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[3Wliners]

About 1990, Me and my Dad and his dog named Zero on a road trip in Dad's 88' Dodge Ram Charger. We're going to some radio-controlled plane meet / event. Dad was into RC planes, big time. Zero was a mid to large sized pooch, Pit Bull and something else mix breed. Zero was whitish in color with almost orange spots on his sides. So, Dad named his beloved dog "Zero."

Highway 395, in the desert, Zero starts acting antsy, pacing back and forth in the back seat. I tell my Pops that we should pull over, I think Zero needs to go poddy. Dad says something like, "Nah, he does many trips with me, he never drips a drop. He's fine."

We never made it to the RC aircraft show. Zero dropped a number 2 in the backseat of Dad's pristine Ram Charger. Dad got mad and yelled at Zero (Dad never yelled at Zero), and so Zero ran back and forth in the backseat.... spreading the #2 all over.

We sat roadside in several stops on the way home cleaning and taking breaths outside the truck.

If 35 years ago you saw two men taking breaths while hanging out the front windows of a black Ram Charger with a beautiful dog in the backseat: It might have been us. Pops, me, and Zero.

Be Well. Jeep on.

Eric

Dad and Zero are gone now. But that day I learned a lesson from my Dad that I used and passed on to my sons... 'Sometimes you should listen to your dog better.' 'And to your sons.'

Thank you for sharing such a vivid and heartfelt memory. It’s a beautiful reminder of how the funniest, messiest moments often become the ones we cherish most.

Your dad and Zero clearly left a lasting legacy — not just in that Ram Charger, but in the wisdom you’ve carried forward to your own family. “Sometimes you should listen to your dog better. And to your sons.” That’s a lesson worth holding onto.

Wishing you peace and warmth this Father’s Day. Here’s to the memories that never fade, and the love that stays with us always.

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[3Wliners]

I lost my dad 3 years ago this month from Alzheimer's. Going back in time thinking about the road trips out west and down south was not what I intended to do this evening. But I think I will keep these stories to myself and think about a few more for the rest of the night.

Talk to your dad while you can!

Thank you for sharing such a tender reflection. We’re so sorry for your loss — those memories of road trips and quiet moments often find us when we least expect them. It’s clear your dad left a lasting mark, and honoring him through those memories is something truly special.

Wishing you a peaceful evening full of good thoughts, and thank you for the gentle reminder: talk to your dad while you can.

 

[3Wliners]

Back in the 70's my Dad went through a phase of owning motorcycles. Him and a good friend would buy, trade and buy to try and outdo each other. He used to take me riding and many times he would take me on back roads, put me in front of him, get through the gears and up to speed, then let me grab the handlebars and control the bike. I was young, scared and excited all at the same time.
I used to take him out to eat (his favorite thing to do) for birthdays and Fathers Day. One year I took him to my favorite Mexican restaurant. He was a very simple man and believe it or not had never been to a Mexican restaurant before. He was more of a meat and potatoes kind of guy but did love his crab legs. Anyway, after we left the restaurant, he thanked me for taking him out to eat and he said "Son, thanks for taking me out to eat but please don't ever take me back to that place again". Made me chuckle on the inside. What I wouldn't give to be able to take him out to eat again. Lost him the day after Labor Day 2006. Can't believe it's been so long. I sure do miss fishing and playing golf with him.
For those who still have Fathers, enjoy them while you can. You may have your differences but in my opinion nobody can replace your Dad.

Thank you so much for sharing such a heartfelt memory. The way your dad let you take the handlebars as a kid sounds both thrilling and deeply special — a true bond of trust and adventure. And that story about the Mexican restaurant made me smile; it’s such a tender and funny moment that captures the love between you two.

It’s clear how much he meant to you, and how much those simple moments — fishing, golfing, or just a shared meal — still live on in your heart. You’re right — no one can ever take the place of a dad.

Wishing you peace and warmth as you remember him this Father’s Day. Thank you again for reminding us all to treasure every moment with those we love.

 

[3Wliners]

At my Dad's funeral I spoke about the impact road trips had on me. So many that I should probably write a book about them. From the time my little brother had appendicitis at Fort Leonard Wood and they threw him and my mom on a Blackhawk to a hospital in Jefferson City - my Dad put me and big bro in the '62 Chevrolet Impala Convertible and we darn near beat the helo there. Or Memphis to Tulsa in record time when my older brother was injured in Panama with 101st, and Mom was back home hysterical. Or all the trips around TX, MO, OK, KS, TN for my baseball and soccer tournaments, ODP events.....those conversations shaped who I am. When cancer came back, it came back hard. He had a few months. I was thrilled to get a chance to take one last trip - 5 days to drive Buda, TX to Big Bend, TX and back. I'm very grateful for that gift, and we had a great time. He lived a life of service. He was hard on us, but he loved us and he was always there.

