Farewell, 2001 Honda Odyssey

Today we said farewell to our 2001 Honda Odyssey.¹Suzi was disappointed we didn’t get to 300,000 miles. But we got close at 295,502. Thank you, Suzi, for snapping the pictures as they prepared to haul it away. This car took us to the store, to school, to work, and to church. It took us to visit friends and family. It hauled our kids to and from college.²One year, I made the trip ten times! It transported us uncountable times to Champoeg Park and Cannon Beach. We learned how to load a car-top carrier and a trailer hitch bike rack so it could haul all our gear for family vacations.

All four of our kids learned to drive in this car. And I learned a little bit about EGR emissions systems fixing this car, twice.

We are not looking to immediately replace it. Suzi and I will try a low-car lifestyle.³Well, as much “low car” as we can be with all four kids having their own cars. But Suzi and I will share one. Since early last year, I have commuted almost exclusively by bike, having been stopped only by a broken spoke and deepish snow.

At one time, my brother and I both had brown Honda Odysseys and silver Honda CRVs.⁴Our Odyssey keys even fit in each others’ locks, but the smart chips didn’t match so we could only open each others’ cars, not drive them away. Looks like that era is over. His CRV has been replaced and now our Odyssey is gone. Maybe he can get a pretty, sage green, bike — just like mine. ;-)

• 1
  Suzi was disappointed we didn’t get to 300,000 miles. But we got close at 295,502. Thank you, Suzi, for snapping the pictures as they prepared to haul it away.
• 2
  One year, I made the trip ten times!
• 3
  Well, as much “low car” as we can be with all four kids having their own cars. But Suzi and I will share one.
• 4
  Our Odyssey keys even fit in each others’ locks, but the smart chips didn’t match so we could only open each others’ cars, not drive them away.