I had this weird dream last night, but it was great.

[Captain Spalding]

I had a dream last night that was very much Thing related, and some of you were in it. Imagine an event that is sort of a cross between the Great Race and the Camel Trophy. The Camel Trophy, for those who don't know, was an event, sponsored mainly by Land Rover, in which specially equipped vehicles race long distances - sometimes across multiple continents - and always under grueling conditions.

In our competition, the contestants were organized into squads of four cars, with two people each - usually the driver and his significant other. Each car had a specific responsibility. One carried the food and galley, another carried the shelter (tents, sleeping bags), one carried the tools and spares, and the last carried all the personal effects. The idea of breaking up the cargo in that way was to emphasize that no car is left behind. Our event began in Barrow, Alaska, above the Artic Circle, and went to Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South America.

When I came into the dream, it was a beautiful morning. We were camped by the side of a river somewhere in South America. It was just our squad there - four cars and 8 people. The various strategies of the other squads had taken them elsewhere. ChinaRider was our squad leader, with Suntour, TowelRail, and myself. Other squads were led by K-mann, Glenn, and Bucko, with the rest of the usual suspects filling out the ranks. Each squad kept tabs on the others via radios that the squad leaders could use to talk to one another.

After a very satisfying breakfast, we broke camp and packed the cars, and then, with a map spread out on the hood of one of them, we strategized the day's travel. Suntour noted that if we could somehow cross the river that we were camped beside, we could save a half a day's travel. His idea was to use some empty 55 gallon drums and logs, and float the cars across the wide but slow moving river. This sparked some controversy, but after some debate, it was decided to give Suntour's plan a try. Bear in mind, I've never met any of you, but your faces were all clear in my mind's eye. It would be fun one day to know how close my imagination came to reality.

In order to sell his idea, Suntour had offered to go first. We all strapped the barrels to his car, one of us swam across the river with a rope, and with the other end tied to the bumper, the car gently floated across the river. Suntour was beaming with pride at his accomplishment Now confident, and with cameras at the ready, each of us was eager to float our cars across the river. Mine was next. Just as before, we all strapped the barrels to the car. When everything was ready, we began to float my car across - but inexplicably, it sank like a rock.

Eventually we got things sorted out and everyone across. The dream went on and on in phenominal detail. The portion of the race spanned by my dream was only a couple of days, but it was packed with detail. Each person proved to be a vital asset in his or her own way as we encountered all sorts of challenges. It would be fun to participate in an event like that someday.

[LEJ]

Great story but I think you should have prefaced it with what kind of medication you took before going to bed
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The more you know, the more you know you don't know.

[Captain Spalding]

[suntour]

Oh great, I am now responsible for water logging your Thing… My first virtual guilt trip.

Anyway, I am game. Let’s start the first Thing Ultimate Adventure (For those of you who are not familiar with the U.A. check this link out. http://www.4wheeloffroad.com) A trip from Pole to Pole may be a bit unrealistic with my work schedule but a version of the U.A. would be quite reasonable. A real test of man and Thing, or at least some really great camping and extremely scenic backcountry.

Captain, can I ask where we found a bunch of 50 gallon drums in the middle of nowhere? That information could come in very useful next time a blinding flash of McGuyver-ism comes over me.
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Order of the Voodoo Spoon

[bucko]

I only hope I had clothes on in your dream....

Otherwise, it would have been a nightmare.

[Captain Spalding]

[suntour]

[LEJ]

Wow, are you sure that Nyquil is all you consumed, what ever it was, it was some powerfull stuff
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The more you know, the more you know you don't know.

[Ferretkona]

Puff puff pass!

Actually I had a lot of dreams just like yours when my last keg was getting close to empty.

[Captain Spalding]

[kubelmann]

Rollo candy and my wife's homemade garlic dill pickles create dreams like that for me all the time.. While all of y'all were getting naked and drinking Anasazi Ale, My team was taking the other path and that made all the difference. I feel honored to be included in this dream. I have a serious fuel leak on Herr Kubelmann and last night I dreamed it was actually not a leak but a new method to solve many world problems. I wish I could remember any details. This thread is somewhat special in that it reveals the intelectual depth of a number of our Thing members. I am currently getting extreme pleasure from the warmth that is being posted. I have offered support and knowledge and have gotten the same back from Thingsters recently. I am thrilled when asked a question that I can actually answer adn even more thrilled when my own deep lack of knowledge is supported by our wide and deep group of Thing experts. Each of us has a area of expertise adn between us all we are perhaps the largest amassed body of Thing knowldege. K-mann

[bucko]

Last report, the group I was riding with lost communication with the leader, and got way off the trail. We swore we saw the famous bigfoot, and began persuit. Before long, Jimmy Hoffa gave us good enough directions to locate the trail again.

Amelia Airhart flew overhead to guide us along down the trail until we once again made contact with Captain Spalding. Wew, that was a close one. Glade we are now on the rightious trail once again.

[bljones]

my group is waiting for the rest of you at the finish line, asking "when the hell did Glenn get a Thing?"
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OG JHC
Author of Original Rant #1
"It stingd itself to dead... now that is control on you"

2%

[Glenn]

[kubelmann]

Dumb question.. Glenn got his Thang frum the VW fairy bonus coupons. Submit 23,345,456 Samba post and get a free Thing..... not to mention the extra credit earned from running a 010 diz. Unlike me who still runs 009s as a choice while still having a fine collection of new SVDAs on the shelf. But then I know how to set spring tension and never suffer that famous lag.. Old habits die hard. Anybudy wanna 009? I gots lot to sell but not eny of my 009s.

[Glenn]

Anyone know what these are?

_________________
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

Member #1009

#BlueSquare

[Thingggg]

[bucko]

You mean this dream was a contest to a finish line? Ah geez, I thought our team was doing good putting to rest many myths of the past. Had we known this was a contest, we would have taken it more seriously and pressed forth.

I do recall Kubelmann coming up on our side and bumping us off the trail with his newly rebuilt Thing. We did not cry foul on this, as we figured there was no hurry to the end. However, we did manage to swipe his supply of Jack Daniels from the rear seat of his Thing, along with the extra cooler full of sandwiches.