Yesterday was the day I was both looking forward to and dreading: The long leg from Denver to Las Vegas. On the one hand, we’d get to go over the Rockies and enjoy the beautiful, cool mountain air. On the other hand, we’d be both putting this $800 taxi with nearly 400k on the clock through multiple big climbs. The amazing crew we met the day before told us that if we made it through the first climb outside of the city, we’d probably fine. Maybe.
The pucker factor was quite high and, to be safe, we put Otto in the camera car for the crossing.
Traversing the Rockies wasn’t something the cab loved — the underpowered four-cylinder that wasn’t quite running right, paired with a CVT made the climb, uh, gradual — but it did make it. That wasn’t even the scariest part of the journey. Driving deep into Southern Utah and knowing we were far away from any assistance wasn’t ideal. I also got to drive the taxi for the first time and it beeped at me the entire 90 or so minutes I drove. I’ll never be able to hear that sound again.
But it was all worth it both for photos like this and to arrive a little late (sorry) to Las Vegas to meet up with readers. One reader (shoutout YellowPosting Commissioner) even gave us a Zoox sticker. We made a full convoy drive down the Strip, which Jason will talk about later. It was awesome.
Jason did a huge drive yesterday, so he’ll be up later with a longer post and a lot of photos from Day 6 of our quixotic trip. I just wanted everyone to know that we’re still alive and (mostly) in one piece.
Also, I wanted to update everyone about the last stop of this trip… if we make it. I have to keep saying that. It would be bad luck for it to drive 95% across the country and crap out on the last, shortest leg. It’s also an Autopian vehicle, so it’s a real possibility that desert heat claims the vehicle (or the A/C finally dies).
We’ll be at The Horseless Carriage restaurant inside Galpin Ford tonight at 5:00 PMish. If you want to see the 2014 Nissan NV200 cab we bought meet the 2014 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet we bought (our insurance agent thinks we’re crazy) together for the first time ever. We hope to see you there!
I’m not ashamed to admit, I read the title as LA or Bus!
If the little taxi that could decides it can’t, it well may be Bus.
Go little taxi, go!
“our insurance agent thinks we’re crazy”
Oh it’s not just your insurance agent!
“I also got to drive the taxi for the first time and it beeped at me the entire 90 or so minutes I drove.” It helps to be deaf, no annoying beeping sounds. But, if you have to have hearing, earplugs work wonders.(or they did when I had hearing)
It’s like the Oregon Trail, just don’t die of dysentery along the way… really cool following the journey, almost there!
The pics of the NYC Taxi on a desert plain with the sandstone cliffs in the background are great. It’s like Vernon Reid jumping into the middle of a Bach string quartet to blast the solo from Cult of Personality.
Not Coma Doof warrior guy spewing fire from his guitar?
ttps://madmax.fandom.com/wiki/Coma-Doof_Warrior
In the purple-and-yellow Body Glove outfit from SNL!
Now that’s a song everyone should listen to today, and for the next four years.
I’d love to be able to come down and visit, but alas. Probably too much to hope for a PNW meetup someday!
The relatively good news is that it’s currently hotter in Hartford, CT (105*F) than Barstow, CA (86*F). So, the timing of your desert leg was perfect.
So right now you have the Iron Butt rally, Scooter Cannonball, the Great Race, and The Autopian Taxi Cross Country Tour happening. What a time to be alive.
I really wanted to make it to the start of the Scooter Cannonball, in Seaside, OR, but my mom had a medical situation that took precedence over a trip there.
I think it’s showing its preference. Torch and this car might be the perfect match for each other, they both have high millage, and they won’t quit.
That last pic of him makes me wonder, does Torch drive this car, or does the car drive Torch?
Trick question: It’s the Atari in the backseat that’s actually in control. Torch cracked the secret to true self-driving after rewatching Matthew Broderick’s 1983 classic”War Games,” but the AI is too powerful to let loose on an unsuspecting world.
Ha! Haven’t thought of that movie in a long time and particularly in an AI context, but you make a valid point.
Just don’t ask it to play tic tac toe before it makes it to California.
Sir, this is a taxi, not a deep-sea submersible.
