Happy Birthday, Dodge!!!

It's May 8th, 2019, and 27 years ago today in 1992, our best buddy Dodge was "born" at Chrysler's Pillette Road Truck Assembly Plant in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. All of the B-series Dodge vans from 1971 through 2003 originated in the now defunct factory. Dodge was shipped to Florida not long after his birth, and he has lived in Florida his whole life. Gary found a sales listing for Dodge on eBay on September 24th, 2006. At that time, they were living only about three miles away from each other, so Gary went to check him out. There was something noticeably special about Dodge from the first minute that Gary saw him. After paying the measly sum of only $1200 for him, Dodge became the most valuable member of Gary's vehicular family. He still holds that same status today. Not long after the purchase, Gary and Dodge spent a full week camping together at Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine. Gary never was a big fan of camping, but Dodge got him out there and made him see how much fun camping could be. That first camping trip was spent with Dodge's conversion van interior, consisting of a very uncomfortable couch that folded down into a bed. By the time the next camping trip happened a month or so later, Dodge's cargo space was turned into something more useful and camping friendly. Gone was the couch/bed, and gone was the faded shag carpeting. Gary installed a plywood floor and various storage bins. He bought an air mattress and some other amenities to make Dodge REALLY comfortable, and off they went. They camped together whenever time allowed for the next few years. In 2009, with the "camping bug" in full effect, Gary decided to buy a small vintage camping trailer. During his childhood years, a neighborhood friend of Gary's had a Serro Scotty trailer that they often played in. Those were good times, so the hunt was on for the brand of trailer that Gary remembered so fondly. After a want ad for a Serro Scotty turned up no leads in the Florida area, Gary bought my brother "Scotty" from an eBay seller in of all places, Missouri. Dodge took his longest trip to date, traveling over a thousand miles one way to pick up "Scotty". They traveled a few hundred miles of Route 66 before returning to Florida. Once home, it was obvious that poor old "Scotty" was going to need a total rebuild. He also needed a few replacement parts. Two months after purchasing "Scotty", an ad appeared on Craigslist for me. I was right here in Florida too, on the west coast near Largo. Gary and Dodge came to get me, and that was the beginning of our happy life together. Although Gary originally intended to use me for parts for "Scotty", I was actually in much better shape. So "Scotty" was relegated to future project status, and after LOTS of work, I became the third member of "The Three Camp-A-Teers". Dodge became the hauler instead of the camper. He was the perfect size for transporting all of our gear, and towed me with ease. And the rest, as they say, is history. Dodge is the brawn, I'm the beauty, and Gary is the brains that does everything else. We work VERY well together.  Besides being perhaps the most valuable member of our group, Dodge has been involved in most everything in Gary's life since that fateful day in 2006. Moving across the state from St. Petersburg to St. Augustine in 2007, Dodge hauled all of Gary's possessions except the larger furniture items. He's towed cars, he's towed the other seven Serro Scotty trailers that now live here with us, he's hauled building materials, antiques, and even groceries. The attached photos depict some of the highs and lows that Dodge has experienced. Other than the two accidents that poor old Dodge had in late 2017 and early 2018 (neither of which were Gary or Dodge's fault), he's had a happy life here. Even the accidents didn't stop Dodge. Both cars that hit him were undriveable afterwards, but Dodge rolled on. After many thousands of miles, the only thing that has ever stopped him in his tracks, was a dead electric fuel pump at 252,000 miles. He has 272,000 on his odometer now. He may be just an old, outdated, piece of junk to most people, but he means everything to Gary and I. Who knows how things would have turned out for any of us if Dodge had not gotten Gary to enjoy camping? I'm sure I wouldn't be here, and for that I am eternally grateful. No vehicle could ever replace our hero. Long live Dodge! Happy 27th Birthday, my dear friend.