700,000 miles to the middle of somewhere, New Mexico.
AVT
(Occurred December, 2022; posted February, 2023.)
Friday, February 17, 2023
Tuesday, October 25, 2022
No Headlights Required.
Tonight, I thought I had a burnt-out headlight for the first time since I can remember – maybe 10 to 15 years, or maybe equivalently, 250,000 miles to 350,000 miles since I replaced a headlamp on my vehicle.
As I then began to drive to one of the only 24-hour auto parts stores still in existence around these parts, I figured maybe I should investigate the matter further to see if the malfunctioning headlight was merely disconnected or the like. Like…, maybe it had become disconnected when I had done some minor maintenance work under the hood earlier in the day.
However, I couldn’t help but to chuckle in that I could not remember when I had last replaced a headlight on my vehicle. I figured the last time I had replaced a headlight might have been hundreds of thousands of miles ago. And, I had been wondering when one of those nearly antique headlights would finally fail.
Shortly thereafter, I started to become aware of the unseemly yet potentially-required removal of my battery to replace that headlight – as my hands are not as skinny as they maybe once were. Only then did it occur to me to rap-on the headlight to see if it was really finished. And, then it came-on and lit-up again!
Of course, given that I have now bragged about it all to the world with this blog, so to speak. I now fear a headlight may be soon to burn-out again in the not-too-distant future.
So, maybe I should go and buy that replacement headlight after all and hold-on to it for a while.
Life is full of irony; it often seems to me. : )
Adam Trotter
October 2022
Sunday, May 15, 2022
The 700,000 Mile Universal Joint Replacement
Approaching 700,000 miles on my vehicle, it was time to replace the universal joints on the drive shaft. (Seven-hundred thousand miles – with no engine work, it should be noted.) This was not the first replacement of the universal joints, of course. However, it was the first time that the universal joints had seemed to disintegrate in place on the vehicle (see photo). Good thing I didn’t wait any longer to replace them, huh? : )
AVT (May 2020)
Thursday, December 31, 2020
666,666 Miles to Look for the New Jersey Devil
During the witching hour on a winter’s night which included a thirteenth full moon of the year, I set out to locate a possible mile-marker of a demon, the New Jersey Devil. Leading up to the six-hundred and sixty-sixth thousand, six-hundred and sixty-sixth mile of my vehicle (i.e.: 666,666 miles), I had been experiencing an odd sensation. The sensation was of not being alone, although no one else was with me. So, just in case the presence was any bit demonic, I stayed within a stone’s throw of an old favored church from long ago for the mileage event to pass. However, I didn’t see the demon. But I enjoyed a nice night ride out into the pines, and that’s ok.
AVT (December 2020)
For some photos of the pines, see: Pine Barrens / Pinelands National Reserve of Southern New Jersey http://theultimateroadtripamericac2c.blogspot.com/2010/06/pine-barrens-pinelands-national-reserve.html . Also see: 8200 Miles in 3-1/2 Weeks. http://theultimateroadtripamericac2c.blogspot.com/2013/04/8200-miles-in-3-12-weeks-draft-copy.html
PS. Odd how it was so difficult to clearly photograph the odometer reading at this mileage - no matter how I took
the photo.
Sunday, April 19, 2020
Poppy Bloom is Social Distancing to Avoid Corona Virus
If interested, see:
Poppy Bloom is Social Distancing to Avoid Corona Virus
AVT (April 2020)
Thursday, June 27, 2019
My Vehicle Bears No Witness Against Me. Cars Testifying Against Owners.
Recently, I was having a conversation with someone who was
concerned with privacy rights in the modern age, given the fact that our
automobiles store information about our traveled locations. Stored vehicle information which could be collected later to verify exactly where our vehicle was located at any given
time - though some cars might offer the ability to stop/turn-off the collecting
of such information. So, anyway, what
about when our cars and trucks become self-tracking devices and/or self-spying?
The matter reminds me of the famous criminal-procedure court
case. In that case, we were supposedly
taught and it was determined/opined to be unconstitutional for a government
entity to attach a tracking-device to individual’s vehicle/car in the United
States. At least the government was not
allowed to do so for an indefinite period of time, regardless of any reality of
the matter; with pre-Patriot Act days and the Patriot Act notwithstanding maybe,
I’m sure. But what about when all the
cars and trucks become commonplace tracking devices?
