Pontiac on which they learned to drive. The car was small, maneuverable, and perhaps most importantly, kind of dinged up so if the kids hit a light post or a curb a little too fast, the result would not be a big deal.

We still have the Pontiac Vibe. It sits in our driveway unused. It's almost a 20 year-old car and it has some issues, to the point where we need to put some money in it for me to feel safe to have it back on the road. My youngest has reached the age where he needs to get his license.

The Pontiac is not available...

Turns out, my Subaru is.

This wouldn't be a big deal, but unlike the Pontiac, the Subaru does not have an automatic transmission...it's a manual.

Time to sound like an old man now...In my day, when I learned to drive, there were many more vehicles with manual transmissions. My first car--Greenie, the 1965 VW bug--was a manual. It's what I drove as I learned to drive. My son wanted to drive the Subaru instead of our minivan. Makes sense--the van is bigger. We drove down to the place that had the largest parking lot (our local church...). I parked the car. My son and I switched places. Then the fun began.

I've helped teach my other children, so I've done it before. This, however, was unlike the others. To my son's credit, he handled the experience with more composure than I might have at his age. It was frustrating, but he wanted to keep going, wanted to learn. And, the car made it though the ordeal pretty much unscathed.

For those who have driven or currently drive manual transmission vehicles, you know it's a different experience. Personally, I'm glad I still have a vanishing breed of car. I'm glad my son wants to learn how to drive one, too.

So, How Much Firewood Can You Shove In The Back Of A Subaru Forester...?

 It's a valid question, and a question I had never before considered. In fact, I most likely would have never thought about that question unless my wife contacted a person a few miles away selling some firewood. We drove over, checked out the product, then completed the transaction.

Then, the loading began.

And continued...

And continued.

Finally, when the last scrap of firewood was placed inside the car, we closed the doors.

I drove home as fast as I could while at the same time obeying all traffic laws. I pulled up to the house, backed in the Subaru, jumped out, ran inside the house and called to my daughter and her boyfriend to come outside--I had a chore for them to do. The reason I drove home so quickly and enlisted help unloading wasn't because of the firewood, per se...

But, because of all the little creepy crawly things that had made the firewood their home.

That firewood had been sitting outside in the same place for years. I shuddered at the thought of all those bugs and spiders now searching for a new home in my car. My helpers and I unloaded the wood quickly and as soon as we were done, I puled the car into the garage and vacuumed it out as thoroughly as possible. I hope I got them all...pretty sure I didn't, but I got rid of most.

If you were to have asked me last week or last month how much firewood could fit in the back of a Subaru Forester, I would have had no idea, but today, I know that answer, and the answer is...

About that much.

Have I Told You Lately How Much I Love This Car...?

 Because my daughter decided she wanted to go away for college (and because it was time...), our family needed to pick up another vehicle. She got my beloved Pontiac Vibe, and that meant, I needed to find something else.

We found a Subaru.

Our family had a somewhat checkered past with Subarus. My mom bought one in the mid-70s. We traded in my dad's Buick 225 for it--kind of like going from a mansion to a rambler. We had the car for a few years, then she turned it in for, I think, a Pontiac...maybe a Chevy.

About ten years later, she got another Subaru. This one was cool, but either the head gasket or the transmission went out--either way, she got rid of it. My brother bought a Crosstrek a few years back and he loves it. When it came time for me to find a car, I set my sights on a Forester. We found one last January and I bought it.

I do like that it's a manual. But the best part is that it's an all-wheel drive. We had a storm blow through yesterday and it dumped several inches of snow. Our minivan does not do well in snow, but the Subaru, a care we lovingly named "Donk," flies in it. The almost new tires helps in its ability to chew up the road. 

Donk is the first all-wheel drive vehicle I've ever owned. Back when I drove VW beetles, they were excellent in the snow, but since then, it's been front-wheel drive cars. We needed to go to the hardware store last night so we took Donk. It was like driving on a clear drive road...well, almost. Point is, it was a blast and a blessing to drive.

I know it's like I'm learning something everyone else has known for a long time, but it's still cool when it happens. Better last than never.