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The Whalemobile

Andy Steiner

NAXJA Forum User
NAXJA Memorial Lifetime Member
Location
Las Vegas, NV
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No this license plate frame isn't new. It's been on our motorhome almost from the day we bought it, New Year's Eve, Dec 31st, 2002. I had it made at the indoor swap meet the next weekend. Today it sits empty and alone, inside my house. The motorhome was sold yesterday.


Today, I want to remember all the really good times that Michaelle and I, and you guys, have had in the Whalemobile.

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First week at home. Still shiny and new. And still mostly empty. I swear getting stuff for it was like furnishing an apartment.


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The workhorse. Getting the junk to the trails, the lakebeds, the valleys and the beaches.


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When we weren't wheeling, Michaelle and I spent many weekends on the beach doing NOTHING. Ahhhhh.
More often than not, Michaelle would take the motorhome and go off to Zuma Beach by herself to get away for some well needed solitude.


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SoCalXJ Jamboree 2003, Stoddard Valley. We got there very early. Probably about noon. First time being there and although I was concerned about getting lost, Burrow came through with spot on directions. We were the first to arrive. We found ourselves completely alone in this huge, beautiful meadow. Both of us were a bit frisky so we were going to go at it al fresco over the hood of the Jeep. Just as we were walking out in nothing but Air Jordans, Lion drives up and shatters our plans of love in the great outdoors.


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Thanksgiving with the Waywegos. After being taught how to safely wheel by Harry Baker in his SUV safety and training class, Michaelle and I spent most of our Thanksgivings with that club. We celebrated at the Goffs Schoolhouse, Panamint Valley, Raser Road SVRA and many other locations.

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Thank you Harry, Helen, Lars, Tamara and all the other members. You brought pot luck to an art form.


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Traveling was half the fun. Our first cat Gable hid behind the sofa until we stopped. Houdini on the other hand, preferred the sunshine of the dashboard and didn't mind laying down right on top of the satellite radio's antenna for long naps.


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In Richfield, on our way home from Moab, this was the first time Michaelle ever experience falling snow. Does that smile tell the whole story or not?


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Means Dry Lake in Johnson Valley. In the past few years, Michaelle was unable to take weekends off and I had the pleasure of camping and wheeling with good friends.


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Grumpy friends. But what the hell.


I took far too few photos of the Whalemobile and many were lost when my hard drive seized. But my very favorite photo was taken at Slickrock Campground in Moab...

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The official NAXJA Internet Cafe.


Thank you Whalemobile for serving all of us so very well.


—Andy
"Purple is the new chrome."
 
Aww, how come you sold such a good old friend? That looked like a nice bus, too.

Deteriorating eyesight. I no longer felt safe driving it. That and the fact that it was something for Michaelle and I do to together. Even if she didn't ride along on most of the trail rides, she loved the camping.


Did the jeep sell with it or did you hang on to it?

Jeep goes on sale soon. I need to find a beater to get me back and forth from getting groceries.
 
:cheers: :patriot: The Whalemobile... sorry the other deal didn't work out...

Curt
 
:cheers: :patriot: The Whalemobile... sorry the other deal didn't work out...

Curt

The Jeep is still available. But your friend wanted me to deliver it to Barstow and didn't want to discuss price before I drove it there, which I found rather odd.
 
Last he & I talked he was pretty much ready to go the Henderson... I'll have to check in with him...

Good Luck...

Curt
 
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