We said, “Goodbye” to our old Land Rover Discovery today. With over 200,000 miles, it was too unreliable for long trips and was relegated to the back yard to be restored “some day.” With too many other projects, that someday was never going to come and it was time to donate it.
But what a trip down memory lane. Reminiscing about the trip to the Mojave where the radiator cap broke while out exploring and we drove a 100 miles to the closest town with a wine cork in the radiator. The trip to the Los Padres when we put it in 4-low, climbed a hill to set up camp with a 180 degree view of the ocean 3000′ below. How many trips to the snow in Colorado? The Sierras? The times we saw a “shortcut” on the map knowing full well that it was dirt and going to take longer.
The Land Rover was our dog kennel on wheels. When fireworks were shot off and the dogs were going insane, we would load them into the Land Rover for the calming effect. When I heard Tank growling at Florence Lake and thought he was going to wake the neighbors camping nearby so I quickly threw him in the back, only to find there had been a bear in our site. The dogs always got their morning and evening exercise but were happy to sleep the day away in the Rover while we skied.
And, not that it was the perfect arrangement. Tank, our 170 lb. Mastiff had to lifted in and out. There was the time I came out of the eye doctor with my eyes dilated and arrived at the car just in time to see Tank grab the rear view mirror in his mouth and pull it off the windshield. I found it yesterday with the glass chunks still attached.
The tow truck couldn’t get under the low hanging wires in the yard so we had to pull the Discovery up the front with the tractor. One last “drive” before it was unceremoniously towed away. At least the proceeds will got the Woods Humane Society; the shelter where Sheba was adopted.
Ramblings With Ranger 
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