The DataVan Diaries

DAY ONE

APRIL 13
Stanton PA to Casey IL

APRIL 14
Casey IL to    Cuba MO

APRIL 15
Cuba MO to Amarillo TX

APRIL 16
Amarillo TX to  Winslow AZ

HOME

And so on this day, the long journey west in the DataVan begins.  My companion for this trip is my sister Cynthia (for those not in the know, my only sister -- and though I technically have another sibling, she's the only one to whom I willfully admit being related).

Most of the day was spent in preparation for the trip.  I take no credit for the technical wizardry or superb packing job, as these areas are handled by the ever-resourceful and far more capable Joe and Jeff.  My day was pretty much spent trying to tie up loose ends before I go (though I know, and am sure, I'll forget something) and creating SCLogic wallpaper for display on the fancy new flat-panel screens at the show.  The van has been redesigned , includes our new logos, and though some had reservations about changing the van from its original white with images of scanners & terminals to this brighter, very orange colour, the final product has been well received by everyone to whom I've spoken.  Adguys - if you're reading, great job! Unfortunately, one thing I can't show you is the top of the van, which has a huge bar code on it and says "This Side Up".  If I manage to stay in a two-story place on the trip, I'll be sure to take a picture.

Some of you may ask, "What in the Sam Hill are you doing, driving a van across country?  Why does it have to get there? And why are they trusting you?"

The answers are: The van must get to San Diego.  It's for a trade show.  And lastly, beats me, but I'm driving the van, anyway.

But really, the fact of the matter is this: the DataVan is our trade show booth on wheels.  Everything that is being packed up in our van is the equipment and furniture for our 20' x 20' trade show booth -- the van, which we actually drive into the show -- acts as a backdrop as well as provides the network for the PC workstations that run our proprietary software product, SCLIntra.  In addition, it provides auxiliary power and holds a mini-refrigerator for keeping various beverages cold -- always handy at a trade show!  It's still fairly uncommon to use a vehicle as your booth, and over the years SCLogic has been known as "the company with the van".  The DataVan has also been used as a demonstration on wheels - it has been taken to customer sites more than just a few times to demonstrate RF networks, terminals and handheld scanning.  Pretty nifty, eh?

It was later than I had hoped when we finally pulled out of SCLogic parking lot.  The cab of the van, now transformed into a cockpit of sorts, is an amazing array of technological gadgets.  There's your obligatory AM/FM/CD player (with detachable face)...there's the XM Satellite Radio console...there's my laptop equipped with GPS sensor, displaying Microsoft MapPoint...and two cellular phones -- my sister's and mine.  Upon sitting in the cab for the first time, my sister remarked, "This is like the Millennium Falcon!"  What's even more amusing is closing up the van for the night.  It takes a good 10 minutes to make sure everything's unplugged and packed away, or carted in with us.

Anyway, we left at around 8, I believe, and after eating in Columbia and gassing up (hey, thanks, whoever left the van with a frickin' empty tank) we FINALLY were on our way.  Our goal for the night: just get out of Maryland, for God's sake!

Goal achieved.  We made it into Pennsylvania and headed for the Turnpike.  Sure enough, after passing through the  Allegany Mountain tunnel, fatigue finally hit me (I'd been up since 6:50 for God's sake -- that's awfully early for me).  Fatigue couldn't hit me in Breezewood, where there's 9 million places to stay -- NO -- I start fading in the middle of the f'n Turnpike where it's forever and a day between stops with lodging. At last we discovered the exit at Stanton and, after dismantling the DataVan Control Center, called it a day.

A Fully-Functional RF Network Controller, a Mini-Fridge, XM Satellite Radio and GPS are just a few of the accoutrements of the amazing SCLogic DataVan