Name this, a blog

I have always named my vehicles. I've even named my bicycle and my backpack. When you spend enough time with your objects, they can end up developing a persona. 

Incidentally, my very first car had a name when I got it. My uncle told me that if I replaced the broken water pump on his old 1984 Nissan Maxima wagon, I could have it. So, I grabbed some tools, bought a new pump and belts and went to his house. The next day, I brought Charlotte, the passion wagon home. After a few weeks of ownership Charlotte was the lucky recipiemt of an incredible makeover. A friend who was repainting his Rx7 had a little extra paint and it didn't take long to convince me to spray some paint on the hood. In retrospect, I actually gave it very little thought at all before we decided to add some character to the passion wagon. A few pieces of masking tape and some newspaper were used to add a giant peace sign to the hood.

Charlotte in her hay day. Look closely and see 69 on the hood.

When Charlotte died, so it goes, a friend in my college dorm sold me his 1982 Chevrolet Caprice. It was huge and the springs were worn. It bounced and swayed as it rolled down the roads. I called it, The Hoopty.

The Hoopty served me well in spite of the broken door handles and leaking gas tank, but its tenure was short lived. After taking a group of folks to see my favorite touring band Phish at the Clifford Ball in 1996 (an epic 2 day festival) and to my first real job, I traded up for a 4 door Oldsmobile. It was a 1984 Delta 88 and my stewardship of this vehicle was also short lived, but we journeyed together to the Great Went. (Another 2 Day Phish festival) Her name was The Great One because she "Went" and I love hockey. Gretzky's number was 99, she was an 88. 

The Great One at the Great Went

It didn't take long for me grow tired of the poor gas mileage associated with V8 engines so, I sold the Great One to a friend for a few hundred bucks and bought a 1982 AMC Spirit. It looked like a Gremlin (the car not the creature) but because of that, I named it Gizmo.  I drove it for about a year before the timing gears blew up and I had to buy another car.So it goes.

Gizmo - look close and you'll see the same 69 again here.

I bought a 1987 Acura Integra. It was Grey and had a manual transmission. It was my first Japanese car so I named it Mr. Miyagi. Bonsai!!!

When the frame rotted out from the harsh NY winters and all the salt on the roads I bought another Integra because I enjoyed the sports car feel and the gas mileage of the 4 cylinder engine. This one was my first white car and since it handled terribly in the snow due to the wide tires it came with, I called it Frosty.

I sold Frosty privately and took the money to purchase my next car. I bought it from a used car dealer in queens. 

Since my winter experience with Frosty was terrible, I was determined to have a good all season vehicle so I bought my first Subaru. It was from the model year 95 and had a broken windshield. The rear hatch had a label that read AWD so I thought I had negotiated a good deal when I paid the salesman just over 2 grand. He had tried to sell me a second parts car to accompany my purchase but I declined. It wasn't until I got home with the vehicle that I actually looked under the car to find out that it had been in an accident and the rear hatch was from the parts car that I didn't buy. This maroon Legacy was only FWD. I named it Thrust after the Decepticon of the same color. 

Suzy in beast mode

Thrust proved to be old reliable and was actually much better in winter conditions than I had expected. I wouldn't have traded up for another car had I not been divorced. I felt that if I were to be back on the "market" I would do better had I a nicer vehicle with lower mileage. Thrust had survived another rear end accident under my ownership and the odometer read 256,735 when I traded it in for a 1996 Legacy Outback wagon with just over 150k on the clock and a new set of head gaskets. 

Suzy handling the terrain

I named the green wagon after one of Phish's songs Suzy Greenberg because she seemed to "walk the streets like she's the queen of the town" and of course she was green. Suzy currently has over 265,000 miles on her and has served as my home away from home. (I actually lived in her for a while after my divorce) She has been off roading, on several long distance adventures along the east coast and has been one of my favorite cars. 

 

When I left to hike the Appalachian Trail, I left Suzy behind and started carrying this big green Gregory Forester pack on my back. The bag holds 77 liters of gear and weighs almost 4 pounds when its empty. I walked over 2000 miles with that monkey on my back. I named him Clyde after the orangutan in the Clint Eastwood film "Any Which Way But Loose." 

My bicycle I purchased for a fair price from a friend after her husband had passed. It has been a trusty steed to me so I figured it needed a good trustworthy horse name. I called it Chastity's Buckle because what good is a Chastity Belt if it doesn't have a sturdy buckle? 

Chaz for short, relaxing in Maine

Lastly, as you know I purchased a 1984 Volkswagen Vanagon in March of 2014. I had dreamt of owning the van for so long and worked hard to earn the necessary funds. I actually named him before I even found him. His sister Suzy and I were driving around and the song Wilson by Phish came on the radio. A lightbulb went off on my head and I saw Tom Hanks and his volleyball companion living on their remote island as the song played. I knew the van was going to be my adventure buddy for many years to come. It had to be... Wilson! 

Wilson enjoying the sunshine off the Blue Ridge Pkwy near Asheville NC

What names have you given to your vehicles? And Why? Please share in the comments section below.