The Legend-News
So Solly, Lubba Duck
The Good News: Pioneer is releasing The Motion Picture "Convoy" on DVD. The Bad News: they're only releasing it in Japan.
According to their Japan web site, the disc will be released on 25 February, at a cost of ¥3800; that's about US$35.00. I'd tell you more, but those two bits of information are the only items that I can understand on a Japanese-language page.
Grumble, grumble...
Didja Know?
Citizens Band radio was introduced in 1947 as a way for truckers to be informed of open gasoline (okay, diesel) filling stations. Back in '47, the 24-hour fuel stop hadn't been invented.
Convoy 2000
Still looking for something to do during the week of June 6th? There's a short jaunt across the U.S.A. being organized to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the song "Convoy". You can find more information on the
Convoy 2000 Information Page; or write to
augustprty@aol.com.
I'm planning to go. It's a great excuse to buy a new Jeep. :)
Surfin' With The Rubber Duck
Today's search term is "convoy 2000". There are strange and wonderful sites out there...
- Jesus Freaks Convoy 2000. You can stop for a coffee in West Berlin. There no mention of a chartreuse micro-bus, though. (This is a German site; use Altavista's Babel Fish for a translation.)
- The MP3.com page of Jim Bob Convoy, a country artist from Gothenburg, Sweden (yeah, that's what it says) with a song called "Beans N' Beer". Sounds good to me.
- Convoy Escort: A Merc:2000 Adventure. A scenario for a role-playing game. Just like the motion picture "Convoy", you get shot at.
- 2000 Dreams Bridal and Formals. It's time for a white wedding. Okay, so the only connection is that they have a store on Convoy Street in San Diego.
- Turismo in Camper. An Italian site that's under construction. I don't think that C.W. mentioned pickup trucks with camper tops.
- Make-A-Wish Fundraisers. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin is holding a 56-mile round trip on 10 June 2000.
-
The 20 December 1999 edition of
Turismo all'Aria Aperta. Italian, of course. Babelfish can't handle the translation of the complete page, but
here it is.
Now if I could just figure out what a 'street beacon' is.
Chiavari, un'analisi impietosa
Massimo Minetti, incaricato di effettuare un sopralluogo sull'itinerario 'Convoy 2000', ha compiuto una visita anche alla città di Chiavari (arcinota per le sue ottuse chiusure nei confronti del turismo itinerante) e ne ha ricavato un quadro impietoso sul quale ha relazionato al Coordinamento Camperisti. L'inizio del suo resoconto è lapidario: "Parcheggi deserti, segnali a bizzeffe". Poi prosegue e, con un pizzico di ironia, rileva: "Ho contato un numero inverosimile di segnali stradali. Sono stati educati, non hanno messo il divieto ma addolcito la pillola con un segnale composito: P di parcheggio, eccetto roulottes (inutile in quanto la roulotte, essendo un rimorchio, non può sostare staccata dalla motrice), autocaravan ... e autocarri superiori a 3,5 ton. (come se ne esistessero anche di inferiori!)"., a Dopo questa opportuna premessa, Minetti prova a fare una botta di conti su questa segnaletica, in parte inutile e in parte in contrasto con il vigente CdS, e rileva: "In cinquecento metri ho contato 46 di questi segnali. Considerato che il pannello, delle dimensioni di cm. 60 per 60, costa circa 80.000 lire, abbiamo un totale di 3.680.000 lire. Aggiungiamo 46 pali, 92 staffe e 184 bulloni e arriviamo a un totale di circa 5.000.000 di lire. Senza contare il materiale per il fissaggio del palo a terra e le ore di lavoro necessarie per il montaggio dei segnali. In proposito auguriamoci che il lavoro di installazione sia stato fatto dalla squadra degli operai comunali, perché se la segnaletica fosse in appalto i costi salirebbero alle stelle. ... Se si considera che tali cartelli sono presenti in tutti i parcheggi di Chiavari arriviamo a cifre da capogiro". Minetti conclude amareggiato: "Probabilmente, con una spesa di gran lunga inferiore, avrebbero potuto fare un'area attrezzata".
Song A’ Th’ Week
It's Leftover Truck Songs Month at the
Legend-News!
The road is dark and you've been drivin' for too many hours. But you've gotta keep movin' 'cause you're late.
Night Rider
(Bill Fries, Chip Davis)
From the album
Wolf Creek Pass
[A ghostly chorus]
Night rider
Well, a-truckin' on the night line, quarter past five
Tryin' to get my rig an' me to 'Frisco alive
Fog lights up tight, a-givin' me the creeps
Just a Winnemucca trucka with a load a' black sheep
[A ghostly chorus]
Night rider
I got a belly full a' jelly and head full a' pain
Bennies spinnin' spider webs, a-messin' my brain
Tryin' ta get myself together with a shot a' black C
What I really oughta get me is an hour a' Zs
[Chorus, but not ghostly]
Night Rider, Night Rider, losin' your mind
Look at those lights 'til you think you've gone blind
Night Rider, Night Rider, losin' your mind
Look at those lights, 'til you've gone blind
Well, Alabammy Mammy got a spell on my life
Kansas City Kitty cut my heart out tonight
I lost a C-note in Reno off a' Keno and craps
And now Smokey's on the overpass a-settin' his traps
White lines laser burnin' holes in my eyes
Feel like I'm hypnotized, think I'm gonna die
Interstate 80, gonna get me no sleep
Just a-winkin' and a-blinkin' with a stinkin' load a' sheep
[Chorus]
Night Rider, Night Rider, losin' your mind
Look at those lights 'til you think you've gone blind
Night Rider, Night Rider, losin' your mind
Look at those lights, 'til you've gone blind
[A ghostly chorus]
Night rider
[Ghostly, but it's not the chorus]
Ba ba black sheep, have you any wool?
Yes sah, yes sah, three bags full
One for my master, and one for my dame
And one for Jimmy Bowen who lives in L.A.
[Chorus]
Night Rider, Night Rider, losin' your mind
(yeah)
Look at those lights 'til you think you've gone blind
[Psychotic cackling here. He's losin' it.]
Night Rider, Night Rider, losin' your mind
Look at those lights 'til you think you've gone blind
Night Rider, Night Rider, losin' your mind
Look at those lights 'til you think you've gone blind
[Fade out]
Night Rider, Night Rider, losin' your mind
Look at those lights 'til you think you've gone blind
Night Rider, Night Rider, losin' your mind
Look at those lights 'til you think you've gone blind
Night Rider, Night Rider, losin' your mind
Look at those lights 'til you think you've gone blind
Night Rider, Night Rider, losin' your mind
Look at those lights 'til you think you've gone blind
Night Rider, Night Rider, losin' your mind
Look at those lights 'til you think you've gone blind
Original contents Copyright ©2000
Edward Floden. All rights reserved.
"That's my wagon! They've got my whores!" -- Wicks,
The Magnificent Seven,
"Working Girls".