Dave Mancuso dot Com

…but I did finish The Da Vinci Code. The plot and characters were good, but what amazed me was the detailed research that the author wove into the story. The interweaving of the wiccan goddess elements with Catholic elements seemed a bit much, but apparently this is all actual theory in parts of the academic world. The Priory of Sion, Opus Dei, the Holy Grail, and the Knights Templar–all real legends/societies.

Huh. A good read.

(with apologies to the Harvard Lampoon)

The Background, By The Numbers:

1) We camp a bit, usually in tents since we sold our last VW camper in 1998 (one moment please, while I observe a moment of tearful silence for my departed Vanagon Westy).

2) We found a great deal on this poptop trailer camper:

(OK, it actually fell into our laps, since our neighbor put it up for sale right in front of us, directly across the street)

3) We bought it, but then discovered that each of our two Subarus were too weak to pull it without retrofitting the poptop with brakes and getting a Class II trailer hitch.

4) We then discovered that no one could seem to find a Class II trailer hitch that could be installed on the Subaru–they’re pretty much Class I machines.

5) Then, being me, I decided to let the tail wag the dog and started looking for a vehicle to tow the poptop. I looked at Ford Explorers mostly, but then found this beast:

It’s a 1993 Ford Econoline E-150 conversion van with all the trimmings–including mood lighting (no, I am not exaggerating). It fits a long range goal of mine: to own another camper van. GTRV makes a Ford version of the old VW poptop van, and this is my (relatively) low cost way to see if I can make the transition to an American van.

Oh–it had 98,915 miles on the odometer.

Armed with the van, the poptop, food, packed clothes, and the kids, we began our trek on July 24, 2003 at 1:00pm. Our plan–to make the Outer Banks by nightfall.

But we didn’t get very far.

Coming in Chapter 1: “The Horror…the horror”

(No pun intended)

I caught an episode of The Restaurant the other night on NBC. Good show. That’s pretty much what it’s really like at restaurants, too. I don’t know how compelled I am to watch it again (TV is fading as a medium for me these days), but I definitely enjoyed it.

Man did I fight last night with the software that runs this website. I kept getting errors and then nada.

I think that the real problem was with the server website hosting computer. It seems to have been restarted overnight and works fine now.

Technology–you have to maintain a Zen-like patience with it at times, especially when you want to scream and throw things.

Denise lent me the copy of The Da Vinci Code she just read. I started it last night. Wow. What a good read. Everything I’ve ever supected is true… (grin)

I bought my van 2 weeks ago yesterday (1993 Ford Econoline conversion). As of yesterday, I’ve put almost three thousand miles on it.

Travelogue due later….