One such incident happened at a local gas station. A guy came up to me and told me how much he liked my van. Then he began to relate a story about a trip he and his family took to Alaska in a van like mine during the summer of 1973. He said that seeing mine took him back to some pretty good times.

After several comments like his, it seemed as if I was driving a time machine--kind of like the contraption that Mr. Peabody and Sherman used to travel back in time on the Rocky & Bullwinkle Show.

It was called the "WABAC Machine".

I just got a personalized plate -- WABAC -- for my birthday this year!