1SG Ted W. McDaris, U.S. ARMY (retired)
Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Probation/Parole (retired)
Tulsa Country Sheriff Deputy (retired)

Time Magazine had a photo from Vietnam. A few Big Bend trip pics. And there is a pic there with my Dad and little bro after laying a wreath at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Thank you so much for sharing your story. It’s clear your dad lived a life full of purpose, service, and deep love for his family. The road trips, the late-night drives, the conversations — those memories are powerful, and it’s beautiful how they shaped who you are.

That final trip to Big Bend sounds like such a meaningful gift — a way to say goodbye, and also to celebrate everything he stood for. His legacy clearly lives on through you and your stories.

Wishing you peace and strength this Father’s Day. And thank you to 1SG Ted W. McDaris for a lifetime of service — both to his country and to his family.

 

[smlobx]

Great topic!

I have two memories about my Dad and cars. Both involve an Austin Healy Sprite that he bought in the ‘60’s.

The first was the typical Sunday drive that was popular back in the day in which families would load up the kids and go somewhere. In our case it was usually to see friends of my parents or go for an ice cream. The kicker was that we were a family of SIX In that little car. Me being the oldest sat in the middle of the back area with my legs extending between the two seats. My two older sisters were on either side and my baby sister sat in my Mothers lap? Seat belts?? HA HA! I have a picture somewhere…

The second was just with my Dad and me. Once again he was driving the Sprite and it was a summer day in NH so the top was down. I looked over to the gauge cluster and noticed that the speedometer read zero mph. I asked him what was going on and in a dead pan voice he explained that we weren’t actually driving but that the earth was rotating and he was just keeping the car on the road in the same place! He was an engineer and I was about 8 years old so I spent the next several years trying to figure that out…Good times!

 

[AstroZombie]

My dad liked to drive fast and loved Mustangs. One of his first cars was a Mach 1 429 Cobra jet. He talked about it all the time.

In the 80's he was all about buying American made products and only drove AMC. This first i remember was his Hornet and he would race around in that thing like it had the 429 Cobra Jet. Unfortunately its wasn't quite as fast as the Mach 1 so he would ask me and my 3 sister to help make it lighter so he would have us all push up on the roof so it wasn't so heavy on the ground or have us rock the car forward making it just a little faster.

silly but funny little memory and i do it to this day with my kids and they just look at me like i am an idiot. We they aren't wrong HAHAHA.

Plus he would never let me drive his car. In the end he had prostate cancer so he purchased a Mustang GT, 5 speed and with the aching bones he had a hard time shifting and still wouldn't let me drive it.

RIP pops, for what its worth riding shotgun wasn't that bad!

 

[AstroZombie]

This is similar to what the Mustang Looked like.




This is what the Hornet looked like LOL

 

[JCappy]

This is similar to what the Mustang Looked like.




This is what the Hornet looked like LOL

Great story and memories. I'm sure you miss him like I miss mine.
I mentioned a couple of things earlier about my Dad but there are many that come to mind after I have been thinking about this today. Love the Mustang. I grew up driving a '70 but it wasn't a Mach 1 but still it was a blast to drive. My two fondest memories was my girlfriend sitting on a pillow on the hump between the bucket seats just to sit by me (no seatbelts back in the day) and me showing up at the school gym to play a basketball game as a senior with all 8 cheerleaders stuff in the car with me. All the players thought I was the man lol. Turned out to be my 15 seconds of fame. Wish I had hung on to that car. Hind sight.....

 

[JasonL83]

Years ago when I still had my learners permit I was with my dad, he was driving somewhere (he had a blue 1991 F150 with the 300 I6). All of a sudden he started yelling in agony "I gotta crap, I gotta crap!, you need to drive". I laughed hysterically and wondered if he had to crap so bad, why he wanted to pull over, stop, switch seats and resume the trip rather than stopping at some place with a bathroom. He looked at me puzzled and asked why I thought it was so funny, I told him, and he said "no, I have a CRAMP".

There was also the time (same truck) he was driving at night and he thought a bat flew in the open window, he about cried like a baby. When he pulled over we got a better view saw it was just a giant moth.

Good times.

 

[3Wliners]

Great topic!

I have two memories about my Dad and cars. Both involve an Austin Healy Sprite that he bought in the ‘60’s.