The modern high-tech automobiles may have much in common
with the modern-era cell phones and the related privacy rights thereto - in
that anyone who is able to listen to those conversations and who is able to glean
that information is arguably allowed to do so or likely can do so regardless (as
if the generator/speaker of any such eavesdropped information would even be
aware of the eavesdropping). So, if
one’s vehicle was collecting or broadcasting its location, then such
information is likely to be determined to “non-testimonial” in nature anyhow and
that collected information could then be used against the vehicle’s
owner/driver (say, as evidence in a court of law for whatever the reason).
In other words, not only are our vehicles collecting
information that could be used against us in court - if such a situation ever
became relevant, it is unlikely that any currently recognized legal theory
would prevent one’s own vehicle from testifying against them – as things
currently stand. But then again, who
knows what the future might hold. Except
to say, that I am in no hurry to purchase any new car.
My vehicle can bear no witness against me in a court of law,
as it is an older model (with no built-in GPS or the like). That is to say, my vehicle stores no
electronic data which could be used against me and to my detriment at any
future point in time. (Forgoing the authenticity
of vehicle-collected information for this blog entry, of course; e.g.:
calibration issues, etc.) Anyway, other
than the typical unseemliness of being seen or leaving behind physical
evidence, should such ever become an issue, there is no stored information in
my vehicle of its exact comings and goings nor its instantaneous real-time
locations. And, I think I like the fact
that my car could not become a high-tech witness against me.
AVT
June 2019
See for instance:
How your car is spying on you | Daily Mail Online
Your car is watching you. Who owns the data? - Roll Call
Your car may be invading your privacy - USA Today
In China, your car may be spying on you for the government
Big Brother on wheels: Why your car company may know more
about you than your spouse
Monday, January 16, 2017
The 600000 Mile Intake Manifold Gasket Replacement
Having attained the 600,000 mile milestone with my vehicle a
few months ago and additionally never having opened the engine for any
maintenance or repairs (and it still runs great), I figured this finally would
be a good time to replace some internal engine gaskets. Furthermore, over the last 50,000 miles, I occasionally
noticed a very small pool of coolant sometimes accumulating under the back-side
of the engine. After eliminating any
heater hoses or freeze-plugs as the source of the leaked coolant, a mechanic
friend verified that the rear of the intake manifold was in fact showing signs of
leaking (as the intake manifold on this engine maintains a water-jacket for
cooling or whatever). So, as I said, I figured
600,000 miles was long enough to wait to open the engine to replace some
gaskets.
The photos show some of the carbon build-up internal to the
top-side of the engine. What can I say? Often driving the vehicle off-road in the
sand when I first purchased it, I nevertheless probably only changed the motor oil
a handful of times during the first 100,000 miles – if that often. Regardless, knock on wood (and all), the
engine still runs fantastically well and even better than before the gasket change!
Here’s to the next 600,000 miles! :)
Adam Trotter, P.E.
(January, 2017)
600,000 Miles to Idyllwild, Cal.
When in Southern California and seeking to get-away from the
hustle and bustle of the urban/suburban sprawl, a drive to Idyllwild, Cal. can fulfill any such yearning! Go and
check-it-out for yourself to learn how unique and special is the town of
Idyllwild. (See: http://www.idyllwild.com/)
Idyllwild is a fun place to visit. Even the ride up into the mountains to get there can be exhilarating. Idyllwild has interesting events
throughout the year and many great trails upon which to hike, good restaurants
at which to eat, and even interesting and fun places at which to
stay/lodge.
Worth noting, I had been overdue and meaning to create this
blog entry for the last couple of years.
However, a couple of months ago, my vehicle was poised to surpass the
600,000 mile point. So I decided to take
my own advice and take a special drive to Idyllwild to attain this exceptional
mile-marker for my vehicle. I was
fortunate to have such a fun drive to such an interesting place available to me
to commemorate this historic event for my wheels.
AVT (January, 2017)
PS. The photos are from a couple of years ago during the late fall time of year.
PS. The photos are from a couple of years ago during the late fall time of year.
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