I Have These Ideas and then see them on TV...

Actually this idea came from a combination of a casting notice I submitted to, an old idea to raise money to get a VW Thing, and my recent binge-watching previously mentioned in the next most recent post.

One thing that kept me awake last night was born of binge-watching Long Way Round and starting Long Way Down: taking a 48-state trip in a VW Thing, like I mentioned last August. I seriously would love to take a college buddy pal (as he says, "friends are friends and pals are pals, but buddies sleep together) on that trip, as we love food (we wrote a restaurant review column back in the day) and cars and stuff. Maybe a 2-car trip, him in a Mustang and me in a Thing! Film it, sell it as a show on whatever cable channel carries car/food/road shows....

The last August post read like this:

A flight of fancy had me considering a crazy Kickstarter campaign to raise cash to buy, fix up, and drive a VW Thing to all 48 contiguous United States. Film it, post updates from the road, then write a book to accompany the film. Whatd'ya think? 

Here are some maps created by others for this very task:

 Totally doable.

Last night, watching Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, I saw a commercial for this summer offering on Food Network, and they are driving a Jeep around the south! Not a Thing, but COME ON!!!!

First thought: they stole my idea! (not really, of course, you can't steal something that was just in my head and on this blog).

I had actually submitted Doug and myself to a reality show in February but never heard back, and my second thought after seeing the commercial was "that was the show I submitted to," but now that I see it's Paula Deen's sons that have already had a show, it may not have been the case.

Here's that description:

So, I got a notice via my talent agency about a food show that screams "far boys talk grub part two, the sequel" and wondered if you'd be interested if I submit for it: 

Have you and a friend/mate/sibling always dreamt of going on the ultimate ‘Foodie’ road adventure. Yes?!? You may become the hosts of our new TV series!!! High Noon Entertainment is casting for charismatic host duos for a new series for a major cable network. Our two hosts can be buddies, siblings, couples – just as long as you both have a strong history with each other, some sort of food background and have fun personalities with awesome on-screen charisma. This is a ‘road trip’ style show where our two hosts will travel to different cities and experience how America’s favorite snack foods are made, while getting a feel for the city itself. Food and fun….what more can you ask for!!! High Noon Entertainment, one of America's leading television production companies. We produce high-quality programming for networks such as HGTV, Discovery, TLC, Travel Channel, Reelz, Weather Channel, truTV, Cooking Channel and Food Network.

Not the same, but I bet it gets scrapped because of the Deen show.

I get what Joke and Biagio are saying: it helps if you are already known to get a new reality show made. Bankable personalities win over unknowns, duh.

Nevertheless, I think my idea is different enough, yet similar enough that it may have legs. Wonder what network would air it? Cars, travel, food, and ? Hmmmm

New Mustangs And Other Vehicles

Well, there's this:

That's right, it's a new old Mustang, upgraded but classic.

Pretty sweet. Starting about $120,000, not unreasonable compared to what other similar-ish vehicles cost. I tagged my best college pal, Doug Clark of Garage Knights and he replied "back to the good old days. Well, I'm down to just 5 of them now and only 2 run LMAO" (to which I answered, "I'll take one off your hands if you like; let me count my change jar...LOLOL").

That was fun. Somehow I ended up looking at motorcycles on Craigslist. (you know that I was looking at Things, right?) Now, I'm not in the market, shoot, I don't even have motorcycle temps, but here's some old bikes I like.

"1982 Honda 250 Custom. No title. Needs carburetor work. Easily repaired or used for parts. $400"

"I have owned this for MANY years! It has been in inside storage until 3 days ago and now it must go. If you are looking to restore it nothing is frozen. It rolls with ease and the cables are not frozen. Or you can part it out on eBay. There is no title but I will provide a bill of sale. It has been so long that I do not remember the year or CC of the bike. I have no interest in it anymore, it came out of storage and the first one to get here takes it home. $250"

"Honda CB360 for sale. Clean title, good cosmetic shape for a bike of this age. New brakes, brake lines, points, condensers, battery, rectifier/regulator. $1400."

Somehow I found my way to a page about these, and thought that it's right up my alley: a good beginner bike, on and off road, 70+ MPG. Reminds me of the Scramblers I like so much.

Let's retrace the steps, for fun:

A Supercompressor article about the aforementioned Mustangs led to

Please God, Let Jeep Make These Concept 4X4s which led to

Keanu Reeves' Motorcycle Company Debuts First Bike (I think) which came from this page of links.

However, my search history has me thinking that I just clicked on this Yahoo story after logging off my email. Not as much fun, eh?

I then Googled the TW200 and found this story and thought, "that's a bike I could ride!" There are plenty available on Craigslist, and they can be had pretty reasonably, if you ask me. New ones are around $4500.