The first was the typical Sunday drive that was popular back in the day in which families would load up the kids and go somewhere. In our case it was usually to see friends of my parents or go for an ice cream. The kicker was that we were a family of SIX In that little car. Me being the oldest sat in the middle of the back area with my legs extending between the two seats. My two older sisters were on either side and my baby sister sat in my Mothers lap? Seat belts?? HA HA! I have a picture somewhere…

The second was just with my Dad and me. Once again he was driving the Sprite and it was a summer day in NH so the top was down. I looked over to the gauge cluster and noticed that the speedometer read zero mph. I asked him what was going on and in a dead pan voice he explained that we weren’t actually driving but that the earth was rotating and he was just keeping the car on the road in the same place! He was an engineer and I was about 8 years old so I spent the next several years trying to figure that out…Good times!

Thank you so much for sharing these wonderful memories! Squeezing six people into a tiny Sprite sounds like pure family adventure — and your dad’s explanation about the earth rotating is just brilliant. Such a fun and heartwarming story — definitely the kind of moments that make Father’s Day truly special.

 

[3Wliners]

My dad liked to drive fast and loved Mustangs. One of his first cars was a Mach 1 429 Cobra jet. He talked about it all the time.

In the 80's he was all about buying American made products and only drove AMC. This first i remember was his Hornet and he would race around in that thing like it had the 429 Cobra Jet. Unfortunately its wasn't quite as fast as the Mach 1 so he would ask me and my 3 sister to help make it lighter so he would have us all push up on the roof so it wasn't so heavy on the ground or have us rock the car forward making it just a little faster.

silly but funny little memory and i do it to this day with my kids and they just look at me like i am an idiot. We they aren't wrong HAHAHA.

Plus he would never let me drive his car. In the end he had prostate cancer so he purchased a Mustang GT, 5 speed and with the aching bones he had a hard time shifting and still wouldn't let me drive it.

RIP pops, for what its worth riding shotgun wasn't that bad!

Thank you for sharing such a heartfelt and funny memory. Your dad sounds like he had an incredible spirit — full of love for speed, American cars, and a great sense of humor. The image of you and your sisters “helping” the Hornet go faster is priceless, and the Mustang GT story is both touching and powerful.

RIP to your dad — sounds like he made a lasting impression, and riding shotgun beside him was clearly something special.

 

[3Wliners]

Great story and memories. I'm sure you miss him like I miss mine.
I mentioned a couple of things earlier about my Dad but there are many that come to mind after I have been thinking about this today. Love the Mustang. I grew up driving a '70 but it wasn't a Mach 1 but still it was a blast to drive. My two fondest memories was my girlfriend sitting on a pillow on the hump between the bucket seats just to sit by me (no seatbelts back in the day) and me showing up at the school gym to play a basketball game as a senior with all 8 cheerleaders stuff in the car with me. All the players thought I was the man lol. Turned out to be my 15 seconds of fame. Wish I had hung on to that car. Hind sight.....

Thank you for sharing more of your memories — they really paint such a vivid and fun picture. Sounds like that Mustang brought a lot more than horsepower into your life! Your “15 seconds of fame” with the cheerleaders is a classic — no wonder it stuck with you.

It’s amazing how certain cars hold onto not just stories, but whole eras of our lives. Definitely understand that hindsight feeling — but the memories are gold.

 

[3Wliners]

Years ago when I still had my learners permit I was with my dad, he was driving somewhere (he had a blue 1991 F150 with the 300 I6). All of a sudden he started yelling in agony "I gotta crap, I gotta crap!, you need to drive". I laughed hysterically and wondered if he had to crap so bad, why he wanted to pull over, stop, switch seats and resume the trip rather than stopping at some place with a bathroom. He looked at me puzzled and asked why I thought it was so funny, I told him, and he said "no, I have a CRAMP".

There was also the time (same truck) he was driving at night and he thought a bat flew in the open window, he about cried like a baby. When he pulled over we got a better view saw it was just a giant moth.

Good times.

That’s hilarious — thank you for sharing such a fun memory! The “crap vs. cramp” mix-up is classic, and I can just picture the panic over the “bat” that turned out to be a moth. Moments like these really stick with us — it’s the laughter and little chaos that make them unforgettable.

Sounds like you and your dad had some truly great times in that blue F150!

 

[pcrawfordpt]

Not entering as I won a set during their last contest. These mats are excellent! If you don’t win but still need some mats, I highly recommend. Fit is perfect, style is great, price pint is great, and so far pretty durable.

 

[Idlethunder]

My best vehicle related memory of my dad was being taught how to drive back around 1980 in his stick shift CJ7 Golden Eagle. I remember slipping off the clutch before the garage door was up and taking out the bottom section of the door. He wasn't happy about it but didnt lose his temper and a few days later he taught me how to repair a garage door

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