a few words of caution to all you young whippersnappers out there:

i'd advise wearing at least one ear plug (like the kind you can buy for
shooting pistols ... the little foam thing that sticks in your ear) while
you are riding in your van with the window down.  i've got a 70 percent
hearing loss in my left ear, and i'm pretty sure it's because of all those
years of beetles, squareback, and buses running up and down the countryside
with only the 2/60 type air conditioning: 2 windows down and 60 mph. :)

anyway, i never noticed it until it was too late ... actually, i never
noticed it at all; the army did ... tested me six times (only when i was
leaving, of course!) ... thought i was faking it. then they asked me if i
knew i was deef!

the ear plug helps, and putting it in only the outside ear helps to still be
able to hear what goes on inside the bus. it does, however, mess up the sound
of the music. :(

just a few words, from farther down the road. :)

joel