The Unnamed New Vehicle

Our Show Vehicle

We've upgraded vehicles again. When we first got Panda, we had a 1996 Saturn SL2. We sold that vehicle after 9/11 for a 2002 VW Jetta Wagon, for Panda and Pockets initially, but with the intent of Pockets not making it much longer and the yet-to-be acquired puppy, Bison to share with Panda.

Bison and I logged a lot of road miles going from show to show, and the more equipment we gathered, the more impractical the Jetta became as a show vehicle. So I began researching buses, hoping to find something large enough to transport Bison and whomever else came along. Once Orca arrived and Nationals looming on the horizon, the move had to be made.

We bid on several 15 person extended vans at auction, but they went for a bit more than we were willing to pay for a third vehicle. There were concerns about tip-over safety as well, so we passed on going out of our range. On April 22, 2006, at the State Surplus Auction in Arden Hills, Minnesota, we acquired the new show vehicle. It doesn't quite have a name yet, but I alternate between calling it the White Whale and The Thug.

2001 Chevy Astro Van, 88272 miles
4 wheel ABS, Running Lights, Dual front air bags/active (manual) belts, Power Windows, Power Steering, Air Conditioning, AM / FM CD, Power Brakes, Tilt Wheel, 6-digit Odometer.