E.T.D. 3 weeks and counting...and thank you.

Well, were now about 3 weeks out from the trip. The weekends have been a feverish pace of installing parts, ordering new parts and making plans. To say that this trip has consumed most all of my fre e time would be an understatement. The map is the intended route, A to G and back, more or less. There are a few folks that i need to say thanks to, for without their help, tolerance and love i'd never have made it through this project.

I've had the Dart longer than i've known Mike, but Mike has spent countless days, and nights helping. He was next to me in the paint booth on paint day helping any way he could. I couldn't ask for a better co-pilot for the first leg of this journey. If you happen to be in Dodge City Kansas when we roll into town, check all the local watering holes cause i can guarantee there is going to be some celebrating and rebel rousing. We'll spend a few days in Iowa, and then Mike gets to fly home.

I continue the route with my daughter who has been behind the build of this car from the very beginning. Regina has helped weld, sand, primer, paint, wire, reassemble, hold parts, polish and clean. And other than an ocassional shrug now and then, has never balked at any request for help. She understands my passion to get this car finished and she has enjoyed being part of the progress along the years. I've let her be the guide for the direction we take on the trip back from CT to AZ. She likes learning about all the cities and states we'll drive through and has a varied mix of things that she would like to see. (think, Rock and Roll, food, chocolate, the blues, science, the beach and good ole mother nature). Regina, thanks for always being there for me and thanks for hanging out this summer with me as we cruise the country.

And while there are plenty of other thanks and shout outs, they all pale in comparison to the huge thank you I owe my wife Becky. Over the past 5 years of building this car there have been a lot of sacrifices of my time, although i do think she enjoys when i am in the garage and she gets "alone time". I told her from the very beginning that the whole "dirt under my fingernails" was never going to go away. I also told her that if she ever wanted to know where i was on a friday or saturday night, to look in the garage first. Over the past 5 years both of those have held true. Love you honey, maybe i'll see you in mid August??