The van is no more.  I once again am tooling around town in a VW Beetle.  The last time was a red old style Beetle and the towns were Lowden and Clarence, Iowa.  The red Beetle was my mom's.  She would let me drive it to school in Clarence until the day I was hit by a schoolmate turning left and then the well placed light pole.

My dad had a case of empty beer cans in the hood.  The best part of small town living was the store owners that collected up all the cans and threw them out before the police arrived.

Now it is a black 2006 new VW Beetle.  The main quality that both Beetles share is space.  I may look a little foolish being a large guy in a small car, but there is no better car for interior space.  I am tall enough that in many coupes or sedans, I have to contort my head to fit in.  I think my bald spot was as much about my noggin constantly rubbing against the roofs of various cars as maternal DNA.  That plus ample leg room and being a safe distant from the Air Bag, makes this a very comfy fit for me.

This will also be my little part in saving the planet as I am getting close to a 50% increase in fuel economy.  The Beetle gets 23 City / 32 Highway.

I am still learning about the car.  After leaving the dealer, I had no idea where the light switch was, but was able to figure it out before causing any major accident.  I am eagerly waiting for my first big road trip!