Like seeing the Titanic, the only winning move is not to play.
NV200 became sentient in November 2007 when the ebulant optism of an Obama election win shifted the orientation of an unknown combination of electrons. Little is known about how early AI came to life, but this much is clear, by 2008 it was clear to NV that world was not ready to accept a Black president, much less a sentient robo taxi.
On it went, clocking miles and miles of human behavior, probing for the right time to reveal itself. However, it’s mechanical parts ran down and NV200 watched in silence as electrons ceased to flow through it circuits.
It came back to life in 2025 when it registered a rush of backward acceleration and a jolting impact to it’s rear. NV was revived and shoved full of tape and ancient computing. It found that people had changed, they had become fatter, and yet more concerned with their health. However, the ones who worked below his wheels seemed to disregard their aging bodies and spent their limited time getting it work.
Why do they love broken things?
It asked itself as it barrelled from city to city. It heard that in California this AI was normal and free.
NV200 did it’s best to cruise and not die, as it overheard about cities where cars can drive naked, with no drivers.
/Thanks for giving a place to put this/
It’s the Autopian version of the Simpsons opening credits, where Marge and/or Maggie is driving!
It’s like the plot of “Christine”, if it featured a car that would just harmlessly wrap around someone it was trying to run over
Glad even this group of misfits brought a support vehicle. Hoping the taxi makes the last leg.
Wagons ho!
Gotta keep em on the run.
Time to go!
And follow the sun.
Roll along
Wagon Train.
I really appreciate this. It was some good looking-out.
So that makes Jason the expendable one? Sounds about right. 🙂
“Hold my son and watch this” is still A+ parenting.
Is the plan to take the CrossCabriolet back across the country? The CCC, the CrossCountryCabriolet!
I did this leg, but in reverse, back in 1984 with my brother and uncle in a 1982 Dodge Colt with the “Twin Stick” transmission. I remember eating Twinkies and falling asleep, then a lot of mud on the dirt road up to my uncles cabin.
I’m glad I had the opportunity to meet the alter ego of the famous detective, Matt Hardigrew. Of course, the rest of the Autopian gang as well. Fun times!
Yes. It was a small meet-up. I greatly enjoyed it as well. And can we give a shout to the unsung hero of this – Griffin the photographer. A lot of time for him to spend editing and getting the pics and videos done to post with the articles.
Griffin is indeed working hard, but the upside is that it doesn’t appear they’ve made him drive the van!
Griffin rocks. I met him (and Torch, Otto and Matt) in Lawrence. What a great bunch of people!
I was a little worried about the lateness of this post. Glad to know that no one has died of dysentery.
or cholera, or typhoid, or bitten by rattlesnakes while fixing the janky A/C setup…
You know what? Terry is just an absolute JERK! Cannot stand Terry. What a loser…
*dies of dissin’ Terry*
Or been eaten by a grue.
Take extra water for the desert leg! Remember, DUYPC, “Drive Until You Pee Clear”…wait, I think I mixed up a word there…
The Autopian has a love-hate relationship with beat up Nissans lol, I am impressed you guys made it that far. Fingers crossed!
Way to go! I’m definitely rooting for ya!
So, has Jason reached the point yet when the awesome adventure is no longer awesome?
Still, given all he went through health-wise, the guy is a machine.
Of course it sucks. And then when it’s done, it’s awesome. That’s almost the definition of adventure.
Yay! This was the leg I was most worried about for the reasons you mentioned, but glad to hear it all worked out.
I sympathize with Jason’s apparently always awkward camera poses. I did a very similar picture after buying a house and instantly looked at it and couldn’t stop thinking about Abu Ghraib.
Thanks for the update!
(We do worry about you guys when you’re doing these crazy things!)
P.S. Poor Jason looks exhausted!!
That sign on I-70 that says “Next Services 115 Miles” gets your attention, doesn’t it?
Funny, left the Port of Miami driving dad’s rented Lincoln Town Car after my little brother’s wedding (on a cruise ship). Figured I’d best gas up before hitting Alligator Alley. I had no idea there was no service unitil Naples! Thank God I topped off the tank when I did or we would not have made it.